Avalon, Scottsdale

I have heard about Avalon for months now… but wasn’t sure on its location.  Every Saturday I drive my little girl to ballet and since I live in Fountain Hills I have to drive down the b-line and through the reservation down McDowell rd. all the way into south Scottsdale.  Every Saturday I never knew I was passing Avalon.  Such a strange location for fine dining.

Strange or not, Avalon has beautiful, tasty cuisine, and one of the most intriguing restaurant interiors I have ever seen.  The interior of this place is just stunning with wood accents, crystals, amazing lighting among other intricate touches, it really adds the WOW factor.  My friend Alex and I were lucky to meet up one evening with the crew and executive chef Charles Stotts and find out more about Avalon.

Charles amazed us with five courses of some very tasty cuisine!  My first and favorite was his lobster and mushroom ravioli with a mushroom lobster bisque served in a beautiful little cappucino cup.  They brought us a spoon, but what for I was not sure?  That cup was so cute and tiny we just lifted them up and sipped the wonderfully creamy, hot, mushroomy bisque out of it.

mushroom/lobster duo

Our second course was a diver scallop and mushroom trio.  Again, hitting on one of my favorite things, (mushrooms), Charles hit this one out of the park for me.  I really loved the way the assortment of mushrooms were so tender and melted in your mouth just as the scallop did.

diver scallop/mushroom trio

Next, was a meat course.. and it was AMAZING!  Sous Vide pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon with caramel braised apples, corn and sage polenta with a black currant au jus.  Seriously, if you Sous Vide it, I’ll eat it.  This pork was very juicy and cooked to a perfect medium temperature.  Double bonus, pork wrapped in more pork…the bacon was GREAT.  This is on their menu and I highly recommend you order it if you go to Avalon.

Sous Vide Pork

Next up was New York strip steak.  It was grilled with a mini carrot and petite root vegetables confit and demi glace.  Again, cooked to a wonderful medium rare temperature and bursting with a juicy meaty flavor.  The carrots were a tad sweeter than a regular carrot and cooked al dente.

NY strip

Finally to finish off the five course delight was a red velvet cheesecake and it was DE-licious!! So cute and petite and perfectly plated.  This is not currently on the menu, but if it ever comes back, you need to try it out.

red velvet bliss

Just for a little background on executive chef Charles Stotts:  Charles graduate with honors from Scottsdale Culinary institute in 2000.  From there, Chef Ivan Flowers took him under his wing at Different Pointe of View.  Flowers’ was a major influence upon the attention to detail,  quality, and tecnique  that Charles uses today at Avalon.

Make sure to visit Avalon this Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 9 2010 for an amazing 3 course prix-fixe menu for only $35.00 per person and $15.00 for children 12 and under.  This brunch will include your choice of 3 courses, PLUS unlimited trips to their chilled seafood display.  The seafood display will include shrimp, mussels, clams, and snow crab claws along with remoulade and cocktail sauces.

Avalon

7077 E McDowell Rd.

Phoenix, AZ 85257

480.656.0010