Taking the reins at this tony Scottsdale restaurant, star chef Alex Stratta turns a trip north of the 101 into a pulse-pounding culinary adventure.
by Nikki Buchanan | Photography by Rob Ballard
I’ve been known to say that North Scottsdale lacks a sense of culinary adventure, citing the busy but rather pedestrian restaurants in that neck of the woods as proof. However, I’m waffling on that position these days. Elvira’s, the terrific Modern Mexican import from Tubac, opened in the area last year, as did Belmont Kitchen & Cocktails in La Mirada – and Belmont is hardly pedestrian.
It’s the brainchild of Phillip and Megan Lewkowicz, the same family associated with Café Monarch and Reserve, two of Old Town Scottsdale’s most popular fine dining restaurants. Both are famed for their extravagant tasting menus. Belmont, however, is a different animal entirely – more casual (though not too casual – there’s a dress code) and more affordable, offering an à la carte menu that leaves wiggle room for special occasions, date nights, and afternoon drinks and snacks at the bar.
From that glitteringly gorgeous bar, styled in a warmer version of Art Deco, come over-the-top cocktails that elicit oohs and aahs via flames, smoke, bubbles and a smoking treasure chest. My favorite, so far, is the rum- and spiced pear liqueur-based Spiced Merchant, which is silky, aromatic and perfectly balanced. The wine list, curated by wine director Kyrri Rauber, is just as praiseworthy, concentrating primarily on vintages from California, France and Italy, in that order.
Last summer, the Lewkowiczs leveled up the kitchen by hiring a new but familiar executive chef – namely, Alex Stratta, who won the James Beard Best Chef Southwest award in 1998 for his work at Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician, then, a decade later, earned two Michelin stars at his eponymous restaurant Alex at the Wynn in Las Vegas. His presence here seems like a perfect fit.
The menu features lots of Modern American classics, and I could happily make a complete dinner from the starters section alone. We begin with naturally sweet Kumamoto oysters topped with pickled shallots and Szechuan mignonette for a bit of zip. Bigeye tuna tartare, sharpened with yuzu ponzu and set atop crispy rice cakes layered with avocado, is crunchy, creamy and altogether luscious after a drag through sriracha aioli. However, my favorite cold appetizer is the hamachi Napoleon, a dainty affair given a dab of Osetra caviar. It’s a little French (thanks to those lacy layers of potato gaufrette) and a lot Japanese, thanks to a mesmerizing combo of hamachi, cucumber, yuzu kosho (think citrusy chili paste) and dashi-spiked ponzu.
From the hot side comes a Stratta signature: delicately crisped “cigars” – tiny phyllo cylinders filled with porcini mushrooms and tangy, truffle-infused pecorino, resting on a bed of wild mushrooms and wilted spinach enriched with chicken jus. Sounds homey, tastes ridiculously decadent. Maine lobster ravioli, priced at $41, is a little spendy for an appetizer, but it’s worth every penny. Imagine spinach- and black truffle-filled ravioli, surrounded by hunks of Maine lobster, asparagus and confit tomatoes, afloat in a creamy puddle of coral sauce made from lobster roe.
Cream of lobster soup, chunky with porcini mushrooms, is even richer, dreamy with a flaky disk of spinach puff pastry floating in the center.
Gertrude Stein would surely have said that a wedge is a wedge is a wedge, but I disagree. Stratta’s version of this crowd-pleasing salad is worlds better. Picture two big, crunchy iceberg lettuce wedges, crisscrossed with strips of honey-spiced bacon, then sprinkled with crispy wisps of onion rings and a few oven-dried tomatoes. What makes it extra-special is the dressing, a combo of ranch and Cabrales (Spanish blue cheese) that tones down the usual pungency and salt.
My lamb-loving partner is disappointed that Belmont serves Australian (not Colorado) rack of lamb, given that money seems to be no object here. That said, this herb-crusted rendition, served with stewed peppers, indiscernible candied orange pesto and sweet onion farinata (a thin, savory Italian chickpea flour pancake) is perfectly cooked. Maine diver scallops are sweet and delicious paired with softened cubes of celery root (labeled “risotto” for its appearance), black truffle and roasted pears in red wine jus.
My only quibbles: The scallops aren’t caramelized, and that celery root is at its most sublime when puréed. Nevertheless, this classic combo is lovely.
The meal has been far too rich to have room for dessert, but we soldier on, sampling a textbook “Le Cirque” crème brûlée (a nod to the restaurant credited with popularizing this dessert in the ’80s) and an airy chocolate truffle mousse cake, topped with berries and drizzles of chocolate in a presentation that also hearkens to days of yore.
Although I wasn’t quite as impressed with the entrées as I was with virtually everything that came before them, I’m still excited about Belmont and thrilled to eat Stratta’s elegant food in a not-uptight setting. Thanks to Belmont, navigating north of the 101 to this tony part of the Valley has never felt more adventurous – at least where the food is concerned.
Belmont Kitchen & Cocktails
Cuisine: Modern American
Contact: 8876 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale, 480-999-5599, belmontkitchenandcocktails.com
Hours: 4-9:30 p.m. daily
Highlights: Hamachi Napoleon and Osetra caviar ($29); porcini mushroom cigars ($19); Maine lobster ravioli ($41); bigeye tuna tartare ($24); cream of lobster soup ($19); the wedge ($17)
