I would take I-10 E and exit after six or seven miles, head west on Chandler Blvd and then go find Secreto. It's more New Mexican than Mexican but hearty, flavorful, and inventive. Nice relaxed vibe, very cozy adobe booths, everything on the specials board is good. If any of your searching found mention of Richardson's or Dick's Hideaway, know that Secreto is run by that guy's ex-wife. Since he by all accounts has raging BPD, she was able to poach the best of his kitchen and bar staff, and the food at Secreto is what I consider to be a big improvement on the other spots mentioned.

They do terrific margaritas and they're right on your way. Typically, when people are looking for Mexican near the airport, people will chime in about Carolinas, but there you're out of luck -- they close at 7p and don't have a liquor license, anyway.

Hee. I checked in with Pavle Milic on Facebook, he's FOH for FnB, Bodega, Baratin: "Pavle, there's a Chowhound thread where someone with an 'adventurous-eating toddler' is wondering if your restaurants stock high chairs. What say you, are the wee people welcome at FnB, etc, or do you hope they are better as an adult experience?"

He said: "Of course we have high chairs!!"

Pavle is a notorious family man, I think your clan will be very welcome at any of his spots.

I am almost sure I've seen high chairs at the entrance of Noca, too, I know I've seen kids there dining early. Does tend to be a loud spot during peak hours.

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FnB
7133 E Stetson Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Mexican:

In Scottsdale, Los Sombreros for slightly upscale, flavorful sauces. In midtown Phoenix, Gallo Blanco for fresh, flavorful tacos and apps in a very hipster midecentury modern hotel with a bar on the roof. In Phoenix, Carolina's for divey Mexican burritos in toothsome tortillas made two minutes ago swathed in smooth browned enchilada sauce.

Dive bar:

You're in the wrong town for those. But you could maybe try Kazimierz for blues in a wine-cave atmosphere. Maybe Coach House -? There is a cocktail culture in Scottsdale, but go to Tempe for dive bars, please. Oh, there's Sidebar, which is small and hipstery, but in Phoenix just north of downtown. Nice jumping-off point for a light rail bar crawl, though.

Brunch:

Orange Table. The Herb Box.

Local Fave, not super-fancy or high end, destination:

Cafe Bink, FnB, Citizen Public House, noca

Well, the light rail runs right by the convention center, so you're less limited by distance than time for good chow. In which case let me refer you to one of our Chow member's, exit2lef's, terrific blog about where to eat along the light rail: http://www.phxrailfood.com/

I think if you're here on a Friday it might be great fun to take the girls down to the Phoenix Public Market for their Food Truck Friday during lunchtime. There's also Sam's Cafe is a nonthreatening southwestern place on a pretty terrace in the Arizona Center that will fit a big group. If you don't mind green chile heat, a short way east down Washington will get you to Los Dos Molinos, which has great atmosphere and New Mexican style eats.

I've been at the House twice in the last two weeks, I think you'll enjoy it. Most recently I took my in-laws there, who I obviously want to keep happy :) Their cocktail list is all good, but when I want something refreshing I do like their perfect Moscow Mule and their South Mountain Paloma.

There is another neighborhood hangout, Gallagher's, at 32nd St -- a sports bar, upscale twist to the menu. I hear good things about it but have never made it there. The parking lot is always packed, though.

You may have noticed that Phoenix is not intended to be a walkable city and our public transport is catching up to the norm of other metro areas. Also, the site properties at the Grand, Aunt Chilada's and Rustler's Roost, are more for kitsch than cuisine. They'll do in a pinch if you have to stay close. Most of the places I have mentioned, though, are right on Baseline Road so the bus line at the entrance to the resort will take you right to them. Only Texas BBQ House/ Quiessence/ San Diego Bay would necessitate a transfer.

Ah, that's my neighborhood.

You're fortunate in that some of the best farm-to-table restaurants are near. Quiessence, as mentioned, is three miles away and is a 4-5 star venue. It's on a working farm, so stiletto heels would not be advised for any in your party. There is also a lunch venue (Farm Kitchen) and a terrific brunch/breakfast spot in a leafy patio (Morning Glory). The property is several acres with 200+ year old pecan trees, very pastoral. One of the better restaurants in Phoenix, top five if not three.

For a couple of drinks and dinner you'd also look like a star if you chose the House at Secret Garden, three miles due west at 24th St. It's in a historic Spanish-style mansion, with a cozy flagstoned and fireplaced patio under a giant cacao tree, and rich rugs and dark woods in the dining room and bar indoors. They source most of their produce from The Farm or grow it themselves, and specials and pastas are always terrific.

Heading another notch down the casual scale is Amano Bistro & Wine Bar at 16th St. They cook in the Italian fashion so everything is seasonal. That's my cozy neighborhood don't-feel-like-cooking pizza and salad joint. Bottles of wine half price on either Tuesday or Wednesday, can't remember, but it's a happy surprise when I get it right.

And then up 24th St to Roeser is our new Texas BBQ House for a cold Shiner and some good company. Very casual, some outdoor tables, and the guys there are so proud of their smokework -- they'll slice and have you sample until you've exactly dialed in your preference. I am wild about their turkey, it's always moist, smokey, and has a delicious rub. Also their mac and cheese is very cheesy and rich, which doesn't bode well for my pants size.

Those in-the-know who want the freshest mariscos, head east under the freeway and then south on Priest/Avenida del Yacqui to the little reservation of Guadalupe to San Diego Bay restaurant in this violently orange-colored mercado, very hard to miss.

I don't have the knowhow to make suggestions about the northern area, but you're in luck; one of our most discriminating Chowhounds knows the area and probably has many non-chain suggestions. I know that not to far west of there is Arrowhead Grill. Paging Rubee -?

51st Ave and I-10 doesn't have a ton outside of truck stops, but due north several miles beween 51st and 59th Ave on Glendale Ave is the downtown district of the city of Glendale, and there are some really good finds there, nothing I'd steer people away from. La Piazza Al Forno is a certified VPN Napoli-style pizza place, A Taste of European bakery and cafe, Haus Murphy for good homey German food. All pretty casual, nothing too exotic.

I agree with most of PHXeater's recs. For another authentic Mexican place, bright fresh flavors, I'd also suggest Gallo Blanco, which is the restaurant of the Clarendon, a hip midcentury modern boutique hotel in midtown. The Clarendon has a rooftop bar for hanging out and decent views.

For a lunch or late afternoon, I'd recommend the patio at Cafe Bink. It looks out onto an austere boulder-and-cactus-strewn landscape, quintessential Arizona scenery. Kevin Binkley's food combined with our big skies and sunshine is always a winner. He worked at both the Inn at Little Washington and the French Laundry, and there's nothing on his bistro menu that disappoints. His formal outpost, Binkley's might make a good splurge.

Non-food wise, if anyone has any architectural interest, maybe check out Cosanti, Paolo Soleri's showcase, or Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd Wright. I feel their miminalist aesthetic combined with the desert helps people 'get' the true beauty in our landscape. Or, for a road trip, head up north to Jerome and Sedona, or swing through Cottonwood and taste some stellar Arizona wines. Food and landscape there speak for themselves.

There's Sam's Cafe in the Arizona Center which is a little nouveau and nonthreatening for the tourists, but the kitchen does a good job. Walking distance. If you want to hop the light rail east you can get easily to the downtown Los Dos Molinos which is New Mexican style (red and green chile smothered dishes) and well known to be spicy.

Honestly, District right there in your hotel is a good choice, too. They source local and sustainable wherever possible. They are good for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner, which is rare for a hotel restaurant.

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Sam's Cafe
455 N 3rd St Ste 114, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Los Dos Molinos
1010 E Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85034

District: American Kitchen and Wine Bar
320 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004

I just got an email from Nobuo at Teeter House, they're doing a prix fixe for $80 with options to add-on. It's small, so I doubt it'll be raucous, but I bet it'll be memorable. I wish they'd released a menu so I could see what proportion were dishes from the regular menu versus new creations; although I can see why that'd be impossible for them to do this early, as they are so dependant on what their supplier can procure for them on that particular day.

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Nobuo at Teeter House
622 E Adams St, Phoenix, AZ 85004

I will ditto both Espo's and Secreto, happily. I used to live near Espo's, and while it is a neighborhood dive, the people there are happy to tell you how long the beans have simmered or how many generations back their chile recipe comes from. Secreto is a dark, comfortable sit-down joint with classic and flavorful New Mexican standards and a few inventive specials on the menu every night. I lived in NM for seven years, and I'm fussy about New Mexican style cuisine, and I take visitors there with no complaints.

For a true bargain and lots of flavor, consider Carolina's for lunch. I think if you order a foot-long burro enchilada-style for lunch you won't pay more than $5.85. The tortillas come off the press minutes before your order is fired and are wonderfully pilable and toothsome, thin enough to read a newspaper through, and the "brown sauce" they smother with isn't spicy, but so flavorful. Take a dozen tortillas home and eat them still warm, they are a delight.

I actually live fairly near the South Mountain outpost of Los Dos Molinos and take visitors there, also, happily. Really, don't order more than one margarita per evening unless you have called a cab. They are potent. People like to talk about how spicy their green chile is. I don't find it so fiery, just eminently satisfying.

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Los Dos Molinos
8646 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85042

Secreto
4232 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85044

I just wanted to report on the kosher turkeys -- there had been another thread on Trader Joes' fresh turkeys, but I can't find it -- I purchased one for my early T-day dinner which went off mostly without a hitch this evening. I went to unwrap the bird first thing this morning as I wanted it to air-dry a few hours before roasting, for the crispy skin. Well, I don't know if all the kosher birds are like this, or if I got one that missed QA, but I spent an hour pulling feathers out of it -! I expect to have to clean some pinfeathers out of the armpits and from around the ankles, sure. This bird had feathers everywhere. I pulled flight feathers out of the wings, full-sized quills, everything. It was more than a little gross and I didn't have the time at that point to make a long drive back and exchange for a bird that may or may not have the same problem, so I hunkered down and got to it. Ree-volting.

However, I put a little herbed compound butter under the skin and roasted Bittman-style and it came out gorgeous and was pretty much the best looking- and tasting bird I have done in a long time. Brined bird drippings are typically too salty for gravy, but these drippings were skimmed and went right into the roux and turned out a perfect gravy with no doctoring whatsoever -- I had roasted the neck alongside the bird and the chopped meat went into the gravy, that was my only addition. Flawless. The turkey and gravy were gobbled and made me look like a star in front of my particularly fussy in-laws. So, it took a little legwork to make it happen, not perfect out of the box, but I can't complain about the finished product.

My mother-in-law is happy. That like, never happens.

If you decide that Koi or Quiessence twice is not your cup of tea, perhaps not enjoying the first experience as much as you'd hoped, I'd like you to consider FnB as the backup plan. Chef Charleen Badman has just rotated her melted leeks back onto the seasonal, organic, veggie-heavy menu, and it was awarded one of the ten best dishes of 2010 by Food & Wine. All of the dishes sound very simple, but are incredible combinations of flavors. You can be sure all of their ingredients are very carefully sourced and prepared with care, and their FOH, Pavle Milic, will make you feel very, very welcome. It's a small space with counter views of the kitchen, so reservations would be smart.

I just think everyone in the party would enjoy that experience, it fits your dining wishlist nicely.

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Quiessence
6106 S 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85042

FnB
7133 E Stetson Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Oh, the hotel is good, and the hotel restaurant is about the best we have :)

Quiessence would also be a nice experience for you, and is in South Phoenix, not far, on a lovely old farm. Their sister property, Morning Glory, does a terrific brunch on the weekend, but not buffet. I don't have any buffet brunch recommendations, mass food grosses me out just a little. The resorts on the PHX/Scottsdale border could probably handle this.

The House at Secret Garden will hit innovative, local/organic, and accomodating for fussy diners. They are new enough to still be hoping to build their foodie reputation. Also South Phoenix.

My other top non-ethnic dinners: FnB, Binkley's, Noca.

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Binkley's
6920 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Quiessence
6106 S 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85042

Noca
3118 E. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Morning Glory Cafe
6106 S 32nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85042

FnB
7133 E Stetson Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

The House at Secret Garden
2501 E Baseline Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85042

I like District, I think you'd be happy with a meal or nosh there.

I did the four-course tasting at Nobuo last week (we had to add on the miso foie gras, too) and I think it's a good option if you want to see his breadth without ordering the whole menu. It starts with a seasonal vegetable plate (his kimchi ... oh, so good), four different dishes, and then goes to the sashimi plate, with three dishes, one his classic grapefruit and hamachi. Then a hot course, either fish or meat. My dessert also had three tastes, although they were also offering a straight dark chocolate tofu mousse option.

On the other hand, if you are doing a greater North American okonomiyaki tour and also know you want to try his steamed pork belly buns and and have decided also not to miss my favorite all-time Nobuo dish, the shiromi carpaccio which I happen to think is perfection and could eat any night, well, I don't think you'll go away disappointed, either.

Short answer: it will not suck, either way. Long answer: for a party of four or more, a la carte may be the way to go, as long as people share. For a small party, the tasting menu offers a lot more variety.