Normally when I talk about restaurants, I focus on the food. But for Culinary Dropout, I am going to focus on the decor and atmosphere because wow! I was so blown away.
Before I get more into the decor, let me spend a brief moment on the food.
I'll be honest up front and say that I thought the food was okay, and I say this because I've been spoiled by my other Fox Restaurant Concepts favorites like True Food, Greene House, and Olive and Ivy. People may argue with me on Culinary Dropouts food compared to those three, but I speak too as someone who eats mostly vegan with a little meat, and CD is pretty nil on vegan options. In CD's menu, there are plenty of fancy bar foods plus meat dishes, I will say that.
The one dish that I did enjoy that was a special of the day was the beets. I don't remember what they did with the beets but I have lingering memories of its goodness so that's what matters. They should make the beets a regular thing.
The other touch I really enjoyed is how the wine comes out in these glass carafes and they have these beautifully designed tags on them. The designer in me was so impressed with that detail because good design anywhere involves attention to even the smallest of details. Whoever, was responsible for the overall look and feel of everything in Culinary Dropout did an amazing job.
So, let's get back to the decor because the place is so cool looking that I can overlook the food. I just like hanging out in there in the big comfy Alice in Wonderland type chairs. The energy in the place is hip without feeling too hipster, if that makes sense especially since the place is also smack dab in the middle of "the scene" in Scottsdale. Coming from Northern California, I'm tickled by how pockets of Scottsdale are very LA. Nor-cal and So-cal are two entirely different planets in my book.
I don't know who Fox Restaurant Concepts hired to decorate and style the place but the designer in me was really impressed with the combination of patterns, materials, and colors. There were so many strong patterns, colors, and textures in that place that in other hands it could have quickly gone, "what were you thinking?" with Carson Kressley in the background making his ick face. These designers here are truly talented and have an amazing eye.
Let's go on a little tour shall we...The second you walk in the door at the host stand you are greeted with a visual stylish candyland. On the left side is this huge open bar area where you can hang out and enjoy appies and drinks, or you can eat at a table. All the tables have huge cushy chairs.
The feature I loved the most in the place are the huge chandeliers. Those things are absolutely stunning without being too girlie or garish. Chandeliers just remind me of Barbie houses in Texas. Okay sorry, a bit of my mean girl just slipped out. Look at these things. I couldn't stop staring at them.
The kitchen is open to the floor and the entire wall is a vibrant purple with swirly patterns. Again, a combo like that can easily go South but here it works well.
In one of the open table areas near the front door, the tables and chairs are different. Again, there is a whole lot of action going on with colors, patterns, and textures. Usually in interior design, you will see a consistency in materials but in Culinary Dropout they are able to mix velvet, leather, and wood, with swirls and stripes, and with bold colors. Again, it takes amazing talent to make these busy combos work well together.
In the back from the entrance, where we sat is the stage where a band will play at night. I loved how they had the old B&W pictures of legendary musicians like the Boss. He looked so young back then.
So, there you have just a few shots of the inside of Culinary Dropout, and you can see why it was a visual heaven for me. One day, I would really love to meet the designers who made the place such a stunning place to hang out. Again, mucho kudos to their design genius.
If I can add in my two cents into the suggestion box, Culinary Dropout please work on adding more vegetarian/vegan options to the menu...just saying!
Note: all photos taken with an iPhone 3GS
