SCOTTsdale’s Sexy Steakhouse
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The Dish: Polenta Cremosa
The Place: The Americano, 17797 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ
http://www.theamericanorestaurant.com
Self-described on their website as an Italian inspired steakhouse, celebrity chef Scott Conant succeeds in creating his “hip and humble” dining establishment with a New York supper club vibe but with a sense of wit and humor. Want to impress someone? Bring them here. Black leather seating, larger than life black & white photography, custom art and sculpture with accents of hypnotic gold frame spheres and green glass.
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I gave in to a “Drunken Wifey” cocktail. Garnished with fresh herbs and rock salt, similar to a margarita enlivened with refreshing limoncello, it packs a kick. It was served on a giggle-worthy cocktail napkin with a lipstick print and phone number – the restaurant’s phone number.
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A more attentive staff does not exist. We started with the salumi and cheese platter (perfectly curated cheeses, grilled bread and charcuterie) and craveable Foccacia Ripiena, a fluffy yet chewy, yeasty cheese bread topped with garlicky herb pesto with bits of potato. When done, the wait staff immediately appeared with a crumb duster to remove the 3 errant particles that escaped our grasp.
Under the mesmerizing spherical overhead bubbles that balanced the pulsating music (loud, but not intrusive) and the striking atmosphere our steak was deftly hard-seared and seasoned.
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Expect a top quality steak and perfection in pasta at Americano, but take special note of a specialty – Polenta “cremosa”. Silky soft, fine grain polenta is sexy with an aromatic seasonal mushroom sugo highlighted with the ultimate indulgence – truffle.
For less formality, visit the bar. Amidst big screen tvs and, it is warm and inviting for conversation with a menu offering some of the same dining options as the sophisticated dinner menu as well as plates normally associated with bar food, like the “Shcotty” burger elevated with fontina cheese.
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Do not pass up dessert. The chocolate tortino, with its hidden marasca cherry, is a bite of perfection, though the ingenious red velvet lava cake is a delightful twist on a modern classic.
I reiterate, this is where you go to impress someone, be it for business, pleasure, family or yourself. But just don’t take it too seriously.
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