Leoni’s Focaccia

Naturally the focaccia is the showcase item here but don't discount the quality meats and cheeses stuffed between the light and savory bread.   Definitely worth the effort of having to deal with the Scottsdale/Shea intersection and worth the added cost of in order to get a truly delicious sandwich.

The 'Must Try'- We dig the soppressata but anything will do so long as it is in between their bread

The Shake Shack

The New York equivalent of In-And-Out, superiority complex and adjusted prices included. Anyways, the burger almost does live up to the hype.  A very solid offering, one of the best in the $5-$7 range.  Their potato roll buns serve notice to everyone else out there surrounding their beef in subpar bread.  

The 'Must Try'-  Smokeshack

Hiro Sushi

From the outside it looks a typical Scottsdale strip mall.  But open that door and you will be instantly transported to an awesome Izakaya style restaurant you'd likely find tucked away on one of Tokyo's busy side streets.  While they do have menu items that cater to our Western tastes the experience is far more enriching when you leave the familiar script and get a little more adventurous. 

The 'Must Try'- Their Chirashi

Tanzy

A perfectly safe corporate restaurant concept incorporating recent trends in Italian and making them palatable to the trend following yet unadventurous Scottsdale majority.  Not destination by any means but a solid pairing with a movie next door.

The 'Must Try'- Chilean Sea Bass Livornese

Tottie's Asian Fusion

A perfectly fine prototypical strip mall Asian eatery.  It does have a varied menu that allows the casual dinner to comfortably explore the safer dishes of the Pacific Rim.


The 'Must Try'- Panang Curry

Make it at home: The Churrasco of Beef Tenderloin at Deseo

Deseo is one of the premier destination resort restaurant and it features some of the best upscale Latin cuisine in town.  This recipe is one of our favorites.

Churrasco of Beef Tenderloin

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients for Churrasco of Beef Tenderloin

1 T garlic, minced
3 ea bay leaves
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 T chili powder
3 ea jalapenos, rough chopped
1/2 C Opal basil chiffonade
1 C basil chiffonade
3/4 C olive oil
2 ea shallots, minced
1 lb crab meat
1/2 ea red onion, small diced
1 ea red and yellow peppers,
small diced
2 T mayonnaise
3 T cilantro, minced
1 T chipolte adobe juice
2 T ketchup
1 T lemon juice
dash habanero sauce or hot sauce
6 ea 8 oz fillet mignons,
spiral cut (butterflied)

Method for Churrasco of Beef Tenderloin

• Puree the first 5 ingredients to form the base for the chimichurri, fold in the next 5 ingredients, season then pulse for 1 second with the immersion blender. Set aside for service.
• Combine the ingredients for the spicy crab salad and season.
• Set aside cold until service.
• Grill the steaks to the desired temperature.
• Plate and top with chimichurri and serve the crab salad as side along the steak.

Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery

Sleek setting, somewhat slow service, and some of the best executed Thai in town.  Many might complain that it has been watered down to better accommodate the Western palate but we doubt you'll mind.

The 'Must Try'- The Yellow Curry (Tried and True)

Burger 21

The latest corporate upscale burger concept to do battle in an already crowded field. A solid burger and somewhat novel sauce station make up for fries that bring back repressed memories of the old high school cafeteria.

The 'Must Try'-  The Tex-Mex Haystack

Fogon - A Mexican Eatery

Solid ambiance with the beginnings of a good menu but the execution still needs polish and we wish the menu would dive deeper into the heart of Mexico.  Work to be done before it can compete with Barrio or even the Blanco down the street.

The 'Must Try'- The fajita

Elements

Beau knows the culinary arts...and service and scenery.  The Valley is littered with great resort based dining options but this is the pinnacle.  This is the special occasion place that is down the road but a world away.

The 'Must Try'- The Bacon Wrapped Filet

SumoMaya

I like the concept behind SumoMaya, I only wish that they allowed the flavors from Mexico and Asia to play together more often. Where properly blended the result is worth the effort.


The 'Must Try'- Rollo Chingon

Blanco

Mexican as seen through the Sam Fox lens which means strong design, good ambiance, attentive service, and food that is solid but not spectacular.

The 'Must Try'- Braised Short Rib Enchiladas

Chloe's Corner

A welcome respite for those in the Kierland area who want a good, cheap lunch and don't want the cost and formality of its neighbors.  It would be nice if the sandwiches came with something other then a pickle spear but that doesn't diminish the taste of some of the best in the area.

The' Must Try'- The Roast Beef Sandwich

Hopdoddy Burger Bar

A solid burger offering to be sure but at this stage in the game it is given 'also ran' status as it fails to distinguish itself from the ever growing $7+ gourmet burger field.  Also feels more FoxRC and less Austin which is kind of disappointing considering that Scottsdale would be well served by giving up some of its rhino-plasticized pretense in favor of a willingness to 'keep it weird'.

The' Must Try'- The Goodnight Burger, winner of the 2014 Scottsdale Culinary Festival Burger Battle

Grassroots kitchen & tap

The place has definitely created an atmosphere that fits the neighborhood. The menu ventures beyond most neighborhood comfort staples and that merits an extra visit or two. The place has a polish and creativity that reflects the varied experience of ownership.

 The 'Must Try'- Roots BBQ Brisket

Cuttlefish

I sure hope the brave Ulysses ate this well when he was wondering around the Mediterranean.  A great menu that fuses the freshest seafood with the finest Italian culinary traditions. A no-brainer for any happy hour short list.

The 'Must Try'- The Adriatic Stew

Croque Famous Sandwiches

These guys aim to please and their menu will have you anxious to see the baguette dressed in various global settings.  I personally recommend those sandwiches that incorporate the Korean heritage of the owners. Tired of sandwiches? Try some of their rice bowls.


The 'Must Try'- The Grilled Spicy Pork Sandwich

Giant Rustic Pizza

The great thing about the Phoenix pizza scene is that we are big enough to have pizza options for almost every occasion.  Where does Giant Rustic Pizza fit?  It is the ideal spot for some cheap NY style lunch slices or to take the kids for dinner on a weeknight.  It's not Pomo or even Spinatos but you will be hard pressed to find a better pizza lunch deal for under $6.

The 'Must Try'- The 2 slice daily special

Houstons

Offers a good, consistent menu that has never ceased to satisfy.  It's got the dark, rich steak house atmosphere without the heavy and pretentious menu. The best value of the Hillstone family.

The "Must Try'- The Thai Steak Salad

Veneto Trattoria

You've got to hand it to the Italians.  What they do love (food, cars, fashion, life) they do well.  This place embodies that impeccable passion.  From the formal and attentive wait staff to the carefully selected old world influenced menu, this place can almost make you forget that you are eating out of a strip mall.


The 'Must Try'-  Ossobuco di Maiale alla Milanese