And the search for the world’s best calamari continues … now in Phoenix.

Elephant Bar Restaurant, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Peoria, Chandler, Arizona and other locations

Rating: 2.75 out of 4 squids (Squid Worthy)

Posted by Kimberly Hundley, Gal-Amari

Two people in one week recommended the Elephant Bar (EB) calamari. EB is a chain, and since I’m not a fan of the homogenization of America, I limit my visits–despite their killer mojito with a real sugarcane swizzle stick.

At happy hour, the calamari's price sinks to $5.50.

Elephant Bar flags its calamari as a “signature item,” and describes it as “Quick-Fried Soy-Ginger Calamari: tender calamari strips with oriental dipping sauce; finished with marinated vegetables and toasted sesame seeds.”

No feet or tentacles to scare off the natives here. Each piece is a long tender strip of calamari “steak,” rolled in ultra-light breading (maybe Panko with a touch of spice), and flash fried to minimize oiliness. I assume the “soy-ginger” description refers to the light sprinkling of sprouts, carrots and zucchini slivers, which lends the strips a gingery zing and arguably six drops of soy sauce.

The breading hugs the squid like a teenager in love. There’s no separating them. (Take a closer look below.) If you like a crunch to your fried calamari, you’re out of luck. The effect is more like biting into a french fry–if the potato in question were a cephalopod.

Calamari wearing a sweater-tight coat

I don’t associate mayonnaise with “oriental” anything. But the side here is a big ol’ cup of mayo-based dipping sauce. It’s pink–I’m guessing due to a red-pepper infusion–and packs a little horseradish kick. A little of this went a long way for me. Stick with a squirt of lemon and savor the hints of ginger.

EB’s calamari strips are tasty if a little homogenized for those who really like to get squiddy; even the texture gets monotonous quickly. The server couldn’t give me too many details about the recipe: the calamari steaks arrive frozen, and the crumb breading is premixed, although the elements are combined and cooked onsite. At the $7.50, EB is squid worthy. Though I don’t think I’d order it again unless it were happy hour, when the price sinks to $5.50!

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