Photos by Jack Fitzpatrick
Grade: C+
The Arrogant Butcher, a pricey restaurant at the southeast corner of CityScape, is local restaurateur Sam Fox’s first endeavor in downtown Phoenix.
The high-profile eatery, marked with brightly lit signs, is adjacent to US Airways Center in the heart of downtown. Before its opening in February, The Arrogant Butcher was advertised as the kind of place the mayor would meet with influential businessmen, an upscale hangout for important people.
But after paying The Arrogant Butcher a visit, I hope Mayor Phil Gordon has never been there. It is an attempt by Fox Restaurant Concepts to ride downtown’s redevelopment to profits while ignoring what makes downtown unique. Fox tried to take an exact replica of what worked for him in Scottsdale, put it in Phoenix and call it “urban.” The only way in which The Arrogant Butcher fits in with its surroundings is its location in CityScape, which is also more suitable for the suburbs than for downtown.
I went to The Arrogant Butcher for the first time in April, and its atmosphere struck me as a feeble attempt at style. The waiters all wore the same clothes — white dress shirts, thin, black ties, jeans and converse sneakers. A dozen people wearing the same uniform, designed to not look like a uniform, was unsettling.
The Arrogant Butcher’s food partially makes up for the fact that it doesn’t belong downtown. It has several inventive dishes that taste good and have some creative twists.
The first time I went to The Arrogant Butcher, I tried the Thursday special: fried chicken and honey biscuits. The chicken was nowhere close to Lo-Lo’s, but was cooked well and not too greasy. The tastes of honey and chicken complemented each other and the meal was filling but sweet.
On our first visit, my friend ordered the sweet potato tortelli. I tried a few bites and immediately knew I had to come back for a second time. It was an interesting use of sweet potatoes and was served with mushrooms, spinach and hazelnuts.
I came back again to get the dish for myself, and tried the soft pretzels and provolone fondue for an appetizer. The pretzels were like a ballpark snack, except without the risk of being served cold or with too much salt.
My second fling with the sweet potato tortelli was slightly disappointing compared to my first taste. It was a little too sweet for an entire entrée and the mushrooms didn’t go well with the rest of the dish. Still, it’s one of the best dishes within a five-minute walk of the basketball arena, making it a good choice for a game night.
I would go back to The Arrogant Butcher if it were more affordable. The food is good, but it’s easy to spend $20 on a meal for one, and the atmosphere is a disappointment.
Successful downtown restaurants give customers a unique experience, like the history and architecture of Hanny’s or the tiny, mom-and-pop feeling of Matt’s Big Breakfast. The Arrogant Butcher is a nice restaurant with good food, but it does not contribute anything customers can’t find somewhere else.
Contact the critic at john.l.fitzpatrick@asu.edu
