JKL chapter 1
Apparently Eddie, formerly of Eddie Matneys, owns this new restaurant in old town Scottsdale. I went there with two of my friends who love eating out and getting their drink on. It was a Tuesday night about 8 pm. When we arrived there were maybe 2 other groups there. We were shocked. Despite the economy, Eddie has quite a stellar reputation in the valley. But we stayed all the same.
We sat at the bar and ordered drinks as we studied the menu. The bartender was friendly and knew his way around the menu. We started out with MoRockin' Shrimp with chili-beer dipping sauce and dough balls as well as the Golden Spaghettini Egg Rolls and cashew sauce as well as the Grilled Honey-Spiced Chicken Lollipops. At first I was quite unsure of the Spaghettini egg rolls with cashew sauce. The bartender offered some raspberry coulis to make the meal comparable to a peanut butter and jelly concoction (his words). Tasting pasta wrapped in an egg roll is disappointing and crunchy with no center to anticipate. The MoRockin Shrimp were pretty flavorful but my friends and I were confused by the dough balls. We were unsure if Eddie was trying to make a less expensive dish in light of the current recession. But the fact that we noticed it does not fare well. The chicken was by far the best with a good flavor and presented elegantly.
I went to use the restroom and heard a voice in the stall. I was not sure if the person was talking to me, himself or someone else. No one else was in the restroom. I went outside for a smoke with my friends and Eddie the chef and proprietor approached us and thanked us for our business. He told me he recognized me from my shoes in the stall and that he uses the restroom as his office. It was a bit uncomfortable to have this encounter but we were confident that Eddie was in the kitchen that night.
We went back inside and ordered our entrees. Normally I do not order fish in AZ because it makes as much sense as mexican food in Montreal, as I do not find it commonly fresh. I got the East-Meets-West Sesame Tuna & Parmesan Halibut with bok choy and asparagus risotto. My friends got the Seared Diver Scallops, apricot & goat cheese risotto "baklava" and lamb chops. The bartender warned my friend that her plate would be hot but her baklava was luke warm. My fish came smelling like fish and the bok choy was so immersed in soy that there was no little room for any other flavor.
Finally we ordered the tiramisu cheesecake. One word. Costco. It felt like something I could have purchased at Costco in bulk. Not that I mind Costco but this is Eddie's reputation I am consuming. Although the service was great the food was not, especially since Eddie was there and we were the only group there when we left. I would like to chalk it up to the curse that had befallen Cook and Jacks but I do not know...