THE 19TH HOLE By AZ Golf Insider Staff


Mountain Brook Golf Club’s Prospector restaurant serves up mainstays like fresh salmon, shrimp cocktail and braised short ribs along with an outstanding view.


“What we’re trying


to employ here is Ryan’s philosophy of walk before you run; to do it right the first time; to continue to improve,” said McConville of the owner/ head honcho, whose family also owns Geneva Golf Course in Alexandria, Minn. That one-brick-at-a-time


FOOD/WINE GOLD MINE


MOUNTAIN BROOK, GOLD CANYON OFFER TASTY 1-2 PUNCH FOR FOODIES


“T thar 19th


here’s gold in them thar hills!” It is a line that


holes in the Gold Canyon neighborhood, at the base of the Superstition Mountains. Yes, there’s gold in them holes, and it comes


in the form of some very comforting food. Chances are Jacob Waltz, the legendary prospector who is linked to the Superstitions’ fabled Lost Dutchman’s Mine, would have given a nugget or two to dine at the Prospector at Mountain Brook Golf Club or the Bar & Grill/Kokopelli’s at Gold Canyon Golf Resort.


was corrupted from a Mark Twain novel entitled “The American Claimant,” but it could easily hold up when referring to a trio of revitalized 19th


The Prospector at Mountain Brook For a 19th


hole at a golf course,


the Prospector at Mountain Brook Golf Club serves a lot of non-golfers. In fact, the neigh- borhood that sits between Mountain Brook and Gold Can- yon Golf Resort on the lower slopes of the Superstitions is full of guests who don’t know a Titleist from a Pinnacle. We discovered this phenomenon during a recent visit to the Prospector. Small but cozy, four of the seven tables in the dining room had “RESERVED” signs on them. It’s a very in-demand eatery, said our server Anita. “Yes, we do get a lot


of golfers,” she observed. “But really, the entire Gold Canyon neighborhood dines here often.”


14 | AZ GOLF Insider | PREVIEW 2019 There is extra room, too.


The patio, which is nestled against the restaurant and overlooks the putting green and range, has probably another 15 tables. But on this cold night, everyone was packed inside and having a festive time. You could tell people knew each other by the laughter coming from the brand-spanking new bar. According to the food


and beverage manager, Ian McConville, “We took what was basically a walk-up counter and turned it into a restaurant that serves high- quality food at affordable prices.” McConville, like Chef Michael, came from Trilogy at Power Ranch. Those two courses — Mountain Brook and Trilogy — along with Dove Valley Ranch are owned by Minnesotan Ryan Thompson and his family. Thompson purchased Mountain Brook in July, and the old 19th


hole was


gutted with the Prospector opening in November.


approach has turned out some solid initial results, like the braised short ribs ($19.79) we ordered complete with roasted red potatoes and veggies. Other dinner mainstays that are big on the Prospector’s small menu include fresh salmon ($17.89) in lemon beurre blanc and housemade meatloaf ($12.79) slow-cooked with homemade brown gravy. According to McConville,


it’s also hard to beat the Prospector’s “good, old- fashioned Reuben or our amazing build-a-burger.” The Reuben ($13.49) is a big stack of corn beef topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing served on grilled marbled rye. The build-a-burger ($12.49) is a half-pounder with a choice of 12 toppers. The first three are free, but additional toppers are $1 apiece after that. McConville’s tip for breakfast — the Prospector ($12.95), of course. It’s your all-American breakfast of two eggs any style, hash browns, toast and your choice of bacon, ham or sausage. But there also is a Goldmine ($9.79) and Burro ($8.71) that look interesting. Instead of being


“occasionally open,” as in the past, the restaurant is quite


www.azgolf.org


MOUNTAIN BROOK GOLF CLUB


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