Film: “Easter Parade”

When the schedule for the Edmonton Film Society‘s Summer 2008 was released, I was most looking forward to the opening movie: Easter Parade. Though I’ve seen the last, titular number more times than I can count, I can’t say I’ve actually ever watched the movie in its entirety.

Among the vocal older audience (as expected), it was a treat to watch Fred Astaire and Judy Garland on screen. They epitomize ease on their feet, and always make me feel like when I walk out of the theatre, I can as gracefully tap, twirl and sway in rhythm as they can. The first half especially showcased Garland’s comic talent and timing, which I had never really seen her demonstrate. One of my favorite actresses of the era, Ann Miller, glowing in her screen debut, played the “other woman” well, and I really did respect her for jumping at the opportunity to further her career.

The rest of the films in the series that runs every Monday until August 25 at the Royal Alberta Museum Theatre are just as lighthearted, fun, and the perfect way to transition into a warm summer night. And for just $5, there isn’t a better deal to be had in the city.

Go Elsewhere for Pho: Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House

Having learned from experience not to attempt to have lunch at Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House (10718 101 Street) during their peak midday hour, I met Dickson there at 1pm on a weekday. We hit the tail end of the rush, and were seated fairly quickly as the crowd started to disperse.

Making good on an earlier promise to try our their pho menu, I headed straight for that page and picked out the Soup Lover’s Delight with medium-rare beef ($7.45), while Dickson opted for the Northern Vietnamese Soup ($7.95) with thin slices of chicken, well done and medium rare beef.

As it was still fairly busy, I was surprised that our dishes arrived as fast as they did. We were both sad to see that the large-bowl standard of Pagolac and Hoang Long hadn’t rubbed off on Thanh Thanh’s serving size though. I found the broth oily with no depth of flavour, while Dickson commented that the pho in general wasn’t that hot. As well, the meat was sliced too thick for my liking, and really, by the time the bowl had been brought to the table, could have been considered well done.

As their other dishes aren’t bad, Thanh Thanh isn’t a complete write-off – just go elsewhere for pho.

Soup Lover’s Delight with Medium-Rare Beef

Northern Vietnamese Soup

Good, Not Great: Tropika

Annie and I had dinner on Sunday night at Tropika (6004 104 Street), mainly because of the 2-for-1 coupon I had on hand. The dining room was packed, but we were still seated within a few minutes of entering the establishment.

Their pictorial menu never ceases to wow me, as it did on my first visit there last year. I was looking for something simple that would yield leftovers I could take with me for lunch the next day, so the Nasi Goreng ($11) was my choice. Annie wanted something spicy, and thus opted for the Singapore Laksa ($10).

Our waitress was great throughout, always on top of filling up my water glass. And though it was quite busy, our food didn’t take as long as I expected. This time around, I didn’t think the fried rice was that good – besides the broad beans, the packaged mixed vegetables used seemed like a too-easy shortcut. Annie thought her noodle dish was quite good – I commented that the spice level was definitely too high for my palette.

A decent (and dirt-cheap meal with the coupon), Tropika was a reasonably good place to end off the weekend.

Nasi Goreng

Singapore Laksa

Walterdale Theatre: “Up Shit Creek” and “Bless You, Billy Wilder”

After High Tea at the Arbour Restaurant in Rutherford House, Janice, May and I headed to the Walterdale Playhouse in Old Strathcona to watch a double-billing of Up Shit Creek and Bless You, Billy Wilder, a part of the Walterdale’s annual “Trading Stages” event:

“A collaboration of beginners and masters. Four directors and two writers, under the guidance of established local professionals, hone their crafts presenting a series of one-acts. A new masterpiece and an established piece from a master will run each night.”

Up Shit Creek, by Taylor Chadwick and mentored by David Belke, was up first. A play about a Canadian and an American filmmaker crafting a movie about 9/11, I found the dialogue inarticulate and unnecessarily circular. The enactment of the film scenes with mini Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein puppets were as amusing as it sounds, but created a pacing that felt off. By the end, I still didn’t feel any compassion for either of the characters – the American for feeling that he had to “sell out” to his film executive father, or the Canadian for not getting his desired story told. For that reason, the play seemed long and simply a vehicle for the writer to debate reactions to 9/11.

With that disappointment, I was even more excited about seeing a vintage Belke, or at least, what I thought would be a vintage Belke. With “Billy Wilder” in the title, I was honestly expecting something like Dreamland Saturday Nights – a harmless, lighthearted romantic comedy. What we got instead was an experience not unlike the Fringe surprise May and I saw a few years ago (billed as a coming-of-age story, the production ended up being a show about bulimia).

Bless You, Billy Wilder started out innocently enough – a shy artist who grew up in a religious colony interviews for a position to assist a man with a film restoration project. Interspersed with clips from Greed by Erich Von Stroheim, the movie being worked on, the play quickly degenerated into one focused on mental illness and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ending with the man curled on the floor, racking with sobs, as his assistant tried to comfort him. The pair of actors were the bright spots – Michael Beamish as Emil was scarily spot-on, jolting my blood pressure as his manic attacks increased in frequency, and Kassia Haynes as Patience was as mature, loving and warm as her character should have been. Still, I can’t say I enjoyed myself – Bless You is the type of play one has to be mentally prepared for.

For the Kid in All of Us: Chuck E. Cheese’s

Fortuitously ending up with a bit of time to kill before Get Smart, Mack and I walked to the Chuck E. Cheese’s (14231 137 Avenue) situated next to the North Common Cinemas. He was hoping that the funhouse would already be closed, sparing him from having to participate in amusements himself, but unfortunately for him, they are open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays (I guess kids don’t have such early bedtimes anymore).

For a mere $10, we filled a small plastic cup with 30 tokens, more than enough for a few rounds of skee ball and then some. While we gave several of the games a try, including air hockey, soccer, basketball (my second favorite game) and car racing (badly in need of a Purell stand next to it), we ended up spending most of our tokens on skee ball. I’m not sure who the ultimate winner was, but boy was it a lot of fun.

Mack shooting!

Mack racing! (and having fun in spite of himself)

Playing skee ball

We ended up racking up 191 tickets, barely enough for two necklaces. Of course, it wasn’t about the prize – it was how we earned it.

The Last of the Best: Characters

The number of Edmonton eateries I still want to try is never-ending, but the last (written with trepidation) of the so-labelled “high end” restaurants on my list was Characters (10257 105 Street). Mack took me there for my birthday on Saturday night.

My knowledge about restaurant has been limited besides perusal of their website and exposure to a recent advertising campaign they have launched (billboards and ads in local magazines), so I really didn’t have any expectations.

Characters

Walking in, we were greeted by a friendly host who promptly seated us at one of the choice tables along the wall. While I first decided to sit in the “Batcave chair” facing the banquette, I soon switched with Mack in order to have a view of the dining room – a not uncommon choice for female patrons, as we overheard a waiter comment.

Photos don’t do the dining room justice – I loved the open room, the sconces and the lighting fixtures, the bank of windows, the brick, and the wood panelling on the ceiling. I did think, however, that they could have afforded to either restore the hardwood floor or have it installed in favour of the cheaper-looking laminate floor.

Interior

Our server provided us with ample time to peruse the wine list and the menu. While we ended up just asking the waiter to recommend a wine, we were both shocked by the availability of a $1300 bottle of red (2000 Chateau Margeux or Chateau Lafite) from the truly extensive 13-page menu. Both glasses were exactly what we were looking for – a light, sweet Riesling for me, and a medium-bodied Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre for Mack.

On this night, we decided to try Foie Gras ($12) for the first time. Unfortunately, because of an outdated menu on the website and our lack of foresight in taking pictures of the menu pages, I am left without “proper” description of our food, except to say that our appetizer was served with poached pears. For our mains, I decided on the Brome Lake Duck Breast ($33) while Mack opted for the Beef Tenderloin ($37).

After snacking on disappointingly cool bread, we were presented with a beautifully sectioned plate of foie gras on grilled toast and accompanying fruit. We divided the pate between the two of us and dove in. Two bites in, both of us agreed that we wouldn’t be able to finish it – somewhat grainy, the smoky flavour that it left at the back of our throats was something we furiously tried to wash down with wine. When our server returned to see if we had finished with our first course, we encountered what would be the most honest exchange I have ever come across at such a high-calibre restaurant – he expressed his own dislike of foie gras in pate form, but encouraged us to give the seared version a try, a type he much preferred.

Foie Gras

Our entrees arrived a short while later, on such “busy” plates I honestly had to repress the Iron Chef-esque commentary streaming in my head as I sampled the variety in front of me. Mack’s vegetables were perfectly cooked, his mashed potatoes deliciously creamy, and his beef tenderloin juicy but just a touch overdone to his requested medium rare. He loved the melted blue cheese on top, commenting that it was this that made his steak. As for the duck – it was the fat on the breast that made the meat. The texture of the duck confit filling in the ravioli was interesting, and I really enjoyed the generous amount of sweet pineapple chutney included.

Beef Tenderloin

Brome Lake Duck Breast

The entire meal was so well paced that we were both surprised to discover that two hours had passed by the time we were presented with the dessert menus – meaning commendable coordination on the part of the kitchen and our server. While we were curious about the tableside Smores for Two (described by the waiter as cookies, chocolate, and a “pot of fire”), we ultimately decided on the scrumptious-sounding Callebaut with Character: warm molten chocolate cake with milk chocolate mousse and white coffee ice cream ($10).

The dish reminded me a bit of the chocolate tasting I had at Wildflower Grill a few months ago – it had a little bit of everything. Mack enjoyed the whole coffee-bean ice cream, while I found the smooth mousse the perfect compliment to the subtly-sweet lava cake.

Callebaut with Character

I had a great time at Characters – exceptionally attentive, personable service, well-prepared, high-quality food, and a dreamy, relaxed atmosphere make it a highly recommended choice for special occasions.

Great Value: Punjab Sweets & Restaurant

It was fitting that my weekend of birthday indulgence began at a buffet.

Meghan and Bettina’s glowing praise of Punjab Sweets & Restaurant (9393 34 Avenue) led me to my choice of the restaurant as the site of Saturday brunch. Bettina and I met there just past noon, still early for the weekend lunch crowd. The interior had changed only somewhat since Arby’s abandoned the space – namely, the centre booths had been removed in favour of individual tables and chairs, providing flexibility to shift furniture to cater to group functions. I could have done without the requisite plastic plants and flowers (sadly all too common in family-run restaurants), but Bettina was right – the decor could be overlooked for the food.

Sunroom interior

I haven’t been to an Indian buffet in Edmonton priced under $10 for a while. The lunch buffet at Punjab Sweets is just $9.99 per person, while their dinner buffet is a paltry $11.99. The set-up was definitely not as fancy as New Asian Village, but with a selection of eleven hot entrees (plus rice), the variety was nothing to complain about.

Hot entrees

Vegetables and dessert (including deep-fried milk balls!)

Unfortunately, there were no labels to accompany the dishes (at least, not until we were on our way out), so being someone who relies extensively on menu descriptions when it comes to Indian food, it will be difficult for me to point out which items I liked. That said, the butter chicken wasn’t the usual star (as I have found with other buffets), the samosas were made from won-ton wrapping instead of the usual thin spring-roll type wrap, making them crunchier yet less flavourful, and the majority of what I sampled was much too hot for my spice-intolerant palette. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the peas in curry sauce – just mildly spicy, it was great on top of the rice.

Bettina’s plate

My plate

In addition to the buffet, Punjab Sweets, in accordance with its name, offers an extensive selection of Indian desserts to go – they would be a creative choice for a last minute office potluck contribution.

Dessert case

Lots of boxes

Offering good value for your money, Punjab Sweets is a great option for lunch or dinner.

Midday Elegance: Hotel MacDonald

Like most quintessential city landmarks, the Hotel MacDonald (10065 100 Street) is a familiar presence appreciated and admired mostly by afar. It’s been a few years since I had dinner in the Harvest Room (refined but stiff), but I relished the opportunity to have lunch in the beautiful Empire Ballroom for my organization’s Annual General Meeting this week.

Empire Ballroom

Unfortunately, my group’s tardiness relegated us to a table in a room normally used for cocktails and receptions only, but as the place setting was the same, there wasn’t too much to complain about, short of not being able to hear or see the speakers up on stage.

There was no menu card at each place setting, so the lunch was essentially a surprise. It has been a while since I’ve been to dinner where so many pieces of cutlery were available on the table, but in such a refined atmosphere and setting, it was only to be expected. What wasn’t expected, however, was the cute little pats of butter with the word “butter” stamped on them! I couldn’t resist taking a picture of that.

Too cute

We started with a salad of wild greens with beets. I am not normally a fan of beets, but there were so sweet and mild that I didn’t mind them at all. The main course (served to ladies first, then men clockwise around), was a “nest” of puff pastry with chicken and mixed vegetables (or, in layman’s terms, chicken pot pie), accompanied by a wild rice pilaf and steamed vegetables. The pie was hot, buttery, and deliciously creamy – it kept me full all day. Dessert was a cake with strawberry coulis, and as it had been placed on the table before we even arrived, this was a sweet ending that could have very possibly been an appetizer for some instead.

Wild greens with beets (up close, the leaves do look like weeds, don’t they?)

Chicken pot pie

Cake with strawberry coulis

All in all, it was a nice break from the office.

Family-Style Disappointment: Santa Maria Goretti Centre

To cap off a gluttonous week of eating out, I took my family to the Santa Maria Goretti Centre (11050 90 Street) for their famous seven-course weekly brunch on Sunday.

7 courses!

With its status as a media darling (written up once in See Magazine, twice in Vue Weekly, and just recently in the Journal), attending the pranzo (lunch) feels a bit like a rite of passage for foodies in Edmonton. Their menu changes every week, but from the website (and all of the echo chamber praise), I was expecting “Italian cuisine in the Santa Maria Goretti style…based solely on the precept of superior ingredients over fancy preparation.” From the pieces I had read here and there, I knew to also anticipate a large, lively Italian crowd of regulars, family-style platters, and more food than the stomach could handle. And though it pains me to pan a non-profit that cradles repeat business and has nothing but the best intentions, this just wasn’t a good day for first timers to the Centre.

Santa Maria Goretti Centre

We drove up and parked our car in the shadow of Commonwealth Stadium. There was a bit of confusion as there were numerous functions going on that morning, but we eventually found ourselves in the correct main hall, and after paying $19 per head (cash or cheque accepted only), settled in at our table.

The hall itself is beautiful, with burnished wooden floors, majestic chandeliers, and an audiovisual setup that allowed the Euro2008 game to be broadcast and clearly viewed by all in the room. I can only imagine the glorious weddings and celebrations that have taken place here, especially with free access to a large parking lot (so long as a major event isn’t occurring next door).

Felicia and Amanda in the hall

We had been sitting idle for about fifteen minutes when I decided to approach the hostess about when the coffee and food would start being served. She assured me that our server would be taking care of us right away; I hoped so, as my Mum and I were getting pretty antsy without our morning cup of joe.

Thankfully, our waitress came by shortly after with a carafe, a basket of bread, and an antipasto platter. The latter contained scoops of potato salad, cheese, and an assortment of cold cuts. We all dug in right away, and though none of it was particularly noteworthy, we were definitely ready to eat at that point.

Antipasto platter

The second platter (also chill to the touch, not unexpected in what was essentially a banquet function) featured veal with tuna sauce and capers. I was underwhelmed, though the veal, tasting like roast beef, wasn’t bad.

Veal with Tuna Sauce

Our third dish was one that Amanda had been looking forward to all morning – pasta. This incarnation of rotini with tomato sauce and basil hit the comfort food spot, and was probably my favorite of all seven courses.

Amanda helps herself to some pasta

By the time the bulk of our mains were served, the hall had filled up to capacity, with families from the church next door taking up the remaining tables. These courses included a salad with Italian dressing, a side platter of cheddar-roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables (the frozen variety), pork rolls with gravy, and roasted chicken breasts in white sauce. Because this was the heartiest portion of food we received, it left the biggest impression on us – the potatoes, pork, and chicken had all been overcooked, rendering them dry, tough, and virtually tasteless. It’s worth noting that we were offered seconds of all entrees, but other than the pasta, we wouldn’t have wanted to have to eat any more of the disappointing mains.

Lots of food

Felicia smiles suspiciously at the camera

My parents

Dessert was a slice of cherry cake, and like the dishes that preceded it, the crumbly cake was devoid of moisture and best consumed with a cup of coffee.

Posing with the cherry cake

While I did enjoy the “family-style” way of dining, and passing around platters (instead of the accustomed ease of a Lazy Susan at Asian restaurants), I was expecting so much more from this supposed best-kept secret in Edmonton. Given the rotational menu, however, perhaps we just experienced a off-day in the kitchen, and should offer the Centre a fair second opportunity leave us with a better impression.

“The Coffee Shop”: Wild Tangerine

Annie introduced me to Wild Tangerine (10383 112 Street) two years ago, but I haven’t been back since. I thought the portions were small for the price, but the decor and the atmosphere were the closest I have ever found to duplicating the fictional Sex and the City “coffee shop” in Edmonton. When a window opened up on Friday to meet up with Bettina for dinner, I jumped at the opportunity to take her there.

Wild Tangerine is part of a very small group of restaurants that are considered darlings of the Edmonton food scene (Culina and Soul Soup are two others). Part of that reason is chef Judy Wu’s presence on the national stage (for example, just recently winning bronze at the Mystery Wine Pairing event at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Toronto). The other is because of its whimsical interpretation of fusion fare using locally-sourced products.

I’ve always been sceptical of the movement towards Asian-Western “fusion”, especially because with that word anywhere near the menu, restaurants seem to believe it grants them a license to automatically increase the prices. At any rate, I was ready to give Wild Tangerine a fair shot that night.

At 5:30pm, we were just one of three parties at the restaurant, but by 7pm, nearly every table had been taken. My initial impression of the decor still held true – I loved the muted, earth-toned walls, orb-like pendant lighting and the IKEA-esque plastic white chairs. In all, with its dark floor and open space, it reminded me of a funkier version of Culina.

I also appreciated the unexpected little touches, like the stamp on the brightly-colored napkin, the mini-clipbord menus, and the smooth pebble stones at the base of the bathroom sink. I thought the plastic water cups were a little inelegant and out of place given the setting, but that was a minor nitpick.

Their selections of mains is small, almost always a good sign of a restaurant trying to focus its energies on doing a few things very well. I had heard rave reviews on their Shrimp Lollipops ($8 for 3), so we ordered that to start. For entrees, Bettina opted for the Peppercorn Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna with Organic Hemp-Oil Tomato Coulis ($20), while I decided to try the Cha-Siu Organic Pembina Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Tangerine Glaze ($22).

The Shrimp Lollipops were beautifully presented, carefully placed in a white ceramic cup. Neither of us cared for the wasabi yogurt they were served with, but I loved the crispy coating on the shrimp. They were undoubtedly messy to eat, with bits of fried noodle ending up as unfortunate casualties with every bite, but each savoury crunch transported me to an upscale midway where beautiful food tastes as it should.

Our mains were timed right, both delivered shortly after our starter plates had been cleared. Again, the artful arrangement of the food should be noted, with ribbons of carrots and slivers of chives adorning the tops of both our dishes. The bok choy was perfectly prepared, crispy, with the natural juices of the vegetable palpable. Unfortunately, both her tuna and my pork had been overcooked (the tuna to the point where it stopped tasting like fish and had a firm, meat-like consistency). Luckily, the sublime, sweet-spicy tangerine glaze saved my dish somewhat, ensuring that I used all of the conveniently pre-sliced pork as a vehicle to soak up every last ounce of the sauce.

Service was attentive throughout, and again, with my adoration of the ambiance, I know I will be back. Likely next time, it will be for tapas and desserts instead.