Hush Public House — Restaurant in Phoenix

This tiny little gem of a restaurant is easily one of my new faves in the valley. We don't live anywhere near it, but business landed us nearby, and we had to try it. Let me first say, when you see all these reviews saying it's tiny...it's TINY. But mighty! This little place has great energy.

On a Wednesday night, we had to wait about 20 minutes. There's literally nowhere to wait, so we walked to a nearby place and grabbed a cocktail. Once we were seated, service was impeccable. It seems they take a team approach, as we interacted with multiple employees, and the owner/head chef, Dominic, actually brought us our appetizer!

We started with the cauliflower app, and it is heavenly and impressive. You get an entire head of perfectly-roasted cauliflower drenched in harissa, and it comes with a delicious yogurt dipping sauce. I have craved it several times since this meal!

Next, we got the NY strip and oxtail entrees. The steak was ahhhmazing, cooked perfectly and it comes with some type of fresh green salsa. Amazing! It came with a tremendous amount of fries that were also perfectly seasoned and crisp. The way the oxtail is described on the menu, you have no real idea of what you're getting. What came was innovative and yummy! Oxtail beef and giardiniera peppers over a thick slice of brioche, with all the juices soaking into the bread. It reminded me of an upscale, deconstructed Chicago beef sandwich.

Also, they have a small but very well edited selection of local craft beers, and a full bar. The only minor complaint we had was about the menu. It's a long list with no 'titles' or categories (although it does start with apps at the top, then dinners etc, there is just no indication), so you have to read through the entire description to make your selections, and it is not easy on the eyes.

I used the restroom before we left, and there's a childhood photo of Dominic, which really sealed the deal on winning me over. Such a cheeky, fun detail! We were too full for dessert, but will be making a special trip back soon for...

As a foodie, I can't believe this restaurant has never been mentioned or popped up in my search. The atmosphere is great at the bar, otherwise horrible. Cheap chairs and tables in a side dark room? It's like you're at the VFW in a Carolina. Plus it is in a strip mall. Great to find a reuse of the space but someone needs to do something about the facade and ambience in the side room. I would not eat there.

Drinks were great. Grand entrance was different, spicy and delicious. Likewise for the tequila drink.

The menu had severalsmall plates. Great for older people or sharing. Unusual dishes so all good there. But the green beans were cold and the Szechuan chili sauce was overly salty. The scampi red sauce was also way over salted. Can't get my ring off this morning overly salty! Fried rice was great. Finally, the bread is so good freshly grilled but, I'd like to have choices that will be hearty without carbs. This menu is small and several of the choices are rice, bread pasta.

Service was great but we arrived later and I can imagine it can be tough as it still was busy at 9pm.

One final weird thing. The chef at the bar calling orders and checking plates before they are delivered, wipes the plates along the edges for presentation but the cloth then gets set on the bar counter? Over and over? I can't help but think there's all kinds of bacteria on bar tops, just like your own kitchen counter and that concerns me. One time, I saw him use his bare hands to reposition the fried egg on the fried rice dish. He touches the receipt printed out paper and machine right in front of him and rubs his finger under his nose and then touches cooked food? Maybe I'm a germaphobe but once food is cooked that bacteria or germ is there to stay. YUCK.

I'm not certain we'll return for a second chance. Maybe for a drink and an appetizer to see if the salt level is...

Had an excellent meal at Hush Public House, where my wife and I went to celebrate her birthday. While there were a few "misses" and errors, for the most part, much of the food was tasty and excellent, and we would certainly go back again if in the area.

The good: -The duck fried rice. There really isn't enough good things to say about this incredible concoction that really set the bar high for every plate of fried rice we'll ever eat moving forward.

-The grilled octopus. My wife ordered this as her entree and absolutely loved it.

-The wine and beer selection. A very good collection of wines and beers that ensured everyone got something that pleased their palette.

The meh/bad: -The brussels sprouts. A little char can add some fun flavor, but burning or overcooking most of the sprouts on the plate left a (literal) bad taste in our mouths.

-The Italian Beef. The pickled vegetables and strong/sharp provolone overpowered the beef - which was quite flavorful when you could taste it. Also, the bread serving as the base of the dish became downright soggy and saturated with all of the liquid, making it a bit unappetizing. Further reducing the sauce/braising jus and toasting the bread might have helped.

That being said, the food and service were quite good - especially considering the unassuming location and curb-appeal of the restaurant. It doesn't look like much from the outside...but the food and service inside is really quite...