Mary Elaine's   

She is the Grand Dame of Arizona dining, one of the great restaurants of the world. If you can spare a couple of hundred dollars for an elegant special occasion, then polish your expensive jewelry, put on your best clothes and head to Mary Elaine's. On the top floor of the Phoenician Resort, you'll be treated to a magnificent sunset view of the Valley. The view inside is just as impressive: Persian rugs, ornate chandeliers, tables set with Wedgwood china and fresh-cut roses. Chef Bradford Thompson heads a small army that's precision-drilled in the art of service -- right down to little stools for women's purses. You can start the modern-French adventure with foie gras, drizzled with 100-year-old balsamic vinegar. Among the eight entrees, it's hard to go wrong. Sole meuniere is napped with sauce Bercy (fish sauce with wine and shallots) and paired with aromatic basmati rice and baby beets. John Dory, a firm but delicate fish dish, is served with crisp, French-style bacon, artichokes and fresh salsify, a popular European root vegetable that's the rarest of the rare in this country. Tenderloin Rossini features buffalo instead of beef and is topped with foie gras and truffle sauce. The menu also includes full-course vegetarian meals. Step it up another notch with the seven-course tasting menu for about $110 per person. Mary Elaine's is known as much for its wine as its food, and they'll pair each course with a special wine for only $200. You only live once, so go for it.