Tinderbox Kitchen, Flagstaff, Arizona

If you know me and my dining patterns, you kind of knew that Tinderbox Kitchen had to be my first post. It's my place "where everybody knows my name," and they pretty much know what I drink, too.

My History with the Restaurant
"TBox," as it's known to its fans, is co-owned by Chef Scott Heinonen and manager Kevin Heinonen. I met Scott when he was the chef at another downtown restaurant, and he won me over by making chicken liver pate. Really. Right before TBox opened in 2009, I remember Scott calling me to say, "I'm opening up a new place, and I hope you'll try it." I've pretty much been at the restaurant at least once a month ever since.

Cuisine
Dubbed "American Comfort Food-Redefined," TBox dives into the currently uber-fashionable trend of high end reinterpretation of homestyle classics. We sometimes joke that this means dishes with pork. (It tends to be a meat centric menu, just as a word of warning to any vegetarians.) The menu changes every day, but here are a few of my favorites (and only one with pork!)

Pan roasted duck.
There are any number of preparations for this, and whatever is the selected way that night is going to be good.

Seared Scallops with Creamed Corn: 
If there's creamed corn with bacon on the menu, get it. 
Also, the scallops regardless of preparation are always big and tender, never overcooked.