Seems like a pretty standard New American cuisine menu to me.
I guess when I think of New American done well, I expect more of a blend of culinary traditions through each dish rather than a traditional putanesca alongside a faithful Japanese pork belly.
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The best restaurant in the small rural town I live in is like this, their menu is like 20 items, 15 cuisines, lol. It’s a good place though with a very, very nice wine list.
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Hey, small town America, that sounds like a pretty sweet find! Sounds like that restaurant may have more cuisines than many towns have restaurants, which can be great for variety. But when I have lots of options, I usually try order things that I feel like I could only get at that place, or at least only get that dish done like they do there, so I tend to give a bit of side eye to a traditional putanesca at a place that isn’t really an Italian place, you know?
Who doesn’t
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Trip Report time!
Patio seating vibes. Dope.
Started with a Spellbinder from Wren House. It was one of only 2 beers on tap. I really wanted to try this while I was here but the brewery is to go only due to Covid so we didn’t make it. Beer was fantastic.
First course was the Crudo - it was the definition of “fine” I enjoyed it but it lacked flavor.
Curry Carrots were next and this was the 2nd best dish of the night for me.
Next: teriyaki pork belly. Best dish of the night but I’m a sucker for pork belly.
New drink time! I forgot the name, but it was basically a mezcal Negroni which I loved. Great smoke flavor paired with the Campari. Top tier cocktail.
Final course: chimichurri skirt steak with horseradish. This was also really good but I didn’t really get the horseradish. It wasn’t prevalent at all and seemed just kind of forced.
Our waitress was fine and kind of a void of personality but whatever. Grading on a curve of this style of mid tier new American restaurant I give it a 7/10.
Attached to it is a retro bar called Thunderbird that is hitting me in the right spots.
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Glad you enjoyed it! Sounds like central Phoenix is representing
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that’s some godawful plating, but all the dishes sound solid.
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Yeah, uh, whole mint leaves aren’t especially appetizing.
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I probably would have had a harsher review if I hadn’t been stuck inside Indy for an entire year. I was honestly just really happy to travel again.
When I look at that carrot plate, I see a giant insect with its legs sticking out from under the greens 
I guess it could be a crustacean which would be decidedly tastier.
I thought the same, but I didn’t feel qualified to judge.
Tasting herbs = good, chewing herbs = bad
With a few exceptions of course. A half dozen mint leaves garnishing a crudo plate not being one of them.
Good TR! You drink your dessert?
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Yep. Not a big sweets person. Didn’t even look at the menu.
Speaking of plating…
This thing ended me.
GNOCCHI PARISIENNE
roquefort, acorn squash, pomegranate, sage
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When I’ve gone there, we just ordered the chefs tasting menu and it was good, not great.
Not normally a restaurant on my radar when I’m in that area, but one of the folks in our party is a super fan and made us go.
Our usual haunts in that area are the Persian Room, the breakfast club, and magic noodle for hand pulled noodles.
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Never heard of this place, thanks for the heads up
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You’ll want to get the XO sauce if you go.
Strip roasts were on sale this week, which means a couple minutes of knife work and I have cheap steaks for the next couple months.
No interior pics, too hungry.
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