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Canal
7144 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale | 480-949-9000
canalaz.com

     After a recent meal at Canal, located in the Scottsdale Southbridge complex, I now know why Canal’s Justin Beckett was just awarded the title “Best Local Chef.” Sure, the second floor restaurant, with its brick and concrete interior is modern and unusual. Their comfy red velvet booths look out onto a glass runway that features the occasional fashion show opposite a wall of giant video screens showing footage of various fashion models on the catwalk. But Chef Justin Beckett’s imaginative menu is the real star of the show.
     Yes, if you tend toward traditional entrees,
he does amazing things like the Braised and Grilled Beef Short Ribs ($26) dinner comprised of tender square chunks of rib meat with just the perfect brushing of smoky sauce and accompanied with
creamy mashed potatoes. The vegetable side was a mix of dark green spears of broccolini and tiny tasty zucchini pieces that even a veggie-hating kid would love.
     The real masterpieces of the menu, though, are the generous small plate choices. Shredded chunks of succulent duck with an amazing fruit salsa atop a
mix of Napa cabbage loaded on two tostado shells made the Duck Confit Layered Tostados ($12) the tastiest sensation of flavors I have ever encountered.
     But, then I tried the Asian Chicken Taquitos ($10). Oh my gawd. Seasoned bits of moist chicken rolled in thin delicate crusty egg roll pastry dipped in a spicy sweet sauce knocked me off my duck tostado high.
     And if you’re craving comfort food— dry your tears and try the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Soup ($15). Aged cheddar and manchego pancetta melted between layers of soft puffed bread comes with a Dijon mustard dipping sauce. I was disappointed by the miniscule portion of delicious tomato bisque that was barely enough to actually eat by spoon, so I dipped the sandwich quarters in that instead rather than the pungent mustard sauce.
     Companion and I knew we would never be allowed on the restaurant’s glass runway for anything but a big girls’ collection, so we said what the hell and ordered dessert. “We’ll split one,” we agreed at first, then promptly disagreed on what to get. You can guess how that went. My choice of the thick round slab of cheesecake ($9) sat atop a thick graham cracker and sandy cookie crust. The creamy bit of heaven was topped with perfectly placed raspberries and a drizzle of decorative matching sauce.
     My dessert was good, but I was jealous of companion’s S’Mores Brulee ($8). The description’s mention of marshmallow had scared me off, but the brulee was best choice by far, both gastronomically and aesthetically. A large shallow
ramekin of crusted creamy chocolate brulee with a single toasted marshmallow on top speared with a stick of nutencrusted Belgian chocolate was to die
for. I had to practically fight for a taste of the stuff. A piece of thin peanut-butter flavored candy cut into the shape of a flame rising from one side of the dish made the whole dish too beautiful to eat. Almost. The thing was demolished in record time to say the least.
     So suck in your gut and trip on over to Canal and if the thin models on the video screens make you feel guilty, just sit with your back to them. Life is short, enjoy.