FOOD

Food & Drink

Scottsdale.org l @ScottsdaleProgress /ScottsdaleProgress

Want to splurge? Check out these �ine-dining spots

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ

Progress Contributor

If you are going to make it a night out, make that night out count. Do it in style. Wear heels. Splurge on a new dress. Pick a place that will blow your mind. Here are a few haunts to �launt your haute couture while enjoying haute cuisine right here in Scottsdale.

Mastro’s Ocean Club

Dark fabrics, lively bands, plush décor and elegance drip from every pore of the Kierland Commons icon. The menu is a celebration of fresh seafood and shell�ish as well as elevated comfort classic sides and ultra-high-end imported steak. Each item is more decadent than the next, in the best possible way. mastrosrestaurants.com

Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak

Egyptian-born Michael Mina is a magician with �lavors. His team members at Michael Mina Group, which has more than 40 high-end concepts worldwide to date, are artists of atmosphere. And the food and beverage team at his Scottsdale namesake?

Talavera presents its version of paella in a bold, mouth-watering fashion. Dominick’s Steakhouse boasts one of the most opulent bars in Arizona as well as an open-air dining option on the roof, complete with a pool serving as the centerpiece

of the space. (Martin Harris Photography)

They are masters of melding both into unforgettable evenings for every single person who dines with them.

As with many of the other entries here, the steak offerings will rock your world. However, dig a little deeper into the menu when you have a chance and explore the other delicacies, including the shell�ish platter. Served one of two ways — chilled or broiled — this platter has a taste of all the delicacies the ocean has to offer, 4 ounces of king crab, half a lobster, four shrimp and four oysters. If ordered broiled, the dish is served on a bed of rock salt and accompanied by miso butter. The glass wine is what dreams are made of. scottsdaleprincess.com

Dominick’s Steakhouse

Dominick’s is the ultra-high end steak concept from Arizona’s own Mastro family. Patriarch Dennis Mastro helped launch true steakhouses in Arizona back in the 1980s before opening the Mastro brands years later with his sons. After selling that brand — including Ocean Club — several years ago, the family put pen to paper on their dream restaurant. Enter Dominick’s, which is named for Dennis’ father and is — like the Mastros themselves — bigger than life. The venue boasts one of the most opulent bars in Arizona as well as an open-air dining option on the roof, complete with a pool serving as the centerpiece of the space. All of the meat on the menu is responsibly sourced, wet-aged for 28 days and hand-cut by the family’s in-house master butcher. dominickssteakhouse.com

Talavera

The Forbes Four-Star Award-winning Talavera, which boasts �loor-to-ceiling windows and a dramatic �ire that lines the interior of the entire restaurant, is the jewel in the crown of the sophisticated Four Seasons Scottsdale Resort Troon North. The Spanish-in�luenced menus, featuring paella, jamón ibérico and a laundry list of globally inspired tapas, are quickly becoming the stuff of legend.

Insider tip: Within Talavera, there is also a small cocktail spot called Gin Bar that specializes in gin tonics, which are far more aromatic and botanically forward than traditional gin and tonics. It is the perfect way to kick off or end an unforgettable evening. Talaverarestaurant.com

Roka Akor

To really go big, opt for Omakase — loosely translated as “to entrust the chef.” Offered nightly, this personalized tasting menu features exclusive in-house premium, chef-selected ingredients and is meant to showcase the best of Roka Akor’s three kitchens.

During the feast, guests will enjoy hot and cold appetizers, premium sushi and sashimi, and items from both the robata grill and tempura kitchen. Entrees are accompanied with a wild mushroom rice hot pot, which is an earthy risotto-like dish, and dinner is topped off with decadent dessert platter. rokaakor.com

HUSH Public House

The restaurant is limited to just 40 people at any given time and is dimly lit by design for the optimal intimacy. The dinner menu only features about 20 options at any given time and changes weekly, but expect both whimsical and well-balanced offerings from some of Arizona’s deftest kitchen talent. There are also options for the more adventurous eaters in the group (chicken liver mousse, but in a way you will not expect, for example) and a combination of classic and modern cocktails. hushpublichouse.com

The Americano

Celebrity chef and Scottsdale resident Scott Conant does not mess around when it comes to food. His �inesse is at its �inest at The Americano. This elevated yet approachable menu serves every taste, from �ine steaks, such as prime and American wagyu beef, to freshly made pasta, organic salads, Italian antipasti, and Mediterranean seafood including Italian crudi.

The Americano blends a European style of highly personalized, tableside service with contemporary Italian-inspired dining to create an unmistakable, convivial experience within the heart of North Scottsdale. There is a thoughtfully curated selection of 200 distinct wines from iconic, established and emerging Italian and American labels, including Conant’s private label, SC Wines. theamericanorestaurant.com