Four Seasons Scottsdale’s New Restaurant: ‘Proof’ you don’t have to travel to the MidWest for comfort food

I’ve always said that one of the Valley’s most romantic spots sits up away from the city at Four Seasons Scottsdale Troon North, be it a relaxing staycation or dinner with someone special. Talavera is one of our favorite fine-dining dinner restaurants and offers one of the best sunset views you’ll find. They recently opened up a new restaurant concept, Proof, which offers great American comfort food, but a tad lighter on your budget than Talavera.

Proof occupies the space previously used by Crescent Moon, though the design has been completely re-done to fit the new concept. Immediately entering, it feels as if you’re taking a MidWest road trip through some of my personal favorite states. Western accents make the large space feel masculine and nostalgic items are found all throughout the dining room adding a bit of whim and warmth. A soda machine draws your gaze at the bar (try their Root Beer on tap) while vintage candies displayed in large glass jars take you back to your childhood memories. Train tracks run through the dining room allowing community dining tables to move with ease as they can glide around the room to accomodate bigger parties. Think “wild western saloon meets old time-y malt shop.” The concept and design truly is unlike any of the restaurants I’ve visited so far in Phoenix. Music ranged from easy listening to disco to Annie Lennox and even a little taste of The Beetles on my visit. Outside is a large patio offering the same great views as Talavera.

The menu is product of Executive Sous Chef Jesse Hansen who is quickly becoming one of my new favorite chefs. I had the opportunity to meet him briefly as he made his way around the tables in the dining room – I thought it was super neat that he was dressed in a mechanic’s uniform complete with a name patch and all instead of traditional chef garb. How cool is that?! Chef Jesse used his own experiences from road-tripping across the US to create dishes for the menu and sources from many local artisans and growers. As a nod to his travels, beverage menus are displayed inside these cool license plate ‘books’:

Though the Thyme Square cocktail $12 (farmers organic fin, grapefruit, thyme, old fashioned bitters, house made sour, and ginger ale) and Broadway Coupe $14 (hanger one citrus vodka, rhubarb bitters, hum liqueur, thatcher’s elderflower, lemon and basil) caught my eye, I went with a non-alcoholic drink – the Lavender Dry Soda which was not too sweet, very refreshing and plenty bubbly.

My companion ordered the Beer Sampler which included 3 Arizona craft beers and a California brew.

The appetizer list is incredibly tempting. I’m already planning another visit so I can try a few more. Narrowing down my decision wasn’t easy, but I went with the Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab Remoulade $11 and Duck Fries $15.

Namesake of one of my favorite classic movies, I’ll never pass up the chance at a good order of fried green tomatoes. These did not disappoint with their crispy, golden-brown, cornmeal crust and generous dollops of tangy, crab remoulade to add a bit of creaminess and bright pop of flavor.

We could smell the Duck Fries as they were delivered to our table… perfectly crisp, hand-cut fries were topped with generous amounts of shredded duck confit (which had tons of salty flavor), AZ cheese curds, scallions and gravy. An absolute must-order.

We shared two salads before the entrees and both were instant winners. The Beet, Goat Cheese and Duck Salad $20 gave us more of that mouthwateringly delicious duck confit that we loved from the fries. The traditional beet-and-goat-cheese salad is one of my very favorite salad courses, but the addition of duck just took it to a whole new level. Sunizona baby red oak lettuce was lightly tossed with a sweet-and-slightly-sour sour grape vinaigrette then added to tender beets, tangy dollops of creamy goat cheese (sourced from Black Mesa Ranch), pickled red onions and topped with a heaping portion of duck and croutons. YUM.

Equally delicious, but possibly even more intriguing was the Chop and Pop $15, Chef’s interpretation of a traditional chop salad, but with an interesting ‘pop’ of texture. Instead of croutons, popcorn is sprinkled on top (!!!) for crunch. I’m a huge crouton lover and have been known to take more than just a scoopful when making salads, but I was completely sold on this popcorn idea and can’t wait to use it in my own preparations at home. The popcorn soaks in olive oil and aromatic thyme and other seasonings before it’s popped and the flavors really come through in the finished product. I found that it added great texture and a bit of fun to the salad. Veggies including radish, colorful tomatoes, peppers, snap peas, cucumbers, broccoli, and white and purple cauliflower were all slightly crisp and married together in a creamy green goddess dressing and sprinkled with feta. Every bite was full of flavor, color and texture… I could eat this salad every day!

For entrees, I selected the Chicken Fried Buffalo $28 – I’m an Oklahoma girl; why would I order anything else? The huge hunk of meat (really, the portion was giant) had a gorgeous crust that was very well-seasoned all on its own. Add the velvety, buttermilk mashed potatoes and rich, mushroom red eye gravy in the same bite and you have yourself a little piece of heaven. Vibrant sautéed veggies and caramelized Brussels sprouts were plated on the side and even though the meal was indulgent, the veggies weren’t left untouched.

My dinner partner ordered the Beer Can Chicken $22 (half order) and loved every bite. Crispy skin and great color. The bird was brined for 18 hours and marinated for 24 with resulted in an incredibly tender and flavorful meal. Gravy is served on the side in a bright orange, Le Creuset dish. Just like my plate, buttermilk mashed potatoes and roasted veggies were plated as sides. If you’re not one to order chicken when dining out and splurging on a meal, don’t let that stop you here… the Beer Can Chicken is one of most popular dishes and worth every bite!

Dessert only brought more raves… be sure to save up some room because you won’t want to miss their milkshake or float selections. The Coke & Cherry Float brings back memories as a kid. Order it ‘spiked’ for a new, grown-up memory.

Being a malt and chocoholic, I had to try the Triple Chocolate Whopper Malt for an almost death-by-chocolate experience. The shake was so thick and creamy; it reminded me of my favorite ice cream shop in Texas. I only wish I had more room to have enjoyed the whole thing.  Whatever you do, don’t pass up dessert!

There’s plenty for kids here too. Kids’ meals are served in vintage TV-tray style dishes and instead of crayons and paper, they get an Etch-A-Sketch to fiddle with until dinner is ready!

Learn more about Proof at proofcanteen.com and plan your visit soon. Keep up with them on Facebook and Twitter too!

*This meal was provided to us complimentary as a part of a media invitation. However, this has no effect on our opinions and comments regarding our experience. View our Disclosure Policy for further explanation.