Flo’s
Since 1997, Florence “Flo” Chan has been quietly building a restaurant empire. Now with three restaurants in the Valley, she has been making sure that the commitment to good food and great dining experience stays true every meal. The menu is predominately Chinese in influence and the freshness of the flavors and ingredients comes shining through with each bite. We visited early on a weekend evening and while the restaurant was busy, we were greeted warmly and seated quickly. We loved the smaller menu; it is sometimes overwhelming when there are too many options. I am of the belief that it is better to do fewer things total, but do them all well.
We arrived in time for happy hour, while there were beverage specials; there were also half priced appetizers. We started with an order of Pot Stickers ($3.75, normally $7.50). We decided on chicken pot stickers but they also offer pork and vegetable. It consisted of four steamed, then lightly pan fired crescent-shaped pillows of deliciousness. They were served with a spicy soy dipping sauce for added flavor if needed. While they were larger than some places and could be cut in half to share more easily, it might be tougher to share with a table than some other options. But the flavors were amazing and I am very interested to return to sample the vegetable option.
The next item was the Golden Crab Puffs ($3.75, normally $7.50). I have had crab puffs more times than I can recall, but these had an extra bit of homemade flair that you don’t usually see. Many times when you are out and order this item, you get the traditional four-peaked pinched shape or triangle. When I get served those, I sometimes get the feeling they were made on another day and waiting to be heated up. But here each one had a slightly different shape and size. When I see that, I get a glow in my eyes for the facts that they are being made by hand in the back. The filling was a delightful mixture of cream cheese, a hint of crab, and a thinly sliced scallion. The sweet and sour dipping sauce played perfectly with the slight onion and cream cheese flavors. They were perfectly crispy and held together during the eating process. There were six in the order and a much easier item to share.
We then moved on to entrée options. The first entrée was the Orange Chicken ($12.95). This is a large platter of lightly breaded chicken pieces in a citrus-sweet sauce. The dish is accented with some orange peel and a few peppers for anyone looking for some extra spice. It comes with your choice of white or brown rice as well. This is a very large amount of food, but every bite was amazing. Most pieces of the chicken were slightly larger than bite size, and it was difficult to find any pieces that weren’t filled with white meat chicken. If you are a fan of traditional style Orange Chicken, I highly recommend you consider ordering this when visiting.
The next entrée was the Pork Moo Shoo ($13.50). I am a big fan of moo shoo. But it is difficult to find a restaurant that presents it with a good vessel to eat with. Some times the pancakes are too thin and other times they are too thick, but at Flo’s they are the perfect density. Thus allowing them to hold together, but not taste like cardboard either. They come freshly steamed and folded in quarters in a bamboo container, which helped keep them fresh and warm. The filling comes on a large platter and there is more moo shoo than could possible fit in the pancakes provided. A theme you will see to start developing is that you will be bringing left overs home most likely. The mixture of diced pork, mushrooms and other assorted vegetables when placed in the pancake and with a touch of Hoisin sauce, when done correctly, just tantalizing to the taste buds. Also if you are looking to eat a little lighter you can get it with lettuce cups instead of the flour pancakes.
The final entrée we had delivered to the table was the House Lo Mein ($14.95). Their house lo mein includes the thin noodle, various vegetables, and assorted proteins, such as chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp. All cooked together with the noodles and vegetables so all the flavors can bind together. Another very large portion was presented in the bowl, and it was easy to share with the table. Once everyone was done eating, there was enough to fill a take out container. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the flavors were great.
It was a fantastic meal, with exceptional service. The service not only from the waiter but from other service members as well. Drinks were refreshed without asking and someone always seemed to be within range to assist with any request. Also Flo herself was floating around the dining room checking to make sure everyone was enjoying his or her visit. I feel that is one of the major keys to success for this restaurants success, the attention to detail not only with the ingredients but the entire experience. The ambiance was relaxed and comfortable and the food was tremendous. So the next time you are in the area, I recommend you stop in and enjoy a meal, you might even get to say “Hello, Flo” while you are there.
Location and Website – 16495 North Scottsdale Road #5B-2, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 http://www.madebyflo.com