Casual service, great menu and tasty meal make lunch a success
By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: We waited about 15 minutes at 11:30 a.m. on a rainy Saturday.

Service: The youngish staffers here are casual and kind and seem to be pals with everyone (two different customers received big “haven’t seen you in forever” hugs). Clad in distressed blue jeans and an artsy black tee screened with a small, dark orange table, our waitress stopped by moments after we were seated to see whether we had spent our waiting time deciding what we wanted. She guessed right. Seconds later, our orders were in and we had two glasses of ice water, quickly followed by our coffee and juice drinks.

What we liked: The freshness and quality of the ingredients make everything at Orange Table a treat — from my side of “Wow, that’s really good” buttered, thick sourdough toast to the thin slices of seasoned, grilled chicken breast stacked on the chipotle chicken melt to our lattes' wonderful mix of espresso, Mexican chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, almond flavoring and steamed milk. Back to that mackin’ melt — it was built on golden grilled sourdough, then piled four inches high with evenly distributed slices of tender chicken, melted Cheddar and provolone cheeses, tomato, red onion, romaine lettuce and a zesty homemade chipotle-mayo sauce. It was a serious lip-smacker.

Scene: Green is the theme at this Scottsdale Center for the Arts neighbor. Half of the walls got a coat of fern paint, while the other half were covered in a soft sage. The counter and three-stool coffee bar are both topped with — you guessed it — tiny green tiles. The cafe, which displays local artist’s works, seats about 30 inside and out.

Bathroom break: Sweet! A new color! It’s lavender for the ladies in this bright, private restroom.

Tab for two: $31 with tip and tax for an omelet ($7), side of bacon ($2), chipotle chicken melt ($7), large orange juice ($3.50), Mexican chocolate latte ($3.25) and cream soda ($2).

Fantastic menu — can’t wait to eat my way through it.

Despite goopy omelet, Scottsdale restaurant is a good choice

By CHRIS PAGE If work weren’t buying:
Get Out

Wait: We stumbled into the Orange Table — not yet awake, bleary-eyed — at noon on a recent Sunday and were immediately given our choice of table.

Service: Orange Table’s staffed by a bunch of young, thin cuties in jeans and black tees and, of course, a few pairs of chunky black glasses. Our server was a skinny little trendy-boy who knew the menu well enough and quickly delivered our food and check.

What we liked: With its menu of staple favorites and gourmet touches, Orange Table is chi-chi Scottsdale’s answer to the breakfast greasy spoon joint. Granola, salmon bagels, funky pancakes in combinations like banana and coconut (the “monkey cake”) and — egad — jalapeño pecan. My companion ordered the Christopher bagel — cream cheese, apple, ham, raspberry jam — and the confluence of flavors was pleasantly subtle. My salmon omelet was less tasty: The salmon, tomatoes, capers and cream cheese are blended together to make an unappetizing goop in the middle of the eggs. Ick. Redemption came in the form of the monkey waffle — banana and coconut and the tastiest waffle batter this side of mama’s homemade (kinda reminded us of a fairground funnel cake) — and the tastiest soy iced mocha in Scottsdale.

Scene: Orange Table’s hipster bistro aesthetic means there’s a small, ever-shifting gallery of funky abstract art on the walls and a dining room that’s lightly cluttered with stuff. For the morning-bleary, the decor is a gradual wake-up call, not an offense to the eyes. And of course there’s the obligatory Scottsdale electronica soundtrack overhead.

Bathroom break: Sweet Smurfy McSmurf, the cramped men’s room is blue. Like a member of Blue Man Group was slaughtered in there. But at least it’s clean.

Tab for two: $30 with tax and tip for the Christopher sandwich ($5.50), monkey waffle ($7.50), salmon omelet ($7) and iced mocha ($2.75).
If work weren’t buying: Orange Table’s a slick pick for casual breakfast if you’re in that neck of the woods, and it’s a smurfin’ great start for a date spent wandering the Scottsdale Center for the Arts/SMoCA campus.

Orange Table
7373 E. Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale

Major cross streets: Between Drinkwater Boulevard and Scottsdale Road, one block north of Second Street in the Scottsdale Mall
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.-Mon., 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri-Sat.
Reservations accepted? No
Most recent health report: No major violations on Dec. 8
Kid friendly? Yes