bourbon-and-bones-steak

Restaurant of the Week: Bourbon & Bones

Bourbon & Bones Chophouse and Bar, located on Scottsdale Road in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, is a callback to the upscale steakhouses of yesteryear.

Look at vintage photos of The Rat Pack or New York/New Jersey “businessmen” – chances are you’ll see them relaxing at a steakhouse, chortling with each other, cocktails in highballs, and a large steak situated in front of them. Many of the restaurants from that era are long gone, but Bourbon & Bones Chophouse and Bar successfully rekindles the atmosphere and service of days gone by. The large chalkboard with “The Bourbon” and “The Bones” is prominent, overlooking the swanky, leather and oak-filled dining room. The lively bar sits adjacent to the dining room, but with enough separation that unless the home team scores, you won’t notice it is at capacity.

bourbon-and-bones-interior

You probably expect to find a lengthy bourbon list when it’s in the name of the restaurant, and Bourbon & Bones exceeds expectations. There are three pages filled with bourbon and other whiskey selections. Classics like Woodford Reserve are easily found, but there are plenty of rare options to please the bourbon fanatic in your party. After a round of drinks with the first course, few things go better with steak than a good red wine. The wine list at Bourbon & Bones deserves as much recognition as the whiskey list. Sonoma and Napa make up a large percentage of the list with award-winners throughout, but the International Reds have some of the best old-world Italian wines that pair so perfectly with meat.

bourbon-and-bones-red-wine

The diverse seasonal menu is artfully executed by Executive Chef J Amonson. His years of experience in steakhouses is apparent with every course. A raw bar includes a Seafood Tower that you build from all the available options. A specific highlight is the West Coast Oysters, served by the half-dozen. Ask for them Rockefeller-style and you will not be disappointed. Other first course highlights from the appetizer section are the Grilled Octopus, sliced thin so guests scared off by tentacles can still enjoy the dish. The Chop House Meatballs use ground prime beef, sit atop button mushrooms and are complemented with a rich, earthy hunter sauce.

bourbon-and-bones-ribeye

The various chops on the menu are wet-aged for 28-days, save for two. There is a 14-day dry-aged Pork Chop and a 32-ounce, dry-aged Tomahawk Ribeye. There are various bone-in and boneless cuts. We went with Chef J’s recommendations and were presented with the “Slow & Low” Braised Pork Shank and the bone-in 26-ounce Ribeyea. In addition to being an underrated Beastie Boys track, the Slow & Low Braised Pork Shank is a sleeper in a menu full of classic favorites. The tender meat falls right off both bones. The country mashed potatoes were prepared perfectly and the sunny-side up egg adds an extra level of richness. The ribeye was cooked medium rare, thick and – as prime ribeye should be – contained considerable marbling. It was so flavorful, the “Over the Top” addition of getting the steak “Oscar-style” may have indeed been, um, over the top, but it made for an extra-decadent experience. Sides are served family-style and there are 13 options available.

bourbon-and-bones-dessert

After such a plentiful meal, you almost hope the dessert menu is unappealing. It is not. There are numerous dessert wines and ports if you prefer to just drink your dessert. If you still have room, you are rewarded with options like banana bread pudding, warm apple crumble and bourbon pecan butter cake, among others.

There will likely be leftovers, and that’s ok. When you have a meal like this, you’ll be happy to revisit it the next day.

Bourbon & Bones is open for dinner seven nights a week. Happy Hour is in the bar only, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information and to view the complete menu, visit bourbonandbonesaz.com.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*