Scottsdale's new Canal restaurant is all about the glitz and glamour — oh, and the 30 Dollar Sandwich

I would've been content to nibble on small plates all night, but I'm glad my dining companions were hungry for entrees. The grilled New York steak came with a nice heap of cheesy mashed Yukon potatoes, garlicky spinach, and roasted mushroom gravy, while pan-seared salmon was served on top of white beans and asparagus in a mild tomato cream sauce. Roasted duck breast was paired with bacon, sautéed Swiss chard, and fingerling potatoes; a drizzle of berry gastrique balanced nicely with the rich, meaty flavors. And the juicy bone-in pork chop, set atop a mound of sautéed spinach, came with three different sides: luscious mac and cheese with green chile heat, some crispy fried onion slivers, and pear applesauce.

With so much to enjoy on the front end of the meal, it would be easy to blow off dessert, but save room. The delicate pear Napoleon and the creamy cheesecake with raspberry puree were pleasing, and that "dessert threesome" was downright fun, with mini-portions of apple pie, blueberry cobbler, and bread pudding. A piping hot chocolate soufflé was made even more mouth-watering by guava purée and caramel ice cream, while the s'mores crème brûlée was completely over the top: graham cracker crust, milk chocolate crème, and a pillow-y homemade marshmallow, artfully garnished with a flame-shaped cracker and a twig of chocolate.

Sure, some things at Canal made me smirk, but food like that just made me smile.