APRIL 2017 18 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM Some restaurants you walk in and you know you’re going to like it. It’s as if the care taken to get the décor down right and theme aligned properly will automatically translate into a superb dining experience. That was the case for Rancho Pinot, the 23-year-old gem tucked in Lincoln Village Shops on Scottsdale Rd. The wait was long for a table so we rolled up to the bar, which would be an unfortunate scenario at many restaurants. But bar seats at Rancho Pinot suited us just fine and proved to offer a better vantage point to glimpse the scene. The bar seats are far enough apart to make casual chitchat an option, not a mandate and the friendly vibe made it tempting to talk to fellow bar diners. So we did, with nice results. Oh yeah, and the food. All you need to know is chef and owner Chrysa Robertson raises hens for eggs and grows herbs for the restaurant at her 80-year adobe house. That is the essence of this place – the use of local ingredients to create American comfort fare in a cool setting. If you go, the ravioli and the grilled flatiron steak are terrific starting points. Because you will go back – it just draws you in. — Mike Saucier RANCHO PINOT Lincoln Village Shops There’s nothing new to report at Durant’s, which is good — you don’t go to Durant’s because you want something new, you go because it’s Durant’s. I encounter people who haven’t been to Durant’s and I always think of Arizonans who have never gone to the Grand Canyon — how could you live so close and not go? Anyway, the missus and I went for our wedding anniversary this month, and it was fantastic as usual. We popped some oysters on the half shell, and the better half ordered the scallops, which were perfectly prepared. The only miss — I opted for a filet mignon Oscar style (with crab and béarnaise sauce on top) and they drenched it a bit with the sauce. The key lime pie we had for dessert has to rank among the best in town. If there is anything new, it’s that Durant’s is more of a scene now. It used to be a locals-only haunt where you went for power meetings and special occasions. Now it’s more tourists and first-timers. But that’s OK — Durant’s is a treasure and meant to be shared. — Tom Evans DURANT’S Phoenix Photo Credit: Durant’s {where we ate this month} KITCHEN DOORS Photo Credit: Mike Saucier

APRIL 2017 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 19 Stop by AJ’s in April to make a donation and help heal Arizona’s abused and homeless children through artistic expression.