Regions Bistro & Bar
Review of Regions Bistro & Bar in Scottsdale
About.com Rating 
Regions Bistro - What I Liked
- Menu variety
- Reasonable prices
- Business casual environment
Regions Bistro - Be Aware
- Find your favorite menu items and stick with them
 Regions Bistro in Scottsdale © Judy Hedding |
Regions Bistro - The Mood
Not exactly a dress-up place, but not necessarily inviting for the
football jersey crowd, Regions Bistro would be a likely choice for a
ladies lunch out, a casual business meal or a casual family
get-together. The dining room design is light and modern, and there's
a small bar with the obligatory sports channel playing on TV.
Regions Bistro - The Damages
We stopped into Regions Bistro in Scottsdale during lunchtime. We
shared a salad, two appetizers, two sandwiches, a side of fries
and a dessert. The total, excluding beverages, tax and tip, came to
less than $30 per person. Very reasonable! For a large lunch, you can
order a sandwich and either an appetizer, salad or dessert and your
total will probably be less than $20.
My Review of Regions Bistro
Our experience at Regions Bistro in Scottsdale started out as a promising adventure.
 Salmon and Calamari at Regions Bistro © Judy Hedding |
Although photographs show an outside dining area, it wasn't set up when I was there, and, even if it was, it is located such that one would be eating in a parking lot, which is not appealing to me. The meal began with lovely, fresh bread sticks and a tasty spread that made us excited to see what would come next. For appetizers we tried the Calamari with peppers ($10) and a seasonal special appetizer of Lox with with chopped onions, capers and toast points ($8). Both were appealing to look at and very pleasant to eat. The calamari was lightly battered and tender, with peppers adding a nice touch. The dipping sauce had a nice little zing to it. We were happy! Salad came next, and we opted to share the Chardonnay Poached Pear and Walnut Salad ($9). Definitely large enough for sharing, it unfortunately was too drenched in dressing making the lettuce seem soggy/wilted.
For the main course of our lunch at Regions Bistro I ordered, on the recommendation of my server, the Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich ($9). He described it as being a mini Thanksgiving, with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce all combined in a sandwich.
 Meat Loaf Sandwich at Regions Bistro © Judy Hedding |
That sounded nice to me for a change, but I was disappointed -- actually unable to even finish half the sandwich -- as the turkey was very salty and the stuffing was dry and crumbly. I requested an upgrade on the fries so I could try the Gorgonzola Fries ($5). There was plenty of cheese on them, but they weren't crisp, which is the way I prefer them. The regular fries were soft, too. My lunch partner ordered the Meatloaf Sandwich ($9) described on the menu as "served open faced with wild mushroom gravy." We didn't ask what else came on the plate (lesson learned!) but I'm not sure I understand why they serve a side of French fries with it when there are mashed potatoes on the meat loaf! While some people might enjoy double potatoes, I'd rather be given the option for something else, like cole slaw or a vegetable. We ordered the gravy on the side. Without it, the meatloaf was rather dry.
The Fresh Fruit Creme Brulee ($7) dessert was smallish, of the deep dish variety, and refreshing.
OK, I have to add one more little thing -- not affecting the number of stars on this review at all -- but the tabletops at Regions are such that they naturally look unclean. When we sat down, we thought that no one had wiped our table since we could see water rings stains. Later, we watched an employee diligently wipe down a table; after he was done the table still looked like there were glass ring marks on it. It was disconcerting to me. I don't know if tablecloths are used during the evening meals.
Where to Find Regions Bistro & Bar:
9343 E. Shea Blvd, Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480-657-2600
Visit Regions Bistro & Bar online.
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Date of review: October 2009.
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 the purpose of the review. 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.
