Review: Food at Pita Jungle pleases

After all, the name tends to conjure up visions of fresh, affordable fare and fast, casual service.

The food, for the most part, was prepared to our liking and included choices not found on most menus.

But while the service was friendly and knowledgeable, the first of two visits was anything but fast.

We arrived on a quiet Sunday before noon, yet our lunch took an astonishing long time - about 2 1/2 hours - to complete.

A dinner the following week sitting on the very nice patio took a pleasant 90 minutes and ended with our server - a music major - singing an aria at our table.

Pita Jungle is a popular Arizona-based chain that started in Tempe in 1994, and now has 11 other locations in the Phoenix area and Flagstaff. One is slated to open soon in Pasadena, Calif.

The eateries share an extensive Mediterranean-inspired menu that includes salads, wood-fired pizzas and "healthy burgers" such as grilled portobello mushroom. Portions are ample and the prices reasonable.

Tucson's first location opened quietly in Williams Centre on Feb. 16, and it's been working out some kinks before setting a date for the official grand opening.

"We want to blow people out of the water," said Jakie Satterwhite, the new general manager who was hired since our last visit.

She's upbeat that the restaurant is finding its groove. "We've definitely been able to see some very positive changes," said Satterwhite, who most recently has worked at Risky Business and Firebirds.

Dan Chavis, who owns the Tucson franchise and plans to open three or four more here, gutted the former 58 Degrees and Holding Co. for an extensive remodel that includes a patio and a very cool bar made with inlaid glass. "We're very unique and eclectic," said Satterwhite, noting that there's also an ever-changing display of work by local artists.

We loved our first server as much as we hated how long everything took.

He was an affable fellow who had a firm grasp of the menu and was quick to offer opinions on dishes when we asked, but we don't know why everything took so long and the pacing was so off.

When the food finally arrived, we started to forgive the wait.

A cup of tomato-basil soup ($2.99) was a shallow bowl of cream-based soup that could be - and was by one diner - enjoyed with a fork rather than a spoon.

The thick soup, which came with a small pita triangle, would be equally at home as a pasta sauce. We loved its smooth, tomatoey flavor.

The Mediterranean roasted chicken pita ($6.49) was chunks of marinated breast with mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, garlic and a couple of thin pickle spears stuffed in a pita. Unfortunately, a heavy hand with the tahini sauce rendered the pita - brought in nearly daily from a Mediterranean supplier - too bland and gooey.

Under the "Sizzling Salads" category, we ordered the yellowfin tuna honey sesame salad ($10.99). However, the pieces of tuna were cold and tasted like they had come from the refrigerator and were not just freshly seared.

The "sizzle," our server explained, was in name only.

After we complained, a fresh - and warm - piece of tuna arrived, and it became the salad we had hoped for. Pieces of mango, pineapple and strawberry ringed the pretty salad of house-mixed greens that was topped with an orange wheel. A tasty honey sesame vinaigrette and a sprinkling of sesame seeds were tossed with the salad.

The "sizzling" has since been dropped from the salad section description.

On our second visit, we opted for a smoothie over iced tea, although Pita Jungle offers three varieties that will please even the most discerning tea drinker.

Just one sip of the peanut butter banana smoothie ($4.69) conjured up visions of Elvis. It tasted more like a creamy, decadent milkshake - albeit made with frozen yogurt, all-natural peanut butter and fresh banana - instead of a smoothie, which tends to have a more health-conscious vibe.

Our favorite dish - hands down - was the chicken tikka masala ($8.99). Broiled chunks of chicken in a tangy masala sauce were served over brown rice and topped with fresh pea sprouts. The portion was enough for two.

The pesto pizza ($7.19) was a flavorful mix of house-made pesto with tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, spinach, feta and mozzarella on a fluffy Greek pita. The four pieces initially looked too small for a main dish, but the delicious pie filled us up.

Along the way, we discovered any side dish that included the word garlic was a hit.

The garlic new potatoes ($2.99) were sizable chunks of perfectly cooked potatoes seasoned with garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper.

The garlic mushrooms ($3.99) were a hot mess - in a good way - of white mushrooms sauteed in white wine, salt, pepper and plenty of garlic.

Rice pudding ($3.49) doesn't make many dessert lists, but it's one of our favorites. This one didn't disappoint: The sweet white concoction was made with rice, cinnamon and 2 percent milk, and was topped with golden raisins and strawberries. We loved it.

A piece of carrot cake ($4.89) contained real bits of carrot in the ultra-moist cake and was slathered with cream-cheese frosting. If a cake can taste healthy but still have us fighting for the last bite, this was it.

Pita Jungle

5340 E. Broadway, 207-6873 (www.pitajungle.com)

• Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

• Family call: The large menu and casual atmosphere has something for everyone, and kids have their own $4.95 menu.

• Alcohol: More than 30 wines by the bottle and 20 beers, including organic varieties.

• Noise level: If it's crowded, it's loud.

• Gluten-free: Lots of options.

• Vegetarian options: Plenty.

• Dress: Casual.

• Reservations: Not accepted.

• Price range: Main dishes range from $6.29 for a beef gyro to $14.59 for seared and wood-fired salmon.