Photos by Evie Carpenter and Amelia Goe
Location and Hours:1011 N. 3rd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-252-8900
Mon. to Tue. | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wed. to Sat. | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sun. | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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The first time I popped into Scratch French Cafe, located on the corner of Third and Roosevelt streets, I did not feel like I was waltzing into a typical French café and yet all I wanted to do was throw on a beret and dive head first into a bowl of foie gras.
I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this new bakery, which I knew was going to have my favorite dessert: the ever-so-French macaron. What I did not realize upon my arrival was that Scratch was more than a bakery. In fact, the bakery is more of an added perk. Scratch is a full-fledged restaurant complete with breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
I cruised in at 6 p.m. Tuesday and as the smiling faces of the staff nodded toward the tables as if to say “the place is yours,” I seated myself near a window to overlook the busy Roosevelt Street. The lunch menu was already at my table upon arrival, and although it was time to eat dinner, I did not ask for the dinner selection.
Food: 29/30
I simply could not pass up anything on the lunch menu, especially at such prices. The entrees on the dinner menu, which I found on Scratch’s website, did look amazing, but the 10 burgers they offer for both lunch and dinner are $3 more expensive at dinner time.
The Sandwiches:
The sandwich selection at Scratch is unique and I would certainly not find many of their options anywhere else in downtown Phoenix. All sandwiches are served on a choice of house French country bread, a rustic baguette or an organic flourless Ezekiel bread. They also come with a fresh spring garden salad with house vinaigrette, which was to die for.
I ordered the French melted brie with walnuts and cranberries on the Ezekiel bread. There is nothing I love more than seeing thick cheese oozing from between two perfectly toasted slices of bread. What butter means to Paula Deen is what cheese means to me.
The portion on my plate was plentiful and I only spent $7.25 for the nutritious, large and ever-so-tasty meal.
The Burgers:
All burgers are served on a brioche bun and come with tomato, onion and homemade mayonnaise, with a garden side salad. My friend ordered the lamb burger, complete with red peppers, cheddar, garlic, cilantro and mint. He asked for the burger to be cooked medium, and that is precisely what he got: a perfectly safe, pink middle with plenty of juices.
The Desserts:
Duc Liao, Scratch owner and chef, told me I had to try the L’Opéra, which is also known simply as the Opera Cake. Think of an Italian tiramisu, but add smooth buttercream and a chocolate glaze. The middle was a chocolate cake soaked in coffee and layered with an almond buttercream coffee ganache, all blanketed with a chocolate glaze that reminded me of a thin fondant. It is very popular and for good reason. We ordered the dessert with a cup of coffee. If I wanted to try to be more French in the city of Phoenix, there was not much more I could do. Although this small decadent dessert is worth every penny, that penny is pretty expensive for the portion. When my full meal comes at a price of $7.25, it is funny to think I paid $5.25 for a dessert.
Service: 30/30
I’ve been to plenty of Phoenix restaurants and I have a feeling that because the place is shiny and new, one cannot help but think all the faces around them are just as shiny and new. Everyone was more than accommodating, but no one was too overbearing. Liao is friendly, kind and very passionate about his food, which translates straight into every dish, whether or not he cooked it.
Atmosphere: 22/30
The outdoor patio is my favorite feature. White wrought iron seats have you feeling like you’ve arrived in a French garden, without the greenery and flowers of course. Inside feels a tad sterile, but I’m assuming it is because they’ve not finished putting the final touches on everything. The walls are all white with a cool mix of wooden molding and brickwork. The bar area is surrounded by fashion photography, all taken by the multitalented owner, Liao.
Wildcard: 9/10
The bakery part of Scratch has its own corner, making it detached from the restaurant portion of Scratch. This means that anytime I’m in the mood for something sweet, I don’t have to be seated and go through the formal event of arriving at a restaurant just to eat dessert. I can simply pop into the bakery, gaze through glass windows that show the yummy morsels without letting tempted hands touch the delicate pastries on the other side, and choose a tart or meringue. While this is great for my tastebuds, I can already tell this is not going to bode well for my wallet.
Final Score: 90/100
Contact the reporter at angoe@asu.edu
