Category: restaurant reviews

A Black & White Affair: Culina

Ask any of my close friends and they’ll tell you that I carry “the list” with me at all times. This piece of paper contains my culinary hit list – names and addresses of city restaurants I would like to try. Subscribing to the mantra of “always prepared,” I know I’ll have an answer to the question of “Where do you want to eat?”

So on Saturday, I finally made it to the place at the top of the list. Culina (9914-89 Avenue), based on its local recognition and critical acclaim, is the middle-income equivalent of Vancouver’s Vij’s. Brad Lazerenko’s name is eternally on the lips of those in the business, and I had to find out if his Culina really deserved all of the hype.

I made sure to call ahead for reservations, having heard their weekend brunch was quite popular. When Bettina and I arrived just after noon, all but two tables were full. The restaurant was much smaller than I had anticipated – seating capacity couldn’t have been more than 35 tops – and was decidedly chic. Stark contrasts created by eggshell white walls and curtains, black floor, and dark brown furniture translated into a modern, if not slightly cold decor. I know this is a personal bias (which I’ve expressed before), but an enjoyable brunch in my mind must be supplemented with sunshine and possess that feeling of kick-back casual. Amidst the rather formal surroundings of Culina’s dining room with its shrouded windows, I couldn’t help but think it may function better as a business lunch or dinner destination.

Our waitress was on the green side, but did her best to find out the answers to our questions. Bettina ended up ordering ‘the ham and cheese’ (honeyham and edam on grilled raisin bread), served with salad, while I chose the ‘bacon and eggs’ (slow braised bacon, mushroom frittata, potato hash, rye toasts, spicy ketchup).

Our food arrived in a prompt fashion. Bettina didn’t have anything negative to say about her sandwich, except that it was really nothing special. As for my meal – it was different, and definitely showcased the creative cuisine Lazarenko is known for. In place of traditional bacon, the meat portion of the dish was fried pieces of pulled pork. It wasn’t bad, but did take some getting used to. The frittata was topped with a blue cheese mushroom cream sauce, and though I initially winced at the mention of blue cheese, it turned out to be surprisingly good.

I will admit to having unbridled expectations for Culina – both because of how long it took me to eat there and all of the glowing literature I had read. So while I wasn’t entirely disappointed, Culina’s brunch just isn’t for me. I’m willing to give their dinner a shot, but it may have to wait in lieu of their rather pricey menu.

Restaurant interior
Sugar and creamer
Water in a wine bottle
‘the ham and cheese’
‘bacon and eggs’

Un-egg-ceptional: Red Robin’s

Dickson and I decided to head to the downtown Red Robin’s (11215-104 Avenue) for a bite to eat before catching a play on Tuesday night. With friendly kitsch, bright decor, and unlimited baskets of fries, the restaurant is a solid choice for a casual meal.

I love their economical French Onion Soup – served with a slice of cheese toast, it’s the best deal on the menu. This time around though, I decided to spring for the Royal Red Robin Burger, described on the website as, “the aristocrat of all burgers because we crown it with a fresh jumbo fried egg.” Mack and Dickson order it without fail, so I figured I’d give it a shot to see what all the fuss was about.

It was certainly filling (as most of their burger meals are), but between the beef and the rest of the fixings, it was difficult to taste the egg at all. Perhaps I’d have to sample it again, but I’m more likely to stick with my tried-and-true bacon and cheese next time.

Defaced tabletop display (courtesy of Dickson)
Royal Red Robin Burger

Battle of the Big Three: Joey Tomatoes

As we didn’t have time for their famous apple pie last week, Dickson and I headed to Joey Tomatoes downtown (11228 Jasper Avenue) after work today to satisfy his craving.

As those who read my blog using an aggregator know, I am writing this post much later than the date stamp indicates. As such, I have had the opportunity to visit Joey’s a second time before drafting this review, and my opinion has changed slightly in that time for the better.

Besides menu offerings, Earls, Moxie’s and Joey’s – Edmonton mainstays of casual upscale dining – are indistinguishable between their use of dim lighting, dark wood, pulsating music, and club-ready hostesses. Of the three, I prefer Moxie’s simply for their food selection – they have more dishes that I tend to gravitate towards on a day to day basis. I will say, however, that I like the downtown location of Joey’s better than the South Common branch – the table lamps and cozy booths create the feeling of a private dining experience.

On my first outing, I insisted on “real food” to supplement Dickson’s pie, so I thought the Bombay Butter Chicken was worth a try. Though I didn’t expect an authentic meal, I did hope for more than what was essentially curry soup that happened to contain chicken. The sauce was indeed flavourful, but between the inconsequential pieces of meat and bok choy (which had been rendered limp and wilted in the concoction), it wasn’t an enjoyable dish. The accompanying rice was all right, but why the peas weren’t in place of the bok choy was beyond me.

As for the (drumroll) apple pie – on my second tasting, I can appreciate why it is so well-loved. The puff pastry really is the secret, though quite frankly, anything wrapped in puff pastry would taste better. If Dickson was a blogger, he’d have posted about the fact that I challenged the difficulty of making the pie at home. So perhaps when I have exhausted all of the other recipes I have lined up in my culinary queue, I will try my hand at this pie.

As I mentioned above, my most recent experience at Joey’s was an especially positive one. Having come in from the rain that night and feeling vulnerable to a cold, I requested a mug of hot water. Perhaps it is standard practice, and I shouldn’t have been as floored as I was, but the accompanying slice of lime (a la Neocitrin) was an unexpected service-oriented touch. It may have been psychological, but I didn’t end up developing a cold.

Regardless of their intention, I am warming up to Joey Tomatoes. If they retool their menu, they may bump Moxie’s off the top of the big three!

Bombay Butter Chicken
Apple pie!

Cheap Eats and Great Conversation: Ikea Restaurant

There’s nothing better than a busy, intimate coffee shop in the evening – when you can feel the caffeinated buzz in the air, and conversations are almost instinctively spoken in a moderate hush. As great a venue as that can be, the opposite works as well – spacious, dimly lit dining areas light on patrons that breed lengthy, private discussions. The Ikea Restaurant (for dinner) in one such place.

Annie and I have been here a few times for their very economical selections. With a plate of pasta, soup or salad, and drink combo going for $3.99, and a dish of salmon and steamed vegetables priced at $6.49, Ikea offers some of the best deals in the city (this discounts the amount inevitably spent on unnecessary prints, kitchen accessories, and miscellaneous soon-to-be garage sale fodder, but my focus here is only on the food). Ikea claims the lower prices come as a result of their store mantra of self-service (no waiters to serve or clear plates), but how many people realistically pop into the store and manage to bypass merchandise completely? Food is definitely a carrot in this case.

We both ordered our reliable standby – a plate of 10 Swedish meatballs, potatoes with gravy and a dollop of cranberry sauce, accompanied with soup or salad and a drink. While not entirely filling on an empty stomach, for $5.99, it leaves enough pocket change to pick up a few 50cent hot dogs on the way out (which I did; I’m still in the wisdom teeth recovery zone of anything goes).
But as in many of my reviews, food comes second to the setting. I adore the dining area in the restaurant with its simple, stylish decor – quintessential Ikea. Single pendant lamps, sleek rows of light wooden tables, and a breathtaking wall of windows create a perfectly understated, minimalist aesthetic. And in the evening, as the sun sets, the ambiance is equivalent to that of a friend’s kitchen – cozy, comfortable, with unending refills of coffee.
Though their $1 breakfasts are great – give Ikea a try when you’re looking for a South Common dinner alternative.
Quiet Corner (I like this shot for the visibility of the Ikea sign, as well as the overview of the parking lot; many have said the store looks resembles a mini-airport)
Swedish meatball special

Central and Satisfying: Three Bananas Cafe

May and I had been to Three Bananas Cafe (9918-102 Avenue) just after it opened a few years ago, but haven’t been back since. Strange, especially since we had a positive experience and it has such a great location – right on Churchill Square. Well, before an event at the Winspear Centre tonight, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat there, knowing they would be fairly efficient, but in the worst-case scenario, we were just a stone’s throw away from our target venue.

A modern yet inviting space, the ‘seat yourself’ mentality lends itself quite well to the casual cafe atmosphere. Lined with windows – a great feature for warm weather people-watching on the Square – the dim lighting is more conducive to catch-up conversations than solo reading in the evenings. There are even a few flat screen televisions mounted on the wall, typically projecting sports programs.

I always marvelled at the fact that what appears to be an upper-scale coffee shop would also have a decent food menu. May ordered the Deli Combo Panini (turkey, smoked ham, pickles, cheddar cheese, dijon mustard and mayo), while I ordered (what else) a Hawaiian Pizza (finally!).

The food arrived after a bit of a wait, though understandable given they only had one cook on shift (who also served as the busperson). May said her Panini was all right, but expressed a preference for the sandwiches served at Booster Juice. My pizza was just what the doctor ordered – the multigrain crust was thin, crunchy and light, and served as a great base to a generous topping of ham, pineapple, and cheddar and mozarella cheeses.

So if you’re in the mood for a coffee or a light meal, Three Bananas sure beats the food court funk.

Right on Churchill Square!
Deli Combo Panini with Organic Chips and Salsa
Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Random Food Notes

  • I’ve been using the Food Network (U.S.) recipe index quite a bit lately, and for those of you who haven’t perused the website before, I would encourage you to do so. The recipes duplicated on the website are the same ones that are published in cookbooks (e.g. Ina Garten, Giada de Laurentiis), and being the selectively frugal gal that I am, I have amassed quite a collection of paper. Better yet, most of the recipes have accompanying comments written by the general public who have tried whipping up the dish themselves, and often provide insightful shortcuts or helpful modifications.

  • Speaking of the Food Network – I saw boxes of Ina Garten’s dry dessert mixes on sale at Chapters the other day, for $15.99 a pop! Paying for convenience is one thing, but when some ingredients are still necessary to create the final product at that price? It’s a little ridiculous. It seems a trend nowadays for television cooking personalities to brand anything and everything. From Jaime Oliver’s Flavour Shaker to Christine Cushing’s olive oils to Mario Batali’s kitchen accessories and Rachel Ray’s cookware, I’m half-expecting to see, at a store near me, Bobby Flay Throwdown! mats.
  • There was an interesting article in the Globe & Mail today about a Toronto city counsellor’s motion to allow for a greater variety of food to be served by local street vendors. I had thought that hot dogs were a favorite, but had no idea the logic and allowance for them had to do with the decreased health risk that comes with precooked meat. From the article by Jeff Grey: “In New York, for example, the streets are teeming with culinary diversity: knishes, spicy chicken on a pita, Sri Lankan dosas and Columbian arepas, as well as enormous, warm salt-encrusted soft pretzels. Multicultural Toronto should have a similar buffet on its streets, said board of health chairman John Filion: ‘We should be defined by that, not by the hot dog.'” I missed out on my opportunity to snack on an outdoor vendor-cooked hot dog during my last trip to TO, but perhaps the next time I’m in that neighbourhood, I’ll have more selection. When will Edmonton start its own proliferation of roadside snacks?
  • My family and I went to the Plum Flower Cafe (10417-67 Avenue) a few weeks ago, a non-descript Chinese restaurant attached to a roadside hotel. There was nothing exceptional about this small, family-run establishment, so I didn’t feel the visit warranted a full review. They did, however, have Singapore Noodles of reasonable quality:


The Cafe was notable for an eye catching sign up in one of their windows:

Dwarfed Expectations: Bua Thai

Since Dickson had expressed a desire to have his favorite apple pie dessert from Joey’s Grill, I figured it was a good time as any to satisfy my craving for the best pad thai in the city. Located across the street from the downtown Joey’s, Bua Thai (10049-113 Street) is a small restaurant renowned for its abrupt service and great food (in that order). I know that when I’ve talked about my past dining experiences there, I usually draw attention to their rather rude way of greeting patrons (involving a quick, “Reservation?” in place of a typical, “Good evening” or “Hello”). At the same time, I think I have reached a point where I am nearly expecting that abuse, equating a meal there to a dinner theatre for sado-masochists.

I made sure to call ahead for reservations, despite knowing that we were dining early on a Tuesday night. When we reached the restaurant at 5:30, we were, not surprisingly, the only customers there. The dining room is simply and tastefully decorated, with Asian artifacts clustered near the order counter, a few plants scattered throughout, and colorful tapestries set underneath the glass countertops of individual tables.

Bua Thai boasts quite an extensive menu, but I didn’t need any guidance to head straight for the phat thai. To supplement the noodles, we also ordered the baked lemongrass chicken. The phat thai, as anticipated, was fantastic. I’m not sure what it is about their version that makes it so much better than others, except to say that the dish reminds me of Chinese char kway teow. As for the chicken – the serving was fairly generous (though for the price, it had to have been), and though the chili-lemongrass sauce flavored the meat nicely, the chicken was on the dry side.

And the report you’ve all been waiting for – the service was actually fine. Our host/waiter could have even been considered friendly! Is it wrong to say that my dwarfed expectations lessened my experience somewhat? I’m really not easy to please.

Overall, I enjoyed the food. Though I must admit that I didn’t recall how steep the prices were. Bua Thai is by necessity an infrequent destination.

Restaurant interior
Phat Thai
Baked Lemongrass Chicken
Dickson eating his veggies (Mabel would be proud!)

Comfortable and Without Pretension: Route 99 Diner

Like Barb & Ernie’s, I passed by Route 99 Diner (8820-99 Street) innumerable times, always remarking how I wanted to eat there. I loved the juxtaposition between upscale and “down-home,” so for our real meal of the evening, I suggested that we head to the diner. From the outside, Route 99 looks every bit like a traditional roadside stopover – boxy, bright, lined with windows, and dotted with “all day breakfast” signage. Inside, complete with cozy booths, a jukebox, working traffic light and rescued licence plates and gas station memorabilia, the space definitively screamed “diner” (I particularly enjoyed the meta Nighthawks wall hanging).

The menu contained nothing unexpected, with a mix of requisite breakfast and dinner items, including omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, and pizzas. Mack decided upon the evening-appropriate Diner Burger, while for the sheer novelty of it, I asked for a plate of French Toast and Sausages (and thankfully, no Grand Marnier in sight). We also agreed to split an order of poutine.

Our food came relatively quickly (though as Mack noted, the dishes shouldn’t be that difficult to pull together). First of all, the serving of poutine was huge! Even between the two of us, we weren’t able to finish it (photo evidence below). As for our individual orders, Mack found no fault with his burger, but I wasn’t as impressed with the French Toast. Though complete with a nice dusting of powdered sugar, the bread was a bit tougher than ideal. The sausage was prepared in an interesting fashion, however – flayed, which would not only encourage a faster cooking time, but also allow for a more even crisp on the outside. It’s a technique I will try myself sometime.

With good service and not an ounce of pretension, Route 99 is a friendly, not-off-the-beaten-track option for the hungry.

Restaurant interior
Counter (with working traffic light above!)
Jukebox
Menu
Poutine!
Mack’s Diner Burger
Condiment Stand
My French Toast and Sausages
Leftover Poutine

Pricey but Pleasant: TZiN Wine and Tapas

If you’ve been paying some attention to my blog, then you’ll know that I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of TZiN Wine and Tapas (10115-104 Street). Between the rave reviews and the several notable mentions in the food literature I peruse, I was foaming at the mouth to try it. So on Friday, with Mack in tow, I was excited to finally give it a go.

Anyone else who had ever visited the previous tenant would probably be wondering, like I was, how they would manage to squeeze a full-service restaurant into a space that functioned primarily as a takeout place before. Well, I’m happy to say the designer pulled it off in spades. Though the entire restaurant seats only about 20-25 patrons, the dining area is more intimate than claustrophobic in my opinion. The black and red color scheme is sleek, with the banquette along the left side making the most of the small space. I’d like to think it was deliberate, but the pulsing dance music served as a cover of sorts, allowing for some conversational privacy between tables.

The food menu is definitely not for the frugal at heart. Tapas (“small plates”) start at $8, with most in the $11-$13 range. There were some interesting selections, including frogs legs (cheekily named “Miss Piggy’s Revenge”), scallops, and raw fish. Their lunch appears to be the most economical, with sandwiches priced at between $12 and $14 (I’d order the ExBoyfriend – made with jerk chicken!). We decided to split the 4-20 Pica, a rather elaborate pizza made with artichoke, oven dried roma tomato and asiago drizzled with organic hemp seed oil.

I’m admittedly not much of a wine-drinker (especially when compared with Mack), but it would have been a waste to visit a wine bar and not order at least a glass. We went one better and chose the “Mile High Club” Heaven trio – for $12, three 2oz. samples of whites, including a 2005 Paul Zinck Pinot Gris (France), 2005 Alois Lageder Pinot Blanco (Italy), and 2005 Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris (Canada). If anything, I now know that I prefer Pinot Gris – there isn’t as much of a stinging aftertaste when compared with Pinot Blanco or (blech) red wines. Mack also ordered a fraction of Edmeades Zinfandel, but despite his raw enthusiasm for this type of red, I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy it.

Our pizza arrived after some wait (curious as there are a number of service people in the restaurant but only one cook), likely a ploy to increase drink orders between course delivery. Still, it was a fairly decent dish. I disputed the fact that the tomato was at all oven dried, but I enjoyed the arugula, asiago, and foccacia-eque bread base. It wasn’t worth the $11 charged, but I agreed with Mack’s observation that outrageous prices are necessary because of the lack of seats in the restaurant.

TZiN is not the place for a full dinner, but I can see it becoming a destination spot for an after-work drink or post-show bite.

Novel hours
Kitchen (located right next to the restaurant’s entrance!)
Menu
Heaven trio (when the waitress saw that we were eyeing the “Mile High” selections – either “Heaven” or “Hell,” she asked, “Ready to go to Hell?” then quickly countered, saying “That’s probably not the question you want to hear on Easter weekend…”)
4-20 Pica

Just Like Earls: Dante’s Bistro

As we would be in the area anyway, I figured it’d be a good time to try Dante’s Bistro (17328 Stony Plan Road). Mack was surprised I hadn’t been to this restaurant before, but considering it isn’t readily accessible by public transit, it shouldn’t have been too difficult to believe.

The dining room (or “bistro,” as it is named on the website) is built with an incredibly high ceiling, giving it a grand feeling, trumping most other casual upscale locales. At the same time, I wasn’t too sure I liked the painted faux-fresco walls – like slightly off designer replicas, I felt it devalued the overall decor. I would have much preferred plain, one-color columns to emulate the classy, sophisticated feeling created by the heightened ceiling.

As for the menu, Mack was spot on when he compared it to (boo) Earls – pastas, fusion dishes, and grilled meats. In contrast with the chain, however, there were actually a few dishes that I would choose to eat. In this case, I chose the Pineapple & Prosciutto Pizza, while Mack selected the Ginger Beef. As it would turn out, neither of us ended up getting what we ordered.

I was served the Blackened Chicken, Grilled Onions, Cilantro & Mango Chutney Pizza (that’s what those yellow chunks were!), and Mack the Bul-Go-Gi Beef Stir-fry. I really hope it was the server’s first day, because we clearly didn’t incorrectly articulate our order. We also didn’t send it back, though in retrospect pointing out her error may have resulted in a generous discount of sorts. As for the meal itself, the pizza was fairly satisfying, though the Italian ham would have hit the spot just a little bit better. Mack enjoyed his stir-fry, though in my opinion the beef was on the dry side.

Would I return to Dante’s? Perhaps to the lounge for the ambiance, but not for the service or the unexceptional food.

Dining room interior
Blackened Chicken Pizza
Bul-Go-Gi Beef Stir-fry