February 2013
Though it’s located at the crossroads of Interstate 40 and Butler Avenue and connected to the Days Hotel, Northern Pines Restaurant is not a typical eatery just off a highway exit. Unlike the usual chains, diners and fast good joints, Northern Pines serves up high-end food and has its thematic focus on Arizona and Flagstaff.
“We kept all the construction local,” said Karan Patel, who partnered with Steve Allen, previous owner of The Mason Jar. Their upgraded establishment joins the major renovation of the hotel. “Everything from the artwork to the lighting to the booths to the tile is Arizona, if not Flagstaff . . . So now, this restaurant and bar is the community’s choice.”
Dark, hardwood flooring and a stacked-stone fireplace offer a warm welcome. So does the neutral scape of camel, high-backed seating and jet ironwork throughout. It continues with a stacked-stone and ebony bar and black leather Mafia booths—circular stalls that gather guests for an intimate chat. Local flavor is a thumbs-up in the Cardinals and Northern Arizona University memorabilia and also the drinks. Of the fifteen beers on tap, over half of them are brewed in Arizona.
With no pun intended, Chef Richard Long confirmed, “The locals are our bread and butter.” Long has had a steady influence on Northern Arizona menus working at Sakura and Grand Canyon Railway. He is proud of Northern Pines’ neighborhood sourcing, too. Sausages come from Randalls Fine Meats. Spices, nuts and herbs are sourced from Mount Hope Foods in Cottonwood, while Satchmo’s shares their exclusive barbecue seasoning with the kitchen.
Like the former tenant, Hog’s, Northern Pines continues a strong breakfast tradition. The berry crepes are house-made and stuffed with blackberries, strawberries and vanilla crème, topped by more fruit, vanilla sauce and whipped cream. Served with eggs and bacon or sausage, it’s a quantity, quality deal. The French toast comes as a huge hunk of light and eggy bread with butter pooling under a dusting of powdered sugar. Anticipation meets reward with this dessert-style start to the day.
Feeling like a more substantial stab at the most important meal? Order the 
Florentine Benedict. Poached eggs perch atop sautéed spinach, tomatoes and onions on grilled English muffins with Hollandaise sauce plus the restaurant’s meaty, signature Applewood bacon diced overall. It is a healthy indulgence.
Northern Pines’ reincarnation took the previously strong breakfast diner to better dining, and it also did the same for dinner. Begin with soup, as Long makes them fresh daily. The navy bean and ham is hearty and wholesome. Or begin with an appetizer like spinach artichoke dip. This creamy parmesan-topped gratin of fresh spinach and tangy artichokes is served with toasted bread ovals that hold up to serious dipping and spreading.
The well-rounded menu focuses on family favorites that include brisket and ribs. All meat is cut on the premises, and the steaks are hand-carved. Specials are offered weekly, and given the chance, don’t pass up the baby-back ribs. Brushed with the house sauce, they are seasoned enough to wow without overpowering the meat that slides off the bone. Finely shredded coleslaw with whiskers of red and green pepper plus purple onion add subtle flavor. Chunky, pan-seared, seasonal vegetables round out the plateful.
Long runs a scratch kitchen. All gravies, sauces and soups are labor-intensive, but this leads to a better product. All the more reason to consider the Achiote Pork, marinated with a blend of Mexican spice paste that lends lingering warmth. For fun, order the Pinecone Potatoes—mashed, formed and crisped to resemble the restaurant’s symbol.
Fridays are all-you-can-eat fish days that deliver—coleslaw, fries or sweet potato wafers and New England chowder. If there is room, order pie, cheesecake, carrot cake or the peach cobbler whose succulent slices of peach layer among butter crumb pastry. “Our focus is on comfort food with menu items priced as low as possible,” Long said. “Locals suggest items, and we try to put them on the menu. With quality food and friendly servers, it’s a group effort that welcomes the local customer.” NAMLM Gail G. Collins
Check out the menu and learn more at: www.thenorthernpines.com