MacEwan Theatre Arts: “Hot Mikado”

MacEwan Theatre Arts wrapped up their season with Hot Mikado. From the website:

“The story is based on the Gilbert and Sullivan original The Mikado. In an imaginary Japan, the town of Tittipu has tired of the Mikado’s (emperor’s) law which makes flirting the only crime punishable by death. They appoint a lowly tailor, one Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner, since he has been condemned for flirting, and won’t execute himself or anyone else. Ko-Ko is about to marry his beautiful ward, Yum-Yum, but she is being pursued by a young man of her own age, Nanki-Poo, who is pretending to be a second-trombone player. He is actually the son and heir-apparent of the Mikado, having fled from his father’s court when accused of flirting with the elderly and formidable Katisha, who wants to marry him or have him beheaded. Will Nanki-Poo be executed? Will true love prevail?”

It’s not hard to guess the answer to that question, nor is it a huge leap to assume that the production relies too heavily of the charm on the cast to carry across a fairly trite story. In this case, as with most MacEwan productions, the cast was a mixed bag.

Corey Rogers (Nanki-Poo) and Yemie Sonuga (as Katisha) were both unfortunately unable to carry a tune. Thankfully, there were a few surprises (Adrianne Salmon and Matt Van Boeyen) to help balance out the group, but it was still a bit painful to have to sit through some pretty awful numbers.

Dickson and I were both looking forward to the appearance of Alissa Keogh, who even as a chorus Gentleman #7 in the first half of the production managed to outshine most of her castmates. The second act saw her take a turn as the Mikado, complete with a solo tap performance, which she nailed. Her ease with movement and song will be a loss to the MacEwan stage, but I am certain she will be on to bigger and better things upon graduation.

Also looking forward, the program included a listing of the 2008-2009 theatre season, which includes a play by none other than Stewart Lemoine, which will run from March 13-21, 2009. It seems his departure from the position of Teatro Artistic Director has allowed him the time and space to write for alternative venues like the Edmonton Opera and now MacEwan. Where will he pop up next?

Appalling Inconsistency: Ric’s Grill

I’ve been wanting to try Ric’s Grill (10190 104 Street) for a while, and a special menu offered in accordance with Edmonton’s Downtown Dining Week was the perfect catalyst to do so. So having made a reservation with enough wiggle room to make it to a show at MacEwan later that evening, Dickson and I headed to the Warehouse District on Saturday.

The Metals Building, in all its stalwart brick glory, always seemed inherently fitting for an upscale steakhouse. The interior offered nothing unexpected – dark wood, leather, and too-dim lighting reminiscent of Ruth’s Chris. While I understand that the booth we were seated in was designed to create a private enclave of sorts, Dickson actually felt borderline claustrophobic in its looming wake.

When I didn’t find a Dining Week menu among the leather-bound folders on the table, I requested one from our server. He replied that the promotion was not available to those who had not mentioned the special menu while making the reservation. As this was not clearly indicated on the website (as it is on Calgary’s Dine-Out Week site), nor was I asked such a question when I spoke to the hostess over the phone, I couldn’t fathom how this could have been their policy. Dickson amounted this to “nominal participation” in Dining Week, though when we heard a similar bottom line delivered to a nearby table who was also interested in the promotional menu, we found some comfort in their consistency.

Not so, it seems. May, who ate at Ric’s Grill the night prior, was immediately given the Dining Week menu upon request, even without “pre-ordering” over the phone beforehand. What boggles my mind is that the options available on the Dining Week menu are no different than what is offered on their regular menu, so a lack of food supply would not be an acceptable excuse. And as one would think the pre-fixe menus are meant to encourage otherwise experimental-shy patrons to dine outside their borders with the hope of reaping return business in the future, why so many hurdles would be in place to ultimately save the restaurant just a few dollars (the 6oz Filet Mignon pre-fixe with dessert was $35, while the same Filet Mignon is regularly priced at $31 without dessert) is beyond me. Though I will continue with this review to be thorough, it’s a safe bet I won’t be back at Ric’s Grill; it is unacceptable for a restaurant of their supposed calibre to be nothing more than a token participant in an event set up to promote the best of Edmonton’s urban cuisine.

I ordered the 6oz Filet Mignon, with a soup to start, while Dickson settled on the 12oz Top Sirloin and a Caesar salad ($31). The spicy beef and vegetable soup was great – the amount of beef was generous, and the vegetables had obviously been simmering for quite some time. Dickson said his salad (made from scratch), was quite enjoyable as well.

As for our entrees – I had no complaints about my steak, though I do think the Filet Mignon I had at Mr. Mike’s a few weeks back was just a touch better, if not only because I’d take a peppercorn cream sauce over Bernaise any day. And I won’t deny it – the fun of onion rings as a side is something I still haven’t gotten over.

Dickson’s sirloin, ordered medium rare, was exceptionally moist. So much so that the red juices that collected on his plate became somewhat unappetizing. I don’t claim to be a steak expert, but perhaps they should have let the meat sit for a while longer before serving it?

Ric’s Grill, I hardly knew ye.

Exterior

Interior

6oz Filet Mignon

12oz Top Sirloin

The Cooking Chronicles: Tiramisu

In part for a dessert party practice run and in part because I was craving something sweet, I decided to finally try and duplicate a tiramisu recipe that a client had given me last year. I was unfortunately unable to locate the exact recipe on the web, but I found a wonderful collection of tiramisu varieties here, worth perusing if you’re interested. Also, in the purchasing of a container of mascarpone or bag of ladyfingers, it is without a doubt that a similar recipe to the one I used will appear on the packaging.

Anyway, I was amazed at how easy it was – I made sure to make coffee and allow it to cool a few hours ahead of assembling the cake, but after that, the most time-consuming recipe item was beating the egg whites until stiff. I did find that the ladyfingers (my client recommended the “Tina” brand, which can be found at the Italian Centre) very quickly soaked up the coffee, so I had to be careful with the few seconds that they sat in the liquid.

Layering coffee-soaked ladyfingers atop the mascrapone mixture

After letting the tiramisu sit in the fridge overnight, it was ready to be eaten. The time in the fridge allowed all of the layers to fall into one another, with the coffee softening the ladyfingers to the point that it was difficult to guess that the cake-like texture actually came from a biscuit of sorts. My Mum would have preferred a thicker consistency for the cream, but I thought the lightness worked well with the dessert as a whole. However, I was looking for some more sweetness to round out the flavour – perhaps a hit of chocolate shavings or syrup would have provided that extra something.

There is no question that the end product was worth the small time invested, but I’m still not sure I would make this dessert again.

Tiramisu (I went a little overboard with the dusting of cocoa)

Little Italy: Worth the Trip

I’ve been meaning to make my way to Little Italy for quite a while now, but haven’t taken the time out of my day to go until this afternoon. Without a car, and ignoring the pedestrian option, I ended up taking the always interesting #5 bus (and the definition of “interesting” is very apparent if you’ve ever been on this route).

First up was Zocalo (10826 95 Street), a flower and gift shop. I was curious to see if it would measure up to its enticing advertisements. It does – I was greeted by cheerful gerberas placed outside the door, and a bright and fun interior. Zocalo offers beautiful flower arrangements, unique ceramics and glassware, and kitchen items that would freshen up any decor. I may be back for the hydrangeas I spied in the cooler, to spruce up my living room when I throw a dessert party in the spring.

Zocalo interior

The next block was vibrant with activity – a branch of Sorrentino’s, a cozy cafe in Tra Amici, and of course, the “flagship” Italian Centre (10878 95 Street). I’ve been to the southside location countless times, but this was my first visit to the downtown purveyor of Italian imports and fine cheeses and meats. While not as geographically convenient for me, I will have to say that I prefer this location – something about the diversity of the patrons, the inherent bustle created by narrow aisles, and a deli counter that literally spans the entire back-end of the store allows for the cultivation of a more authentically urban shopping experience.

Little Italy begs for another trek very soon.

Calgary Food Sojourn

    I’ve timed an upcoming weekend in Calgary in order to take advantage of their Dine-Out week (which runs March 10-16). But with some research, I’ve found that high-priced dinners aren’t the only thing that our southern neighbour has to offer:

    • The establishment to visit at the top of my list isn’t actually a restaurant. I have heard nothing but good things about Phil & Sebastian Coffee, one of the vendors at the Calgary Farmer’s Market. From absolutely glowing media reviews to a near cult following on the Chowhound boards, it seems Phil & Sebastian’s has raised the coffee bar in Cowtown. I would like to try their French-pressed brewed coffee firsthand, and determine if expensive brewing equipment (in this case, a $10,000 Clover machine) really does make a difference.

    • For dinner, I’ve been cross-referencing the Dine-Out Calgary website with a few other sources, including FFWD’s “Best of” list from 2007 and of course, deferring to the experts on Chowhound. While the menus at JAROblue, Metropolitan Grill, and the River Cafe don’t really appeal to me, they do seem to be the names that I see repeated quite a bit. Out of them all, Q Haute Cuisine seems to be the winner (and reservations can conveniently be made via OpenTable too!).

    • I had an absolutely fabulous brunch experience at Diner Deluxe last year, and am hoping to find something equally as great. Avenue Diner didn’t live up to my expectations, but I have three other viable candidates that I have to choose from: Galaxie Diner, Belmont Diner, and the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus. Nellie’s, which consistently appears on FFWD’s “Best of” list, also seems to attract a branding of being overrated. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to judge for myself in the future.

    On the topic of Calgary, the newly released My Favourite Cheap Eats: Calgary, Banff, Canmore, Foothills and beyond by food writer John Gilchrist focuses on lunches and dinners priced under $15 and $20, respectively, offered at independent eateries. Edmonton could definitely use such a publication.

    Any other restaurant or dining suggestions from those familiar with Calgary’s food scene?

    The Cooking Chronicles: Mimosa Eggs

    Despite getting a few requests to make my salad rolls again (who knew they were such a hit?), I wanted to take the latest potluck opportunity at work to test out a new recipe.

    I thought Laura Calder’s Mimosa Eggs would make a good candidate for portable, made-in-advance food, so I gave it a shot (turns out, only portable as long as a seat on the bus, without a brake-happy driver, is secured).

    I’ve been learning my egg boiling lessons, albeit slowly. The first time, a few weeks back, I ended up with a watery, still-uncooked egg, essentially poached in its own shell. The second time, I left them in the hot water too long, and the yolks turned that unattractive musty grey shade.

    This time, I didn’t quite get it Goldilocks (just right), but I came pretty close. I used shallots instead of the green onion, and a little less mayo than called for (I wanted the solid yolk to still have some crumble in each bite). It’s really a pretty easy recipe that would make a great cocktail party hors d’oeuvre, beautifully yellow on a plate, nicely accented with the vibrant red pinch of paprika. They’re nothing special, but are satisfyingly filling in two bites or less.

    Mimosa Eggs

    The Cooking Chronicles: Chicken Enchiladas

    CNN had dubbed today “Critical Tuesday”. I prefer “Mini Super Tuesday”.

    Regardless of the name, similar to the New Hampshire primary and Super Tuesday proper, I felt the need to have a proportional celebration, with food, of course. And in honour of the Lone Star state’s democratic turn, chicken enchiladas were on the menu to recognize the importance of the Hispanic vote (there is a bad joke somewhere to be made about how I could have substituted Indian or Chinese cuisine to represent Ohio, and the part of the world that their jobs are being sent to, but I’ll leave it at that). So with Mack as my ever-willing sous chef, and a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, we attempted to put together a dish that even my picky sisters would eat.

    Along with the onions that Mack sauteed, some shredded rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, and a dash of cumin formed the tortilla filling. Unfortunately, the Western Family brand corn tortillas fell apart a little too easily as they were rolled, even after being warmed in the microwave. But doused in a sauce of cream cheese, condensed mushroom soup and milk, their imperfections were not noticeable.

    Mack had to wait a painful 35 minutes for the dish to bake in the oven, and another 5 or so for the added Monterey Jack cheese to melt on top, but it was worth it. The corn (as opposed to flour) tortillas were a good choice, and even the overall soppiness of the dish was all right in this context. I can’t doubt, however, the estimated nutrition facts listed at the end of the recipe – between the sour cream, cream cheese, Monterey Jack, and the mushroom soup, 610 calories seems like a steal. This is definitely not an everyday dish, but was a nice treat on “an historic” election evening.

    Chicken Enchiladas

    Ruth Reichl’s “Comfort Me with Apples”

    I haven’t consumed a book this fast since, well, Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires.

    Comfort Me with Apples is a much more personal, less food-centric memoir than Garlic and Sapphires. Tracing the manner in which she and her first husband drifted apart, her enlightening, almost other-worldly journeys to Europe and Asia, and her developing relationship with the man who would become her second husband, I admire Reichl’s penchant for detail and confessional honesty. Her words, if I am allowed to say this, are so unexpected from a “food writer”, which is one of the reasons why her compositional risk-taking is so refreshing.

    Though Comfort Me is without the theatrical antics of Garlic‘s invented personalities, I enjoyed this book more. Being a part of her world, even as a mere reader, is addictive (Tender at the Bone is on request as we speak). The recipes in this text are great as well, and it won’t be long before I give her version of mushroom soup, or Danny’s lemon pasta, a spin.

    I continue to go back to her line which addresses A.J. Liebling’s quote: “The primary requisite for writing well about food is a good appetite.” Reichl’s response:

    “Liebling was wrong. Appetite is not enough. And knowledge is not sufficient. You can be a decent critic if you know about food, but to be a really good one you need to know about life. It took the next few years to teach me that. You’ll see.”

    Comfort Me with Apples exemplifies the notion that one’s life can be better than fiction. You’ll just have to read it to find out how much better.

    Random Notes

    • I know some people were able to “find themselves” in the absence of television during the WGA strike, but I don’t think I was one of them. Until The Hills in late March (which has a fabulously enticing trailer, might I add), I face a black hole of fresh, small screen entertainment. Sob.
    • My appointment television has been reduced to testosterone-driven House and Prison Break (the latter of which I hope comes back next season). While they are both good shows, I am left wishing for more whimsical female programs of the past, like Gilmore Girls. Perhaps it is time to jump on the Gossip Girl train?
    • I like Matt & Nat’s new line of bags – the Jorja Fox finally comes with a zipper closure!
    • The Mayor’s annual Celebration of the Arts is scheduled for April 7th. Teatro la Quindicina is performing, hurrah!
    • I just received my confirmation for the Edmonton Transit System Community Conference taking place on March 15. Anyone else attending?

    Food Notes

    • Mack pointed me to an article by Stephanie Vacher about how to take better food photos. Worth a read.
    • Ching’s Asian Kitchen & Dim Bar (yes, “dim bar”) has taken over the storefront that used to be occupied by Nikita’s (10162 100A Street).
    • A restaurant in Dorset, England, has instituted an “anti-price”, pay-what-you-want menu on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in an attempt to increase patron numbers. I wonder how it will work out in the long run, but the owner isn’t worried. From the article, the owner is quoted as saying: “I believe that the majority of people are fair if you give them good food, a good time and a nice place. People are quite on the ball on prices and are within a couple of quid of the normal prices.”
    • Project CHEF, a program that uses cooking as a medium to teach children in elementary school about nutrition, among other things, is a model that should be emulated across the country.
    • It’s better in Calgary: Cowtown’s Dine-Out event spans the entire city, with over three times the number of participants when compared with Edmonton’s version. Moreover, it is unacceptable that the relatively few participating restaurants in our city either haven’t bothered to submit their menus, or the website maintenance staff haven’t bothered uploading them. I do think Edmonton’s culinary scene does itself a disservice by essentially offering two competing tasting events (Original Fare’s Forkfest and Downtown’s Dine-Out).
    • Via Serious Eats, an article from the Village Voice that reveals the true “reality” of Iron Chef America. Sure, the recipes might be rehearsed, but it still takes a heck of a lot of creativity and skill to execute the plan just so. In any case, I will still be watching.
    • I can’t say I know all of the food professionals cited in the first annual Clog Awards, but the concept surrounding some of them are pretty funny (e.g. The Cat Cora Award for most fame based on least actual culinary achievement).
    • While I do think the drip coffee at Starbucks is consistently better than what is available at Second Cup, I have to give kudos to the Second Cup in Telus Centre, which always has incredibly *hot* brewed coffee.
    • I feel like such a McDonald’s fangirl reporting this, but their Cinnamon Melts are now available at branches outside of those in Wal-Marts. They are a whooping 460 calories, but are worth every icing-coated bite. Yum.