Trophy’s Steakhouse - A Review
Well, yesterday was my birthday so my wife Karole came through (as usual) and had arranged dinner for the family. “Be home by 6:30″, she cautioned, but didn’t say where we were going. I was indeed home by 6:30 and arrived to find everyone spiffied up and ready to go. My daughter Mikaela even had donned a skirt, and was looking particularly pretty and all grown up! As it turns out, my wife had made 7:00 PM reservations for Trophy’s Steakhouse which I had been dying to try for a long time. Add to that the fact that it was almost literally around the corner and full of taxidermy - I was psyched! I don’t do many restaurant reviews, but thought that due to the hunting theme of Trophy’s, I would make an exception and give it a shot.
We arrived a bit early, but were seated immediately. As you pass through the big wooden doors (adorned with animal carvings) you are greeted with a wolf, a mountain lion, and a moose. The main dining area is ringed with caribou mounts, along with elk, bison, pronghorn and more. The centerpiece of the room is a giant display containing 5 or 6 varieties of bear, including a polar bear. Toward the back of the area the bar is set-up, with sheep and a musk ox behind. there is also a room or two for private events, off of the main area. The decor (besides the mounts) is very well done.
Our waitress Camille was awesome throughout. She didn’t hover, she didn’t disappear for extended periods of time. She was friendly and considerate, and helpful as well. So we started with the Elk and Buffalo Sliders. While we were waiting for those, the warm rolls were brought out, and they were great. The E&B Sliders were well presented, and yummy. Two loaded sliders were delivered - just enough for the 3 of us when divided into bite-sized pieces. My wife ordered the Shrimp Creole with salad, my daughter ordered a Trophy’s burger with fries, and I ordered the ribeye with sweet potato fries - led off with a bowl of Prime Rib soup.
The soup was well done. Lots of meat, thick broth, and big chunks of potato. Minimal seasoning made it a great lead-in. My wife’s salad looked fresh and well done as well. The main course arrived, and we really dug in. My daughter went on and on about her burger, insisting that it was the best she’d had. My wife enjoyed the shrimp dish as well. My steak? Quite possibly the best I’ve had, rivaled only by the one I had at Ruth’s Chris several years ago - also on my birthday coincidentally, and at almost twice the price. Seriously, the steak was THAT good. The veggies (French-style green beans) were cooked al dente and pretty tasty. I liked the sweet potato fries, but they were a first for me. I kept thinking I needed something to dip them in, to offset the sweetness. I tried ketchup and mustard, with the mustard actually coming out on top. What I really kept thinking was something akin to that onion ring sauce that you get at Burger King. Anyway, the fries were cooked to perfection and looked great, the jury is just still out - on a “personal taste” basis…
We were too full for dessert, but my wife and I did have a coffee. Coffee was rich and hot as well. The price was what you would expect for a steakhouse of this caliber. We only visit restaurants like this on special occasions, but we all agreed the quality of the food well exceeded the price. Long story short - be prepared to pay, but my family is unanimous - we think you’ll be happy. Our financial experience was “enhanced” by a gift certificate that my wife purchased on Restaurant.com.
My only suggestion is to maybe have an avenue for people who want to try wild game to dip their toe in the water. I imagine that sportsmen and outdoors people that visit the restaurant don’t have a problem with buffalo burgers, but I think this is a great opportunity to introduce more people into the world of wild game meat. A sampler platter or something similar may be a great way to accomplish this. Some people may be intrigued by kangaroo medallions or antelope sausage, but may be leery of ordering the full entree, lest they don’t like it.
You can find all of North America’s 29 Big Game animals at Trophy’s - it really is a sight to behold. They are located just east of Power Road, and slightly north of Germann. They are very easy to get to from the Loop 202 Santan freeway. I’m not sure about the economics of running a restaurant in this economy, especially one that is so hunter-friendly, and located in the southeast valley. That being said, I hope Trophy’s is able to flourish and prosper for a long time. They really are an awesome place to visit.
More about the family behind Trophy’s:
Trophy’s is owned by Kevin and Becky Dettler, who live in Gilbert, AZ at Power Ranch. Their sons, Kiel and Brett also manage the steakhouse.
Our theme is the “North American 29″. Showcased here are all “29″ species of big game animals that inhabit North America. All of these animals were taken by Kevin. They were all taken with the same .300 Weatherby rifle. The name Trophy’s came about, as every animal here has qualified for the Safari Club International (SCI) record book of trophy animals. Kevin belongs to SCI, a worldwide hunting organization with more than 200,000 members. In their record book there are less than 120 members who have taken and registered the “North American 29″. In order to take the “29″, a hunter has to hunt Alaska, many Canadian Provinces, a large number of Western US states, and a few states in Mexico. This endeavor takes the hunter from
glaciers, sea ice, tall remote mountains, deep canyons, deserts, and foothills. The weather ranges from -65 degrees below zero (hunting Polar bear or Muskox) to 90 degrees above zero (hunting Coues’ deer or Desert Bighorn sheep) Then there is rain, wind, and snow which seem to be a part of every successful
hunt. Emotions range from elation, disappointment, anger, exhaustion, frustration, and great sense of accomplishment. This only covers feelings on the first morning of the first day, of what
typically are 10-14 day hunts.The reason the “29″ is so elusive for many hunters, is because three things need to happen simultaneously for success. First, the hunter needs to be in great physical shape. It is not uncommon to be running six miles per day before a sheep or goat hunt. Second, a hunter needs to have the time to be gone for weeks at a time for each animal. In many cases, when trophy hunting, you come home without the animal you sought, and have to return again to hunt. Thirdly, a hunter needs the financial ability to cover the very high costs of hunting in North America. Kevin was very fortunate to have a very supportive family, including daughter Nicole, all of whom worked extra hard so he would have time to go hunting. Lastly, it didn’t hurt to have a somewhat understanding banker!
Kevin, Becky, Kiel and Brett Dettler
Posted on 26th September 2009
Under: Arizona News, General, Hunting, Products, Recipes | 3 Comments »