This Scottsdale landmark offers fantastic food and an authentic southwest atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.
During a recent trip to the Phoenix, Arizona area I had to decide where my husband and I would dine for our anniversary. To celebrate 24 years of marriage I wanted something special, but relaxing. After hours of research I decided upon Lon's. A visit to the website Open Table allowed me to make a reservation online for the date and time I wanted. Open Table even allowed me to complete an e-postcard to invite my husband to a romantic dinner.
Lon's is named after the cowboy artist Lon Megargee. The restaurant is in fact in the adobe hacienda the artist hand-built. It has been stated that this is the only authentic hacienda left in the Phoenix area.
The outdoor setting is amazing. Many twists and turns take you away from the hustle and bustle of modern Scottsdale to six acres of gorgeous scenery. The views include Camelback Mountain. If you really want to take in the views you will need to have your drinks or dine on the patio. The dining rooms are decorated with authentic cowboy memorabilia Magargee's art. There are no plastic Kokopelli figurines on the walls.
Upon our arrival we were escorted to a small table near a door looking out toward the resort's pool area. It was a quiet area, perfect for a romantic dinner. We were presented with a card wishing us a happy anniversary from Lon's.
The menu is authentic southwest and yet very sophisticated. The meats are wood-grilled which add that tang that only comes from real wood. I like the fact that many of the dishes feature local local ingredients. When I travel I want to a taste experience that cannot be duplicated at chain restaurants across the country. Fresh vegetables and herbs are grown at the Hermosa!
For an appetizer my husband had the Dungeness Crab Cake with smoked tomato butter sauce and Pinot reduction. It was marvelous, with large chunks of tasty crab. I had the Hacienda Prima, which is a trio of mini wood grilled vegetable tomalito, duck and dried fall fruit taco, and Arizona shrimp and brie quesadilla. They are so "mini" that they are adorable! What a petit four is to cake the taco was to a regular size taco. Let me be clear here--each item was bursting in flavor and texture. I didn't need a larger serving. I wanted to take tiny bites because I wanted to experience the essence of each ingredient.
We followed with the Hermosa Garden Salad and Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad. The first had Maytag blue cheese, apple-pears, spiced pecans, with prickly pear vinaigrette. I usually don't like vinaigrette. It is often too, well, vinegary. This was not. I could taste the prickly pears which worked well with the acidity of the vinegar. The second salad had heirloom beets and strawberries. These were not school cafeteria beets, but luscious beets full of flavor and texture.
Our main courses were Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Portobello mushroom, goat cheese pie, wilted greens, and baby gold beets. A perfect cut of beef cooked with care and just as I like it. I understand the Pan Roasted Georges Bank Cod was good. I don't know because my husband refused to share any of it with me. It was served with wild boar bacon, smoked red pepper dumplings, and lobster butter sauce. The lobster butter sauce didn't happen to be in the same room as a lobster. There were actual chunks of lobster in the butter.
The wine list is very impressive. It goes on for pages and pages, with something for almost every palate. Wine Spectator has awarded Lon's the Award of Excellence continuously since 1996. We had a half-bottle of Chateau Figeac, Merlot-Cabernet Franc St. Emilion (1998). A fantastically robust wine! This Bordeaux is amazingly complex with generous flavors and a deep red color.
This brings me to Lon's only real flaw. It would have been nice if the sommelier would have stopped by our table. She visited tables all around us, but she did not bring our St. Emilion nor did she check to she if it met our satisfaction. When spending over $100 on a half-bottle of wine guests should given this minimum service.
Lon's is a great selection for a lunch or dinner while in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area.
