Welcoming guests to enjoy the ambience of an upscale private lounge, Hearsay’s dining room extends along a wide swath of frontage on the Esplanade’s central walkway. More like several dining rooms, actually, in a linear progression — each with its own personality and offering varied seating options. Guests may huddle for a business discussion at a table or settle into a cushioned sofa for a more casual meet-up. Or have a working lunch at the counter, where there are outlets to plug in their laptop.
The rooms’ finished ceiling and soft décor elements help mitigate the sound level, and, with the generous spacing around the seating, there’s a comfortable sense of privacy for conversation.
Hearsay’s most unusual element — and a hint to its name — is in a nook at one end of the restaurant, where guests are welcome to retro with their choice from an eclectic collection of vinyl albums to play on the public turntable.
With its Monday-through-Friday-only hours that serve the business day, Hearsay developed its menu to reflect that same focus — dishes with a prep time that gets them to the table quickly.
A handful of high-quality hand-helds fill a range of tastes: hamburger, turkey club, grilled cheese (served with tomato soup) and a hot chicken sandwich made with an herbed chicken breast on a brioche bun liberally spread with sriracha aioli.
Salad selection goes even further, from chopped chicken to a grain bowl, with personalizing options that include salmon, shrimp and avocado.
From appetizers through dessert, the menu shows a global sensibility. And the Episcope Hospitality group aims to incorporate local influences in seasonal and holiday-related specials with a unique Hearsay twist. For instance: the guacamole special served to celebrate Cinco de Mayo made with thick chunks of fresh avocado with an unexpected tang.
And complimentary valet makes parking hassle-free.
Hearsay
The Esplanade
2501 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix
(602) 791-2687
White Bean Hummus With sunflower seeds and olive oil, served with seasonal crudite and grilled naan $12 |
Tuna Hamachi Poke Bowl Wasabi peas, pickled Fresno pepper, avocado, radish and crispy wonton tower on sushi rice, with soy-lime vinaigrette $21 |
Little Gem Salad With grapefruit, avocado, orange, quinoa, pistachio and a citrus vinaigrette $16 |
Did You Know: Episcope Hospitality takes the name from a revolutionary 18th century technology that, for the first time, enabled opaque images to be projected on a wall. Crediting the episcope device with “driving innumerable future technologies while literally changing the way people saw their environment,” the company website says, “Our growth has always been predicated on new ways of seeing, from concepts to business models.”
Photos courtesy of Episcope Hospitality
