I used to lament often about all of the “lost” restaurant opportunities in high school, having dined more times than I could count at Boston Pizza. Mack would always rebuff my complaints, since a) nothing can be done to change the past, and b) he always believed it was the company held, and not the food, that was paramount. Though I loathe to cede to his wisdom, I must say that he might be right.

I’ve written only in passing about Zuppa (9843 110 Street), the default take-out midday purveyor of choice in the Grandin area. Besides one blissful eat-in lunch of their home-made soup and side of baked pita chips, my other experiences have been less than noteworthy over the years, complete with greasy omelets, weak coffee, and a demonstrated philosophy of quantity over quality with their bland wraps and pastas.

Likely not helped by the lack of choice in our immediate neighbourhood, Echo and I ended up there for lunch on Thursday. We joined a very long line at 11:45, as the three staff members shuffled through the typical business lunch crowd. A quick once-over of their specials and their regular menu convinced us to split an Italian Grill on Focaccia ($6.50) and their famous Warm Cheddar Chicken Caesar Wrap ($8.50).

While Echo paid for our order (thanks again for lunch!), I snagged one of the tables by the window. It seemed that just after she sat down to join me, our food was ready, and was brought to us by the cheerful busperson.

Only included with dine-in orders, a side pasta salad was present on both our plates. As expected, the servings were huge, so much so that I only managed to finish the salad and my half of the panini. Between bites of the crunchy Italian Grill (slightly spicy from the cuts of meat, and held together nicely by gooey, melted cheese), catching up with a friend made me realize that food should fade into the background, and in good company, even lacklustre entrees are somewhat elevated.

I suppose this review reads like a backhanded compliment to Zuppa, and though I don’t mean it in that way exactly, lunch there brought me to the belated epiphany that with all of my focus on food lately, I have tended to forget that who I dine with is just as important as what I am eating.

Partly because I wanted to check out Zocalo’s flower selection, and partly because I had a Sorrentino’s gift card to use, Mack and I ended up at the Little Italy location of Sorrentino’s (10844 95 Street) on Friday night.

This was my third trip to a Sorrentino’s in the past six months or so (reviews of my other visits are here), and I still can’t figure out how they have managed to develop the reputation they have. While their food is never outright disappointing, I have never been blown away by their service, meals, or ambiance.

The location in Little Italy is the most casual and informal one that I have been to, but was actually a lot smaller than I anticipated. A hearth on one side, a bar tucked in the back corner, aged wood, and checkered red and white table cloths did their job of conveying a homey feel. For a Friday evening however, the restaurant was surprisingly empty. Throughout our meal, just two parties rotated through – I had to wonder if it was even worth it for the Sorrentino’s Group to keep this location open.

At any rate, the current Garlic Festival meant we had additional menu choices (I loved the advertising slogan – “All you need is clove”). Mack ended up ordering the Ravioli Pollo ($17), sliced chicken and ravioli tossed in a lemon pepper garlic cream sauce, while I chose the Mamma’s Lasagna ($14.25) off of the regular menu, hoping it would be just as cheesy as the time I had it at the southside location.

Our plates arrived in no time. Mack enjoyed his pasta, and the definite garlic flavour that came with it. My lasagna, however, wasn’t completely warmed through, and being the cheese monger that I am, I was looking for more than just a token sprinkling of parmesan.

If someone knows what I’m missing about Sorrentino’s, I’m willing to be englightened. But as it stands, I still can’t see the appeal of what has turned out to be just a locally-owned chain of forgettable restaurants.

Echo and I stopped for lunch at 4th & Vine Wine Bar & Bistro (11358 104 Avenue) in Oliver Square on Friday, hoping for a quiet place to catch up.

I’d been to 4th & Vine a while back for their Sunday evening “dinner and a movie” event, and found it nice enough, but had always meant to go back. The narrow dining area, with its bank of high windows opposite the bar, was even more gorgeous with the sunlight streaming in on a warm, spring-like day. The restaurant was empty, save one table, so we chose to sit at one of the booths near the door – a table that I thought was perfect for a business meeting if one needed to spread out a bit.

The menu that we received looked slightly different than what appears on the website (I was disappointed with the lack of a gnocci entree), but both Echo and I were intrigued by the Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich (poached pears, turkey breast and emmenthal on multigrain bread with cranberry dijon), served with either a soup or salad for just $10.

Our food took a little longer than I anticipated (especially given the nearly-empty restaurant), but our cheerful waitress and the venue tempered our wait somewhat. When our sandwich and soup combos arrived, I was surprised to see actual slices of turkey encased within; I had expected sliced deli-meats, so this hearty filling was a nice surprise. The meat was fairly moist, and the sweetness of the cranberry made our sandwich seem like a post-Thanksgiving treat. The pears were perfectly poached, but between the bread and the turkey, the subtle flavour of the fruit was lost. The cream of tomato soup rounded out the meal nicely, though the slightly sour aftertaste was something I couldn’t get used to.

4th & Vine might be too far for those working in the downtown core, but is worth venturing out to if you’re looking for a quietly elegant place to eat.

Always looking for untried lunch spots within walking distance of my workplace, I finally had some time on Thursday to patronize Backstreet Bistro (10055 106 Street).

With a street entrance literally tucked in an alleyway, I can honestly say that I didn’t notice this restaurant, located on the ground floor of the HSBC Tower, until just a few weeks ago when I happened to look to my right while walking east on Jasper Avenue. As I would find out, most of the customers there were regulars who worked in the building, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the existence of the eatery is still something of a best-kept secret.

I arrived at a quarter past eleven, and was greeted by an empty restaurant – I had beaten the rush! The very friendly owner joked about reserving the entire place for me, and encouraged me to take my time with the menu boards, which were hung just above the order counter. Backstreet Bistro serves up breakfast fare weekdays from 7-10am, and lunch at 11, with midday selections of sandwiches, noodle soups, and chef special vermicelli plates, priced between $7-10. After some perusal, I decided to go with the Charbroiled Beef ($7.25).

While waiting for my food, I was able to watch the trickle of patrons come through the door. The rapport the owner had with the majority of the customers reminded me very much of Amy of Chicken for Lunch fame, as he referred to his regulars as “VIPs”, sometimes topping off their orders with a little extra.

My dish arrived in no time, garnished with a sprig of parsley and plated with a surprising amount of care. I had requested a “mild” level of spice, so the amount of hot sauce drizzled over the beef was, in my opinion, closer to full-on “spicy” than anything else. But other than that, I had no complaints – the little bits of charcoal that clung to the flat, pounded slices of beef added a wonderful smoky flavour to the dish, and the pickled carrots, cut into jagged fry-like slices, added an additional crunch and sour bite to the mix.

In the end, I was comfortably full, with a seemingly well-balanced meal that didn’t feel at all greasy. Unfortunately, Backstreet Bistro is only open during the day, but if you’re in the area, be sure to stop in for a good lunch that won’t break the bank.