Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
27375 N. Alma School Pkwy., Scottsdale.
&
480/585-9430.
www.greasewoodflat.net. Main courses
$3.75-$8. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-1am.
CENTRAL PHOENIX & THE CAMELBACK CORRIDOR
Expensive
Chelsea's Kitchen
NEW AMERICAN Although this restaurant can seem a bit
expensive for what you get, the setting, on the banks of a canal just a block off Camel-
back Road, is gorgeous. The patio, with a wood-burning fireplace, is nearly as large as the
dining room and is where you should try to get a table. The sunsets can be absolutely
unforgettable. Separating the dining room and patio is a fun indoor-outdoor bar. Under
the same ownership as the nearby La Grande Orange Pizzeria and Postino wine bar,
Chelsea's Kitchen features a menu of familiar comfort foods with a few more creative
dishes thrown into the mix. The seasonal salads are usually a good choice, as are the fish
tacos. Be sure to try the fried chicken and the short ribs.
5040 N. 40th St.
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602/957-2555.
www.chelseaskitchenaz.com. Main courses $12-$27. AE, MC, V. Mon-
Wed 11am-10pm; Thurs-Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 10am-9pm.
428
Coup des Tartes
Finds
COUNTRY FRENCH Chain restaurants, theme res-
taurants, restaurants that are all style and little substance: Sometimes in Phoenix it seems
impossible to find a homey little hole in the wall that serves good food. Don't despair;
Coup des Tartes is just the ticket. With barely a dozen tables and no liquor license (bring
your own wine; $9 corkage fee), it's about as removed from the standard Phoenix glitz as
you can get without boarding a plane and leaving town. Start your meal with pâté de
campagne or the scrumptious brie brûlée, which is covered with caramelized apples. The
entree menu changes regularly, but the Moroccan lamb shank with couscous is so good
that it's always available. The filet mignon is another good choice. For dessert, you abso-
lutely must have a tart. As often as possible, organic and local produce is used, as is
wild-caught fish and naturally raised meat.
4626 N. 16th St. (a couple blocks south of Camelback Rd.).
&
602/212-1082.
www.nicetartes.com.
Reservations recommended. Main courses $15-$36; brunch $10-$18. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues-Thurs 5:30-
10pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-11pm; Sun 9am-2pm.
LON's at the hermosa
NEW AMERICAN In a beautiful old adobe hacienda
built by cowboy artist Lon Megargee and surrounded by colorful gardens, this restaurant
is one of the most classically Arizonan places in the Phoenix area, and the patio, with its
views of Camelback Mountain, is blissfully tranquil. Lunch on the patio is the meal to
have here. Entrees are reliable, and if you peruse the menu closely, you'll turn up some
interesting Southwestern ingredients, including prickly pear and Arizona-farmed shrimp.
However, for the most part, you eat here more for the atmosphere than for gustatory
epiphanies. The bar here has a cozy and romantic Wild West feel. Dishes often include
herbs grown in the restaurant's own garden, and other ingredients are, as much as pos-
sible, from ecologically sound sources.
At the Hermosa Inn, 5532 N. Palo Cristi Rd.
&
602/955-7878.
www.lons.com. Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses $11-$15 lunch, $22-$34 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm and
5:30-10pm; Sat 5:30-10pm; Sun 10am-2pm (brunch) and 5:30-10pm.
noca
NEW AMERICAN Self-confessed foodie Eliott Wexler hit on something
Phoenix was craving when he opened noca—casual fine dining that incorporates the
latest trends in molecular gastronomy and upscale comfort foods. The menu here is a
foodie's dream come true. The melt-in-your-mouth
sous vide
-style house-made pastrami
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