Modern Steak, the 12th restaurant concept from local, iconic restaurateur Sam Fox opens for dinner next Monday, October 26. Soon after, the restaurant will also begin serving lunch.
Today, I was invited to attend one of the many “friends & family” lunches.
It certainly was a good deal for me (it was free) and good for the restaurant because they get to “practice” on friendly, sympathetic folks before opening the doors to paying customers.
The interior is decidedly feminine, with palette colors of baby blue, soft gray and violet, and a lattice white ceiling. It’s too modern to be called “frilly” but it has a strong womanly feel — which none of the men in the room seemed to mind, as far as I could tell.
Even the sparkly chandeliers have a modern, bubble twist.
The women’s bathroom takes the lady-like theme a step further, with fuchia wall paper and lots of mirrors.
The patio introduces even more shades of blue and bright orange chairs.
But the most interesting feature is the shade covering, a curved metal shield that looks like a sheet of decoratively cut paper.
Modern Steak is located at Scottsdale Fashion Square in the new Barney’s wing. And because it’s in a mall, it cleverly has a walk up window serving sliders, french fries and ice cream sandwiches.
The house bread is herbed Parmesan rolls. The texture is a cross between a soft, chewy dinner roll and focaccia, and the sour cream, butter and chive spread seems befitting a “steakhouse.”
But steak isn’t the only thing on the menu.
In fact, at lunch there are only two steaks and a couple burgers. The dinner menu has a much more extensive steak selection, and a fairly deep seafood offering as well.
The lunch maple-brined Scottish salmon ($15) is a petite portion of seared salmon served with sweet potato disks, buttery Brussels sprout leaves and a sweet, tangy barbecue glaze with bacon bits.
The Modern club sandwich ($11) is four hearty triangles of oven-roasted turkey, very smoky bacon, Havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato and mashed avocado, served with garlicky fries.
I thought I was too full to order dessert until I saw the menu, and spotted the Valhrona chocolate and peanut butter pudding with peanut butter bar cookies.
And, apparently, I wasn’t too full after all.
Seriously, dangerously, lick-the-spoon delicious.
Modern Steak
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale
480-423-7000
