Category: restaurant reviews

Dessert is Always the Best Part: Red Ox Inn

On the occasion of a celebration dinner, May, Andrea, Shermie and myself were able to strike another Original Fare restaurant off of our “to try” list.

Red Ox Inn sign

We met at the Red Ox Inn (9420 91 Street NW) on Thursday, a tiny boutique restaurant with a capacity to hold around 26 patrons. The sleek banquets and simple furnishings reminded me of the Blue Pear, but the somewhat crammed design, which allowed for those extra few seats, in my opinion took away any potential streamlined elegance. Because of the size of the room as well, I kept harking back to the “Sound Level” category present at the end of each New York Times restaurant review – while levels weren’t unbearable, the close quarters definitely made an intimate meal an impossibility, save for the one lonely booth in the corner.

The menu and price points are similar to Madison’s Grill, and in effect also made deciding on just a single entrée difficult. I eventually settled on the Arctic Char (hoping it would emulate just some of the glory of Mack’s Blink entrée), while Shermie stuck with her benchmarking steak (Alberta tenderloin medallions, in this case) and Andrea and May began their reflective dining exercise with Duck.

Service was a bit slow throughout due to the fact that there were just two servers on hand (compared to the five at the Blue Pear), but the meandering attention seemed to match with the overall cool, leisurely vibe of the Red Ox – a place where diners are expected to relax and enjoy the food over wine and good conversation.

Eventually, our entrees arrived, each plate artfully arranged with a generous pool of sauce underneath each pile. Shermie thoroughly enjoyed her steak, and though Andrea had dish envy looking over at my char, I had to admit her duck looked pretty good – perfectly cooked, accompanied by a tart raspberry vinaigrette. My sherry vinaigrette, however, was much too sour for my liking. As someone who prefers to eat fish without a citrus adornment, it was probably the wrong dish to order. Thus, though I was hoping to be able to experience the distinct flavour of the fish, I couldn’t through the overpowering and ever-present sauce.

Pancetta wrapped char fillet, roast garlic stuffing, mashed potatoes, warm sherry vinaigrette

Grilled duck breast, mixed berry chutney, ricotta-spinach gnudi, balsamic-thyme demi glace

Alberta tenderloin medallion with cognac wild mushroom cream, roast root vegetables, mashed potatoes

Dessert for the dining twins was the lemon tart with a scoop of house-made raspberry sorbet, while Shermie and I opted instead for the warm chocolate cake accompanied with vanilla bean ice cream. Lovingly rich, but not cloyingly sweet, the oozing chocolate cake was extremely satisfying. Andrea and May also enjoyed their tart and in particular the fresh sorbet.

Warm chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream

Lemon tart with pinenut crust and raspberry sorbet

I will definitely consider the Red Ox Inn for a future special occasion dinner, but admit that it wouldn’t be high on my list if I was looking for an intimate, quiet space.

Red Ox Inn
9420 91 Street NW
(780) 465-5727
Tuesday to Sunday, 5-10pm

Indian Chalet: Khazana

In order to satisfy Mack’s midweek craving for butter chicken, we headed to Khazana (10177 107 Street NW) for their dinner buffet, offered only on Wednesday and Saturday nights. At $18.95 per person, it was a steep fee for Indian food in Edmonton, but with a willingness to see if it was worth it (and a 10% off coupon), we brought our empty stomachs and hoped for the best.

Interior

I was floored with the interior – it looked like no Indian restaurant I had ever visited. Instead of simple decor (in small family-run joints such as Maurya Palace) or lavish, bold tapestries and decorative artifacts (like New Asian Village), the wood paneling, overhead beams, and numerous open hearths suggested the inner sanctuary of a chalet retreat in the mountains. The faintly (and somewhat annoyingly repetitive) background music also made me imagine that an in-house piano soloist wasn’t too far out of this realm. The far right of the restaurant also included a chef viewing platform, with an elevated chef on display as he prepared various meats and dishes. While I am always happy to have my expectations for eateries defied, the decor didn’t seem congruent or complimentary to the cuisine.

At any rate, we were shown to a table, and provided with just about the only attention we received from the servers that night – initial drink service and a quick exchange that we were planning to utilize the buffet. Given that the majority of the diners in the restaurant that night were patronizing the self-serve buffet, I didn’t think it unreasonable to think that our water glasses would be refilled without request.

There were over a dozen hot entree items to choose from, but their dessert selection would be easily dwarfed by Punjab Sweets. We heaped our first plates full to get a good idea of their range of dishes, but of course, concentrated our efforts on their butter chicken. Unfortunately, the chicken wasn’t as tasty as the sample we had tried at Taste of Edmonton just a few weeks back – the sauce was all right, but the chicken itself was tough and dry in parts. Thankfully, the mutter paneer (a curry made with peas and cheese cubes) was delicious and made up somewhat for the first disappointment, just mildly spiced and interesting with a variety of textures.

Mack loads up

Mack’s plate

My plate

Not related to the food, but telling somewhat of the general neglect towards the experience of the customer was the comedy of errors patrons had with the metal lid of the naan bread container. Broken and thus without a handle, I couldn’t count the number of times a loud clang ran out through the restaurant because someone had accidentally flipped the lid completely off, or stood there for a confused half a minute trying to figure out how the opening was controlled. One would think the operators would bear the relatively small expense of replacing, or at least fixing, the lid.

While I won’t rule out future a la carte visits to Khazana, or perhaps a trial run of their lunch buffet, I won’t again be swallowing the dinner buffet expense again.

Khazana
10177 107 Street NW
(780) 702-0330
Lunch Monday to Friday 11:30am-2pm; Dinner Sunday to Thursday 5-9:30pm, Friday and Saturday 5-10:30pm

Ginger Beef Gluttony: Beijing Beijing

I’m not sure how we got onto the topic of ginger beef at Heritage Days on Saturday, but something propelled us to meet at Beijing Beijing ( 700, 3803 Calgary Trail) to satisfy a craving for the salty-sweet, deep-fried "meat".

Mack, Dickson and I went there last year after Heritage Days, so it could very much become an annual post-festival tradition. In any case, the dinner buffet was the draw, priced at $15.95 on Friday to Sundays (and $12.95 Monday to Thursdays). With around thirty items to choose from (including the salad and dessert bars), quality wasn’t the order of the day. But for picky eaters, or those who love variety, Beijing Beijing does a decent job at mass-producing Western Chinese food.

How can anyone pass up heat lamp-warmed goodness?

Loading up

Jane & Yi-Li (notice the different compositions of their plates)

My colourful (first) plate

I will admit to being partial to the crispy deep fried won tons and the saccharine sweet and sour chicken, so there was some enjoyment gleaned from my mass consumption of cheaply-prepared grub. Of course, as some meals go, it is the company and not the food that makes the meal.

Funny instances also help make meals memorable, and Beijing Beijing provided one of the best photo opportunities of late – Mack’s epic fail:

Is that ginger beef on your plate?

Greg, on the other hand, was able to chow down on a full plate of dessert, cream pie and all.

 

"I’d like a Blender Blaster with this."

As Megan would say, "Good times."

Beijing Beijing
700, 3803 Calgary Trail
(780) 430-7720

Greek Redemption: It’s All Greek to Me

I would be remiss if I didn’t disclose that Greek cuisine is not high on my list of ethnic favourites. I think I’ve had too many experiences like lunch at Koutouki where the meat is dry, bland, and in that particular instance, overpowered by parsley. Still, I’m always up to try new places, and with a coupon in hand, Mack and I wandered over to It’s All Greek to Me (10127 100A Street) after the Taste of Edmonton last weekend.

Exterior

He had been to the restaurant before with colleagues, citing a positive experience, while this was my first time there. It looked charming enough from the outside, with a string of twinkle lights dangling from the blue awning. Inside, the usual blue and white colour scheme (is there really any other décor palette for Greek eateries?) dominated, with an entire wall of photo displays accented by the requisite smattering of artifacts, memorabilia and ceiling vinery. The casual nature of the dining area, in combination with the dim lighting and quiet corners made me think that It’s All Greek to Me would make a great date spot.

Interior

“You know you’re Greek if…”

The restaurant was moderately busy, with several dining pairs and one group already seated. We were provided with menus, glasses of water, and plenty of time to peruse our options. I wasn’t that hungry to begin with (it was our second dinner, after all), so we opted to share two entrees, and planned on taking the leftovers home for the next day’s meal. Mack and I were both immediately drawn to the Gyros with Pita, donair meat served on pita ($13.50), and for our second plate, settled on the Dolmades ($13.50), grape leaves stuffed with ground beef and rice.

Our food came in reasonable time. Both plates were dominated by the house salad – iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and a tiny amount of feta tossed with a light vinaigrette. The gyros was fantastic – tender slices of meat, well-seasoned and flavourful – we probably should have just ordered two of this dish. The dolmades were new to me, and I resorted to asking our waitress how to eat it. Being used to banana-leaf wrapped rice, I just wanted to make sure I could consume the outer layer. She assured me that the tender leaves were safe to eat. Tucked inside was a mixture of spiced ground beef and rice, and though it wasn’t bad, there was nothing exceptional about the combination either.

Gyros with Pita

Dolmades

Our waitress was wonderful. While she had a backup who would assist her now and then, the dining area was mostly her domain, and she was able to juggle a number of tables with care. Thus, because of the service, laid back atmosphere, and tasty gyros, I finally have a positive memory to override all of the negative experiences I have had in Greek restaurants. Hurrah for It’s All Greek to Me!

It’s All Greek to Me
10127 100A Street
(780) 425-2073
Lunch: Monday to Friday 11am-2pm; Dinner: Monday to Thursday 5-9pm and Saturday 5-10pm

Picnic in the Industrial Heartland: Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli

Besides the usual trinkets one might find in a woman’s purse, I have two other things that can consistently be found in mine. One is “the list,” which I have written about before (a paper square with names and address of restaurants I would like to, but have yet to, try) and a small wallet filled with coupons for restaurants that I probably wouldn’t try without a discount incentive. Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli (6508 75 Street) fell into this latter category.

Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli

Before our coffee tasting at the nearby Transcend, I thought the Deli would make a convenient stopover for dinner. We drove up to the restaurant, a building rather out of place amongst the supply stores and warehouses along 75th Street, and entered. It was empty, but we were quickly greeted by a man at the counter. He patiently waited while we perused the menu. Besides a variety of East Indian favourites, there were also some items that seemed out of place, including Spanakopita and donairs. Though I had to fight the urge to order the butter chicken, I ultimately decided a good Montreal smoked meat sandwich would be harder to come by in Edmonton, and thus thought it deserved the more pressing taste test.

After we both ordered the Smoke Meat Sandwich ($5.66, $1 extra for Swiss cheese), we took a seat outside at one of the plastic patio tables to escape the blistering heat inside the restaurant. Surveying our surroundings, amongst the wafting aroma of paint thinner, we couldn’t help but be reminded of the industrial setting of our dinner.

The sandwich itself looked promising, with what appeared to be the 160g of meat the clerk promised. The bread, however, was cold to the touch (I saw the rye loaf being taken out of the fridge) – a quick warm through in a panini press in this case wouldn’t have been a bad idea. Thankfully, the meat itself was quite nice, spiced with something I couldn’t quite place. The Swiss was also a nice addition.

Smoke Meat Sandwich

Inexpensive and relatively fast, the Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli wouldn’t be a bad option should one be passing by in need of sustenance, but in my opinion, it’s not a dining destination in and of itself.

Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli
6508 75 Street
(780) 465-7088
Monday-Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-10pm

The Sandwich Spot: Colonel Mustard’s Canteen

Dickson’s pick for lunch on Wednesday was Colonel Mustard’s Canteen (12321 107 Ave). Though Hicks on Six named it the “city’s best” sandwiches, I always intended to hit up the Canteen for a pre-show dinner before a play at the nearby Roxy Theatre.

At any rate, we found a parking spot across the street from the restaurant and walked into a hailstorm. The Canteen was larger than I thought it would be, with a deep seating area in the back partitioned off by the cold case, counter and de facto lobby in the front. From what I could see, the walls were bright, the space cheery with natural light, and the area absolutely buzzing with what appeared to be a crowd of regulars.

Interior

As we were pressed for time, we opted for the faster “take out” option to eat our order at one of the tables by the door. We were told a waitress would be right with us, giving us a moment to survey the three large blackboards with a multitude of sandwich and wrap options, all priced around $10. The waitress brought us glasses of water as requested (making it difficult for me to distinguish between the waiting area we were supposedly in from the full-service tables in the back), and I decided on something light – an Italian sandwich with prosciutto, provolone, and vegetable spread on a French loaf – while Dickson ordered the Mustard’s Meatloaf (Italian sausage rolled with Italian meats and cheeses, baked in tomato sauce).

While we waited for our food (keeping our fingers crossed that our plates would be ready as expediently as promised), I had time to marvel at the amazingly efficient hostess. Dealing with a barrage of patrons ready to pay, escorting parties to their tables, and greeting customers stepping through the door, she was always friendly, and did not let the steady stream dampen her courtesy.

Our food arrived in small plastic baskets with a pickle each. What had been described as “meatloaf” on the menu board looked an awful lot like spam when Dickson lifted the Kaiser cover. The diced meat also made it hard to eat his sandwich, short of carving it up with a fork and a knife. Thankfully, I had a better experience with my sandwich– the loaf was fresh, and I loved the combination of mild provolone and salty prosciutto. Even better, I encountered bursts of basil with every bite.

 

Mustard’s Meatloaf

Italian Sandwich with Prosciutto and Provolone

While I wouldn’t describe the sandwich as the best I’ve had in Edmonton, lunch at Colonel Mustard’s convinced me that I’d have to return for dinner one day, even without the pretence of a theatre engagement.

Colonel Mustard’s Canteen
12321 107 Ave
(780) 448-1590
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-9pm

It’s All About the Box: Oodle Noodle Box

Because Teatro la Quindicina moved their evening start times back half an hour to 7:30pm, we needed a quick spot to pick up a bite to eat before a show Tuesday night. I immediately thought of Oodle Noodle Box (10803 82 Avenue). Though a little further up Whyte Avenue, it was still within brisk walking distance of the Varscona Theatre.

Exterior

Stepping into the narrow eatery, I was taken by how busy it was. There was just one booth left to snag, with some individuals in the lineup ahead of us leaving to take their conveniently-packaged food elsewhere to consume.

Interior

Mack and I scrutinized the huge menu on the wall, describing entrees priced between $6.99-8.50, many with curious names such as “Jungle Curry Cambogee” and “Singapura Box”. I decided to order my Asian take-out benchmark dish, the Bangkok Padthai Classic ($7.99): rice noodles in tamarind sauce with chicken breast, prawn, egg, green onions, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and “whole lot of flavour”. Mack opted for the Combo Box ($8.50), which sounded like a mouthful with vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp stir-fried with chow mein in hoisin sauce.

Massive Menu

The regular price of the food was already less expensive than Wok Box, but after the person at the till gave us not even an ounce of hassle when we handed over the coupon, there was no doubt Oodle Noodle was winning the box war.

As we waited for our food, Mack was able to surf the internet on his beloved iPod Touch on unsecured wireless – a fortunate byproduct of Oodle Noodle’s proximity to a residential area. When our order was announced (by an employee who was clearly having a great time doing his best “Here’s Johnny!” with order numbers) we grabbed our boxes and dug in with our chopsticks.

Cute boxes

The top of my Pad Thai

Mack using chopsticks

The food was undoubtedly better than the fare served at Wok Box (or, at least, Mack’s was), but I still preferred the Pad Thai at Thai Express. My order was lacking in peanuts, meat and sauce, and yet, was still very salty. Mack’s combo was filled to the brim with both vegetables and meat (thus, was the better deal for only 51cents more than mine), but after taking a look at the greasy residue left at the bottom of his box when he was finished, I was glad that I had already finished my meal.

With friendly and efficient service, I wouldn’t hesitate to try Oodle Noodle Box again. But I will be ordering something other than the Pad Thai, and hope for a more generous heaping of sauce and non-noodle ingredients.

Oodle Noodle Box
10803 82 Avenue (2 other locations in Edmonton)
(780) 988-7808
Monday – Thursday & Saturday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, closed Sunday

Trial Run Success: Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar

For my second and final Fork Fest meal, I met up with a few friends at Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar (10309 81 Avenue) a new frontier for all of us.

Von’s

Having passed the building many times over on Gateway Boulevard, I never had the opportunity to notice the nice stone water features by the front doors. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately greeted and promptly directed to the table where two of my friends were already waiting. The particular room we were seated in was “masculine,” as Shermie described it – leather chairs, aged brick walls, smooth stone and dark wood wine cabinets – the type of space calling for a cigar, fireplace, and fine scotch. There are several rooms in the building, but I only managed to see one other en route to the restroom. With high ceilings, a dominant red color scheme and wooden chairs, it had a markedly different, more open and relaxed feel.

After Andrea joined our party (always fashionably late), we all ordered the three-course, $35 Fork Fest menu without hesitation. May’s soup, an interesting salmon cream concoction, actually tasted better than it initially sounded. My Caesar salad starter was not remarkable, but good (as expected, the bacon was real, and the croutons house-made).

Caesar Salad

Shermie’s entrée was the lone steak at the table, which she quite enjoyed. The rest of us opted for the Prime Rib (slow cooked for sixteen hours), which was served with steamed vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and au jus. With nice marbling through the generous cut of meat, it was a filling and satisfying dish.

Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding, Vegetables, Horseradish and Au Jus

For dessert, Andrea, May and I all ordered Ice Cream Crepes, with Shermie again the odd one out with the Pecan Pie. I wasn’t a fan of this last course – the rubbery texture of the crepe and the chilled banana did not appeal to me.

Ice Cream Crepes

All of us were stuffed by the end of our meal, and after an evening of attentive service and good food, we all agreed that Fork Fest accomplished what it was set-up to do – we would all be back at Von’s, ready and willing to pay for a dinner at regular price.

Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar
10309 81 Avenue
(780) 439-0041
Dinner Monday – Sunday from 4:30 p.m.

Sweet Potato Goodness: Dadeo

Between my last visit to the Whyte Avenue favourite Dadeo (10548A 82 Avenue) and brunch there on Sunday, it seems the folks behind the diner opened a second location out in Vancouver. Good for them.

Most often recognized for their sweet potato fries, the low-key, relaxed atmosphere, smooth blues soundtrack, and fun decor such as vivid red booths and tabletop jukeboxes are also worth mentioning.

Booth

We were met with a modest gathering outside of the restaurant before the doors opened at noon. We took our time with the Cajun and Creole-inspired menu, and though the Southern fried chicken and gumbo were tempting, we all ended up ordering a Po’Boy (their version of a sandwich, served on a French loaf with coleslaw and a choice of side). Priced between $10-11, it was an easy decision to pay an additional $1 to upgrade our sides to sweet potato fries.

Like the time the bearer of coffee at Nellie’s tortured us with the visual of a full coffee pot, it was a clear half hour of seeing other people’s dishes waltz by our table before our own plates were delivered. A small biscuit topped with jalapeno jelly could only satiate each of us for so long.

Biscuits and jalapeno jelly

Thankfully, the food was ultimately worth the wait. The pulled pork in my po’boy was tender and flavourful, the meat’s juices complimented with a sweet BBQ sauce. Mack’s breakfast po’boy looked and tasted like an egg scramble on bread, which didn’t turn out to be an unsatisfying way to start out the day. The crown jewel of our meal was indeed the sweet potato fries – whatever spicy, salty seasoning they use to finish the golden pieces really elevate them beyond what they are – battered and fried root vegetables.

Our po’boys

Pulled Pork Po’Boy

Breakfast Po’Boy

One of Whyte Avenue’s best deals can be found at Dadeo on Monday and Tuesday. Forget pasta frenzy at Chianti’s – head to the cool diner for po’boys on special for just $8 – and remember to upgrade your fries.

Dadeo
10548A 82 Avenue
780.433.0930
Monday to Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sundays noon-10pm, closed Wednesdays

Going Through the Motions: The Blue Pear

I had heard a lot of good things about The Blue Pear (10643 123 Street) – a small boutique restaurant, their creative menu changed on a monthly basis to reflect seasonal ingredients. Of course, given that they only served four-course pre-fixe menus at $85 per person, it wasn’t the type of place I would pick for a spontaneous dinner. With July’s Fork Fest, however, the $35 three-course meal was a great opportunity to give The Blue Pear a try without breaking the bank.

Mack and I had a reservation for 6pm on Thursday. The restaurant offers seatings every half hour, but because it was still relatively early, I was surprised that there were already a few parties in the dining room. The friendly hostess seated us in a dim corner, and left us with the wine list and the food menu, which included the Fork Fest specials at the top. I ordered a Sangria ($7) to start – a blend of red wine, fruit juices, and orange brandy – while Mack opted for a glass of Stella ($6), and we both asked for the Fork Fest meal.

Through the course of the evening, we were served by four different people. This could have made us feel taken care of, but the opposite actually occurred – the service as a whole was less personal and attentive because of the number of hands involved.

At any rate, our appetizer arrived promptly with the verbal promise of bread to come. The layered salad of marinated summer vegetables and fresh mozzarella was finished with a dressing of sundried tomatoes, herbs, and balsamic and mustard oil. The cheese overwhelmed the carrot, eggplant, roasted red pepper and zucchini, but I didn’t mind this as much as Mack did. Our bread didn’t arrive until after we requested it when our entrees were brought to us.

Marinated summer vegetables, mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomato, herbs balsamic and mustard oil

Thankfully, the grilled Alberta pike fillet made us forget temporarily about the need for any carbs. Perfectly seared, the fish was flaky and tender on the inside. Served with a Bobby Flay-esque corn and black bean salsa and a deliciously rich herb butter sauce, the dish showcased well what the chef was capable of.

Grilled Alberta pike fillet with prawn, corn and black bean salsa, horseradish mashed potato and herb butter sauce

Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake topped with whipped cream, fennel and slivers of basil and accompanied by rosewater almond cream, milk chocolate rosemary sauce and basil oil. We both found the shredded basil an interesting garnish, one that Mack would have preferred left off his last course. The cake itself was lovely – sweet and dense as a flourless cake should be, with an intense chocolate flavour.

Flourless chocolate cake, confit of fennel, rosewater almond cream, milk chocolate rosemary sauce and basil oil

At dinner’s end, Mack said it felt like something was missing, as if the staff were just “going through the motions”. I couldn’t disagree – compared with our recent visit to Characters, Blue Pear just didn’t offer us the experience we were looking for. The food was great, but I’m not sure I’d return for an $85 meal.

The Blue Pear
10643 123 Street, 780.482.7178
Dinner only, Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm