Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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some of the best food the Valley has to offer. While this place has a glitzy facade, it's all
warm and homey inside, with photos of Eddie's family all around the dining room.
Don't-miss dishes include the toasted seafood wontons with raspberry-jalapeño sauce and
the MoRockin' shrimp, which come with dough balls (simple and simply delicious) and
a spicy chile-beer dipping sauce. After these two tasty starters, consider the perennially
popular “What's in this?” steak (tenderloin wrapped in parmesan mashed potatoes), the
bacon-infused meatloaf, or the seared diver scallops.
7042 E. Indian School Rd.
&
480/946-1622.
www.eddieshouseaz.com. Reservations recommended.
Main courses $12-$29. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 4-10pm.
Rancho Pinot
NEW AMERICAN Rancho Pinot, hidden at the back of a
nondescript shopping center adjacent to the upscale Borgata shopping plaza, combines
a homey cowboy-chic decor with contemporary American cuisine, and has long been a
favorite with Scottsdale and Phoenix residents. Look elsewhere if you crave wildly cre-
ative flavor combinations, but if you like simple, well-prepared food, Rancho Pinot is a
great choice. For a tasty starter, try the grilled squid salad with preserved lemon; for an
entree, you can always count on the handmade pasta or Nonni's chicken, braised with
white wine, mushrooms, and herbs. As much as possible, Rancho Pinot uses organic,
local produce, eggs, and dairy products.
6208 N. Scottsdale Rd., in Lincoln Village Shops (southwest corner of Scottsdale Rd. and Lincoln Dr.).
&
480/367-8030.
www.ranchopinot.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $18-$29. AE,
DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 5:30-9pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-10pm. Summer hours may vary.
Roaring Fork
SOUTHWESTERN This restaurant, in one location or another,
has been around for years and still serves some of the most creative Southwestern fare in
the Valley. While no meal here is complete without a starter of the green-chile pork stew
and a side of the green-chile macaroni and cheese, you'll probably also want an entree.
Try the delicious duck breast with onion jam and sour-cherry mustard or the braised beef
short ribs made with Dr. Pepper. If you can't get a table, dine in the saloon or on the
saloon patio. Happy hour (Sun-Mon 4-10pm, Tues-Sat 4-7pm) is a good time for an
early meal from the saloon menu, actually worth eating from just so you can order the
“big ass burger,” a 12-ounce patty with roasted green chiles. Wash it all down with a
huckleberry margarita.
4800 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 1700 (at the corner of Chaparral Rd.).
&
480/947-0795.
www.roaringfork.
com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $13-$39. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4-10pm.
13
Moderate
Arcadia Farms
NEW AMERICAN Long a favorite of the Scottsdale ladies-who-
lunch crowd, this Old Town restaurant features well-prepared contemporary fare. Try the
delicious raspberry goat cheese salad with jicama and candied pecans. The warm mush-
room, spinach, and goat-cheese tart is another winner. Try to get a seat on the shady
patio. This restaurant also operates cafes at the Heard Museum, the Heard Museum
North, and the Phoenix Art Museum.
7014 E. First Ave.
&
480/941-5665.
www.arcadiafarmscafe.com. Reservations recommended. Main
courses $12-$15. AE, MC, V. Daily 8am-3:30pm.
Bandera
Value
AMERICAN Once you've gotten a whiff of the wood-roasted chick-
ens turning on the rotisseries in Bandera's back-of-the-building, open-air stone oven,
you'll know exactly what to order when you finally get a seat at this popular spot in Old
Town. What an aroma! The succulent spit-roasted chicken is the meal to have here, and
