Digestif in Scottsdale serves up absinthe and "Cal-ital food for the soul"

Meanwhile, rich nebbiolo reduction made an undistinguished strip steak into something craveable — I was grateful for a piece of bread to soak it up. Crispy-skin duck breast lived up to its name, and was served with a savory potato gratin, layered with olives and leeks. And three plump sea scallops, seared just so, were served atop cauliflower purée, with three kinds of roasted McClendon Farms cauliflower.

Pastry chef Tracy Dempsey's dessert menu was full of temptations. The olive oil cake wasn't as moist as I'd hoped (probably because it was a single-serving cake), but since it was accompanied by peppered strawberries, blackberries, and brûléed sabayon, I liked it — eaten in one bite, the dense cake, juicy berries, and creamy sauce tasted like strawberry shortcake with a twist. I expected something beyond the classic lemon tart that was the lemon-polenta crostata, but its side of smooth lemon/thyme/blackberry gelato held my attention. However, the Torta Gianduia, flourless chocolate-hazelnut cake, was rockin' on its own, with hazelnut ice cream and brandy-soaked cherries as an extra bonus.

And about those digestifs: Try them. You probably haven't heard of most of these concoctions (I hadn't), and the notion of drinking Jägermeister might conjure some rowdy memories (or maybe that's just me). But they're a fun way to end the meal, truly a pleasant surprise.

You could say the same about Digestif itself.