Category: restaurant reviews

Value Meal, Italian-Style: Italian Bakery

Wanting something other than what was waiting for me in the communal fridge, I headed to the Italian Bakery (10646 97 Street), hoping it would live up to the fantastic review in Vue Weekly two months ago.

Italian Bakery & Delicatessen

A modest line greeted me at the deli counter. A number slip indicated I was just three away from a custom sandwich built the way I wanted – and cheaper than the average supermarket pre-packed variety. A small (with 1 meat and 1 cheese) is just $2.50, a medium (with up to 2 meats and 1 cheese) is priced at $3, while a large (with 2 meats and 1 cheese) is $5, all garnished with either mayo, mustard, or vegetable spread  and banana peppers if so desired. Saran wrapped for no hassle travel, it would be the perfect sandwich to take on a picnic, or in my case, provide a reprieve from a lunch of weekday leftovers.

Deli counter

Menu

The time in line was actually a blessing in disguise, as it gave me some breathing room to decide which meat and cheese combination I wanted to try. After some deliberation, I chose chicken breast and German butter cheese to be paired with vegetable spread. One of the three behind-the-counter deli ladies (each with their own individual slicing machines) efficiently took my order and assembled my sandwich. I marvelled at how all of the employees were so cheery and friendly despite the growing crowd of hungry customers.

Also prompted by the review, I asked for a single slice of tiramisu ($2.50). With my meal ready, I snagged one of the three tables situated against the window (great for people watching) and dug in.

Small sandwich and tiramisu

The freshness of the bread was apparent, and with the accoutrements, it made me wonder why I had ever made a fuss over Pret a Manger‘s looks-better-than-it-tastes paper and plastic-encased sandwiches. As for the cake, the bottom half of the tiramisu was exactly what I was expecting – a coffee-soaked layer of homemade ladyfingers accented with a rich marscapone cream. My only wish was for the top half to have had an equal amount of spongy coffee goodness, instead of a dry cookie layer as it was.

While I can’t definitively say the Italian Bakery has the best meal deal in the area, it would at the very least find a place on the podium of values.

Salad Days of Summer: Sunterra Market

Drawn to Sunterra Market‘s Commerce Place location (2nd floor, 10150 Jasper Avenue) to satisfy a craving for vegetables, I was happy to find it absolutely hopping. I usually patronize them only after work hours for sweets, and thus have never had the opportunity to see it so vibrant.

I’m not sure about their recently completed renovations – the compartmental affect seems to block natural light from flowing through the previously more open space, and the “Frenchification” of everything (“bakery” has become “boulangerie”, garbage cans are now labelled “poubelle”) further increases Sunterra’s pretentiousness. At any rate, I’ll hold out final judgement after a few more visits.

On this day, I headed straight for the salad bar, where a focused employee was diligently filling up half-empty containers of salad options to satiate the bustling crowd. There were nearly two dozen options – a bed of spinach, wild greens, or romaine to be topped off by veggies (carrots, green peppers, grape tomatoes, among others), protein (hard boiled eggs, cubed ham, shredded chicken, chickpeas, sunflower seeds), various carbs (fried Asian noodles, croutons), cheese (feta, marble), and a choice of six unlabeled mystery dressings.

I picked up a plastic box, and with the Mongolie Grill principle of choosing the lightest ingredients, built my salad. I indulged a little – marble cheese cubes and a slice of roasted red pepper – which I thought would topple over my mainly spinach and white mushroom creation, but on the weigh station, the total came to just $3.70 (0.266kg at $1.39/100g).

Yes, maintaining a fridge and pantry of fresh ingredients would certainly be a cheaper way to go, but with the fun and variety possible with Sunterra’s fresh salad bar, I can see why people would shirk a packed lunch and opt for a spur-of-the-moment greens creation instead.

My salad, dressed with a healthy dose of raspberry vinaigrette

Big Plates of Mexico: Las Palmeras

We didn’t end up making a stop in Red Deer two weeks ago, so Mack and I planned a special trip down to visit Tom on Sunday. Tom didn’t object to our restaurant choice, so with Kim and Jon along for the ride, to Las Palmeras (3630 50 Avenue) we went.

Mack outside of Las Palmeras

The air-conditioned venue provided a much-needed respite from the 30+ degree weather. While we were greeted by a “HOLA” floor mat and a ceramic mariachi band, the overall kitsch was restrained – a decorative tiki bar and a neon Corona sign notwithstanding. Washrooms marked “Senioritas” and “Hombres” were expected, but still brought a smile to my face.

Dining area

Colorful display

The dining area we were seated in was comprised of booths as well as stand-alone tables, filled by three other parties on that late afternoon. Our efficient waitress tried to tempt us with “something refreshing”, but we stayed the course and stuck with food only. Mack and Tom opted for Chicken Quesadillas ($13.95), Kim and Jon the Super Burritos ($12.95), and I the lone Chicken Enchilada ($15.95). Mack and I topped off our plates with an order of Pupusas ($8.95) for good measure.

Just after we polished off the complimentary fresh-fried tortillas chips and house-made salsa, our pupusas appeared. Crispy hot corn tortillas concealed a deliciously savoury filling of ground pork, tomato, onion, zucchini and cheese. Like some supporting characters that steal the limelight away from the main players in a production, the wonderful appetizer overshadowed my entree.

Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Pupusas

Our main dishes, on kid-friendly, bright-bordered plates, arrived all with serving sizes I thought daunting for the average individual. Kim and Jon seemed to like their burritos fine (Jon even polished off the tortilla condiment container), while I think Mack and Tom had my share of entree envy with their quesadilla. My enchiladas, dressed with an overzealous amount of cheese, were not what I was expecting. The chicken baked up a tad dry, and the tough casing didn’t help matters. The beans were pretty good, accented with some green onion bite, but half of the rice on my plate was undercooked – more stirring in the communal pot needed, perhaps?

Super Burrito

Chicken Quesadilla

Chicken Enchilada

It was a snappy meal – quick, no-frills, and intensely filling (we all remained full for hours afterwards) – but for better quality and a much cheaper price for El Salvadoran versions of the above, I’d recommend El Rancho in Edmonton’s north end. Still, I’m excited to have finally been able to try something off the Gasoline Alley-beaten path, with many more yet to visit.

Tom and Kim

Mack and I

Go Elsewhere for Pho: Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House

Having learned from experience not to attempt to have lunch at Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House (10718 101 Street) during their peak midday hour, I met Dickson there at 1pm on a weekday. We hit the tail end of the rush, and were seated fairly quickly as the crowd started to disperse.

Making good on an earlier promise to try our their pho menu, I headed straight for that page and picked out the Soup Lover’s Delight with medium-rare beef ($7.45), while Dickson opted for the Northern Vietnamese Soup ($7.95) with thin slices of chicken, well done and medium rare beef.

As it was still fairly busy, I was surprised that our dishes arrived as fast as they did. We were both sad to see that the large-bowl standard of Pagolac and Hoang Long hadn’t rubbed off on Thanh Thanh’s serving size though. I found the broth oily with no depth of flavour, while Dickson commented that the pho in general wasn’t that hot. As well, the meat was sliced too thick for my liking, and really, by the time the bowl had been brought to the table, could have been considered well done.

As their other dishes aren’t bad, Thanh Thanh isn’t a complete write-off – just go elsewhere for pho.

Soup Lover’s Delight with Medium-Rare Beef

Northern Vietnamese Soup

Good, Not Great: Tropika

Annie and I had dinner on Sunday night at Tropika (6004 104 Street), mainly because of the 2-for-1 coupon I had on hand. The dining room was packed, but we were still seated within a few minutes of entering the establishment.

Their pictorial menu never ceases to wow me, as it did on my first visit there last year. I was looking for something simple that would yield leftovers I could take with me for lunch the next day, so the Nasi Goreng ($11) was my choice. Annie wanted something spicy, and thus opted for the Singapore Laksa ($10).

Our waitress was great throughout, always on top of filling up my water glass. And though it was quite busy, our food didn’t take as long as I expected. This time around, I didn’t think the fried rice was that good – besides the broad beans, the packaged mixed vegetables used seemed like a too-easy shortcut. Annie thought her noodle dish was quite good – I commented that the spice level was definitely too high for my palette.

A decent (and dirt-cheap meal with the coupon), Tropika was a reasonably good place to end off the weekend.

Nasi Goreng

Singapore Laksa

The Last of the Best: Characters

The number of Edmonton eateries I still want to try is never-ending, but the last (written with trepidation) of the so-labelled “high end” restaurants on my list was Characters (10257 105 Street). Mack took me there for my birthday on Saturday night.

My knowledge about restaurant has been limited besides perusal of their website and exposure to a recent advertising campaign they have launched (billboards and ads in local magazines), so I really didn’t have any expectations.

Characters

Walking in, we were greeted by a friendly host who promptly seated us at one of the choice tables along the wall. While I first decided to sit in the “Batcave chair” facing the banquette, I soon switched with Mack in order to have a view of the dining room – a not uncommon choice for female patrons, as we overheard a waiter comment.

Photos don’t do the dining room justice – I loved the open room, the sconces and the lighting fixtures, the bank of windows, the brick, and the wood panelling on the ceiling. I did think, however, that they could have afforded to either restore the hardwood floor or have it installed in favour of the cheaper-looking laminate floor.

Interior

Our server provided us with ample time to peruse the wine list and the menu. While we ended up just asking the waiter to recommend a wine, we were both shocked by the availability of a $1300 bottle of red (2000 Chateau Margeux or Chateau Lafite) from the truly extensive 13-page menu. Both glasses were exactly what we were looking for – a light, sweet Riesling for me, and a medium-bodied Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre for Mack.

On this night, we decided to try Foie Gras ($12) for the first time. Unfortunately, because of an outdated menu on the website and our lack of foresight in taking pictures of the menu pages, I am left without “proper” description of our food, except to say that our appetizer was served with poached pears. For our mains, I decided on the Brome Lake Duck Breast ($33) while Mack opted for the Beef Tenderloin ($37).

After snacking on disappointingly cool bread, we were presented with a beautifully sectioned plate of foie gras on grilled toast and accompanying fruit. We divided the pate between the two of us and dove in. Two bites in, both of us agreed that we wouldn’t be able to finish it – somewhat grainy, the smoky flavour that it left at the back of our throats was something we furiously tried to wash down with wine. When our server returned to see if we had finished with our first course, we encountered what would be the most honest exchange I have ever come across at such a high-calibre restaurant – he expressed his own dislike of foie gras in pate form, but encouraged us to give the seared version a try, a type he much preferred.

Foie Gras

Our entrees arrived a short while later, on such “busy” plates I honestly had to repress the Iron Chef-esque commentary streaming in my head as I sampled the variety in front of me. Mack’s vegetables were perfectly cooked, his mashed potatoes deliciously creamy, and his beef tenderloin juicy but just a touch overdone to his requested medium rare. He loved the melted blue cheese on top, commenting that it was this that made his steak. As for the duck – it was the fat on the breast that made the meat. The texture of the duck confit filling in the ravioli was interesting, and I really enjoyed the generous amount of sweet pineapple chutney included.

Beef Tenderloin

Brome Lake Duck Breast

The entire meal was so well paced that we were both surprised to discover that two hours had passed by the time we were presented with the dessert menus – meaning commendable coordination on the part of the kitchen and our server. While we were curious about the tableside Smores for Two (described by the waiter as cookies, chocolate, and a “pot of fire”), we ultimately decided on the scrumptious-sounding Callebaut with Character: warm molten chocolate cake with milk chocolate mousse and white coffee ice cream ($10).

The dish reminded me a bit of the chocolate tasting I had at Wildflower Grill a few months ago – it had a little bit of everything. Mack enjoyed the whole coffee-bean ice cream, while I found the smooth mousse the perfect compliment to the subtly-sweet lava cake.

Callebaut with Character

I had a great time at Characters – exceptionally attentive, personable service, well-prepared, high-quality food, and a dreamy, relaxed atmosphere make it a highly recommended choice for special occasions.

Us

Great Value: Punjab Sweets & Restaurant

It was fitting that my weekend of birthday indulgence began at a buffet.

Meghan and Bettina’s glowing praise of Punjab Sweets & Restaurant (9393 34 Avenue) led me to my choice of the restaurant as the site of Saturday brunch. Bettina and I met there just past noon, still early for the weekend lunch crowd. The interior had changed only somewhat since Arby’s abandoned the space – namely, the centre booths had been removed in favour of individual tables and chairs, providing flexibility to shift furniture to cater to group functions. I could have done without the requisite plastic plants and flowers (sadly all too common in family-run restaurants), but Bettina was right – the decor could be overlooked for the food.

Sunroom interior

I haven’t been to an Indian buffet in Edmonton priced under $10 for a while. The lunch buffet at Punjab Sweets is just $9.99 per person, while their dinner buffet is a paltry $11.99. The set-up was definitely not as fancy as New Asian Village, but with a selection of eleven hot entrees (plus rice), the variety was nothing to complain about.

Hot entrees

Vegetables and dessert (including deep-fried milk balls!)

Unfortunately, there were no labels to accompany the dishes (at least, not until we were on our way out), so being someone who relies extensively on menu descriptions when it comes to Indian food, it will be difficult for me to point out which items I liked. That said, the butter chicken wasn’t the usual star (as I have found with other buffets), the samosas were made from won-ton wrapping instead of the usual thin spring-roll type wrap, making them crunchier yet less flavourful, and the majority of what I sampled was much too hot for my spice-intolerant palette. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the peas in curry sauce – just mildly spicy, it was great on top of the rice.

Bettina’s plate

My plate

In addition to the buffet, Punjab Sweets, in accordance with its name, offers an extensive selection of Indian desserts to go – they would be a creative choice for a last minute office potluck contribution.

Dessert case

Lots of boxes

Offering good value for your money, Punjab Sweets is a great option for lunch or dinner.

Quick, Quick, Slow: Nellie’s

Over a week after my visit to Nellie’s, I’m finally getting around to posting about it.

Nellie’s, a diner with five locations in Calgary, has a near-cult following. Always on top of FFWD’s Best Breakfast/Brunch list, Mack got quite the excited reactions from some native Calgarians at BarCamp when he revealed he would be testing out their brunch on Sunday.

I didn’t have a preference as to which location to patronize, but after some consultation  with Google Maps, we determined that Nellie’s On 4th (2308 4 Street SW) made reasonable sense – off the well-trod 17th Avenue strip, its proximity to two other branches within walking distance gave us some flexibility in case the wait at 4th was unbearable.

Nellie’s On 4th

We approached the door and joined a lineup that extended outside the restaurant – it didn’t look good. Moments later, however, much to my surprise – we were seated at a table by the window. The space was larger than I expected it to be (or at least, crammed tables together so that dining neighbours were close). We were offered coffee shortly after settling in, and took some time to peruse two pages of extensive options. All brunch items were priced under $10 (with the exception of a monstrous-sounding plate of French Toast with all the fixings). The selection of omelettes and other breakfast favorites was better than most diners I have visited, but after careful consideration, I decided on the Farmer’s Omelette while Mack chose the Hash Brown Omelette.

Menu

After our swift service through the front door and at our table, we expected the rest of our meal to run as smoothly. Unfortunately, the food took quite a long time to reach us. While not an unforgivable sin, given the steady stream of customers, compared to Diner Deluxe, Avenue Diner, and most recently, Galaxie Diner, their order-to-table time was slow. To make matters worse, we didn’t even have the option of sipping coffee while we waited – Mack tried numerous times to make eye contact with the waitress holding court over coffee refills, but to no avail. It almost seemed like she was teasing us – toting the pot of coffee near our area…only to turn away at the last moment. Mack commented that one should never have to ask for coffee in a diner, a statement that I agree with wholeheartedly.

Always Twitter-ing

Our food eventually arrived, heaping and brimming over the edge of our plates. Mack’s omelette definitely looked like the more exciting of the two, speckled with bacon crisps. My dish was extremely filling, particularly with the generous portion of hash browns on the side.

Hash Brown Omelette

Farmer’s Omelette

While not disappointing, Nellie’s didn’t quite live up to their mythic reputation. I’d be willing to try out another location (the Cosmic Cafe looks fun), or simply return to one of my diner favorites in Calgary.

A Tale of Two Suppers: JAROblue & Tubby Dog

Saturday was reminiscent of our two meal extravaganza last spring that saw us eating two dinners in one night: first in the sophisticated wine and tapas bar TZiN followed by supper at the eternally comfortable greasy spoon Route 99 Diner.

We started our evening at JAROblue (1314 17 Avenue SW), a tapas and lounge often recommended by Chowhounders. Seductively dark, with a cool, trendy vibe, Mack and I felt a bit out of our element. Our sever quickly changed that – patient and open to questions, he was extremely attentive at the start of our meal. I asked for wine recommendations, and based on his suggestion, decided on the 2006 Dr. Pauley-Bergweiler Riesling ($9). It was lovely – sweet and fruity, it would’ve probably been better paired with dessert, but my personal preference is always “Kool Aid” (Mack’s words) with dinner.

Menu and place setting

Tapas pricepoints were $8, $13, and $15. From Andree Lau’s post on JAROblue, I knew I wanted to try the Duck Confit & Risotto Croquette ($13). The Angus Mini Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions ($15) were my second pick, and for reasons involving illusions of heath and his love of the vegetable, Mack chose the Grilled Asparagus served with an Onion, Garlic & Olive Oil ($8).

While we waited for our food, we noted the great server-to-patron ratio maintained by the restaurant, and also grew to respect our very competent hostess who not only took care of the seating, but also water and bussing duties.

When she brought us our first two dishes, her introduction of them (and suggestions on how we should eat them) were a nice verbal accompaniment to a beautiful visual display. Set on a long rectangular plate, the croquettes were almost too cute to eat. Crispy and creamy, they would make a fantastic hors d’oeuvre at a party (perhaps minus the pineapple chutney, which was a tad spicy for my taste). The steak sandwiches were even better – expertly seared and perfectly prepared, Mack and I both wished we could have a full-size steak that tasted like that. The asparagus were fresh, and thus sweet, their natural flavour enhanced with a smoky infusion. The garnish of onions had had their bite cooked out of them, and rivalled the asparagus with their sweetness.

Duck Confit and Steak Sandwiches

Grilled Asparagus

Great for sharing with friends, JAROblue is undoubtedly pricey, but worth a splurge for their creative take on tapas.

Our appetites successfully stimulated, we walked a few blocks east to Tubby Dog (1022 17 Avenue SW). At this point, I can’t remember where I first heard about this late night institution, but I can safely say I am now well acquainted with their unorthodox hot dog toppings.

Tubby Dog!

Walking in, there is no doubt that their no-frills decor signals a single focus on food alone. Two giant menus – one on the door and another behind the order counter advertise the creativity behind Tubby Dog. From the intriguing Sumo Dog (with Japanese mayo, wasabi, pickled ginger, and lightly toasted sesame seeds) to Sherm’s Ultimate Gripper (a dog wrapped in bacon, fried, then topped with ham, homemade chili, cheese, mustard, bacon, hot peppers, onions and a fried egg), we knew we were in for a treat probably not meant for the sober. I couldn’t help but think this was the Calgary equivalent to Amsterdam’s waffle and fry joints.

Interior

Menu

Hours of operation

At any rate, Mack opted for the A-Bomb ($5.75), with cheese, bacon, mayo, mustard, ketchup and potato chips, which the server said was one of the two most popular dogs (the other being the Gripper). Without hesitation, I chose the Cap’ns Dog ($5.75), with peanut butter, jelly, and yes, Captain Crunch cereal (I have to think this combination had to have originated as a drunken college bet of some sort).

A few minutes later, to the chime of a reception bell, our order was up. It was a sight to see – our dogs were as excessive as the tapas at JAROblue were dainty. As we sat agape at the task before us, three women walked by the storefront window, and after glancing at the menu on the door, wondered allowed who would eat such things. Then they looked up and saw us.

A-Bomb

Cap’ns Dog

I was a bit daunted by the Captain Crunch (the morsels didn’t adhere very well to the PB & J), but in the end, I’d say it satisfied the peanut butter lover in me – I couldn’t really taste the jam or the cereal.

Finished!

I’m sure many people have eaten much more offbeat food combinations, but Tubby Dog, in its utilization of a midway favorite as a vehicle for the unexpected, makes for an interesting and fun dining experience.

A European Lair: Caffè Artigiano

While Mack was occupied at BarCampCalgary, I played tourist and had lunch at Caffè Artigiano (Unit 100, Centrum Place, 332 6 Avenue SW). A west coast import that had coffee aficionado John Manzo, among others, excited about its first location outside of metro Vancouver, I wanted to see for myself what all the hype was about.

Occupying a rather large storefront in an office tower, the high ceilinged space resembles a European lair more than a typical café at first glance. A pedway positioned above Caffè Artigiano and its neighbours prevented much natural light from coming through – but perhaps the designers preferred it that way – the dark furniture and earth toned walls absorbed what sunlight did trickle through.

Peering into the cooler that contained an assortment of premade sandwiches, wraps and treats, I decided upon the Chicken and Brie Panino ($8.59) for my main course. A Spanish Latte ($3.59), which the clerk explained to me was a latte with a bit of condensed milk added, completed my meal.

I sat down at a large table fit for a library to await my food and drink. Lucky for me, Caffè Artigiano subscribes to a number of papers (including my favorite, The Globe & Mail), and like a library, affixes each edition onto a large wooden rod.

A few minutes later, my drink was called. Beautifully presented with an artful rosetta design, I almost didn’t want to take the first sip. I did, of course, and found that the latte walked the fine line between the jolt of a strong espresso and the creamy smoothness of milk, accented as a whole with just a hint of sweetness.

My panino, served with a small cup of coleslaw, was equally satisfying. Generously filled with chicken, cheese, then grilled, it left me full but not stuffed. While the chicken was a touch dry, the thin spread of fig jam helped alleviate somewhat parched bites.

I still struggle with the idea of having to pay nearly $10 for a sandwich in a coffee shop (granted, Caffè Artigiano is not just any coffee shop). So although I may be back for another cup of coffee, I would probably head elsewhere for something to eat first.

Rosetta

Chicken and Brie Panino and a Spanish Latte