Tag: Edmonton

Steakhouse Elegance: Bistecca

Four months ago, my friend Janice relocated to Toronto. She came back to visit last week, and, craving some good ol’ Alberta Beef, asked for a steakhouse recommendation for our gathering. As the group had yet to try Bistecca, the newest addition to the Sorrentino’s family, it seemed like a good choice.

We met there on Wednesday night. It was a quiet evening in the restaurant, with only half a dozen tables occupied over our entire stay. I was the first of our party to arrive, which gave me some time to admire the décor and soak up the ambiance. The black/white/red colour palate reminded me of Caffe Sorrentino interiors, but with the addition of carpet, plush banquets and high-mounted mirrors, the space had a modern sophistication a cut above its coffee house cousins. The floor-to-ceiling windows also helped dispel the myth that steakhouses must be cavernous and dimly lit. I really appreciated the interior, and had high hopes for the food.

Interior

The menu provided better range than a typical steakhouse as well, with Italian-inspired dishes such as panzanella and seafood fritters, which would satisfy even those not wishing to partake in heavier entrees. Annie ended up going that route, ordering a risotto cake and bison Carpaccio, while the rest of us chose dishes from the steak menu (most which are accompanied with the day’s potato and vegetable). It is worth noting that Bistecca sources some of their meat from local farms – Spring Creek Ranch and Crystal Creek – and prices were more reasonable than I expected, ranging from $26 for a duo of flank and flat iron steaks to $85 for a 32 ounce Porterhouse for two.

Parmigiano-Reggiano risotto cake with shaved smoked duck, Morello cherry, berry peppercorn oil

While none of us were floored by our selections, most of us enjoyed our meals. My order of braised Spring Creek Ranch short ribs ($28) was pretty generous, fully de-boned, and necessarily tender. The fat-to-meat ratio was also less than I’ve usually encountered, without significant detriment to flavour. I didn’t take to the polenta cake underneath, however – stringy and tasteless, I could have done without it.

Short ribs

Beef tenderloin (6 ounces, $32)

Marinated steak duo (flank and flat iron steaks, $26)

The only really egregious error that occurred that night was with one companion’s “Bistecca” (a 14 ounce rib-eye, $37), which had been prepared medium-well instead of the requested rare. The server apologized for the error, and had a replacement steak prepared promptly.

The “Bistecca”

Service wavered a bit, as our waiter had a tendency to disappear when we needed him most (such as informing him about the overcooked dish). Still, our experience was mostly positive, and as a result, I wouldn’t mind returning to Bistecca in the future if I had a craving for steak served in an elegant but comfortable dining room.

Bistecca
2345 111 Street
(780) 439-7335
Monday-Thursday 3-10pm, Friday-Saturday 3-11pm, Sunday 4-9pm

Life in the North (Edge)

When I left my previous job, I was sad. Besides my colleagues, I would miss the area where that office was situated.

Grandin is a beautiful neighbourhood, lined with quiet streets, boulevard trees, and a picturesque mix of high rises, walkups and office buildings. Its proximity to walking trails leading down to the river valley (as well as across the river via the High Level) was a bonus, and one I am sad to say that I took advantage of all too infrequently.

The transition to my current office was a bit disconcerting at the time, shifting from the peaceful streets of Grandin to the bustling, unpredictable and sometimes dodgy thoroughfare of the Avenue of Nations (also known as the “North Edge”).

Now, almost two years later, I am happy to say I’ve embraced the North Edge: I can walk to Chinatown in five minutes, to downtown in fifteen, and to Little Italy in twenty five. And though I no longer have the serene valley landscape to look upon, Central McDougall contains its own beauty. My lunch hour walks are calming all the same, and I’ve come to appreciate what we do have.

Though we’re a long way from where Alberta Avenue is today, the City has begun a revitalization program for the area (including a $2 million dollar park facelift) and the BRZ for the area seems to be getting its act together (though this newsletter is now a year old). If momentum continues, I am optimistic this diverse community can shed its negative reputation. At the very least, I’m hoping for an annual festival that will get Edmontonians out to the neighbourhood!

Anyway, here are a few photos I snapped today on my daily stroll:

Looking for signs of spring

John A McDougall School (I heart old schools)

Central McDougall playground

Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral

Prince of Wales Armouries

Who knew I could be a glass-half-full kind of person?

The 2010 PMA International Winemaker’s Dinner at Madison’s Grill

Tuesday was a funny day. One minute, I was mopping up the lake that had overtaken our office bathroom (there is something to be said about reliable plumbing), the next, I was at a posh food and wine event at the always elegant Madison’s Grill.

I can’t express how fortunate Mack and I were to be the recipients of an extremely generous gift – two tickets to the Peter Mielzynski Agencies (PMA) International Winemaker’s dinner, the gateway to an evening of glorious food, liberally poured spirits and the company of some of the most renowned winemakers in the world. At $160 a ticket, it was out of our price range, but Monique and Patrick, who we had met at the Farmers’ Market Dinner at the same venue a few months back, were unable to attend, and asked us if we could go in their place. We accepted, and thanked them profusely.

One of several glasses of wine that night

While Mack and I enjoy wine, we admittedly aren’t very knowledgeable about it – growing regions, grape varieties, aging processes – all of it forms a murky haze for us. And though one night does not cure all, to have the opportunity to be exposed to those whose enthusiasm and passion for wine exuded through their pores was intoxicating (or was that the wine?).

A sea of glasses

We arrived at the restaurant just after 6:00, greeted by floating trays of hors d’ouvres and the offer of a sweet grass martini made with Calvados (apple brandy). Not long after, Chef Blair Lebsack spotted us in the crowd and came to greet us personally – his ability to make everyone feel welcome is something that elevates him in the industry, in my opinion.

Eventually, we found ourselves at a table where the common denominator was an interest in wine. PMA, which put together the dinner (we found out later that PMA represents some of the top wine labels in the world), ensured that one of the seven wine and spirit makers present were seated at each of the seven tables. Our table was fortunate to dine with the affable Craig McDonald, who works at the Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery in Niagara, and is considered one of the best winemakers in Canada.

Whites

The Farmers’ Market Dinner had exposed us to the concept of a chef’s introduction of a dish, and how the preamble about the ingredients and processes undertaken to create the final result enriches the meal. An additional layer was added to the PMA dinner, as the winemaker was given the microphone first, to introduce their company and products. Not only was it interesting to hear the stories behind some of the spirits, I was also amazed by the history and generations-old expertise in the room. Lamberto Frescobaldi’s family, for example, has been in the winemaking business for seven hundred years in Tuscany.

Reds

Blair then took the floor before cutlery was raised, and explained why the kitchen thought the dish in front of us would pair well with the wine or spirit we were drinking. Halfway through the dinner, Mack remarked, “I never really appreciated pairings until now.” I felt the same way.

Innis & Gunn beer

The amuse bouche of pickled beet and carrot terrine was meant to refresh our palate after the heavier scallop, tuna tartare and foie gras hors d’ouvres. It was exactly that, a pop of acidity that complemented the sweet and bubbly Pongracz Cap Classique from South Africa.

Pickled beet and carrot terrine with dill salsa verde

The first course was Mack’s favourite – an unassuming combination of steamed PEI mussels with braised pork belly. He thought the pairing, with a Wayne Gretzky Estate Series Chardonnay, was a dream, and loved the textural play of the mussels and the meltingly tender pork.

Steamed PEI mussels and braised pork belly

The next course was my favourite – an upside down smoked duck and gouda tart. As soon as the plate was put down in front of me, I was in sensory overload, under the spell of the fragrant aroma. The duck breast was perfectly cooked, fatty and toothsome, while peach preserves offset the richness of the buttery tart. I am normally not a fan of beer, but I couldn’t help but enjoy the pairing with an Innis & Gunn beer, which played off the smokiness well.

Upside down smoked duck and gouda tart

The nicoise salad with seared ahi tuna served as a good bridge to the denser courses that followed. The beans deserve a special mention, still crisp and light.

Nicoise salad

The fourth course of thyme rubbed Nouveau Beef petite tender was unforgettable. With truffle appearing in more mainstream restaurants, sometimes unnecessarily, this dish reminded me why it is such a glorious ingredient to begin with – creamy and fragrant, both Mack and I wanted to bathe in the white truffle hollandaise. This dish also exemplifies Blair’s exquisite attention to detail – as the beef was paired with a Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir from Oregon, he made sure that the accompanying wild mushrooms (and white truffle) were also sourced from that state.

Thyme rubbed Nouveau Beef petite tender

The final main, paired with a bold and full-bodied Collazzi Toscana from Italy, was Blair’s clever homage to rustic, “meat and potatoes” Italian food. Instead of doing a traditional mashed or boiled potatoes, however, the plate featured an extravagant potato-lobster lasagne, with the starchy spud layers standing in for pasta.

Oven roasted Pilatus Farms bison tenderloin

Dessert (accompanied by our eighth drink that night, a Kunde Reserve Century Vines Zinfandel) was a sinfully rich chocolate-almond silk cake, tempered somewhat with a wild berry compote. Needless to say, I was happy we were offered coffee to end the night, the caffeine helping somewhat to gather my bearings.

Chocolate-almond silk cake

At the end of the “epic meal” (Mack’s words), the kitchen staff were applauded with a much-deserved standing ovation. From start to finish, it was an incredible dinner, and an evening we won’t soon forget. We are indebted to Monique and Patrick for this experience.

Roxy Theatre: “Hey Ladies!”

We really enjoyed ourselves at the first Hey Ladies! we attended back in June, but for reasons to do with timing (and poor planning), hadn’t yet gone a second time…until Friday.

As per our previous experience, you could count on one hand the number of men in the audience not connected to the show in some way. Mack felt a bit uncomfortable, squirming in his chair any time the possibility of having to go up on stage came about, but as he loves Leona Brausen (she stole the show with her peahen call) and Davina Stewart as much as I do, it was an evening worth the potential stage fright factor.

Hey Ladies! is billed as “infotainment”, and I could not think of a better name for it. A variety show not unlike Oh Susannah for women, Hey Ladies! is a daytime talk show without network censors (where else would you find an audience Q & A box dressed in the form of a vagina?). Crude humour aside (the “aspic” joke got really old, really fast), the mix of light-hearted segments, from Michael Berard’s homemade Bump It and backcombing how-to, to musical interludes from Red Shag Carpet, to a “What is it?” bit featuring an oddly-shaped egg peeler, provided for an entertaining show.

Moreover, I think it’s great that Hey Ladies! promotes local talent and businesses. I can only think of the traffic to Kunitz Shoes that will arise after the three hosts raved about the selection and service at the boutique (it was also quite the Oprah-giveaway movement when Kunitz Shoes announced they were giving each audience member a luggage tag). Being able to sample locally-made liquor is also great (even in spite of the anchovy-packed lobby at intermission), and on this instance, Amber’s Brewing Company treated us to a cinnamon-cardamom beer, brewed specifically for New Asian Village.

Hey Ladies! is next up on April 23, and finishes up their season on May 21. Get your tickets soon – the shows sell out every time.

Mayfield Dinner Theatre: “Dial ‘M’ for Murder”

For Christmas last year, Mack, Thom and I gave Grandma Male a ticket to an upcoming show at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. None of us had been before, but with our collective love of theatre and food, we thought it would be something fun to experience together for the first time.

Mayfield Dinner Theatre

The show we agreed on was Dial ‘M’ for Murder, a play made famous by Alfred Hitchcock, that happened to star two of my favourite Teatro la Quindicina actors – Jeff Haslam and Mark Meer. Tickets ranged from $55.99 to $79.99, which seemed pricey to me at the outset, but factoring in the convenience of dinner and entertainment in the same venue took the edge off somewhat. As I hadn’t been to the theatre before, I didn’t have any idea what constituted a good seat. I relied extensively on the opinion of the ticket agent, and thankfully, she steered us to a pretty good seat.

Our view of the stage, from a raised booth

When I purchased the tickets, I was told that the buffet dinner would be served from 6-8pm. We arrived around 6:30 to an already bustling venue. Looking around the room (and seeing the ads for retirement communities, mobility aids, and dentures in the playbill) it was evident that the crowd skewed older – Mack commented that the Mayfield might consider further marketing initiatives to attract a more diverse audience.

After depositing our coats and bags at our comfortable booth angled just right of the stage, we headed to the separate buffet room, connected to the theatre via a short hallway. Nearly three dozen cold starters and hot entrees awaited us, in addition to the usual assortment of cakes, squares and fruit at the dessert bar. We joined the line-up, eager to fill up our first of several plates.

Like most buffets, the food was hit and miss. Recommended dishes included the smoked Alberta whitefish, the roasted chicken in cream sauce and sautéed beef tenderloin and shitake mushrooms. To avoid: sushi, the prime rib (served cold), and the flavourless manicotti.

My plate

We seemed to fare better on dessert as a whole, each of us enjoying our respective choice of sweets. Mack especially liked the carrot cake, and my black forest torte was rich, but thankfully restrained in terms of sugar content.

Mack and Thom hit up the dessert bar

Our early arrival ensured we had plenty of time to enjoy our food, without feeling rushed. When they announced that the buffet would be closing in fifteen minutes we had already had our fair share. Although the food was self-serve, a server did approach our table to ask if we wanted any drinks other than water and coffee. Also, roving staff were great at promptly picking up empty dishes and refilling glasses – even though it was our first time, it was clear the Mayfield was a well-oiled machine.

As for the other half of the evening, I was a bit disappointed with the show, which follows a jealous husband as he blackmails an old college classmate into killing his wife. While I’ve never seen the Hitchcock version, I expected a lot more from this production and from the actors. I thought the use of ominous music was unnecessary and overdone, and cheapened the on-stage tension tangible in some scenes. Also, while Jeff Haslam (playing the scheming husband Tony Wendice) was somewhat successful at walking the fine line between drama and comedy, John Wright (in the role of Inspector Hubbard) was less so, and to me, upended the serious tone of the play. More than anything, I found myself unable (or unwilling) to sympathize with any of the characters, so in the end, the show was a lost cause for me.

With this particular show, and the at par meal, Mack and I both agreed that we didn’t see the value of our $69.99 ticket. Besides the convenience of a one-stop dinner and show, the alternatives that we could think of (dinner at Origin India or Packrat Louie and show at the Varscona or Catalyst Theatres) would be similar in price, but almost guaranteed to be of better quality. While I wouldn’t rule out a visit in the future, the sway of the production would have to be pretty great to get me through the door again.

Of course, with any night out, the company plays a factor. And on that night at least, we found some solace at our table.

Grandma Male and Thom

Mack and me

Mayfield Dinner Theatre (at the Mayfield Inn & Suites)
16615 109 Avenue
Ticket office: (780) 483-4051
Dial ‘M’ for Murder runs until April 11, 2010

Chinatown Resurgence: Samurai Bistro

I can usually find a pretty good excuse to try out new restaurants. On Monday, that excuse was the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts. We’ve been attending the annual arts awards and recognition evening for three years (sadly, there was no on-stage closing dance number this time), and needed to have a pre-show meal. Samurai Bistro, open just two weeks, fit the bill perfectly.

I remember visiting Chinatown practically every weekend when I was younger, a stop for Asian groceries a necessary errand. At the time, the empty storefronts were fewer, and the traffic was heavier – mainstream grocery stores at the time didn’t carry as diverse an aisle of ethnic products, and T & T Supermarket didn’t exist. Even though Samurai Bistro and Basil Leaf make up what I would consider the western edge of Chinatown, it’s still nice to see some new development and revamped buildings anywhere in Chinatown.

Samurai Bistro is a tiny 30-seater restaurant, focusing on ramen and noodle bowls. The staff, who were friendly and attentive, did say that their dozen-item menu would be expanded in the next week, and would include daily seafood features. They also seemed sincere in their request for feedback after our meal, stating that they were a new business looking for any ways they could improve – it’s not something I’ve experienced a lot of, and though I didn’t have anything constructive to say, was a welcome inquiry.

The long and narrow restaurant was equipped with a refreshing open kitchen, lined with seats so patrons have the option of watching their food be prepared. I’m sure if the restaurant was packed, it would create quite the lively atmosphere. I loved the granite tables and the high-backed chairs, while Mack found the mounted wall “fireplace” to be particularly amusing. I thought the flat screen televisions, tuned to Food Network and ESPN, were two signs that we were in the right place.

Samurai Bistro interior

We underestimated our appetites that night, and opted to order the gyoza (7 for $7) to start. For our mains, I decided on the chicken and spicy herb ($9) bowl, and Mack chose the shrimp, scallop and seafood ($11) bowl. The restaurant had run out of ramen (brought in from Vancouver), so udon was our only option.

Order by photo!

The gyoza were fantastic – crispy and light on the outside, they were filled with just the right amount of pork and crispy cabbage. Definitely a keeper.

Gyoza, beautifully presented

As for our udon bowls, they were never-ending vessels, and ultimately defeated both of us. What first struck both of us was their generosity with seafood – Mack’s was filled to the brim with plump shrimp, scallops and calamari rings, in addition to crab legs. My accompanying chicken wasgood (the spicy coating making the difference), but seafood was definitely the winner here. The broth was all right, but my frequent pho ventures left me wanting for more flavour depth, which I realize is an unfair comparison.

Shrimp, Scallop and Seafood Bowl

 Chicken and Spicy Herb Bowl

Mack, a self-described “unstoppable crab-eating force”

With their responsive service and generous portions, I wouldn’t hesitate to return in the future. I hope others do the same, and perhaps in the process, help Chinatown regain some of its former glory.

Samurai Bistro
10632 100 Street
(780) 756-0834
Monday-Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-6pm

Culinary Q & A with Sarah Clarke

Occupation: Officially I’m the Business Planning Manager for Alberta Justice. Unofficially I bake cakes and cupcakes.

What did you eat today?

French toast and a latte for breakfast, cheese quesadilla for lunch and grilled chicken with spinach/mozzarella ravioli for dinner.

What do you never eat?

Fruit and fresh tomatoes. Seriously, no fruit! I’ll eat raisins but not grapes and I’ll  eat banana bread but not a banana! My mom told me I’d get scurvy not eating fruit but I’ve made it this far so I think I’m in the clear!

What is your personal specialty?

My chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Eggs, butter and milk (gotta be ready to bake in a blink of an eye!)

What is your weekday meal standby?

If time is really limited, it’d be grilled cheese and soup otherwise I like making a stir fry or curry over rice.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

I love my Kitchen Aid mixer!

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Tough question. My mom’s breaded chicken, a baked potato with butter and roasted corn on the cob followed by a slice of my chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Basic, clean, but absolutely delicious food!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don’t think I play favourites…I cater to my moods more often than frequent one restaurant. But a few of my favourites are OPM, Mikado, and New Asian Village.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

My favourite dish is at the Cactus Club in WEM. I love their butternut squash ravioli with scallops and fried sage leaves!!! Making myself hungry…

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’d like to go to Thailand and try some authentic green curry…and of course ride an elephant (maybe not at the same time though)!

Sarah blogs at Thoughts about Things and Cake Sarah Sera.

My 2010 Wish List for Edmonton’s Food Scene

In January last year, I put together a wish list of things I wanted to see in Edmonton’s food scene. Though not many from that list have actually come to pass (yet), I thought it was time to note down some other culinary delights I would love to see more of in our city:

  • Breakfast joints and diners: Perhaps this point comes from watching one too many episodes of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, but regardless, I think Edmonton has an under-developed breakfast culture. Sure, we have a handful of diners (Route 99, Urban Diner, Blue Plate Diner, and most recently, Cora’s), but every time I visit Calgary, I’m left with diner envy. Calgarians love their Nellie’s (have you seen the line-ups?), and have a plethora of casual weekend brunch options to choose from (Avenue Diner, Dairy Lane, Galaxie Diner, Diner Deluxe, and one of the newest, Over Easy Breakfast, just to name a few). What will it take to inject a more frenzied love (and market) for brunch in Edmonton?
  • Dessert bars: Though I do enjoy multi-course meals at a single restaurant, I’m also a huge fan of dining mobility, and being able to seamlessly relocate elsewhere for drinks, coffee, or dessert. Unfortunately, specialty dessert bars (such as Nectar in Calgary) have not yet landed in Edmonton.
  • Food trucks: A downside of following the New York food scene is having no real local point of reference to understand their amazing culture of food carts (to the point where food trucks are being used to promote a website launch for NBC). Aside from Fat Franks and Filistix, Edmonton is bereft of outdoor food purveyors. Though I recognize our long winters may play a factor, as well as a lack of critical mass of potential customers in the core, isn’t it cool to see food trucks Tweeting their daily location?
  • Rooftop patios and gardens: I realize Edmonton isn’t quite dense enough to have to resort to utilizing rooftop spaces yet, but there’s nothing like sipping a cool drink on a hot summer day on a rooftop patio. The Black Dog, Chili’s on Whyte Avenue, Latitude 53, and now, the Art Gallery of Alberta are all equipped with above-ground terraces, but I’m hoping for more. As for rooftop gardens – yes, it’s complicated to build, but when you see what’s possible (such as rooftop CSAs in the US), I want to dream.
  • Farm to table dinners: What’s better than eating a meal made from seasonal produce sourced from local farmers, expertly prepared to best highlight their clean, fresh flavours? Madison’s Grill is leading the charge on this, but I think there is a market for more intimate, community-oriented dinners. If it’s all about relationships, such experiences do more than simply expose diners to the exquisite products available close to home – they also bring those interested in supporting local farmers together.

What’s on your Edmonton food scene wish list?

Relaxed but Refined: Madison’s Grill

Did somebody say poutine?

That’s what I thought to myself when I saw the lunch menu being offered by Madison’s Grill during Downtown Dining Week. While I don’t normally have enough time to head into the core for a weekday lunch, a combination of some accrued overtime and sheer desire to try Chef Blair Lebsack’s upscale take on poutine drove me to make a reservation.

Though the restaurant was nearly empty when Mack and I arrived, it quickly filled up with diners from nearby office towers, many who seemed eager to partake in the special pre-fixe deals before us. In the elegant dining room, seated at the table clothed in white, the polished hardwood gleaming in the late morning sunlight, it was easy to just relax. And while I do enjoy the quick-serve options of my usual Chinatown lunches, the refined setting provided a nice change of pace.

I knew I had my heart set on the braised Spring Creek Ranch short rib poutine ($15) before I even entered the restaurant, but that’s not to say that the regular lunch menu did not have its own allure. From the Sylvan Star grilled cheese sandwich ($15) to the Irving’s pulled Berkshire pork sandwich ($16) and the grilled scallop and prawn risotto ($19), it was clear to both of us that this wouldn’t be our last daytime visit to Madison’s. Mack had to fight the urge to order a second helping of poutine, but eventually decided upon the prawn orzo ($15).

Before our food arrived, Blair was nice enough to chat with us for a bit. When I said I was surprised to find Sylvan Star cheese curds on the menu, he replied that the award-winning company only makes them a few times a year. For the occasion of Downtown Dining Week, Madison’s put in an order for 10 kg of curds! He also noted that the sauce Robert “gravy” was a reference not only to the French brown mustard sauce, but also to his Chef de Cuisine, Robert.

Our food was promptly delivered, and yes, I am happy to say that the poutine lived up to my high expectations. The squeaky cheese was divine, stringing errant fries together under a delicious gravy bath. And what of the short ribs? Off the bone came the meat, with just the right proportion of luxurious fat to enhance the tender richness of every bite.

Braised Spring Creek Ranch short rib poutine

Mack was equally enthralled with his prawn orzo (though he did slightly regret not ordering the poutine after a small taste). He thought the pasta had been cooked perfectly, and liked the combination of the prawn cream sauce and warm prawn salsa.

Prawn orzo

We were satisfied with our mains, and so declined the offer of a dessert menu from our server. Little did we know, Blair had a sweet surprise in store for us anyway, and brought over a complimentary trio of truffles. Beautifully plated, my favourite was the almond-coated round, with the flavour and texture of the toasted nuts pairing well with the dark chocolate. Mack preferred the orange-flavoured truffle.

Trio of truffles

Our lunch at Madison’s Grill was a breath of fresh air, and left us both relaxed and ready to return to work. It’s a safe bet we will be back soon.

Madison’s Grill (in the Union Bank Inn)
10053 Jasper Avenue
(780) 401-2222

Date with David Adjey @ NAIT

When Diane, the Communications Specialist at NAIT, told me about her plan for a “Date with David”, an intimate gathering of local food bloggers with their 2010 Hokanson Chef in Residence, I thought it was a great idea. Unlike last year’s media blitz, when I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to interview the 2009 Chef in Residence Rob Feenie, a group gathering would allow for more people to be a part of the excitement, and of course, to meet a well-known chef.

Thirteen bloggers, Diane, a cameraman (an unedited video of the evening will be posted here at a later date) and David Adjey assembled around a dining table set up in one of the teaching kitchens. Over the course of the hour, we were served a tasting menu prepared by NAIT’s Culinary Arts students, with all of the recipes taken from David’s latest cookbook, Deconstructing the Dish.

Dining with David

Bravo to the students for an excellent meal – I was expecting appetizer share plates, and instead, we were treated to five exquisitely prepared dishes. My favourite two courses were the halibut, perfectly cooked and served with a notable crab hash (the inclusion of plump kernels of corn was genius), and the beef tenderloin so flavourful and well prepared that it melted on my tongue like butter. Diane was also thoughtful enough to provide each of us with a copy of the night’s recipes.

Shrimp with spoon bread stuffing, kick-ass tartar sauce and wilted chicory

Arctic char with fennel braise and Yukon gold dumplings

Halibut with crab hash, saffron aioli and “angry” fritter garnish

Pork chop rubbed with “stir-fry” paste, baby bok choy and kumquat-garlic sauce

Beef tenderloin with red wine jus, lobster butter and a buttermilk onion ring

In between bites, David fielded questions from the bloggers and from Twitter users that had joined in on the conversation online. It was difficult to get a handle on Chef Adjey – between his facetious responses and constant references to money and women, I wanted David to cast aside the crude jokes for a moment to provide some serious answers.

David Adjey

Though his responses were wound through some pretty gratuitous anecdotes, we did end up with answers nonetheless – where he had dined in Edmonton so far (Hardware Grill, where he thought the portion sizes were too large), his thoughts on the locavore movement (he is in support of a diet sourced from nationwide ingredients, aka the “bullseye diet”, even though many of the ingredients he mentioned are imported), and his opinion on a lasting trend (varied portion sizes). David’s favourite chef is David Burke, he loved the food at Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico in New Orleans, and though he respects Gordon Ramsay’s business sense, says that his on-screen demeanour is just the tip of his real self.

David said he might use his exposure in the future to help advocate for an increased pay scale for cooks (which is a very worthy battle to take on), as well as pushing the need for people to reduce their food intake. Between his new television show (which casts him as a restaurant consultant guru) and appearances as a keynote speaker, it remains to be seen if he utilizes his platform to promote such causes.

All dates with bloggers involve cameras, right?

In all, it was an interesting, if not enlightening evening. Thanks again to Diane for putting everything together, and to NAIT’s Culinary Arts program for being such a great host!

You can take a look at Mack’s photoset here, and watch for the full video of tonight to be uploaded here. Other recaps: Cathy at Walsh Cooks, Twyla at It’s a Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life, Bruce at Moments in Digital, Maki at In My Element, Chris at Eating is the Hard Part and Valerie at A Canadian Foodie.