Tag Archives: Edmonton Events

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.