As an Arizona native and self proclaimed “foodie” I’m pretty dang savvy when it comes to the dining scene around town. My pick for the best restaurant of 2015 was narrowed down to a top 3 and as soon as I was ready to announce my pick, Buck and Rider opened it’s doors. (Don’t worry, I’ll reveal my runners up later this year- they are all awesome!) Needless to say, any restaurant claiming that their seafood is “flown to Arizona daily” peaked my attention and I had to get there ASAP. Buck and Rider does not disappoint in any sense. From the trendy atmosphere, to the attentive staff, and of course the incredible cuisine, this place takes the cake…or should I say pie? (more about that later.)
Here are my favorites:
Start with a sushi roll, any kind really. We opted for the traditional but not boring spicy tuna. The sushi at Buck and Rider will make you realize just how un-fresh other sushi in town is. Yikes. The tuna color alone is rich and judging by the taste, I bet that fat buttery fishy was swimming around not too many hours ago. Sad for the tuna. Yummy for us.
The Brussels Sprouts. Oh the glorious brussels sprouts. I don’t know where to begin about these divine little cabbages. They are sweet and charred with the most amazing goat cheese dipping sauce. Our waitress said she has customers that drive up from Tucson just to eat the brussels sprouts and I totally understand why. Just get them, trust me.
Entrees: The pan fried Loup De Mer (which sounds totally fancy but is quite simply prepared) is light and the ideal dish to pair with a heavier entree such as the lobster risotto. This was a New Years special but apparently makes an appearance often.
For dessert I have to stand by the lemon meringue pie and guess what? I don’t even like lemon meringue pie. The meringue is more like a creamy not too sweet marshmallow perfectly toasted and the buttery cookie like crust is a surprising twist. The actually filling tastes more like a creamy key lime which was fine by me! I licked the plate. Don’t judge, it was my last meal of 2015 before the new years diet kicked it.
As we enter a new year and embrace the new restaurants opening around town, I encourage you to get out in the community and give them a try. Support local businesses and take your taste buds on an adventure. Just make sure to adventure down to Buck and Rider to experience the freshest seafood in town. You may even spot a celebrity or 2 in the booth next to you…we sure did!
