A Stunning Start

The most appetizing of appetizers

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ

There is nothing quite like a perfect first bite to start a night out right. Here are some of the Valley’s most sensational of starters—be them from the land or the sea, ranging from avant garde to those sourced directly from the garden, and everything in-between.

Oysters Rockefeller MODERN OYSTERBAR CHOPHOUSE

These briny beauties are baked on the half shell with homemade creamed spinach, velvety hollandaise sauce, and lardons, which are cubes of the tastiest parts of bacon. Browned in a broiler until the tops are slightly crisp, they are served with lemon, and bread for dipping. $24. www.modernoysterbarchophouse.com

Duck Liver Pâté BENJAMIN’S UPSTAIRS

An appetizer for the more adventurous eater, this is a housewhipped duck liver pâté served alongside a rich cherry mostarda that has notes of tart dark cherry and bright pops of mustard. It is accompanied by pickled red onions, salty cornichons, and toasted crostini. $16. www.benjaminsaz.com

Common Ground Brussels THE MACINTOSH AND THE COLLINS

Each Brussels sprout is charred until ultra-crispy before being combined with candied bacon and garlic cloves. The contents are plated in a mason jar on a charcuterie board, and then drizzled with a sweet balsamic reduction to finish. $11. www.themacintoshaz.com

Maine Lobster Escargot OCEAN 44

No snails here! This twist on the French classic substitutes them with meaty chunks of Maine lobster, which are combined with butter, garlic, fresh herbs, and chardonnay in an escargot-style dish, and then topped with mornay sauce and a generous garnish of caviar. $29. www.ocean44.com

White Truffle Garlic Bread NORTH ITALIA

Locally sourced bread is given the royal treatment here as it is paired with a hefty dollop of house-made ricotta, mozzarella, Grana Padano, and herbs before being baked in a skillet to toasty and melty perfection. $13. www.northitalia.com

ARANCINI AT NOOK KITCHEN

DEVILED EGG DIP & CHIPS AT WINDSOR

Ujih Hot Stone EMBER AT WE-KO-PA CASINO RESORT

The Ujih—which translates to ember in Yavapai—Hot Stone features your choice of melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu or Pacific ahi tuna with truffle ponzu. It comes sizzling on a hot stone, so that each guest can choose the temperature at which they wish to enjoy each bite. $23. www.wekopacasinoresort.com

Smoked Eggplant Spread FLINT BY BALTAIRE

A twist on baba ganoush, first eggplant is charred with live almond wood on the grill before being steamed and processed into a silky smooth pulp, then topped with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, mint, and Aleppo pepper. It is served with piping hot pita bread. $13. www.flintbybaltaire.com

BLEU CHEESE STUFFED MEDJOOL DATES AT BOURBON & BONES

Deviled Egg Dip & Chips WINDSOR

The base of the dip is made using egg yolks, spices, salt, pepper, and a saucy combination of mayonnaise and mustard. Fresh-from-theoven smoky tender belly bacon is added next, followed by crumbles of savory gorgonzola cheese. Once topped with additional bacon, the dip is served with potato chips. $9.50. www.windsoraz.com

Bleu Cheese Stuffed Medjool Dates BOURBON & BONES

Fresh, generously sized caramel-like dates are filled with a bleu cheese here before being finished with bacon and salted Spanish Marcona almonds, and garnished with a slightly sweet barrel-aged Banyuls vinegar reduction. $14. www.bourbonandbonesaz.com

Tuna Tartare Tartine ZINQUÉ

In this shareable French-inspired open-faced sandwich made with toasted Poilâne bread imported from Paris, fresh tuna is finely chopped and mixed with pesto, salt, and vinegar chip crumbles. To complete the tartine, parmigiano reggiano is shaved over the tuna for a rich finish. $17. www.lezinque.com

Korean Fried Mushrooms THE CLEVER KOI

The star of this vegan dish is the fried maitaki mushrooms. Lending great supporting performances are the spice from the Sriracha vinaigrette, as well as the cooling celery leaves. The sesame seeds, which serve as garnish, also add a great contrasting crispness. $11. www.thecleverkoi.com

Gambas al Ajillo TALAVERA

The dish starts with whole, head-on prawns, which make for quite the visual when they come to the table. They are cooked in copious amounts of garlic, plated with a rich Peruvian sauce made from rocoto peppers, and garnished with coriander-crusted lime. $26. www.talaverarestaurant.com

Arancini NOOK KITCHEN

This version of Arancini starts with the most luscious of risottos. Then, it is infused with a house-pulled mozzarella, authentic Italian pomodoro sauce, and basil before being cooked to perfection and topped with a balsamic reduction and a touch more basil. $13. www.nookkitchen.com

Seared La Belle Foie Gras ELEMENTS AT SANCTUARY CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN RESORT

La Belle Farm’s foie gras is known to be among the richest. Seared until just right, the foie gras is paired with tart strawberry rhubarb tatin, black pepper caramel, and salted milk crumble. It is a bucket list dish to try at least once. $29. www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com

Brussels Sprout Nachos DIEGO POPS

This twist on a traditional nacho platter is topped with crispy Brussels sprouts, street corn-infused queso, as well as Oaxacan queso, plus Fresno chili peppers, and pickled onions. For the finale, the dish is drizzled with a roasted garlic beet crème and finished with a fried egg. $12. www.diegopops.com