The jamón hits the mark at this handsome, high-end Scottsdale eatery, but little else has our critic wanting to pig out.
by Nikki Buchanan | Photography by Rob Ballard
Everyone loves Arboleda, the high-end Mediterranean restaurant that opened in Scottsdale Quarter to much ado last April. Everyone, that is, but me. For some reason (or many small ones), I’m just not blown away. With its barrel-vaulted ceiling and live olive tree, the space is lovely – as is the name, which means “grove of trees” in Spanish – but its lousy acoustics conjure clattering cafeterias, not an elegant night out.
This isn’t the first rodeo for brothers Steven and Mitchell Rosenthal or their partner Björn Kock, three longtime chefs and restaurateurs (alumni of Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio) who own San Francisco’s iconic Town Hall. Somehow, I expected more from this crew.
My cocktail is so mediocre I set it aside, but alas, no one notices. Meanwhile, the famous El Bulli olive sphere, a feat of molecular gastronomy, was surely handled better by its inventor, Spanish trailblazer Ferran Adrià. Imagine a lab experiment involving uncured green olive juice, chemicals and a water bath. On second thought, don’t. It’s a bitter-tasting parlor trick. A walnut-coated mini-cone stuffed with whipped foie gras and quince paste makes a better novelty: sweet, crunchy fun.
I’ve had brighter, tastier lamb meatballs at The Genuine, and a pricy build-your-own board of mortadella, Spanish chorizo and acorn-fed Ibérico ham isn’t as awe-inspiring as we’d hoped. Meanwhile, accompanying tomato toast can’t compare to equivalent pan boli at Tapas Papa Frita.
On the other hand, crisp-edged Ibérico pork, slathered with spicy-sweet pepper jam, cradled in fry bread and topped with pickled vegetables, hits all the pleasure buttons and is a great option on the eight-item tapas menu.
The day’s paella, a lovely mix of chorizo, octopus and shrimp, possesses the prized bits of burnt bottom crust called socarrat, but I wouldn’t call it the best in town. (The version at Talavera at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale was more memorable). However, a thyme-crusted Ibérico pork pluma entrée, lacquered and juicy, is excellent. Too bad the presentation is marred by a messy heap of mixed chicories scattered with wonderfully textural farro and puffed grains, which deserve more room on the plate than a sprinkle.
All in all, this has been a noisy, expensive night of haphazard service and uneven food, but Arboleda’s many fans would no doubt argue I can’t see the forest for the trees.
Arboleda
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Contact: 15345 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-701-1007, arboledaaz.com
Hours: M-Th 3-9 p.m., F 3-10 p.m., Sa 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5-10 p.m., Su 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5-9 p.m.
Highlights: Foie gras cone ($9); crispy pork and fry bread ($22); paella (Fri-Sat only, $68); Ibérico pork pluma ($64)
