By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

Chef-owned-and-operated restaurants are certainly not an anomaly in the Valley – the Phoenix metro area has become well known for its independent restaurants. However, in this economy many of those restaurants have sadly had to close up shop. But there is one restaurant that has stood the test of time and has weathered the economic storm – Razz’s Restaurant.

A Venerable Scottsdale Landmark

At the helm of this 15-year-old dining establishment located in an unassuming strip center on Scottsdale Road just south of Shea Boulevard is Erasmo “Razz” Kamnitzer. A man who radiates personality and passion, Razz has continued to find success through smart business practices and loyal customers – many of whom have been coming to the restaurant since it opened and still order the same dish every time.

Razz admitted that it is surprising and sad to see some of his colleagues’ restaurants close their doors. And he’s had to make adjustments to accommodate the current economy, as well. While Razz said he’d love to support every local grower and purveyor (and he does continue to support some locals such as Duncan Farms, which supplies his produce), he actually looks much farther outside our state for some of his ingredients – such as purchasing beef from New Zealand and garlic all the way from China!

Make no mistake – Razz refuses to compromise quality to save a dollar, and his menu reflects that. Each dish is infused with quality ingredients and exotic flavors – not to mention a dash of passion and a sprinkle of personality.

Razz multitasking with cheese and chatter

Dining at Razz’s “chef’s table” is an intimate experience. My husband and I pulled up chairs at the bar that overlooks the kitchen, a spot that allowed us a wonderful view of the chefs at work as well as the opportunity to chat with Razz as he personally prepared our meals the night we dined. Watching Razz and his kitchen staff is much like watching a ballet. Each member is well versed in his or her role and they all work seamlessly together – it’s mesmerizing. But even more spellbinding than watching the food being prepared is actually tasting it.

Best "Chef's Table" in Phoenix!

For a refreshing start to our dining experience, we were treated to some fresh-blended fruit juices – delightful concoctions of a mango-papaya blend and a pineapple-grapefruit mixture.

Our first course was a Dungeness crab, lobster and mixed vegetable cake on a bed of sautéed greens with caramelized pear curry sauce all topped with onion marmalade. I’ll admit that I am not the biggest seafood fan, but this crispy little cake made me rethink all I’ve ever believed seafood to be. Fresh and light, it was heaven – but this was just the beginning.

Our next taste was a red miso-marinated halibut on a bed of black beans and vegetables with ginger sauce and caramelized ginger. The ginger elevated this dish to a whole new level – flavors exploded in our mouths and we devoured every last bite.

In between nibbles, we chatted and laughed with Razz as if we were old friends and it quickly became clear that this man loves what he does. But as any restaurateur knows, this is a tough business. So how does he do it day in and day out and keep that sparkling smile on his face through the good times and the bad? By having something to look forward to. Razz closes his doors for four months out of the year and he and his family travel the world. “Regardless of the amount of work during those eight months, I know I have the light at the end of the tunnel,” he shared. “We have found the perfect balance in our lives.”

By the time our third course was served, the volume in the restaurant had dramatically risen. Glasses were clinking, boisterous laughter hung in the air and nearly every table was occupied. And it was just an average Wednesday night.

Interior shot-before opening and the madness begins!

“It gets crazy in here,” Razz admitted as he served up our next course – arepedas de queso, a corn cake topped with shredded oxtail in a red wine sauce with avocado. I wish I could think of a more sophisticated description, but yum really says it all. My inner meat eater started getting very happy at this point, then things got even better. Crispy duck with orange sauce on a bed of mixed grains (nine varieties to be exact!) topped with radish sprout salad was our next delectable treat.

Though many chefs pride themselves on their ever-changing menus, Razz is quite the opposite. His menu has remained the same for years, save some minor tweaking a few times a year to reflect ingredients of the season.

And next we were served one of Razz’s longtime specialties – spiced roasted and braised short ribs on a bed of spaetzel. The meat – which cooks all day – was so amazingly tender, it just fell away from the bone. This dish is the perfect example of why I could never be vegetarian. The best part about it though is the history behind it. Razz admitted he read about the recipe in a book – not a cookbook, but a novel he found in a hotel somewhere along the way in his worldly travels. “It sounded like it made sense, so I tried it,” he said. He couldn’t even remember the name of the book, or if he ever even knew it. “I think the book cover had been torn off,” he recalled.

The one and only: Razz

Razz continues to be quite the reader (he doesn’t sleep much, noting, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”) – and he swaps books with several of his regular customers. But that’s not all they share. He says that his regulars are like family. “During the week we get an older crowd, and on the weekends the new younger crowd comes,” he says. “My older customers have seen my older kids grow up, and now my younger generation diners are seeing my younger kids grow.”

I didn’t think Razz could top the short ribs, but he did his very best with the mah mie goreng, and I have to admit the latter two dishes are tied for my favorite. This Asian-inspired dish is chock full of flavors – buckwheat noodles, pork, shrimp, chicken, almonds, and dried cranberries. A shrimp cracker sits at the bottom of the bowl and soaks up the flavors of this concoction – so your last bite encompasses every taste in the dish. A homemade five-pepper chili sauce spices things up, so keep a glass of water handy. This dish has crunch, bite, sweetness, spiciness – all fused perfectly together. By this point, I secretly wanted to unbutton my pants, but being that full has never stopped me from enjoying dessert. Razz presented us with a sampling of sweets – coconut pineapple crème caramel, Venezuelan chocolate pâté, and praline hazelnut cake. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, but the crème caramel was my personal favorite.

Dining at Razz’s is much more than just dinner – it’s an experience. Razz himself makes sure of it. And whether you are an old regular or a new diner, you’re bound to become family once you enter the doors of Razz’s Restaurant.