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| - During my most recent visit to Citizen Public House, I sat at the bar with a friend and sampled several dishes from the late night menu. We had initially planned to wash down a bowl of Tender Belly bacon fat popcorn with our outstanding drinks (Richie Moe and his bar staff are the finest I know--but that's for a different show). The popcorn was, as always, a real treat. Crispy, fragrant, savory, salty goodness. But then the gentleman beside us was served a pork belly pastrami, and the amazing smell was driving us crazy. So we placed an order for that and Chef Bernie's Original Chopped Salad (which he first introduced while at the helm of Cowboy Ciao and which I also find I cannot resist).
The pastrami is made of melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, and the sauerkraut provided a terrific tangy balance to the richness of the meat. Typically, the menu at Citizen is stocked with dishes that are familiar but have their own particular twist. In this case, the sauerkraut was made of Brussels sprouts instead of cabbage. And rather than pile the combination between two slices of rye, it was served with fantastic rye spaetzle (I learned to cook these dumplings in Germany, so I am usually leery of ordering them in American restaurants--but Citizen's were outstanding. Chewy but still tender.)
After we finished the pastrami (and restrained ourselves from licking the plate), we dug into the salad. It arrived on the platter in carefully arranged in rows (basically, a salade composée) of Israeli couscous, chopped arugula, tomatoes, smoked salmon, toasted pepitas, and Asiago cheese. The dressing, which comes on the side, is a sort of slightly-garlicky Green Goddess, very fresh and light. The friendly gentleman serving us offered to toss the salad. It seemed a shame to destroy the lovely arrangement, but this is definitely an instance where making a mishmash on your plate is the way to go. None of the ingredients lost their integrity, but the combination of flavors (sweet, salty, smoky, green) and textures was outstanding. The crunch of the pepitas with the crispy greens and delicate couscous is as close to salad heaven as a girl can get.
I love desserts but rarely order them at restaurants because it's a course that can be pretty iffy. However, I know that Tracy Dempsey does amazing work for Citizen, so I had to take a look at the evening's offerings. I saw chicory ice cream and salted chocolate caramel sauce with chicory streusel, and any remaining self-restraint went out the window. What a winner--again, excellent contrast of sweet and savory, perfect portion size for two to share. My only quibble, and a minor one at that, was with the ice cream, which could've used a bigger boost of chicory. But then again, not everyone loves chicory coffee as I do.
I'd be remiss in not discussing the actual space of the restaurant. It would be fairly easy to pass Citizen by on the street; it fairly disappears into the bland exterior of a white building on the corner of 5th and Craftsman in Old Towne Scottsdale. The signage, above the entrance on Craftsman, is not easily seen after dark. In fact, when standing out front once, I was stopped by a couple who asked me if I knew where the restaurant was.
The interior, while understated, is far from nondescript. The center of the dining room is dominated by a large, stainless steel bar and the vaulted ceiling above with its exposed beams. Seating options include freestanding tables for four, leather banquettes along two walls, an alcove that accommodates larger dining parties, and my favorite, the very comfortable barstools. The color scheme is very simple--white walls with dark accents and clusters of artwork hung gallery style. Still, there is no shortage of warmth in the room. The staff is exceedingly welcoming and the service professional but friendly. On peak nights, the acoustics of the space mean that it can get a bit loud, but noise fits right in with the idea that you are in a contemporary "public house." Citizen's combination of a lively dining room with an outstanding, innovative menu, top-notch bar and superb service will keep bringing me back.
Side note: some people seem to be confused about the difference between a "public house" and a sports bar. If you want to watch television while you drink, I suggest you seek out the latter, as Citizen mercifully has no TVs.
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