Something new is smoking near Tempe campus, bringing barbecue to college students in a laid-back environment. Urban Campfire's sign is neither eye-catching, nor inspiring. It's easy to drive by without noticing that recently, this small, unassuming building became home to an affordable smokehouse restaurant.
The atmosphere at Urban Campfire is casual, with only a handful of tables inside and a few patio tables modeled after picnic benches outside. Instead of individual menus, a daily changing selection of dishes is scrawled in chalk on the wall above the kitchen. A similar menu is painted over the bar, with flat-screen TVs nestled below. Service is friendly and attentive, with helpful servers who appear genuinely concerned that diners enjoy the visit.
While patrons glance over the menu, servers surprise them with an amuse-bouche, a small tasting-plate featuring a deviled egg and a few leaves of lettuce in a sweet, tangy vinaigrette. The egg filling is smooth and creamy but lacks the spices that separate one deviled egg from the rest of the dozen.
For appetizers, Urban Campfire's list is limited to cups of soup and small garden or Caesar salads. In addition to two types of chili, the restaurant serves a thick but slightly bland ham and bean soup.
Entrées include a variety of sandwiches as well as more sizeable plates like spareribs, smoked salmon and chicken wings. The wings are lightly covered in honey mustard, barbecue or hot sauce. While other wings may be saucier or spicier, the crisp skin makes these small but tender offerings stand out in the crowd. Sandwiches are good but not stellar, combining flavors like delicious smoked pork chop and tangy sauerkraut but then serving it on two plain, untoasted slices of marble rye.
Each entrée is served with a choice of side. The long, hand-cut fries are a favorite. Unlike many greasy, crunchy, fast-food fries, Urban Campfire's version still taste like potatoes accented with garlic. There are also yam planks, which are oily sweet potato chips seasoned with thyme and cracked pepper. Skip the sour-cream cucumbers, which seem to be drowning in a boring sour-cream sauce.
Although Urban Campfire doesn't offer many desserts, servers bring a small dish of cut watermelon, salted and squeezed with citrus after your meal, which serves as a refreshing palate-cleanser. With subtle touches like this, reasonable prices and flavorful meats, this simple Tempe eatery is sure to be bustling in no time.
— jessica.kokal@asu.edu or foodinphoenix.com
