Review: Yardhouse

 by Jessica Kokal
 published on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Chelsea Kent / STATE PRESS MAGAZINE

Serving food 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday -Thursday,
11 a.m. to midnight Friday - Saturday
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale

Entrée Price: $$ ($10-20) • Takes reservations • Dress code: business casual

If it seems surprising to find satisfying food at the mall, then Yardhouse is a very pleasant surprise.

With an extensive menu and more beers on tap than one could imagine, the American bar and restaurant Yardhouse is a sure crowd-pleaser. The large, dimly lit restaurant gives an aura of swank style with polished wood and plush patio seating, but is equally sports-friendly with lots of flat-screen televisions.

The entrees at Yardhouse can be a little pricey, especially if selecting a steak as the main dish. Luckily, Yardhouse has a happy hour with a great selection of half-priced appetizers and lots of discounted drinks Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and Thursdays after 10 p.m. Among the best of the happy-hour deals are the half-off pizzas. While Yardhouse is no Italian pizzeria, its sizable thin-crust pizzas are a cheap and filling way to satisfy a happy -hour appetite — or two. Stay away from the Spicy Thai Chicken pizza, though. It's not particularly spicy. Instead, the flavor of the slightly sweet firecracker sauce with the cilantro, green onions and carrot toppings make for an overpowering mixture of tastes.

For starters, Yardhouse has a creamy, rich Lobster, Crab and Artichoke Dip full of hearty seafood chunks and served with flatbread and tortilla chips. Yardhouse also offers three varieties of wings: Buffalo, Grilled Jamaican and Firecracker.

Yardhouse has its own variation of sushi, arranged more like a neatly organized dish than the traditional cut roll. Skip the French Onion Soup, which is too watery and not as cheesy as it should be.

If venturing beyond appetizers, Yardhouse has a fabulous selection of sandwiches available with either regular fresh-cut or tender sweet-potato fries. The Blue Crab Cake Hoagie takes one of Yardhouse's light, flavorful appetizers and layers it with fresh avocado and spicy Cajun aioli, a creamy sauce. The Cuban Roast Pork Dip is made with juicy pulled pork has a perfect hint of spice and is smothered in a barbeque au jus sauce. Topped with sliced pickles and a Dijon and garlic aioli, it's a unique offering that packs a ton of flavor.

In fact, the menu at Yardhouse is so extensive, it likely has something to satisfy every diner's taste buds. Besides sandwiches, the menu at Yardhouse features juicy steaks, hefty burgers, salads and a variety of pasta dishes. The "(Mac and Cheese)2" is a popular choice, richly flavored with cheddar and parmesan cheeses and truffle oil and tossed with chicken, applewood smoked bacon and wild mushrooms. It's a heavy, creamy dish that can be too much for some diners, but has a unique taste that makes it a favorite order.

For something slightly lighter, try the Grilled Hearts of Romaine. It's one of the best salad options, made with two large grilled hearts of romaine, still slightly warm, candied walnuts, gorgonzola and red onions and drizzled with zesty gorgonzola champagne vinaigrette.

It's doubtful you'll have trouble finding something worth trying on the menu at Yardhouse — what's more likely is that you'll have trouble deciding on just one dish.

— jessica.kokal@asu.edu or foodinphoenix.com