Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
433
Dining with a View
Moments
When you've got one of the best views around and some of the best patio dining,
do you really have to serve good food? Probably not, but luckily
elements,
the
stylish restaurant at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain resort doesn't try to
slide by on looks alone. That said, the view is a big part of dinner here, so try to
make a reservation so that you can catch the sunset light on Mummy Mountain.
The menu changes regularly and includes influences from around the world. The
restaurant is located at Sanctuary on Camelback, 5700 E. McDonald Dr., in Para-
dise Valley (
&
480/607-2300;
www.elementsrestaurant.com). Main courses
range from $13 to $24 at lunch and from $26 to $38 at dinner.
relleno and a smoked-pork tamale) or the lobster tamales with mango salsa and raspberry
chipotle sauce. Of course, there are great margaritas, but there's also a surprisingly good
wine list. This place is a hangout for Chicago Cubs fans and makes a good dinner stop
on the way back from driving the Apache Trail.
There's a second Blue Adobe at 10885 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale (
&
480/
314-0550
).
144 N. Country Club Dr., Mesa.
&
480/962-1000.
www.blueadobegrille.com. Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses $9-$20. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun
noon-8pm.
Monti's La Casa Vieja
AMERICAN If you're tired of the Scottsdale glitz and are
looking for Old Arizona, try this sprawling steakhouse. The adobe building was con-
structed in 1873 (
casa vieja
means “old house” in Spanish) on the site of the Salt River
ferry, which operated in the days when the river flowed year-round. Today, local families
know Monti's well and rely on the restaurant for solid meals and low prices—you can get
a filet mignon for as little as $12. The dark dining rooms are filled with memorabilia of
the Old West.
100 S. Mill Ave. (at Rio Salado Pkwy.), Tempe.
&
480/967-7594.
www.montis.com. Reservations recom-
mended for dinner. Main courses $11-$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-
11pm.
13
Inexpensive
Organ Stop Pizza
Kids
PIZZA The pizza here may not be the best in town, but
the mighty Wurlitzer theater organ, the largest in the world, sure is memorable. This
massive instrument, which contains more than 5,500 pipes, has four turbine blowers to
provide the wind to create the sound, and with 40-foot ceilings in the restaurant, the
acoustics are great. As you marvel at the skill of the organist, who performs songs ranging
from the latest pop tunes to
The Phantom of the Opera,
you can enjoy simple pizzas,
pastas, or snacks.
1149 E. Southern Ave. (at Stapley Dr.), Mesa.
&
480/813-5700.
www.organstoppizza.com. Reservations
for large groups only. Pizzas and pastas $5.50-$19. No credit cards. Thanksgiving to mid-Apr Sun-Thurs
4-9pm, Fri-Sat 4-10pm; mid-Apr to Thanksgiving Sun-Thurs 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 5-10pm.
