FOOD & DRINK
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 7, 2020
Food & Drink
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Scottsdale eatery pays homage to iconic bar BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer
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n the late ‘80s, Jody Watkins and his Phi Gamma Delta fraternity brothers — Lumpy, Marty, Lowenbrew, Kovach, Lug Nut, and the rest of the crew — would hang out (read: drink) at one of two places: the Vine or the Dash Inn. “The Dash Inn was de�initely a bigger draw,” Watkins said Watkins. Watkins was a regular at the iconic Mexican restaurant and bar, where the staff used to call him by name and even hung his photo up on the wall. “That was a sign you really made it in the social Dave Andrea owns the Braut Haus in Scottsdale, which has given circles at ASU,” Watkins a home to the Dash Inn Tribute Room. (Pablo Robles/Progress Photographer) explained. “If you made it the Dash Inn. and plenty of pictures to help replicate the to the point your picture Now, Watkins and details of design, smallware, and furniture,” was posted by the staff, you Gorman are engaged – Andrea said. knew you were a regular.” after not talking for, coAndrea even brought back one small but Here at the Dash Inn, the memorable detail of having “The Dash Book�lip �lops and Fiji Islander This photo of ASU alumni Jody incidentally, 25 years. “The Dash will always store” printed on credit card statements to shirt-wearing Watkins dis- Watkins and Jennifer Gorman covered two loves: the res- is hung up on the wall of the hold a tender spot in my “make parents think they raised a genius.” Dash Inn Tribute Room. (Courtesy heart. Many good times “I was the one that dreamed up the Dash taurant’s food and Jennifer of Jody Watkins) and fond memories oc- Bookstore on the credit card idea,” Andrea Gorman. “It was love at �irst sight,” Watkins re- curred there,” Gorman said. “It’s where wrote on the popular Facebook group, Fans called. “I saw this beautiful, tall blond wom- dumb luck or fate intervened and dropped of Dash Inn, which has 3,000 followers. “The Fans of the Dash Inn page on Facean with hypnotic eyes and a captivating me into the lap of my greatest love. And who book has probably had a lot to do with smile walking to the bathroom right past could forget those sticky �loors?” Hash and Dee Nelson opened the Dash somebody investing into bringing the Dash where I was sitting. In a move that was contrary to my usual behavior, I yanked her in Inn in 1967, and over the decades, built its Inn back to life,” Watkins said. reputation as a laidback space with quality “Although having been closed for more my lap before she got by.” than two decades, the concept’s in�luence After serving Tempe for 27 years on cuisine. Andrea owned and operated the Dash remained strong with [the] Facebook fan Apache Boulevard, the Dash Inn closed in Inn during the restaurant’s �inal few years. page,” Andrea added. 1994. “And it has remained one of my favorite The Dash Inn Tribute Room also serves But 26 years later, Brat Haus owner Dave a limited menu of favorites, including their Andrea brought it back, opening up the concepts,” he said. At the Dash Inn Tribute Room, the top popular cheese crisp and the famed secretDash Inn Tribute Room at the Brat Haus in 500 MTV music videos play on the jumbo- recipe margarita. Scottsdale. Willie Cordova, who worked at the And among the throwback photos tacked sized TV. There’s no shortage of nostalgic Dash for almost 10 years, helped recreto the wall is one of Watkins and Gorman merch and memorabilia. “Luckily, I had kept all of the old recipes ate the menu. taken in 1989, four days after they met at
All menu items cost $8 or less and maintain the original restaurant’s philosophy of “not fancy, just good.” “The Dash played an important role in thousands of peoples happy memories of a simpler time and college life in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” Andrea said. “It’s been so much fun listening to all their stories as we bring it back.” Four days after Watkins and Gorman locked eyes, they went on their �irst date: his fraternity’s Black Diamond Formal. “I asked her to go to a formal that weekend immediately. She said ‘yes’ and made a big deal ripping a page out of her passport to write down her phone number,” Watkins recalled. “She said, ‘Now I am ripping a page out of my passport, which is now null and void, so you better call me!’” After a dating on-and-off for one year, they broke up and reconnected 25 years later on Facebook. “The �irst thing I wrote her was a note of thanks and telling her I would not be where I am in my life without her in�luence and just hoped that her life was going well. It blossomed from there,” Watkins said. “I never forgot him and probably punished every other man I dated for not being Jody,” Gorman added. The California-based couple will get married next summer in Mexico, but they plan to visit the Dash Inn Tribute Room the next time they’re in Scottsdale. “Something we say to this day is ‘chemistry never dies,’” Watkins said. And neither does the Dash Inn.
If You Go
The Dash Inn Tribute Room Where: 3622 N. Scottsdale Road When: Wednesday through Friday 4 p.m. to close, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to close. Website: facebook.com/DashInnAZ
