DOMINIC ARMATO

Armato: Top 10 menus for fall Arizona Restaurant Week, 9/16-25

Dominic Armato
The Republic | azcentral.com
The bouillabaisse at Little Cleo's Seafood Legend at the Yard is a well-stocked shellfish stew with fennel and a light saffron accent. This will be one of the available dishes on their Arizona Restaurant Week menu.

Where does a dining critic eat during Arizona Restaurant Week?

Not where you might think.

Professional obligations compel me to spend my evenings (and calories) dining under more typical circumstances than what the 10-day “week” brings. Put another way, by the time I could sample enough Restaurant Week menus to tell you about them, the promotion would be over.

That said, if I were to do Restaurant Week, Sept. 16-25, I know where I’d be going.

Some Restaurant Week deals will save you a few bucks, but I’d prefer to focus on places that eschew a predictably safe menu and present themselves exactly as they are. Looking through this year’s participants, here are the 10 places I’d check out, in alphabetical order.

The cost excludes tax and tip. Make reservations with restaurants or at arizonarestaurantweek.com.

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Beckett’s Table

Justin Beckett’s friendly, comfortable joint has become an Arcadia stalwart and one of Restaurant Week’s most popular destinations. As a rule, Beckett keeps things familiar while working in special touches here and there. So Restaurant Week guests could go classic with a chopped salad and beef short ribs with mashed potatoes; or aim for something a little less conventional, like crispy pig trotters with salsa roja and corn salsa. (I know which one I’m ordering.)

Details: $33 per person. 3717 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-954-1700, beckettstable.com.

Cafe Lalibela

Restaurant Week offerings are heavy with American and European fare, but there are some international gems to be found, like Cafe Lalibela. For those unfamiliar with Ethiopian food, consider this the perfect opportunity to bring a friend or a date, get your fingers messy and sample the intense, aromatic blends of spices that season this East African cuisine.

Details: $44 for two people. 849 W. University Drive, Tempe. 480-829-1939, cafelalibela.com.

Christopher’s and Crush Lounge

Not that there’s anything wrong with European cuisine, particularly when prepared by a James Beard Award winner. Christopher Gross’ contemporary French fare always delights. And it’s tough to top a foie gras torchon, sauteed duck breast with sherry and cheese selection for just over 40 bucks.

Details: $44 per person. Biltmore Fashion Park, 24th Street and Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-522-2344, christophersaz.com.

Litchfield’s

There’s no sugarcoating it, West Valley. It’s slim pickings for Restaurant Week in your neck of the woods. Only six of 120-plus participating restaurants are west of Interstate 17. But while I’ve not yet had the chance to visit, Litchfield’s is catching my eye with its menu. Coconut curry butternut soup with chile-spiced peanuts and cilantro oil sounds like a fine start. And sea scallops with rattlesnake bean ragout and spicy fennel sausage might tempt me if roasted chicken with polenta waffle, apple slaw and apricot honey doesn’t.

Details: $44 per person. The Wigwam, 300 E. Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park. 623-935-3811, wigwamarizona.com/dining.

Little Cleo’s Seafood Legend

Sam Fox has his fans and detractors, but Little Cleo’s is a more than solid seafood joint with a nice-looking Restaurant Week menu. Crispy frog legs or grilled octopus would be a nice prelude to a steamy bouillabaisse. And I’m not sure whether the chilled seafood starter is considered cheating (most menus are three courses), but I’m not complaining.

Details: $33 per person. The Yard, 5632 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-680-4044, foxrc.com/restaurants/little-cleos-seafood-legend.

Lon’s at The Hermosa

Jeremy Pacheco has had a little time to settle in since returning from his two-year sojourn to Las Vegas. If you haven’t yet, it’s about time you reminded yourself why we’re fortunate that he decided to return. Crab-stuffed squash blossoms with amarillo aioli and a dry-aged pork chop with mole and Hatch chile hash ought to do the trick.

Details: $44 per person. The Hermosa Inn, 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. 602-955-7878, hermosainn.com/lons.

Nobuo at Teeter House

Speaking of chefs we’re fortunate to have, the fact that Nobuo Fukuda’s Restaurant Week menu is a little slim on details doesn’t bother me, and it shouldn’t bother anyone. It’s best not to set any boundaries, and let Fukuda make whatever manner of East/West cuisine he feels like making. This is a place to simply put yourself in the hands of the chef, and a good opportunity to do it.

Details: $44 per person. Heritage Square, 622 E. Adams St., Phoenix. 602-254-0600, nobuofukuda.com.

Posh Restaurant

The same goes for Posh, where mystery menus are standard operating procedure. One of the best Restaurant Week deals around is courtesy of Josh Hebert, who turns out some of the Valley’s most flavorful and artfully presented contemporary cuisine. Four courses run $44 during Restaurant Week, and if that’s not enough, diners can add courses for $11 each, up to seven. You’ll have a chance to express your ingredient preferences, but it’s best if you let them surprise you entirely.

Details: $44 per person. 7167 E. Rancho Vista Drive, Scottsdale. 480-663-7674, poshscottsdale.com.

Rancho Pinot

On the opposite end of the avant-garde spectrum is Rancho Pinot, where Chrysa Robertson, arguably the godmother of modern Arizona cuisine, serves comfortable, rustic fare that substitutes flavor for pretension. Her Moroccan-spiced lentil soup is a soulful number, and Nonni’s chicken is always a crowd-pleaser.

Details: $44 per person. 6208 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-367-8030, ranchopinot.com.

Talavera at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale

Fine dining at one of the Valley’s premier resorts for $44 is one of the best deals on this year’s list, and Mel Mecinas can bring it. Spanish octopus with chistorra and aji amarillo or curry-poached butterfish with rock shrimp and lemongrass should pair nicely with the resort’s tranquil surroundings.

Details: $44 per person. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Drive. 480-513-5085, talaverarestaurant.com.

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