Latitude 30 Restaurant

Over the centuries, those intrepid mariners brought the traditions, cuisines and their distinctive cultures to the West.

Using this ancient trade route as a jumping off point for inspiration, this Phoenix restaurant created an eclectic menu of fusion cuisine - melding ingredients and concepts from all over the Pacific Rim.

The restaurant exterior is reminescent of the Spanish Colonial style

Latitude 30 is the fine dining spot at the Arizona Grand Resort, formerly known as the Pointe South Mountain Resort.

It’s conveniently located on the periphery of the property, making for easy access from Interstate 10 and downtown Phoenix.

Latitude 30’s diverse menu emphasizes Asian preparations and ingredients.

Eastern herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables and items such as papaya, wasabi and miso are married with Western elements like sun-dried tomatoes, green peppercorns and artichokes.

We were intrigued by the variety of unique-sounding starters at Latitude 30, such as:

• pan-roasted blue crab cake with tomato confit, arugula and herb salad and chipotle-citronella aioli ($11),
• red pepper-infused "open" ravioli accompanied by summer artichokes and portobello mushrooms and a charred corn-Humboldt fog cheese fondue ($9),
• summer vegetable miso soup topped with grilled chicken and butternut squash filled shu-mai - a type of Chinese dumpling - and drizzled with an infused, curried chile oil($8).

Entrées like the four peppercorn grilled filet mignon with an herb-infused sweet potato and sunchoke mash and a jade pesto cream sauce ($30) also reflect the fusion concept.

The outdoor patio at Latitude 30 restaurant

Desserts at Latitude 30 are just as creative as the other menu items.

We found it hard to choose from the diverse creations such as the Tahitian vanilla bean cheesecake with macadamia nut crust, cherry-lime reduction and lilikoi pearl coulis ($8).

A unique take on traditional crème brulée was the grouping of five different flavors – chocolate, coconut, coffee, passion fruit and vanilla – each served in a Chinese soup spoon accompanied by caramelized puff pastry sticks ($8).

For guests who just want to stop in for a drink, the Fusion Bar at Latitude 30 offers a selection of specialty drinks and appetizers, some of which are not on the regular dinner menu.

Bar food selections include:

• stuffed olives and sourdough loaf with sun dried tomato basil pesto ($8),
• fresh fish, portobello mushroom and Walla-Walla onion tempura with potato straws served with mango ketchup ($9).

The restaurant's dining room has a nautical theme

On the contrary, we were surprised to discover that it has an almost old fashioned feel.

In keeping with the mariner theme, Latitude 30’s interior has thick mahogany-colored beams that reminded us of the schooners of "Pirates of the Caribbean" fame.

Half moon booths of dark green cloth and leather line the walls and dark wood tables fill the center.

The floor is covered in green and yellow carpet with maritime-like symbols.

Large, mullioned windows take up one wall, looking out onto the garden patio. Again, we were reminded of those old sailing ships.

The restaurant is split level, with dining seating downstairs. The upper level contains the Fusion Bar and more dining areas.

Low lighting contributes to the nautical ambience.

As this is a resort restaurant, families are welcome. Signs in Pointe South Mountain’s elevators encourage parents to bring their children to dinner.

During our evening visit, the young children of one family ran between the tables and frequently screamed.

It turned out to be a halibut ceviche with honey microgreens - essentially a little salad of very young lettuces and herbs - and a balsamic reduction.

High wood-beamed ceilings and mullioned windows evoke an old sailing ship ambiance

This morsel was topped with a scattering of finely chopped onion and red bell pepper. It had a nice balance of sweet and tart and soft and crisp.

For our appetizer, we chose the tiger prawn spring roll ($10) which consisted of a thick, wonton-style wrapper around a fine chop of tiger prawns and vegetables.

The rolls were cut into four large pieces accompanied by a salad of rice noodles, finely shredded carrots, and red bell peppers and served with a citrus sweet and sour sauce.

They had a slightly chewy texture but the filling was delicious and the sauce had a wonderful sweet-sour flavor.

Main courses at Latitude 30 are generously portioned.

The tangerine citrus-crusted Alaskan halibut ($26) had a stacked presentation with the filet placed on top of a Himalayan red rice pilaf and drizzled with sherry shiso beurre rouge.

The fish was moist and had a pleasant citrusy flavor without being tart.

A thick garnish of fine jicama and beet ribbons, lightly fried, was piled high atop the fish to complete the presentation.

A sauté of seasonal vegetables including carrots, asparagus and green beans accompanied the entrées.

An organic chicken breast stuffed with sun dried tomato, parmesan and spinach with a fingerling potato "risotto" and a cognac shallot natural jus ($20) was intensely flavorful.

The chicken was rolled around the filling, baked and placed on top of the delicious and buttery potato "risotto" and finished with the same garnishing pile of jicama and beet strips. It, too, was moist and delicious.

We had a hard time choosing dessert as so many of the offerings sounded intriguing and tempting.

Ultimately, chocolate won us over in the guise of a chocolate lava cake with a lemongrass-infused white chocolate core, black currant tea anglaise sauce and pistachio ice cream ($8).

The cake was a perfect round with a deep chocolate flavor, neither too sweet nor too rich.

When we broke into the cake, the white chocolate interior oozed out in a satisfyingly thick, warm stream.

It had just a hint of evocative lemongrass flavor that really complemented the dark chocolate.

Every element was yummy and we ate every bite.

Latitude 30’s wait staff is mostly young but very courteous, friendly and completely unpretentious.

However, the service was sometimes unsure.

The courses weren’t always properly timed such that we hadn’t finished with our appetizers before the entrées arrived.

High Points:    Creative menu, good food, friendly staff.

Low Points:    Arrival of dishes not properly timed. Can be noisy due to guests’ rambunctious children.

Location:    South Phoenix near Tempe

Address:    8000 South Arizona Grand Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85044

Google Map Directions: Click on "+" and "-" signs on Map Controls in upper left hand corner to zoom in and out on the location.

Phone:    (602) 431-6472

Hours:
Restaurant: Tuesday - Saturday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Fusion Bar: Tuesday - Saturday 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Friday - Saturday 5:00 pm – 12:00 am
Bar food available from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Reservations:    Accepted
Note: The Arizona Grand Resort (formerly Pointe South Mountain) is a popular resort. Be sure to make advance reservations during the busy winter-spring tourist season.

Dress:    Business casual

Vegetarian Options:    A few

Good for Families/Kids:    The restaurant welcomes families but parents should be aware that this is a gourmet food venue.

Wine List:    List focuses on selections from wineries along the Pacific Coast

Smoking Policy:    No Smoking

Parking:    Easy, ample parking right outside restaurant.

Credit Cards Accepted:    Yes

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