Say hi Frasher's Smokehouse, bye Frasher's Steakhouse

After nearly 16 years of serving 21-day-aged filet mignon and crab-stuffed mushrooms, Frasher's Steakhouse and Lounge in Scottsdale is closing at the end of May.

But in happier news, restaurateur George Frasher is packing up his smoker and opening a more casual operation in Phoenix. He is planning a soft opening Friday, May 15, for Frasher's Smokehouse at 3222 E. Indian School Road, in the former Chuy's Mesquite Broiler space.

It came down to a lease issue for Frasher's retro-style eatery and live music salon on Scottsdale Road near Oak Street.

"My landlord, Louis Ambrosino, passed away three years ago," Frasher said. "His children and I have not been able to agree upon a lease."

While he hopes to open another full-fledged steak house and lounge somewhere else in the Valley, for the time being, he is focusing on the new Frasher's Smokehouse. Featuring Memphis- and Kansas City-style cooking, the quick-service barbecue joint also offers a limited bar.

The spot is anchored by the Ole Hickory Smoker, originally from Frasher's Steakhouse, which cranked out best-selling chicken and baby back ribs, all dry-rubbed with a mix of 10 herbs and spices, marinated, and basted with maple peanut butter glaze while slow-cooked with pecan wood.

While the Scottsdale restaurant offered two sauces (sweet or spicy), the smokehouse features five sauces based on five types of regional barbecue, plus seasonal sauces like Alabama white, West Coast teriyaki or holiday huckleberry.

Still, classics are at the core of the 1940's theme, 85-seat joint with a 20-seat patio. That means Memphis-style tangy sauce to pair with baby back ribs; Kansas City-style thick and sweet sauce with burnt ends; Texas-style spicy sauce with brisket; North Carolina-style vinegar sauce with pulled pork; and South Carolina-style mustard sauce with chicken and turkey.

Just don't expect messy meat, since all sauces are served on the side. And to help sop up the juices are fried pickles, green-chile mac and cheese and garlic mashed potatoes, along with sides like turkey gumbo and Mayfair salad, tossed with an anchovy dressing recipe first created at the Mayfair Hotel in downtown St. Louis.

Frasher's crew knows how to coax the best from the smoker, with the meats served fresh from the heat and sliced to order.

"I am bringing much of my current staff with me, most of whom have been with me eight-plus years," Frasher said. "Ramon is the second cook I ever hired at Frasher's, and has been with me 15 years this month. The staff is so important, because while I developed the recipes for the smokehouse, I am not a chef. I just love to cook, and started my restaurant career as a dishwasher and back-of-the-house guy."

In fact, the St. Louis native worked in restaurants all through high school and college, and his first job out of college was for the former KC Masterpiece Barbecue and Grill of Kansas City as an assistant manager. His boss was Rich Dillon, who now owns the Dillon's KC Barbecue restaurants in the Valley.

When Frasher moved to Phoenix in 1995, he met up again with Dillon, and the two worked together at El Paso Barbeque Co. in Glendale, Scottsdale and Ahwatukee.

Details: Frasher's Smokehouse, 3222 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-955-6130, frasherssmokehouse.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

Carey Sweet covers dining news. Contact her at carey@careysweet.com.