Food has a way of anchoring us to place and memory. When I traveled over the summer, I wrote about eating South Shore pizza and small-batch premium ice cream in the Boston area—foods tied closely to my husband’s family. On my most recent trip, food once again became the thread that wove the experience together, this time in Scottsdale.
If you’re not familiar with Scottsdale, its food scene might surprise you. It’s lively and varied, with familiar chains alongside standout restaurants we don’t have in Chicago. As always, on this year’s seventh trip, eating out played a big role. We dined at old favorites and tried some new spots, many restaurants had dishes that sparked ideas—unexpected ingredient pairings, fresh flavor combinations, and new ways of cooking that I am eager to try at home. If you’re heading to Scottsdale, the list below is worth a look—and you just might come back with your own culinary creativity.
For my family, a trip to Scottsdale is not complete without at least one breakfast at Snooze. While it is a chain, it is not a restaurant we have in Chicago. Its laid-back eclectic vibe will wake up any night owl. The menu includes decadent pancake and French toast flights and many creative savory options.
One of my go-to choices is the Sweet Potato Veggie Smash-Up. The balance of sweet and savory, from the sriracha maple syrup, sweet potato, pickled onions, and mushrooms and asparagus is delicious. This time my family also enjoyed OMG French Toast, a decadent combination of brioche stuffed with whipped mascarpone and topped with strawberries, vanilla cream caramel, and coconut.
This restaurant is part of a medium-large restaurant group with many establishments nearby. After trying one, it is tempting to check out the rest. Each member of our party was pleased with their orders which included BBQ Chicken, Wild Mushroom Pappardelle, Grouper Sandwich, and a Twisted Noodle Salad.
Creativity was highlighted in “Shattered Fries” and several dishes just mentioned. Shattered fries are a variation on steak fries but the potatoes are cut more like a potato chip. A serving of arugula topped the pappardelle, pleasing not just for the eye, but balanced the creamy Boursin cheese sauce. Different than what the name suggests the “Twisted Noodle Salad” included a nice amount of kale and arugula, dressed tastefully and colorfully with peanuts, toasted coconut, and a Sambal -lime vinaigrette.
This Baja inspired Mexican restaurant maintains a lively and entertaining environment. Should you visit, maybe you will be surprised by live music, like we were. The Baja influence shines in the amount of seafood on the menu. My mom enjoyed the Mexx Chop Salad with agave shrimp. My husband liked his fish burrito, and my dad went the spicy route with El Volcán, a mixture of chicken and red peppers in an arbol sauce under melted cheese. My poblano and mushroom burrito bowl was a fun mix of traditional burrito fillings and pickled jalapeño and onion. Creative embellishments to entrees included sides such as spicy slaw, quinoa salad, and tortilla sized corn chips served with a spicy salsa and a black bean pepita salsa.
My family compares all breakfast establishments in Scottsdale to Snooze. Butters upholds itself with a lively feel and diverse menu. It is one of those places that has it all from egg dishes to pancakes, waffles, and French toast. You can sub a pancake for toast, who doesn’t like that? While the menu may overdeliver in its descriptions and I was not creatively inspired, breakfast was satiating for a moderately difficult hike afterwards.
This restaurant accurately describes itself as coastal Mediterranean. The environment was upbeat, attractive, and enticing. It is new to the Old Scottsdale area. We got to take advantage of Happy Hour while also enjoying the items from the main menu. It was the best of both worlds and offered the opportunity to try many things, which were all delicious.
Creativity was showcased in ingredient combinations and plating. For example, a side of roasted Brussels sprouts were plated on top of a creamy tzatziki. The seared feta and tomato appetizer included a crispy coating of breadcrumbs surrounding the smooth cheese all tossed with honey, lemon juice and olive oil then topped with a mixture of microgreens and tomatoes.
A Pinyon specialty is their Hummusiya which are innovative hummus like spreads, served with fluffy homemade pita. We had the Pistachio Labneh. It was beautiful and delicious. They spoil patrons by giving each their own pita. Dishes under the heading “skewers” might sound unexciting, however that is not the case. We tried a chicken skewer and a trumpet mushroom skewer. Both skewers were served atop basmati rice, accompanied with a choice of sauce; black garlic, tahini, beet chermoula, and a salsa verde, and Lebanese slaw.
This was my second time dining here, so I knew what to expect but was also happy to try new items. When dining at an Indian restaurant, biryanis, naan, samosas, paneer are to be expected. Peacock has their versions, but also many other interesting less common menu options. The vegetarian biryani is ripe with carrots, peas, cauliflower, paneer cheese, and plentifully spiced with cardamom. Guacamole at an Indian restaurant, yes! It was delicious. They call it Avocado Jhalmuri. It is puffed rice layered on guacamole, mixed with onions, tomatoes, mint, pomegranate seeds, and tamarind sauce. We ordered Chicken Lababdar instead of the more traditional chicken tandoori and chicken tikka masala. The sauce made of tomato- onion gravy, cream and spices provided a sweet and savory balance.
I brought a bit of Scottsdale home with me. For a New Year’s Eve gathering with friends, I wanted something fun and festive. We were too full to enjoy Baklava Cheesecake at Pinyon, but that is what we would have ordered, so I made my own variation. If you don’t feel like dealing with crust, this delicious Burnt Basque Cheesecake can transport you to Spain.
Baklava Cheesecake Bars
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
For the crust and filling:
6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
1/4 cup butter, melted
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon honey
For the Baklava topping:
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup water
1 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper on all sides. Set aside.
- Cut one sheet of phyllo dough to fit into your pan and lay in the prepared pan. Brush with the melted butter and cut and layer the next piece. Repeat until you have 12 layers of phyllo dough in your pan.
- Place in the oven to blind bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Whip the cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, honey and sugar together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with electric beaters until smooth and creamy for about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time. Beat until combined. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust.
- Drop the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake bars in the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes, rotating the bars halfway through.
- When done the cheesecake will still be wobbly in the center. Leave the bars in the oven, with the oven off and the door open slightly, to let the bars cool gradually.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine honey and water and cook until thick and reduced by about half. (The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.)
- Remove from the heat and add nuts, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine.
- Pour the syrup over the bars making an even layer over the cheesecake.
- Cover the bars with tinfoil and let them set in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- Slice and enjoy.
Dining out whether traveling or close to home provides inspiration for kitchen creativity. If a trip isn’t happening for you soon, a class at The Chopping Block can feel like traveling. Innovative classes coming up include:
- Mediterranean Mezze on Sunday, January 11 at 10am
- Pancakes Around the World on Wednesday, January 14 at 6pm
- Culinary Adventure: Trip to Puerto Rico on Thursday, January 15 at 6pm
- Indian Vegetarian on Monday, January 26 at 6pm
