The exterior of Bibo and Culina. Photo credit: Unknown.
Culina Mill Creek has been around for a dozen years and in all that time I had never visited. So, call me surprised when I found out that the restaurant, along with its sister location, Bibo Wine Bar, would be closing this fall. The news lit a fire under me, and earlier this summer, my friend and I decided to try the food before it was too late.
First off, I would like to say that we arrived at Culina for our reservation right on time. It was still relatively quiet in the eatery, so they had our window-side table ready to go. Kyle, our server, was excellent throughout the night. He provided some great recommendations, was attentive and really friendly.
We started off with some peach iced teas, which were perfect to quench our thirst on a warm evening. Our drinks were accompanied by two shared starters. The lamb meatballs were flavourful and succulent with a bit of heat that was cooled by a yogurt, tzatziki-like dip. The second appetizer was a plate of pão de queijo, if I remember correctly. Those were Culina’s take on Brazilian cheese fritters. Big and fluffy with lots of melted cheese inside, these were rich and filling. The house-made tomato chutney was a must to top every piece of fritter, too.
My friend’s dish (unfortunately, I cannot remember what exactly it was called) was prepared with fresh pasta noodles and was filled with chunks of roasted tomatoes and leaves of arugula, which created a nice balance with the beef and sauce. For my entrée, I went with the half order of the sockeye salmon. It was the perfect portion, especially after our starters. The salmon was cooked so well and the skin was deliciously crispy. If I could have, I would have licked my plate clean just to get every last drop of the creamy sauce that served as the base of the dish.
Brigadeiro Cheesecake
Since this was likely going to be my one and only chance to eat at the Mill Creek location, I figured I needed to go all out and try one of the desserts. Kyle said we couldn’t pass up the Brigadeiro Cheesecake. This was a decadent finish to an already satisfying meal. The mascarpone goat cheese cake with a crust of Oreo crumbs that was all topped off with a classic Brazilian sweetened milk-cocoa truffle sauce was wonderful. It was also a large enough slice for two to three people to share.
Sadly, October 23’s brunch will be the last service provided at Culina Mill Creek, and October 22 will be Bibo’s final night (chef/owner Brad Lazarenko does hope to reopen Bibo somewhere downtown once he finds a suitable location). If you find yourself looking for a cute independent restaurant to go to within the next month, consider dropping by one or both. The food is fantastic and worth the visit.
However, don’t fret if you miss out on either because Culina Muttart will still be available for lunch and brunch daily and for dinner every Thursday evening. As well, Brad’s culinary offerings can also be found at the Dogwood Cafe located in the Victoria, Rundle and Riverside golf courses.
It’s going to be a new adventure for this local chef and his team, so let’s give Culina Mill Creek a great send off.
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