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Phoenix: Wrights at the Biltmore Resort

2400 East Missouri Avenue , Phone: 602-381-7632
www.arizonabiltmore.com/Dining/Wrights.aspx
Closing day: none

Reviewed by: Rome Addict from AZ, review #3022

When: 2008

Brunch at the Biltmore, overpriced and undervalue

We went to Wrights Sunday Brunch for DH's 60th birthday party. As background - Wrights is the signature restaurant at the Arizona Biltmore. The Biltmore is the grand old dame of AZ resorts and was designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Stars from Marilyn Monroe to Marilyn Manson have stayed at the Biltmore. To this day it retains its grandeur and reputation for fine service and cuisine.

The dining room is spectacular with great craftsman style ambiance in its decoration. In Arizona brunch, particularly Sunday brunch is a big deal at our destination resorts. With seven destination resorts in Phoenix (most of them with Michelin 3-5 stars) brunch is the meal where the chefs traditionally pour it on at a price us poor locals can afford.

I invited 7 friends to join us as I had won $200 worth of gift certificates to the resort on a radio contest.

The resort advertises their Sunday Brunch as costing $30. What they don't say is "sort of costing $30". If you want the standard cold buffet it is $30. If say you want an omelet, eggs benedict, etc. the price goes up.

We had virtually the entire "supplemental cost" menu at the table with other people ordering something different. With the exception of the eggs benedict every single dish disappointed. My banana bread french toast was gummy, friend's omelets were either overcooked or the ingredients were underdone. Nothing like overcooked eggs and underdone peppers to turn you off an omelet.

The buffet itself had the standard selection of shrimp, salmon, caviar. There were croissants, bagels, breads, various fruits and a wonderful selection of miniature "tasting" desserts. Nothing particularly spectacular and certainly nothing worthy of the standard $30 price tag.

Coffee is $4+ extra/per person as is orange juice. Service after the first round was virtually non-existant with one of our party finally giving up and grabbing coffee pots and removing dishes to a side table. For this the restaurant added a mandatory 18% tip. The waitress knew she was going to get that much regardless so she disregarded us.

When compared to the Phoenician, the Camelback Inn, Paradise Palms, Scottsdale Princess, etc Wrights comes up at the bottom of the Sunday brunch parade. If you want a fancy brunch experience pay the $45 at any of these other resorts and get made to order omelets, fresh grilled lamb, scallops, free beverages included (including champagne) and a much better selection of hot and cold dishes.

If you are staying at the Biltmore and just want breakfast? Go off resort to the Scottsdale mall. There's a Denny's across the street. It's a better value for better food.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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