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| - We came to Cowboy Ciao for southwestern fare on Mother's Day, and the experience was pleasant and memorable. During our visit, the circular interior was colorful, inviting, and festive. There were several large families and groups on hand, followed by those seated by the large windows looking onto the streets of Old Town Scottsdale. Despite the constant foot traffic and high noise level, the atmosphere was casually laid back and unassuming.
The Stetson Chopped Salad ($13) came with Atlantic smoked salmon, couscous, chopped arugula, dried corn, pumpkin seeds, black currants, asiago cheese, balsamic, and tomatoes. The salad was neatly arranged in rows, and tossed with just the right amount of creamy buttermilk dressing. The salad was colorful and vibrant. The sweet corn, arugula, currants, and pumpkin seeds added a range of textures and tastes, and the flavors of the cheese, sweet tomatoes, and smoked salmon then gave depth to round out the edges. It was delicious.
The Tiger Prawns ($14) was our favorite dish of the meal. It came with grilled prawns arranged in a mix of green chile corn, hominy, cotija cheese, aioli, lime, and cilantro. To sum it up, it was layers of textures, sweet ingredients, complicated by a hint of lime and chile with bursts of wow factor. I recommend it.
The Mushroom Pan Fry ($15) arrived with 9 different types of mushrooms, ancho cream, double cooked polenta, cojita cheese, avocado, tomatoes, and grilled portabellini. The mushroom stir-fry gave an earthy tone to the dish, with cheese, avocado, and tomatoes to add contrast to lighten the flavors. I wished the texture of the mushrooms were varied to showcase its rich heterogeneity. The cheese could also do a better job at connecting the mushrooms to the firm blocks of polenta. Don't get me wrong, the polenta itself was delicious too, but without an intermediary, the double cooked texture was not enough to bridge itself to the onslaught of rich ingredients.
They had an extensive wine list, so we also enjoyed the Sky Ciao ($14), which was a flight that included 3-ounce pours of pinot grigio, pineapple wine, and syrah. All three selections were enjoyable, but I liked the pineapple wine the best.
To celebrate Mother's Day, the restaurant also gave complimentary Mimosa and Chocolate Brownies as a parting gift. The Mimosa was a nice opener, and wished there were refills as we waited for the food to arrive. The Chocolate Brownies were some of the best I had tasted. Not too sweet, there was a depth of rich dark chocolate flavors with plenty of soft dark chocolate chips embedded. The restaurant should consider giving these out more frequently.
The only downside to our experience was the wait for the food to arrive. It was Mother's Day and the restaurant was not filled to capacity, so there was no reason for them to be short on staff in the kitchen. Since they did not give out bread before meal, the wait became unbearable and frustrating after a good 45 minutes. These were management issues that are easily solvable, so hopefully they will not overlook them. On the other hand, our server Geoffrey was friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable, and attentive. We would be interested in returning to try their Buffalo dishes, as well as their menu for the Arizona Restaurant Week.
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