Restaurant Review: Posh

 Posh "Improvisational Cuisine" - picture from Posh Website

 

I went to Posh in Scottsdale AZ with a couple of friends back in early March and had an unforgettable time.  Certainly one of the most unique dining experiences I've encountered.  Also one of the most expensive.  But the meal was so incomparable that the amount of money I had to shell out was worth it.  Of course I won't be able to afford eating there again anytime soon.  I'll just have to rely on wonderful memories of a one-of-a-kind meal.

The most unique aspect of Posh is that they don't have a set menu.  You get a card with some animal ingredients listed - mostly strange and outrageous, including frogs legs, wild boar, sweetbreads, and foie gras (for an extra charge).  You have the option to mark off anything that you don't want to eat.  Then you decide how many courses you want - anywhere from 3 to 11 (or the full tasting menu which I assume was something more than 11).  There is also a space to add in anything you don't like or food allergies.

I embraced the experience wholeheartedly.  I didn't mark off any of the protein possibilities and ended up doing a six course meal with a foie gras course.  It was amazing.  Unfortunately I didn't get to take many pictures because I was so busy being infatuated with the food. We all got different dishes for each course which made the experience even better.  Lots of sharing and tasting.

My meal started with a popcorn soup, which sounded really strange but ended up being fantastic.  Then I had a course of a beautiful whitefish with leeks.  I also had braised venison, fried sweetbreads with a slice of beef aspic (a fantastic first for me!), wild boar bacon, an unforgettable bruleed foie gras with strawberries, and a decadent dessert course.

 Bruleed Foie Gras with Strawberries

 

The foie gras was the most memorable aspect of the meal. It was the first time I'd ever had foie gras and it was a fantastic mix of rich and creamy. It was so creamy and sweet (from the brulee topping and the spun sugar) it could have been mistaken for an ultra-rich crème brulee but for the unmistakable animal fattines. 

The desserts were amazing as well. They tasted exactly like the candy bars they were made to emulate but had so much more depth of flavor and texture that my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

 Trio of desserts - a take on candy bars (Kit Kat, Almond Joy, and Snickers) 

Posh was a once in a lifetime experience and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone up for adventurous eating.  Just take plenty of money.  And take plenty of pictures.  This is the kind of meal that needs to be shared.

Fez, Phoenix, AZ

Fez Phoenix - Picture from their website: www.fezoncentral.com

We were welcomed by warmth as we walked in the door despite the concrete floor and frosted glass that greeted us.  The table was already waiting for our party of six, set in a modern style like the rest of the chic, low-lit restaurant.

First, drinks.  Fez has a large selection of unique cocktails and although they offered some interesting looking "wine fusions" we all went with cocktails.  I ordered the Go Green, a mixture of crisp cucumber and cilantro cut with lemon and vodka.  It was different and refreshing but a little sour for my taste.  My husband got the Key Lime Pie and was smitten - he's still trying to re-create it at home.  The drink was a foamy blend of lime and sugar flavors with a playful ring of graham cracker. A friend got the "Fez-Tini" which was a cherry red mix of champagne and other unique flavors - a celebration in a glass.  The biggest problem with the drinks was the decidedly limited wine list (27 unique cocktail creations but only 18 wines available).  If you are a wine enthusiast, Fez may not be your type of restaurant.

After drinks came appetizers.  We tried the "Fez Lettuce Wraps" which were a little dry but had great flavor that came from the dried pears, dates, and cherries that were scattered throughout.  Someone at our table was allergic to nuts and the kitchen gladly made the dish without the usual almonds (although I'm sure the almonds would have been a fantastic addition).

The main course was where the true genius lay.  I had the "Lamb Kisra" a grilled flatbread (more like foccacia than pita), topped with brilliantly seasoned lamb meat that resembled gyro.  On the lamb lay baby spinach which gave a great crunch and tomatoes and the whole thing was topped with crumbly and creamy feta cheese and a fantastic lemon basil dressing that I'll never forget.

Lamb Kisra

I also tasted my friend's amazing dish - the "Go Green Pasta" with chicken.  The real genius of this dish was the sauce - an incredibly tasty pesto that had just the right amount of salt and garlic to make it perfect.  The chicken on top was perfectly juicy and tasty as well.

Go Green Pasta with Chicken

One damper on the night was service, which was slow and confused. We waited quite a while after we were seated for our order to be taken.  We also had to sit around and wait for our server to appear with the bill for what seemed like an hour after we were finished with our meal.

Despite the flaws in service I'm looking forward to our next trip to Fez.  Not only did the restaurant have fantastic and unforgettable food and drinks, the prices were very reasonable.  The Fez menu can be found at http://www.fezoncentral.com/menus.aspx

Cowboy Ciao, Scottsdale AZ

Several friends and I went to Cowboy Ciao in downtown Scottsdale on a Saturday night last month.  We had reservations for 10 and had a large table waiting for us when we arrived.  The low lighting and rich decor set a festive mood with the group and we were all in good spirits after getting our first drink and placing our orders.

For the most part service was excellent.  A few small glitches (I was brought the wrong drink and the scotch selection was very limited which disappointed my husband and brother) were smoothed out so well they were hardly memorable.

The food absolutely made up for any trouble we had with drinks.  We started with Pork Belly.  It was perfectly cooked - crispy and salty on the outside, layers of fat on the inside that melted in my mouth and moistened every bite.  It was served with a tangy Thai cucumber salad - pickled cucumbers with some peppers.  The hint of sweet tangy-ness of the pickle with the salty crunch of the pork was ethereal.

Next my husband and I split the Espresso Rubbed Filet Mignon.  Another food revelation.  We asked for it medium and the kitchen did just that, splitting the meal on two plates for us so we didn't have to knife each other over the meat.  The Tortilla-Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes tasted a bit strange but were just the right consistency, and overall went well with the fantastic hunk of meat and the chipotle aioli around the plate.  The demi-glace added a nice touch of sauce to the dish and was the perfect accompaniment to the excellent meat.

We were so full after the first two courses and drinks that we skipped dessert, although the dessert menu was extensive and sounded delicious - such offerings as Peanut Butter Brownie (Upside Downie) and Bread Pudding with cranberries, pine nuts and five spice ice cream almost made me overindulge.

While the restaurant was a little noisy, the good service and excellent food easily make up for it and I would definitely suggest Cowboy Ciao for an intimate dinner for two or night on the town with a crowd.