By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

As my birthday month comes to a close, I am struck with a sense of reflection about the past 31 years. Of course, now that I own a business that is based on food, much of this reflection is related to various food journeys I have taken both in Phoenix and nationwide.

When I was a child, my mother did not cook dinner at home on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Needless to say, we ate out.  A lot. I learned my appreciation for independent restaurants and of course, culinary adventures from my parents. A few years ago, my parents and I sat down and started counting the number of restaurants in Phoenix that we had eaten at. We lost count when the number reached 300.

Out of 300 Phoenix based restaurants, there are a myriad of foodie experiences that I remember vividly. Sadly, many of the restaurants that I loved over the years have closed their doors in the recent past. A few that hold incredible nostalgic value for me that are no longer with us are: Soma Café, Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar and the iconic Pischke’s Paradise.

When I discovered The Dragonfly Café, located at Mountain View and Via Linda in North Scottsdale, I had no idea that a little piece of my foodie past was about to be reincarnated!

A view from the front...

This cozy café is located at the Scottsdale Mercado center next to Goldie’s Sports Bar. Owners Jene Shaffstall and Ann Pepper have been steady figures in the Phoenix restaurant scene for over 30 years. Little did I know, that these two have a long history with Pischke’s. Jene worked for Chris Pischke for 16 years and Pepper worked with Pischke for 13 years. I was elated! Perhaps I would once again taste the food of my college days that brought me so much satisfaction!

A busy Saturday morning at The Fly.

They opened in October of 2008 with a new menu that is full of old favorites from Pischke’s as well as many dishes with Jene’s unique flair.

I settled in on a bright and sunny Saturday morning at their bar that’s in the back of the café. Pepper (who is a character in the very best way!) kept me company and regaled me with tales of the Scottsdale restaurant scene of yester year.

I eagerly ordered my first course, the homemade shrimp chowder. It arrived piping hot and frankly; it was a meal in itself. It was so full of shrimp, poblano, and corn that I could have eaten it with a fork. I am always annoyed when I order a cup of chowder and the restaurant skimps on the seafood. Oh no. Not here. The chowder has a steady, slow burn that electrified my taste buds. The chowder is a shrimp-filled bowl of creamy, spicy intensity!

Spicy Shrimp Chowder Mania!

Since I was on my Foodie Nostalgia Tour 2009, I decided to be brave. I batted my eyelashes and asked Jene if he would recreate my favorite burger of the mid-nineties. “The Drinkwater Burger.” Straight off the Pischke’s menu. He quickly consulted one of his cooks who worked at the old restaurant, and the two of them remembered the recipe. I was giddy!

Behold! The Drinkwater Burger!

The Drinkwater Burger holds a special place in my heart for a couple of reasons. First, as a starving Sun Devil, my college friends and I would find ourselves at Pischke’s almost weekly and we shared a lot of laughs over those burgers. Second, I am a fan of Herb Drinkwater, Scottsdale’s beloved mayor during the 80s. I always felt honored to eat a burger named after a man whom I respected so much. I have a degree in Politics, and I am a foodie. Surely, you see the connection?!

My burger arrived. It looked exactly like the burger from my college dreams. Served on buttered sourdough bread, this burger was jam-packed with flavor. The meat was mixed with lavosh, onion, and egg and had a meatloaf consistency and taste. It was topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. I bit into it. A small symphony started playing in my mind. I think they were playing the ASU fight song?

I was so happy. I hope this review compels Jean to add it to the Fly’s menu as I am sure hoards of Foodies will flock in to try this culinary delight…Perhaps he should rename it the “Foodies Like Us” burger? Just a suggestion.  Needless to say, I am 100% certain that the other ½ lb burgers (five on the menu!) are equally delicious.

The burger was served with spiked cottage cheese, a spicy mixture of jalapeno, radish, green onion, yellow onion, garlic powder and Lawry’s seasoning. I am a huge fan of cottage cheese. Most restaurants seem to have taken it off their menus as a side item. I find this very unfortunate and am always pleased when I find it on a menu.

Spicy, creamy spiked cottage cheese

Next, Pepper brought me a taste of their Orzo salad. It had a hint of dill and was made with feta, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. The dressing was a light blend of oil and lemon. It rivals the spiked cottage cheese as a cold side item!

I was entering food coma zone 1 at this point, but could not say “no” when Pepper brought me a piece of homemade bread pudding and Jene’s chocolate pudding.

Let’s discuss the bread pudding first. Typically, I am not a fan. Most bread puddings I have tasted are soggy, and goopy. I was delighted to discover that Jene’s bread pudding was made from their day-old cinnamon rolls, homemade caramel and was topped with chocolate covered raisins! Wow! It had an eggy, French toast flavor that was sweetened by the caramel. I found myself looking forward to each bite and making sure I tasted a raisin as well. I was in bread pudding heaven. It will be hard to find another one of this caliber.

Delicious bread pudding!

The homemade chocolate pudding had a silky and rich flavor that was simply decadent. Jello pudding would cower and hide from the Fly’s pudding if they were ever in a cage fight. I’m just sayin’…

This family-owned restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday for breakfast and lunch and Wednesday thru Saturday for all three meals.

The most expensive item on the menu is an $18 eight-ounce filet mignon. The prices generally range from $5-$12 and the quality is superb.

I look forward to many years of meals at the Dragonfly. In my next 30 years, I will probably surpass 500+ restaurants in Phoenix and here’s hoping the Dragonfly sticks around for all of them!