Greetings Foodies! As Arizona Restaurant Week heats up I’m back with another review. This time we ended up at The Standard in Scottsdale. Tucked in the back of a small strip mall, 
diners driving by might miss it, but they are definitely missing out. While the outside of the restaurant might be understated the food unquestionably is not.
When you enter The Standard you might notice the eclectic look of the restaurant. The style mixes a bit of mod style with casual comfort. The dining room is huge and airy providing space for dinners who may want a more private intimate conversation. Music by artists such as Michael Buble and Ella Fitzgerald play softly in the background creating a lounge type feel.
When we arrived the restaurant was not very crowded, likely due to the fact that it was Sunday. Once greeted by our server, he pointed out that they have a large private dining room, gorgeous patio (we did notice this on our way in) and the fact that they have a Market Side of the restaurant for on the go diners. The quietness and intimacy of the restaurant was an enjoyable contrast to Beckett’s Table the previous night.
The course set up was the same as before, three courses (appetizer, entrée, and dessert). For the first course I began with the 
Shiitake Miso and Thyme Baked Brie with Crusty Bread. Typically when I have had baked brie it is usually served with a fruit compote of some sort. The savory miso broth and mushrooms were an interesting and very flavorsome pairing. For his appetizer, Mister had the Roasted Anaheim and Chorizo Mac and Cheese. This also had a unique take for mac and cheese as it did not actually use macaroni pasta but rather orichette. The flavor was very good but the chorizo dominated and the Anaheim chile flavor was a bit lost.
For the second course (the entrée course) I had the Prosciutto Wrapped Pork with Smoked Apple Fennel Hash, Parsnip Puree, and Fried Kale 
Chips. The kale chips were not present in my dish but It was very good and really didn’t need them. The star of the meal for me was the parsnip puree. They were very creamy and full of flavor when combined with the apples and fennel, the flavor was incredible. For his entrée, Mister had the Brown Rice and Manchego Arancini with Butternut Squash Smash and Wilted Bitter Greens. The arancini was definitely the highlight of this meal. Personally I’m not a huge butternut squash fan given my preference for savory over sweet but it paired well with the herby flavors in the arancini. The wilted bitter greens were cooked to perfection and very tasty.
At this point we were completely stuffed as the portions were quite large, but it was time for the third and final course (dessert). For 
my dessert I chose the Green Tea Crème Brule with Orange Lavender Shortbread and Candied Orange Peel. Crème Brule is quite possibly my favorite dessert so I had very high expectations for this and The Standard delivered. Not only was it prepared to perfection but the green tea flavor was present and not overpowering. The orange shortbread cookie was firm but not crunchy. The orange and lavender flavors complimented the crème brule perfectly. To wrap up his meal, Mister had the Chili Chocolate Mousse Pie and Sweetened Mascarpone with fresh 
berries. As a huge chili head this was perfect for him. Unlike most chili chocolate desserts where the chili gets overpowered, the mousse was full of spice and had a slow burn that lingered. I would love to see this go on the menu permanently.
I’m definitely glad we discovered The Standard. Given its proximity to where we live I can definitely see us dining there again!
Enjoy What You Eat!
DC
