You’ve likely heard a lot about the ketogenic diet lately. There are a ton of groups popping up on social media. If you’re unfamiliar with this diet, though devotees often refer to it as a WOE (way of eating) instead of the dreaded D-word. This particular WOE is alluring to many as it allows for more fats than, well, any other diet on the planet. The objective is to reduce your carbohydrates and increase your dietary fat to such an extent that your body moves into ketosis and thus becomes efficient at burning fat into ketones which will then become fuel for the brain and body. It is an extremely complex process of adjusting your intake, but many have had extraordinary success at not merely losing weight but managing diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Some individuals feel like its close to impossible to dine out and remain dedicated to keto, without having to make a litany of substitutions. If you’re wanting to dine out on keto, we’ve found 6 menu options that are keto friendly and delectable!
Bitters
Meeting up for drinks with friends can bring on all sorts of keto-anxiety. Typically, happy hour fare is not going to sync up with keto but as it turns out the offerings at Bitters are anything but typical. Start out with savory kale chips ($7) with toasted garlic and a spicy sriracha aioli. If you’re looking for something more substantial pair Bitter’s satay ($11) (minus the crispy onions) and their crispy pork skins ($5) and you’ve got a small plate feast and if you stick with clear liquors and sugar-free mix-ins and you’ll have the happiest of hours.
Bootleggers Modern American Steakhouse
Stepping into Bootleggers, you’re instantly seized by the heady smoky aroma of succulent, stick-to-your-ribs meat being perfected here every day. When that smell strikes you, you’re going to want to indulge and luckily the infamous bacon board ($24) will be standing by just for you. You’ll receive five distinctive types of bacon to savor. You can order this on its own or pair it with their Cobb salad composed of pork belly, turkey, eggs, avocado, white cheddar and an herbed buttermilk ranch. Smoky, salty, satisfying goodness!
Citizen Public House
Photo Credit | iamchanelle photography
7111 E 5th Avenue | Scottsdale | 480.398.4208
CPH consistently serves up laid-back high society vibes and is broadly identified as the place where “the cool kids” eat. The dishes here are visionary, decadent and soul soothing all delivered up in a sleek setting. Their Chula swordfish dish ($32) is a keto friendly merger of buttery flakey fish perched atop a bed of squash noodles with shaved radish and yellow beets in a beurre blanc sauce. The consolidation of contrasting tones and textures makes for an impressive introduction to how great eating keto can be.
Kneaders Bakery & Cafe
Surprisingly, Kneaders provides an assortment of keto-friendly dishes starting with the omelet choices. You can choose between the Italian omelet or American omelet (both $5.99.) Both options are chock full of the ideal harmony of eggs, cheese, meat and veggies. For lunch, try their large green avocado salad ($8.99), a hearty blend of spring greens, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and avocado with ranch dressing on the side. They also have a turkey bacon avocado salad ($8.99) made up of Romaine, slow-roasted turkey, crisp bacon, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and ranch on the side.
Mowry & Cotton
Photo Credit | Mowry & Cotton
Inside the Phoenician Resort | 6000 E. Camelback Road | Scottsdale | 480.423.2530
This warm and welcoming newest addition to the Phoenician features a polished contemporary dining area and spacious patio dining. Pick your ideal spot first thing in the morning and then indulge in a crab omelet ($17). The buttery and somewhat salty Oaxacan cheese combined with the rich sweet essence of crab is exalted to decadent levels with Thai basil and an especially modest but flavorful red pepper coulis. Just skip the toast!
YC’s Mongolian Grill
Sometimes it can feel like you’re leaving your order up to chance at a restaurant. The menu provides you a snapshot of the dish elements but are they leaving anything out? At YC’s you put your bowl together yourself, mixing and matching as much protein and veggies as you would like. You even get to design your own sauces, so you’ll know that there aren’t any hidden elements that you typically wouldn’t be eating. If you are tempted by the noodles, make sure to try out their special kohlrabi noodles. Bowls range from $12.35 to $14.35, depending on your size choice.
Have you switched up your eating this year? Are you intrigued by the keto? Hopefully these keto friendly dishes in Scottsdale will make eating out an easy proposition!
I originally wrote this article for Scottsdale Health magazine and it appeared in the January 2018 issue first.
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© Taryn Jeffries 2018