Centurion

Update: in response to my review, I received a message saying the restaurant has closed.

Reasonable unique tapas restaurant. I would be interested in their recommended wine pairings (next) but was distracted by the kitchen noise at our table — in the same room as the oven. It was disconcerting to note a salad languishing for its partners’ plate on the counter. Last minute substitution for seafood in salad. Salad very good. Gnocchi dish too heavy for Italian preferences. Extra star for downtown and service. (Bring change for parking.)

BEST MEAL IN PHOENIX AREA–
Okay, background to qualify me to say this– I was raised in a family with a parent who is a Food & Beverage Director at very prestigious hotels all over the World. I grew up on 5 star restaurant food and basically lived in hotels. I moved out to the Phoenix area about ten years ago and eat out all the time. I have had meals for two that have cost $ 300 that didn’t taste as life changing as the food at the Centurion.
A work friend has been bragging about this place for years now and for years I thought he was just exaggerating. Nope– wow– our taste buds were dancing with joy!
So this place has a pretty good beverage selection ;-) and the food they serve are Tapas (small plates). I believe there may be certain dishes you can order in an entrée size but you’d have to check with them.
Our group sampled a few rounds of different beverages. They are very knowledgeable about their beer and wine choices and will even offer small tastes to pair with your tapas. Their menu is completely seasonal as they use fresh ingredients. We sat in the room with the kitchen, which is extremely small and you would never in a million years expect the quality and flavor in the dishes to come out of that kitchen.
We ordered many items between two couples, here is what my Husband and I ordered:
–Risotto of the Day (Pumpkin with a light cheese) x2– and then again at the end of the meal– my husband wanted more too, it was so amazing. Light and creamy and topped off with some very lightly sea salted pieces of delicate pumpkin. Wowza– incredible!
–Papas Bravas — «Potatoes Pan Fried in A Spicy Pimento Sauce, Finished w/​Chive and Garlic Crème Fraiche». Most delicious and flavorful potato dish I have ever tasted. It was impressive that the outside had this nice crispiness to it but the inside was so fluffy.
–Chef Eric’s Bolognese — «Over House-​made Fettuccini» — Super flavorful and delicious!
–Stuffed Mushrooms — «Stuffed with Pesto Risotto and Wrapped in Prosciutto w/​Aged Cheddar Tarragon Sauce» — OMG– Wow, flavor explosion. Cannot stress enough how delicious these are and you will love them regardless of if you like mushrooms.
–Baked Brie — «Brie and Raspberry Preserves Baked Fresh to Order — Inside of Puff Pastry» — Just melts in your mouth– yummy yummy!
–Pancetta Wrapped Gnocchi — «With an Aged Cheddar Sauce & Harissa Toast Points» — Okay, I honestly loved every single item we ordered, but I imagine these flavors in my dreams. This is probably the MOST DELICIOUS thing I have EVER eaten in my life. Wowza– no joke, get here, order this, make your food dreams come true!
We also had two desserts– one light and fluffy like a giant macaroon and the other was their famous chocolate siracha cake. Both delicious!
Seriously cannot wait to go here again and take everyone I know there for a piece of heaven. :-)

Really liked this place. Great happy hour, great service, until tonight. Upon being seated at the bar we were told that we couldn’t be served food for forty five minutes due to two large parties. I’m sorry, but there are only about eight tables in the whole place. Never in my life have I been seated in a place only to be told basically «were too busy to accept your business». Well you won’t have the chance to embarrass my wife and I again.

MUCH better. I’d avoided Centurion for awhile after a couple of visits in which I was burned by the fact that they didn’t carry menu items during normal business hours. Tonight, no such problem.
I actually took a friend here after seeing that they’d revamped their menu with a tilt towards tapas. It used to be they would carry full sized pizzas and a select number of elaborate (and expensive) dinners. Now the pizzas, the salads, veggie dishes, and pretty much everything else is done tapas style. This worked out perfectly for us as we were able to split 6 dishes (and drinks) for about $ 50 including tip. We shared the chefs risotto (tonight it was a black pepper and cheese), the chef’s boulianese with andouille sausage, a small pizza (with sausage, cheddar & grape jelly), and of course the pancetta wrapped gnocchi. We also got some free seasoned leeks to start and shared a cheese puff pastry with a chocolate mole sauce for dessert. All of the dishes oozed creativity and the gnocchi and risotto dishes were to die for. Chef Eric made the right move going the tapas route as it gives his customers a great chance to sample a larger array of his creative dishes. Some of them might be a little exotic for most, but all of them have a kaleidoscope of flavors both big and small.
So I’m happy to say I can once again recommend Centurion as a Downtown Phoenix destination. Chef Eric is a tremendous talent who seemingly has no fear of trying new flavor combinations no one else would think of. Some creations are better than others, but with a cheaper tapas style menu now available, his creativity is now easily accessible for the masses.

Stopped in for First Friday with a date. We just had drinks, but the service is impeccable. The also had a reverse happy hour situation we were unaware of, so the unexpected value was a sweet surprise on the check.
Our server, Cole, is an absolute credit to Centurion.

I am officially in LOVE! We went here for my friend’s birthday — just three of us — and had the best time. You pick 2 – 3 tapas per person and just share away. We had our server pair wine with each course, and he was spot on!!! Pinot paired with the blackberry spinach salad and hummus, a lovely cab paired with three amazing pizzas… and the sparkling rosé was perfectly matched with the wonderful desserts we ordered… mmmm…I almost fainted from the pure ecstasy that is their risotto.
Decently priced and a great atmosphere :) we were extremely pleased. Can’t wait to come here again and again!
Btdubs, Sean (spelling?), our server, was the best! Accommodating, knowledgeable, and so nice!!!
A great dining experience!!!

THE WEEKDAY $ 15. THREE COURSE LUNCH SPECIAL (w/​beverage) IS PHENOMENAL !!!
This is a small restaurant with a small patio that’s covered with leaves from an old tree. There isn’t a parking lot here so you have to park on the street.
All the food we had was very detailed and delicious with some surprising ingredients. The food was presented like an artist painted it.
They started us out with a complimentary appetizer of crispy leeks with cranberries. The Leeks were tastier than potato chips and the cranberries seemed marinated. They were a fun snack.
For my first course I picked the Paprika Parmesan Hummus. It was very unusual but also very good. It came with fresh grilled and seasoned pita bread and many perfectly placed vegetables including Shiitake Mushroom Caps. For me the favors of the hummus popped the most on the slightly softened carrots.
It was hard to decide on the main course because two of the three were calling me but I went with the Ahi Tuna Salad. It came out in a heavy kettle but revealed a very delicate salad inside. The salad had capers that were crisped and opened up into flowers. The Tuna was very fresh. Tiny pieces of goat cheese pulled it together and the Orange Segments were very refreshing. This was a very above average salad and a lovely fresh picked pansy just topped it off.
My husband had the other dish that seemed very interesting to me. It was Marsala Braised Beef with Pumpkin, White Truffle Smoked Egg, and Crispy Leeks. It also was interesting as it was delicious.
We both picked the cheese plate for our dessert course. We received a chunk of good quality cheese with mustard and raspberry sauce, house made bread, crushed pepper and smoked salt.
The portions were just right.
Not too much and not too little.
The beverage was included beer and wine were an option.
The $ 15. Lunch Special made the meal seem like a special occasion.
It just doesn’t get any better than this!

I’m from Philly– a City with amazing food… And this place exceeds everything I have ever experienced… nationally AND internationally. Service was amazing! And the executive chef was exquisite! He is passionate about the menu… And it shows! Everyone should have this experience! Wine selection was perfect! Décor was authentic!

This review is for the tapas– I came here on Saturday around 3:30 pm. There were only 1 or 2 other tables and we were able to get a table on the patio, which was nice since it was a beautiful day out.
I ordered the Hamburg mussels and the pancetta wrapped gnocchi (based on the other Unilocal reviews). I loved the mussels! They came in a cream sauce and were cooked very nicely. my friends were laughing at me because the presentation was a little funny in that I had to fish my food out of a bucket. I think they could’ve put a little less cream sauce in the «bucket» to make fishing the mussels out easier.
the gnocchi were less impressive to me. they were a little tougher than I expected. I usually love gnocchi because they are soft and doughy. it was also served with big chunks of bread, which ended up being way too much bread. I probably wouldn’t order this one again.
I also tried some of my friend’s roasted vegetables — delicious! they were cooked just right so that they still had a slight crunch, but weren’t too raw. the seasoning was basic and allowed the flavor of the veggies to shine through.
overall, I love the tapas concept! trying lots of different inventive foods at a reasonable price is awesome in my book.
oh and the service was friendly, attentive, and prompt. no complaints in that dept!

We needed coffee beans and headed down to Lola’s. We noticed Centurion and decided to try it.
We got to sit at the «Chef’s Table» which is just the table next to the postage stamp sized kitchen. Chef Eric was fun to watch and talk to while he worked his magic.
Cole was knowledgeable about the menu and wine. While he wasn’t quite as sophisticated as the menu he made up for it with his engaging and eager to please attitude. The rest of the staff were all smiling and focused on making our experience a great one.
We had 5 of the tapas — the Risotto of the Day, Papas Bravas, Pancetta Wrapped Gnocchi, Chef Eric’s Bolognese. And for dessert we had the flourless chocolate tort — I mean the decedent chocolate creation that I will crave for a long time or until we need coffee beans again.
This is a must try restaurant!

This place was amazing. The server, Cole, took extremely good care of us and arranged how the food came out of the kitchen so we had a great time. The food was simply delicious. It’s a tapas style restaurant, but there are dishes you can order as a full plate if you don’t like family style sharing. They have a fabulous drink menu with wines, whiskey, scotch, and craft beers. I had the Hefeweizen, which was delicious.
We had lamb, meatballs, lobster, risotto, and much more. I love the small plates because we got to try so many things. The next time we go I think we’ll try the pizza, they have a genuine brick wood fired oven. The food is some of the best, and you can’t beat the price for the quality you get here. Also, their happy hour has some really smoking deals. Half off of some things and drink specials.
A great place, great atmosphere, courteous and helpful staff, and above all amazing food. We will for sure be back.

One of the best hidden spots in the city. Look for the Centurion soldier outside and you’ve arrived. One side is the bar with a large screen tv and a well stocked bar. You can have dinner there or move to the small, intimate dining room. We prefer the dining room since you can watch the chef prepare your food. Best food ever!
Over a dozen different tapas plates priced under $ 10 dinners. The pictures dont lie. It’s good, really good. Our favs are the brie, lamb lollipops and foie gras. Of course, we have never had anything bad here. Tonight we had the mussels and lobster with cauliflower. Both perfect!
Top notch service complimented with top notch food. We love Centurion!

Dear Centurion,
Thank you for introducing me to bacon wrapped gnocchi with the most delectable cream sauce and very meaty and flavorful meatballs in an awesome and rich gravy.
Although my house bourbon beverages were not not prepared in a heavy handed manner like I normally like and too much cherry juice was placed into one of my two drinks, the amazing food made up for those issues. The next time that I visit you, I will explore your wines on Happy Hour and more of your culinary pleasing tapas.
BTW, the A.C. was blasting and the temperature outside was only in the mid-​eighties, so maybe being a little more aware of the temperature outside is something to look into and possibly expanding your beer on tap selection, because that is very limited.
Love,
The East Coast Foodie

Great food and variety of plates/​flavors! I like sampling a lot of dishes to share family-​style, so I really enjoy this style of dining.
Risotto of the day (mushroom & spinach):
I think this was my first time having risotto, so I’m not sure how this compares to the standard. However, I really enjoyed this dish. The rice was creamy and soft, but not in a mushy way. There was fresh spinach, which added a slightly crunchy texture to the creamy risotto. There were also nice mushroom pieces. The salt and fresh cracked pepper on top added a dash of spice.
Pancetta wrapped gnocchi:
SO GOOD! Our server told us that this is a customer favorite, and I can see why. The pancetta was salty and savory, while the gnocchi was soft and light. The cheese sauce was absolutely delicious, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really eat/​like cheese. There were 3 skewers, each with 3 pancetta wrapped gnocchi. Each skewer also had a triangle of focaccia bread, which was grilled to perfection and wonderful for mopping up that extra cheese sauce! I’m already dreaming about ordering another plate of this on my next visit.
Papas bravas:
Delicious! I love potatoes, and these were cooked well — crispy and crunchy on the outside, while soft and tender on the inside. There was a spicy kick to these potatoes as well, as the potatoes seemed to have been seasoned with some kind of dry rub, not a wet sauce. I would definitely order this again!
Lamb lollipops:
Our waiter told us this lamb is from New Zealand! The meat was tender and juicy, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the cheese that was on it. While the lamb was well-​cooked, I probably wouldn’t order this again just because I didn’t like the seasoning.
Meatball Marsala:
Eh, this was one dish I didn’t particularly enjoy. The meatballs themselves were fine. I just didn’t enjoy the gravy sauce, which was somewhat reminiscent of school cafeteria food for me.
Vegan palette cleanser:
I highly recommend that you order this right away to cleanse your palette throughout the course of your meal. I initially thought these were unnecessary, so I glossed over them. However, my SO ordered it, and I realized how well these do cleanse your palette. I love trying a variety of dishes, so having this really helps me truly experience each dish for how it is supposed to taste, unbiased from earlier dishes, especially transitioning from drastically different plates. This consists of 8 blackberries wrapped in spinach leaves with white truffle oil and black pepper, which is a good amount.
Israeli couscous salad:
I didn’t really like this for one reason: the greasy feeling. While this was very refreshing with very clean flavors, the couscous felt so oily, and it left a greasy feeling in my mouth. I preferred the risotto over this.
Service:
We had 2 waiters (not sure why) but both were friendly and gave a brief description of each dish as it arrived. They checked up on us frequently and asked to make sure everything was going smoothly.

So absolutely disappointed in this place!
Had being going for the past few years and at the advent and addition of the pub, the service, and ambiance has been completely lost.
Service has sucked the last few times, and getting a table despite calling ahead has not yielded results.
As of late, it seems they should hire a professional cleaner for their shelving units.
Completely argumentative owners and seriously burnt out staff!
Rude at times, and food is rushed.
We loved this place but will not be going back. You would think you would want to keep your regulars, but guess not

Cute little place in downtown. The service was exceptional. There is a wine/​beer tasting and appetizer for $ 30, which we took advantage of. They had a variety of wine choices and the server was really helpful asking me what I like. I probably found a new wine that I absolutely love. I am a sweet reisling/​mosato type of lady and he recommended a dessert wine named «Late Harvest». I smelled it and it was so strong! I thought I wouldn’t look it. My palettes told me otherwise — it went down smooth and it was ridiculously sweet.
We also ordered the pizza and mussels (portugese style). Nothing to rave about the pizza, but the mussels were pretty good. I will definitely come back

We just dined here as a result of a groupon offering us the seven course tasting menu. It is a nice quaint little restaurant located in downtown Phoenix. The dining room is small but don’t let that fool you. The food they put out is actually very tasty and done well. The wine pairing are 2oz pours and matched well. The only thing we wished for was an actual «meat» course. I believe their main entrée for the night was salmon and they did mention that they do switch up the menu so maybe in the future they will have a meat course. It would also have been nice to know which entrees they were going to be serving on their tasting menu as well.
I believe the entrees we had this night was:
1. Mozarella cheese with olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, and some crushed pistachios.
2. Stuffed mushroom wrapped in prosciutto with a tarragon sauce.
3. Cherry stone clams with chorizo and a beurre blanc sauce.
4.Wood fired salmon on a bed of white truffle risotto.
5. Cheese plate
6. Chocolate covered strawberry.
7. Chocolate chili soup.
It was a nice dinner and we would come again more often if it wasn’t so far for us.

I first reviewed this restaurant 2.5 years ago and boy, time flies! Centurion continues to be one of my favorite restaurants. Easily in the top 5. It has changed a lot since my first review and now added Bar Maximus. You can still order food from the Centurion menu at Bar Maximus.
I have several favorites on the menu which overall ranges from inexpensive to pricey. Lately, their Hamburg mussels is what I crave. It comes in a crockpot with a creamy sauce that you dip your endless, buttery bread into. Uh, so freaking to die for. My 6 year old and I fight over that dish. As a matter of fact, we are each going to get our own next time. Ha! I also love their Israeli couscous salad made with feta, salami, chicken, cucumber and a light dressing. They also make great pizzas, risotto and dishes from their brick oven.
Try their handcrafted cocktails, too. While a little pricy, they are well-​made. Eric also has a really nice wine list for different palates. Case in point, my husband and I have vastly different tastes in wine and can still enjoy a glass there.

Let me start off by saying that first, great location, right off the Roosevelt and Central Light Rail Stop and the newly opened bar area is nice and roomy and they have an amazing Schneider Weiss on draft. Those in my party who drank beer agreed that it was amazing. Now, on to the rest of the evening.
I realize the place is small and independently owned but the meal started with confusion over the menus in that for some reason some people in my party got the dinner menu, others seemed to get the bar menu, so we had to get that straightened out. Overall, not a huge deal but indicative of the overall evening.
Next, we ordered drinks. I like to try new cocktails and so myself and someone else in the party ordered them (the same one for both of us) and the rest of the party was wine and a beer. Here we go into a pet peeve of mine, the drinks took a long time to get to the table. The whole table was talking about it by the time they arrived. In addition, the cocktails, and I guess I did learn something from attending cocktail week seminars earlier this year because they were completely off balance. They had tarragon and it overwhelmed everything else in the drink and the drink was overly sour and needed more simply syrup to balance things out. My friend, who always drinks his cocktail, wouldn’t finish the drink it was so out of kilter.
Next, we ordered some appetizers, the prosciutto wrapped mushrooms and hot olives from the bar menu. We had five people at the table and the waitress brought four mushrooms, and they were somewhat dry, and served with a bowl of some sort of tarragon cream sauce that was completely out of size with the rest of the app. I realize they may need to charge more but if there are five people, ask them if they want an extra one so everyone can have their own. As for the hot olives, I usually love those, but they should be served with pits in, not pitted, for maximum flavor and nibbling the meat off the pit is part of the experience. The pitted olives, frankly blah. Maybe I’m not cultured enough but I’ve never, ever had hot pitted olives before.
Next, I decided to try the Hamburg mussels, which came in a cream sauce with, I believe, sliced shiitaki mushrooms. Good mussels but lacked taste and possibly more salt? All I can say is I like mussels and I was distinctly underwhelmed by this dish.
Next, main course and I had the rack of lamb, which was not half bad but it came with a stack of waffles with some sort syrup and though the waiter, I believe, mentioned they were cheese waffles of some sort, they tasted like waffles and didn’t seem to go all that well with the lamb. However, the side dish of risotto with crumbled chorizo was tasty. I know, my fault, I should have read what came with the lamb but never thought of waffles. If I may be so bold, since the risotto is a starch, how about some veggies on the side?
I finished the meal off with a coffee which was okay but as with much of my meal, it was underwhelming as opposed to say, the coffee at Chelsea’s Corner, which is exceptional.
At the end of the meal, we discussed the stars and though I hate to give two stars, the meal experience relative to the cost, two stars. I hope the owners read Unilocal reviews and work on it because I want to like this place, I really do and I want to try it again. They have a lovely bar area and a charming setting and right off the rail and hey, next time with my German wheat beer, I’ll try the pizza. Call me ever hopeful but I want to see this place get better.