Tag: restaurant reviews

Solo Lunch: Holt’s Cafe

Sometimes I am forced to be timely with my restaurant reviews, particularly when new establishments open up. Other times, my good intentions never pan out, and reviews are pushed back in favour of different posts. My recap of a solo weekday lunch at Holt’s Café falls into this latter category.

In late summer, when the weather was more reasonable than it is now, my first choice of lunch at Fo Guang Tea House was dashed with the temple’s closure for a special event. I thought about my nearby options, and settled on Holt’s Cafe inside Holt Renfrew, which like Fo Guang, is essentially only open for lunch. I had been there once before several years ago, and though I found the meal satisfactory, haven’t been able to return because of their limited operating hours.

So book in hand, I settled down at my table and watched as the downtown lunch crowd trickled in after me. I should note that the waitress was particularly great – she was warm, and made conversation without ever overstepping her boundaries (for example, she saw that I was reading My Life in France and asked if I had seen the movie). At the end of my meal, when I requested more water, she brought me a  pretty wine glass filled with ice water – a nice touch.

The menu had changed since my last visit, featuring some more upscale fare (and changed again in October). Though the vegetable fritters sounded like an interesting appetizer, my waitress steered me away from them, stating that they were dry. So instead, I chose the truffle potato chips ($6). For my main, the spring pea and lemon risotto with mascarpone and shiitake mushrooms ($15) sounded like the comforting dish I was looking for.

The truffle potato chips were merely fried potato crisps drenched in oil and sprinkled with salt. Unfortunately, the simplicity didn’t mean perfect execution, and it was overdressed in every way – the potato was barely discernable underneath it all.

Truffle Potato Chips

Thankfully, the risotto fared much better. The rice was creamy, accented nicely by the mascarpone with additional texture from the crisp peas and silky mushrooms.

Lemon Risotto with Mascarpone and Shiitake Mushrooms

If you’re looking for a restaurant in the heart of downtown for a solo lunch, or for a quiet place to catch up with a friend, Holt’s Cafe is worth a try.

Holt’s Cafe (inside Holt Renfrew)
10180-101st Street NW
(780) 425-5300

Mmm Pumpkin Pie: Fife n’ Dekel

This guest post was written by Mack, an Edmonton-based geek who fancies himself a part-time foodie. You can find him online at his blog, and on Twitter.

Like Sharon, fall is my favorite time of year. I love the brisk weather, the colorful leaves, and yes, seasonal treats! Perhaps my favorite is pumpkin pie. While driving in the west end this past weekend, Sharon and I stopped at Fife n’ Dekel to pickup a slice for me ($3.49). Sharon doesn’t like pumpkin pie, if you can believe it!

Pumpkin Pie

I opted to forego the whipped cream. I found the pie very tasty with great texture! Great pumpkin flavor. The crust was just right – not too soft, not too crunchy.

Pumpkin Pie

I had never been to Fife n’ Dekel before, but based on the pumpkin pie, I’ll be back!

Fife n’ Dekel
10646 170 Street (2 other locations)
(780) 489-6436
Monday-Friday 7am-4:30pm, Saturday 10:30am-3:00pm

Edmonton’s Newest Bakery: Duchess Bake Shop

Life is all about the little things. Watching the leaves fall from the trees in autumn. Drinking in the mid-afternoon sun. Savouring that first sip of morning coffee. Or, finding that a new bakery opened up in your neighbourhood.

Thanks to Nate Box (who will be opening his own restaurant, Elm Cafe, soon enough), I found out about Duchess Bake Shop, located in the High Street area within walking distance of Mack’s place, and right along my homeward bound bus route. I stopped in on Monday to check them out, and found that they had only been open a whirlwind three days.

Interior

The shop has a chic, sophisticated feel about it, with hardwood floors and a dominant white interior. A chandelier and a handful of tables and chairs round out the space, helpful for those looking to stay and pair their indulgence with something from the bakery’s cafe menu.

Owners Garner and Giselle Beggs have been thinking about opening a bakery for years. Fresh from a four year sojourn in Tokyo, they decided the time was ripe to return and make their dream a reality. Although Duchess offers many French-inspired treats (croissants, macarons, madelines), Garner says they aren’t restricting themselves to a French repertoire, with apple and banana cream pies also available, among other treats. Everything is made from scratch without preservatives – even the food colouring they use is from natural sources.

Macarons

I picked up two croissants ($1.50 each) for Mack and I to serve as a savoury bridge to dinner. They smelled of butter, and on first bite, had that crispy-crunchy texture I look for in a croissant. Mack didn’t like it as much (he prefers the softer variety), but I’d buy it again.

Croissants

Duchess also serves croissant sandwiches, which would make it an interesting destination for lunch. Or, like the couple who filed into the shop after me – for those looking for something to “make a bad day better”. I will be back.

Duchess Bake Shop
10720 124 Street
(780) 488-4999
Hours as of October 26, 2009: Wednesday 9am-6pm, Thursday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Marathon Pho: Ninh Kieu

The ongoing chronicles of pho continued at Ninh Kieu, an establishment I have passed by countless times on my way into Chinatown, but never really noticed. The only reason it stood out at all was due to the fact that they had, at some point, put up a white vinyl sign which attracted my eye.

The restaurant is most notable because of their large windows, which enclose just about the entire dining area. As I am used to the shadowy corners of Pho Tau Bay, this was definitely a pleasant change. We could have done without the tinkering elevator music though, which although had the intention of providing a relaxing atmosphere, had the opposite affect.

Interior

As is standard, we split an order of green onion cakes ($4.75) to start, and opted for our usual benchmark bowls of pho – for me, the medium rare beef ($7.50) and for Dickson, the special beef noodle soup ($8.50).

Service was friendly and fairly efficient – we weren’t left waiting for our food. I would pass on the green onion cakes next time though – while crisp, the kitchen may have misplaced the salt while making the dish.

Green Onion Cakes

As I always order the smaller portions of pho when given the opportunity, I wasn’t ready for Ninh Kieu’s marathon version of pho. And it wasn’t just me – even Dickson had difficulty getting through the entire serving. However, quality is more important than quantity in the case of pho, and though we found the broth to be satisfactory, it didn’t make an indelible impression on us either.

Medium Rare Beef Pho

Special Beef Noodle Soup

Having the opportune location next to Pho Tau Bay, whose closure periods are hard to predict, I would consider returning to Ninh Kieu in a pinch. I would just have to prepare my appetite for a worthy opponent beforehand.

Ninh Kieu
10708 98 Street
(780) 429-8881
Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm

Fine Gelato: Chocolate Exquisite

So much food. So little time. At least when it comes to the places on my “to try” list, anyway.

I was able to strike one off the list last weekend, when Mack and I made a concerted effort to ruin our dinner with gelato (though I’m sure there are worse ways in which dinner can be ruined). After an “independent panel” declared the gelato from Chocolate Exquisite to be the best in the city, I was eager to give their dessert a spin.

Chocolate Exquisite interior

Located in the semi-sprawled Oliver Square complex, Chocolate Exquisite has been producing their own line of chocolates for several years. Owner Dennis Yurkiwsky sampled over 70 varieties of cocoa beans sourced from all over the world, and from that number, picked 18 to make bars of single-origin chocolate. They are all beautifully wrapped, with small squares priced at just 90 cents, meaning a gift box containing some variety could be relatively inexpensive. Yurkiwsky was extremely generous in providing me with samples of the types I expressed an interest in (with many bite-size samples ready to be doled out, the “try before you buy” policy is their common practice). I also tried the 99% cocoa mass, which is described to be for a “connoisseur’s palate”. It wasn’t for me. Yurkiwsky made clear, however, that the value of variety was being able to offer a specific product that would appeal to individuals as opposed to a crowd.

It’s worth noting that Chocolate Exquisite runs tasting workshops for $35, which includes samples of all 18 single-origin varieties, as well as dessert wines and port (the shop is equipped with a few small tables and chairs). It would make a fantastic girls night out. The next one is scheduled for October 20; call for more information.

By the time we worked our way toward the gelato cooler, it was clear that Yurkiwsky prides himself in producing a consistent, high quality product. As expected, Mack and I both tried samples of the gelato of our choice before we were permitted to graduate to a full serving ($3.50/small, $5.50/large). Yurkiwsky described the gelato-making process that he uses, and suffice to say, he has undertaken great expense and pains to ensure his gelato is as authentic as possible.

And the result? The scoop of hazelnut I enjoyed thoroughly brought me back to my time in Italy. Velvety smooth, the balance between the nutty flavour and sweetness was just perfect. Mack’s strawberry gelato was light and fruity, and disappeared immediately under his spoon.

Hazelnut and Strawberry gelati

As Yurkiwsky himself indicated, Chocolate Exquisite is a destination. However, now that I’ve been oriented to their products, I will be sure to keep it in mind for any future gift needs, as well as a place to satiate my gelato cravings.

Chocolate Exquisite
11238 104 Avenue
(780) 488-7852
Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 12-8pm

Lingering the Night Away: The Secret Garden at The Dish

Restaurants, as of late, have never been the destination. For us, eating out has been a bridge to some other event, a necessary evil prior to another engagement. As a result, we haven’t had a meal in quite some time where we could linger, relax, and simply soak up the ambiance. Last Friday presented an opportunity to do that, and we made the most of it.

We’ve been to The Dish a few times, but its Secret Garden, accessible only by a separate entrance, was never made apparent to us. We walked past its concealed gate a few weeks ago, and after peeking in to discover a hidden terrace bursting with romance and greenery, resolved to return before autumn fully reared its head.

Mack called ahead to make a reservation, which ensured us a cozy table under the twinkle lights, next to the lone tree that seemed simultaneously out of place and yet right at home. From the overhead rafters hung baskets of plants, infusing the space with a touch nature so sorely lacking on many other patios in the city.

Mack in the Secret Garden

As the sky darkened to dusk and then nightfall, staff brought out tabletop candles for each party as hushed conversations continued amongst the serenity. It was a lovely setting in which to wind down after a long work week.

The food was pitch perfect as well, straightforward and comforting. I was again swayed by their deep dish quiche ($14), this time featuring chicken, artichoke hearts, Portobello mushrooms, asiago, brie and cream cheese. Mack opted for their meatball flatbread ($15), and we both decided on a side of creamy tomato and basil soup.

The soup was a little too tangy for me, though it suited Mack’s palate just fine. My quiche was as I had expected, the crisp and flaky crust and dense baked egg being exactly what I was looking for. Mack’s flatbread, however, won the entrée sweepstakes that night, with the flavourful herb-flecked meatballs stealing the show.

Deep Dish Quiche

Meatball Flatbread

Portions at The Dish are modest, meaning that while leftovers are usually out of the question, having room for dessert is a distinct possibility. Over coffee, we pondered our options, and settled on the phyllo lemon tart. After receiving our phyllo-encrusted dish, we realized puff pastry might have been the better choice for ease of separating the crust from the serving vessel, but the custard, which manoeuvred between sweet and tart with ease, accented with the smooth whipped cream and biting raspberries, made up for it.

Phyllo Lemon Tart

Service was warm but not overly attentive, but it suited the relaxed mood of the patio. I would imagine, however, that as most parties seemed to be of the lingering sort, the level of staff attentiveness might have been an adaptation to the clientele.

Our coffee mugs were refilled as we finished the last of the dessert and relished the freedom of our open schedule that evening. Though we may not have the opportunity to do it again for a while, I’m glad were able to whittle the night away at the Secret Garden before the end of summer.

At dusk

The Dish (Secret Garden hours are dependent on the weather – call ahead)
12417 Stony Plain Road
(780) 488-6641
Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm

Eat Until You Burst: T. Pot China Bistro

Craving dim sum in Calgary, my family (and Mack) hit up T. Pot China Bistro on Felicia’s recommendation. I was a bit leery if not only because of the name (any Chinese restaurant that attaches “bistro” at the end of it wouldn’t appear to be the most economical).

Though we had an idea that the restaurant was in northwest Calgary, we didn’t realize just how far north until the drive. We were nearly into Airdrie when we hit the small retail area that contained, among other shops, a T & T.

T. Pot is not much to look at from the outside, being a generic big box. But it was quite lovely on the inside, with beaded curtains, crystal chandeliers and cushy high-backed chairs. And while their dim sum wasn’t the fun push cart kind, a few staff members wielded plastic trays as their push cart-equivalent, and offered us plates of food from their arms.

Interior

The area to the back of the restaurant where we were placed steadily filled up during our visit, but was never completely packed, unlike the other dining area separated from us by a median. Items were priced from $3.99 to $5.99, which are above the norm, but once the dishes started to arrive, we understood why: we were either given double the quantity normally provided, or items were twice the size of those commonly seen. Case in point, the steamed shrimp dumplings ($4.99):

Shrimp Dumplings

Standout dishes for me included Chinese doughnut wrapped with rice crepe and the pan-fried pork dumplings. Overall, we were pretty impressed with the quality of the dishes. Here are just a few of the plates we ordered:

Chinese Doughnut Wrapped with Rice Crepe (served on one side with some oddly paired peanut sauce)

Rice Crepe with BBQ Pork

Bean Curd

Coconut Buns

Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

Pan-fried Dumplings (beautifully arranged to boot!)

Deep Fried Pork Dumplings

Needless to say, we all ate until we nearly burst, and still ended up with leftovers. Ordering by paper always seems to have that effect – T. Pot China Bistro: 1, Yeo Family and Mack: 0

I’m glad we had the opportunity to try out the restaurant – I’d recommend it for dim sum off the beaten path in Calgary!

T. Pot China Bistro
100, 9650 Harvest Hills Blvd. NE
Calgary, AB
(403) 532-3982

For More Than Just Sushi: Globefish

For our dinner selection in Calgary, I was pushing for Pulcinella, a Neopolitan pizzeria (similar to Famoso), but resolved that the decision would be a democratic one. I lost.

We ended up at Globefish, as my sisters and parents all put in their vote for sushi. As I rarely eat Japanese cuisine (and never sushi), I am not well-schooled in this category of restaurants, but by way of blogs and Fast Forward surveys, I had heard Globefish was popular. Using the powers of Google, we found the closest location to our hotel, and on our way, called to make sure they were open. While they didn’t accept reservations, their table availability looked good.

Oh how fast things change on a Saturday night – half an hour later, we arrived at the restaurant and faced a forty minute wait. Hungry, we considered bolting for the nearest recognizable chain, but figuring that most restaurants would be similarly flushed with the weekend rush, we stayed.

While in the waiting area, we perused the menu, and held ourselves back from defacing the autographed photos of Calgary Flames players on the wall. Among the sushi options were a Flames roll and yes, even an Iginla roll (a little counterintuitive though, no? As “flames” conjures images of cooked food).

The interior of the restaurant was simple but classy. Leather booths helped create a sense of privacy for dining parties (to the detriment of maximizing seating availability), and crystal chandeliers provided a chic accent normally not seen in Japanese restaurants.

My family at an opposite table (we opted to decrease our wait by sitting apart)

Time to linger with the menu prior to being seated meant we were ready to order straightaway. A perky waitress provided attentive service throughout the night, and the kitchen definitely helped speed things along – Globefish was darn efficient.

Mack and I both prefer things cooked, so skipped right over the sushi platters and onto the hot entrees. We eventually settled on an udon noodle bowl ($9.95) each – beef for me, and tempura for him. Mack, ever the calamari lover, couldn’t resist ordering a plate of their mentai version to start ($8.95).

Sushi platters were arriving haphazardly at my family’s table (as they were made), while our calamari zipped out to us in no time at all. Mack really enjoyed it, as the dish employed a seasoning zing not usually found in calamari.

Mentai Calamari

My beef udon bowl was good – the noodles had retained their requisite chew, while the broth was clear and not over-seasoned – but nothing special. Mack’s on the other hand – I had a serious case of dish envy after sampling some of his tempura. The batter was light, crispy, and enhanced whatever it enrobed – from the shrimp to zucchini, I was amazed that they were able to preserve the crispness and succulence of the vegetables, so didn’t blink before I regarded it as the best tempura I’ve ever had.

Beef Udon Noodle

Tempura

My sisters and Mum enjoyed their sushi plates, and though I wanted more detail about why they liked their food so much, all I got was a response of “It was good.” Sigh.

 

Crunch & Munch Roll (prawn tempura, cucumber & tobiko roll wrapped with unagi & avocado)

Roll Combo (California roll, dynamite roll, spicy tuna roll)

Favourite Sushi Combo (tuna sushi, salmon sushi, California roll)

For a fast and satisfying meal, I’d heartily recommend Globefish – even if you aren’t into sushi.

Globefish
326 14 Street NW (1 other location)
Calgary, AB
(403) 283-6555

It’s All About the Whimsy: Delux Burger Bar

Delux Burger Bar is a prime example of the type of restaurant doing gangbusters right now – a perfectly executed “upscale casual” eatery that pairs a chic interior with a laid-back atmosphere. Why Delux wins my vote as one of the best in that ubiquitous class, however, has to do with their whimsical extras that go beyond smartly-attired wait staff, unidentifiable pulsating music and accessible dishes. Is Delux manufactured exactly to push the buttons of diners who have a secret penchant for kitsch? Of course, but the bottom line is, it works, or at least it does for me.

Mack and I had dinner there recently before a function at Jeffrey’s Cafe & Wine Bar (a nice place off the beaten path with an interesting selection of wine). We opted for an air-conditioned seat inside, sharing the space with those unwinding with a drink after work, a few families, and several groups of friends gathered for supper.

The menu, the requisite mix of share plates, burgers and other proteins encased in buns, offers nothing extraordinary, but enough variety to please all eaters. I went with the day’s special, called Out of the Wild, a bison burger topped with bacon, mushroom, lettuce and tomato basil havarti ($12). Mack decided to satisfy his hot dog craving with the Delux Dog ($8) with caramelized onions, double-smoked bacon and cheddar. We topped off our order with a Delux Duo of French and sweet potato fries ($6).

Our food arrived surprisingly quickly, though for a place that serves a fairly straightforward menu that was expected. What I didn’t expect was a truly messy burger to eat – it probably should have come with a bib of some sort. The Portobello mushrooms caused most of the grievance, unleashing their moisture content with no mercy. And while they lent some interesting texture to an otherwise standard burger, I found them a bit too meaty as a topping. Thankfully the rest of the burger – including a notably moist patty and a fresh bun – made the mess worthwhile. 

Out of the Wild Burger

Mack enjoyed his hot dog (perhaps more so, because it was the more dainty of the two entrees), though he did relay that the idea of a bacon-topped hot dog wasn’t quite as well realized as he had hoped for. 

Delux Dog

The fries were really what we had been looking forward to, served a la “carts”. I had seen the mini shopping carts in a gift store in Germany years ago, and have been kicking myself for not picking up a few then – the serving vehicle gets me every time. As for the fries themselves, I loved the sweet potato crisps, especially paired with the tangy dipping mayo.

Delux Duo (a la cart!)

The complimentary meal-ending cotton candy is another fanciful touch that scores points with me, even if we never manage to finish the dome. A sticky throwback to childhood beats peppermint sweets every time.

Cotton Candy finish

Century Hospitality’s Chris Lachance indicated in May that a second Delux is in the works for November. I haven’t heard anything about it since then, but don’t be surprised if another Burger Bar pops up in the city. With their formulaic flair for whimsy, I have no doubt a second Delux would be also be a smashing success.

Delux Burger Bar
9682 142 Street
(780) 420-0101

DC Brunch: Tabard Inn

Planning for vacations, brunch is always the meal that we look forward to most. As a result, brunch requires additional legwork to locate a restaurant that offers a variation of the type of brunch we enjoy. I was lucky in my DC reading, as one of our short listed accommodations also hosted a reputable restaurant within.

Hotel Tabard Inn

Tabard Inn is nested inside the Hotel Tabard Inn, a historic building in the Dupont Circle neighbourhood. Their accommodations were cheaper than George Washington University Inn, but by the time we had called to book, they were full. When we reached the hotel, we were glad with our ultimate choice because the walk to the Metro was at least double the distance.

The building was quaint – situated on a fairly quiet residential street, with flower pots and other greenery making it the most attractive residence on the block. We wandered inside, through a too-dim sitting room with creaky wooden floors and portraits of revolutionaries gone-by and into the restaurant. I had made a reservation several weeks before, and thank goodness we did – the room was packed.

To be honest, I picked Tabard Inn solely on the website photo, which showed a sunny room lined with a friendly checkered floor. In reality, the room was not as bright, likely because of the potted plants that lined the windows outside. Tabard also has an enclosed patio outside, but with the humidity out in full force that day, I was glad our hostess directed us to a table housed in the air-conditioned dining room, just below a window. Mack did notice that for whatever reason, Tabard doesn’t use cloth napkins – the paper napkins didn’t quite mesh with the décor in our opinion.

In Tabard Inn

I had given the menu a quick scan online, but unlike most times, hadn’t already picked out what I wanted. I decided upon the blueberry pancakes, while Mack stayed true to his usual egg-and-potato dish. Also being a sucker to try the resident special, we also ordered two doughnuts, which we were told were usually served before our meal. Who were we to thwart tradition?

When our bread basket was delivered prior to the doughnuts, we wondered who had come up with a tradition that stacked carb upon carb to start a meal. At any rate, the freshly-baked basket filled with a variety of savoury goodies soothed any questions we had, with our favourite being the corn bread.

Bread Basket

We hadn’t quite finished with our basket when a doily-lined plate with two petite doughnuts were delivered. They were as advertised – freshly fried, warm and with the taste of grease still lingering. They reminded Mack of mini doughnuts, and he said they were good, but nothing special.

Doughnuts

The main event was the highlight – the pancakes were just perfect – slightly crisp on the outside, but still soft and airy in the middle. I could have done with a few more blueberries (a la Clinton Street), but it was a pretty good dish the way it was.

Blueberry Pancakes

Mack’s eggs and homefries were tasty, but the standout for him was the flaky biscuit – Tabard Inn certainly knew how to do pastries right.

Scrambled Eggs, House-made Toulouse Sausage and Homefries

If you’re not in the neighbourhood already, I’m not sure Tabard Inn is worth an exclusive trip. That said, I was happy for the opportunity to explore a neighbourhood we wouldn’t otherwise have seen.

Tabard Inn (in Hotel Tabard Inn)
1739 N Street NW
Washington D.C.
(202) 331-8528