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| - Imagine this, a swanky new Scottsdale restaurant that has down to earth prices, fantastic food and attentive top-notch service? Sometimes it's hard to believe that this kind of place even exists, but its no mirage, the Spotted Donkey Cantina is everything that I had hoped and more.
Starting with the service, there are details that just go to show how the owners and management are in tune with training of the staff. Everyone we encountered was pleasant, seemingly happy and genuine.
I have to tell you though, when it comes to eating at SDC, you'll be in good hands, Chef Patrick Bolls hands to be exact. His background includes years working with local chef-lebrity Robert McGrath, which has paid off in chiles. The southwestern influenced menu is well balanced with just a little bit of something for everyone. I mean who doesn't love the addictive crunch of La Canasta Corn Chips ($6)? Along side are 3 different salsas including a smoky charred tomato, a deeply flavored red chile orange and finally a tomatillo green chile salsa. All were surprisingly mild though these seemed more about flavor rather than scorching your face, that'll come later.
The "Shooters" ($8) seemed harmless enough. A chubby jalapeno pepper stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon then encrusted with a coating of tortillas and deep fried. At fist bite your mouth is filled with a creamy spurt of hot cheese followed by the pork-tastic flavor of bacon. Then it hits you, the burn from the jalapeno is scorching but a quick dip into cilantro buttermilk sauce helped cool the flame.
If you're still trying to cool the flavor induced fire one of SDC many salad choices will do the trick. The Spotted Donkey "Chop" Salad ($12) is prepared table side with you controlling the amounts of roasted corn, cucumber, queso fresco, cilantro, warm smoked bacon, and avocado. Then tossed in a luscious jalapeno buttermilk dressing and served with crispy flour tortilla chips on the side, it cools and satisfies. Composed into tidy rows of tortilla crusted chicken breast, avocado, bacon, chopped egg and manchego cheese and dressed in chipotle vinaigrette, the dinner sized Southwest Chicken Cobb Salad ($12.50) was almost big enough to share.
The center of my universe, at least for a minute, was the char grilled Big Ol' Jack Ass Angus Burger ($11.50). This is a seriously tasty burger, topped with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, avocado, jalapenos and horseradish mustard, fries on the side. Continuing with the meat parade, a sizzling iron skillet filled with Fajitas ($16) was placed in front of me. While you have your choice of chicken or shrimp, the idea of beef tenderloin mixed with sausage, sweet onions and tomatoes seemed like the hearty choice. Along side are the usual accompaniments like guacamole, salsa, crema and warm flour tortillas, what was unusual were how quickly I scarfed these down, delicious.
While the space feels decidedly modern and upscale there wasn't one moment where I felt uncomfortable or out of place, even with burger juices running down my face.
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