Hotel Valley Ho -- Scottsdale, AZ

First, we apologize for our absence and thank you for your patience.  Due to a myriad of reasons, Kenny and Sarah Love have decided to update our pretzel blog posts every month instead of bi-weekly.

Here's the next post for your reading pleasure.

On a random weekday, specifically Thursday, July 14th, 2022, Kenny and Sarah Love experienced the most interesting of tastings to date. We walked into a room with vintage decorum and a shabby chic feel. After we sat on the high stools at the bar top we were greeted by a bartender and procured a menu. 

The whole place had a 1950's atmosphere. Exploring the hotel was an appealing thought, but we were not guests, so we didn't.  Luckily, we did not have to be guests to experience our first official, "unofficial" pretzel review at ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho.

July 14, 2022

Hotel Valley Ho -- Scottsdale, AZ

GARLIC PRETZEL BOMB! (Yes, it was legitimately capitalized.) The lightly salted cream puff shaped pretzel was stuffed with garlic and mascarpone.

It was like a personal pan sized pizza but out came a hot a magnificent pretzel instead.

For the actual pretzel part, the nice crunch of the baked outside made way for a moist, soft and chewy (though not too chewy) inside. It felt different chewing the treat because of the stuffing, but it was just part of the deliciousness.

We were very impressed. Instead of a regular old pretzel we were presented with a nontraditional, culinary masterpiece; it was quite the unique snacking experience and one that spoiled us for sure!

Sadly, it appears they no longer have this exact item on the menu. It is a travesty for all those that did not get to experience it!

5.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Brat Haus -- Old Town Scottsdale, AZ

Mid-July 2022, we visited the Saguaro Hotel, which has been semi-recently renamed 'The Monarch'. In 2022, when we paid a visit to this treasure, there was a unique retro color scheme with curiosity shop furniture which was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The furniture vibed quite well with the color scheme. That afternoon we spent some time taking photos around the hotel grounds.

This first photo pictured was taken outside the lobby of the hotel on the front patio. Standing over Sarah Love is the skeleton of a saguaro cactus which is highlighted with a vibrant monochromatic green silhouette.

The lobby felt much like a scene from a Wes Anderson film in which you would expect nothing less than to be greeted by an overly enthusiastic lobby boy. If you are not familiar, Kenny definitely recommends checking out The Grand Budapest Hotel.

After our photo adventure, we meandered out to the pool area. Unfortunately, we had to cut the refreshing plunge short; fortunately, we saw a spectacular lightening display that illuminated the night sky. The following morning we walked to JOJO Coffeehouse Breakfast & Brunch and then we went for an amateur photoshoot with what Sarah Love referred to as "the Wall". The image faces the east so, I suppose "the Wall" would depict the Sonoran sun setting in the west behind several saguaro cacti.

July 13, 2022

Brat Haus -- Scottsdale, AZ

When we got to the Brat Haus we ordered a pretzel right away. The color was extremely dark, similar to molasses. It almost appeared to have been made of pumpernickel. The morsel had a traditional shape, but it was also a little elongated. There was an overabundance of salt on the coffee brown crust according to Sarah Love, but per Kenny it was moderate.

Soon the tasting began. Sarah Love stated it was the "hardest soft pretzel I've ever tasted (excluding Philly pretzels)". Although it was hard to chew, the baked appetizer was surprisingly buttery and had a unique flavor and texture that made it pop. A delectable beer cheese accompanied the tough treat.

3.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love