After reading about it in the New Times, we decided to try Avalon Restaurant in south Scottsdale. It’s located next to 3 Palms Hotel at 77th Street and McDowell. The hotel sure doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it has many favorable reviewer’s comments. Avalon, on the other hand, is fairly impressive outside, and even more so inside. It’s decorated in a cooling slate blue color and has interesting tables raised up on a platform, with love-seat seating. One side of the building has garage doors (nicely disguised) which can be raised in the nice weather. Too bad the adjacent patio isn’t shielded from the hotel’s parking lot. Some bushes or a decorative screen would make it a lot more pleasant.
We had wanted late lunch, but only the Happy Hour menu was being served. There were seven items available - we chose the ‘Golden’ Goat Cheese and Fig Plate ($9) and the Crispy Calamari Frittes ($10). Interestingly, some of the items on the Happy Hour menu were more expensive than on the regular menu, and some less. Go figure.
Before our appetizers arrived we were served a mini loaf of bread, appropriately warm, not microwaved. A delicious butter, which had what I think were cherries mixed in, accompanied it. We also ordered a cocktail which resembled sangria on steroids. I liked it so much I drank more than my share, which was probably a good thing since Ken was driving.
The appetizers were attractively plated. The goat cheese had been pan fried and therefore had a crispy outer coating. It was served atop a raspberry gastrique (a thick syrup) and came with candied nuts. At first glance the three little cheese rounds looked like an inadequate amount, but they were very rich and filling. The perfectly fried calamari strips were topped with a Japanese mizzuna (a leafy green) saute and they sat on a pool of intriguing spicy cantaloupe butter. This was really soul satisfying food, with lovely textures and unusual flavors.
As you probably guessed, we couldn’t leave without trying dessert, especially since there was Dark Chocolate Decadence ($8, as were all the desserts). This turned out to be even better than a similar item from Scratch Bakery, which had been our standard of excellence. There were several kinds of chocolate in the dessert, and some cherries in liqueur on the bottom. Again, totally satisfying.
Of course we’ll be going back to try lunch, dinner, and maybe even weekend brunch. Now through at least August, and probably longer, there’s a prix fixe dinner available; three courses for $30, which would be a savings of about $15. Avalon isn’t cheap, but for the quality of the food and ambience, we considered it more than reasonable.
Avalon - “Contemporary American Coastal Cuisine”
7707 E. McDowell Rd.
Scottsdale 480-656-0010
avalon-scottsdale.com
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