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| - Good pasta at North, Kierland. It's not great traditional Italian like you find in New York or San Francisco, but it's quite tasty and probably top five in Phoenix for pasta in a casual dining atmosphere. Ask for a seat in the east dining area if possible, as it's much quieter and more comfortable. If the weather allows, the patio is also quite nice for a bottle of wine with friends.
My favorite menu item is the Strozzapreti. Lots of big layers of flavor; the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan cream really push it over the top. High praise as well for the Short Rib Radiatori - order it with extra arugula and horseradish for a real treat. The meat is tender and delicious.
If you're in the mood for a cocktail, try the Sicilian Margarita; they make it with blood orange liqueur; it's complex and really special.
A few caveats...You have to ask for bread (they don't bring it automatically, which is an Italian restaurant tradition), and they don't warm it up. Once we asked our waiter to bring warm bread and he was very confused by the request. He offered to grill it as he said they didn't "have anything they could put it in to make it warm." (I guess he forgot about the ovens.) Also in most cases, the wait staff are not very knowledgeable; many don't know how to answer questions or make recommendations about the wine. But if you can overlook these details and figure out on your own what to order, you'll make North a regular stop on your culinary adventures in Scottsdale.
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