Dragonfly Cafe, 3.5 stars

Everyday dining

by Nikki Buchanan - Aug. 24, 2009 10:20 AM
Special for The Arizona Republic

Dragonfly Cafe

Cuisine: American.

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Sundays, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays.

Details: 10135 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. 480-614-5516, dragonflycafescottsdale.com.

Stars:  3.5

When Colleen Forgus sold the Dragonfly Cafe, I'll admit, I was worried, figuring this charming Scottsdale Ranch enclave for ladies who lunch would be ruined by troglodytes who couldn't or wouldn't emulate Forgus' feminine touch. And though it's true the place faltered a bit under second owners, it was sold again last fall to Jene and Pepper Shaffstall, who decided to keep the name and recapture the regulars who had made Dragonfly such a neighborhood favorite for breakfast and lunch.

How would they do it? Ironically, by moving away from the girlie salads and gorgeous cupcakes for which Forgus was famous and adding more hearty, substantial dishes to the menu. That's not the least bit surprising when you know that the Shaffstalls both worked for Chris Pischke at Pischke's Paradise for many years; in fact, Pepper was with Pischke when he made the Backstage a sensation earlier in his career. Meanwhile, Jene's resume includes El Tovar, the Other Place, the Anderson House and 17 years at Pischke's.

So naturally, they bring guy food as well as Pischke's laid-back, beach-boy philosophy to the table. Although a little sign over the bar, saying "Just another day in Paradise," is the only overt reference to Pischke, his presence is palpable both on the menu and in the sweet, solicitous way the Shaffstalls treat every customer: Go twice and you'll be recognized, three times and you'll be treated like an old friend.

Just like Pischke, the Shaffstalls offer three squares a day, incorporating elements from the old Pischke's menu as well as salads and lighter dishes that allude to the original Dragonfly.

When I discovered that chicken piquant is just another name for Pischke's sinfully rich Fire Island eggs, I was ecstatic. At breakfast, it's served over potatoes; at lunch, over boboli (the original way). But my server accommodated my request, giving me the lunch version for breakfast and adding two over-easy eggs, just like old times. Gotta have that puffy, pizzalike boboli, smothered in spicy white wine-and-cream sauce, chunky with chopped chicken breast, onions, mushrooms and green chile, the whole thing made even more gooey with melted Jack cheese ($11 for breakfast, $10 for lunch version, $1 eggs added). Sorry to say, garlicky Sonora potato-and-sausage hash, mixed with onion and red bell pepper and topped with two eggs couldn't begin to compete ($8). Next time, I'm going for bananas Foster French toast or house-made corned-beef hash topped with melted Havarti.

The lunch menu's cranberry chicken salad has a dainty ring to it, but wait till you see this thing: two generous scoops of tangy chicken salad, crunchy with celery and pecans, placed over a bed of greens, crisp lahvosh served alongside. Poppy-seed dressing added more syrupy sweetness to a dish already sweetened by dried cranberries, but you won't hear me complaining ($9).

And now I've discovered my favorite new tuna melt, albacore mixed with onion, garlic and mayo, piled high on whole wheat and topped with crisp bacon and Havarti, the whole assemblage grilled until the cheese melts ($10). Round out the meal with chips and a Coke, and life doesn't get much better.

Although the bruschetta from the dinner menu looks a bit amateurish, it tastes good. Small cubes of grilled steak piled atop sourdough toast with melted blue cheese, chopped tomatoes and basil should've been browned at higher heat, but that's a forgivable mistake ($8).

The woman next to me at the bar recommended the shrimp Parmesan, so I ordered it. Like two or three other current Dragonfly servers, she's a former Pischke's employee, and she hangs out here regularly, so I figured she knows what's what. And yep, she does. It's a simple, unpretentious dish of pan-seared shrimp and linguine, stirred with rustic tomato sauce and topped with panko-breaded, fried mozzarella. Americanized, yes, but tasty comfort food ($16). Too bad the au poivre burger wasn't half as successful. Neither the meat nor the brandy cream sauce tasted like much of anything ($10).

Creamy chocolate pudding and light, chocolate raisin-studded bread pudding topped with caramel bourbon sauce, both house-made, were our sweet, satisfying desserts (both $4).

The Shaffstalls have created a great little neighborhood restaurant by offering good food at affordable prices, all the while catering to their customers in small, winning ways (i.e., fresh water for dogs, who are welcome on the patio). Surely, Chris Pischke would be proud.

Have a recommendation? Contact Buchanan at everydaydining@arizonarepublic.com.

The Dragonfly Cafe: bringing back memories of my foodie past!

August 17th, 2009 admin 1 comment

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

As my birthday month comes to a close, I am struck with a sense of reflection about the past 31 years. Of course, now that I own a business that is based on food, much of this reflection is related to various food journeys I have taken both in Phoenix and nationwide.

When I was a child, my mother did not cook dinner at home on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Needless to say, we ate out.  A lot. I learned my appreciation for independent restaurants and of course, culinary adventures from my parents. A few years ago, my parents and I sat down and started counting the number of restaurants in Phoenix that we had eaten at. We lost count when the number reached 300.

Out of 300 Phoenix based restaurants, there are a myriad of foodie experiences that I remember vividly. Sadly, many of the restaurants that I loved over the years have closed their doors in the recent past. A few that hold incredible nostalgic value for me that are no longer with us are: Soma Café, Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar and the iconic Pischke’s Paradise.

When I discovered The Dragonfly Café, located at Mountain View and Via Linda in North Scottsdale, I had no idea that a little piece of my foodie past was about to be reincarnated!

This cozy café is located at the Scottsdale Mercado center next to Goldie’s Sports Bar. Owners Jene Shaffstall and Ann Pepper have been steady figures in the Phoenix restaurant scene for over 30 years. Little did I know, that these two have a long history with Pischke’s. Jene worked for Chris Pischke for 16 years and Pepper worked with Pischke for 13 years. I was elated! Perhaps I would once again taste the food of my college days that brought me so much satisfaction!

They opened in October of 2008 with a new menu that is full of old favorites from Pischke’s as well as many dishes with Jene’s unique flair.

I settled in on a bright and sunny Saturday morning at their bar that’s in the back of the café. Pepper (who is a character in the very best way!) kept me company and regaled me with tales of the Scottsdale restaurant scene of yester year.

I eagerly ordered my first course, the homemade shrimp chowder. It arrived piping hot and frankly; it was a meal in itself. It was so full of shrimp, poblano, and corn that I could have eaten it with a fork. I am always annoyed when I order a cup of chowder and the restaurant skimps on the seafood. Oh no. Not here. The chowder has a steady, slow burn that electrified my taste buds. The chowder is a shrimp-filled bowl of creamy, spicy intensity!

Since I was on my Foodie Nostalgia Tour 2009, I decided to be brave. I batted my eyelashes and asked Jene if he would recreate my favorite burger of the mid-nineties. “The Drinkwater Burger.” Straight off the Pischke’s menu. He quickly consulted one of his cooks who worked at the old restaurant, and the two of them remembered the recipe. I was giddy!

The Drinkwater Burger holds a special place in my heart for a couple of reasons. First, as a starving Sun Devil, my college friends and I would find ourselves at Pischke’s almost weekly and we shared a lot of laughs over those burgers. Second, I am a fan of Herb Drinkwater, Scottsdale’s beloved mayor during the 80s. I always felt honored to eat a burger named after a man whom I respected so much. I have a degree in Politics, and I am a foodie. Surely, you see the connection?!

My burger arrived. It looked exactly like the burger from my college dreams. Served on buttered sourdough bread, this burger was jam-packed with flavor. The meat was mixed with lavosh, onion, and egg and had a meatloaf consistency and taste. It was topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. I bit into it. A small symphony started playing in my mind. I think they were playing the ASU fight song?

I was so happy. I hope this review compels Jean to add it to the Fly’s menu as I am sure hoards of Foodies will flock in to try this culinary delight…Perhaps he should rename it the “Foodies Like Us” burger? Just a suggestion.  Needless to say, I am 100% certain that the other ½ lb burgers (five on the menu!) are equally delicious.

The burger was served with spiked cottage cheese, a spicy mixture of jalapeno, radish, green onion, yellow onion, garlic powder and Lawry’s seasoning. I am a huge fan of cottage cheese. Most restaurants seem to have taken it off their menus as a side item. I find this very unfortunate and am always pleased when I find it on a menu.

Next, Pepper brought me a taste of their Orzo salad. It had a hint of dill and was made with feta, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. The dressing was a light blend of oil and lemon. It rivals the spiked cottage cheese as a cold side item!

I was entering food coma zone 1 at this point, but could not say “no” when Pepper brought me a piece of homemade bread pudding and Jene’s chocolate pudding.

Let’s discuss the bread pudding first. Typically, I am not a fan. Most bread puddings I have tasted are soggy, and goopy. I was delighted to discover that Jene’s bread pudding was made from their day-old cinnamon rolls, homemade caramel and was topped with chocolate covered raisins! Wow! It had an eggy, French toast flavor that was sweetened by the caramel. I found myself looking forward to each bite and making sure I tasted a raisin as well. I was in bread pudding heaven. It will be hard to find another one of this caliber.

The homemade chocolate pudding had a silky and rich flavor that was simply decadent. Jello pudding would cower and hide from the Fly’s pudding if they were ever in a cage fight. I’m just sayin’…

This family-owned restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday for breakfast and lunch and Wednesday thru Saturday for all three meals.

The most expensive item on the menu is an $18 eight-ounce filet mignon. The prices generally range from $5-$12 and the quality is superb.

I look forward to many years of meals at the Dragonfly. In my next 30 years, I will probably surpass 500+ restaurants in Phoenix and here’s hoping the Dragonfly sticks around for all of them!

Check out more of Susie's Food Reviews at  www.foodieslikeus.com

Dragonfly Cafe, Scottsdale, AZ

The new owners have been running Dragonfly since last fall, we only rediscovered it a few weeks ago. Located in the stripmall at the corner of Via Linda and Mountain View it caters to the Scottsdale Ranch community.

The owner/Chef Gene is a very nice guy, takes the time to great customers and will listen to you. He went to culinary school in Portland, Oregon so we have had some interesting conversations about Oregon wines and cooking.

This morning I stopped by for breakfast and had coffee with their Bananas Foster French Toast. rum, butter, brown sugar and bananas saute' and poured over thick sliced French Toast $9.00. I also got an order to go of Buttermilk Pancakes for the queen, $4.00. Five wonderful light and fluffy small pancakes that the Queen said were the best she has had.

At dinner I went down there by myself thinking I would sit at the bar but it was already filled with a group of ladies having a great time.

I ordered their version of Chicken Marsala, had a little gorgonzola, grilled veggies and buttered linguine. Different from many marsala's I have had but I liked it. $14.00 Also had a couple of glasses of their house Cab (Penfold's) at $4.00 per glass.

They are opened Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Sunday they close at 2:30pm.

If you are looking for a locally owned small chef driven restaurant with reasonable prices then I would recommend giving it a try.

The Gelato Maker gelato bar is right next door, so if you pass on dessert at Dragonfly you can do a little Gelato close by, I tried the Rum Raisen tonight and it was wonderfu!.