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Stax Burger Bistro
4400 N. Scottsdale Rd.| 480-946-4222

     Got a craving for a good, old American hamburger? Then head to Stax Burger Bistro, located at the north end of the same building as The Breakfast Club. Stax has a nice indooroutdoor
feel when they open up the folding glass doors so that the outdoor patio flows into the restaurant’s interior. Inside, modern barstools line a counter
facing the full service bar while tables and chairs face the tall banquette seating along the wall.
     Our friendly server brought out water glasses; a refreshing slice of cucumber substituting for the usual lemon slice was an interesting twist. We started with a shared order of Onion Rings ($3) that came generously stacked in a metal miniature deep fry basket lined with paper. Real rounds of onion in a crisp crumb coating dipped in ketchup made for the perfect crunchy snack. Stax also offers sides of Tots ($3); steamed veggies or slaw ($4), along with delicious standbys such as
chili, soup. Other interesting offerings include Short Rib Baked Beans; Mac n’ Jack, Corn Off The Cob and even Hummus With Veggies (All $5).
     There is a complete list of bountiful salads under the listing “Rabbit Feed” ($8), including the traditional Caesar and Cobb along with a Caprese featuring hand pulled mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, shaved onions on greens with extra virgin olive oil and a balsamic reduction. Companion and I shared the Wedge of iceberg with grape tomatoes, cucumber and chives that came with a tasty pouring of homemade tasting Blue Cheese.
     Stax’ specialty, of course, is their burgers, which are oversized sliders. Being the traditionalist that I am, my first choice was the Beef ($4) topped with cheddar cheese. The buns are fresh and fat and for a few cents more you can
order buttermilk buns. The menu lists several recommended combinations that include Turkey ($4), the patty infused with spinach and topped with feta cheese and pico de gallo; the Buffalo ($5-Muenster cheese, peach BBQ sauce, pickled shallots) and a Veggie ($4) patty choice made from quinoa and black beans topped with guacamole, aioli and pico de gallo.
     We took our server’s advice and tried the day’s special Duck ($8) burger, made from a moist mix of ground duck breast topped with a sweet citrus relish that perfectly complimented the rich meat.
     Ignoring our server’s earlier suggestion of trying several different burgers, we happily had room for dessert. The Root Beer Float ($5) sounded tempting, but we opted to try a combination of their other three offerings—the Trio of Sweets ($12). The Chocolate Malt Brownie Sundae was a nice creamy mix of chocolate tastes and the big slab of Rocky Road Bread Pudding was studded with walnuts and trickled with chocolate sauce. But we both agreed the star of the three was the warm delectable Butterscotch Crème Brulee with its delectable crust over a creamy bottom with just the right hint of butterscotch.
     Besides the burger combos already created for you, Stax also allows patrons to build their own with lots of cheese choices; relishes (peach, mint, mango) and toppings (apple bacon, sautéed mushroom trio and foie gras).