Cave Creek restaurant sports new ownership
Alan Richardson ~ Special for The Foothills Focus ~ 5/26/2010

In only a few minutes, you can escape the monotony of chain restaurants and take a mini-vacation from the heat of the city by saddling-up at the Silver Spur Saloon in the old west atmosphere of Frontier Town in Cave Creek.
The former Satisfied Frog has returned to its roots as one of the largest restaurants in Maricopa County, serving great food and fine beverages. The new owners now have this unique restaurant serving food fit for royalty, but tasting like home. It can seat 459 people in the dining rooms, wedding garden and beer garden, with two full-service bars and more than 50 employees. The 6.5 acres site boasts one of the Valley’s top wedding scenes in its intimate fountain garden, complete with an air-cooled band stage and dance floor.
Beverly and Julian Peagler, recently re-introduced the famous Silver Spur Saloon name from nearly 30 years ago. The new owners, John Alexander and Mike Borane, have kept the famous name. Hidden behind unique tourist shops in Frontier Town, the restaurant is worth the short drive from Scottsdale, Anthem, New River, and Phoenix for those who want real food. Service, from employees like Paula, makes the dining experience even better. Just a warning, though, you will want to come back.
Dinner menus feature steaks, barbeque, fish, chicken, and a large selection of delicious Mexican food. Everything is made on site, from the barbequed meats to the fantastic hand-tossed coleslaw. The local chefs cook even the soups and rolls. It all makes for a flavorful taste that everyone can enjoy. Their “Best of the West” slogan is more than just words.
It may be difficult to find a more tasty fried chicken dinner anywhere in the country. On Sundays, the chicken is even better, when the whole restaurant features an all-you-can eat fried chicken dinner for only $11.95. With a secret hand-breaded recipe, the chicken is cooked to perfection, creating a moist and tender dinner of the finest tasting chicken you can find. Served with fries and the homemade coleslaw, the meal will make your Sunday unforgettable. Like Sundays back home, this meal will make a new tradition for your family.
The soups and chili are all prepared at the Silver Spur. No canned soups here. Even the Friday feature of New England clam chowder is made in the kitchen with perfect potatoes and other vegetables. The difference in flavor will keep you coming back. Try the spicy green chili soup, once featured on Oprah, for a remarkable change of pace.
Fridays also feature an all-you-can-eat fish fry, with Icelandic cod, lightly breaded and cooked to order. Despite using only fresh fish, the meal is just $9.95 on Fridays. It is an old tradition, with a price from yesterday.
With a giant smoker on site, the Silver Spur would not be an old west restaurant without superior barbeque. They use only the leanest parts of the meat, serving fresh, tender, mouth-watering barbeque every day. The “end of the trail feast” is a pizza-sized platter of beef ribs, brisket, pulled pork and pork ribs that will easily feed four people.
The Silver Spur Saloon features the only salad bar in Cave Creek, with three types of lettuce and nearly three dozen complimentary items and dressings. The salad bar also features two homemade soups.
Open from 11 a.m. to 1 in the morning, the restaurant is perfect for lunch and dinner, or a relaxing happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 7. They have live music every Friday and Saturday night.
Alexander and company are moving forward with a stimulus plan of their own to develop a reasonably priced lunch program for the working person. In addition, they are actually expanding the restaurant by removing an unused brewery from the site. They have secured the recipe for a chicken and dumpling dinner that was featured on the Travel Channel and are going to make their own fries on site. They also are planning a coupon program that will feature specials to save your wallet.
Located on Cave Creek Road in the heart of Cave Creek, the Silver Spur Saloon is a throwback to the local restaurant ideals of great food, fair prices, and personal service. Check them out on the web at
www.silverspursaloon.com.