Tucked into the first floor corner of the Found:RE Hotel in downtown Phoenix sits one of the areas hottest dining hotspots – Match Restaurant and Lounge.
Serving up creative cocktails and uniquely delicious eats, this neighborhood eatery is the perfect destination for an after-work happy hour, date night dinner or to grab some grub before or after a game or show.
I can’t recommend their pizzas enough! Some of the tastiest I have ever had with a thin, crisp crust and high quality meats and veggies for toppings. My favorite was the Marco Pizza (pictured above) layered with house-made tomato sauce, mozzarella and gruyere cheeses, sweet peppers, fennel, spicy calabrese salami, chorizo and prosciutto. There were lots of tastes and textures on that pie but each complimented the next.
For a simpler offering opt for the Margherita with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, basil. It was a familiar take on the classic pizza using only the freshest ingredients.
I am obsessed with cruciferous vegetables! Give me all the broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower, especially if it is Match’s amazing Buffalo Cauliflower. Amongst the mouth-watering pizzas, and delicious dinner entrees I enjoyed during my visit that cauliflower was the best thing I ate all night. It was so damn good; crispy battered and fried tri-colored cauliflower, tossed in spicy buffalo sauce, and topped with pungent bleu cheese, green onions and micro cilantro. A delicious appetizer meant to be shared but you won’t want to!
Speaking of delicious entrees the Pesto Alfredo was fabulous. With perfectly al denté pasta and a luscious sauce. The addition of broccolini lightened things up a bit and added great texture and taste to the creamy dish. The pasta was served with hot, toasted garlic bread making for a generous portion.
And the Coconut Rum Cream Salmon had our entire table buzzing about how delicious it was. The fish was seasoned just right and expertly cooked, then set atop a bed of rice pilaf and dried with the most decadent and rich coconut sauce. It was such a creative dish and had every swooning.
If salads are your jam, Match’s offerings will not disappoint. I sampled the Chicken Thai Bowl with
pad thai noodles, shredded cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, wontons, black sesame seeds, lime cilantro vinaigrette, and peanut sauce; as well as the Southwest Chopped Salad with sunflower seeds, roasted corn, tomatoes, cotija cheese, black beans, romaine, and chipotle ranch. Both salads were hearty, fresh and satisfying.
Match Restaurant and Lounge is a downtown gem perfect for any occasion. Pick a seat by the windows and watch as traffic bustles down Central Avenue, people watching is prime and your experience will be unparalleled; enjoy excellent food with superior service to match.
Match is located inside the Found:RE Hotel at 1100 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
Disclaimer: I attended a media dinner and enjoyed my meal at Match free of charge to help facilitate this post. As usual, all opinions are entirely my own.
