La Zozzona, acclaimed Chef Richard Blais’ first Arizona restaurant, is now open at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort. The Italian-focused menu is inspired by Chef Blais’ extensive travels throughout the cities and countryside of Italy.
A restauranteur, James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author, and TV personality, Chef Blais began his culinary career training under some of the world’s most respected chefs, including Chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry and Chef Daniel Boulud at his flagship Restaurant Daniel. Blais has designed and launched popular restaurants across the country including Ember & Rye in Carlsbad, Calif.
For La Zozzona (the name translates to “messy delicious” in Italian), Chef Blais worked with Wimbly Interiors to bring the vision of his first Arizona restaurant to life. The 183-seat restaurant boasts a minimalist and modern design with antique touches. A wall of glass doors opens up to patio seating, creating an indoor/outdoor dining space.
To begin your dining experience in this elegant restaurant, each guest is served a taste of sparkling wine for a celebratory toast to start the meal. Blais’ menu at La Zozzona is an innovative and playful take on classic Italian cuisine. The menu begins with Cicchetti, meaning “small plates” in Italian. Standouts include the house-made crispy mozzarella that is large enough to hold in both hands and oozes melted cheese. The canned tuna crudo is a very refined take on a can of tuna, served with lemon and olive oil and toasted bread. Burrata rightfully has its own section on the menu, with options including basil pesto or millionaire style with lobster and caviar. We personally loved the simplicity of the olive oil and sea salt variation because it really let the delicious burrata shine.
For entrees, the pasta is of course a main feature of this menu. Pastas that are both made daily in-house, as well as dried pastas imported from Italy, are both offered. Chef Blais’ signature Rigatoni ‘Alla Zozzona’ is made with guanciale, sausage, tomato, chili, and pecorino romano. The lobster raviolo features cherry tomato, ricotta, lemon, and basil. The Cuts and Catches section of the menu pays homage to the steak preparations of Tuscany and the seafood found on the Italian coasts. Blais is known for his steaks at Ember & Rye, so we were not surprised to see some stellar beef cuts on the menu, including a pancetta-wrapped filet of beef with Barolo demi-glace and gorgonzola fonduta–so deliciously decadent, and a prime beef porterhouse brushed with rosemary and sage. For a seafood dish, enjoy the Neptune swordfish chop with Sicilian olives, cherry tomatoes, and capers.
Save room for classic Italian desserts, most notably the tiramisu, made with espresso- and rum-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder served tableside. Other desserts on the menu include a Sicilian cannoli, affogato, and a selection of seasonal gelatos.
The beverage program at La Zozzona focuses on Italian flavors that complement the food with a nice selection of cocktails and a robust wine list that showcases renowned winemakers from around the world, predominantly Italy. There are also several Italian and local Arizona-brewed beers, as well as alcoholic options.
La Zozzona is open daily for dinner starting at 5 p.m. For more information about La Zozzona at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Scottsdale, and to see the complete menu, visit lazozzona.com.
7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85258