Talking Dish

Last Friday night we went to Javinos Wine Bar and Restaurant (which is in Scottsdale near the airpark). They had a $19 special for two lobster tails, asparagus and freshly cut grilled red potatoes – which was enough to get me to go there. My fiance had a personal pizza that was made to order and grilled in their wood-fire grill. They also had live music, and a huge wine bar. The cost of our meal was about $60 total, which was pretty awesome considering what we ate, and the quality of the food.

The food is new american food, which is a little of everything. They have seafood, pizza, red meat and chicken dishes. Overall the quality really was excellent, perhaps not quite as good at Eddie Matney’s place in Old Town (which is perhaps the best i’ve had yet in Arizona), but right up there – top notch. And a heck of a lot less expensive. The wine bar selection was extremely extensive as you can see in the picture, and the prices were standard Scottsdale wine prices – about $7 to $11 per glass for decent wine. The interior decor was great, and they really went all out, with the flooring, the bar supplies and the overall mood.

We were really pleased with the whole thing, but it was bizarre – there was almost no one there. We kind of felt bad for them. They had clearly done their homework and pulled out all the stops to bring a great dining environment to Scottsdale. After a little discussion, we felt it was probably the location (they are in front of a strip mall, although in a stand-along building), so maybe it “cheapens” the feel for most people. Hopefully more people go there so they can stay open long enough for me to head back again, it’s definitely worth it. I heard they do well for lunch since it’s in a pretty high traffic business area. Good luck Javinos!

Check Please:

• Appetizers: $7-$13
• Main Dish: $12-$30
• Desserts: don’t know, we were stuffed

Last Thoughts:

• We really wanted to go back
• It’s all about the wine
• Good pricing for high quality courses
• No need for a reservation, at least not on a Friday

Map:

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Four words can sum up Cowboy Ciao, wine, wine and great food. Notice I used the word wine twice that’s because the restaurant boasts an impressive 10,000 bottle wine list!!! It’s simply massive, but can be overwhelming to the average wine drinker. Don’t hesitate to ask the staff for recommendations as they are full of them. They also offer a variety of red and white wine flights that include three different glasses of wine for an extremely reasonable price. For this avid wine drinker though, the list is sublime. Everything from eastern and western shore Bordeaux’s to blends from Columbia Valley boutique vineyards to Malbecs from Chile. There’s a glass, bottle or magnum for anybody. Enough with the wine onto the food.

Like the wine, the food can also be overwhelming to the average foodie. Don’t get me wrong, this place serves modern American classics like short ribs, filet mignon, salmon, lamb etc etc, but Chef Bernie Kantak and his team have put a Southwestern or Global twist on just about every dish. The filet mignon is espresso rubbed, the salmon is pistachio crusted and the shorts ribs are doused in a cherry BBQ sauce that is simply divine. Okay enough with the over flowery sentences here I am getting carried away. Onto the honest review.

We’ve visited Cowboy Ciao twice and enjoyed (for the most part) the following:

• Stetson Chopped Salad…Odd, but tasty take on the classic salad
• Testosterone Salad…A meal unto itself loaded with beef tenderloin and Maytag blue cheese
• Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry…A mushroom lover’s (i.e. My Mum) dream
• Slow-Roasted Short Ribs…Tasty, but a little too much fat on the ribs
• “We’re Number One” Ahi Tuna…Not worth it. Tuna was overcooked.
• Pistachio Crusted Salmon…Best cooked salmon I have ever tasted.

Now for some things we didn’t enjoy. While the desserts have wordy titles and the wait staff sing their praises, neither myself or my dining partners were impressed. Walk over to Sprinkles or Gellato Spot if you want to enjoy some post dinner indulgence. Reservations are a must and if you don’t have one, don’t expect to get seated before 9 or 10pm on the weekends.

Check Please:

• Appetizers: $6-$20
• Main Dish: $20-$36
• Desserts: $4-$10

Last Thoughts:

• It’s all about the wine
• Reservations are a must! Utilize OpenTable.com
• Friendly, attentive service
• Desserts are wordy, but not impressive

www.cowboyciao.com
Click here to for directions to Cowboy Ciao

Happy New Year from all of us at TalkingDish.com! We look forward to continuing to provide you with honest and accurate reviews of Phoenix-area restaurants. The plan for 2009 is at least one review per week. Let us know if there are places you’d like to see and will get it in the queue.

Cheers!