HoliDATE at the Delicious Heartline Cafe

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Traveling across the country during the holidays has been quite the experience so far. Christmas music on the radio whenever we wish, twinkling lights glittering up the roads wherever we go and old friends to visit along the way, those have been just a few of our favorite things, and another thing we just can’t seem to forget is our dinner at the Heartline Cafe.

After hiking Bell Rock we were ready for a glass of wine and some delicious food to enjoy together and reminisce on the day’s activities and all we had to look forward to in the coming days. As we pulled up, smiles appeared on both of our faces as the glittering holidays lights filled our eyes, it felt like we had found our way home in the heart of Arizona.

As we walked in, we were greeted by the kind host who promptly lead us to our table. The restaurant was comfortably lit and had an eclectic style all its own. We ordered a glass of wine each, Pinot Noir for Drew and Beaujolais Nouveau for moi. We settled into our seats and raised our glasses to all we had to be grateful for, including the beauty of the holidays:

Shortly thereafter, our waiter delivered the dinner rolls… moment of silence please:

These were no ordinary dinner rolls. These were perfectly seasoned balls of heaven on earth. Warm to the taste and soft to the touch, I couldn’t even talk to Drew while he was enjoying these babies, and I completely understand why.

As we enjoyed our second helping of these plump little buns of love we debated between the trout, sliced sirloin, organic chicken or gnocchi for dinner.

To start, we ordered a House Salad and Butternut Squash and Roasted Pear soup to share… yes, that’s right, butternut squash and roasted pear… it already sounds amazing right?! It was thick and creamy, sweet yet savory and had just the right balance of smoothness, with the added crunch of spiced pecans on top… if comfort had a taste this would be it, and if we could have done anything differently that night, we would have ordered 2.

We loved the soup so much that we decided to ask our waiter for the recipe. He was kind enough to share with us the Heartline Cafe Cook Book and showed us the Apple Butternut Soup recipe, which we could work off of to recreate the masterpiece we had just devoured:

With our palettes prepared, it was now time for the main course and we couldn’t be looking forward to it more:

Drew ordered the highly acclaimed Local Farm Raised Pecan Crusted Trout, with Himalayan Red Rice, Seasoned Vegetables and a decadent Mustard Cream Sauce on top. The trout was perfectly cooked, moist and juicy, yet amazingly textured with crispy pecan morsels and creamy mustard sauce on top. It was unlike any fish dish he had ever had:

I ordered the Sliced Sirloin Steak with Brandy Peppercorn and Mushroom Sauce, served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Parsnips and Carrots. The Sirloin was lean, super thinly sliced and had a rich, deep flavor brought on by the incredible marinade and I loved the fact that there were slices of portobello involved:

It’s important to note that the Heartline Cafe uses the finest ingredients available. Nothing comes from the freezer, can or bag, everything is made from scratch. Their beef is USDA Prime Colorado Angus with no hormones or antibiotics. Poultry is free range organic. Produce and fish are delivered daily to insure freshness, and there are no microwave ovens or fryers on the premise. Believe us when we say, you can taste the quality and love that is put into each and every bite.

Our dishes were both impeccable. We shared and couldn’t decide which one we liked best.Without a morel left on our plates, it was time for dessert.

With the intentions of eating gluten-free when possible, and perhaps more importantly the fact that we LOVE a warm chocolate anything, we couldn’t help but jump on the option of a flour-less chocolate cake (with a scoop of handmade ice cream). Swimming in a sea of carmel and surrounded by perfectly ripened fruits exploding with flavor, this warm and fudgey slice of goodness was the perfect ending to an epic and unforgettable day in Sedona.

And as you can see we have a trend here…

It was all too good to leave even a crumb behind. So, if you’re in need of a lovely place to take your date or perhaps your family for a delicious holiday treat, be sure to place the Heartline Cafe at the top of your list, they’re even open for Christmas day dinner! I miss this gem already… is it too late to ask Santa for one more thing?

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