Gross Out: Arugula on the Floor at The Phoenician

By Amy Silverman One of my gripes with The Phoenician -- the tony resort with the Phoenix name, the Scottsdale address (I think they changed the city boundaries to accomodate themselves) and the dangerous past (TP was opened by Charlie Keating, John McCain's former BFF) -- is that the place...

By Amy Silverman

October 30, 2008

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By Amy Silverman

One of my gripes with The Phoenician -- the tony resort with the Phoenix name, the Scottsdale address (I think they changed the city boundaries to accomodate themselves) and the dangerous past (TP was opened by Charlie Keating, John McCain's former BFF) -- is that the place feels too clean. All spit-shined and polished; you can see yourself in the marble floor. There's nothing about the place that says, Hey, take off your shoes and put your feet up! You're on vacay!

But things have been a little too casual in the catering kitchen. In July and again this month, Maricopa County restaurant inspectors have given the catering kitchen "No Award" ratings. Must be humiliating for a resort with so many stars hanging off its belt. And for what?! The usual complaints about food temps and the like.

And a complaint I hadn't come across before: employees dropping food on the floor, picking it up, and putting in a container intended for serving:

OBSERVED EMPLOYEE DROP ARUGULA ON THE GROUND, PICK IT UP AND CONTINUE FILLING BLANCHING BASKET, DROP MORE, PICK UP AND PLACE IN BASKET AND CONTINUE AGAIN.

Five second rule, anyone?

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Amy Silverman is the former managing editor of Phoenix New Times. She is a two-time winner of the Arizona Press Club’s Journalist of the Year award. Her work has appeared on the radio show This American Life and in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Lenny Letter, and Brain, Child.