Phoenix, AZ: Good Dining?

Tanith T. wrote:

> I will be travelling to Phoenix, Arizona
> I'm seeking good continental, French,
> "California style" or Japanese cuisine
> Am I likely to find any really outstanding restaurants
> or is this merely the pipe dream of a spoiled San Franciscan used to
> the high local standards?
> I appreciate quality and a good wine list, but I'm not anal retentive
> about snob appeal - I'd equally enjoy an authentic Mexican or El
> Salvadorean hole in the wall joint that makes *really* good homemade
> tortillas, as well as a four star continental cuisine spot.
> Also, how is the food at the Phoenix Hilton?
> What is the general take on the cuisine in Arizona?  Is it substantially
> different from California styles?
> Thanks for all your input!  Let's make this a threaded discussion....
> Tanith Tyrr

    Phoenix doesn't compete with San Francisco for overall innovation
and qualiy of restaurants, nonetheless, it is a resort city, and you ought to be able to find enough places to last through your visit. As far as continental cuisine goes, I think Christopher's is the consensus choice.  It has its own web page at www.christophers.com, so you can peruse the menu. I've been there twice and been very impressed. Mary Elaine's is also very good, although perhaps a bit less consistent than Christopher's.
    Arizona's style is fairly eclectic.  There are certainly a number
of practitioners of "Southwest" cuisine - characterized by reliance on native ingredients, particularly chiles.  Cafe Terra Cotta, which is a branch of the Tucson original, is an excellent example of this style.  Vincent's on Camelback has an imaginative fusion of classical and southwestern elements, although execution has been a bit spotty. Richardson's which is in a strip mall in an undistinguished part of town has consistently excellent New Mexican cuisine, and the spices are not moderated for mass consumption.  It is consistently crowded, and getting tables can be difficult.  RoxSand's has very imaginative offerings, with some southwestern influences.
    There are a variety of good ethnic restaurants.  Such is Life has
excellent authentic Mexican food, with an emphasis on seafood.  Sushi on Shea is a good sushi choice.  Malee's on Main is my favorite of the Thai offerings.  Havana Patio Cafe has reasonably priced Cuban food and a fun atmosphere.  There are a reasonable number of credible Italian choices, although we certainly don't compete with San Francisco in that category.
    Finally, a couple of my favorites that aren't neatly categorized
include Razz's and Eddie's Grill.  Eddie's is a sleek, sophisticated spot with a fun atmosphere and a varied menu.  Razz's is new and very near where I live, so I'm really pulling for it.  Just because of the convenience, I've been there several times since it opened, and I can highly recommend the sweetbreads.  I've never eaten at the Hilton.  There are several dining guides for Arizona.  I think the best is the New Times guide, which is a compilation of columns by a witty and thoughtful critic, Howard Seftel.  You can also pick up the New Times, which has a dining guide, or check out their web site for current reviews.  I don't have the web address, but it ought to be fairly easy to find.
                            Good dining,
                            Marty Langford

Tanith T. wrote:

>I will be travelling to Phoenix, Arizona next week and staying at the
>Phoenix Hilton on East Thomas Road.  I'll have a car, so distance isn't
>much of a barrier....and I'm seeking good continental, French,
>"California style" or Japanese cuisine in the city.  (But any good food
>wil do!)

>Am I likely to find any really outstanding restaurants in the vicinity,
>or is this merely the pipe dream of a spoiled San Franciscan used to
>the high local standards?

>I appreciate quality and a good wine list, but I'm not anal retentive
>about snob appeal - I'd equally enjoy an authentic Mexican or El
>Salvadorean hole in the wall joint that makes *really* good homemade
>tortillas, as well as a four star continental cuisine spot.  Genuinely
>good food is the real aim here.  I intend to avoid places like Denny's,
>"American" style coffee shop/diner food, etc, with religious fervor
>motivated only in part by my allergy to soybean oil, which is used in
>much of the food by most cheap chain-type joints.

>Also, how is the food at the Phoenix Hilton?  Worth a gander?  (The last
>time I was there was for a sci-fi con called NASFIC, and it was enough
>years ago that I don't remember - can anybody enlighten me?)

>What is the general take on the cuisine in Arizona?  Is it substantially
>different from California styles?

>Thanks for all your input!  Let's make this a threaded discussion....

>Tanith Tyrr
You can thank me later.
I had a truly great meal last time I went to Phoenix. It's called the Terra Cotta Cafe, a southwestern place in a shopping center in Scotsdale called the Borghatta(sp?). It's not a funky hole in the wall(make reservations for dinner..you can probably sneak in for lunch). The food was tasty and creative....service very good too.

Los Olivos, a Mexican restaurant at the south end of Old Town Scottsdale, is one place that I make sure to visit any time I'm in town ...

gld