Looking for a place to eat where there's a nice patio wouldn't usually be on my agenda this time of year, but the weather these past few weeks has put me into early springtime mode. Honestly, if we skipped winter altogether, I wouldn't be heartbroken.
A recent lunch at Relish Burger Bistro was a lovely pitstop amid the holiday commotion, with serene views of the lush golf course at the Phoenician to take in along with my midday grub.
The restaurant has a fine view from its perch atop the golf clubhouse (you can sort of see it, just past the food in my photo above), but as soon as my Bleu Burger landed in front of me, I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
Since the beef patty was American Kobe, it was as rich and juicy as could be, full of meaty flavor. It's a little hard to be elegant while eating such a big thing, but I successfully cut the burger in half to make it a little more manageable. The soft brioche bun molded around it as I sank my teeth into it. Caramelized onions and gobs of bleu cheese turned the whole thing into a delicious umami bomb.
And it was perfectly medium-rare, just as I ordered it.
The dish came with a side of crisp, hot tater tots, which were great with ketchup but even better with the prickly pear relish that was intended for the burger.
Dining at Relish is easier than you think, since you don't have to deal with parking at the main resort entrance. Instead, take a right past the check point and park behind the clubhouse. It feels far, far away from the city, but is right smack in between Arcadia and Scottsdale.
