The Preserve Restaurant: A treasure on our doorstep

Jay Clayton Wilson

Recently a private party was given in the fireplace room at the Preserve Restaurant. For days after the party the host received calls and emails from his guests applauding the dining experience as the best they have ever had in SaddleBrooke.

Preserve Restaurant Manager Mario Velasco and Chef Peter Budich are highly qualified to host private parties in their beautiful, personalized dining room where the fireplace creates an environment of richness and grace. Each of these professionals go well beyond their ordinary duties to insure that the food is delicious, the service is perfect and the presentation is comparable to any first class restaurant. At this particular party, as with several other 2016 holiday dinners, both Roberto and Chef Peter made personal appearances to be introduced and to insure absolute perfection.

With the valuable assistance of the restaurant’s professional staff, the menu and presentation of this particular party of almost 30 guests was arranged several weeks before the event. The preplanning gave the staff ample time to order special champagne, hors d’ oeuvres of caviar and shrimp, garnish to complement the host’s requirements as well as a delightful zinfandel and a light Pinot Grigio.

Admittedly, the host had previously contacted other venues for the party. The event needed to be elegant and, at the same time, welcoming in the Arizona tradition. Those conditions could have been realized at the Ritz Carlton Core or Hacienda Del Sol where the offered price was two or three thousand dollars more than the invoice price at the Preserve Restaurant. But the applaud would not have been as precious. It was truly refreshing to hear such high compliments favoring perfectly delicious food served at this treasure on our own doorstep.