Culinary Dropout – Scottsdale, Arizona
With a name like Culinary Dropout, you might expect an edgy and provocative venue, something hip and trendy where all the beautiful blonde women of Scottsdale come to mix with bad boys. That expectation might be reenforced by Old Town Scottsdale website which describes Culinary Dropout: “From the chefs on the line with silver-studded ears and Mohawk hairdo, to the inked-up, decked-out bar staff mixologists shaking and stirring some of the most creative cocktails, we’re all dropouts here.” Instead, we found a rather innocuous vibe, akin to maybe Chili’s on a slightly rowdy day. Most of the diners were coupled, some ferrying toddlers carrying the gene code that will propagate beautiful blondes. Others strode in with pampered pooches in strollers that cost more than our car. Live music was smooth and mellow, the antithesis of raucous rock we had expected. Heck, many people who might use that mild oath were among the crowd. Located in the pricey real estate section of Scottsdale’s Old Town (Waterfront), Culinary Dropout may defy any impression you may have based on its name alone. You might find, as we did, it’s family friendly, grandma approved. Now that I’ve ruined its reputation, let me tell you what…
