Scottsdale’s Citizen Public House

Scottsdale Arizona has about 600 restaurants, ranging from the requisite Southwestern cuisine to Asian fusion. Among the best is the somewhat non-descript (except for the food) Citizen Public House.

The restaurant serves up craft beers and what its PR materials call “award-winning gastropub cuisine to a clientele hungry for exceptional food, provocative drink and new-fashioned fun.”

That sounds about right, although I dined solo so I no doubt missed out on the new-fashioned fun.

 

The restaurant’s interior is masculine, with a high cathedral ceiling lined with wood beams. Tables wreath a central bar, and family photos line walls. Named among "Best New Restaurants" by Esquire Magazine, the restaurant is in Old Town Scottsdale. 

I started with the Pork Belly Pastrami ($12), which my waiter Sam described as a deconstructed Rueben sandwich: pork belly, rye spaetzle, Brussels sprout sauerkraut, mustard jus . . .  I had remembered reading the appetizer had become somewhat of a legend – the creation of executive chef and owner Bernie Kantak. 

In truth, pork belly is in itself scrumptious, but nicely dusted as well with pastrami spices, followed by the spaetzle variation - it was smoky-good.

 

I continued with the Original Chopped Salad ($12) purely because it has its own Facebook page.  Ingredients:  corn, couscous, smoked salmon, asiago, pepitas, tomatoes, arugula & currants – all lined up side by side like somebody forgot to toss it. The dressing: a “sassy” buttermilk pesto.  It was the right side of light, and wholly addictive.

The meal finished with Porcini Filet Mignon ($32) – porcini rub, smashed new potatoes, sautéed greens, white beech mushrooms, demi-glace, black garlic butter.

I had asked Sam, the waiter for recommendations on the main course as well – he pointed to two dishes, the Filet, which I chose, and the Pan Seared Scallops, which I had also eyed. I’ll need to return for the scallops, but the Filet Mignon was both tender and earthy-rich - the perfect finish, struck with all the right notes.

• Citizen Public House: 7111 E. 5th Ave Ste. E, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

• Citizen Public House reservations.

• View the full menu.