- The April edition of Avenue Edmonton has a few good reads, including an interview with Ron Berezan, the Urban Farmer, a tour of some of the city’s multicultural gems (May pointed out that the article lacks specific addresses for the locations listed; a fair point), and a short feature about Courtney and Brooke’s blog Take it and Like it. Congrats, ladies!
- My latest article in Vue Weekly about TZiN Wine and Tapas Bar was published this week. Two things that didn’t fit in my piece which I wanted to share – Kelsey said that malbecs have been really popular over the past six weeks for no reason that she could gather, and when asked about her favourite drink, she responded: “Bubbles are always my favourite. Champagne is gorgeous, love it, it’s not always in my budget to do though. So there’s a lot of great proseccos and cavas. I find that often people will wait for an occasion or birthday or celebration of some sort. Random Tuesday for me. Bubbles make me happy.”
- First Manor Cafe and now The Blue Pear: Brulee Blog mentioned another “recession special” – The Blue Pear will be offering a “Baby Blue Pear” menu – $35 3-course menu for 5-6pm and Sunday reservations. No further details on their website yet.
- An interesting story about some local restaurant groups like Original Joe’s expanding in spite of the recession.
- The Dasee Group (which apparently owns Plaid Giraffe, among other businesses) will be opening a cafe featuring gelato and espresso at their 8004 Gateway Boulevard location in March. Keep an eye on their website for grand opening information.
- Sorrentino’s kicks off their 18th annual Garlic Festival tomorrow. I know some in the city get excited for the event, but I’m not one of them.
- Liane Faulder wrote an article about a study showing increased consumer spending at farmers’ markets over the past four years – up to $45 per visit in 2008 compared with $35 in 2004, while annual spending went up to $449 from $317. I just wish the study broke down where the funds were being spent, given that everything from jewellery to produce is sold at local markets.
- If the Urban Spoon app for your iPhone wasn’t cool enough, how about Locavore 1.0? Find not only the farmers’ market nearest you (using GPS), but also what’s in season. Someone with an iPhone will have to tell me if it works in Canadian cities.
- Speaking of eating locally, the Edible Prairie Online posted an “Alberta food inventory”, along with links to some helpful resources.
- Andree over at Are You Gonna Eat That? reviewed some PC Blue Menu products, and showcases a nifty little slideshow gadget on her blog.
Category: food
Professional but not Pretentious: Hardware Grill
While his parents were visiting Edmonton last week, Mack wanted to treat them to an experience unobtainable in Yellowknife, so we looked to the upper echelons of the city’s dining rafters and decided upon the Hardware Grill.
My one experience there several years ago was a positive one, but my memory of it is faint with the exception of an impression of excellent service. Being one of the priciest establishments in the city, however, meant that Hardware Grill is definitely a destination restaurant.
We walked in right on time for our early 5:30pm reservation, and were immediately greeted by a hostess and an attendant who relieved us of our coats and hats. We were led to a table in the main dining room with a view of the bar and the kitchen, angled in a way that we could also catch a glimpse of the stunning wine cellar. In terms of the interior, there isn’t much to say that would distinguish it from other wood-and-stone accented rooms, but their simple elegance speaks volumes about the type of experience the restaurant desires the customer to have.
Our waiter appeared with menus in hand, including a wine list with over 500 options. We were puzzled with a line at the bottom of the menu that indicated that “Hardware Grill prefers payment in cash or cheque”, as we weren’t sure how many diners would be carrying several hundred dollars in their wallet, but other than that, the menu was identical to the one found on the website. I must say that I love the detail in their menu – some restaurants choose not to list all of the accompanying sides and garnishes, but Hardware does, and I appreciate it.
The laundry list of appetizers we ordered was as follows: Martin the duck confit ($14), Patti the warm goat cheese ($14) fritters, Mack the bacon wrapped scallops ($18) and the chanterelle risotto ($14) for me. As for entrees, Martin selected the rack of lamb ($42), Patti the Alberta beef tenderloin ($48), Mack the porcini-crusted sea bass ($48) and I the soy-lacquered duck ($36). We were in for a lot of food.
Bread service involved a basket of a variety of slices including (yum) herbed cheese biscuits. Although the restaurant claims to bake the bread fresh twice daily, it reached us stone cold. I think Mack and I will have to start making a list of restaurants (besides chains such as the Olive Garden, East Side Mario’s and the Old Spaghetti Factory) that actually serve warm bread.
Bread service
When our starters arrived, we were all surprised at how much food we were given – portion sizes were much larger than what we originally anticipated. Patti loved the combination of flavours in her salad – with the interplay of hazelnuts, dates and beets complementing the warm goat cheese fritters nicely. Mack had been looking forward to the bacon-wrapped scallops all week, and they delivered. I’m sure he could have eaten several in place of his entree if allowed. My risotto was good (the aroma of the chanterelles was lovely), but between the pearl onions and the candied bacon, I felt the dish was a little lost, and that the Unheardof version was better.
Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Grilled Polenta Cake, Forest Mushrooms, with Port and Pomegranate Relish
Warm Goat Cheese Fritters, Baby Romaine with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Medjool Dates, Toasted Hazel Nuts and Baby Beets
Bacon Wrapped Atlantic Scallops, English Pea Ravioli, Sweet Onion and Red Wine Reduction, Tomato Marmalade
Winter Chanterelle Risotto with Mascarpone and Asiago Cheese, with Port and Candied Bacon
Plates were cleared, more wine was consumed, and by no time, our entrees arrived. Both Martin and Patti’s meats were cooked to their expectation (even though Martin’s lamb looked to be a little on the raw side), and both were really happy with their dishes. Patti especially loved the beets, one of her favourite vegetables. Mack’s seafood medley continued with his sea bass and lobster-truffled potato crepes, the latter of which stood out for him. I was was thankful that the kitchen took the time to slice up my duck breast – it definitely made it easier to eat, but it seems I couldn’t consume it fast enough to prevent the meat from drying out. I loved the crisp layer of skin and fat – a little bit of indulgence goes a long way. I wasn’t sure about the butternut-pear hash, but it turned out the pear was a good choice, as the sweetness played off the savoury duck and venison shepherd’s pie well.
Demi Roasted Lamb Rack, Cassoulet Style White Beans with Duck, Lamb & Bacon, Served with Zucchini “Spaghetti”
Alberta Beef Tenderloin, Smoked Mashed Potatoes, Baby Beets, Carrots, Short Rib “Yorkie” and Horseradish Crème Fraiche
Porcini Crusted Sea Bass, Lobster-Truffled Potato Crêpes, White Corn-Arugula & Gulf Prawns, with Warm Portobello Vinaigrette
Soya Lacquered Duck Breast with Shepherds Pie, Pear-Butternut Hash, Pine Nuts and Fig-Balsamic Sauce
Though we all claimed to be full, we weren’t able to pass on dessert (encouraged by this statement on the menu, how could you blame us: “Just dive in and swim through the calories,
happy as a clam”). Martin and Patti split the warm gingerbread cake ($11), while Mack and I shared the classic profiteroles ($11). At the time, I mistakenly thought we would have been brought mini Italian doughnuts (beignets), but the cream puff-like sandwiches turned out to be a good choice. Served with espresso ice cream and hot fudge sauce, they were a not-too-decadent ending to our meal. Patti loved the gingerbread cake – it smelled and tasted like Christmas.
Classic Profiteroles
Warm Prairie Gingerbread Cake
I found the entire meal wonderfully paced. We were done our three courses by 8pm, but never felt rushed or like we were looking for the next course. Service was also commendable – our waiter was superb – personable, demonstrating a sense of humor that put us at ease, but never stepping over that boundary of becoming too informal. I realized that although Hardware Grill is labeled as a “fine dining” restaurant, without the pomp and circumstance of announcing each dish as it is delivered, the entire experience was entirely comfortable and never felt pretentious or stuffy.
While the Hardware Grill is not an off-the-cuff dining choice, it provided exactly what we were looking for that night – a high-end venue, great food, attentive service, and an experience that facilitated a memorable evening of conversation.
Hardware Grill
9698 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton
(780) 423-0969
Monday-Saturday 5pm-close
Bloomin’ Fail: Outback Steakhouse
Mack’s parents were in town for a week, and wanted to treat a few of us to dinner on Friday. Originally intending to snag a table at the Keg, the wait of eighty-five minutes ended up being too much to bear, so the group settled on the nearby Outback Steakhouse. The venue was likely a better choice anyway, as we had a two-year old amongst us.
The Outback had never occurred to me as a go-to choice for steak. Not that I am one to eat steak all that often anyway, but having passed by their three locations in the city more times that I can count, I can say that nothing has ever implored me to step inside their doors. Their set-up is very family and group oriented, in a casual way reminiscent of other run-of-the-mill chains like Boston Pizza and Kelsey’s. I liked the wooden fixtures and spot lighting, things I didn’t expect to find. For a Friday night, it actually was not busy at all – there were quite a few tables that sat empty throughout the night, probably not a good sign, even though a Western Canadian representative just reiterated how strong the Edmonton market is (Outback just closed nine locations in Ontario).
Menu-wise, crowd-pleasing entrees including steak, sandwiches, pastas and salads didn’t do much to make Outback unique in the sea of chains, with the exception of some silly dish names. Highlights include: Kookaburra Wings and Mac-A-Roo ’N Cheese. I have to think that the restaurant came to be during the Crocodile Dundee era, with someone assuming Americans would jump at the opportunity to immerse themselves in Aussie slang. That said, the prices were fairly reasonable – Mack’s 6oz. Sirloin with Grilled Lobster Tail Combo ran $24.95, while the 10oz. prime rib that Martin and Tom ordered was $22.75. I was craving a burger that night, and decided the All-In ($14.95) would best suit my needs, and customized it with bacon, swiss, lettuce and tomatoes. The Bloomin’ Onion ($8.75), described as being “hand-carved by a dedicated bloomologist” intrigued us after we found out that the chain sells over 15 million a year.
Our server showed herself to be promising, and didn’t waiver too much over the night, given that we were a fairly needy group. My biggest complaint had to do with the wait for our mains – though it likely had to do with the size of our group, I saw many late-seated tables around us receiving entrees even before our appetizer arrived.
The Bloomin’ Onion was just that – a giant onion that has been cut-up to look like a flower, battered, then deep-fried whole so that it retains its shape. As a result, the onion-ring like morsels also retain much of the grease that would normally be shaken off in a fryer basket, but boy, did it taste good. Mack disagreed though, and didn’t eat many more than a few petals. It is definitely meant to be shared amongst a large group though.
Bloomin’ Onion
Our entrees were nothing special – Mack thought his steak and lobster were unexceptional, and that the latter could have been much better. My burger was pretty standard, bordering on dry. Though it was my choice to decide on that dish, I kept thinking about how the burgers over at Red Robin’s are a much better comparable deal. I also couldn’t figure out what made the accompanying Aussie fries “Aussie”, besides a dash of what looked like pepper.
Sirloin with Grilled Lobster Tail
All-In Burger with Aussie Fries
Before we left, our waitress inundated us with eight 2-for-1 coupons, good for dinners between Monday and Thursdays. While it seemed like a nice gesture, there was a whiff of desperation to the hand-out. I’m not sure we’d be interested in returning anyway, even with the discount.
Outback Steakhouse
12832 137 Avenue NW, Edmonton (two other locations)
(780) 457-4702
Culinary Q & A with Chris Falconer
Occupation: I’ve just recently moved back to the city and picked up contract work at IKEA, where I was employed while I worked on my business degree, until I find a position in Human Resources to continue my career path.
What did you eat today?
Breakfast – banana and fiber one smoothie
Lunch – slow roasted chicken sandwich on homemade whole wheat bread, with a side of carrots and cauliflower.
Supper – braised lamb shank on a bed of green lentils at Culina.
What do you never eat?
I can’t think of any thing, besides balut maybe, that I wouldn’t eat.
What is your personal specialty?
Nice rustic loafs of bread and slow roasted pulled pork.
Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:
Yogurt, apples, carrots, lettuce, kimchi, various mustards and hot sauces.
What is your weekday meal standby?
A roasted chicken or tuna salad.
What is your favorite kitchen item?
My KitchenAid stand mixer.
World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.
It would be a meal of foods I have strong memories connected to. Starting with cinnamon french toast with real maple syrup – melted fontina cheese on a Montréal bagel – a bison burger with guacamole – tacos al pastor – sashimi – and finish with my mom’s chocolate chip cookies and a tall glass of milk.
Where do you eat out most frequently?
Sushi Wasabi – the perfect place to indulge in my fish cravings.
What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?
I’ve been away for a few years so I’m far from current when it comes to the finer things. Although I must say after having just enjoyed my first meal at Culina, that is definitely a spot people should hit up.
If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?
Puebla, Mexico – where the mole was created. With every aspect of Mexican cuisine available on the street, I think I’d spend a day walking while eating anything and everything wrapped in fresh corn tortillas.
Chris blogs at Eating is the Hard Part.
Neighbourhood Bistro: The Dish
I consider The Dish Mack’s neighbourhood bistro. Just a two minute walk from his apartment, it’s surprising that last week was our first visit there together since he moved into the area a year ago. We needed a quick bite prior to a show on Tuesday, and craving their brand of comfort food as I wasn’t feeling too well, we headed out the door.
It was surprisingly busy for a random weekday, so I was a little worried that we would end up late for the theatre. However, service was actually quite brisk, and we made it out the door with time to spare. We both ordered off the specials sheet, seasonally tailored for cool winter evenings. I decided on the Deep Dish Quiche with a side of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup ($14), while Mack chose the Chicken Pot Pie and a side of Caesar Salad ($15).
I loved the interior of the restaurant the first time I set foot in it, and that affection hasn’t changed. The creaky wooden floors, the well-worn furniture, and the dim, intimate lighting sets the tone for a cozy and inviting space. And despite the risk of high noise levels (there isn’t any soft materials present to help with sound absorption), something about the small tables that draw patrons inward still provide a semblance of privacy for dining parties.
Our food arrived promptly, and I think I had dish envy as soon as I saw Mack’s pie. He let me steal a bite of the pie (and puff pastry), and it tasted as good as it looked. He didn’t care so much for the visually appealing nature of the diagonally-placed strips of pastry though, as he prefers his pie crust solidly attached to the dish.
Chicken Pot Pie
I thought the kitchen was a bit frugal on my quiche, but it was good all the same. The havarti, spinach, sundried tomato and caramelized red onion combined well with the light and airy baked egg, and I appreciated the finish of parmesan shards on top. The soup was a little on the tart side for my palate, but served its inner-warming purpose on my plate.
Deep Dish Quiche
I am looking forward to their menu change come spring, and to perhaps finally get a peek at their well-known “secret garden” patio.
The Dish
12417 Stony Plain Road NW
Edmonton, AB
(780) 488-6641
Food Notes for March 23, 2009
- A new Funky Pickle Pizza is opening downtown at 10243 Jasper Avenue – it looks just about ready to open!
- I passed by a new coffee shop called Hardwood Cafe on Jasper Avenue and 110 Street – I can’t find any information about it though.
- The Bistro at both Sobeys Urban Fresh locations will be offering live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-9pm starting in April.
- Marianne and Charles of Loosen Your Belt and Eat Around Edmonton visited the new coffee bar at the downtown Italian Centre (10878 95 Street). I’ll have to check it out soon – hopefully when the sidewalks are a little more dry.
- A profile on Sonny Sung, Corporate Executive Chef of Sorrentino’s in Vue Weekly was informative – I can see how he scaled the ranks to lead one of Edmonton’s largest home grown chains: “I own the job, I don’t do the job. If something goes wrong, there has to be a reason. You figure out what’s wrong and you fix it.”
- Liane Faulder will be on a CBC drive-home radio show every other Friday called “Eating in Edmonton”.
- If you’re interested in becoming a vendor at an Alberta Farmers’ Market, think about attending a Brown Bag Presentation on March 26 at the Business Link.
- Foodie Suz posted about her renovated kitchen this week, and introduced a website called Use Real Butter that is profiling kitchens of food bloggers – cool insight into a variety of beautiful cooking spaces!
- Restaurant Widow, a food blogger out of Columbus, posed an interesting question this week – “Are women really treated different in restaurants? And why?”
- More on Scanwiches this week – Gizmodo went behind-the-scenes of the website to discover how their pristine photos are taken, and via Grub Street, another Scanwich site apparently came first.
- Via Urban Diner, a piece about a new high-tech restaurant in London called Inamo Restaurant. It features interactive touch-screen tables where patrons can order food, play games, and even order a cab!
- It’s the Eater edition of Food Notes! First up, Alberta Avenue must be an up-and-coming area, because they’re getting their very own Taco del Mar (9405 118th Avenue)!
Yet another Taco del Mar…
- A second outpost of Boualouang is in the works just down the street from its first storefront (10569 97 Street) in Chinatown.
It looks a lot larger than the first restaurant
- The best news of all: Starbucks in the Empire Building (10080 Jasper Ave) has an oven, which will start offering breakfast goodies in May.
“The heat is on May 5, 2009”
A Customized Treat: Choklat
Also gleaned from Where Calgary, I read a brief introduction to one of Calgary’s chocolatiers called Choklat. Located in the Inglewood neighbourhood just a few minutes from the core, Choklat prides itself in being only one of two chocolatiers in Canada that actually make their own chocolate. They buy raw cocoa beans, roast and grind them all on their own. As I had been meaning to check out Inglewood anyway, a promise of fresh chocolate provided a nice incentive.
We parked our car and meandered around walkable Inglewood for a bit. Stocked with a variety of boutiques including home decor, houseware, clothing, and gifts, it reminded me of Edmonton’s High Street area. Some of the stores were closed on Sunday, however (including Spolumbo’s Deli), so we may have to return in the near future to get a full sense of the street.
We eventually made our way to Choklat, a small functional storefront. A jar of cocoa beans were on display on a shelf alongside packages of chocolate that could be purchased, while a display case next to the till tempted customers with large bars of dark and milk chocolate bars. We were interested in the custom truffles.
Choklat
Choklat interior and truffle-making station
Priced at $1.99, they are definitely an occasional treat, but we liked the ability to create our own truffle. Apparently there are over 300 combinations, but on that day, we just put in an order for three. Mack liked that we could have placed an order online to be picked up at our convenience, handy, I’m sure, for those placing a large volume order.
After consulting the list of possibilities, we chose: a dark chocolate buttercream centre dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in cocoa nibs; a peanut butter buttercream dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in crushed brownies; (and for Mack) a milk chocolate buttercream dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in crushed brownies.
Menu
In about ten minutes, our order was ready (comfortable leather couches lined the waiting area). Presented in a translucent blue Chinese take-out style box, I knew part of the price had to be the packaging. We were also given a sheet of paper that listed which colour-coded truffle contained which combination.
Our order
About the size of a Timbit, it was evident that each truffle had been made with care. I liked the peanut butter version better, as there was a nice variety of sweetness in that truffle, and Mack enjoyed the crushed brownies on the outside of his, saying that it was surprisingly just sweet enough. I can’t say that I could “taste” the fact that they source and grind their own cocoa beans in the truffle, though the chocolate bar would have been a better buy for that purpose.
Choklat provides a nice alternative for those seeking a chocolate gift – the customized nature of their truffles, although pricey, is hard to beat.
Choklat
1327A 9th Avenue SE
(403) 457-1419
The “Diner Sprint”: Dairy Lane Cafe
As I continue to bemoan the lack of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives-worthy diners in Edmonton, I do my best to try and strike another diner off my list every time I am in Calgary.
Of all places, I discovered Dairy Lane Cafe within the pages of Where Calgary. After checking out the website, I convinced Mack that it should take the coveted “Sunday morning brunch” slot of our weekend eating adventure.
Dairy Lane exterior
Though we intended on getting to Dairy Lane earlier, by the time we checked out from the hotel and arrived in the West Hillhurst community, it was already 11am. It wasn’t looking good, as there were already a number of people hovered around the door outside. To make the wait more bearable, however, Dairy Lane (like Diner Deluxe) offers hot coffee to patient patrons.
A sign told us to head on in to report the size of our party, and when we did, we were greeted by a friendly server who gently broke it to us that the wait was around forty-five minutes. Having been used to such demand, we had our information taken, including our phone number. He promised to call when a table was ready (long distance, mind you!) and said that we would have five minutes to claim it. We assured him that we wouldn’t wander far.
Hillhurst is a neighbourhood adjacent to Kensington, so we figured a leisurely stroll to work up our appetite was in order. We planned a twenty-minute walk each way, and after peering in the windows of Janice Beaton Fine Cheese (it wouldn’t open until noon that day, unfortunately), we turned around to head back.
At 11:30, we were still a number of blocks from our destination when Mack’s cell phone rang – our table was ready! In what will now be called the “diner sprint”, we ran just about the rest of the distance back to ensure our table wouldn’t be lost. Thankfully, we made it, so our unexpected exercise wasn’t in vain.
The interior of the cafe was tiny – only 22 seats, but so charming. Cheerful yellow walls reflected the optimistic spring conditions outside, and black and white prints reminded patrons of the diner’s 1950s roots. Dairy Lane is proudly powered by 100% carbon-free energy, and 5% of their sales are donated to the Highbanks Society, an organization committed to assisting young single parent families. Talk about a diner with a conscience.
Interior
I couldn’t resist the Swiss and Bacon Stuffed French Toast ($10.95), while Mack chose the All-In Three Egg Omelette ($12.95), with veggies, bacon, ham, Spolumbo’s sausage and cheese. Of course, we topped our order off with coffee, which was consistently being refilled to a standard that Mack approved of.
Though we imagined the kitchen to be fairly small (sized-appropriate to the dining room), we didn’t have to wait long for our plates. A supersized container of maple syrup was provided to me, which Mack was more excited about than I was. The swiss had been sprinkled with a heavy hand, and combined with the slightly salty back bacon, the light and eggy French toast, and a touch of syrupy-sweetness, I was in brunch heaven. If I don’t make it back to Calgary some time soon, I may have to learn to duplicate their recipe at home.
Savoury Stuffed French Toast with home-cut hashbrowns
Mack liked his omelette just fine, though he said it wasn’t the best he’d ever had (Galaxie Diner still tops his list). He did say that it was thicker than he expected, and the kitchen definitely didn’t scrimp on the ingredients.
All-In Omelette with home-cut hashbrowns and toast
Dairy Lane is a great diner with great intentions. I’ll be back.
Dairy Lane Cafe
319 19 Street NW
(403) 283-2497
Monday-Friday 7am-3pm, Weekends and Holidays 8am-3pm
Dissonant Service: Rush
I didn’t know much about Rush when I chose it to be our Dine-out Calgary dinner choice, except that it was fairly upscale, as someone on Chowhound commented that they were surprised that the restaurant was in the $35 and not $85 tasting bracket. We also found out, after we made our reservation that Rush offers complimentary valet parking after 6pm. As we had chosen a centrally-located hotel, we wouldn’t be utilizing the service, but I’m sure it would help tempt many a diner especially on cold winter nights.
We walked over to Rush, and were right on time for our 7pm reservation. We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess and a coat check attendant, were seamlessly freed from our jackets and led to a table in the dining room. The hostess asked if I would like to hang my purse, and when I said yes, pulled out a gold-plated purse hook and hung it off a side of the table – a non-essential, but thoughtful touch by the restaurant.
It looked exactly as it did in the photos I had seen on the restaurant’s website, but on closer inspection, was a little less stunning. The visually interesting floor-to-ceiling dividers were a unique addition, but spray-painted gold, seemed tacky. The pastel green chairs (instead of a more monochromatic shade of white or black) also cheapened the décor somewhat. The large wine room, however, chic with clear glass and alluring lighting, was the interior’s bright spot. We also decided that the music that was initially played belonged not in a restaurant of this calibre, but in a department store. Thankfully, towards the end of our meal, the tunes shifted more to the smooth jazz variety (Dave Brubek’s “Take 5” for one).
We were soon greeted by one of our two servers for the evening. He brought the wine and cocktail lists, and asked us if we would like sparkling or still water. In the past in such restaurants, I have found that “still water” translates into “bottled water”, so I responded that we would like tap water. Upon hearing my answer, he launched into a retort that was neither helpful or entirely clear, and mentioned briefly that the water was a “good deal” because it was tap water run through a special process. He was condescending (something that would continue throughout our meal), and missed an opportunity to educate us about how Rush goes above and beyond other establishments. I learned later from the website that the restaurant is the first in Canada to use the Nordaq FRESH water system: “FRESH is ultra pure water where tastes such as soil, clay, chalk and chlorine have been removed using a patented system. According to leading chefs and sommeliers, FRESH enhances the experience of food and wine. As FRESH is bottled on location and is not transported it is also a more environmentally responsible choice.” Needless to say, our lovely introduction to the restaurant was marred by his unexpected rudeness.
The server came back with a clear wine bottle filled with water, and just when I was about to question the fact that we still hadn’t been given food menus, a busperson appeared before us with a tiny plate containing three amuse bouches. The first was beef tataki with garlic puree, the second a beet puree, and the third a savoury shortbread. Of the three, we liked the crispy, warm and cheesy shortbread – what can I say? We’re easy to please.
Amuse Bouches
As soon as we’d finished our plates, they were whisked away and food menus were presented to us. It occurred to me then that the restaurant wanted us to be able to fully focus on the amuse bouche and the tone of the meal before being introduced to text distractions. The $35, three-course Dine-Out menu was contained within, and once we realized that entrees ranged from $35 and up, we knew we were getting a really good deal.
We put in our orders with a female server, who assisted us for most of the night. Unlike her counterpart, She was friendly, gracious and demonstrated a sense of humor. When she incorrectly positioned Mack’s entrée, she joked, “Please don’t tell the Chef, or I’ll be beaten again.” I had to wonder why there was such a dissonance between servers.
We both ordered the roast garlic soup (with ham hock and parsley coulis) to start, but deviated our choices for the rest of the meal. I decided on the sous vide filet of Chinook salmon and chocolate tasting for dessert, while Mack opted for the loin of Broek Farms’ Berkshire pork and ice cream trio.
Bread service included three options, only one of which I can remember (multigrain). Our female server did a really good job in painstakingly introducing each dish to us (and all their garnishes), but a detriment to my food blogging tendency is to never write anything down during the meal. I prefer to focus on the experience in the moment, but I know my memory isn’t what it should be, so I apologize for the lost details. The bread was all right, though Mack would have preferred to have eaten the slices warm.
Bread service
The garlic soup was good – flavourful, but not too overpowering. The foam layer on top also lightened what could have been a heavy cream concoction.
Roast Garlic Soup
The star of the meal was undoubtedly our entrees. I was excited to try the sous vide salmon, and it was exactly what I expected – the fish had adopted a melt-in-your-mouth texture that I doubt could have been achieved any other way. Underneath sat flecks of double-smoked bacon – heaven in every crisp, they almost overshadowed the salmon. My only nitpick about the dish were some of the slightly undercooked potatoes.
Filet of Chinook Salmon
Mack really liked his pork, which had also been prepared sous vide. The thick slice of meat (nearly double the size of my salmon) retained its moisture, and contained a healthy amount of what Mack dubbed fat to be “slurped up”. He enjoyed the lentil pairing as well.
Berkshire Pork Loin
Dessert included smoked chocolate mousse and chicory and milk chocolate ice cream for me, neither of which were exceptional. Mack’s trio of ice cream yielded one absolute winner though – the raspberry sorbet.
Chocolate Tasting
Ice Cream Trio
The male server returned to present us with a tiny plate of complimentary sweets to end our meal. Unlike his counterpart, however, he did not stop to describe any of them, and turned to leave as soon as the plate hit the table. Out of the three, the macaron was my favourite.
Meal-ending treats
He returned to deliver the bill, and a bag of ribbon-wrapped granola, “for the morning”. It was a considerate gesture, particularly for a party that ordered from the cheaper menu.
Granola “for the morning”
All told, Rush provided us with a mostly positive experience – it is evident that the owners and the chef have designed the restaurant with the patron in mind, and have incorporated thoughtful touches and details that elevate Rush above other fine dining establishments. At the same time, had we seen more of the unfortunate server, I may not have been left with the same impression – I hope something is done to correct the inconsistencies in patron relations.
Rush
100, 207 9 Avenue SW
(403) 271-7874
Monday-Friday 11:30am for lunch and 5pm for dinner, Saturday 5pm, closed Sundays
Pancake Diner: Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus
Our first stop on Saturday afternoon upon arriving in Calgary was the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus. I can’t remember when I first heard of the Haus, but I know it has been on my to-try list for a while now. I love the idea of what is essentially a Dutch “pancake diner” – with over 80 savoury and sweet options on the menu, the Haus cloaks their all-day breakfast menu under the guise of a culinary tradition.
In a strip mall (I had to wonder if the Haus affected the name of a nearby Remax outlet which was called “Real Estate House”)
We nearly missed the turn into the strip mall housing the pancake institution, but thankfully, I spied the sign before it was too late. We joined a nearly packed house for lunch, though from the looks of it many patrons were there for their first meal of the day. There were quite a number of families with small children in the restaurant as well, and given that the food was relatively safe, I could imagine children would enjoy a visit to the Haus.
The last flap on the menu distinguished the Haus’s pancakes with those typically encountered in Canadian restaurants, and the owner trained with an authentic pannenkoek restaurant in the Netherlands in order to learn the special technique used. The Haus claims to be the onlly establishment of its kind in Canada.
The décor probably hasn’t changed much since the restaurant opened, but despite being dated, the interior felt cozy and comfortable. The bar/cash area also featured a raised shelf displaying various Dutch food items and souvenirs that could be purchased – I was tempted by the syrup-filled waffles, but figured there would be enough calories consumed that weekend to avoid non-essential confections.
Shelf of tempting goods
We perused the menu, and although there were a few non-pancake entrees listed, we knew we had to try the namesake items. Mack immediately went for the bacon, mushroom and cheese version ($10.95), while I decided on the shredded potato, onion and cheese option ($9.95).
We were floored by the plates that arrived. 12 inches of what looked to be a thin, cheese-topped pancake were placed in front of each of us. Cutting into it, we discovered that the bottom of the pancake remained soft and fluffy, while the top was crispy – it provided a nice contrast in texture. The fact that I had crunchy bits of shredded potato and crunchy onions only helped matters. Mack enjoyed his bacon, mushroom and cheese version, though it was a bit on the salty side.
Shredded Potato, Onion and Cheese Pannenkoek
Bacon, Mushroom and Cheese Pannenkoek
My only complaint through our meal was that our water glasses weren’t refilled until prompted, even though we saw the coffee thermos sail by our table on more than one occasion.
Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus was a nice way to start our weekend of eats – a casual, economically-priced restaurant serving up comfort food.
Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus
2439 – 54 Avenue SW
(403) 243-7757
Wednesday – Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 8am-3pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays
