n e a r a r c a d i a La Fontanella Italian Restaurant Award-winning rack of lamb, ossobuco, homemade gnocchi, manicotti and ravioli, great Dover Sole, and homemade Berto’s Gelato. Served in an Italian villa- like dining room. Serving dinner every night, 4:30- 9:30 p.m. See our ad in the dining section 4231 E. Indian School Rd. • 602.955.1213 La Fontanella $44 Italian Treat Tee Pee Mexican Food Tee Pee’s Wall of Fame tells you everything you need to know about this family owned and operated eatery, which has been woven into the fabric of Phoenix for nearly 40 years. Tee Pee has served its home-style Mexican dishes to world-famous comedians, athletes and even Presidents, and they all come back for more. See our ad in the dining section 4144 E. Indian School Rd. • 602.956.0178 4121 N. 44th St. • 602.840.0630 Pete’s Fish & Chips Pete’s Fish & Chips has been serving up tasty burgers and their famous fi sh and chips since 1947! Family owned and operated, Pete’s has eight convenient locations throughout the Valley waiting to serve you and has earned the title of Phoenix’s fastest fi sh! See our ad in the dining section 3 locations to serve you • www.humblepieusa.com Humble Pie Experience our amazing ‘wood- fi red’ pizzas with unique and traditional ingredients, fresh starters and salads, a truly great wine selection, seasonal cocktails & beers, and polished yet unpretentious service. See our ad in the dining section 3961 E. Camelback Rd. • 602.95.GRIND (47463) The Grind The Grind serves American coal fi red cuisine, featur- ing quality burgers, fi sh, chicken, steak, weekly spe- cials, salads, appetizers and desserts. You’ll also fi nd craft beers, an extensive wine list, classic cocktails and milkshakes. www.thegrindaz.com. 7051 E. 5th Ave. • 480.699.8001 5th and Wine Downtown Scottsdale’s favorite restaurant disguised as a wine bar, located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. We pride ourselves on serving a wide array of simple, fl avorful, food at moderate prices. Our atmosphere is comfortable, warm and equipped with an extensive wine bar, complete kitchen and fabulous dining space. Open at 11am daily. www.5thandwine.com . Revo Burrito Another delicious concept from Lenny Rosenburg’s Restaurant Group, creators of Zen32 and Delux. It is our mission to provide all-natural, delicious, Mexi- can food in a fast-paced, yet casual dining atmosphere. You can call-in your order and pick it up at the takeout window, which has its own parking spaces right in front. 3154 E. Camelback Rd. • 602.522.6255 Grimaldi's Pizzeria If you’re searching for THE best coal- fi red brick oven, New York-style thin crust pizza in the world, look no further. Grimaldi’s offers over 100 years of pizza-making traditions and the tantalizing aroma of pizza and calzones baked to perfection in the signature coal burning oven. Why coal- fi red ovens? It gives our pizza and calzones a unique fl avor and a crisp crust that is just not possible from gas, convection or wood burning ovens. See our ad in the dining section 7 locations to serve you • www.grimaldis.com J & G Steakhouse Elevate your evening at J&G Steakhouse, located atop the Phoenician. Enjoy spectacular cuisine from Jean- Georges Vongerichten and stunning views that capture the Sonoran Desert’s twilight glow. Intimate or spacious Private Dining Rooms are available for celebrations and corporate events. For more information call 480 214 8000 or visit www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com. 6000 E. Camelback Rd. • 480.214.8000 3146 E. Camelback Rd. • 602.522.2288 Delux Delux has been serving up award-winning, gourmet burgers since 2005 and continues to be one of the Valley’s hottest spots for lunch, dinner and late-night eats. Enjoy our unique selection of 40 beers on tap and don’t miss our out-of-this-world sweet potato fries “a la carte” with our house aioli. www.deluxburger.com. See our ad in the dining section

Page 41 April 2012 J&G STEAKHOUSE 6000 East Camelback Road jgsteakhousescottsdale.com J&G: View, atmosphere and, of course, perfect steak By Gabe Bertaccini After dinner, we slip out of the dining room to make our way to the terrace. The velvety black sky is spangled with the stars you never see in the city. The night smells of wood fi re, pine and horses. It’s as if we’ve slipped through time at J&G at the foot of Camelback Mountain. Never underestimate Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The man behind J&G not only is one of the world’s most famous chefs, but also a formidable businessman responsible for concepts such as Spice Market in New York City and Chambers Kitchen in Minneapolis. The restaurant is artfully carved into the penthouse fl oor of the posh Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale. Crafted by the Rockwell Group of New York City, the design team behind New York’s Nobu 57 and theaters for Cirque du Soleil, the décor’s palate, textures, and materials are inspired by the steaks, the wines and especially the rugged Sonoran Desert landscape. Chef Jacques Qualin fi rst teamed with Vongerichten in 1998 to become fi rst sous chef at the now legendary Jean Georges. A decade later, in 2008, the duo joined to create a timeless steakhouse menu characterized by the Asian in fl uence staple of Vongerichten’s cuisine. “It is all about the ingredients and their freshness,” Qualin said. “We start fresh every day, using only the fi nest ingredients on the market; often organic and when we can locally sourced. “When you start with high quality produce, you can only make quality food.” Qualin is from the Franche-Comté region of France. At 16, he apprenticed in a hotel kitchen. He eventually went to Paris and studied under chefs Michel De Matteis and Claude DeLigne. In 1990 he went to New York to work with French chef Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque. “I have always been very passionate about food and what people eat. It is such an important part of my culture and I am proud I can convey my inspirations through the food I cook,” Qualin said. Sometimes when you arrive at the J&G, there’s a crowd just inside the door, with everybody who hasn’t already reserved a booth or a table angling for a spot at the bar. It’s relatively easy if you’re a party of two, but for three or four, much tougher, especially during the weekend. That’s when the outstanding skills of the bartenders come into play. Leave your name, go over and let the bartenders do their magic while you wait. And, if you happen to be there on Thursday, you can hear live jazz. Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, guests are crowding in for their assigned seating. Waiters are brisk and ef fi cient, knowledgeable with warm smiles and zero attitude. More spoons so everybody can taste the soup? Not a problem. More wineglasses? Of course. You might want to start with tuna tartar, which is so good it is almost dif fi cult to describe. Ice cold tuna served with avocado, sliced radishes and a fresh, tangy, ginger dressing. Addicting. The frisee and crispy lardon salad with mustard vinaigrette is, in its simplicity, sophisticated and light. A perfect starter salad with an incredible depth of fl avors. But my attention is on the steaks. Continued on page 44 Corsages and Boutonnieres from AJ’s Floral Boutique The High School Prom is one of the most significant events in a student’s life. That’s why at AJ’s Floral Boutique, we take the time and artistry to make each Corsage and Boutonniere by hand, using the freshest, most lovely blooms. 48 hours notice required, but you’ll see it’s well worth the wait. For a stunning Corsage, Boutonniere -- or a thoughtful Bouquet for when you ask her to prom, visit your nearby AJ’s Fine Foods Extraordinary arrangements for an unforgettable evening Extraordinary arrangements for an unforgettable evening