Along with the tickets to Puppetry of the Penis, I was also lucky enough to receive a $25 gift certificate to Mongolie Grill from Vue Weekly. I decided to take advantage of it before a chocolate tasting, and met Amanda for dinner at the Jasper & 109 Street location of the restaurant on Friday.

Greeted by what seemed like one of five hostesses on staff, I was quickly led to a table and seated. It was still early evening, so the restaurant wasn’t that busy, but I could see that business would pick up as the night wore on. The dining room was a typical Western interpretation of Asian style – dark wood and dim lighting reminiscent of OPM. As I waited for my sister to arrive, I read over the instructions on the menu on how to build-your-own meal. Provided bowls were to be filled with vegetables, meats and seafood, and sauce(s) of one’s choosing, with each plate including soup, rice, and wraps to complete the meal.

I was a tad weary of the service I might receive, after a warning from Mack that staff weren’t that attentive, but I found our waitress pleasant and quite competent at juggling a few tables. She took our orders for soup, gave us our bowls, then explained that after choosing our ingredients, we would have our creations weighed, stir-fried, then brought to our tables directly.

A plethora of options greeted us at the fresh food bar, all clearly labeled, with a fair number of sauces to choose from as well. To be economical, knowing how heavy comparable ingredients are would help (e.g. mushrooms are fairly light), but overall, I liked the do-it-yourself concept because it does allow for healthy eating and balanced portions. At the same time, if the end result is inedible, one only has him or herself to blame.

I loaded up my bowl with a variety of vegetables, thin slices of AAA beef tenderloin, and ladles of honey garlic, teriyaki and Thai chili sauces (a combination recommended by the attendant). My bowl ended up with a price of $14.65. My sister stacked up her bowl, drizzling it with only teriyaki sauce, and had her portion priced at $21.23.

When we returned to our seats, small bowls of soup and bamboo steamers containing wraps and rice were waiting for us on the table. My hot and sour soup was too spicy for me to discern flavour from it, but Amanda’s corn chowder was quite good and hearty to boot.

We actually weren’t even finished with our soups when our plates arrived. I thought Amanda’s serving looked better than my own, but mine actually tasted better, if not only because I included more sauce than she did. The peanuts and tofu were a definite plus, but the lack of baby corn and onion had me wishing that I had lingered longer at the food bar. Unfortunately, the beef was tough, but this was not unexpected given the fact that the cooks are asked to blindly stir fry whatever is in a bowl at the same time.

Without the gift certificate, I would have considered our dinner a rather pricey one. But still, if your party includes those that are particular about what they eat, Mongolie Grill provides a comfortable and efficient venue for dining.

Fresh food bar

My bowl before cooking

Amanda’s bowl being weighed

Stir-fry station

Steamers with rice and wraps (I loved how tall the water glasses were)

My plate

Amanda’s plate

Looking for a quick pre-show dinner, Mack and I headed to Opa Souvlaki (8209 104 Street). May had good words to say about this chain, so I was excited to see if their food lived up to the expectations.

I’m not sure I’m totally sold on the design of the restaurant – the order counter is right by the door, potentially creating a logjam of patrons on busy days – but I can see how the friendly and engaging employee used it to his advantage, warmly greeting customers immediately as they entered Opa.

Mack and I surveyed the menu board above, and decided to order a Souvlaki Pita each ($4.99, 50cents extra for feta cheese). We had the choice of chicken, lamb pork, gyros, or fava, and we both opted for chicken. Mack also wanted to try their version of calamari ($4.99 for a side order).

Two pitas and two chicken skewers were placed on the grill, and once warmed through, we moved down the assembly line to have our wraps customized with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, and jalepenos. The calamari was freshly fried, tossed with salt and pepper and garnished with diced red onions.

We sat down at one of the handful of tables to savour our supper. The calamari was nice – crispy, light batter adorning rather large pieces of squid, it beat out similar dishes offered at more supposedly “high end” restaurants (Mr. Mike’s comes to mind). Secondly, the pita was great – haunted by memories of too much lemon at parsley, I was pleasantly surprised to find the tzatziki only mildly herby. The sauce complemented the tender chicken well, and supplemented with bites of fresh vegetables, made for a comfortably filling dish.

Inexpensive, efficient, and tasty, Opa Souvlaki provides a solid option for fast food on Whyte.

I met Amanda for lunch at Cafe Mosaics (10844 82 Avenue) on Friday, just before our intention to browse the shops on Whyte Avenue.

I had only been to the Cafe once before, less than a year ago for dinner. I remembered it to be charming, with decent service and solid entree options. Though our main reason for choosing Cafe Mosaics that day was to use the 2-for-1 coupon I had, I thought it would be a good opportunity to giver their lunch menu a try as well.

Arriving at about a quarter after 1pm was a bad idea – with no tables and no real room to stand by the door, perhaps we should have planned for a later meeting time. At any rate, I waited patiently to no avail for one of the two waiters to acknowledge my existence, and perhaps give me an estimate on the time for a table. I ended up having to approach them at the counter myself. Thankfully, things went a lot better after I sat down.

With vegetarian and vegan takes on sandwiches, soups, and salads, Amanda and I were “forced” to eat healthy. I was impressed that the sandwiches came with a choice of one of five sides, including soup, house/Caesar salad, chips and salsa/hummus, hashbrowns, or rice. She squirmed a bit with her order, but decided to take a risk on the Tofu Clubhouse ($10.95) with its thinly sliced grilled tofu, lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and cheddar, and a Caesar salad. I decided on the Grilled Mozza Pita ($10.95), with tomato, mozza, spinach and onion and a side of their daily soup.

Our plates arrived hot not too long after we ordered – no surprise since the restaurant was emptying out by that time. Amanda said that she barely registered the tofu in her sandwich, but that her salad was a little overdrenched with dressing. My pita was a great combination of fresh vegetables, with a generous amount of cheese binding the filling together, and best of all – would be an easy dish to duplicate at home.

Though we were left wondering if every table except ours was given a complimentary slice of chocolate cake, we couldn’t argue against the value of an $11.50 (excluding tip) lunch for two.

Shermie’s annual birthday dinner has become so much of a tradition that I end up looking forward to it as if it were my own party. A few years ago, before my own foodie inclinations revealed themselves (because I believe everyone has an inner foodie), she started introducing me to Edmonton’s fine dining purveyors, including the Harvest Room at Hotel MacDonald, Madison’s Grill at the Union Bank Inn, Hardware Grill, and Ruth’s Chris last year.

This year, she chose Culina (9914-89 Avenue), Brad Lazarenko’s brainchild, renowned in Edmonton for its original approach to ethnic comfort food. I had been there for brunch a year ago and was less than blown away. For a restaurant whose reputation precedes it, I can understand how difficult it must be to live up to such high expectations, but then again, what other outlook should be held?

For those wondering where the name of the restaurant comes from, an explanation from Lazarenko himself (taken from a recent interview with Original Fare):

“Culina is Latin for culinary, the art of cooking or the oven to cook in. My father also comes from Kalyna Country which is a region northeast of Edmonton. Kalyna means cranberry in Ukranian. I thought it was fitting.”

Walking in to the polished, dark dining area, I do think the space functions better as an evening venue. Seated at a corner table lined with wooden benches on two sides, a combination of the decor and dim lighting allowed for an intimate experience despite the cramped quarters.

A change in the Culina website from one presenting detailed menu information to a frontpage that hasn’t been updated since last June and the fact that I didn’t “take notes” at last night’s sitting means my description of the dishes will be unfortunately spotty. Shermie, May, Gord and myself all ordered arguably the most unique entree – Spring Creek Ranch steak topped with chocolate and blue cheese sauces served with dirty mashed potatoes ($26).

Dark, rich and sweet, the chocolate sauce didn’t quite tasted right with the steak – it teased the back of my throat for sure, but didn’t compliment the tender strips of meat (pre-sliced into manageable pieces; I wonder why?). An interesting idea, it strikes me as a “trademark” Culina dish that people hear about, come to try, and either return to experiment with the rest of the menu, or not at all. Mack enjoyed his chicken, but in the end, said that there wasn’t anything particularly special about it.

Dessert was another thing – the flourless chocolate torte topped with a dollop of dulce de leche was delicious (and for the birthday girl, came with a candle!). Definitely a cake to indulge in, if the note in the menu was true (about the Queen of Tarts being Culina’s dessert supplier), I will be sure to look for her booth when the City Centre Market resumes operation in mid-May (or for those more eager, she has a table at the Salisbury Greenhouse Market on Thursdays until May 8).

Still, the wow factor that I hoped for – that intangible moment when you feel that the restaurant really *gets* it – was lacking. But between the ambiance, attentive service, and reasonable, reliable entrees priced in the mid $20-range, I can see why Lazarenko continues his brusque business. Good for groups, casual get togethers, and comfortable catch-ups with friends, I would return to Culina in the future.

On a blustery Sunday, Mack and I foolishly ventured out for brunch. I had been itching to try the New York Bagel Cafe (8430 Gateway Boulevard NW) for some time, and as we had to be in the Old Strathcona/Glenora area later that afternoon anyway, it seemed like a good idea.

We parked on the corner of Whyte Avenue and Gateway Boulevard, meaning we had to trek through at least one block of fresh snow drifts to reach our destination. I had to laugh at the conditions outside, as I was reminded of my only other brush with the Bagel Cafe – several years ago at the coldest and wettest Fringe I had attended to date, I ended up there to use the facilities and buy a few hot drinks to take back to the stage at King Edward Academy. Perhaps the Bagel Cafe is my personal equivalent to a “bad weather” friend.

When we entered the charming restaurant, we found ourselves third in line to wait for one of the twelve or thirteen tables on hand. Thankfully, the wait was just half an hour, albeit not the most comfortable in the cramped quarters of a very small entryway.

The dining area itself was quite cozy, the white, snow-reflecting sunlight streaming in to light up tables and floors made of aged wood, a brick hearth, and brightly painted walls. The centre bar was rather imposing, and though it carved up the dining area to allow for a private corner of tables, it made the space seem less friendly somehow.

For such a small place, the menu was quite extensive – four pages in total. Bagel platters, breakfast plates and their famous eggs benedicts, even picky eaters would be satisfied. Mack decided to give their omelet ($14), customized with mushrooms and smoked meat, while I opted for their Classic Breakfast ($11), which included jumbo eggs, bacon, home fried potatoes, and a toasted buttered bagel.

While we waited for our food, we were a bit worried after seeing a sign tacked up on the wall. It read: “Please understand that good food takes time to prepare…enjoy a drink and the ambiance while you wait.” This sentiment was reinforced on the menu: “Please note that modifications to menu items may not be made as it will slow the kitchen down, please respect the menu the way it is.” Though the warning did make the lag time expected, neither of us thought our food would take nearly an hour. Moreover, the Cafe doesn’t serve drip coffee (cash grab or simply removing the burden of refills from already over-taxed waitresses?) – so coffee drinkers be aware – unless you’re prepared to slap down another $4 for a second cup, enjoy your mocha/latte/espresso slowly.

When our plates did arrive (steaming hot, thank goodness), it was evident that presentation was a New York Bagel trademark. The layers of fruit were artfully arranged, the eggs had been garnished with care, and the bagel itself was carefully stacked at an angle. My scrambled eggs were wonderfully creamy, and the smoked meat in Mack’s omelet was delicious. The home fries on the other hand, pan fried with what looked like sea salt, was much too salty for both our tastes. And the bagels? Mack’s cheese variety was much better than my sesame, but for its namesake food item, they could have been mistaken for those taken from a local grocer.

Between the weather, the wait and the expense, I’m not sure I will be back at NYBC soon. But perhaps on another chilly day in the future, I will find myself at the Cafe door just looking for a warm place to hide out.