On the heels of our great meal at Violino (10133 125 Street) two weeks ago, Annie decided that she wanted to hold her birthday celebration there this year. Though she had called too late to book the private room upstairs, our party of 7 were comfortably seated at a quiet table on the main floor. Violino was notably busier than our last visit, with a Sienna Collins-hosted fundraiser taking place on the second floor, and the University of Alberta President Indira Samarasekera having dinner just a few tables away.

The menu had changed slightly (they eliminated the Carbonara from their pasta section and added a 24K gold leaf cake to their dessert list), but Annie and I were both happy to see that the Risotto con Funghi was still on the menu.

We also ordered wine that evening, settling on a Chilean Merlot. That was the start of rather curt service from our waitress, who was impatient from the get-go, returning much too frequently for our drink orders as individual guests arrived, and not offering even the semblance of a smile or friendliness in our interaction. When we asked her to exchange our teapots of lukewarm water for water more conducive for tea, she was abrupt and rather rude about what was clearly her mistake. It would be a shame if Violino lost return customers due to her less-than-warm demeanor.

As for the food – Annie thought the risotto was better this time around, but I thought it was comparable with our last meal. Mack enjoyed his Tiger Striped Agnulotti with Lobster (served with a really generous amount of seafood, and was the best value at $26), while Dickson didn’t think very highly of his Ziti Al Forno.

The very friendly host brought out Annie’s candle-topped cake (leading us in a “rousing” rendition of “Happy Birthday”), and helped serve slices of the cake to everyone at the table. We did linger for quite a while (despite telling glances from our steely-eyed waitress), and though we may have overstayed our welcome slightly, it was nice to chat in a dining room that had nearly emptied out by 10.

While I won’t let this experience color my overall positive impression of Violino, I would be interested to see what a third visit would bring. In any case, it was a lovely dinner, Annie – happy birthday!

Always ready to try the new restaurant on the block, Mack and I originally planned to visit Fatburger (1755 102 Street) on the weekend. However, deterred by a long line up and a movie showtime, we decided to save our burger stand experience for a less busy occasion.

So although it was out of the way on Tuesday, we made our way there after work. By 6, quite the line started to form – I’m sure this location will be fending off curious customers for a while yet. Upon entry, we ordered a Fat Deal and a Chicken Deal (combos including “skinny” fries and a drink), which were called out, and repeated, Starbucks-barista-style, to the employees stationed at the grill. We were then handed paper cups to fill with soda ourselves, and a number to display on our table so that our food could be delivered to us.

While waiting, I surveyed the decor: friendly and fun, with red-dressed booths, a checkered floor, jukebox, and flat-screen televisions, it was basically a “modernized” retro diner. The washrooms were exceptionally clean, very surprising for a fast-food establishment, with tile pictures of male celebrities on the wall in the women’s toilet and vice versa for the men.

A tray was brought to us a few minutes later. My chicken burger wasn’t bad, and the fries were reminiscent of Wendy’s, but with a combo price ($9.99) and quality comparable to Red Robin’s, I think I’d likely choose the latter, if not only for their bottomless baskets of “fat” fries. That said, we will be back at some point to at least try out their homemade onion rings (fresh made every morning, supposedly), and for Mack to garnish a future burger with a fried egg.

Give Fatburger a whirl, but in the end, it really is just a burger.

After New York, I thought it’d be best to avoid “fancy” restaurants for a while – not because I don’t enjoy being catered to necessarily, but because I feel I’ve enjoyed my share of fine dining for several months. When May suggested we try out Jack’s Grill (primarily because she had a gift certificate that would cover about half our meal costs), I agreed, but knew that if their hospitality matched their menu prices, my verdict of the restaurant would be influenced by my desire for anything but formal dining.

Located in a Lendrum strip mall (5842 111 Street), a rather unusual spot for a high-end eatery, it is easily missed due to an exterior that blends in with neighbouring merchants. Upon entry, I was greeted by a friendly hostess who immediately took my coat (I can’t seem to get away from mandatory coat checks) and seated me at a table alongside a wall of windows. Whoever designed the restaurant should be commended for not only the placement of glass, but also for the inclusion of a garden of sorts outside the window. With a parallel bank of trees decorated with twinkle lights, if led in blindfolded, diners would never guess that Jack’s Grill was situated in a strip mall to begin with.

May arrived soon after, and we took our time with the one page menu. We skipped over the appetizers directly to the entrees. May decided to try the Slow Braised Lamb Shank ($32), while the Chinook Salmon ($36) as described by the waiter sounded too good to pass up.

While we waited for our plates, May and I were both surprised at how busy the restaurant was over the course of the evening. Though never completely full, I didn’t think those with expensive tastes would wander out of the downtown core to feed their hunger for gourmet cuisine.

May’s lamb was perfectly prepared – tender off the bone. She didn’t like the accompanying braised cabbage or gremolata much, but finished it all the same. My salmon was good, but the butter sauce it came in was better (it’s pretty difficult to mess up pan fried fish, I find).

Service was decent throughout (including the server who refolded our napkins while we were away from the table), and our water glasses were never less than half full. Still, without a gift certificate in hand, I would be hard pressed to return to Jack’s Grill. There are better fine dining options in Edmonton (Hardware Grill, for example) that I would turn to first on occasions requiring a high standard of excellence.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Pagolac, as I had been frequenting Doan’s to satify my pho craving. My last few trips to Doan’s have been disappointing, however – the beef stock seemed to have increased in salt content and did not appear to have been made from scratch (boullion cubes, anyone?).

I was hoping Pagolac hadn’t gone downhill in the time I had been away, and I am happy to report that they still offer the best pho in the city! My bowl didn’t have cilantro (boo), but other than that, I couldn’t complain about anything. Their servers always amaze me too – super efficient even in a packed house.

Inexpensive and consistent, Pagolac is still my recommentation for reliable, cheap eats.

A few friends and I met up at Bistro Praha (10168 100A Street) for a late afternoon dinner on Saturday. I hadn’t been back to the restaurant in some years, though I had been a frequent patron there in my late high school and early university days. The Rice Howard Way strip hosts a number of independent, ethnic eateries, including La Table de Renoir (French), Co Co Di (Lebanese), It’s All Greek to Me (what else but Greek), and the Eastern European fare of Bistro Praha.

Small but cozy, Bistro Praha always seems to have a few groups of regulars in addition to more curious diners. With a prominent bar and counter along one side and furniture that could have been pulled from an old family pub, the dining room is comfortable and feels familiar somehow. Lighting is dim, but conducive, it seems, to the camaraderie of more boisterous customers, but protective also of the intimate conversations taking place at the tables for two.

I wish I could provide more detail about the menu items, but truth be told, I’ve always ordered the same entree – the Wiener Schnitzel “Cordon Bleu” (a slice of veal, edam cheese and ham breaded then fried). Served with green and potato salads, the meal is consistently satisfying. I decided to order the full plate, though when it arrived, I realized that in the past, I had only asked for the half order – the schnitzel was huge! Still, I managed to eat every crispy and tasty bite – a microwaved portion of leftovers really wouldn’t have done the dish justice.

Stuffed, I wasn’t able to order dessert, but the rest of the girls did. Janice said Bistro Praha’s crepes were better than those served at The Creperie.

It was a nice meal overall – good food, attentive service, and not a bad place to catch up with friends. If you’re in the area, give Bistro Praha a try!

After reading a few positive reviews about Violino (10133 125 Street), a new-ish restaurant in the High Street area, I suggested that Annie and I give it a try on Friday night.

Located in what appears to be a renovated house, we were greeted upon arrival by a host who took our coats (after New York, I am terrified by coat checks). He led us to the second floor dining area, and at that time, we were only the second party in the restaurant (while it was never full, more patrons arrived over the course of the evening).

Annie and I both loved the decor – red tapestries, cream seat covers, and the nicest bathroom either of us had seen in a long time (I’m a sucker for those bowl-shaped sinks that sit atop counters). My only nitpick was the prevalence of music-themed art throughout the restaurant; two or three pieces would have been subtle, but we seemed to encounter another sculpture every time we turned around.

Wanting to leave room for dessert, we bypassed the appetizers and denser entrees, opting instead for the Risotto con Funghi (risotto and wild mushroom melange, parmesan cheese, mixed herbs and laced with truffle oil). I am pleased to say that our server was great under the circumstances; she was assigned the entire second level, and was swamped, but did her best to provide attentive and timely service.

Our food arrived in a positively aromatic cloud and our server confirmed that we were noticing the truffle oil. In short, the risotto was divine. Rich and savoury, but not overly salty, the rice was a creamy bit of heaven.

To end our meal, we each ordered the Espresso Tiramisu and an accompanying cup of tea. Beautifully presented, with an artfully placed wafer and a single raspberry, the cake did not taste heavy, unlike versions at other Italian restaurants. The marscapone cheese blended wonderfully with the espresso-soaked biscuits, and I found the chocolate syrup garnish a nice sweet touch.

While not inexpensive, our indulgence at Violino was well worth it.

Restaurant Exterior

Annie and her Risotto

Espresso Tiramisu