The Spot: The Living Room at DC Ranch
20751 North Pima Road, Scottsdale
www.livingroomwinebar.com
The Hours: Happy hour runs weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for drinks, and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for food
Perfect for: A light cocktail and bite on a nice patio in North Scottsdale
The Interior: Inside, the Living Room has a little too much going on, with lots of knick-knacks hanging from the walls and various chalkboard signs — it's sort of like someone got a little too crazy during a shopping spree at Z Gallerie. We took a peek at the patio outside, which looks a little comfier.
The Food: We liked that there was a nice price range available on the Living Room's happy-hour food menu. For $2 you can order single oysters, edamame, or house chips. For $5, the spot's offerings include a California roll and a Bavarian pretzel. For $7, there's a choice of a spicy tuna roll, spinach and artichoke dip, or a caprese plate.
We went for the caprese plate, a substantial dish with four pieces of crusty ciabatta bread, sliced cherry tomatoes, burrata mozzarella cheese, pesto, and a balsamic drizzle. While some tomatoes were drenched in balsamic, the bread, cheese, and tomatoes made for a flavorful combination. All of the ingredients tasted fresh, and we learned the tomatoes were from locals Peddler's Produce. The plate would easily serve two people.
The Drink: The Living Room labels itself a "wine cafe", serving up $5 glasses of wine during happy hour, as well as $4 well cocktails, $5 skinny drinks, and $3 draft beers. The spot's strongest wine offerings are pinot noirs and chardonnays from California. Beers, meanwhile, include Scottsdale Blonde, Modelo, and Union Jack IPA.
We were intrigued at the idea of "skinny drinks," certainly not a new concept, but one we haven't often tried during happy hour. The thin mint mojito ($5) — a mixture of rum, lime, mint, agave nectar and soda — simply tasted like any other mojito and was a very well-done version of the classic.
Conclusion: The Living Room does an excellent job of catering to anyone who frequents DC Ranch with wine and simple eats. The menu feels a little bit aimless, but the drink we tried was pleasant.
Don't Miss: The "skinny" cocktails.
Skip This: Trying to find any theme in the decor.
Grade: B