Grassroots Kitchen & Tap in North Scottsdale: Plainly Delicious

At first glance, you might think you could run Grassroots Kitchen & Tap yourself. You'd be wrong -- and therein lies the genius of this North Scottsdale restaurant.

What seems obvious about the place is really a kind of deceptive simplicity. Look closer and you'll find the approachability of this Houston's-meets-neighborhood hangout is the product of precision, harmony, and a commitment to clarity.

Valley foodies might argue that there are more intriguing restaurant destinations in the Valley, and there are. But when it comes to plainly delicious eats served up in a comfortable spot, it's tough to beat Grassroots.

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Here's an excerpt from this week's review:

The restaurant is spotless, tidily arranged so that everything has its place -- from the game pieces on the communal table to the artfully arranged stacks of napkins. Friendly servers seem to appear exactly when needed, refilling tea from glass jars, arriving with extra plates for sharing without being asked, and inviting you to linger as long as you'd like before leaving the check in a wooden dish.

And that dish of rainbow trout and sautéed Swiss chard is nothing short of perfect. The fish is supremely fresh, broiled in a bit of oil and gently seasoned with salt and pepper so that its flavor is coaxed from it in a manner that seems effortless. And the chard, sautéed until it's rich and mellow then topped with a tuft of grated Italian Pecorino, tastes as though it had been plucked from the nearest garden that day.

Hungry for more? Read my full review of Grassroots Kitchen & Tap in Scottsdale.

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