Read about our stay at Indian Lakes Resort

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Daniel (Danny on the Money), Richard (Northern Sky Designs) and I go back a long ways... but it had been way too long indeed since the three of us had actually gotten together -- especially for something that was not work-related.  Calls had been placed to both of them months ago proposing a get-together, with no results.  Alas, our schedules seem to never allow any time for anything other than our jobs.  But it finally looked as though we had found a time and place when all three of us would be in the area at the same time.  I had asked Richard to choose a restaurant not too far away where we could all -- even our wives -- meet for dinner, drinks and laughter, three things we all really needed after the way 2008 had turned out!  I had promised that I would leave a review out of the mix... but after the evening we had, I just had to write about it.  So much for my promise, but I think they'll understand.

The selected venue -- Shiraz on the Water (Once upon a time the Sedona Grille...), at Indian Lakes Resort -- was a restaurant in which I had been interested for quite some time, and I was excited about finally having an occasion to go there.  Shiraz sits up above two levels of ponds which, in the warm season, must give the place quite a nice touch.  Even on this winter's night, the views were exceptional; the restaurant has lots of glass, all the way around.  I also noted that the restaurant had received the 2008 Wine Spectator Award for its immense selection of quality wines; there were over 700 bottles on the list and many were wines I have seen and sampled in very nice restaurants.  It was a nice feather in Shiraz's cap.

Arriving at 6:30 -- a bit early for the reservation -- I noted that the restaurant was fairly empty; even the bar was not as populated as I would have thought.  Was this a bad sign?  I had a few minutes, so I checked out Izzy and Moe's (the "speakeasy" on the lower level).  It offered dancing, live entertainment, karaoke and appetizers -- perhaps on another night...    The rest of the crew showed up by 6:45 and I quickly discovered that the lack of patrons was in no way related to the quality of the evening we were about to have. 

The dining room, broken into several sections, created the feeling of a small and intimate, yet uncrowded space.  All tables were covered with table cloths of either white or subdued shades of rust or olive; folded black cloth napkins were placed at each setting.  Appetizer plates with knives, water goblets and silverware graced the table, and very comfortable chairs upholstered with a dark green faux suede made dining even more comfortable.  Windows covered the entire perimeter and there wasn't a bad view in the room; even though it was cold and drab outside, the feeling was warm inside.  The ambience factor was high...

The menu provided plenty of imaginative and interesting choices.  We started the evening with cocktails (Grey Goose for me, Maker's Mark for Danny and Dewar's for Richard, the girls ordered 2005 Estancia Pinnacles Ranches Chardonnay) and some app's for the table, including Shrimp Shiraz ($8): Jumbo poached shrimp, avocado, tiger sauce, tamarind balsamic glaze, Duck Confit Flauta ($7): Mesquite smoked, salsa verde, flame-roasted corn garni, and King Crab Roll ($12): California style, roll, king crabmeat center, avocado, cucumber, wasabi, pickled ginger, spicy toasted sesame sauce.  All three were excellent; of special note was the real king crab in the center of the California rolls -- as stated on the menu -- which really made for a taste treat.  Danny loosened things up a bit when he unleashed one of his usual off-the-wall lines about Helicopter Ben (Bernanke) and the evening was off to a great start as we all laughed almost to the point of tears.

We took our time with appetizers, ordered another round and kibitzed about our friendships and how we had all fared in 2008.  Dinner choices were eventually decided and were necessarily varied, as we had promised to share flavors.  I had seen on the menu the proclamation that the steaks were Tallgrass beef (beef that is grass-fed and from a company started by Bill Kurtis).  So on this rare occasion, I decided that it was steak for me; I ordered the 8 oz. Prime Top Sirloin Steak ($18) topped with a Bleu cheese crust and a side of sautéed wild mushrooms, adding a Wedge Salad ($6) of iceberg lettuce topped with cucumber, tomato, red onion and Maytag Bleu cheese dressing.  Danny followed suit with a 12 oz. New York Strip steak ($29), only he decided to make it Oscar Style ($6) with a shitake crab cake, asparagus tips and Béarnaise.  Richard saw his favorite and ordered it: Rotisserie Duck ($18) with Hoisin sauce, mushrooms and grain pilaf.

The girls, a little more on the frugal and  dainty side, ordered lighter entrees: Lauren selected the Chicken Saltimbocca ($14) a new twist on an old favorite with prosciutto, fontina cheese, sage and mushrooms, Jennifer the Cedar Smoked Salmon Plank ($17) with duchesse of purple potato, sautéed spinach and Béarnaise sauce, and Yvonne the Summer Rainbow Pappardelle ($21), consisting of shrimp, lemon beurre blanc, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, asparagus and roasted peppers.

Well if ever there were a happier crew or one more content with an evening out to dinner, I'd like to see them.  The degree of silence is always one way of determining the quality of a meal and I was acutely aware that there was a sudden and immense silence as the dinners arrived and we all started to devour our feast.  The sharing proved that each not only liked what he or she had ordered, but liked what others ordered also...  The steaks were tender, juicy and cooked exactly as ordered, the shrimp and salmon tender and not overcooked, veggies were bright and al dente, plating was well done and eye appealing and the plates themselves were very hot.  When I asked for comments/complaints, I only heard two: Lauren's chicken was a tad dry and therefore a bit on the tough side (but otherwise tasty) and Richard didn't care much for the music: U-2 was played through the entire meal.  I know he doesn't like U-2 at all... personally, I didn't even hear the music with all the talk and laughter taking place.

The dessert menu was quite tempting with items like a Tiramisu Martini (Kahlua mascarpone custard), Eli's Cheesecake, Cappuccino Mini-cake and Death By Chocolate (I was certain Lauren would go for that one!), but everyone was too full.  We did linger with a final glass of wine, lamenting that we were unable to do this more often.  Looking on the more positive side, I was happy to be able to have the opportunity to share such fine things with such good friends.

At an awkward moment in the parking lot, when goodbyes were seemingly inadequate, Danny started up with Auld Lang Syne... and we all joined in for one chorus, followed by a final hearty round of laughter as we all parted company once again.

One final note about Shiraz on the Water.  The combination of great food at very reasonable prices, excellent service, accompanied by warm and relaxing ambience are the reason that this venue earns a solid Four Zins.  Make a reservation and perhaps grab a coupon from Restaurant.com for an even better value.  Just don't wait for the next New Year to go there!

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Ralph Pancetta
reviews@ralphpancetta.com