SCOTTsdale’s Sexy Steakhouse

The Dish: Polenta Cremosa

The Place: The Americano, 17797 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 

http://www.theamericanorestaurant.com

By Susan L Pricco

Self-described on their website as an Italian inspired steakhouse, celebrity chef Scott Conant succeeds in creating his “hip and humble” dining establishment with a New York supper club vibe but with a sense of wit and humor.  Want to impress someone?  Bring them here. Black leather seating, larger than life black & white photography, custom art and sculpture with accents of hypnotic gold frame spheres and green glass.

I gave in to a “Drunken Wifey” cocktail. Garnished with fresh herbs and rock salt, similar to a margarita enlivened with refreshing limoncello, it packs a kick.  It was served on a giggle-worthy cocktail napkin with a lipstick print and phone number – the restaurant’s phone number.

A more attentive staff does not exist.  We started with the salumi and cheese platter (perfectly curated cheeses, grilled bread and charcuterie) and craveable Foccacia Ripiena, a fluffy yet chewy, yeasty cheese bread topped with garlicky herb pesto with bits of potato.  When done, the wait staff immediately appeared with a crumb duster to remove the 3 errant particles that escaped our grasp.  

Under the mesmerizing spherical overhead bubbles that balanced the pulsating music (loud, but not intrusive) and the striking atmosphere our steak was deftly hard-seared and seasoned.

Expect a top quality steak and perfection in pasta at Americano, but take special note of a specialty – Polenta “cremosa”.  Silky soft, fine grain polenta is sexy with an aromatic seasonal mushroom sugo highlighted with the ultimate indulgence – truffle.  

For less formality, visit the bar.  Amidst big screen tvs and, it is warm and inviting for conversation with a menu offering some of the same dining options as the sophisticated dinner menu as well as plates normally associated with bar food, like the “Shcotty” burger elevated with fontina cheese.

Do not pass up dessert.  The chocolate tortino, with its hidden marasca cherry, is a bite of perfection, though the ingenious red velvet lava cake is a delightful twist on a modern classic.

I reiterate, this is where you go to impress someone, be it for business, pleasure, family or yourself. But just don’t take it too seriously.