Urban Trails, Easy Paths & Overnight Treks
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If you’re looking for a piece of pie that takes the cake, head to the middle of nowhere, just north of Phoenix.
By Ashley Macha
While the waitress was slicing the large triangle of blueberry pie, the mouth of the lucky customer was beginning to water. By the time she took a bite, her taste buds were doing somersaults. That’s how good a piece of pie really is at the historic Rock Springs Café.
Your mother’s pies might have the same effect, but she can’t keep up with this place in terms of volume. If you’ve never been, Rock Springs Café is located along Inter-state 17, about 45 minutes north of Phoenix. Chances are, you’ve driven by and never noticed. Next time, spoil yourself and take the Rock Springs exit.
The pies at the café are something special. That’s why folks from around the state and beyond travel to the desert to get a piece. Or two. Or three. Prices range from $3.50 a slice to $12.95 for an entire pie. In all, the café sells nearly 55,000 pies a year. Some are sold online, but if you have the option, it’s worth the experience of buying them in person.
Nestled among a saloon, gift shop, bedding store, tattoo parlor and various jewelry stands, the café itself is as interesting as the pie. It’s the pie, however, that draws the crowd. Picking out a flavor is the tough part.
“A lot of people come in for the Jack Daniels pecan pie,” says Tom Balcom, the café’s general manager. That’s not the only option, though. The café offers more than a dozen varieties featuring ingredients such as nuts, fresh fruit, crèmes and even a famous meringue topping.
Although pie is the main draw these days, the site was originally used as a stage stop, Indian encampment, and watering hole for miners, drovers and sheepherders. In 1924, a hotel and general store were opened, marking Rock Springs’ first commercial use.
According to Balcom, more growth is on the way. “There will be a petting zoo for children and also some festivals,” he says, “including a Halloween festival in October.”
Rock Springs Café is located at 35769 S. Old Black Canyon Highways, just off Interstate 17 at Exit 242. Information: 623-374-5794 or www.rockspringscafe.com.
MacAlpine’s
Now in its 80th year, the coolest soda fountain in Phoenix is serving ice cream, burgers and a blast from the past.
By Hilary Griffith
1928 – a lot happened that year. Walt Disney released his first Mickey Mouse cartoon. Penicillin was discovered. And MacAlpine’s, a small pharmacy in Central Phoenix, opened its doors. The world has changed a lot since then, but the pharmacy, which became MacAlpine’s Restaurant & Soda Fountain in 1991, has remained about the same.
Like most old drugstores, Mac-Alpine’s featured a soda counter, which, although cracked and rusted, still stands today. In addition, the walls are covered with nostalgic pieces, including a huge Wrigley’s Gum sign and a Coca-Cola poster; several diner booths with miniature jukeboxes complete the vintage feel.
Cary Heizenrader has owned the restaurant with his wife, Monica, for seven years. He appreciates the history of MacAlpine’s, and tries to incorporate the building’s past into the present.
“A lot of former employees and customers come in, and they haven’t seen the place for 15 or 20 years,” he says. “We haven’t changed anything.” The couple hopes to hear from others who remember the place fondly. Well-known fans from the past include Barry Goldwater and his family, Wayne Newton and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Naturally, the hostesses and servers dress in retro black-and-white skirted diner uniforms, designed with help from Amanda Newsum. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet Amanda, a perky waitress who looks like a cross between Betty Boop and Betty Grable, with her pinned-up hairdo and a 1940s red polka-dot dress.
The food, like the ambience, is simple, with several hot and cold sandwiches and four salads — nothing is more than $8. Standard diner fare is what MacAlpine’s does best. The tuna salad sandwich is popular, and the Mac burger will make you think twice about ever ordering fast-food again.
And then there’s dessert — a key part of the MacAlpine’s experience. The old-fashioned shakes are made with six scoops of ice cream, and they’re blended in a jadeite-green Hamilton Beach shake machine.
For a bonus blast from the past, you can browse the antiques store attached to the diner — look for things like a 1960s carousel horse and old phone booths. Although you might leave the shop empty-handed, you won’t leave MacAlpine’s with an empty stomach. They’ve been making sure of that for 80 years now.
MacAlpine’s is located at 2303 N. Seventh Street in Phoenix. Information: 602-262-5545 or www.macalpinessodafountain.com
On the Farm
Tired of fast food? The “slow food” at Quiessence in South Phoenix will make you want to eat for hours.
By Keridwen Cornelius
As he presents the grilled scallops mingled with marinated red cabbage and citrus in an emerald pool of mint sauce, manager Dustin Christofolo proudly explains the origins of the ingredients. “The oranges are from a farm in Peoria, and the grapefruit is from that tree over there,” he says, pointing to the front yard.
In an era of increasingly glob-alized cuisine, Quiessence in South Phoenix strives to use ingredients so close to home they’re actually point-at-able. The menu is about 90 percent local, with much of it plucked from the surrounding 13-acre Farm at South Mountain. Quiessence abides by the Slow Food philosophy, a movement formed in reaction to fast food. It means “simple food prepared well and sourced well,” says chef Greg LaPrad. “Instead of looking for the most efficient way to do things, we look at more classic ways.” Thus, the bread is baked in a wood-fired oven, the pasta is completely handcrafted, and animals are purchased whole so that every part can be used. “It’s really elemental and back to the roots,” LaPrad says. Slow food is eco-friendly, so the fish is flown in overnight from sustainable fisheries, and the produce is organic. Slow food is also slow: The relaxed staff spaces out the courses so diners can be in the moment, savoring good food, company and ambience. The result satisfies body and soul. The scallop dish is a jewel-colored trove of textures and flavors as subtly complementary as the nuances of wine. Warm focaccia, gilded with local olive oil, melts in your mouth. Ineffably spiced acorn squash from One Windmill Farms is swaddled in toothsome tortelli and anointed with a creamy sauce of pistachios from Queen Creek Olive Mill.
Ingredients from farther afield are so fresh they transport you to their source, not the other way around. The brothy, buttery seafood and fennel cream soup catapults you to the New England seashore, by way of nearby herb and dairy farms. Whole roasted redfish recalls brisk ocean fishing trips. Raw farmstead cheese conjures a vision of contented Holsteins in Wisconsin grazing on a green hillside.
LaPrad rewrites the menu daily based on what’s freshest and seasonal, so what appears one day might disappear the next. All the more reason to be in the moment.
Quiessence is located at 6106 S. 32nd Street in Phoenix. Information: 602-276-0601 or www.quiessencerestaurant.com
Making It Big
Don’t let the small space fool you. Matt’s Big Breakfast in Phoenix is one of the most comfortable places in the city to enjoy homemade, butter-drenched waffles, thick-cut bacon, eggs and more.
By Maryal Miller
In today’s health-conscious climate, it takes some doing to find a place where the stock in trade is serving straight-up, made-to-order comfort food. In a tiny building made of brick and mortar, smack-dab in the middle of downtown Phoenix, one of those rare places exists. More accurately, it thrives. Matt’s Big Breakfast is its name, and turning out simple, hearty breakfast addictions … er, meals, is its game.
“I grew up in Kansas City, and in the Midwest, mom and pop diners are everywhere,” owner Matt Pool explains. “I like that after four years, my wife and I both still wait tables. I think people like that about us.”
The use of the word “like” is a modest description from a man who’s sublimely satisfied with his success and his lifestyle. “The ‘it’ moment for me was probably the first day we had a wait — a Sunday about a week after we opened. At the time, it was probably because of our slow service, but that was the moment when I felt like we actually might make it here.”
The crowd of waiting patrons hovering at the front door — a congregation Matt sincerely refers to as “friends” — doesn’t simply like his famous fluffed-to-perfection pancakes, fresh-cut, flavor-packed home fries and Wisconsin cheese omelets ... in any language, the kind of following Matt’s has is nothing short of love. The kind of love seen in prison visitation rooms — sans criminals, of course — where the dutiful willingly travel across town, the state or even the country just to indulge in a few minutes of purely blissful face time. The stay is short, but the reward is sweet. Real-maple-syrup sweet, in fact.
Matt, his wife, Erenia, and their small, steadfast staff have made their living by returning to some of the most basic cooking concepts, where locally sourced menu items such as jam, coffee and fresh produce, as well as premium items like cage-free eggs and grain-fed natural Iowa pork and beef are at the core of every dish.
The purity of those foundations provide the requisite justification for a new generation of über-selective foodies to enjoy the sinful, morning meal staples of their youth. Think homemade, butter-drenched waffles, thick-cut bacon and eggs plated with pork chops, and lunch items including the notorious Big Butter Burger, whose name speaks volumes about the punch it packs.
For those who question Matt’s imagination, therein lies the irony. Go ahead and say it’s just another diner, but know that the cleverness of all that is Matt’s is pure and planned, and there aren’t any paper hats or poodle skirts in sight.
Matt’s Big Breakfast is located at 801 N. First Street in Phoenix. Information: 602-254-1074 or www.mattsbigbreakfast.com.
Binkley’s, Cave Creek
Although the tiny township of Cave Creek is known mostly for being cowboy chic and chock-full of Old West honky-tonks, there’s at least one restaurant where you might want to wear your dress boots. Under the guidance of chef-owner Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s offers contemporary American cuisine that changes frequently — based on the availability of fresh, local ingredients and the seasonality of items that the chef must order in. So while one evening’s cold appetizers might be hickory-smoked halibut with three-beet salad or Wellfleet oysters with marinated fingerling potatoes, the next week’s entrees might include blue cheese-crusted rib-eye or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin.
Binkley’s is located at 6920 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. Information: 480-437-1072 or www.binkleysrestaurant.com.
Lon’s at The Hermosa, Paradise Valley
Although they once dotted the Arizona landscape, authentic haciendas are few and far between in the state. Lon’s at the Hermosa is one of the few. Once the home of famed artist Lon Megargee, Lon’s is now one of the metro-Phoenix area’s most intimate and beautiful restaurants, capable of accommodating 12 to 150 people. For a romantic dining experience, sit on Lon’s patio, nestled perfectly in the shadow of Camelback Mountain, and sample chef Michael Rusconi’s inspired creations. Typical appetizers include soups, seared ahi and braised beef short ribs, while entrees encompass the best of Southwestern cuisine, from roasted Fulton Valley free-range chicken breast with goat cheese gnocchi to rack of lamb cased in sun-dried tomatoes and served with goat cheese herb grits, smoked peppers and Queen Creek olive jus.
Lon’s is located at 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. Information: 602-955-7878 or www.lons.com.
Kai, Chandler
For the quintessential Arizona experience, there’s nothing quite like Kai, the Native American-inflected, AAA Five Diamond dining room at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, situated on a vast tract of desert owned by the Gila River Indian Community. Stunning sunset views and striking art are the backdrop for chef de cuisine Jack Strong’s astonishing food, a seamless melding of classical technique with indigenous ingredients, many of them grown on the surrounding reservation. Smoky wood-grilled squash soup, floated with a spicy-sweet wisp of cotton candy (a playful nod to the Pima cotton-growing culture), is one of many luscious examples of Strong’s talent for taking flying leaps of creativity yet remaining grounded. Kai is located at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass, 5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler.
Information: 602-225-0100 or www.wildhorsepassresort.com.
Barrio Café, Phoenix
Chef-owner Silvana Salcido Esparza explodes the myth that Mexican food is a bland assemblage of carbohydrates and cheese, taking her customers on a culinary tour of southern Mexico that invariably leaves them breathless — or would that be the potent margaritas? Succulent, achiote-rubbed pork roast, pomegranate seed-studded guacamole, dreamy chiles en nogada and cajeta-filled churros are the not-to-be-missed signatures. Meanwhile, Barrio’s edgy local artwork and wildly decorated bathrooms, rife with Mexican kitsch, are always conversation starters, and the Mexican wine list is the best in the state.
Bario Café is located at 2814 N. 16th Street, Phoenix. Information: 602-636-0240 or www.barriocafe.com.
Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Chris Bianco is the king of pizza. Although contenders might dispute the claim, they’d be hard-pressed to prove it wrong, especially considering that Bianco is a 2003 James Beard Award winner and that his downtown Phoenix bistro was given an amazing 29 out of 30 points by the Zagat Dining Guide. In fact, the only person who disputes the claim is Bianco himself, who contends that it’s not about him — it’s about the pizza. That’s a truth evident in every pie that leaves the wood-fired oven at Pizzeria Bianco, where most guests wait hours just to be seated. Although the menu is small, it’s mighty, featuring a handful of decadent pizzas, handcrafted country bread and a selection of fresh, flavorful salads.
Pizzeria Bianco is located at 623 E. Adams Street, Phoenix. Information: 602-258-8300 or www.pizzeriabianco.com.
How Sweet It Is
If fruitcake isn’t your thing, grab a sundae at the Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale, which celebrates its 50th anniversary on Christmas Eve.
By Leah Duran
Fifty years ago this month, Jack Huntress and his family sat around the breakfast table and developed a menu for an ice cream parlor they planned to open in Old Town Scottsdale. They called it the Sugar Bowl, and on Christmas Eve 1958, it officially opened to the public.
A few things have changed since then. For example, you won’t find penny candy or the restaurant’s original spun-wire chairs, but you will find the same menu and the same overall feel — it’s the kind of place where Richie, Potsie and Ralph Malph might have hung out.
Caroll B. Huntress III, who bought the restaurant from his uncle Jack in 1985, says people want connecting points to the past. Something recognizable. “We’re part of the fabric of old Scottsdale, and everything is changing around us. All these new condos and fancy restaurants and expensive retail stores are going in, but we’ve been able to survive, and the community has certainly helped support us.”
Huntress attributes part of the Sugar Bowl’s success to its nostalgic atmosphere, which includes metal Coca-Cola signs, antique teacup displays and pastel pink walls.
Although the interior echoes a slower era, the service is fast and friendly. And even though a scoop of ice cream no longer costs 50 cents, almost every item is priced under $10. Among the favorites are tea sandwiches paired with homemade soup. There’s also a meatloaf sandwich, a classic peanut butter and jelly, and — for those with a taste for adventure — a cream cheese sandwich with sliced green olives.
“That’s an oldie,” Huntress says. “We’ve kept it on there because that’s part of our history.”
In another effort to stick with tradition, the Sugar Bowl’s original 13 ice cream flavors are the only options, with the exception of a rotating “Treat of the Month” flavor. It’s popular, but the restaurant’s signature dessert is the Top Hat Sundae, which consists of a fresh-baked cream puff filled with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with hot fudge.
“I think people get a real kick out of our Gosh-Awful-Gooey Banana Split, too,” Huntress says. Keep a napkin handy for this one — it combines Turkish coffee ice cream with caramel sauce and red raspberry sorbet with marshmallow sauce, all topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
The menu isn’t the only piece of history at the Sugar Bowl. In 1963, Bil Keane, the creator of The Family Circus, began featuring the restaurant in several of his comic strips. Like Keane, who usually orders vegetable soup with tea sandwiches, other longtime customers — even if they haven’t visited in more than 20 years — still remember the menu.
“People come in and say, ‘Thank goodness the Sugar Bowl hasn’t changed; thank goodness you’re still here,’?” Huntress says. It’s a link to the past and maybe the future.
With Huntress’ son, Caroll B. Huntress IV, interested in managing the restaurant someday, the elder Huntress is optimistic the Sugar Bowl will stick around for “at least another 30 years.”
“We plan on being here for a long time,” he says.
The Sugar Bowl is located at 4005 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Information: 480-946-0051 or www.sugarbowlscottsdale.com
Rancho Pino, Scottsdale
Foodies flock to this cowboy-chic venue, decorated with Western memorabilia, for dozens of reasons — first and foremost, chef-owner Chrysa Robertson’s sophisticated version of American comfort food, inspired by her Italian family and informed by her passion for local, seasonal, organic ingredients. A master of the mesquite grill, she works wonders with quail, duck and chicken, makes ravishingly simple salads and bakes up homey, satisfying desserts such as ginger cake with honey-roasted local pears and house-made ice cream. Partner Tom Kaufman, who maintains an impressive cellar of boutique wines and hard-to-find vintages, charms the room with his wine lore and down-to-earth approach.
Rancho Pino is located at 6208 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Information: 480-367-8030 or www.ranchopinot.com.
House of Tricks, Tempe
Just a block or two away from busy Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe, House of Tricks has been letting the good times roll for more than 20 years. Here, chef Kelly Fletcher tackles French and Southwestern cuisine, wrap-ping the two styles up into a unique fusion of flavors. At the same time, wine manager Ryan Brown selects some of the finest bottles available, creating a list that rivals that of restaurants three times Tricks’ size. And although this tiny restaurant is well endowed in the good-food department, dinner is as much about the experience as it is about the eats. Mature trees and a variety of colorful plants surround the patio, so book a table and enjoy the scenery.
House of Tricks is located at 114 E. Seventh Street, Tempe Information: 480-968-1114 or www.houseoftricks.com.
Kelly’s Broad Street Brewery, Globe
No one would be foolish enough to consider a J.C. Penney store a “hot spot.” But that’s not to say that bars and restaurants housed in former J.C. Penney stores can’t be. That’s the case with Kelly’s Broad Street Brewery. Located, naturally, on Globe’s historic Broad Street, which is home to buildings constructed in the early 20th century, Kelly’s is a favorite among the locals. What’s more, it serves up some pretty good food, albeit of the bar variety, and a handful of drink specials, along with a healthy helping of dancing and karaoke.
Kelly’s is located at 190 N. Broad Street, Globe. Information: 928-425-0379.
Libby’s El Rey Café, Globe
Loyalists swear El Rey is the king of Mexican food, not just in Eastern Arizona, but in the whole state, and they’ve been saying so since Viviano and Marian Bracamonte opened this tiny spot in 1947. Their daughter Libby took over in 1988, and aside from adding two soups to the menu, she does everything exactly the way her parents taught her — grinding corn for the tamales, making flour tortillas and salsas fresh each day, and pouring butter (an El Rey distinction) over the house-made corn chips.
Libby’s is located at 999 N. Broad Street, Globe. Information: 928-425-2054.
Eggs Come First
Even during lunch, omelets rule the roost at Zeke’s Eatin’ Place in Prescott. If you’re on a diet, you’re in trouble. These things are huge.
By Hilary Peele
Remember back in january, when you made that resolution to eat healthy and lose some weight? If you’re like most Americans, you didn’t make it past the Super Bowl. And that’s OK. In fact, as long as you’ve blown it, you might as well head to Zeke’s Eatin’ Place and really fall off the wagon.
If you’ve never been to Zeke’s, a small diner just off State Route 69 in Prescott, the motto is this: “No one goes away hungry.” After one meal, you’ll know they’re serious.
Bob Williams owns the restaurant with his wife, Tracey, who was the inspiration for the diner’s Western theme. “She’s a country girl deep down,” Williams says. “We just expanded on that.”
Among other things, cow skulls and framed images of John Wayne adorn the walls. There’s something almost intimidating about having the Duke look down at you while you’re eating. It’s as if he’s saying, “You’d better clean your plate, pilgrim.”
In addition to the Old West, there’s a history lesson as well. Old photos of Prescott, dating back to the early 1900s, are scattered under clear glass covering the tabletops. Small flyers advertising local businesses accompany the photos.
Of course, the food is the main attraction at Zeke’s, where the hearty meals are geared more toward Hoss than Little Joe. “We’re a man’s man’s place,” Williams says with a laugh. “We’re meat and potatoes. It’s in-your-face type food.”
What most people put in their face is breakfast. Even during the lunch hour, Williams says, most people order breakfast, with omelets being the most popular items. These aren’t ordinary omelets, though. The nearly foot-long monsters, which include anywhere from five to seven eggs, span an entire plate and are served with a towering pile of crispy hash browns and a choice of toast, pancakes, or biscuits and gravy.
The basic pancakes are about 7 inches in diameter. If you’re more adventurous, try the wagon-wheel pancakes, which are roughly the size of hubcaps. Although it’s not on the menu, Zeke’s even has a pancake challenge.
“If you can eat three pancakes in 20 minutes or less, we buy your meal and give you a T-shirt,” Williams says. “We make a spectacle of it, but only about 15 people have ever done it. It’s just funny to see their faces when the pancakes come out.”
Breakfast is served until 2 p.m., but Zeke’s also has a lunch menu available beginning at 9:30 a.m. The menu features soups, salads, sandwiches and “midday meals from the chuck wagon.” Like breakfast, the lunch portions are huge.
Try the Southwest turkey melt. It’s a real knife-and-forker, thanks to the red chile mayo that covers the oven-roasted turkey, green chiles, pepper jack cheese and bacon piled high on sourdough bread.
As a side dish, you’ll have to choose between fries or a salad. Although the healthy voice in the back of your head will be whispering “salad,” if you’re going to fall off the wagon anyway, you might as well fall hard and go for the crisp, expertly seasoned fries. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll resolve to go back and try them again.
Zeke’s is located at 1781 E. Highway 69 in Prescott. Information: 928-776-4602 or www.zekeseatinplace.com
Firehouse Kitchen, Prescott
“Comfort” is the operative word at the Firehouse, where butterscotch and burnt sienna-colored walls are hung with vintage food and beverage posters, and seating runs to high-backed upholstered banquettes or plush, black leather Parsons chairs. The menu is a medley of American mom classics — meatloaf, pot roast, pork chops, barbecued chicken, brisket, cream-enriched mashed potatoes and gooey mac & cheese. Clean your plate and maybe you can have s’mores or homemade apple pie à la mode.
Firehouse Kitchen is located at 218 W. Goodwin Street, Prescott. Information: 928-776-4566.
BIN 239, Prescott
When it comes to wine cafés, Bin 239 ranks right up there among the state’s best. Located on charming Marina Street in Prescott, this quaint café offers an amazing selection of wines at reasonable prices, from Oakville Cabernets to Argentinean Malbecs. What’s more, the Bin’s food menu features fresh selections of soups, salads, cheeses and bruschetta, and the friendly staff is always happy to offer its recommendations for food and wine pairings. For the ultimate Bin 239 experience, sample from the tasting menu. At four wines for $12, it’s a bargain and a blast.
Bin is located at 239 N. Marina Street, Prescott. Information: 928-445-3855 or www.bin239.com.
High Steaks
Kirkland boasts a couple of houses, a set of railroad tracks, and a little place that serves great steaks and a healthy dose of history.
By Kathy Montgomery
Kirkland Valley is cattle country, so it makes sense that the restaurant that calls itself the “center of commercial and social activity” for the area is a steakhouse with a past. Since the late-1800s, the Kirkland Bar & Steakhouse has been, at various times, a mercantile, stage and rail stop, post office, Wells Fargo branch, hotel and bar.
Located about 25 miles southwest of Prescott in Kirkland, the restaurant is a quirky place with sawdust on the floor, red oilcloth on the tables and an odd assemblage of seating that includes black vinyl banquet chairs, office chairs on rollers and a sectional sofa. Historical photos, cow skulls and antlers decorate the walls, and 10 guest rooms line a hallway off the bar. The rooms — seven are for rent — are small, spare and share a single bathroom, but they are clean and “very reasonable,” says owner Herb Carabeo, who declines to be more specific.
Herb and his wife, Barbara, moved to the area from Cochise County to buy the steakhouse 16 years ago. “We always liked the idea of a steakhouse with country music,” says Herb, whose background includes construction and ranching.
The Carabeos do all the cooking. The big thing, of course, is steak: Filet, rib-eye and New York strip steaks come in three sizes. Herb cuts them to order and grills them on an open stone fire pit at the corner of the restaurant.
A compact bulldog of a man with dark, wavy hair, Herb is gregarious and emphatic. When he gets a break from the grill, he circulates among the tables. During the day, he’s likely to pull up to the bar and pontificate about everything from the American work ethic to ranching over a Jim Beam and Sprite.
Locals from as far away as Prescott remember the steakhouse as a rollicking place, with roping and live country music on weekends. There hasn’t been any roping in recent times, and the last band performed in January after recent DUI laws hurt the bar business, Herb says. These days a jukebox is all there is to get folks dancing. But they still do. An online reviewer commented that patrons “dance like they think no one’s watching. But of course they are.”
The Kirkland Bar & Steakhouse is located at 8995 S. Iron Springs Road in Kirkland. Information: 928-442-3408.
Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg
There are plenty of resorts in Arizona, but not many of them are “ranch” resorts, like Wickenburg’s Rancho de los Caballeros. You’ll find plenty to do at this splendid retreat — from horseback riding and golf to hitting the spa or the pool — but when you’re done, you’ll want to try the ranch’s restaurant. Featuring plenty of meat-and-potatoes-type meals, as well as signature dishes that highlight the flavors of the Southwest, this isn’t your typical beans-and-franks cowboy restaurant, and that’s a good thing. Among other things, try the Southern quail. It’s pan-fried and served over fingerling potatoes with green beans and lavender butter.
Rancho de los Caballeros is located at 1551 S. Vulture Mine Road, Wickenburg. Information: 928-684-5484 or www.sunc.com.
Vogue Bistro, Surprise
From its designer-named martinis and bold, black-and-white color scheme to its French-inspired menu and TV clips of fashion models walking the runway, Vogue is everything its name implies: a stylish restaurant that reflects trends without being trendy. Chef-owner Aurore de Beauduy brings her Le Cordon Bleu training to bear on an all-day menu that allows customers to eat as lavishly or budg-et-consciously as they please. Will it be a not-so-humble hamburger (topped with Gorgonzola, applewood-smoked bacon, arugula and caramelized onion chutney), buttery escargots swathed in puff pastry or foie gras cured in Cognac?
Vogue Bistro is located at 15411 W. Waddell Road, Surprise. Information: 623-544-9109 or www.voguebistro.com.
Mexican Evolution
Jeff Smedstad gained acclaim for his take on Mexican cuisine at Los Sombreros in Scottsdale. Now he’s doing the same thing at Elote Café in Sedona.
By Kathy Montgomery
By 6:15 on a Wednesday evening, Elote Café is full, and the foyer is crowded with diners waiting to be seated. Some of them have come for the view — a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass and a small patio open to Sedona’s famed red-rock formations. But most come for chef-owner Jeff Smedstad’s unique take on Mexican food, particularly those who remember him as founding chef of the acclaimed Los Sombreros in Scottsdale.
Smedstad’s style has its roots in the markets of Mexico. “I call it gussied-up market food,” he says. Elote’s smoked chicken enchiladas are a twist on enchiladas suiza, found in Mexico City. His lamb adobo was inspired by adobos he sampled on a road trip to Veracruz. “I add something to it, my style,” Smedstad says. “But I try never to lose the soul of a dish.”
The restaurant’s name refers to corn on the cob — called elotes — sold on the streets in Mexico.
“I got that because I love corn,” Smedstad says. “It’s the most important ingredient when it comes to tortillas and tamales. Corn masa is where it all starts.”
Smedstad studied at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, but drew inspiration from his travels throughout Mexico, particularly the time he spent in Oaxaca with Suzanna Trilling, who later founded the famous Seasons of My Heart cooking school.
“We went around to different ranches and cooked,” Smedstad says. “That’s where I learned to make molé. Not in a stainless-steel kitchen like this. I learned in the backyard with a metate, grinding the seeds by hand. It was a great experience. I’m big on roots.”
Now Smedstad has returned to his own roots. After selling his stake in Los Sombreros to his ex-wife, Smedstad worked for a short time as executive chef for Sala in Atlanta, where he garnered good reviews. He came back when he heard the space at the King’s Ransom Hotel was available.
“I flew out the next day,” he says. “I just said this is going to work. I didn’t even ask what the lease was.”
Smedstad wondered if he made the right decision when he served only three customers on opening night. But word spread quickly, and now the restaurant is packed.
“It’s good to be home,” Smedstad says. “It’s been exciting to find that people didn’t forget about me.”
Elote Café is located at 771 Highway 179 in Sedona. Information: 928-203-0105 or www.kingsransomsedona.com.
L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek, Sedona
Chances are plenty of pretty things come to mind when you’re thinking about Sedona, like red rocks and sunsets and all of the other clichés. But L’Auberge Restaurant is just as pretty — not only because it sits on a prime piece of real estate on the banks of Oak Creek, but also because of its stunning menu. The chef keeps things interesting, mixing up the menu daily to reflect changing themes and changing seasons. It’s a method that works, having garnered the restaurant a “Best of Award of Excellence” designation from Wine Spectator for 14 consecutive years.
L’auberge is located at 301 L’Auberge Lane, Sedona. Information: 928-282-1667 or www.lauberge.com/dining.
Rural Splendor
Spanish name? German food? It’s confusing, for sure, but serious foodies are flocking to Manzanita for pork chops, sauerbraten and a plate of schnitzel.
By Roger Naylor
Considering Sedona residents can barely step outside without stumbling over a scenic wonder, it’s no surprise they don’t like to leave town. Especially for something as basic as a meal. Yet nearly every night of the week, the Manzanita Restaurant in the hinterlands of Cornville is teeming with Sedonans. Joining the red rockers are folks from Flagstaff, Prescott, even Phoenix.
Whether it’s the pecan-crusted pork chops, slow-baked sauerbraten or chicken breast stuffed with crab, artichoke and spinach, Manzanita serves up meals worth some travel time.
“We’re a frumpy little stucco building with a Spanish name serving German food and we’re off the beaten track,” says owner Randy Hale. “It’s a wonder we get any business at all.”
Hale is being modest. Since the early ’90s, Manzanita has been regarded by serious foodies as one of those far-flung gems, a culinary outpost featuring a hearty continental menu. Crisp Wiener schnitzel, as golden as a winter sunrise. Steaks so tender you wonder how they ever kept a cow upright. Soups so rich, they should pay for the meal. Hale strived to maintain that sterling reputation after buying the restaurant from Swiss chef Albert Kramer in December 2006.
“There are lots of reasons to buy a restaurant, most of them bad,” Hale says. “But when the opportunity comes along to buy a wildly successful restaurant because the owner wants to retire, that’s when I got interested.”
Chefs Sam Leffel and Chris Bruneau, Kramer’s former sous chefs, now run the kitchen, where meats are still hand-cut, herbs and veggies are plucked from their own garden, and seafood is flown in fresh. Hale continues the labor-intensive slow-food practices that put Manzanita on the map, while still expanding the menu.
Take those pork chops. For years, Manzanita served a grilled chop, tasty but traditional. Hale added one as a special, sautéed in a bourbon reduction sauce and topped with a pecan mix giving it a sweet, nutty crust. It became such an instant hit, it bumped the original from the menu. More work to make, but like every other dish served, it haunts your taste buds.
In addition, Manzanita recently began offering lunch Wednesdays through Sundays, and a wine and hors d’oeuvres happy hour on weeknights — wines from neighboring vineyards are featured.
“This is something we wanted to do for the locals,” Hale says. Of course, when it comes to Manzanita, everybody in Arizona with a car qualifies as a local.
Manzanita Restaurant is located at 11425 E. Cornville Road in Cornville. Information: 928-634-8851 or www.themanzanitarestaurant.com.
Piñon Bistro, Cottonwood
With only a handful of linen-topped tables and a menu that incorporates market-fresh ingredients and homemade creations, Piñon Bistro is a favorite among Cottonwood locals and tourists alike. Owned and operated by pals Terri Clements and Donna Fulton, the bistro is two parts funky and one part swanky. Decorated with fresh flowers and the works of local artists, the restaurant offers a menu that self-taught chef Fulton creates based on the season and the availability of fresh produce, meats and cheeses. And don’t forget to explore the wine and dessert menus. They’re loaded with delightful options, from blanc-de-blanc to Cabernet and homemade ice cream to decadent mud pie.
Piñon Bistro is located at1075 S. State Route 260, Cottonwood. Information: 928-649-0234.
Flatiron Café, Jerome
Shaped like an upended shirt box, Jerome’s Flatiron Café might be named for New York’s famous building, but there’s nothing flat about its assortment of breakfast and lunch entrees. Small and simple, Flatiron serves a variety of inexpensively priced plates, from omelets and fresh-baked pastries to original sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads. There are several innovative dishes on the menu, too, including smoked-salmon quesadillas and black-bean hummus. And although the food is good, the coffee’s even better. Whether you are a fan of flavored lattes or regular old joe, pick up a cup for your exploration of Jerome’s other attractions — the former mining town is known for its art shops and “haunted” hotels.
Flatiron Café is located at 416 Main Street, Jerome. Information: 928-634-2733.
The Asylum, Jerome
With its breathtaking views of the Verde Valley, this tranquil haven, housed in the historic hilltop Jerome Grand Hotel, really does offer asylum from the rat race below. Maybe that’s why it’s John McCain’s favorite restaurant. Of course, it couldn’t hurt that the boutique wine list, honored by Wine Spectator, offers 40 by-the-glass selections. Or that inspired New American menu selections, such as prickly pear barbecue pork tenderloin and roasted duck breast with spicy orange-plum salsa, are first-rate.
