The legend grows in West Sedona
Heartline Cafe Gourmet Express
by Jon Marcus
Photos by PetroGraphics
as published in The Red Rock Review, Marech 15 edition, Sedona, Arizona
Phyllis and Chuck Cline’s legendary restaurant, Heartline Cafe, has been a Sedona favorite for all of its 17 years. The culinary anchor of West Sedona, it is known to have an extensive wine selection.
More than a year ago, they opened a second restaurant next door, the Heartline Cafe Gourmet Express. Originally conceived as more of a fancy deli, Phyllis’ touches and Chuck’s cuisine have turned it into a full-fledged restaurant and gourmet retail experience.
The Gourmet Express sells epicurean food items for the culinarian in all of us. In addition, it offers breakfast beginning at 7 a.m., as well as lunch and an early dinner - either to go, or to eat on-site in their Fireside Room or their beautiful flower-filled outdoor patio. Word is that the restaurant offers the best breakfast in town, and prices starting at $4.95, are hard to compete with.
This is where I enjoyed my latest wine and food tasting.
Upon my arrival to the Heartline Cafe Gourmet Express, I was enthusiastically greeted by Phyllis.
My guests were Rebecca Lane, aspiring writer, and my daughter Chloe, as usual (I trust her taste buds). I shared with Phyllis how impressed I was with the Gourmet Express.
Today, my guests and I sat next to the fire in the Fireside room, a cozy and casual environment, which is available for private parties and is an ideal location for any occasion.
The wines accompanying our tasting selections included the Hob Nob Pinot Noir, a great wine for the buck, with its mineral rich characteristics, it went well with all the entrees; La Crema Chardonnay, a creamy and smooth chardonnay (as well as versatile); and my Echo Canyon Sedona Zodiac Zindfandel, with its lucious brambly fruit and spice.
The feast began with a huge salad, featuring baby greens with gorgonzola cheese, grilled apples, caramelized pecans, fresh strawberries, and topped with Heartline Cafe’s dressing.
The appetizer was a mouth-watering Dungeness Lump Crab Cake, with bearnaise sauce and roasted red peppers. The La Crema Chardonnay was a spectacular complement, as the creaminess just melted into the roasted red peppers.
Our main course consisted of three menu selections. First up, the Cheese Tortellini with seared duck breast, roasted pear, green peppercorns, olive oil and herbs. Again, the La Crema Chardonnay, paired beautifully with the spice of the dish.
The second dish was Spiced Pork Tenderloin, perfectly cooked and flavored, with a phenomenal potato cake, and a serving of oven-roasted apples.
A monument to versatility, the La Crema Chardonnay was again stupendous.
The Sedona Zodiac Zinfandel was outstanding with both the pork and the third dish, a marinated Strip Steak Sandwich, consisting of sweet hoisin-tomato marinated steak, roasted red peppers, roasted mushrooms, and brie, on ciabatta bread - truly a indescribable combination of flavors.
The Hob Nob Pinot also accentuated the complex flavors of the steak sandwich, and served as a dynamite palate cleanser between many of the dishes.
The food portions were substantial and more than we could finish, but, somehow, we still had no problem polishing off a delightful Peanut Butter Cheesecake prepared by Ramon, the sous chef. It was absolutely spectacular, with the consistency of a light marshmallow and a extremely well-balanced chocolaty/peanutty flavor.
The Peanut Butter Cheesecake is only one of the numerous desserts made from scratch at Heartline. From numerous personal experiences, their Creme Brulee is also a must.
It won’t be long before I return to Heartline Cafe Gourmet Express for another great dining experience.
P.S. - The Heartline Cafe is also the only restaurant exclusively offering the Echo Canyon Zodiac Zinfandel series.
Editor’s Note: Marcus is owner/winemaker at Echo Canyon Vineyard and Winery, about 10 minutes outside of Sedona.