- Two Asian restaurants have recently opened up in the city – Sweet Mango (9120 82 Avenue) and Moon Garden (10117 Jasper Avenue). They haven’t received as much press as their also-green counterparts Bacon and Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, but hopefully once the hype of those two bistros die down, more attention can be paid to these eateries.
- Gleaned from Where Edmonton, Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse & Bar, apparently Canada’s oldest steakhouse chain, will be setting up shop in West Edmonton Mall in June. With the success of The Keg, Lux, and Ruth’s Chris, it seems Edmonton’s appetite for steaks is growing.
- It seems I was mistaken in my assumption that Leva Cafe (11053 86 Avenue) had been taken over – it was simply under renovation. Check it out for their artisan gelato!
- In other coffee shop news, da Capo Caffe (8738 109 Street) is now open, courtesy of City Palate. According to their blog, they are in the midst of expanding their food menu: “we are introducing Vino, Prosecco and Antipasto Fridays, Pizza Napoletana Saturdays and a breakfast frittata panino.” Sounds delicious!
Category: restaurants
Second is the First Loser: Acajutla
Looking to unwind at the end of a work week, I asked May, my Mexican cuisine connoisseur friend, to choose a restaurant. She had heard good things about Acajutla, 11302-107 Avenue (which coincidently, won second place in Vue Weekly‘s Golden Fork for Mexican/Latin American), so there we went.
As indicated on the menu, acajutla translates to “a place of sea turtles and sugar canes.” The decor in the dining room was festive to say the least, with brightly colored paper decorations and lanterns hanging from the rafters, and boldly checkered table cloths covering each table. The waitresses were all wearing the same puff-sleeved blouses of the Mexican Heritage-Day variety, providing more of a (stereotypical) ethnic atmosphere to the restaurant.
The menu was more extensive than El Rancho, complete with pictures illustrating select dishes. May decided to order the Combination Plate (one each of tostada, pastel, taco, & fajita), while I stuck with my tried-and-true Chicken Fajitas (soft corn tortilla stuffed with chicken breast, mixed with tomato, onion, and bell pepper).
The restaurant was busier than I had expected, with nearly all of the tables occupied (and a large party of rather loud women situated just behind us), but it was still no excuse for the lengthy wait for our food – we were starved by the time our plates arrived. I was even more disappointed when I found the chicken in my fajita to be dry and over spiced to my taste. May’s meal was better, as she was able to sample a few of their specialties (I tried a bit of the pastel, which was very tasty). The service as a whole was sub-par, as we had to physically bring our cups up to the counter for water refills and had to ask the waitress for our bill at the end.
I’m hoping Vue was wrong in their announcement that El Rancho is closing their doors; Acajutla would be a poor replacement.
Decorations
Combination Plate (clockwise from left – fajita, taco, tostada, and pastel)
Chicken FajitasStill Unremarkable: Earls
Mack, Kimmi, Dickson and I grabbed a quick bite to eat at Earls (Tin Palace, 11830 Jasper Avenue) this evening. I really don’t have that much to say about this chain restaurant, as it is pretty well known that I would prefer not to eat at Earls if given the choice. My personal bias aside, I do understand the pull of their “Wings Wednesdays” on the greater public, and for that, I can sacrifice my personal taste from time to time.
I will admit, however, that this was the first time I remotely enjoyed what I ordered – a Margherita Pizza. While not sensational (a la Bridges), it wasn’t bad.
Until we meet again, Earls.
Margherita PizzaCloser to the Bottom: Garage Burger Bar
Mack and I headed to Garage Burger Bar (10242-106 Street) for a late lunch this afternoon. I had assumed good things about Garage from its four year streak in claiming Vue Weekly‘s vote for “Best Burger” in its annual Golden Fork Awards. As such, I was expecting burger-equivalent fireworks when they received top honors again just last week.
We arrived at the restaurant just after four, greeted by a waitress relieved to be relinquished from her boredom – it turns out we were the first customers since the lunch rush ended several hours before. Needless to say, this wasn’t a positive initial impression.
It was fairly nice out (though it drizzled a bit later on), so we decided to sit out on their small enclosed patio. The plastic lawn chairs weren’t the most comfortable furniture I’d ever encountered, but they served their purpose. The interior of the dining room itself (a refurbished garage – hence the name) was in a word, “dingy,” but something I think wouldn’t be as noticeable with a larger crowd present. The waitress said that Garage had been around for over fifteen years, and admittedly, it showed.
We perused the menu, and Mack commented that he liked the fact that all burgers with the exception of one were priced equally at $5.99. Fries, however, had to be ordered separately ($1.79). I chose the Bacon(!) Mozza Burger (self explanatory), while Mack was delighted to verbalize his selection of the Dana Burger (cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, BBQ sauce).
The food, as expected, arrived in an expedient fashion. We were both disappointed when we realized the patties weren’t made from fresh ground beef and wondered how an establishment could have garnered such acclaim from frozen meat. Secondly, I thought the fries tasted as if they had been refried from the batch left over from the lunch crowd.
While the service was good, prices reasonable, and patio pleasant, I can’t say Garage deserved its Golden Fork. At least not until they rehaul their burgers.
Restaurant exterior
Interior
Bacon Mozza Burger
Dana BurgerExceeding Expectations: Milestone’s
During my research for a trip to Vancouver earlier this year, I came across a “Best of” survey in the Georgia Straight weekly that listed the chain Milestone’s as the second best place for brunch in the city. Until reading that, I had no idea Milestone’s (1708-99 Street) even offered a brunch menu. After perusing their selections online, I decided it would be a nice place for my family and I to take my Mum in celebration of Mother’s Day.
I had made reservations a few weeks ago just in case, but it wasn’t as busy as I expected it to be on a lovely Sunday morning. With warmer tones, a casual atmosphere, and more family-oriented than the comparable Murrieta’s Grill, the decor holds up surprisingly well for brunch, making the most of its high windows and reflective mirrors.
I quite like their menu as a whole, as it contains some interesting takes on traditional weekend fare. Along these lines, I ordered their Italian Sausage Frittata (open faced omelette with fresh garden vegetables, fresh basil, roasted italian sausage, mozzarella and reggiano cheese). My mum opted for the Strawberry French Toast, my Dad chose the Grilled Shrimp California Benedict (in lieu of the Prime Rib Hash that they had “run out of”), and Amanda and Felicia ordered Joe’s Special (seasoned ground beef, fresh spinach, sliced mushrooms, scrambled eggs, chipotle catsup, parmesan) and the Californian Omelette (double-smoked bacon, spicy house-made avocado salsa, diced Roma tomatoes, sharp cheddar), respectively.
The food took a while, but besides that, I had no complaints about the service. When our dishes did arrive, though, not only were they beautifully plated (a detail often overlooked by larger chain restaurants), but the portions were huge (the French Toast in particular)! As for my fritatta, I can’t fully comment on the taste, as the spicy tomato sauce it was smothered in overpowered the sausage and all other additions to the egg. I suppose this could be likened to the spread I used to dislike on Blue Plate Diner’s meatloaf, but have now grown to appreciate, though I would have preferred it sans sauce on the first go-around.
Milestone’s isn’t by any means an inspired choice for brunch, but it was surprisingly good and definitely exceeded my expectations.
Cozy booth
Italian Sausage Frittata
Strawberry French Toast
Grilled Shrimp California Benedict
Joe’s Special
Californian OmeletteFine Dining, American Style: Ruth’s Chris Steak House
I first posted about Ruth’s Chris Steak House (9990 Jasper Avenue) in November last year when it had just opened in Edmonton. I finally had the opportunity to dine there with a few friends to celebrate a belated birthday.
I’m not sure why steak houses invariably have less lighting sources than other restaurants, but Ruth’s Chris is an exemplar of this. Muted spotlights created a hazy darkness that when combined with the rich red carpeting and dark furniture, could be seen as the picture-perfect abode for stereotypical cinematic Asian gangsters. That said, our dining area (one of three) did have a few elegant touches, including a blue-lit wine cabinet and a soothing water wall. Interestingly enough, the conversational volume in the room rose quite a bit over the course of the evening, bordering on loud in such a small room, but was surprisingly refreshing for a dressed-to-the-nines crowd where I was expecting hushed whispers.
I was glad to see a good selection of non-steak options on the menu, but as I’m not a vegetarian, I couldn’t very well not sample their beef on my introductory visit. The birthday girl and I both chose the Petite Filet, while my two other friends opted to share the Porterhouse for Two. In addition, we selected three sides to share (ordered a la carte) – sautéed mushrooms, au gratin potatoes, and the sweet potato casserole.
The plates arrived smoking hot (out of a 500 degree oven, our server claimed), and the quality was at it should be for an establishment of this caliber. My steak was grilled to medium perfection, tender and spiced to play up the natural flavour of the meat. One of my friends commented that the corn-fed Midwestern U.S. beef (which, with the exception of one dish, Ruth’s Chris proudly serves in ranch-rich Alberta) lacked the “kick” she’s used to tasting in grain-fed Alberta beef (I’m afraid my palette isn’t refined enough to make that distinction). All of the sides were delicious as well – the sautéed mushrooms were lightly coated with savoury garlic butter; the au gratin potatoes were rich and creamy, topped with melted cheddar; and the caramelized-pecan crusted casserole could have doubled as dessert.
For dessert, I ordered the Creme Brulee served with mixed berries and mint. Beautifully presented in a white ceramic dish on a black plate (accented with the reds and the blues of the berries), it was a satisfyingly velvety custard complemented by the warm, sweet crunch of caramelized sugar.
My fine dining experiences are few and far between, but Ruth’s Chris is right on par with other restaurants on the pricey end of the scale. While too expensive for an every day dinner, Ruth’s Chris is worth a try if you are a steak connoisseur, or are looking for an intimate venue for that special occasion.
Not for the Impatient: Two Rooms Restaurant
For a pre-play brunch, I suggested to May that we try Two Rooms Cafe (101, 10324-82 Avenue), located in the historic Dominion Hotel. Hosting only seven tables, the restaurant is charming but small. With a warm decor – brown with stone accents, decorative cases, and a water wall – the dining room melded perfectly with the open-concept kitchen (or second “room”).
I was happy that the waitress still let us order from the 9am-12pm breakfast menu at 12:15. May selected the Cinnamon Kissed French Toast, while I chose the Indian-spiced Tofu Scramble. Given the decent staff-to-customer ratio, and the small number of tables to begin with, who knew our meals would take over 40 minutes to prepare?
May was disappointed with her dish, which ended up being much too sweet, overloaded with an intense amount of raspberry puree. My tofu scramble was all right – I’ve never had turmeric in a breakfast dish before, and it did add an interesting kick to the eggs. The potatoes were noticeably good, soft and well-seasoned.
At the end of it, May and I both agreed that we’d be more likely to head back to Murrieta’s than Two Rooms.
Cinnamon Kissed French Toast
Indian-Spiced Tofu Scramble
Satisfyingly Authentic: B-Bim-Baab Restaurant
My fellow Europe-bound companions and I had dinner at an off-the-beaten path Korean restaurant in a southside business park. B-Bim-Baab (9543-42 Avenue) came with Annie’s recommendation of authenticity and quality, and as the rest of us soon discovered, she was spot on.
With dated furniture of the Pagolac variety and aged carpeting, it was clear the decor wasn’t the main attraction of B-Bim-Baab. We decided to split four dishes, and after some discussion, ordered the Dolsot B-Bim-Baab (rice and egg, among other ingredients served in a Hot Stone Bowl), Tofu Yachae Bokum (pan fried tofu stir fried with vegetables), Charp Chae (clear potato string noodles stir fried with seasoned black mushrooms and vegetables), and Chicken Tang Su Yuk (crispy chicken with sweet and sour black bean sauce, tossed with slices of green pepper, red peppers, onions, and pine apples).
The very polite and petite waitresses were quite attentive over the course of dinner, though there was an accident involving chili sauce and Annie’s white hoodie. The dishes arrived one after the other, and all contained generous servings. My favorite dish was probably the B-Bim-Baab, if not only for the novelty of the Hot Stone Bowl. The egg added a creaminess to the sticky, crunchy rice for a texture previously unbenowst to me.
When we left, we were surprised how busy the restaurant was, given it was Friday night, and its location in the ‘middle of nowhere.’ But like El Rancho in the northside, this can be considered another of Edmonton’s ethnic gems.
Restaurant interior
Rice
Bean Sprouts
Kim Chee
Dolsot B-Bim-Baab
Tofu Yachae Bokum
Charp Chae
Chicken Tang Su YukFood Notes
- I tried the “new” Chicken Snack Wrap at McDonald’s for the first time yesterday, and much to my disappointment, it wasn’t very good. My dislike of ranch sauce may have contributed to my overall negative opinion, but really, given the choice, I’d have a bacon(!) cheeseburger any day.
- While on campus last week, I headed to Edmonton’s first Good Earth Coffeehouse and Bakery (8623-112 Street), a Calgary mainstay. Located in Campus Towers, occupying the old Second Cup/Great Canadian Bagel space, I was floored at the complete overhaul of the decor. With new flooring, painted walls, and sturdy wooden furniture (the old metal chairs were a deterrent to hour-long study sessions), I’m sure Good Earth will become a student favorite soon enough. The downside – the prices definitely reflect the more upscale design. As I mentioned in early March, I had read that their scones were quite good, so I bought a mixed berry one to try. It rang up to $2.75. Though it wasn’t bad (the consistency was sweeter and tasted more cakey than a traditional scone), it definitely wasn’t worth three dollars. I didn’t have time to take a picture to do the new space justice, but this will have to do for now:
- After brunch on Sunday, Bettina and I ducked into Culina’s neighbour, Wild Earth Bakery (8902-99 Street), for a quick dessert. More of a coffee shop than a full-service bakery like Bee Bell or Cobbs, their pastry selection wasn’t too extensive. We decided to each try a small tart – blueberry for me while Bettina opted for the pecan version. Preserved in a cooler, it would have tasted better at room temperature. We didn’t end up staying too long, but it seemed like a nice alternative for those looking beyond mainstream coffee chains.
- I’d love to start an indoor herb garden. Since I started cooking with fresh herbs, I realized how expensive they are. For example, to make a traditional pesto, I’d need at least 3 cups of basil. Mack and I picked up a 40g container of basil at the Italian Centre for our pizza the other day for $2.40. Similarly, even with the packaged herb sale at Sobey’s this week, I’d easily spend over $10 for enough fresh dill called upon in a cheddar-dill scone recipe I’m interested in making. Who knew cooking could actually end up being pricier than eating out?
- The outdoor City Market reopens in the downtown core in less than three weeks on May 19! This means the return of fresh produce, mini doughnuts and popcorn, and my favorite Whimsical Cupcakes on Saturday mornings. There’s nothing better than brunch at Blue Plate Diner followed by a stroll at the farmer’s market. Be sure to check it out!
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’
Only Here for the Food 