Almost everyone who’s ever eaten at Flancer’s restaurants in Mesa or Gilbert has probably heard The Legend of the Flancer Goat, a mythical creature who lived thousands of years ago in Southern Arizona, then a lush green land.
With his voracious appetite for fresh, succulent and delicious food, the goat turned Arizona into a desert. Although some believe the Flancer goat to be extinct, many claim to have seen a flash of him while dining at Flancer’s.
Now 15 years later, the goat, a bit more mature, has a slightly altered appearance, and Flancer’s restaurants are now being known as Flancer’s Gourmet Grub. But don’t let it get your goat. “Our regulars have nothing to fear, since we’re not changing our menu, but we will be adding more gourmet grub to our offerings,” said owner Jeff Flancer about the name and logo update.
“We’ve always been more than our original name, Flancer’s Incredible Sandwiches and Pizzeria,” Jeff said. “Everyone has always said our food was more gourmet and unique than just your average sandwich or pizza.”
For instance, you don’t just get a chicken sandwich at Flancer’s. You get a prickly-pear-marinated chicken breast with melted provolone, lettuce and tomato and homemade New Mexican green chile mayo on their own fresh-baked bread.
Flancer’s has stayed current with items, such as gluten-free pizza and sandwich breads, and often presents a local twist, like incorporating seasonal organic vegetables from Queen Creek’s Desert Root Farm into salads.
The original Flancer goat was created back in the late 90s by one of Jeff’s high school buddies, an artist. “He had also created logos for my former restaurant in Santa Fe,” related Jeff, “and it’s odd, because I had been thinking of updating things when we got back together over New Year’s, after not seeing each other for decades.”
It was actually Jeff’s friends who brought up the idea of updating the goat. “After exchanging stories and ideas, and downing a couple of brews, my friend exclaimed, ‘We need to change this goat up.’ So, we did. And I have a really good feeling about it. Our Facebook fans were overwhelmingly positive, too,” he said. “It will be a process over time. We’ve gone through a couple of updates in the past, and it always gets a little bit better.”
This summer, Jeff is returning to his alma mater, Culinary Institute of America, in New York, to participate in a menu seminar. So, Flancer’s can continue with its motto of Rockin’ Your Taste Buds Since the Year 2000.
His plan is not to mess with what’s good, but perhaps tweak things a little, like adding less salt or oil, minor changes for healthier options without diminishing the quality or taste. “We’ll keep people’s favorites,” he said, “and try out a few new things, too.”
Jeff credits his staff for the huge part they play in making Flancer’s what they are known for, which is making gourmet grub with a unique twist on new and old favorites, peppered with friendly service, in a quaint neighborhood eatery.
That should keep the Flancer goat happy.
Flancer’s Gourmet Grub is located at 1902 N. Higley Road, Mesa, (480) 396-0077, and 610 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, (480) 926-9077. For more information, or to order online, visit www.flancers.com.