Fine 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.

Lights Out in Stars Hollow

CW announced on Thursday that Gilmore Girls will not be renewed. From Variety:

“Money was a key factor in the decision, with the parties involved not able to reach a deal on salaries for the main cast members. Other issues, such as number of episodes and production dates, may have also played a role.”

Though I was skeptical that the quality of the show could be maintained without creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino at the helm, the current season has proven me wrong. The last two episodes in particular have been great – kudos to David Rosenthal for Rory’s struggle upon graduation, and for Lorelai’s heartbreaking serenade to her unrequited love.

For those who don’t watch serial dramas, it really is difficult to understand how much impact a show can have. As sad as it may seem, appointment television really can grow with a person over the course of seven years. I was in high school when I first started watching Gilmore Girls regularly, and since then, I have “matured” right alongside Rory. While I can’t say I could relate to everything the characters went through, there were many moments of felt kinship. Other things will come along to fill the entertainment void, but like West Wing and Ed, my attachment to the show is very much associated to the time in my life when I watched it.

The series finale airs on May 15.

“High School Musical 2” Premiere Date

Mark your calendars – High School Musical 2: Sing it All or Nothing will debut on the Disney Channel and its Canadian Family Channel affiliate on August 17.

Speaking of HSM, rumors are abound that its leads Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens are an item! My cynical self thinks this to be a spring-summer romance, but regardless of the catalyst, it’s a great publicity stunt for the upcoming release.

And if you thought one sequel was enough, I’m sorry to disappoint you with the news that the third installment, Haunted High School Musical has already been planned for a 2008 theatrical release. How’s that for tween power?

The Cooking Chronicles: Green Onion Cakes

After many trips to the supermarket shopping for recipe ingredients not readily found in my house, I am beginning to appreciate instructions that don’t call for anything unavailable in my pantry and fridge on a typical day. So on a lazy Sunday, I decided to duplicate Martin Yan’s Green Onion Cakes.

Yan, a popular Asian American chef whose show airs sporadically on PBS, can be considered the Chinese equivalent of Emeril Lagasse. Entertaining, enthusiastic, and always energetic, Yan has unquestionable knowledge about Chinese cuisine. Though I admit to rolling my eyes when I watched him growing up, with the new perspective garnered from the experiences I’ve had in the kitchen thus far, I have to say he does know what he’s talking about (my Mum has commented that Yan’s cooking does pander somewhat to the greater Western audience he serves now, however).

This wasn’t my first try at creating these appetizers – I’d made them with May quite a while ago, albeit with a different recipe. Nothing against Yan, but his method didn’t allow for as many layers as the previous recipe encouraged, and thus, my cakes lacked the desired flakiness. On the other hand, it was my mistake in adding too much pepper but not enough salt, and not rolling each cake thin enough (resulting in half-cooked, but nearly burnt products). Still, I’ll have to figure out why the individual cakes didn’t fry evenly – I’m sure it has something to do with the oil.

The cakes were edible at the end of the day, but I will be hunting down the first recipe for a second go.

Green Onion Cakes

Film: “Spiderman 3”

I went to watch Spiderman 3 at the South Common theatres last night. It was quite a festive atmosphere for the younger set, with an inflatable jump house set up just outside the theatre, comic books and Spiderman-balloon animals offered inside, and even a costumed Spiderman available for photographs in the lobby.

We bypassed the peripheral fun in favor of lining up early to secure good seats. Though I tend to build up unwarranted expectations when waiting is involved, the movie didn’t disappoint. I failed in my attempt to avoid all reviews before the screening, but I do agree with Mack’s opinion that the critics were unnecessarily harsh on the third installment. I didn’t have a problem with what they deemed to be an abundance of villiains, and if anything, my favorite scene in the movie was the eleventh hour partnership between Spiderman and New Goblin (admittedly, I have a soft spot for redemption storylines).

As expected from the Spiderman franchise, there were stunning visual effects, and the requisite Sam Raimi everyman hero humor (but who else thought Parker’s bang-tastic street dance went on a tad long?). As for the new cast additions, Topher Grace did surprisingly well in his turn to the dark side, and James Cromwell’s bit appearance was a waste for someone of his acting caliber. And oh, the crying – the movie might as well have been subtitled S3: Waterworks Edition.

All in all, it was a good night at the cinema. Spiderman 3 definitely deserves its place as the first blockbuster of a sequel-filled summer movie season.

Theatre: “Dreamland Saturday Nights”

May and I then attended a matinee of David Belke’s remounted Dreamland Saturday Nights at the Varscona. From the website:

“When two lonely hearts meet at an old time repertory cinema, they discover that where one sees colour and romance in a search for love and adventure, the other analyses lighting, direction and camera angles. The play follows the growth of their relationship over a series of Saturday nights as they watch old movies together, eat popcorn and fall in love – with a little help from their friends, Bogart, Davis and Astaire.”

Just as nostalgic as the description portrays, the play was a classic Belke romantic comedy. I loved the use of old trailers and concession advertisements to set the tone as the audience seated themselves (though Shadow Theatre’s own trailers could have been better put together – I thought they were fake until I looked in the program). The set was as functional as it was pretty – the designer found great replicas of theatre seats and a concession stand to accompany the whimsical pastel colored swirl backdrop, evoking the desired feeling of innocence and push for simpler times. The stage also incorporated a clever sheer movie ‘screen,’ to distinguish between the film realm and reality.

Like most Belke plays, the supporting cast stole the show. Patrick Howarth, the only actor who appeared in the original, was fantastic. His impersonations were spot-on (and he can dance!), with his Jack Nicholson imitation garnering the most laughs. Aimee Beaudoin, playing the “wicked” gold digger, was so fabulous in her oozing indifference and cruelty that I was left wondering how it could have been possible that I’d never seen her before. In particular, her maturity as an actress shone through in her Bette Davis masquerade. Angela Christie was well-cast as Dorothy, the cute and shy female lead, but I’m still unsure about Chris Bullough. Although better this time around than in Teatro’s House of Cats earlier this season, he didn’t completely convince me that he was remotely torn about his decision of tearing down the Dreamland. The program didn’t list the original cast, but as Chris Fassbender was a Belke favorite while he was still in town, I couldn’t help but think Fassbender’s ability to juggle quirkiness with heartfelt sincerity would have better suited the role.

As a classic movie fan, I’m embarrassed to say I couldn’t recognize all of the allusions (the buck stopped with Citizen Kane and Empire Strikes Back for me), but I could relate to Dorothy’s sentiment of wanting to have a bit of both Oz and Kansas in her life. So despite its shortcomings, Dreamland Saturday Nights was an enjoyable piece of fantasy, comedy, and romance.

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 Yuk

Food 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