By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

Ok..So.  Many foodies out there have asked us about great, independent restaurants in other parts of the valley aside from Central Phoenix and Scottsdale.  I recently had the opportunity to enjoy some culinary goodness on the West side of town at a restaurant called Arrowhead Grill.

My new friend Kristi and I met up at A.G. for dinner.  It’s located at 8280 W Union Hills Dr in Glendale, AZ.  With the convenience of the 101, you can exit on Union Hills, go one block west, and you’ll find it on the Northwest corner.

I entered the restaurant and was greeted by a beautiful wall of water. It immediately calmed me.  My week was crazy; I needed calming.  I sat at the bar while I waited for Kristi to show up and ordered a glass of the Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc that they had very reasonably priced at $7 per glass.

It seemed a little dark on the dining room side, but the bar area was nicely illuminated and cozy. I was also an immediate fan of the two bartenders, Rocky and Jamie.

I sipped (who am I kidding, downed) my Sauv Blanc and eagerly perused the menu.

Chef Owner Charles Schwerd has truly brought the “culinary it-factor” to the West Valley.  He has a very large variety of meat cuts (I’m sure if Susie would have been there, it would have brought a tear to her perfectly eye-lined eye).  For those of us that aren’t genetically driven to eat meat, there are plenty of seafood options and a variety of salads for lighter appetites.

By the time Kristi arrived, I was well versed on all the options on the menu and was feeling the additional calming effect of the wine I was drinking.

We had the good fortune to meet an off-duty bartender (Brian) who was able to make some outstanding recommendations to us as well as sending over a sampler of their deviled eggs.

You know how Susie feels about meat? I feel the same way about Deviled Eggs. Let me clarify: good deviled eggs.  These were perfect, with the right amount of mustard and to give it the kick it needed; horseradish!  They were presented on a four-stepped plate with dill for a bit of color.  It was a staircase of yellowy goodness!

Awesome Deviled Eggs - just plain awesome

Next on the block was the Louisiana Style BBQ Shrimp.  Bottom line, I love flavor and these were simply amazing.  Sizzling in butter and Bayou seasonings, it was a perfect way to start off my culinary experience.

Kristi and I were feeling a “surf and turf evening,” so we decided to split the 10oz Delmonico steak and the 8oz King Crab Legs.  For sides we ordered the sautéed green beans, sautéed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized sweet onions.

Sautéed Broccoli

Of course there is no way on God’s green earth that we could eat that much food, but following those amazing shrimp, I figured we couldn’t go wrong by trying a variety of foods and sides.

The chef (as we hope most would!) really understands what “medium” internal meat temperature is.  At too many places it’s a “guessing game” with meat temperatures. This occasionally causes me to send the cut back for adjustments.

In this case, it was spot on.  The steak was extremely moist, and not over-flavored with unnecessary spices.  Meat is meat. Don’t dress it up too much or you’re going to miss the whole experience.

Delmonico Steak and Crab Legs

The crab legs were nicely pre-cracked so I was able to enjoy the crabmeat in its entirety without the mess that traditionally comes along with it.

What can I say about the sides?  My new favorite word is “sautéed.”  I could go back just for the sides alone.

I won’t pretend that the bill was small, but Chef Charles does have a Prix Fixe menu for $34.95 that is impressive for the variety it offers.

Sautéed Green Beans

He also has a “bar steak” for $12 and 14 wines and Absolut Cocktails for $5 on Friday and Saturday nights. (9p-11p).  I will definitely avail myself to the weekend specials without having to break the bank.

Foodie Jay