Beat the Heat at These Scottsdale Steakhouses
Let’s face it. While much of the country excitedly greets warmer weather and waits summer with baited breath, the Scottsdale region is readying for another scorcher. This is why cooling, refreshing dishes and drinks are so important. And this is why Scottsdale’ top steakhouses rise to the occasion with an assortment of inventive dishes that are sure to satisfy on those blisteringly hot days. Here are some of the best and most refreshing steakhouses in this food-loving Arizona city.
Mastro’s Ocean Club: The esteemed Mastro’s brand takes a dive towards the nautical with this seafood-centric outpost in Scottsdale. The menu is filled to the brim with chilled fish and shellfish, like shrimp cocktail, lobster cocktail, crab claws, caviar, fresh oysters and ahi tuna tartare. And that’s just the appetizers. They’ve got a whole menu section dedicated to sushi, with items like seared albacore with black truffles and sashimi-style hamachi with crispy onions.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse: From chilled seafood towers the size of skyscrapers to housemade burrata with charred grape tomatoes and wild arugula, the Scottsdale outpost of Fleming’s has a serious knack for fresh. If you’re feeling particularly lavish, opt for the truffle-poached lobster with bearnaise sauce and caviar, at once cooling and opulent. From the small plates, the shrimp and sea scallops dish with creamy goat cheese grits and tomato butter sauce does a nice job of toeing the line between rich and clean; same goes for the barbecued Scottish salmon fillet, a lighter approach to a classic comfort food preparation.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Pineapple hash is an excellent way to freshen up seafood, and it’s a standout entree at Scottsdale’s Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The dish in question is Chilean sea bass, a fairly commonplace plate at steakhouses. But Ruth’s Chris jazzes it up and cools the pan-roasted fish down with a tropical dash of pineapple and citrusy coconut butter. If you’re especially hungry, the seared ahi tuna with ginger, mustard and beer is a nice pre-cursor and the fire-roasted corn with zesty salsa verde is a great accompaniment.
Dominick’s Steakhouse: When it comes to keeping cool in Arizona, you can’t beat this poolside steakhouse. Not only is the ambience relaxing, shaded and transportive, but the food will feel like a spa day for your mouth. Fresh burrata comes with tangy tomato jam and smoked sea salt; king crab and avocado get stacked together between crispy wontons; deviled eggs are fried and spiced with sriracha aioli; Hawaiian poké comes with cucumber, Thai chili and togarashi; and Maine lobster cocktail features a bracing cocktail sauce and atomic horseradish.
Cholla Prime Steakhouse: Chorizo-stuffed dates with sliced water chestnuts and antipasto platters chock full of salami, olives and capicola are just a couple examples of the abundant dishes awaiting customers at this steakhouse tucked inside the Casino Arizona. There’s plenty to savor here, especially dishes that have a knack for quenching. Like a seafood bisque awash with shrimp, scallops and crab, a cranberry-spinach salad dotted with feta and candied cashews, and a shrimp BLT sandwich with sweet, juicy tomatoes, grilled shrimp, applewood-smoked bacon, crisp lettuce and sun-dried tomato aioli.
J&G Steakhouse: Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is behind this stunning property in the Phoenician Resort & Spa, featuring only the freshest seasonal ingredients with an emphasis on local sourcing. This means heirloom tomatoes with Russian dressing, sweet and sour beet risotto with Meyer lemons, foie gras terrines with ginger-jalapeño-apple compote, and roasted red snapper with hen of the woods mushrooms, leeks, mushroom vinaigrette and chimayo oil.