La Fogata — Restaurant in Scottsdale

My company held our annual conference at the Scottsdale Resort and Spa this year and the food provided at the lunches on both days was provided by La Fogata if the branded napkins were any indication.

Both days were buffet style. The first day had a make your own caesar salad portion, with a fancy-looking caprese salad (which I tried for the first time and was quite pleased with it - the tomatoes were large and perfectly ripe). For the hot options of the meal, there was a thing of steak and potatoes, chicken parmesan, and some chicken that honestly looked like a big vat of kimchi in my opinion. The steak was impossible to cut through and looked like a roast beef puck you’d get out of a TV dinner entree. The potatoes were soft but had minimal flavor. The chicken parmesan was mostly breadcrumbs. The chicken inside was so tiny, it was laughable. Also, why was the chicken more on the pink side?? I asked an older coworker about it and he said it was fine as it was probably just the style of how it was cooked to not have it too dry. The majority of the chicken parm part was breadcrumbs because there was only a small spoonful of marinara sauce and a minuscule dollop of cheese on each thing of chicken. Not appetizing.

The second day featured a taco bar. There were both corn and flour tortillas, lettuce, shredded chicken, steak fajitas, rice, and a lot of various toppings. There was also a different kind of salad with (probably canned) mandarin orange slices and some kind of white shredded stuff that looked like coconut but wasn’t coconut. I don’t know what it was; I should’ve read the fine print next to the dish more. The “shredded” chicken was either too shredded or not shredded at all, and was also super spicy. I know I don’t have the highest spice tolerance, but that chicken had me blowing my nose at the end of the meal. Another thing I will add is on both days, only forks were provided. No spoons, and certainly no knives. I thought that was completely inconvenient. I had to tear through my “shredded” chicken with my fork and mouth looking like a caveman because the pieces that weren’t shredded were way too big to swallow in one go. The steak fajitas were okay, not the most flavorful fajitas I’ve had, but at least the guacamole was blended to smithereens which is how I prefer my guacamole.

I’m sure this place has better options or at least better servings when prepared in an actual restaurant setting, but I was not a happy camper after...

Our visit to Kitchen West was nothing short of exceptional. This restaurant has successfully blended an inviting atmosphere with superior service and quality cuisine, making it a truly memorable dining experience.

Our servers, John and Semaj, played a significant role in this outstanding experience. They demonstrated an impressive understanding of the menu, offering insightful recommendations that catered to the diverse tastes and dietary preferences of our large group. Their professionalism and attention to detail were evidenced by their perfect timing of service, ensuring our meals arrived hot and simultaneously, a task that often poses a challenge in many restaurants when catering for a sizable group.

John, in particular, went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction throughout the evening. His approach to customer service was commendable, striking the perfect balance between attentiveness and discretion. His frequent check-ins were never intrusive but served as a comforting assurance that our needs were being met.

Semaj shared a similar commitment to providing outstanding service, contributing to a dining experience that was seamless from start to finish. Together, John and Semaj functioned like a well-oiled machine, each complementing the other's efforts to deliver an impeccable...

I have a gluten allergy, so off the bat I am scared to eat at most places. However, when you pay a decent amount for the food- you assume the staff is well trained and your dishes are prepared with care. However, this was not the case. The first night I asked the staff member what could be made gluten free, she had absolutely no idea. So I mentioned that I would just have corn chips and salsa instead of how they usually prepare their nachos. The nachos came out and they had sauces on it. I mentioned again that I was worried this wasn't gluten free, she told me it was. That night I got extremely ill. Probably due to cross contamination or something in the sauce.

For breakfast- I told the server I was allergic to gluten and I could not have a bun on my breakfast burger. Burger came out with a bun.... I told them and they stated they would redo it. It then came out so raw it was inedible

Moral of the story. I know it's hard to cook for someone with an allergy. But the fact that I told people numerous times I was allergic to something and it still comes out on my plate is very scary.

Management handled it well and was kind but I would never eat here again. We left the hotel for the rest...