Tag Archives: Downtown Dining Week

Edmonton Restaurant Review: River City Revival House

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Taking Care of Brisket with CeeLo Green Beans

Having lived in Edmonton for my entire life, I’ve only ever been to the Starlite Room once, and that was probably already a decade ago, if not longer. Unsurprisingly, I was pretty much unaware of Brixx Bar & Grill, which used to occupy the basement space. Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure about the idea of setting foot into the building outside of the evening hours of a concert.

However, about a year ago now, it was announced that the underground venue had been transformed into a new restaurant and bar called River City Revival House. The menu, with dishes cleverly named after bands and artists, was created by Red Seal chef Felicia Winston. I was intrigued, but I didn’t make it there until this March when they participated in Downtown Dining Week (DTDW).

Sadly, my co-worked and I didn’t actually get to enjoy the DTDW menu. When we arrived at around one o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, the place was packed and the people ahead of us were still waiting for seats. It was clear that the kitchen wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of customers and they weren’t properly staffed either.

Still determined to try it, I made plans to check it out in April. On this occasion, I phoned ahead to ask if reservations were necessary at lunch, and I was told that it’s typically not that busy, so it shouldn’t be a problem to just show up. Sure enough, my friend and I ended up being the only ones there. As we picked out a table, the server went to get us some menus.

Apparently, River City Revival House must have been busy the night before because they were out of a number of things (green bean salad, tomato soup, and yam cheesecake; the latter may have just been removed from the menu though) I had been hoping to eat.

Ultimately, my companion went with The Smokey Robinson Club ($18) and fries. I opted to try the B.bq B.urger K.ing ($16) with the Soupersuckers side — it includes a bowl of homemade soup and a half order of KoRn Bread.

The Smokey Robinson Club with Fries

I sampled a bite of the Smokey Robinson Club. This consisted of smoked chicken breast with roast garlic aioli, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on sourdough bread. The toppings were fresh, the bacon crisp, and the smokiness from the preparation of the meat had saturated well into the chicken and balanced with the roast garlic spread. The fries were also thick cut and blanched, so they were soft on the inside and perfectly browned on the outside.

B.bq B.urger K.ing

My B.bq B.urger K.ing burger was a little bit too well done on one side. Yet, overall, it was nicely cooked. The eight ounce beef patty was clearly made in-house and was pleasantly thick. With a good sear, it managed to hold most of the juices inside the meat. It was dressed with the same roast garlic aioli as the club sandwich, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, and ancho BBQ sauce. Everything was placed between a classic toasted bun. This turned out to be a super satisfying burger in terms of taste and texture.

My burger with the Beef Taco Soup and Jalapeno & Cheddar KoRn Bread

Since the kitchen was out of a lot of the things I had wanted to order, they were really good about making it up to me. Instead of getting the tomato soup, I ended up going ahead with their daily creation, which was a Beef Taco Soup. And, rather than a half order of their KoRn Bread, they gave me three slices of the jalapeno & cheddar version to snack on. Honestly, it was way more food than I should have had. But, I pretty much ate it all. The soup wasn’t as hot as I would have liked, yet it was incredibly hearty with plenty of flavour, cheese, and sour cream to give it a smooth and indulgent consistency. The jalapeno & cheddar KoRn Bread was just a tad crumbly while still moist enough to hold together with each bite. There was just a hint of heat to appease those who want some spice without being too overwhelming for those who aren’t fans of chili peppers.

We left River City Revival House having really enjoyed our meal. So, the next time I was making impromptu lunch plans with a different co-worker, I suggested we go there as well.

On this second visit, it was still far from busy. Yet, there were definitely more patrons than before. A few solo diners/drinkers were hanging out at the bar (there are outlets along the entire thing in case you want a place to work and relax) and a couple of other tables were occupied, too.

There was, again, just one staff member working the front of the house, so service was somewhat slow considering that there were at least five times as many people there as my previous drop-in. He was just as friendly though.

My friend chose the vegetarian Portis-Bello Burger ($14). Unfortunately, I can’t say much about it. All I know is that she said it was sort of difficult to bite it apart with her teeth since the portobello mushroom patty was whole, and she ended up cutting it up into bite size pieces with her utensils. Nevertheless, she said it was tasty. Based on the description, it’s quite similar to the burger I had the first time, minus the BBQ and aioli sauces. The cheddar was also switched for the mild and nutty Swiss cheese that likely played off the earthiness of the mushroom better.

Taking Care of Brisket sandwich

I stuck with the sandwich menu once more, selecting the Taking Care of Brisket ($15). This is a combo of smoked brisket finished in a Sea Change Brewing braise topped with ancho BBQ sauce, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese on a brioche bun. It was decent. I felt that it could have used extra meat and more mushrooms. For added texture, a crunchy coleslaw would have been lovely as well.

CeeLo Green Bean salad

That day, they did have the CeeLo Green Bean salad available, so I upgraded my side ($2) to have that as a healthier alternative to fries. The portion size was way bigger than I expected. It seemed like a never ending bowl of fresh, crisp green beans. These were coated in a refreshing lemon mustard vinaigrette and tossed with cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds and feta cheese. A very simple recipe, but one that certainly hit the spot when it came to my craving for veggies.

Lunch & Punch card
Got my first of 9 punches towards a 10th free lunch!

When we paid our bills, the server gave both of us punch cards (disappointing that I didn’t get one when I dined the first time). For every nine sandwiches purchased at lunch, you’ll earn a tenth for free. That’s incentive to go back, for sure. Plus, they have happy hour specials Monday to Friday from 3pm to 7pm and all day Sundays.

Happy Hour at River City Revival House

I have to say, River City Revival House is much better than I ever expected it’d be. It’s also so close to work that it’s a great alternative to our usual haunts. My only wish is that they’d better staff the place for the times that it does get a bit busier. I’ve noticed that, due to the slower service, it has been difficult to make it back to the office within the hour we have for our break. Regardless, it’s clean, comfortable, and the food is good, so, no doubt, I’ll be returning.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse

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Pampa downtown Edmonton interior

For years, Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse sat on 99 Avenue and 109 Street as the lone location in Edmonton. However, more recently, they’ve grown to include two more spots in the city, one in Ellerslie and another in the west end. Although the premise of rodÍzio (unlimited meat carved at the table) always intrigued me, the price didn’t necessarily encourage me to go.

As my friends had mentioned before, it’s a great experience, but the cost — $52.99 per person for dinner — simply covered the main meal and buffet. Anything such as drinks and/or desserts (if you even have room left) were an addition, quickly racking up the bill. Therefore, it remained on my list of places to try, but it was never a priority.

Then, last year, a different restaurant with the same idea decided to open up along Saskatchewan Drive. A number of other local foodies were popping into Fumaca Brazilian Steakhouse to test run it, and I opted to check it out, too. Personally, I loved Fumaca’s meats (their buffet could use some improvement), and ever since then, I’d been wanting to get to Pampa to compare the two.

Downtown Dining Week menu

I strategically waited until Downtown Dining Week rolled around before booking an OpenTable reservation for our visit. The $45 menu on offer during that event was slightly smaller. It included the hot and cold buffet (over fifty items) as well as ten different meat skewers versus the usual fourteen at regular price. Was it enough of a difference to my wallet to skimp out on those four more meats? Probably not. On the other hand, I made a point of trying all ten cuts that were available to me, and I can safely say that I don’t think I could have eaten any more than what I did (not counting the dessert I tacked on at the end).

My plate of items from the hot and cold salad bar

To recap the overall meal, I’ll start with the buffet. It’s a pretty extensive spread ranging from pickles and veggies to hummus and cheese to potatoes and salads (greens and pastas) to soups and stews. It certainly seemed fresher than the one at Fumaca with more variety and larger portions set out. While I chose not to sample the soups, they did look deliciously creamy. Ultimately, I stuck with some of the house-made hummus (I’ve had better from a store bought container), sliced radishes, raddichio salad (kind of bitter and oddly textured), Brazilian cheese bread (too hard as if it’d sat out too long under heat), beef penne salad, marinated baby potatoes, Caesar salad, and a warm creamy chicken pasta to accompany my onslaught of meats.

Once we were back at our table, we left our cards flipped to the green side to signify that we were ready for the skewers to come; flip them to the red side to let the servers know you need a break.

Marinated Chicken Drumstick

First up was the marinated chicken drumstick. I found this to be simply seasoned and smoky with a very crisp exterior while still maintaining some moisture underneath the skin. Not my favourite, but tasty enough.

Pampa Pork Sausage

Next was the Pampa pork sausage. I have not learned to love cilantro (it has that soapy flavour) and I found that the herbaceousness of it came through too much for me. This sausage was also dry and I didn’t enjoy the full pieces of peppercorn that dotted the pork.

Beef Top Sirloin

I asked for a more medium-cooked slice of the beef top sirloin. Definitely a bit more fatty than some of the other cuts of beef, but this was tender, juicy and nicely crusted at the edges.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thigh

The bacon-wrapped chicken thigh is likely the hottest piece of meat that we were served (everything else was lukewarm). This was probably due to bacon grease being trapped between the pork and the chicken. No question, it was a little oily, but the chicken was quite succulent underneath the bacon.

Parmesan Pork Loin

One of my top choices, more for the flavour than the texture (slightly tough), was the Parmesan pork loin. The meat had a hint of lemon to it and it was heavily rubbed with dry Parmesan cheese crumbs. Honestly, this was a genius combo.

Rosemary-Marinated Pork Shoulder

Before trying the rosemary-marinated pork shoulder, I wasn’t sure that I would like it. Pork shoulder isn’t a cut of the pig that I often have and I was concerned about the preparation of it. Turns out that it was the closest thing to pork belly (go figure) that I’d get to eat on that night. Sure, it didn’t have the same fattiness of pork belly, but the extremely crispy skin held all of the juices in and reminded me of the pork belly I’d had at Fumaca.

Beef Garlic Steak

Can you ever have too much garlic? It’s a preference thing, I suppose. In the case of their beef garlic steak, I’d say that it’s a big maybe. Initially, I loved the abundance of garlic crusting the piece I was carved. Yet, it eventually became way too salty on my palate.

Chimichurri-Basted Beef Striploin

The only meat that wasn’t served from a skewer was the chimichurri-basted beef striploin. It was one of the last meats that I was presented with, so I asked for a smaller piece to make sure that I’d be able to finish it. If there was cilantro in the sauce (it’s a typical ingredient in many chimichurris), the flavour was thankfully masked; nevertheless, it was too greasy and salty despite the use of a tender steak as the base.

New Zealand Leg of Lamb

To change things up, they also offer a New Zealand leg of lamb. Much leaner than the other meats, it provided a decent chew and a lovely outer crust without the gamey flavour that many dislike about lamb (I don’t actually mind it myself).

Beef Rumpsteak

Last, but not least, was the beef rumpsteak. The slice I received was just a tad dry (shredding apart in the mouth) even though it looked to be cooked perfectly and had a nice colouring to it. It was also very minimally seasoned, making it kind of bland.

Feature Dessert: Coconut Custard with Mango
Boiled mango topped the coconut custard
A yellow gooseberry and a meringue added for decoration

As a final bow on the evening, I went for their feature dessert. It was a coconut custard with boiled mango on top. The preparation of the fruit was interesting. It turned the mango into something like a chewy jelly, and the custard actually had flakes of coconut in it. Not the worst, but also off-putting since custards should really be creamy and smooth. This was unexpected.

All in, our meal came to $114 after tax and tip was accounted for. Aside from the one dessert, we refrained from extras like beverages, which made it more reasonable for two people. Nonetheless, with each small glimmer of greatness in the food, there were also many things that I found to be lackluster. I’m not likely to go back to Pampa anytime soon; however, if anyone is a fan of meat, meat, and more meat at a single sitting, then this is the place for you.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Chop Steakhouse Bar

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My spread of food and drink at Chop.

Edmonton’s downtown Chop Steakhouse Bar, found connected to the Sutton Place Hotel, used to be a lunchtime spot for my co-workers and I to hang out. The place provided a spot for us to happily chat over cocktails and food as well as giving us a respite from the office.

Fast forward a few years later and the dynamic of my workplace has changed dramatically. Those friends have moved on to new things. With their departure, trips to Chop diminished, too.

The Chop lounge in downtown Edmonton.

When I saw that Chop was participating in Downtown Dining Week again this year, I thought it’d be a great opportunity to revisit. A reservation was booked through OpenTable. When we arrived after work that Friday, we were actually one of the first tables to be seated in the dining room. Located upstairs from the lounge, it’s a much dimmer space decorated with deep blues and greys. The lounge is the opposite. Washed in natural light with high ceilings, it’s much more open and bright (my personal preference).

Pina Colada

My friend began with a pint of beer. I opted for a Pina Colada ($8.75), which was beautifully garnished with a thin cut floral-shaped slice of pineapple and poured into a pretty vintage cocktail glass. What I didn’t love was how chunky the blended ice was. Yet, in terms of flavour, it was fine. There was a nice balance of white rum, fresh pineapple and coconut. As we waited for our dishes to come, we were also provided with fresh complimentary bread and butter to tide us over.

Tomato Bisque
Caesar Salad
So much Grana Padano!

We each started with a different appetizer. She got the Feature Soup ($8.95), a creamy tomato bisque that had a pleasant consistency. It had been cooked down to create a depth to the sweet-tart taste, and it refrained from being too thin. I went with a standard Caesar Salad ($9.95). The lettuce was slightly limp, but well-coated with dressing and grated Grana Padano cheese. I enjoyed the house-baked focaccia croutons and the slice of lemon for spritzing. Although it didn’t come across as the freshest salad, all of the components I look for were there.

My friend, ready to tackle her plate of ribs.
The ribs came with beets, broccolini and mashed potatoes.
A close-up of the smoked meat.

For our mains, we both chose to indulge in the half rack of the Smoked Baby Back Ribs ($25.95). This was served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. At the time, the veggies included roasted beets and broccolini, and they were prepared until they were tender with just a little bit of that needed bite left. The ribs were evenly painted with a rich barbecue sauce that had caramelized onto the succulent meat during the cooking process. A knife came in handy to cut the baby back ribs apart, but the meat pretty much pulled clean off the bone without much effort.

Mini Crème Brûlée
Mini Fallen Chocolate Soufflé Cake

Supper finished with mini versions of two of Chop’s desserts: Crème Brûlée ($4) and Fallen Chocolate Soufflé Cake ($5.50). Neither will blow your socks off. However, between the two, the crème brûlée was definitely the smaller and arguably least adventurous. It was a standard custard dessert with a simple vanilla infusion and the sugar crackle. The soufflé cake is not what I expected. I pictured something along the lines of a lava cake. Instead, I received a slice of a chocolate cake crust filled with mascarpone mousse atop a pool of fresh vanilla anglaise. It was actually quite decadent, and I’d have that one again. I’m not sure how much larger the dessert is if the regular size is ordered, but I think for the price, this was the perfect amount of sweetness to cap off the night.

All of the food options that were available for this specially priced event are also on their regular menu. We just happened to save about $10 per person for our three-course meal versus if we had gone any other time. On this occasion, the service was friendly and attentive even when the dining room filled up. I’m not sure how often I’ll be back, but I think the quality of the food I tried was good enough to warrant a future drop-in, especially for happy hour.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Wildflower Grill (2018 Update)

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Braised Beef Short Rib

It’s been almost four years since I blogged about Wildflower Grill. Yet, several months ago, the eatery was sold to a new owner and is now under the direction of new Executive Chef J.P. Dublado. When Downtown Dining Week rolled around in March, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to revisit this fine establishment.

The interior of Wildflower Grill.

Early on a Monday night, my friend and I showed up to a largely empty restaurant located outside of the Matrix Hotel on 106 Street and 100 Avenue. My advance reservation on OpenTable seemed quite unnecessary. Still, it’s hard to predict when businesses will be busy, so I recommend booking ahead whenever possible. We were seated in a booth right next to the bar. I’m not sure if that’s considered their lounge space, or if it’s all part of the dining room. It felt kind of tucked away though, which was nice for conversation.

Strawberry Smash Cocktail
Non-Alcoholic Homemade Blueberry Iced Tea

My friend opted to quench her thirst with the Strawberry Smash cocktail ($12). I decided on a sweetly refreshing non-alcoholic Homemade Blueberry Iced Tea ($5.50). For food, we already had our mind set on the $45 three-course executive dinner menu on offer for Downtown Dining Week. Since there were no options for each course, it made it easy for the kitchen to serve us, and we simply went along for the ride.

Albacore Tuna with Barley and Wild Rice

Dish number one was a beautiful Albacore Tuna with Barley and Wild Rice (a similar item on their menu is regularly $17). The fish was seared perfectly, leaving a raw center. It was served with greens and deep fried wild rice, creating a crunchy texture (think Rice Krispies) and earthy flavour. The addition of tomatoes and radishes brought in pops of colour. Best of all were the dollops of dressing sporadically dotted on the plate. We weren’t sure what it was made of, but it reminded me of a sweet aioli that I’ve had before.

Braised Beef Short Rib

Course two was our entrée of Braised Beef Short Rib. This doesn’t seem to be available regularly, but I’d estimate it to be about $37 based on other selections seen in their menu. It was supposed to be served with maple roasted carrots. However, those were absent. Instead, they were substituted with delicious Brussels sprouts. The leek and potato pavé provided the starch without coming across as heavy. I expected the short rib to pull apart more easily, so I was surprised to find that I required a knife. No matter though, it was delicious and the meat was quite tender. Topped with frizzled onions, this was a delight. Despite all appearances, the beef wasn’t the star of the show. Turns out, the few pieces of richly flavoured chèvre and parm agnolotti would be my favourite part of the dish. I think about that stuffed pasta fondly.

Chocolate Mousse

The closest dessert on their menu to what we had that evening is likely their Chocolate Bar ($10). Ours was a ball of Chocolate Mousse encased in ganache. A stroke of berry coulis sat underneath with candied peanuts and caramel ice cream on the side. Having been layered with a coating of glaze, the consistency of the mousse became thicker and felt very decadent. The sweet-salty-tart balance worked its magic and was an excellent ending to a wonderful meal.

I really hope that the restaurant is doing well and we were just visiting on an unusually quiet night. Even with the changes to this business, they haven’t missed a beat. The quality is most certainly still there. Our food was superb and the service we received was attentive and friendly. Personally, I look forward to going back again soon.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Share Restaurant at The Westin

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The interior of Share Restaurant at The Westin.

Since I started working downtown over a decade ago, I’ve found myself dining at Share Restaurant about a handful of times. Usually, I visit during the annual Downtown Dining Week event in March as the savings make it well worth it. This year was no different.

Past the lounge of The Westin Edmonton, tucked away in the corner, is a stylish room coloured in sleek taupe, white, grey, and copper tones. With a mix of art, wood, granite, carpet and unique lighting, it feels welcoming yet modern. It’s never all that busy when I’m there, but I always book a reservation through OpenTable just in case. To be fair, I typically drop in early after work prior to the dinner rush. On this latest occurrence, business picked up right around 6:00pm when a number of guests showed up for supper before heading off to a concert or the theatre.

The $30 Downtown Dining Week menu at Share.

My fiancé and I, not in a rush to go anywhere, took the opportunity to really savour the experience. We opted to try their $30 three-course Downtown Dining Week menu. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a total steal as the price is about half the usual cost.

To start, we split the two available appetizers: Beef Tartare ($19) and Wild Salmon Salad ($15). These were both excellent. Technically, I only had a couple of bites from his salad, and he didn’t eat my beef tartare since he dislikes raw meat. Still, I’ll call it sharing.

Wild Salmon Salad

The salmon seemed to have been roasted, so it was cooked thoroughly. However, I thought the fish may have been a tad overdone. They refrained from using too much seasoning though and the natural flavour was great. The roasted pepper vinaigrette drizzled into the spring greens was light and brought the smoked almonds (not enough of these), baby beets, and goat cheese into a harmonious union.

Beef Tartare
This beef tartare was excellent.

Between the salad and the beef tartare, the latter was, hands down, the better of the pair for me. They minced AAA Alberta beef and formed it into a patty with a collection of herbs. It was then topped with crunchy boar bacon, cured egg yolk (not runny), and Parmesan crisps (these were amazingly good). Served with perfectly toasted crostini, this dish screamed umami, especially when all of the components were taken in a single mouthful.

AAA Alberta Beef Tenderloin
The meat was cooked to perfection.

While there were also two options for the entrée, neither of us decided to try the Roasted Chicken Supreme ($26). Instead, we both chose the AAA Alberta Beef Tenderloin ($36). Wow. First, I’ll quickly say that the accompanying market veggies of carrots, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts were okay texturally, but tasted rather bland. The herb-tossed fingerling potatoes were fine, too. They were at least buttery smooth. No, the absolute star of this dish is the steak, and it did not disappoint. The meat, flavoured with its own jus, was prepared to medium rare as requested. It was incredibly succulent, so much so that the knife went right through it without effort and every bite practically melted in my mouth. I’m not sure if the cuts of beef they get are always this wonderful, so I’m afraid that, going forward, I may be ruined.

To end the night, we again divvied up the two choices: NY Cheesecake (unlisted on the regular menu) and Espresso Dome ($9). These were generous in size, making them ideal for a duo.

NY Cheesecake

The NY Cheesecake had a dense, creamy consistency with that distinct cream cheese flavour base. I would have preferred extra berry coulis and chocolate drizzle as those brought added dimension to the dessert, as did the fresh berries on the side. Deprived of the sauce, the cheesecake started to become one note.

Broken Espresso Dome

On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by the Espresso Dome, which I wasn’t expecting to enjoy due to my aversion to the taste of coffee. The coffee mousse center was subtle, and the chocolate cake enrobed by a shell of dark chocolate made it decadently rich. It probably didn’t require the dollops of whiskey jelly on the plate though. Aside from an extra element, the gelatin lacked any pop, so it did nothing to really elevate the sweet.

A hotel restaurant is unlikely to be first place that pops to mind when I’m trying to come up with an impressive culinary destination in Edmonton. Nevertheless, Share at The Westin fits the bill. Rotating servers consistently fill water glasses, bring plates when ready and offer fresh pepper, but, otherwise, they’re rather unintrusive while you dine. The staff certainly attempt to uphold a classy atmosphere in terms of the ambience and the service. Oh, and I can’t forget about their complimentary bread. The carbs are a delicious sign of what’s to follow. So, if you find yourself downtown for whatever reason, don’t overlook this potential gem.

The complimentary bread basket.
Look at those butter balls!
This warm raisin bread was delectable.