Twisted Grove Parlor and Bar Scottsdale Arizona

After yesterday’s successful dinner date to Mowry and Cotton at the Phoenician Resort, we decided to continue our Arizona Restaurant Week explorations and head to Twisted Grove Parlor and Bar. We chose the Scottsdale location but there is also a location in Phoenix at Camelback and 32nd St. From their website: Twisted Grove’s menu is best described as from-scratch modern American cuisine that’s both approachable and surprisingly affordable.  At Twisted Grove, this means shareable small plates, hearty sandwiches, farm-fresh salads, stone oven flatbreads, and delicious entrées.

Getting There

The Scottsdale location is somewhat hidden in a large strip mall at the northeast corner of Hayden and E. Via De Ventura.

The view from the street is not too eye-catching as all the shops in this area face inward towards the parking areas.

The Outside

The entrance is in the back on the parking lot side of the building.

There is a large outside patio with a huge fireplace that would be a fun place to meet friends for happy hour or dinner when the weather is cooler.

This location is not far from many of the poplar Scottsdale-area resorts. This would be a good place to stop for a meal if you are visiting the Phoenix or Scottsdale areas. Casual attire is acceptable here. You could head in to enjoy a meal after a day of shopping or sightseeing.

On the Inside

The entry area has a really interesting, massive chandelier. Be sure to look up as you enter.

The decor in the restaurant is a unique combination of cool industrial and warm Americana.

The dining tables are a highly polished, heavily grained wood.

We had early reservations so we were seated right away.

The Food

The three-course prix fixe restaurant week menu featured a Brussels Sprouts dish.  These may be the best Brussels sprouts I have ever tasted and I love Brussels sprouts so I order them whenever I find them on a menu. This dish had candied bacon, low and slow garlic, and a delicious balsamic reduction. The artful presentation with a tipped glass container served on a plank makes this a fun appetizer to share. Trust me, this dish could convert a non-Brussels sprouts eater to a Brussels spouts fan.

For the main course , we had a choice of Cavatelli Carbonara, Joker Bee Prime Rib, or Crab Cake and Greens.  All three of these sounded delectable and were tempting to me so I had a very difficult time choosing. In the end, I went with the prime rib.  It was perfect.  I like a nice medium rare prime rib and this was perfectly cooked.  The Joker Bee seasoning was flavorful and not overly salty. The smashed loaded potatoes were the perfect accompaniment – creamy, cheesy and just a bit of bacon and green onions to give it excellent flavor.

Kevin decided to order off of the regular menu instead of the restaurant week menu and he chose braised short ribs with ricotta gnocchi.  He said his dish was excellent too. The short ribs were super-tender and very flavorful. The gnocchi was served with a cream sauce and parmesan cheese. The pasta was rich and creamy and a nice counterpoint to the hearty short rib meat. Thin slivers of hot peppers added a hint of spice.

For dessert, we wisely chose one of each of the offered selections.  The Chocolate Mousse Pie was made with Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate, an Oreo crust and chopped cocoa. It was decadently rich and chocolatey, a dark chocolate lover’s dream.

The Butterscotch Pecan Pie is an award-winning pie served with whipped cream and candied pecans.

I would be hard pressed to decide which pie I liked better.  I’m a chocolate lover through and through so I would tend to say I preferred the chocolate mousse pie but the butterscotch pie had a nice warm, buttery flavor that kept drawing me back for “just one more bite.”

Our server was excellent.  He was knowledgeable about the menu and was able to answer questions about how the dishes were prepared. Overall an outstanding dining experience and another delicious Arizona Restaurant Week meal.

When you travel do you prefer to eat at the restaurants located on the property at your resort? Or do you like to get out and experience other unique, local restaurants?

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