Q: positive

A: I'm not a huge fan of buffet's in general, but this one stood out for me. It was pretty, and their presentation, at least for me, was a first. At $35 a person, it's not cheap, but their quality and selection, was pretty impressive. They portion out a lot of their food here, in small, personal sized sauce pans. They're freakin adorable! Also what's nice, is that, every portion looks perfect. The dessert section was good too. Try their bread pudding, I don't even really like bread pudding, but their's is great! Food: 4 Ambience: 5 Service: 4 Value: 2

Q: negative

A: This is a pretty big purchase for anyone to make, and wherever you end up buying from, I just hope you feel as you are being treated well and fairly! Good luck!

Q: positive

A: If "Au Pied de Cochon" were a rock band, it would be Queen circa 1979. And if Chef Marc Picard were a rockstar, he would be a latex-clad, cocaine-snorting, sex-crazed Freddie Mercury. This restaurant is pure rock 'n roll on a plate. Uncompromising, unhealthy, and unlike anything you've ever tasted. I had heard about it from my friend in Montreal, and like many others, had drooled in delight at the Bourdain "No Reservations" segment filmed at the restaurant. For a serious gourmand, foie gras is up there with caviar, truffles and oysters in the "leave your pre-conceptions behind" department. It is also one of the most delectable things on the planet, and Monsieur Picard simply knows how to do it. Right. There is simply no point in coming to this restaurant if you are not willing to put yourself, and your health, at risk. In all honesty, I would recommend three things: 1) A group of friends who love food, and by love I mean ADORE it. They must also love foie gras, specifically. 2) A full de-tox the day prior, with perhaps a few pieces of celery to keep the body going. But for God's sake, do not eat a regular meal within the 24 hour window period preceding the pig-out. This is a religious experience, and as such it must be treated with reverence, discipline, and a little fear. 3) Start smoking and/or go to the gym on a regular basis, because the only thing that can tame the foie gras coma you will be in is half-a-pack of smokes, or a swift 15-minute walk around the block right before dessert. With that in mind, we arrived prepared and loaded with cash. The place is expensive, but I am not even going to get into a financial dissection. How much would you pay to see Freddie Mercury live? Exactly. Some things exist beyond crumpled pieces of cash, or faded plastic credit cards. Some things are immortal- like Freddie, or foie gras. The clientele is generally quite youthful- between 25-40. Nobody in their right mind would eat here past 40 without a cardiologist by their side. It's a good space, not huge, with so-so acoustics. Realistically though, you won't have time to talk much since your mouths will be occupied 80-85% of the time. Think of it as a foie gras bordello, with you as the old hooker. So we began. We ordered a Foie Gras burger; pan-seared Foie Gras; the infamous Duck-in-a-can; the pig's foot; an assortment of vegetables; and an absolutely out-of-this-world bottle of Cotes de Provence. So good, in fact, that we went for the same bottle twice. Of course, we shared everything. The burger was "monstrous". The waiter had warned me, but I was on a suicidal mission and decided to order it as my appetizer. It's basically a lean beef burger doused in a balsamic reduction, with a slab of foie gras on top. The burger buns were crunchy and firm (presumably to hold the whole structure together), and though it needed some serious scaffolding work half-way through, it held together nicely. The whole thing was a knock-out punch to the senses. Strong, aromatic, but surprisingly well thought-out, with the foie gras giving a creamy after taste to each beefy bite. It is often the simplest dishes that reveal the true artistry in the kitchen, and the quality of ingredients. Please welcome dish numero deux, the pan-seared foie gras- possibly the simplest dish on the menu. Served with garlic crostini and a mild balsamic reduction (notice the trend), the foie gras was crispy on the outside but revealed a molten, sweet center. This is not the kind of foie gras we are often accustomed to- the mousse-like paste to be spread onto bread or toast. This is the liver itself, unprocessed and untainted. Beautiful. By this point we were starting to feel the calorific after-burn, but the best was yet to come. The duck-in-a-can is a mechanical marvel. A waiter comes over with a tin can labelled "canard en conserve". A deep plate is placed in front of you, and in it is a bed of pillowy mashed potatoes. The waiter then cracks the can open, and pours its content over the mashed potatoes. Magically, the mashed potatoes are joined by half a mallard duck, jus, foie gras, garlic, balsamic demi-glaze and other heavenly ingredients. There are literally are no words to describe the richness and exquisite taste. Comparing it to anything I'd previously eaten would border on criminal. Similarly, the pied de cochon is a delicate oven-roasted miracle stuffed with foie gras. It was at this point that my friend and I looked at each other and realized that we were born in the wrong century. In our food-fuelled daze, we saw each other as feudal lords, or kings, feasting on pig, engorged liver and wine, loving every second of it. The restaurant is essentially a time-warp to the land of gluttony. If Henry VIII were alive, he would have a permanent reservation in the back. Life is short, cholesterol is over-rated, and ducks are generally unimpressive creatures with little-to-no personality. Raise your glass to Monsieur Picard, and rock 'n roll.

Q: negative

A:
My husband and I are fairly recent transplants to the Valley and I'd been given a recommendation to check this place out for sushi. I'll start out by saying that the service was good and the sashimi that we order was fresh. After that it pretty much goes down hill. We spent $80 just on sushi, and both of us left there hungry. Steep prices are met by skimpy amounts of fish. The only normal sized item we were served was the salmon sashimi. One of our appetizers was yellowtail, and for $18 we were served 6 tiny slivers of tuna. The rolls, while I particularly enjoyed that they were the perfect bite sized amounts and looked pretty when it was served, primarily consisted of rice. Sorry, but a mouthful of rice is not what I'm looking for when spending $15+ on a roll. I'd actually like to have SOME fish in the roll. Everything but the sashimi pretty much lacked flavor and character. They touted when we got there that it was authentic Japanese, well, I hate to tell them it is far from it! Just because you have a very limited selection on your menu doesn't mean it is authentic Japanese. I've had sushi in Japan... and the Japanese would scoff at what was presented to us. If you want to pay for a "yuppy" Scottsdale vibe, then this is your place. But if you actually want fish with your sushi and to be fulfilled when you're done eating... I'd keep looking because Roka Akor doesn't cut it.