around the “roast of the day,” too. This is elegant comfort food, from the Wednesday Maple Leaf Farms duck ($29), to the Saturday prime rib ($38), to the Sunday star of Yankee pot roast ($24). Wrapping the evening up,


The day-boat scallops (above) are among the many sensational seafood plates at Hearth ’61.


approachable, but punched up with brilliant accents. We start with a half-dozen


oysters, a daily changing selection presented on ice with lemon and mignonette bobbing with lots of precisely diced cucumber ($18). We move into Noble Bread crostini piled in a tumble of warm duck confit, caramelized fennel, candied pecan, lightly pickled red onion and gently smoked potato coins ($18) — the mixed flavors and textures are marvelous. Next up is ahi tartare


($16), a nearly entrée- size swath decorated with sliced Persian cucumber and crunchy shaved turnip, alongside charred shishito peppers and big pieces of puffed rice for scooping the fish into a dusting of vibrant Asian seasoning. Signatures, naturally,


come from the hearth. The Wash Ranch organic half chicken, for example, gets a wonderful sweet-tart boost from pomegranate amid its sides of kabocha squash and fennel ($28), while superb line-caught swordfish sings with spicy, herbal green harissa and curls of tart pickled red onion ($32). Note: Your server will


suggest sides to round out entrees, and you’re wise to


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heed. We loved the roasted carrots, zinged with ginger and served on a little black- iron skillet with chervil leaf and dollops of tahini yogurt ($9) — absolutely gorgeous in looks and taste. It’s worth planning a visit


desserts (all $9) follow the fun, Americanized theme, such as the warm brown-butter apple tart served in a little skillet. It’s dense, plump with apples and cake, and topped in hazelnut anglaise-laced vanilla-bean ice cream ($9). For a winter feast, the pumpkin crème caramel is a winner, as well, rich and lavishly spiced and stabbed with pecan brittle. At times, the bar noise


floods into the restaurant, and this is a great place to people watch, for curiosities like a gaggle of guests who paraded in with a well-dressed


dog on the way to the patio. Yet look closely, and you’ll


still see hints of iconic Arizona. There’s the front trellis of original open-weave concrete block salvaged from the first hotel. And there are the many vintage photos all over, including newer, whimsical collages. Then, there’s Wiley’s always noteworthy cuisine. A tasty new tradition


is being born. n


Carey Sweet writes about food and wine for the Arizona Republic, San Francisco Chronicle, and Scottsdale and Sunset magazines.


DETAILS


Mountain Shadows Resort 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, (480) 624-5400, mountainshadows.com


Rusty’s offers another spot for golfers to unwind, refresh


With just a handful of seats at a patio counter and a few more lining the pro shop entry, Rusty’s grill and lounge are easy to overlook. Yet even for guests not playing the Short Course at the newly renovated Mountain Shadows Resort, the café packs a lot of punch into a small space. Overlooking the course designed by architect Forrest Richardson, the spot also sprawls onto a patio that


edges up to the greens, the perfect roost for a meal and cocktails in cooler weather. And the casual eatery offers a more ambitious menu than a diner might expect for breakfast, lunch and happy hour. Start the day with a huge, full-


flavored burrito, plump with scrambled eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo sausage, pepper jack cheese and fire roasted salsa ($13). Then return for lunch, browsing among selections ranging from a signature seared ahi salad tossed with napa cabbage, arugula, pickled radish, cashew, sesame and fiery wasabi goddess dressing ($24), to a fancy Reuben made with homemade pastrami, gooey Gruyere, caramelized onion, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing on griddled rye alongside salty fries ($15). At happy hour, the indoor billiards table beckons, as do creative cocktails like the Tee Shot, a potent


Rusty’s


treat of Effen vodka infused with green tea, mango, orange syrup and lemon ($12). To cap it all off, snacks tempt with retro bites like chips and classic French onion dip ($5), or more modern takes like the fresh, bright avocado toast dressed in shaved cucumber, tahini, radish and queso fresco ($9). There’s much more, like the beer/wine list includes an array of fine cigars for a most elegant finale. It all


adds up to a winner at Rusty’s, which was named after the late Rusty Lyon, a Valley real estate icon and the father of Scott Lyon, the driving force behind the new Mountain Shadows –Carey Sweet


PREVIEW 2018 | AZ GOLF Insider | 19


COURTESY MOUNTAIN SHADOWS


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