One of the Valley’s landmark restaurants – Cowboy Ciao in Old Town Scottsdale – announced on its Facebook page that Monday night’s dinner service was its last:
‘‘Unfortunately, an end of an era has come upon us. Tonight is the last night Cowboy Ciao will be open. Thank you to all for the wonderful memories and support over the years. We will miss you all. Raise a glass of whatever vino you are enjoying. Cheers to a wonderful run!’’
Cowboy Ciao was opened by Peter Kasperski in 1997. By the early 2000s, the menu’s eclectic combination of U.S. Southwest, Italian, and Mexican influences was receiving national and international acclaim.
The most famous dish on the menu? The toss-it-yourself Stetson Chopped Salad (pictured), with neat rows of smoked salmon, couscous, arugula, black currants, pumpkin seeds, sweet corn, diced tomatoes, and asiago cheese.
(The salad lives on at Citizen Public House, co-owned by longtime Cowboy Ciao chef Bernie Kantak.)
No word yet on the fate of Cowboy Ciao’s sibling, Kazmirez Wine Bar, or the Cowboy Ciao location at Sky Harbor Airport.
