Gourmet grub without breaking the bank at Radda
By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: The 13-month-old Radda (named for the Italian hilltop town that wooed the cafe’s owners) has plenty of room for four more diners just after 8 p.m. on a Thursday. Service: Everything on the menu looks wonderful, which makes it impossible to make a decision. Thankfully, our jean-and-black-T-shirt-clad waitress — who’s also pulling hostess and bartender duty — sees us struggling and jumps in with “You could go eenie meenie meinee moe and you'd still be happy.” Now that’s the kind of enthusiasm I like to see!

Early on, she notices one of our two table votives is unlit and takes care of it. She stays on top of beverages throughout our nearly two-hour dinner. The only slip comes when I’m given the wrong entree. But our server quickly corrects the woman who brought out the main courses from the kitchen, and we hardly notice the mistake.

Meal: A four-course meal to remember, so sublime my husband was begging to go back the next day!

Dinner starts off with a white plate of carefully placed, beautiful bruschettas. The dish is dressed up further by two big, black grape bunches and a few halved strawberries.

The steak bruschetta has tender chunks of grilled, lightly seasoned meat atop toasted baguette slices spread with grain mustard and topped with roasted tomatoes. The shaved prosciutto version offers a nice balance of sweet and salty with its fig preserves and mascarpone cheese. Both are fabulous.

Our petite plate of five chorizo-stuffed dates scores less presentation points, but man, are they tasty. The two-bite, breakfastlike starter is not only stuffed with a delectable ground sausage but also wrapped in bacon and then browned in its own sweet juices.

We are pleasantly surprised when four small house salads are brought out (we were so enthralled by the menu, we hadn’t even noticed the fine print!). It’s one of the top three palate-pleasing side salads I’ve had in the Valley — a mix of fine greens (no iceberg or romaine), thin almond slices, shredded Parmesan and honey balsamic vinaigrette.

As for the main course, everything is cooked to perfection and paired with amazing rosemary new potatoes and grilled veggies. The butterflied chicken breast is plump, tender and moist, and the medium filet mignon cuts like butter and has a hot, pink middle with a dark crust.

The kicking coffee-jalapeño barbecue tri-tip and truffled pork tenderloin are wonderful as well, but the filet — with its Gorgonzola crumbles and thick balsamic reduction — is on par with the best cuts in Scottsdale steakhouses.

The big square of tiramisu and picture-perfect mini flourless chocolate cake look and taste just as lovely as everything else.

FYI: The lunch menu looks promising. It takes dinner elements and tweaks them a tad and adds some yummy-sounding paninis.

Scene: Votives and a pink-red glow from the bar create a cozy setting. Half the walls are avocado and the other half orange, with black tables, dark floors and velvety red couches in the front and back for relaxing with a bottle of wine. The bar has a couple of vases overflowing with large sunflowers, and each table is adorned with a single purple iris — a wonderful Tuscan touch.

Bathroom break: Guys and gals have their own private, nicely appointed restrooms.

Tab for four: $110 with tip and tax for a large bruschetta ($11), chorizo stuffed dates ($7), truffled pork tenderloin ($12.95), drunk chicken ($13.50), coffee-jalapeño barbecue since it doesn't seem to be in the official language of how it appears on the menu steak ($10.50), filet mignon balsamico ($18.95), tiramisu ($5.75) and torta di cioccolato ($5.75).

If work weren’t buying: If you want perfect portion sizes on pretty plates, go to Radda. If you want gourmet grub on a budget, go to Radda. The next time you go out to eat, go to Radda!

Scorecard
Food A-
Service B+
Scene B+
Bathrooms B+
Overall A-
Radda Caffe-Bar
7000 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale


Major cross streets: Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday Reservations accepted: Yes Health report: One major violation on June 30
Kid-friendly: No
Web site: www.raddacaffebar.com