Date Nut Bread Sandwich, Sugar Bowl, Scottsdale, AZ, 2009
More than a mouthwatering mouthful of cream cheese cements two 1/2 inch thick slices of moist, delicious date nut bread together. Its twin sits sidesaddle on a delicate paper doily separating a burlap-textured bowl from a plate that looks like a paper plate, but isn’t.
A pitted black olive is the cherry on top of an generous ice cream scoop of “white meat” tuna salad resting on a bed of lettuce and surrounded by a trio of tomato wedges offset by a single egg-half sprinkled with just the right amount of paprika. Blue Cheese is my topping of choice. This is a salad that wants to be a sundae. The ice tea wishes it were a coke.
The Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor Coffee Shop opened in old town Scottsdale in 1958. Stylistically the predominantly Pepto-Bismol pink ’50s gay ’90s décor is a stark contrast to the Frontierland-like old town that surrounds it. But that doesn’t bother me at all. I’m from the Disneyland School of style and sensibility.
Twas the 80s when I first stumbled upon the Sugar Bowl. I was in Scottsdale to attend a classic car auction. I loved it then and I love it now! And without fail…every time…I find myself in Phoenix I find my way to Scottsdale and the Sugar Bowl. If there’s another pink place in this wonderful world serving up date hut bread sandwiches sidesaddle I haven’t found it yet!
Speaking of Phoenix AZ , I’ll be at the Phoenix Center for the Arts this Friday and Saturday nite, Nov 6th & 7th.
Here’s to the sweet sandwiches, the Sugar Bowl and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
November 5, 2009
NO WAY! I used to eat those things when I was a kid! Never a fan of just plain, ol’ dates, the bread was a winner! LOVE that place; used to hang-out there as a kid. Across the street was the Hobo Joe’s Restaurant; while going to Scottsdale High, my social tastes and skills ramped-up and Hobe Joe’s was my place to be with friends.
It looks so delicious. in the 60′s, My mother used to take me to the tea room on the 3rd story of Hinshaws dept. store in Whittier. They served a fancy little plate of tea sandwiches and one of the sandwiches was the date and cream cheese sandwich, but with a twist….. the cream cheese had maraschino cherries mashed into it so it was extra sweet and a delightful shade of pink!!! We would go sometimes after my Cymballet class ( a fancy word for charm school!) The class was torture, but the luncheon was something to really look forward to! Thanks for reminding me! I am going to make those for Christmas now (w/ maraschino cherries added, of coarse!!)
I used to work there – all long long long time ago! Top Hat sundaes and that deadly delicious date nut bread made me fat! (as if someone MADE me eat it!) Fond memories.
I see they’ve expanded their space too! Glad to see they’ve hung in there all these years!
There is another wonderful time-warp restaurant down the road from Phoenix in Coolidge (!) Arizona, near the Casa Grande Nat’l Monument. At least, it was there 10-12 years ago. Plain as a mud fence outside, and vintage inside, with a wonderful collection of donkey cart planters on high shelves around 3 walls of the restaurant. They served a great “diet” plate, too: hamburger patty, lettuce, and a scoop of cottage cheese with a canned peach half on top. Delish!!
Thanks for the great photos,
Linda
Yes, I remember seeing the Sugar Bowl in various Family Circus cartoons as well. I knew that name sounded familiar.
Now I must try the date nut bread and the tuna salad–I’ve only had ice cream treats at Sugar Bowl in Scottsale! Thanks for letting us know the Sugar Bowl is still alive and kicking– I was in Valley two weeks ago for a high school reunion at Rustlers Rooste
near South Mountain! I think you featured a post card of it in the past– Have you tried going to Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, AZ? Live “Wurlitzer” music while you eat!!
Thanks for reminding us of the Valley’s other delights
Hello Charles!
Now is this the date nut bread that mom bought in the can and sliced? I found all these fifties goodies in “The Vermont Country Store” online. For some reason the philly cream cheese was a must as we see from your picture ! I see your date nut bread is square? Well anyway mom and Grandma always talking continually about the diet starting Monday,that is when they swished to the huge tuna salad made with lots of best food mayonnaise but passed on the date nut bread! I wonder what they would think of mayonnaise made from olive oil!
Love you for the joy you bring to us Charles, Lynn the twin!
Oh yum! Date nut bread used to come in a can. I’d open both ends and push it out, slice, then load with cream cheese. It was one of the culinary highlights of my life in socal ’50s.
Now that is great photo of you!
Going to the fridge for some cream cheese and crackers!
Kathy LaForce
Great photo! I want to reach out and bite into that date bread sandwich.
I spent about a week in Scottsdale last year on business. Old Town is a great resource for restaurants. Had a wonderful sundae at the Sugar Bowl. I don’t think that place has changed one bit since it was opened. Great step back in time. Next time though I’m gonna try that date nut bread. Looks fantastic!
That place looks great!!! I love a good cold salad like that one, Shrimp or Crab Louis with Russian dressing is also a fave!
Yum! But you forgot to mention the recurring role the Sugar Bowl has had in the Family Circle cartoon strip – and the original autographed panels by cartoonist Bill Keane.
BTW: We will be at the Phoenix Phoenix show Saturday night, with some special slides to share!
Oooooh, now my tummy’s REALLY grumbling! That looks so tasty!
That tuna looks too good, almost worth the 5-hour drive from LA.
OMG CHARLES THAT JUST LOOKS SO GOOD, BUT I ALWAYS WAS A SUCKER FOR CREAM CHEESE…UMMM! CHEERS!
I love the Sugar Bowl! I discovered it on a hellishly hot day a few years ago. It was so sweet and cool inside. So perfect! The party room off the main dining room is wonderful and I love it that the place is the color of ice cream… And the menu with its drawings…
Of course, you would, too. Thanks so much for sharing it with everyone, Charles.
Looks good!