The interior of Bündok, including the focal bar.

I’ve now had a couple of weeks to think about the dinner that my friend and I had at one of Edmonton’s newest restaurants, Bündok. The two of us met up after work on a Thursday evening in February and walked towards 104 Street and 102 Avenue.

Lacking any signage outside of the entrance, we easily passed it by and ended up having to back track by heading north of Japanese Village, which happens to be just a door or two down the block from the Fox Tower business.

The décor of the eatery is simple. There’s an open kitchen (run by chef Ryan Hotchkiss of Jack’s Grill, Bar Bricco and Red Star), exposed ventilation systems as well as classic dark wood chairs and tables. The focal point is a deep blue-coloured bar and shelving that almost reaches the top of the high ceiling.

We had a 5:00pm reservation (booked through OpenTable), so we were the earliest diners that night. Our table was tucked in next to the front window right behind the glass entranceway. It was a cozy spot that allowed us a view of Oilers fans passing by on their way to the hockey game, and, despite being near the door, it was still warm.

Our server Joe was friendly and provided some recommendations for drinks. He told us that he made the in-house craft root beer that day and, initially, I didn’t believe him. But, by the sounds of it, he was quite hands on with the restaurant even prior to its opening.

Our drinks: a glass of house made root beer and the amaretto sour.

I enjoyed the root beer. The flavour was akin to a strong organic ginger ale as opposed to what I think of as root beer (i.e. A&W). It also wasn’t as carbonated. The sip of my friend’s Amaretto Sour cocktail was fantastic as it was both zesty and tart with just a slight hint of alcohol on the palate. This was a drink that went down effortlessly.

When it came to ordering for our meal, we were told that the dishes are made to be shared. Neither of us had an issue splitting the food as it meant we would both have a chance to try several items on the menu. Between the two of us, we selected four dishes. Joe seemed skeptical that there would be enough sustenance. I had already intended to add a bowl of the soup, and once I did, he relented.

Chicken Skin

A platter of the Chicken Skin was offered to us first as it was the quickest to prepare. With just three pieces on the wooden board, it seemed a bit costly (the price may have been lowered since as the site now lists it at $7 instead of $8). It was deliciously addictive though. The skin was crispy without being greasy and the honey mustard was a nice touch that faintly reminded me of the taste of wasabi.

Beef Tartare

Two dishes showed up next, including the Beef Tartare and the Sea Bream Crudo. My foremost impression of the tartare was that it lacked any robust flavour. Yet, when I took my second helping of the beef and placed it onto the crostini, I was pleasantly surprised with how the spice from the pickled mustard seeds and bitterness of the chopped arugula came through. The egg yolk also made the consistency very smooth.

Sea Bream Crudo

“Crudo” means raw in Italian, so the slices of sea bream (a white fish) were prepared similar to a Japanese tataki whereby the meat is dressed with oil, citrus juice and seasonings. In the case of this dish, the fish was accompanied by apple, citrus and chili. Personally, I found a couple of the pieces to be chewier than preferred; however, in terms of taste, it was refreshing to the palate.

Parmagiano Soup

Next up was my bowl of Parmagiano Soup. I had seen a photo of this posted on Bündok’s Facebook feed and I was convinced I needed to have it. I wasn’t wrong. A bowl was placed in front of me that contained layers of melted leeks (how do you melt leeks?), bacon and breadcrumbs to which the soup was then added before my eyes. I stirred everything together and took a spoonful. It was incredibly rich as if they literally melted cheese into cream. Because the soup was added after the fact, the bacon and breadcrumbs remained crisp. I wanted to lick this bowl clean. My friend thought it was equally amazing.

Gnocchi

If awards had been handed out for the night, the gnocchi would have been given the gold medal. The potato pasta was made Parisienne style using pâte à choux – dough typically made for profiteroles, cream puffs and eclairs – leading to a much more pillowy texture. My friend and I are practically gnocchi connoisseurs and we both agreed that these were the fluffiest and lightest we’d ever eaten. They almost melted away in our mouths. Combined with the roasted brussels sprouts, squash and brown butter, this dish was a real treat with varying textures in every bite.

Grilled Apple Tartine

For dessert, it was suggested that the Grilled Apple Tartine offered on the dinner menu was a good alternative option to the actual desserts. My friend opted for that. It can become a sticky mess due to the use of clover honey, but it’s forgivable. The pink lady apples provide a bit of acidity while the oka cheese gave it an earthy, mushroom-like taste.

Citrus Posset

I completed my meal with the Citrus Posset, which was presented in a shallow bowl that, at first glance, looked as if it was filled only with a strip of diced apples, fennel and mint. On closer inspection, I could see that those sat atop a base of citrus cream. This was a wonderful dessert with a silky smooth foundation sitting somewhere between a pudding and custard. It was somehow airy yet also juicy and thirst quenching.

Having only been open for three weeks at the time we visited, I found myself thoroughly impressed. Word-of-mouth advertising seems to be working for Bündok. As we ate, the other tables filled up. Although there were really only one or two people working the front of house, the service was attentive and the recommendations were excellent.

It is intended that the menu rotate regularly, meaning the offerings may be different next time I go, but I think that’s part of the fun. One never knows what might be in store, and I can’t wait to see where chef Ryan Hotchkiss takes things.