Love the idea of having dinner made by culinary students. It is easy to find after reading the directions. It was not busy on Friday. They had one large party (whole section), medium size party (maybe 12 people) and our table of two. I was worried that the food will come out slow but they are so fast. The food is tasty. The spinach salad looks so simple but I love the dressing. I never have this dressing before but it is so memorable. The duck soup vide is to die for. The juicy duck meat goes very well with the sweet purple cabbage and potato gratin. At the end we got a big plate of dessert. 3 tiny desserts for each of us. I love the apricot cream puff the most. I felt like it is a bit hard to find cream puff on the restaurant menu in the valley. During the meal, the course instructor came to our table and talked to us. This place is cool and I felt like I help students in some ways. read more

Artichoke Grill - American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

As many other reviews have outlined: this is Scottsdale Community College's restaurant where the culinary students learn to work the front and back of the house. You definitely want to make a reservation for dinner. Your servers will also be your chef at some point. For dinner, you will have a few choices to make for a 4 course meal that will range about $26-30. The menus are predetermined for the most part and posted online in advance so you can pick which day you want to come. We spent 2 hours enjoying our meal but our pacing was slightly slow. Depending on your pace and your server I am sure this may be shorter or longer. The entrance to the restaurant is on the far side of campus more towards the east. Definitely check out a map upon arrival or online to ensure you find your way. Upon entering you are greeted by a host or hostess who will seat you. The dining room is clearly within a school building but has a nice ambiance for what you are walking into. We were introduced to our server who was super sweet. She first gave us a rundown of the menu and some items available that were not listed. She also took our drink order. They have mocktails as they can not serve alcohol. They do not have soda either. We tried the razzmatazz and the strawberry fauxjito. While the drinks would be great in theory we found them too sweet for or liking so maybe skip them since you can't add any vodka lol! You start with bread and butter which was fantastic. I am not sure if it was indeed rosemary on the butter but it was tasty. For appetizers we tried the Oysters Rockefeller and the Flatbread which had fennel on top and what seemed to be grapefruit or something similar. It was tart. The oysters were amazing. Next was a corn and black bean chowder, also excellent. We both tried the Sonoran chicken with green Chile mole and chicken enchilada. The chicken was outstanding as was the sauce, the enchilada was seemingly burnt. Again, these are students so it was a fun experience. Finally for dessert we had a chocolate cupcake and a cheesecake. The cupcake was delicious but the cheesecake wasn't. Overall for the price you have a fabulous meal, with great menu selections and extremely friendly service. The instructor walks around and introduces himself and explains the operation as you dine. It's great to support these students and also enjoy their creations. After your meal you can fill out a comment card to provide feedback and rate your courses. I'd recommend checking it out! read more

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My husband and I were looking for a different kind of dinner venue so we were excited to check out Desert Oasis! They only offer a 5-course dinner but we were happy to enjoy a relaxing dinner night together. They have their menu posted online and offer different selections on different days. The reservation process was easy as I was able to make one online & had no hassles being seated at the time we walked in! Our server was super friendly. We could tell that she was a little bit nervous but she described all the dishes that were delivered to us & was happy to answer any questions. We essentially ordered all items (with the exception of the entrées) so we could share them! On the evening we went, we selected the following options - Appetizers: Savory Chicken Crepe / Calamari & Octopus Soups: Oxtail Consommé / Cream of Asparagus Salads: Apple, Fig Pureé & Frisée / Arugula, Fennel, & Hearts of Palm Entrées: Dover Sole & Shrimp Mousseline / Duo of Pork Dessert: Chef's Dessert Sampler The entire meal was a lot of food! By the time dessert came around, we were so full that we actually took most of the sweet treats home. Of all the menu items, our favorite was the Savory Chicken Crepe, but overall we really enjoyed the full meal! The price seemed fair for what we got as well. Since they have different 5 course meals, we'd definitely go back! read more

Artichoke Grill - Calamari & Octopus / Savory Chicken Crepe / Oxtail Consommé / Cream of Asparagus. - American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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I enjoy eating at culinary schools which supports the students and provides a really nice meal at a very reasonable price. The Desert Oasis is no different. I came here for dinner in a party of 4. I did plan which week we came based partially on the menu which is posted in advance at Scottsdale Community College's website. My one complaint for the night was that the menu originally had a dessert I was looking forward to having, but the dessert course was changed to a sampler which didn't have much that I liked (personal preference). The food was very good. The service is sometimes rough, but hey, they're students learning their trade. The students are more than willing to explain their course of study to you, let you know where they are in the training, what they do next, and their plans. Some also have parts in making the different courses, and they love feedback to the meal. The host for the night helped with the appetizers, and explained how he was allowed to improvise a few things on the appetizer, which ended up being one of my favorite parts of the meal, so I was happy to tell him he had wonderful ideas for the food. Good job! I will continue to come back when I am in Scottsdale, and the Desert Oasis and Artichoke Grill are open. read more

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Artichoke Grill serves up a mix of more standard type entrees, sandwiches, and desserts, for a very reasonable price. Food preparation varies since they are all students cooking the food, but it provides them an opportunity to show off their cooking education. We went today and had the sea bass with roasted beets, and shared some desserts. Since they are towards the beginning of the semester, there are still some kinks to work out in the service and food department, but with patience, all will turn out all right. It's a good deal, since there aren't many places (if at all) that you will find a sea bass entree meal for less than $7. Unfortunately, my sea bass was still raw on the inside, but it was promptly returned, and they made a whole new entree for me. It was probably a bit ambitious for me to try a harder-to-prepare dish for students just starting out, but like I said, I give them credit for trying! read more

Better than 3 stars, but not quite a 4. 5 Course meal for $24.95 is a great deal. Pros: great value, try new things, quiet restaurant, students are trying to please Cons: not the hippest place (old restaurant decor vibe), no alcohol I have been to the Desert Oasis two times. My first time was more of 4 stars. This last visit was nice, but not as good as the first. The food was good, but did not seems as interesting or exciting. There was a lack of passion or love with the meal. I was not wowed like I am at other restaurants. This felt pretty standard and basic, but it is a good deal for the different foods you try. read more

Have been wanting to try this place for quite sometime and finally was able to make reservations about a month in advance. Simple place where students of the Scottsdale Community College Culinary School prepares and serves the meal. We started off with an Amuse Buche and then for an appetizer had the quail and salmon, then a salad, next was the soup where we had a tortilla soup and a potato soup, then the entrée was beef Wellington and sea bass with dessert of Beignets and a chocolate mousse. My wife and I tried to select different dishes so we could try as many items as possible. I enjoyed the tortilla soup and the sea bass the most. The Beignets were on the cold side and would have hit the mark if they were at least luke warm Quite a meal for $22 per person. The entire staff from chefs to waiters to receptionist were all student led. I liked how the dessert staff came out to show each d person dining the dessert creations. Good meal overall and well done Scottsdale Culinary School. read more

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The Artichoke Grill must be nearly invisible, else why so few reviews. Fortunately, I have special glasses that allow me to see it, and what a revelation it is! This is the sister restaurant to the Desert Oasis at Scottsdale Community College, and is run by the culinary program. This means students do the cooking (under master chef supervision), and the serving (which can sometimes be interesting, but is always pleasant). Artichoke Grill is open only for lunch (Desert Oasis is only dinner). You can order a soup and/or salad (about $3 each), or one of four entrees, usually a couple of sandwiches and a couple of hot dishes (about $7 each). A large dessert sampler is about $4. So you can make this a big meal, or you can go for just a quick lunch entree or salad. Either way the dishes are "dinner quality", approaching fine dining, which is astounding for the price. The ambiance is fine, with views of the campus, and the service is well-paced and "interesting" at times. You could easily eat here every day, except that they are not open every day, generally only Wednesday to Friday, and only when school is in session. Hint: Make reservations. Yes, for lunch. read more

Now open for lunch, dinners start next February. Wonderful to be back in dining room with modern looks by school's interior design dept. Fun to meet different students each week and try the rotating menu. Great dishes with quality ingredients and healthy options. The helpful staff is eager to accommodate special requests. Top notch service, beverages and food. read more

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You will not find a better deal in town in a most unique atmosphere. This student run restaurant is definitely a hidden gem in the desert and we like it that way! The menu changes every week so you can pick when best to go for your preferences. The students are so helpful and their professors ensure that you are having a great experience. We look forward to our semester visits! read more

Creative new dishes from international students read more

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We were invited by friends who have come here frequently to try the place. No need to rehash the concept: other reviewers have done that well. Our experiences: We ordered soup, salad and appetizer. The soup came out before the appetizer. The server made like this was intentional but I think he or the kitchen messed up. Not that it was a big deal, just disconcerting. I had the Oxtail Consomme. It was pretty watery with traces of beef flavor and some vegetables floating in it and some trace of fat from the beef. I didn't finish it...not that exciting. My wife and I love calamari, so we ordered the Crispy Calamari and Octopus Carpaccio. Imagine our surprise when the plate arrived with 4 little calamari, paper thin octopus, and a shot glass of ceviche. While all were very tasty, it was not very filling, to say the least. No wonder we kept asking for more bread! I will say, as another reviewer did, that everything was presented nicely with decoration, definitely done with care. Desserts were presented ahead of time, and all were good. Crepes Suzette were finished tableside. Then a small dessert sampler was also presented to the table after the check was delivered. So, the verdict: * Service - Good. Strong effort, friendly, and mostly good execution * Ambience - Very good. Relatively quiet, cozy * Food presentation - Excellent * Food taste - Overall very good * Value - While you get what you pay for, you will leave hungry unless a) you have a tiny tummy, or b) you drink lots of water with your meal (I did that and still wasn't full), or c) have lots of bread I'd go back with friends, but not too often, as I need my dining out dollar to go far. read more

Love the hand-crafted mocktails, sober drinks to start. I'm told their new liquor license is available for large group catering. Weekly menu items are modern selections in line with newly remodeled dining room. Enjoyed all 4-courses including freshly made breads. Desserts were beautiful, fun way to interact with students who made/show them off. Tips offered go toward their scholarship fund. Excellent service and a great value! read more

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The Desert Oasis was recommended by one of our dining group---and so glad she did. It was really a fun experience. I have a few overall comments: the service was excellent, presentation of every dish thoughtful and eye-appealing, and for the most part, though very good, the food was just a little better than cold. For appetizer, the choice was of shrimp and crab cakes or a wild mushroom ravioli. I chose the seafood and DH the ravioli. DH's comment on the ravioli: if it had been warmer that room temperature, it would have been exceptional. Having cadged a taste, I agree----the pasta dough was very thin and silky and cooked perfectly and the filling was rich and mushroom-y. My appetizer was not so successful. Though generously portioned, the shrimp were overcooked and I found the adorable little crab cakes to taste more of bread crumbs and Old Bay then crab. 2nd course: soup. DH and I both chose the Butternut Squash Soup. It was excellent. A rich, golden color and lovely spices really amped the squash flavor. Again, could have been warmer. This was the least interesting presentation---just a few sprinkled herbs in the center of the bowl. Several of our DC's had the New England Clam Chowder and approvingly commented on the quantity of clams and the rich flavor. 3rd: Salad. Island Jungle Salad or Citrus and Mint. Probably the least successful course, imho. I had the Island Jungle Salad. I really liked the soy sauce based vinaigrette but sadly, the roasted beets were not roasted enough and the papaya was unripe, both requiring some sawing with the table knife to get a bite. Micro green very fresh. But---and I admire the outside-of-the-box thinking, there was a wedge of coconut ice cream? ice milk? sorbet? as an ingredient and though it tasted very good, it was an odd, discordant note. My closest DC also had the Island Jungle Salad and agreed. DH had the Citrus and Mint Salad and he thought the dressing was far too acidic and he did not like it. Next: a palate cleanser of a tiny martini glass of sorbet---a tiny helpings of margarita flavored sorbet and a peach-licorice. You wouldn't think so, but the peach and anise flavor together was very delicate and delicious. Fourth: Entree. A choice of four---a NY strip with a parsnip puree and what I would call a potato hash, and a 2 inch section of bone marrow. I knew DH wouldn't eat that, so I called dibs immediately. I enjoyed the Duo of Duck (roast and confit) with a butternut squash puree and sauteed spinach. There was also a trio of lamb and I believe a salmon en croute. All the menfolk got the steak (of course, lol!) . DH said his was cooked perfectly to order and beautifully seasoned, but quality of beef meant he left about a third on his plate. In his opinion, potato hash was diced a little too small and portion too small and the parsnip puree was "okay". He said everything was very good, but wished there had been something to bring some "crunch" or texture. (BTW, bone marrow: good but perhaps could have been rendered a little longer, as it was still a little greasy and lacked the unctuous tongue feel you get from well-prepared marrow.) The Duck---my first slice was a tiny bit overcooked to my taste, but the remainder was sheer, delicious perfection. Perfectly rendered, just the right amount of pink, lovely seasoning. The confit was delicious---but how can you go wrong with duck simmered for hours in duck fat? Hell-llooo! The butternut squash puree---it was the silkiest, smoothest---literally satin on the palate. Delicious. It would have been nice if the very good soup had had that same incredible texture, not to bash it. One of our DC's preferred her duck cooked to medium and the kitchen produced exactly what she wanted---good job! Dessert: It was unique how they presented the desserts---the young chefs who prepared the dish walked around the dining room and presented their dish to each table in turn. It was Crepes Suzette, Apple Flip, Cheesecake Trio, and Extreme Chocolate Cake. I chose the cheesecake. DH had the Extreme Chocolate Cake. I am so happy I chose the cheesecake. The trio consisted of a caramel-coconut with a rum sauce, strawberry daiquiri with strawberry sauce and a margarita with a salted lime sauce. Each more delicious than the next. The Extreme Chocolate Cake---omg. Profoundly chocolate and served with a chocolate curl and chocolate ice cream. One bite of DH's and I was in chocolate OD. What a way to go. A wonderful meal, excellent service, and I can't wait to return for the next menu change. Thank you, SCC Culinary students---you done good! read more

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Always love lunch at artichoke Grille. This is a hidden gem in Phoenix. And it literally is hidden. Unless you know somebody, or have been there before it's really hard to find on the SCC campus. But if you do, this is a great place for lunch. Reservations are definitely encouraged, you even get points by reserving through open table. My last visit and was with two coworkers. We got the New York strip steak, panseared salmon, and poboy sandwich. All pretty solid, but the salmon stole the show. Love the bread baskets to! One of the added bonuses of eating at artichoke Grille, is that you are supporting the students in culinary school there. Your waiter is not a professional waiter, but is learning the front of the house this week, and will be making food or doing other back of the house preparations next week. I love the model, and it's great to have a culinary school in a public community college locally. read more

Friday march 4th An amuse bouche, appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert and sweet for UNDER $30? And well prepared AND well cooked and presented? Nahhh! Not possible right? Wrong! This place is fantabulous! The food is prepared and served by culinary students, and the tips actually go into a scholarship fund. The menu rotates throughout the semester, and the students are (mostly) allowed to execute recipes with their own interpretations. It's sometimes shockingly good. For example, this evening one of the sweets was a lavender cookie. Don't knock it 'til ya try it! It can be hard to get a reservation, so check the menu on line and try to get in! read more

What a hassle finding the restaurant on the rather large and spread out campus of Scottsdale Community College. It caused us to be 10 minutes late for our 6PM reservation, but we then waited till 6:30 to be seated. Our server, one of the culinary students, was a friendly young lady from LA who said our summers here were "really really HOT!" Physically a very pleasant and luxurious looking ambient with black tablecloths and white dishes and tons of silverware placed all about the service plate. A small basket of fresh warm breads and tiny plate of mini-swirls of soft butter were placed on our table by our student chef-server Taye. She smiled all the time and appeared to be having fun. We began our 5 course dinner with a surprise palate cleanser that was a single bite of cheese/toast/tomato, so small it was difficult to taste! My wife and I looked at each other with wonder as we thought it was our appetizer of salmon, the very thin little slice of a cherry tomato looked like it could be salmon. Our salmon appetizer was delicious albeit small making me wish it were 3 or 4 times larger, a theme for the rest of our meal. Delicious soup, tepid, not hot, followed, then by our salad which was tasty I think, but certainly needed to be much larger. My main dish was Veal Marsala, about a 2 1/2 inch piece of veal, some mushrooms and perhaps polenta with a nice sauce, again tasting great but needing to be enlarged at least 3 times! My wife had the Beef Wellington, similar in size to my veal dish, great tasting and leaving you wishing for more. The deserts were large. We chose the chef's Choice, a chocolate cake filled with strawberry compote with a chocolate dipped strawberry on the side. It was obviously done by an amateur, the chocolate on top too thick to cut through, too much filling and the dipped strawberry was over ripe and mushy! The chocolate had a really good taste and the filling was too tart. I noticed that all of the desserts were rather large. I guess that way you can go home pleasantly stuffed. We enjoyed the diversity of the menu selections, many of which if larger would have made this quite a memorable meal. It is worth coming to support the school and students and enjoy the luxury of a fancy 5 course dinner. read more

Went on December 6, 2017, for a banquet. My husband told them he is allergic to all forms of pepper -- vegetable and spice -- including green peppers, paprika, black pepper and others. They gave him a bowl of noodles with two scallops and garnished it with RED PEPPER. He removed the pepper and ate it. All night he has had severe diarrhea and this morning is vomiting. As for me I had the banquet fare -- a rib bone about 1" long with no meat at all on it -- only gristle and membrane. One scallop was the only protein on the plate. Servings of food were minuscule and food was room temperature and flavorless. The desserts looked like they had been ordered from a local bakery. Every one at the table was unhappy. At least my husband had a serving of food -- most people were envious of his bowl of noodles. It used to be fantastic but the last two years it has deteriorated dramatically. Last night was last time we will eat there. read more

The website refers you to OpenTable to make reservations. After placing a confirmed reservation, I met a friend at Desert Oasis only to find out that they could not take us. They explained that they wouldn't have enough food and our reservation had not made it to their scheduler, even though I had the confirmation email with me. Very frustrating! Especially so since I believe this is the only way to get a reservation. The food and service is good, but be careful of assuming you have a seat! read more

This is a school, and these are students, so adjust your expectations. The food was fine, but our wait staff was clearly nervous. He seemed flustered and unsure of himself when explaining the menu. He wasn't always readily available to refill our drinks or clear our plates. I really enjoyed my appetizer soup, but sincerely can't remember what I had as an entree. Clearly, it did not leave a lasting impression. The students give you a tour of the kitchen after your meal. It's a great program, and an interesting experience. Great to do once. read more

A real find in Scottsdale AZ for something unique! All student done from recipe composition to prep and product. Tasty lunch today served wonderfully by Brenda. A fun experience for out of town visitors (especially foodies) at a reasonable price. Fresh from scratch everything. Special kudos to the pastry gang though hard pressed to find better prepared sea bass. We will be back for sure as we have in the past. Book early. read more

They have wonderfully prepared food that is created by the amazing students in the Scottsdale Community College Culinary Program. They really put their all in making this amazing food! Be sure to stop in, at least once, and give it a try. It will be more than worth it! P.S. Be sure to order the house salad, also the special salad of the day. It is always unique and simply delicious. It will be different every time you visit. read more

The Desert Oasis (dinner) and The Artichoke Grill (lunch) are both fabulous. Great food at a very reasonable price. The real correct website address is: http://www.scottsdalecc.edu/academics/departments/htca/culinary-arts read more

We went last night (2/21/2020) celebrating a birthday. A total of six of us. The food we had was good. The first and second courses were delicous. Two people had the salmon, one was hot and one felt it was sitting around a little. Two people had the fresh herb roasted game hen, one was cooked well and one was very salty. The other two guests had the oxtail ravioli and they said they were delicous as well. Our waiter was wonderful and on point with taking the plates away and asking how good the food was. I enjoyed the pulled candy on the apple tart, the apple tart itself was good as well. The tarimisu was also good. I did not like the creme brulee, the top was good and crunchy but the creme was not set right and was really liquidy. I would recommend bringing back the trio of deserts. I would also recommend bringing back the comment cards so the students know how they did and can improve so they are ready for the real world. read more

Ok, so obviously this is a different experience because you have culinary students waiting tables so with that said, you need to remember that. They are cooks that are made to wait tables. We had Colin tonight and he was completely delighful. The ONLY things, as a server for 20 years, I would say was I wished he would've explained what we were eating. The menu tells what it is but nothing about the little extras and sauces. We had a 5 course meal for 60 bucks so no complaints there. We had.....wild mushroom ragout with goat cheese, seafood cakes (2) with a really nice sauce, no idea what it was, though. Butternut squash soup and NE clam chowder, both delicious! For the salad, we had a radicchio and asiago and some sort of fruit forward salad and again, both were super good. The scallops were in a lobster sauce of some sort and the short ribs were kinda tough but still pretty tasty with some kind of puree, some kind of gravy and a smear of mashed potatoes. There were 5 desserts to choose from but we just did the creme brulee. There was also a lady, who may be an instructor maybe, that was super nice and checked up on us a few times. Definitely want to come back and do this again. Its a culinary journey that I'm glad I went on. Thanks Colin! read more

The Artichoke Grill is NOT closed! My husband and I had lunch there today. The bread gasket was yummy filled with many treats: banana bread, cranberry muffin, two types of crackers, bread slice and roll. All were made by students and delicious. Next I had the Monte Cristo sandwich with roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and my husband had lamb with polenta. We both enjoyed our entrees. We shared the dessert sampler of tiramisu, creme brûlée and a nutty toffee like bar. The presentation was beautiful and all three were delicious. We plan to go back next month. The prices are reasonable ($21 including tip) for the two of us. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful dinner here. It's a school so food is prepared by students. We learned that they have rotations of different jobs: wait staff, kitchen, baking, etc. Food was excellent and so was the service. I tried their Moctail since they don't serve alcohol and it was a delicious alternative. I look forward to visiting again. read more

Greeted with you're early we're not ready. We were 10 min early for reservation. Menu was banquet style so we had no choice but to pay $15.50. Was online same morning and they had regular a la cartel menu posted. Asked about chicken dish. Was not told it was not boneless or skinless. Just talked about vegetables and sauce. Asked about desserts and comment was it was not wrotten on board. For end of semester students they have a lot to learn about front end. Creme brûlée was one of desserts. It was like a runny custard and full of berries. Fudge was ok but brownie like thing was awful. Nuts in two out of three desserts. Lots of folks have nut allergies. Make some choices without nuts. Salad was minuscule. Rolls were good. Not worth the price! Will not return. read more