I’ve been wanting to try Ric’s Grill (10190 104 Street) for a while, and a special menu offered in accordance with Edmonton’s Downtown Dining Week was the perfect catalyst to do so. So having made a reservation with enough wiggle room to make it to a show at MacEwan later that evening, Dickson and I headed to the Warehouse District on Saturday.

The Metals Building, in all its stalwart brick glory, always seemed inherently fitting for an upscale steakhouse. The interior offered nothing unexpected – dark wood, leather, and too-dim lighting reminiscent of Ruth’s Chris. While I understand that the booth we were seated in was designed to create a private enclave of sorts, Dickson actually felt borderline claustrophobic in its looming wake.

When I didn’t find a Dining Week menu among the leather-bound folders on the table, I requested one from our server. He replied that the promotion was not available to those who had not mentioned the special menu while making the reservation. As this was not clearly indicated on the website (as it is on Calgary’s Dine-Out Week site), nor was I asked such a question when I spoke to the hostess over the phone, I couldn’t fathom how this could have been their policy. Dickson amounted this to “nominal participation” in Dining Week, though when we heard a similar bottom line delivered to a nearby table who was also interested in the promotional menu, we found some comfort in their consistency.

Not so, it seems. May, who ate at Ric’s Grill the night prior, was immediately given the Dining Week menu upon request, even without “pre-ordering” over the phone beforehand. What boggles my mind is that the options available on the Dining Week menu are no different than what is offered on their regular menu, so a lack of food supply would not be an acceptable excuse. And as one would think the pre-fixe menus are meant to encourage otherwise experimental-shy patrons to dine outside their borders with the hope of reaping return business in the future, why so many hurdles would be in place to ultimately save the restaurant just a few dollars (the 6oz Filet Mignon pre-fixe with dessert was $35, while the same Filet Mignon is regularly priced at $31 without dessert) is beyond me. Though I will continue with this review to be thorough, it’s a safe bet I won’t be back at Ric’s Grill; it is unacceptable for a restaurant of their supposed calibre to be nothing more than a token participant in an event set up to promote the best of Edmonton’s urban cuisine.

I ordered the 6oz Filet Mignon, with a soup to start, while Dickson settled on the 12oz Top Sirloin and a Caesar salad ($31). The spicy beef and vegetable soup was great – the amount of beef was generous, and the vegetables had obviously been simmering for quite some time. Dickson said his salad (made from scratch), was quite enjoyable as well.

As for our entrees – I had no complaints about my steak, though I do think the Filet Mignon I had at Mr. Mike’s a few weeks back was just a touch better, if not only because I’d take a peppercorn cream sauce over Bernaise any day. And I won’t deny it – the fun of onion rings as a side is something I still haven’t gotten over.

Dickson’s sirloin, ordered medium rare, was exceptionally moist. So much so that the red juices that collected on his plate became somewhat unappetizing. I don’t claim to be a steak expert, but perhaps they should have let the meat sit for a while longer before serving it?

Ric’s Grill, I hardly knew ye.

Annie and I had originally intended on meeting at The Silk Hat on Friday, but thankfully, I caught a bit piece in the Edmonton Journal about the diner’s temporary closure due to staff shortages.

Having to come up with an alternative venue, I chose hulbert’s (7601 115 Street). I first read about the neighbourhood eatery in Where Magazine, and then a positive review in See Magazine at the end of last year.

I didn’t really know what to expect, besides remembering that green was in the exterior color scheme somehow, but walking in, I appreciated how cozy the dining area was. All of the prime tables by the window were either taken or reserved, and we could see that an empty space near the front of the cafe was left open for a musician to set up shop later on that evening. What struck me, besides the beautiful custom-made mosaic tabletops, was how the space was able to transition between daytime and evening, simply by lowering the blinds, lighting a few candles, and putting on some smoky jazz.

We sat down around 5:30, and were surprised by the lunch menus we were handed by the waitress. When asked when dinner would be served, she indicated 6pm, so Annie and I decided to start with dessert and wait out the half hour to have heartier options beyond wraps and sandwiches.

hulbert’s offered pretty standard refrigerated dessert case choices: a few cheesecakes, an apple tart, a mousse. Annie decided upon the mango-berry cheesecake, while I simply couldn’t turn down the chocolate torte ($6). A few minutes later, our individual slices were presented to us, garnished with dollops of whipped cream and drizzles of colored syrup. Annie was glad her cake wasn’t as sweet as she was expecting, while I could have done with a tad more sugar in mine.

With our dessert plates cleared, and dinner menus in hand, we surveyed our options. As indicated on their website, hulbert’s doesn’t claim to offer an extensive food menu. Still, I didn’t expect just three entrees! On this day, their ever-changing selections included pork chops, baked salmon, and a pasta option, in addition to a number of appetizers. Based upon the food being delivered around us, it seemed most of the patrons that evening opted for the shared dips. Perhaps we should have deferred to the majority, but Annie and I were both in the mood for pasta (three color rotini in a homemade pesto with sauteed vegetables, $12), served with our choice of soup or salad.

Our vegetable soups were delivered in coffee cups, making for easy drinking. Except the chunks of too-hard vegetables (carrots in particular that probably could have used another hour on the stove) made the use of a spoon necessary. It did tide us over until our pastas were ready a short while later, served to us in lovely square bowls. Unfortunately, the pasta itself didn’t match the presentation – between the thin pesto and a paucity of vegetables, Annie was spot on in her description of our main being a “warm pasta salad”.

I would still give hulbert’s another opportunity to wow me in the future, mainly because the venue itself fosters an ambiance perfect for catching up with friends, or being treated to an evening of cool music.

“This is it?”
“I’ve driven down this street hundreds of times and have never noticed it before!”

The Golden Bird (10544 97 Street) features a storefront so aged that it literally blends with its surroundings, resembling one of those sad ghosts of a business that reflects only a past of prosperity. Of course, even if the exterior didn’t suffer from neglect, the surrounding block of merchants would make it difficult to maintain the sheen expected of a restaurant with a name that conjures up images of phoenixes in flight. Still, the reputation of The Golden Bird precedes itself; coworkers of both Dickson and I have personally recommended their brand of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine to us.

On Thursday, we made our way to Chinatown, found some parking at the rear of the building, and walked inside. As my colleague had warned me, the interior was in serious need of a Restaurant Makeover. I didn’t mind their penchant for outdated and cheap art (Kim Andersen prints), but I do think that their furniture could use a major overhaul. Dirty from years of use, the chairs were coated with grime. The tables were topped with glass, and underneath, as custom with many ethnic eateries, were copies of outdated reviews from local news media. The articles indicated The Golden Bird does most of its business at lunch (both takeout and dining in), which seemed to be true, as the restaurant had just two patrons as we sat down. But through the course of our meal, other tables filled up with families, groups of friends, and couples, most of them appearing to be regulars.

The menu featured standard Vietnamese and Chinese fare (and interestingly named dishes, such as the 5 Colour on Rice or Vermicelli), but as Dickson and I are both pho enthusiasts, we jumped straight to the noodle soup section. My decision was an easy one – I always opt for the bowl featuring medium rare sliced beef ($7.50), while Dickson typically selects whatever the house special is. In this case, it was the Golden Bird Beef Noodle Soup ($8.50), with all kinds of meat but no egg. For comparison purposes, we also added an order of green onion cakes ($3.95).

Asian restaurants are known for two things: cheap eats and quick kitchen-to-table service. The Golden Bird was no different. Our green onion cakes arrived promptly, still glistening from their deep-fried treatment. I found the cake itself to be quite doughy, and needing just a tad more salt, but they were still a satisfying and promising start to our meal.

Our noodle soup bowls arrived even before we had a chance to finish our appetizer, steaming hot and inviting on a winter’s night. Shredded cilantro, green onion slices and slivers of red onions floated on top in a lovely medley of fragrance and flavour. I was a tad disappointed in the small quantity and toughness of the meat, but the broth, savoury and coming perilously close to matching Pagolac’s perfection, made up for it somewhat.

Neither Dickson nor I were willing to concede the southside Pagolac’s pho crown, but we do believe that The Golden Bird will provide a tasty and pleasing alternative to pho lovers in the downtown core.

Mack suffers from an affliction I’ve termed CAD, or Coupon Aversion Disorder. The idea of saving a couple of bucks is usually enough to entice the would-be diner, but with Mack, the opposite effect is true. So count me as shocked when he took me up on a (God forbid) 2-for-1 offer at the newest franchise to shack up on Bourbon Street in West Edmonton Mall – Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse & Bar (1647, 8882 170 Street).

Open since June, the only thing I had heard about the restaurant was that a decent, reasonably priced meal could be had there, courtesy of James. A quick once-over of the online menu revealed no surprises – the typical mix of share-plate appetizers, burgers, one-off pastas and stir-fry bowls, and of course, steak. Prices, as we would discover, are less than those found at The Keg.

Mr. Mike’s doesn’t take reservations, but early on a Tuesday evening, pre-booking wasn’t necessary. I was promptly seated in the small, dim lounge near the front of the restaurant, and as I waited for Mack, surveyed the decor. Besides a decorative Native carving of some sort, I couldn’t figure out what the slogan, “It’s a West Coast Thing!” was supposed to mean. Based on our seating arrangement, on IKEA-esque chairs more suited for a sitting room than a dining area, and a sectional couch along one wall (pity the poor soul who has to eat meat bending over a low table), I figured those on the coast just don’t know how to use space wisely and practically. That said, we could have requested a booth in the proper dining room, which featured a rather lovely bar and a high ceiling. But with the onslaught of food we were about to receive, in the end, it didn’t matter where we were seated.

Mack arrived shortly after, and I convinced him, as we perused the menu, to come over to the dark side of the great coupon divide. Thus, we both ordered steaks: he the 9oz. New York, supersized into a Classic Combo ($26.99) which included a Caesar salad, sauteed mushrooms, and starch in the form of fries, and I the 6oz Filet Mignon, served with a side of roasted garlic red-skin mashed potatoes ($25.99). We also requested a plate of Calamari ($8.99) to start.

Our server was nice, albeit perhaps not genuinely so. I’m almost certain she is very good at her job, but on that night, she had a shadow of a trainee, which can throw off the best of us. Thus, she ended up forgetting about our appetizer order, and made it up to us by offering the calamari on the house. As with most things fried, I enjoyed the crunchy little morsels, but Mack claimed calamari supremacy still belonged to Earls. Mack’s salad was a meal in and of itself; he even resorted to packing up the last half for (yes) lunch the next day.

The steaks arrived in no time. I thought Mack’s ridged plate would make it difficult for him to cut through the meat, but he didn’t seem to have any trouble with it. We had both asked for medium preparation, and it was perfectly done for both of us; my filet mignon was incredibly juicy and tender, and the peppercorn cream sauce provided some bite and high caloric flavour. The side of onion rings, tasting very similar to those at A & W, were a nice treat as a less common accompaniment.

With our coupon (and our server’s mistake), we ended up with a bill totalling only $33 before tax and tip. The food was great though, and even at regular price, I would have heartily enjoyed the meal. Still, life’s better with a discount, so hopefully this tale will help others with CAD realize that exercising frugality really isn’t so bad.

My (almost) empty plate