Tag Archives: Beer

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Underground Tap & Grill

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Green Onion Cake Sandwich

Green Onion Cake Sandwich

Every time I set foot into Underground Tap & Grill for lunch, I’m surprised to see how quiet it is. I guess it isn’t a destination of choice for most of Edmonton’s downtown workers, but it is one of mine. Over the last year, I’ve eaten there several times. The quality of the food is consistent, even if the friendly service received doesn’t necessarily meet my expectations.

Underground has become one of my go to restaurants, in part, because of proximity to my workplace, but also for the delicious pub food that is, on occasion, made with a slight twist.

Although I haven’t tried everything on the menu, I have enjoyed the chicken fingers with caesar salad, the green onion cake sandwich, the loaded nachos, the blackened tidbits and the tinga chicken quesadilla.

Looking at that selection, it’s easy to scoff and say that it’s pretty hard to screw up chicken fingers or nachos. However, I beg to differ.

Chicken Fingers & Caesar Salad

Chicken Fingers & Caesar Salad

Breaded chicken fingers can easily become overcooked, yet the ones at Underground are always crisp on the outside and piping hot, tender and juicy on the inside. The caesar salad that accompanies the strips is nicely coated with dressing, too, so they definitely don’t skimp there.

As for the nachos, I had those the very first time I stopped into Underground. I added the Asian pulled pork to my order just to round out the meal, ensuring I had something from every food group. I was met with a huge basket that I eagerly tried to share with the rest of my group. What I like is that they put plenty of cheese into the mix and they use fresh jalapenos. Plus, they provide sides of guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

On the other hand, during my last visit, my friends and I shared an order of the loaded nachos, which were on special for just $7 on a Thursday night (meat not included), and I was a bit disappointed at the serving size. The first basket was gone in a flash and we ended up ordering a second to go around. While I don’t blame the eatery for trying to balance portion for profit, the nachos didn’t really seem worth it that evening.

The latest version of their menu.

The latest version of their menu.

The blackened tidbits are a great appetizer to share though. The top sirloin pieces are wonderfully seasoned and served with a spicy chipotle sauce and shreds of sweet potato. The steak might not be the tenderest cut, but I’ve never seen them overcooked.

A quesadilla is simple yet delicious. It’s easy to split among a few people, but it also makes for a filling meal for one. Underground stuffs theirs with chipotle tinga chicken, corn truffle, sweet peppers and mozzarella and it’s served with the same sides as the nachos. Most places would charge extra for the guacamole and the salsa, so it’s nice that those are included here.

I’ve had the green onion cake sandwich once before. It’s maybe one of the more creative items on the menu, and it’s my friend’s favourite (she gets it each time we’re there). Underground’s homemade green onion cake is stuffed with Asian BBQ pulled pork, suey choy, tomatoes and more green onions. I think it’s appetizing, but it’s certainly a heavier sandwich. Also, if the green onion cake is even a little too crisp, it takes away from the dish as a whole.

Art on the wall with the drink menu.
The beer list is extensive and informative.

In the evenings, Underground seems to liven up with the majority of the tables occupied. The downside is that service slows immensely when it’s busy. However, nightly deals – including a 7 oz. steak with all-you-can-eat sides for $12.50 on Mondays – make it an affordable place. The food caters to the masses, so there’s likely something for everyone.

Keep in mind that, during happy hour (3pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday), they have select Alberta beers available for just $5, but there’s a high chance they’ll be out of 4 of the 5 choices. Good thing they have 72 micro-brewed beers on tap at any given time, not to mention the cocktail or beer cocktail menu, so there’s no shortage of other options. The other choices might not be as inexpensive, but at least there’s plenty to choose from.

All-in-all, Underground is a fun, slightly noisy place to meet up with friends for a low key gathering over above average pub food and a few smooth drinks.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: El Cortez Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar

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An interior shot of El Cortez from my visit.

An interior shot of El Cortez from my visit.

I first heard about El Cortez Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar from a good friend of mine. She had the opportunity to get a sneak peek of the restaurant and bar before it opened to the public about 15 months ago. It was the space, more than anything, that she said I should see. Even she conceded that the food wasn’t all that great at the time. However, the artwork and the basement (remains a mystery to me) were worth a visit.

As weeks, months and then almost a year passed by, I still hadn’t set foot in El Cortez. One of the big reasons being that Old Strathcona is just not all that convenient for me. But, from what I had gathered, the eatery had reassessed their menu and brought in new chef, Lindsay Porter, to revamp the offerings. My expectations went up.

Before I knew it, August was upon us. The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is the one annual event that is guaranteed to get me to Whyte Avenue, and, as it turns out, it also provided an excellent opportunity to finally try El Cortez.

Knowing that the area would be teeming with people during the festival, I decided to make an advance reservation through OpenTable. While the restaurant wasn’t entirely full when we arrived, I’m still glad that we did. Seats filled up rather quickly while we were dining . Some were there for a meal, others simply grabbed drinks as they waited for the basement to open up for whatever Fringe play was being performed that afternoon (El Cortez served as a new BYOV during the festival).

Signs that greet you as you enter.
Candles lining the wall behind us.
A platter on the table that houses hot sauce, a candle and a small plant.
More artwork and a sign advertising some specials.
Q Water bottle emblazoned with the El Cortez logo.
Shared seating and the bar.

My first impression of the place was a good one. After all, you eat with your eyes first, and this was a restaurant that created a fun atmosphere that I was more than happy to spend time in. The look of El Cortez is meticulously detailed. There’s art covering each wall. All of them unique, but unifying in design. The lighting is worked into the art or is the art itself, casting shadows of colour everywhere you look. And that bar. The bar is gorgeous, housing bottles of tequila – the establishment is one of only nine in the world certified by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (The Tequila Regulatory Council) – backlit by an enticing blue.

Now, the question was whether or not the food would be up to par. My friend and I carefully perused the menu as we sipped on our beers. Eventually we decided to share orders of the Valentina’s fried cauliflower and the tuna ceviche. Since my friend wasn’t as hungry as me, I also opted to try a trio of the steak taco “bulgogi.”

The Valentina’s fried cauliflower was lightly breaded with the right bite, so there was still some crispness to the vegetable. The slightly tangy sauce coating the cauliflower was good on its own, but the crema dip on the side gave the dish that extra kick.

The food menu.
The drink menu.
Q Water bottle emblazoned with the El Cortez logo.
The back of the menu is just as artistic as the restaurant.
Ginger beer backed by hot sauce, water and lights.
Valentina’s Fried Cauliflower

Sushi is one of my favourite cuisines, so it’s safe to say that I like raw foods. When there’s anything close to that on a menu, I usually like to sample it. The tuna ceviche sounded too good to skip. Chunks of tuna mixed with pineapple, mango, ginger, jalapeno, mint, cucumber and peanuts made this an interesting appetizer. My one qualm while eating it was that I came across a rather large tuna bone, so I was really cautious after that. However, the tuna was fresh and the flavours were really great. The ginger, mint and cucumber made it refreshing and light, and the peanuts helped to balance out the sweetness from the fruit. Jalapeno was added in to give it that necessary Latin heat without overtaking any of the other components. This was served with a tin of fresh tortilla chips and potato chips (I liked the latter more because they were seasoned and that worked well with the ceviche).

Tuna Ceviche
A replacement bottle of water
The Steak Tacos “Bulgogi” are highly recommended.

Tacos, when done properly, are a force to be reckoned with. Those little shells can hold any sort of meat or filling that you desire. Yet, we’d been without anything close to true Mexican street food for as long as I can remember. That is, until Tres Carnales popped up over four years ago. While I still love Tres, there are differences between the two. The major one being the type of taco that they use. The shells at El Cortez seem to be thicker and softer, and they might hold up slightly better. The dishes at El Cortez are arguably more aesthetically pleasing as well. Food is colourful at both, but there’s a bit more flair at El Cortez, which isn’t surprising considering the overall look of the restaurant. El Cortez is flashy, but Tres is a little more humble and its sister establishment, Rostizado, falls somewhere in between.

That leads me to the steak taco “bulgogi” dish. Damn, those were delicious. You only get three per order, and I wanted more when I was done. The steak was cooked perfectly. Juicy and tender meat with enough sauce in every bite and just a bit of crunch from the coleslaw meant this was a superb choice as my main.

Banana Custard for dessert

Banana Custard for dessert

With time left to spare before our next Fringe show, I opted for a dessert, too (I know, I know). I chose a banana custard with tequila marinated fruit and coconut granola. Honestly, I’m not sure I would order this one again. The texture of custard doesn’t really bother me like it does some people, but this one seemed watered down. I did enjoy the coconut granola, which also consisted of pumpkin seeds and slivered almonds. However, the tequila marinated fruit, interesting at first, felt like a misstep by the end.

All-in-all, I’d recommend El Cortez. The appetizers and the mains were all beautifully executed (minus the fish bones). Our server was friendly. However, she didn’t make it to our table as often later into our meal, so it was difficult to flag her down for dessert and the bill. Otherwise, the service was decent. If you can, you should also check out their Taco Tuesday when tacos are only $3 each and you can mix and match your order. Be sure to book a reservation though, or you could be in for a long wait. Plus, if this place wasn’t already cool enough, you should lookout for secret shows that take place every so often in the basement.

El Cortez's Twitter Image. I love this logo.

El Cortez’s Twitter Image. I love this logo.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Local Public Eatery

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The crispy chicken sandwich.

The crispy chicken sandwich.

Local Public Eatery, part of the Joey Restaurant Group, took over from the previous OPM.

I’d never been to OPM before it was replaced with Local, and it took me a few years before I finally visited the latter, but I’m glad that I did.

My first stop at Local was for brunch with my friend earlier this year. I opted to skip the brunch menu (although the banana pancakes with bacon sounded delicious) and went for the tuna club sandwich. Knowing how fabulous the Ahi tuna club is at Joey, I thought it’d be interesting to see how different they would be.

The daily drink specials and menu.
The interior of Local Public Eatery.
The tuna club sandwich.

The Local tuna club sandwich comes on some sort of sliced rye-type bread, toasted. It’s a bit too crusty for my liking and not quite thick enough that it holds the sandwich together well. However, the tuna was nicely seared and the avocado tasted cool and fresh against the salty bacon. My only wish was that the cheddar be more melted. Somehow, stringy cheese just seems more decadent.

More recently, I had a gift card to use, so I treated my parents to lunch on a Saturday. I love that their drinks are all quite affordable and that they have some great daily specials. Yet, they’ve attempted to be jump on the craft beer bandwagon without really offering anything more or different from places like MKT or Craft Beer Market.

Despite that, the service on both occasions was fantastic, and sometimes that trumps extra food and beverage options. More importantly, the dishes up for grabs meet the idea of elevated pub fare.

The Brooklyn Burger with sweet potato fries.

The Brooklyn Burger with sweet potato fries.

My Brooklyn burger with the beer battered onion ring, red pepper relish and 3 year old aged cheddar was deliciously juicy and seemed to borrow the idea of the relish from that aforementioned Ahi tuna club at Joey. You can’t go wrong with the added sweet potato fries and aioli dip.

The crispy chicken sandwich that my mom ordered, was gorgeously breaded and fried, but not greasy. Placed on a soft Portuguese bun with coleslaw and BBQ mustard sauce, it had a delicious tang that played well with the chicken. My father went the more traditional route with a plate of fish and chips. 2 pieces of beer battered fish with house-made tartar sauce on the side. The pieces of fish were large and whole and not overly breaded, which is preferable.

The bar and interior.
My Iron Fist mojito.
Fish and chips

By and large, Local is the younger, less mature cousin to the Joey Restaurant. The menus, both good, are distinct. Flavours on the Joey menu are more developed, a little more refined. But, if all you’re looking for is a fun, casual atmosphere with a menu that appeals to most and some beer and cocktails to wash it down, Local is the place to be.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Accent European Lounge (Closed)

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A bowl of the hearty beef goulash with slices of rye bread.

A bowl of the hearty beef goulash with slices of rye bread.

Accent European Lounge (@accentlounge) has existed under this brand for almost eight years and, for nearly that entire time, I didn’t bother trying it. It’s an unassuming restaurant just off of Whyte Avenue. I probably walked by it hundreds of times, never paying it any attention. Rarely a consideration for food when I was in the neighbourhood, it continued to elude me. Not until the end of January did I finally enter its warm, inviting interior.

Originally intending to have dinner across the street at the relatively new MEAT, our attempts to get a table there were thwarted by dozens of other diners who had the same idea. Preferring to avoid an hour long wait for a table, one person in our group piped up and suggested Accent (which does accept reservations through OpenTable as well). Since it would mean checking off another eatery on my ever-growing list of Edmonton food establishments, I was game.

As we pushed through the double doors, we were greeted by a small space decked out with dark woods and copper accents. The clientele seemed a bit older, and for a Friday evening, it was by no means a full house (it did get busier as we ate). Reminding me of a traditional resto-pub in terms of appearance, the atmosphere is quiet, making it suitable for actual conversations. We planted ourselves at a table for four, and started to take a peek a the menu. As it turns out, the couple I was with had been frequenting the place quite regularly, so they were able to provide a few recommendations. They even mentioned that Accent offers a few great deals on appetizers and drinks throughout the week, which I plan to take advantage of later.

In addition to some usual draughts on tap, they also have a handful of rotating taps at the bar, which the sole male in our group was excited about. All I needed was an Alley Kat Aprikat that night and I was set to go. In every aspect, Accent keeps its choices simple and at a manageable size, so you’re never going to be overwhelmed by decisions.

With items like beef carpaccio, smoked salmon, hummus, steak tartar, beef goulash, chicken schnitzel and wiener schnitzel peppering the food menu, I could see that we were firmly planted in an authentic European inspired establishment. The name of the restaurant was justified, but would the dishes be up to par?

The beef carpaccio that we shared as an appetizer.

The beef carpaccio that we shared as an appetizer.

To start, we shared a plate of the beef carpaccio. Thinly sliced rare tenderloin was laid out on a plate, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with cracked pepper and sea salt and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. The flavours were light as was the beef. I would have preferred some greens, such as arugula, to add a bit of bitterness and texture, but it was still good.

Three out of four in our merry band opted for the beef goulash. A beef stew with peppers, mushrooms and paprika, served with slices of rye bread and butter, it looked thick and rich. The type of hearty meal you crave for a cold winter evening, it will keep you warm long after you have finished off the bowl.

The excellent and rich steak tartar with garlic and fried bread.

The excellent and rich steak tartar with garlic and fried bread.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t pass up the steak tartar once it was mentioned. Traditionally prepared, raw minced tender beef arrived the size of, I would guess, at least a six ounce steak with slices of fried crostini and a few fresh cloves of garlic. Not knowing what the garlic was for, I started breaking some tartar away from the patty with my knife. I was about to place it on a piece of crostini when someone exclaimed, “don’t you put garlic on your crostini first?” I admitted that I’d never seen steak tartar served with garlic before, so I wasn’t sure what the process was. Turns out, you take the clove of garlic and rub it on the toasty bread, and the garlic just melts right into it like butter. I had no idea, but I loved it, even if my breath was going to smell like that for a week. The crostini was so buttery and garlicky, the toast crisped up just right, and the melt-in-your-mouth steak tartar was seasoned to perfection. As full as I was when I was done, I left wanting more.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have room or time for dessert on that occasion, but now that I know how good the food and service is there, I will be sure to return. If you’re looking for a robust home cooked type of European meal, look no further than Accent.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Rocky Mountain Icehouse

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One of the walls when you enter the restaurant.

One of the walls when you enter the restaurant.

Housed in the Jasper Block, built in 1909, and located on 105 Street and Jasper Avenue, Rocky Mountain Icehouse took the place of what used to be Fantasia Noodle House before that restaurant had to move in order to accommodate building renovations. Having ventured out on a walk during our coffee break on a sunny summer day, my co-workers and I stumbled upon the new eatery, and I made note that I would have to go back another time.

In September, on a particularly gorgeous afternoon, I grabbed a friend for lunch and the two of us started wandering with no idea of where to go until the memory of Rocky Mountain Icehouse popped into my head. They have a small sidewalk patio situated just outside the doors, but we opted to sit inside by the front windows, so we’d get the sunshine as well as some air conditioning. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of the establishment. For the longest time they didn’t even have a working website despite having been open for a couple of months (rest assured, they have one now and it’s quite nice), so it didn’t seem like the owners were all that organized. Regardless, I was willing to give it a try.

One of the two entrances to the space.
The large interior of Rocky Mountain Icehouse.

The space is quite a bit larger than I expected. There’s even a large, private room called The Ski Lodge that can be used for smaller events or functions of up to 90 people. We were there for a later lunch, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised to see that only a few other tables were occupied. There was only one server on staff who indicated that we could seat ourselves wherever we wanted. She dropped off a couple of menus at our table and let us mull over the options. It’s a fairly succinct list of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, dips, mains and dessert.

The two of us opted to share an order of the Cajun Chicken Three Cheese Dip to start. My friend decided on a bowl of the Southern Gumbo as her entree and I went with the Crab Cakes.

The Cream Cheese Tapenade that we didn’t order.
The Cajun Chicken Three Cheese Dip that we did order.

A plate of dip and warm pita bread arrived soon after we ordered. My first thought was that it tasted delicious, my second was that it wasn’t very spicy and my third was that I was impressed with how they managed to get something that was supposed to have chicken in it to such a smooth consistency. That’s when I thought I should check the photo I took of the menu, and we realized that we were given the wrong dip. Instead of the one we chose, our server brought us the Cream Cheese Tapenade – a blend of olives and cream cheese with a hint of spinach. Honestly, I was surprised at how much I was enjoying that dip before we figured out their mistake. I usually dislike olives with a passion (olive oil doesn’t count though), but I could barely taste them in this dip. I would have eaten the whole thing, but it wasn’t what we had wanted, so as soon as our server came back, I let her know, and she took it back to the kitchen and had a batch of the Cajun Chicken dip whipped up for us. Our second go round with dip was also tasty. This time, it was much chunkier with pieces of chicken breast, peppers, onions and jalapeno coming together with the cheese to pleasantly top off our soft slices of pita. Between the two dips, I’m not sure which I’d be more likely to eat again. I might actually be leaning more towards the tapenade, which is a slightly lighter dip. The cajun chicken dip can almost pass for a meal with the meat, cheese, veggies and starch…almost.

Southern Gumbo

Southern Gumbo

Unfortunately, I did not sample the Southern Gumbo as my friend was battling a cold, but she was raving about it. The portion size looked quite large and was filled with chicken, chorizo sausage, peppers, onions, corn and rice. In particular, the sausage looked like it was housemade because, rather than the sliced cylinders of sausage often found in dishes, it was more irregular in shape, which made my friend think it wasn’t pre-prepared. If that truly is the case, I would be impressed.

My order of crab cakes with aioli.

My order of crab cakes with aioli.

My crab cakes were fairly run-of-the-mill. However, it’s not to say there was anything wrong with them. On the contrary, they were what I expected. Nicely breaded and crisp on the outside, there was a good crunch to them that gave way to a mixture of crab claw meat, boursin, feta and cream cheese. The crab cakes were then drizzled with roast tomato and garlic aioli, which helped to finish off the flavour profile of the dish. Come to think of it, I really should have squeezed some lemon juice on them to give it a better balance. I’m not sure why I didn’t do that.

In any case, I did enjoy our meal there. It’s a great space with a welcoming atmosphere that, at least during a late lunch hour, is a quiet place to sit and chat. The food is sort of what you can find in any general pub, but they do an okay job with it (other reviews I’ve read have been mixed as well), and I hope that with time, as the restaurant builds on its identity, that it’ll continue to improve.