Chef Matt Carter's Fat OX Opens Wednesday, November 16
Photo: 3rd Story
Stylish new modern Italian restaurant & lounge by the award-winning chef behind Zinc Bistro, The Mission and The House Brasserie
(PRESS RELEASE) (Scottsdale, Ariz.) - Named after the iconic Italian Bue Grasso cattle, food & wine festival, chef Matthew Carter's Fat OX officially opens to the public on Wednesday, November 16, 2016. Housed inside a striking, marble-lined and wood-accented space at the SW corner of Lincoln & Scottsdale roads, Fat OX serves up Chef Carter's modern takes on the authentic, ingredient-driven and hearty recipes of rural Italy. Think sharable starters such as hand-pulled cheeses, house-made pastas and signature Caesar salads made-to-order tableside, all paired with Fat OX's Italian-kissed cocktails, craft beers, and a globe-straddling wine list overseen by an in-house sommelier.
That said, the real stars here are the plate-buckling cuts of Prime steak, poultry and seafood that are slow-roasted over local mesquite, and then carved tableside by the skilled waitstaff. It's a nod to Italy's timeless cattle country of Piedmont and Tuscany, where much like in rural Arizona, generations of horsemen still work the land, raising their prized bue grasso or fat oxen before herding them to the tiny town of Carrú and parading them through a packed piazza to compete for the prestigious title of Fat OX Fair champion. Held each December, this wildly popular Fiera del Bue Grasso also attracts top chefs and winemakers from across Italy, and is highlighted by communal preparation of a traditional meat stew.
Photo: Nicky Hedayatzadeh
Tucked inside the Lincoln Plaza, Fat OX (6316 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-307-6900) joins Chef Carter's impressive portfolio of award-winning Valley restaurants, including Zinc Bistro, Carter's first restaurant launched more than 15 years ago, as well as The Mission and The House Brasserie in Scottsdale. Teaming up with Chef Carter are fellow Valley natives and longtime restaurateurs, Mark Drinkwater and Brian Raab. Fat OX marks the first partnership between these three industry veterans, with Drinkwater joining the long-term partnership of Carter and Raab. Prior to joining Carter and Raab, Drinkwater has owned and operated more than 10 hospitality concepts, including Drinkwater's City Hall (now Mastro's).
Back at Fat OX, settle in at the sleek ocean liner-style lounge for a more casual dinning experience and a gourmet cocktail, or step into the lively dining room for a multi course taste through Italy (including decadent desserts) that transports guests from the cattle country of Piedmont, to the pesto-scented Ligurian coast, to the sun-drenched fields of Sicily. Back in Scottsdale, guests will discover a four-section dinner-only menu featuring family-style starters, Italian cheeses, salumis and simply prepared vegetables, including the signature Caesar salad that's dressed-to-order via a tableside cart, as well as perfectly portioned, seasonally rotating pastas all made in-house or fatto en casa. But be sure to save room for the starring attraction: the secondi piatti, or main courses such as premium large-format meats and fish, such as fork-tender 40-oz. Porterhouse steaks, all slow roasted inside a custom wood-burning grill & rotisserie.
Handcrafted by the UK import, 3rd story Architecture & Interior design, Fat OX features 7,000 luxurious square-feet of versatile space that expertly blends the sleek, urbane look of Milan (luxurious leather, designer denim and a long marble-topped, brass-lined bar) with the rustic sensibilities of Arizona and Italy's cattle country, thanks to rich wood paneling and communal style tables. Seating 350 guests, and a total Fat OX boasts more than 2,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor private dining space, including a private dining event space hidden behind sliding wood doors imported from Italy and equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, Wi-Fi and other advanced technology accommodations. The private dining room includes a courtyard patio with a private full-service bar and personal bar staff, its own kitchen, banquet area and server station to provide an unparalleled dining experience for large groups. The Fat OX's on-site event coordinator, Stacie Ten Eyck, provides full-service event consulting, planning and management to create custom event accommodations, menu options and event diagrams for each event.
Fat OX is open nightly for dinner Sunday through Thursday (5 - 10 pm) and Friday through Saturday (5 - 11 pm) with weekend brunches (10 am - 3 pm) coming soon. For more information about Fat OX, please visit www.ilovefatox.com. To make a reservation at Fat OX, please call 480-307-6900.
Photo: 3rd Story