Chili-Lacquered New York Steak, Avocado Fries, Prickly Pear-BBQ Quail, and Yellowtail with Snack Mix-Dusted Tuna Highlight Robust "True American" Menu At New CORE Kitchen & Wine Bar
Marana, AZ (PRWEB) November 27, 2009 -- American menu favorites spiked with the brilliant colors and flavors of the Sonoran desert will debut when CORE Kitchen and Wine Bar opens next month at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Located north of Tucson in Marana, Arizona, the desert golf, spa and recreation resort and its four restaurants are scheduled to open on December 18.
CORE's vibrant and flavorful menu is the brainchild of artist-chef Joel Harrington and represents the debut of Harrington's True American Cuisine, patriotically inspired by the most beloved and accessible dining specialties of America's past 50 years. Calling upon his roots growing up and cooking on both coasts and in the U.S. heartland, Harrington has taken stylish American restaurant classics and injected them with a uniquely Arizona story and indigenous local ingredients. Harrington comes to Tucson from Dallas, where he was opening chef de cuisine for Fearing's Restaurant, named new restaurant of the year by Esquire Magazine in 2007 and ranked one of the world's top ten restaurants by Hotels Magazine as well as North America's #1 hotel restaurant in the 2009 Zagat Survey of North American Hotels, Resorts and Spas.
Menu highlights at CORE Kitchen and Wine Bar
Chili-Lacquered Dry-Aged New York Strip Steak with Nopales Relish, Avocado Fries and Poblano Sauce --
This dish was Chef Joel Harrington's first creation when he came to the desert from Dallas. The nopales cactus was a new ingredient for him, and after numerous attempts to highlight its flavor, Harrington landed upon simply grilling and seasoning it with lime and salt, and then adding a roasted corn relish at the last minute. The lacquer is based on Texas-style "mop" barbecue. Ranchers used to cook sides of beef over an open fire and mop the sauce on the beef. Here, the sauce is brushed on to caramelize and create a crust, offering the spicy-sweet flavor of Mexican chili candy. Avocados are sliced to look like steak fries and seasoned with coriander, cumin and lime, then breaded and deep-fried.
Yellowtail, Radish, Jalapeño Cream, Big Eye Tuna, Avocado, Japanese Snack Mix --
Celebrating the west coast popularity of seafood and Japanese-inspired cuisine, this specialty makes a play on the California sushi culture, using rice cake snack mix plus radishes and cucumbers cut to resemble rice. The snack mix is crushed, bringing a crunch to the Big Eye Tuna portion of the dish, not unlike the traditional "crunch" or crouton of a classic tartare.
Barbecued Quail, Pulled Rabbit/Tepary Bean Ragout, Mustard Crème Fraiche, Tabasco Gastrique --
The combination of quail and rabbit is very local, with both ingredients prevalent in the southwestern desert. The dish features tepary beans, a staple and source of protein for Native Americans for hundreds of years, while prickly pear cactus is used in the barbecue sauce, and Tabasco becomes the predominant flavor for the sauce used on the quail. The barbecue and rabbit are influenced by a dish Chef Joel's mother used to make for the family when he was a child in Vermont, and the chef's young son has become a huge quail fan as well.
Chipotle-Spiked Sweet Potato Bisque, Duck Confit, Onion Marmalade --
This flavorful soup offers a blend of spicy and sweet and is a play on the classic characteristics of duck à l'orange. Chilies are a big part of Arizona's flavor profile, and in this case the chipotle chili is used to bring spice to a sweet soup. The soup is finished with Vermont maple syrup, one of Harrington's favorite ingredients and a specialty brought in from a sugar house located just 20 minutes from the chef's home town. Duck confit from Sonoma is paired with an onion marmalade heavily-flavored with fresh orange juice harvested from the restaurant's on-site citrus grove.
Sunizona Field Greens, Black Mesa Ranch Goat Cheese, Roasted Candy-Stripe Beets, Almond Purée, Shallot Vinaigrette --
This crisp green salad features produce from Arizona's Sunizona greens as well as goat cheese from Black Mesa Ranch in Snowflake, Arizona. Nearby Sunizona features forty varieties of greens and herbs, while the goat cheese comes from some of Black Mesa's premier goats -- Marilyn, Ripley and Rosie, to name a few.
And For Dessert…
CORE's desserts pay homage to American sweets that have always tempted the young and young at heart. Specialties include:
About The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Nestled in the high Sonoran Desert is an invigorating playground where the adventurous can explore the lush desert along the Tortolitas Mountains and majestic Saguaro forest. The 850-acre property features a 250-room hotel, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa and luxury homes at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. The resort also features adventure programming and world class hiking, and is home to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships each spring in its striking canyon setting. This is a place where adventure and a gracious spirit of hospitality come to life. For reservation information, please call 1-800-241-3333 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 70 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates; Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona; and Lake Tahoe, California. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll- free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. ;
Media Contacts:
Bonnie Crail (Dining/Culinary)
CRAIL COMMUNICATIONS
(760) 732-3500
OR
Jennifer A. Pelczarski
THE RITZ-CARLTON, DOVE MOUNTAIN
(520) 572-3116
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