Restaurant Review: Little Phoenix – A Sunrise Spot to Savor

This isn't like me.

It's a weekday morning, approximately 9:07 AM. After having managed to successfully: [1] drop my son off at school on-time, [2] kill 42 minutes in a bank parking lot waiting for the branch to open, and [3] cash a check, I was now left with a series of additional tasks that were equally as obligatory and banal as the first three.

Making matters worse, I was starving.

In my haste to get out the door and get my son to school earlier, I was only able to slam down a half cup of smoothie for breakfast. Hunger and productivity generally don't mix, so my options were simple – return home, eat, and probably waste an hour or three getting nothing done (yes, this happens to me), or find someplace quick to grab breakfast in the area.

The more I thought about it, the more Option 1 became untenable. I had to bite the bullet and actually spend money eating out. And, as anyone who knows me can attest to, spending more money than absolutely necessary on anything is a complete anathema to my very being.

Self-portrait, circa yesterday.

Anyways, I fire up the old smartphone and check out Yelp. My goal is to find a nutritious and tasty – yet relatively inexpensive – breakfast on-the-go; I'm thinking maybe an omelet and home fries. As I scroll through the options, a 4.5 star-rated place about a three minute drive from the bank catches my eye: Little Phoenix.

As I pull up, a ray of hope beams from behind the sign out front. Perhaps a good omen?

Or maybe that's just the sun.

As I pull into parking lot out back, I'm immediately reminded of one Yelp reviewer's first impression of the place visually; to paraphrase, it was relatively humble and nondescript.

Once inside, I was greeted by a small, clean dining area and several empty tables to choose from. Unsure if I should seat myself initially, the suspicion that I was standing around awkwardly was confirmed by a few bemused glances from the patrons (presumably regulars).

They were staring, I swear.

I have yet to find out who this grammatical WIZARD is.

After fully coming to terms with my Seinfeldian faux pas, I sat. And while there was no Elaine, George or Kramer to humorously pick apart the minutia of what just took place, within two minutes or so there was a nice waitress bringing me a menu and an offer of "bottomless" coffee.

While I'm not a big coffee drinker, this was a strong start nonetheless.

These inspirational signs also helped.

I requested a glass of ice water and began to scan the rather spartan, one-page laminated menu. On first glance, it was standard fare – various permutations of egg, bacon, and sausage combos, pancakes, french toast, breakfast sandwiches, and a list of various omelets. The prices were excellent, ranging from $4 to $8 or so for a full meal.

I eventually settled on a grilled chicken and veggie omelet with swiss cheese. Since the menu did not specify which veggies were used, I asked, and the waitress rattled off an appetizing list including tomato, green peppers, spinach, and more. I requested everything but the asparagus and broccoli (I'm normally a fan of both, but I wasn't in the mood for either at the moment). The waitress happily obliged, took my menu, and left to get my order over to the cook.

About fifteen minutes later, unholy wonder was unleashed upon me:

YASS.

The cautious optimism molded by internet reviews from strangers and personal first impressions gave way to a primal urge – to wolf down this mother-lode of glistening, savory sustenance upon my plate as soon as possible.

Like, now:

Maybe they actually do have a WIZARD back there.

The omelet was cooked to perfection, the fillings were ample and full of flavor, and the home fries were just as good. Now I know what these internet strangers were talking about. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better:

Holy frugality, Batman.

I pretty much got half of the stuff they even offer on omelets, on my omelet. It was delicious, I was full, and the meal cost $8.51 before tip. That my friends, is winning.

Overall, my experience here was fantastic. I was served quickly, checked up on several times, given exactly what I ordered despite making a few nonstandard requests, and most importantly, the food was great. On the way out, the cook caught me taking a zillion pictures and asked if she was going to be on the news or something. I told her that I planned on writing a review for her restaurant online that would be read by thousands.

Then I told her the truth and said that it would be posted on my crappy little blog, and that I would probably spam the social media accounts of all friends, acquaintances, and pretty much anyone I've ever made eye contact with in hopes of bringing them business and getting a free breakfast coupon in return. Then I made her sign a waiver agreeing not to sue me if being associated with my blog ruined their good reputation.

Anyways, check these guys out if you're ever in the New Bedford, MA area!

OVERALL GRADE: A-

Location Info:

Little Phoenix
4128 Acushnet Avenue
New Bedford, MA
02745
http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-phoenix-restaurant-new-bedford