12/15/2023 0 Comments Maple and ash menu scottsdale![]() ![]() All of the seafood tower’s components are available a la carte, which allowed us to discover that the Gulf shrimp and scallops, while superbly cooked, shared the same flaw: a fishy, not-so-fresh flavor that also plagued a bland salmon tartare. Not only meat finds its way onto the fire, but also vegetables, everything in the seafood tower, and a “baked-in-coals” French onion soup. Speaking of “hearth-roasted”-Maple & Ash has a wood-burning grill that’s central to chef Danny Grant’s approach to food. However the best cocktail I drank was the Pimiento Rojo, a smoky blend of reposado tequila, mescal, Amaro Lucano, framboise, and “hearth-roasted red pepper-ginger syrup.” It’s a shame since the cocktail list devised by mixologist Cristiana DeLucca (she left the restaurant a week after my final visit) takes martinis seriously, offering eight iterations from various historical periods-but I fared better with a seriously herbal martini with St. It would be even nicer if the care taken with the martinis on my first visit-when they were delicate, perfectly balanced savory cocktails with just a hint of sweet and sour-hadn’t been abandoned on another occasion, when they were served warm (in chilled glasses) and so tart they were barely drinkable. The spread’s a nice touch, especially since the wine list begins with a table of contents and continues for another 26 pages. ![]() Upstairs, after being seated you’re presented with an “amuse booze”: a small reverse martini (two-thirds vermouth, one-third gin) to sip while you peruse the menu, along with mini radishes and butter, a generous pile of chunks of Hook’s two-year cheddar, and a small bowl of excellent assorted green olives. While most of the menu items are under $20, there’s always the option of adding caviar to your deviled eggs for $24, or a bottle of champagne (up to $350) to your bowl of punch. There’s still plenty of opportunity for extravagance, though. ![]() The fare is more casual than what’s served upstairs you can order a burger or chips and dip. You enter downstairs through the main bar, a sleek space with its own menu of food (and its own chandeliers). Opulent yet modern, the enormous restaurant is decorated with an elegant chandelier and imposing floral displays. It’s a fine environment in which to spend lavishly. Coincidentally, I’m sure, they’re also the most expensive items on the menu aside from a 40-ounce porterhouse for $130.) A $95 seafood tower for two? Why not! Caviar ranging from $100 to $240? Bring it on! (When we asked our waiter for recommendations, those were the first items he praised to the sky. The Gold Coast steak house apparently was conceived as a playground for the fabulously wealthy and businesspeople with large expense accounts. But Maple & Ash-which offers a $145 chef’s tasting menu friskily called “I Don’t Give a F*ck”-is aimed squarely at those who do. I’ve never had the luxury of not giving a fuck about what I do with $145. Best of Chicago 2022: Music & Nightlife.Best of Chicago 2022: Sports & Recreation. ![]()
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