Bourbon Steak
Review of Bourbon Steak at the Fairmont Scottsdale
About.com Rating 
Bourbon Steak - What I Liked
- Not your typical steakhouse menu
- Portions appropriate, not too large
- Surprising and delightful amuse-bouche
- Check out Bar Burgers in the lounge
Bourbon Steak - Be Aware
- Understated (dull) dining room
- Expensive
 Dining Room at Bourbon Steak © Judy Hedding |
Bourbon Steak - The Mood
Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak is located inside the Fairmont
Scottsdale in North Scottsdale. The restaurant can be accessed
from the outside of the hotel directly, where you walk through an
impressive tunnel of the acclaimed wine collection to a subdued dining room,
designed with indigenous materials of the Southwest. Lacking some
color, art or interest, I imagine that the point is to have the
patrons focus on the food and the wine. Tables are placed spaciously; the dining room is partitioned to give
each section an
intimate feel. The outdoor patio has booth seating in a garden
environment. A visit to Bourbon Steak is appropriate for a business
dinner or special occasion meal. Hotel guests will dine at
Bourbon Steak if an upscale experience is their desire. Although it
did not appear that a dress code was enforced, most would be
comfortable in resort casual attire.
Bourbon Steak - The Damages
Dining at Bourbon Steak is not for those weak in the wallet. We
ordered one appetizer, one salad, two entrees, two sides and one
dessert. The total, excluding beverages, tax and tip, came to about
$165.
My Review of Bourbon Steak
 Lobster Pot Pie Prepared Tableside at Bourbon Steak © Judy Hedding |
Offering classic American fare with some culinary surprises, this Scottsdale steakhouse's menu includes prime, natural cuts of beef including Kobe beef, seafood dishes, inspired side dishes and an extensive wine list. Among the various award garnered by the restaurant and its Chef is the AAA 4-Diamond Award and a place on Wine Spectator's Best Wine Lists. If you have to ask how much an alcoholic beverage is at Bourbon Steak, you probably won't want to pay for it. Wines by the glass start at $11. We tried an Oregon Pinot Noir ($18). I notice that a bottle of that wine retails for roughly $30.
Your meal begins with a delightful trio of French Fries fried in duck fat. Oh my, those were some of the tastiest fries I've ever had! While you can enjoy traditional favorites at Bourbon Steak, I ordered a few items that I hadn't seen on other local menus. Foie Gras Sliders ($21) with Caramelized Onions and D'Anjou pear chutney served au jus were lovely, but not large enough to share. The Bibb Wedge Salad ($12) was very nice. A 10 oz Filet Mignon ($39) was perfect and one of the best I've tried recently. Since it is served a la carte, we ordered two sides to accompany it: Creamed Spinach with Smoked Onion ($8) and Truffled Mac & Cheese ($8) were both good choices and more than enough to share.
 Filet Mignon With Sides at Bourbon Steak © Judy Hedding |
I could not resist ordering the Maine Lobster Pot Pie. Priced seasonally, on this day the tab for that meal was $70. I was expecting a small dollop of lobster with a sliver of phyllo crust and sauce on top. Imagine my surprise when staff assembled my dinner tableside with two pounds of fresh lobster meat, vegetables, a pie crust and a flavorful, rich sauce. Delicious! Had I understood this pot pie better, there would have been no fries or appetizer for me! The kitchen staff will take care of removing most of the lobster meat from the shell for you, so no cracking is required. My recommendation, if you order the lobster pot pie, is to share it. No sides are necessary with that choice.
The Chocolate Molten Cake with Malted Milk Ice Cream ($9) was a bit small for sharing, but a nice finish to the meal. I ordered coffee with my dessert ($6) and although I thought it was amazing, beware that it is more like espresso -- very dark and strong.
Portions at Bourbon Steak are appropriate, but not huge. While doggy bags are nice, sometimes it is better to not get so much food when dining out.
Bourbon Steak is open for dinner seven days per week. Bar Burgers -- five different styles including salmon and vegetarian -- are offered in the lounge Tuesday though Saturday. I don't recommend Bourbon Steak for young children; when making your advance reservations, ask about complimentary child care while you dine for children ages 4 and up on Friday and Saturday nights.
Where to Find Bourbon Steak:
7575 East Princess Drive
Scottsdale, Arizona 85255
480-513-6002
Visit Bourbon Steak online.
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Date of review: May 2010.
All dates, times, prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.
As is common in the industry, the writer was provided with a complimentary meal for review purposes. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
