EVO in Old Town Scottsdale is a contemporary Italian Restaurant that has been wowing Valley natives and out-of-town visitors alike for years. The casual atmosphere of the restaurant is highlighted with elegant touches throughout, making it a special destination for couples, friends and foodies, and is definitely a hot spot for nearly any kind of party or special occasion. There is a new seasonal menu that is faithfully rooted in Italian tradition and accented with healthy and unexpected punctuations of flavor and texture.

The décor at EVO is urban chic and includes a stylish collection of wall mirrors, comfy couches and chandeliers that accent the red brick walls. It’s always a fun time dining indoors at EVO but dining on the patio also gives you time to enjoy the Old Town Scottdale ambiance and allows you to people watch.

The menu at EVO has much more than Italian standards. To kick off an evening of exceptional dining we had one of the famous EVO salads with an arugula and spinach combo, tender butternut squash, sweet potato, pecans, manchego cheese and dried cranberries tossed in a roasted shallot and sage vinaigrette.

If you only choose one item on the EVO menu, it should be the shrimp and brie al forno. It’s an appetizer-style dish that is big enough to share, but you probably won’t want to. Massive shrimp are swimming in a delightfully warm garlic butter sauce with diced tender asparagus and accompanied with large, toasted baguettes.

The chicken tarragon is a new seasonal entrée that is a delicious departure from the usual. This dish features an impossibly tender grilled chicken breast, a robust rice pilaf with asparagus and portobello mushrooms with a lighter style tarragon cream sauce.

Another new seasonal dish is the pan-seared salmon. Quality abounds with every protein option at EVO and the salmon is another example of that. The fish has a very fine sear on the outside, giving it just the slightest bit of crispiness. It is set atop of bed of pureed parsnip and sweet potato planks, accompanied by an arugula salad with bitter orange basil gastrique. EVO gets bonus points for incorporating parsnips into an entrée that is simply delicious and delightful!

The five cheese agnolotti is not to be missed. The entrée manages to incorporate a variety of flavors and textures that make this a knockout dish! The house-made agnolotti includes a wilted spinach and roasted butternut squash combo that also incorporates sage and is tossed in a cranberry cream sauce.

One of EVO’s tried and true standards is the chicken parmesan with campanelle, pomodoro sauce, and topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. For something a little different, the lobster gnocchi is a treat that imparts a bit of sweetness and includes a generous eight-ounce lobster tail, house-made gnocchi, and is topped with pancetta, crispy prosciutto, garlic and parmesan.

All of the pastas at EVO are made daily in-house, ensuring a very high level of quality and integrity. Various types of pasta dishes include chile shrimp with fettuccini, spaghetti aglio e olio, Bolognese casarecce, spaghetti pomodoro, fennel sausage rigatoni and chicken alfredo capanelle. The house-made sauces on any of the pasta dishes will thrill even the pickiest of Italian dining connoisseurs.

EVO pizzas are an excellent choice for lunch, happy hour or dinner, and are large enough to be a meal or perfect for two or three people to share. Choose from margarita, pepperoni, funghi with leek crème, garlic chicken or Calabrian, with pomodoro sauce, Calabrian chile, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula drizzled with Calabrian honey. The unexpected kiss honey sweetness on a pizza is a delicious surprise!

If you happen to be near Old Town Scottsdale during lunchtime, the EVO burger is a must. The eight-ounce patty is topped with cheddar, onion, tomato, romaine lettuce and aioli on a brioche bun, accompanied with fries.

EVO also celebrates special events in-restaurant. Upcoming celebrations include National Pizza Day on February 9 and Valentine’s Day is especially romantic in a cozy booth on February 14. EVO is located at 4165 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Scottsdale. Reservations can be made online at the EVO website, and catering is also available. Visit http://www.evoscottsdale.com for more information.

By Lynette Carrington