Downtown Edmonton. Very sweet, welcoming place. Service was wonderful, our server kept refering to me as "my lady" it was kind of cute. The chef has combined foods from Europe, India and the far east, which has created a unique yet simple menu. They strive in fresh, from scratch items. I went for lunch, had the quiche special, it was very creamy, and rich, good crust, could have perhaps been a bit more generous with the vegetables in the quiche. It came with a beautiful green salad and a tasty herb vinaigrette. It was $15.00, kind of pricey, but considering the labor for house made food, its acceptable. My brother had a delicious seafood pasta, full of flavor. I would like to go back and try something else, perhaps for dinner, it seems to be a cozy place in the evening.....
Natasha:)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Citrus Restaurant, Toronto Ontario
Located in The Grand Hotel & Suites. Citrus has a beautiful atmosphere, nice light dinning room and lounge, lots of windows and comfy seats. The service is hit and miss, some of the servers are great others not so much.
Lunch was good, pizza, pasta, club sandwiches. Everything was fresh and well presented, flavors were alright.
Our conference dinner was a different story, we started with an Arugula, spinach & mixed greens salad, with sweet roasted peppers, strawberries and grapefruit, with a citrus herb vinaigrette, phew, lots to say. So it came out wrapped in a cucumber ribbon, which to me ive done and seen too many times, but to those who dont work in the industry im sure appreciate it very much. Im not a fan of mesculin mixed greens, i just dont like the really bitter leafs with the really sweet ones, i prefer a lettuce with a crisp crunch. The fruit was nice, dressing was good. Missed the forgotten peppers
Next for our entrée we were served broiled chive jumbo tiger shrimp...umm how does one over cook shrimp to chewy and tough but still manage to have some raw grey bits on the shrimp...hmm i think that they were originally undercooked, and then sat in a warm place for a while, hence the crunchy yet brown asparagus.
Grilled beef tenderloin, "natural reduction" with citrus roasted potato and asparagus spears. The tenderloin wasnt too bad, just a bit gamy, citrus roasted potato was not citrus but came with half a lemon beside it...please dont tell me natural juices when they clearly are not, it was definitely helped along with some box mixture.
Be careful when creating these Table D'Haute menus, the salad and main all contained citrus, take it easy on the same flavorings, it becomes too much. Also i suggest starting with some small and savoury to induce the appetite, then have citrus to cleanse the palate.
The dessert, mini Dulce de leche cheesecake with espresso syrup. The cheesecake was store bought but still tasty, the Dulce needed some more caramelizing, the syrup was nice, however the presentation was brown and unpleasant, not to mention the real daisy shoved into the cake, thats gross so many bugs in the centre of those flowers. All items on a plate must be edible.
So after that dinner we left the conference room and went to the restaurant. My appetite wasn't satisfied and i was curious about the menu. So i ordered crab cakes with aioli and Le Haut-Richelieu Quebec goat cheese, melted with tomato relish and crostinis. This was more like it.
We ordered a bottle of red wine from Spain and two desserts to go, the brown butter banana tart with toasted marshmallow was divine, along with the warm chocolate cake with creme fraiche ice cream.
So quite the experiences, all so different from the same kitchen. Just one thought, please please please, do not advertise and offer 24hr room service and then tell us the kithcen is close when we phone....
Natasha:)
Lunch was good, pizza, pasta, club sandwiches. Everything was fresh and well presented, flavors were alright.
Our conference dinner was a different story, we started with an Arugula, spinach & mixed greens salad, with sweet roasted peppers, strawberries and grapefruit, with a citrus herb vinaigrette, phew, lots to say. So it came out wrapped in a cucumber ribbon, which to me ive done and seen too many times, but to those who dont work in the industry im sure appreciate it very much. Im not a fan of mesculin mixed greens, i just dont like the really bitter leafs with the really sweet ones, i prefer a lettuce with a crisp crunch. The fruit was nice, dressing was good. Missed the forgotten peppers
Next for our entrée we were served broiled chive jumbo tiger shrimp...umm how does one over cook shrimp to chewy and tough but still manage to have some raw grey bits on the shrimp...hmm i think that they were originally undercooked, and then sat in a warm place for a while, hence the crunchy yet brown asparagus.
Grilled beef tenderloin, "natural reduction" with citrus roasted potato and asparagus spears. The tenderloin wasnt too bad, just a bit gamy, citrus roasted potato was not citrus but came with half a lemon beside it...please dont tell me natural juices when they clearly are not, it was definitely helped along with some box mixture.
Be careful when creating these Table D'Haute menus, the salad and main all contained citrus, take it easy on the same flavorings, it becomes too much. Also i suggest starting with some small and savoury to induce the appetite, then have citrus to cleanse the palate.
The dessert, mini Dulce de leche cheesecake with espresso syrup. The cheesecake was store bought but still tasty, the Dulce needed some more caramelizing, the syrup was nice, however the presentation was brown and unpleasant, not to mention the real daisy shoved into the cake, thats gross so many bugs in the centre of those flowers. All items on a plate must be edible.
So after that dinner we left the conference room and went to the restaurant. My appetite wasn't satisfied and i was curious about the menu. So i ordered crab cakes with aioli and Le Haut-Richelieu Quebec goat cheese, melted with tomato relish and crostinis. This was more like it.
We ordered a bottle of red wine from Spain and two desserts to go, the brown butter banana tart with toasted marshmallow was divine, along with the warm chocolate cake with creme fraiche ice cream.
So quite the experiences, all so different from the same kitchen. Just one thought, please please please, do not advertise and offer 24hr room service and then tell us the kithcen is close when we phone....
Natasha:)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Robert's Place, Gabriola Island, B.C.
Recently taken over by new management, Robert is trying to continue Suzy's welcoming atmosphere. He is almost there, just a few glitches, but hey its island time all year round on Gabriola, so im not going to give Robert a hard time:)
The menu is very large and overwhelming. The choices are all great ones, but its so hard to choose. The food is good, home-style, and care put into it. Maybe work on plating and visual presentation. White sauce with white cheese on white chicken just isn't visually appealing, plus the texture is all fairly similar, you need to mix it up a bit, get some crunch in there!
The service is pleasant, Robert makes an appearance to acknowledge our business. The display of fresh baked goods when you walk in is very inviting. Hot coffee, always kept full. I went three times in three days, so that says something. Just go, relax and enjoy some good food...
Natasha:)
The menu is very large and overwhelming. The choices are all great ones, but its so hard to choose. The food is good, home-style, and care put into it. Maybe work on plating and visual presentation. White sauce with white cheese on white chicken just isn't visually appealing, plus the texture is all fairly similar, you need to mix it up a bit, get some crunch in there!
The service is pleasant, Robert makes an appearance to acknowledge our business. The display of fresh baked goods when you walk in is very inviting. Hot coffee, always kept full. I went three times in three days, so that says something. Just go, relax and enjoy some good food...
Natasha:)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Bacchus Cafe & Wine Bar, St.Albert, Alberta
Im starting to get a bit confused about places with "cafe" in their title. I at least expect a nice espresso...however i have assumed wrong....
So Bacchus, first impression, i kind of get an Italian/Mediterranean vibe from the menu. Decent prices.
I find that sometimes places try to create a cozy atmosphere, but dont succeed. The black and cold silver walls might be whats sucking out the cozy. Or perhaps the florescent green blankets on the couches. Also when im having breakfast at 10am im not really interested in having wine bottles and grapes in my face.
Nice waitress, cute plates of food, I appreciate the attempt to create a nice dish, however felt it to be slightly childlike. Then when i turned to see the chef, i understood why, he looks about 16 years..tee hee.
Anyways, the food was good, i had apple cinnamon porridge, my parents had the frittata, and fiancée had French toast for which i would recommend a larger plate so that he could cut his food without so much over flow.
Perhaps this "cafe" is more inviting at night, with their nice selection of wine, and live music. I will go back as the food was good and the coffee was hot, service was pleasant, however just a kind suggestion, sort out the heating situation, turn off Micheal Jackson and try to have all meals come out at the same time....
Natasha :)
So Bacchus, first impression, i kind of get an Italian/Mediterranean vibe from the menu. Decent prices.
I find that sometimes places try to create a cozy atmosphere, but dont succeed. The black and cold silver walls might be whats sucking out the cozy. Or perhaps the florescent green blankets on the couches. Also when im having breakfast at 10am im not really interested in having wine bottles and grapes in my face.
Nice waitress, cute plates of food, I appreciate the attempt to create a nice dish, however felt it to be slightly childlike. Then when i turned to see the chef, i understood why, he looks about 16 years..tee hee.
Anyways, the food was good, i had apple cinnamon porridge, my parents had the frittata, and fiancée had French toast for which i would recommend a larger plate so that he could cut his food without so much over flow.
Perhaps this "cafe" is more inviting at night, with their nice selection of wine, and live music. I will go back as the food was good and the coffee was hot, service was pleasant, however just a kind suggestion, sort out the heating situation, turn off Micheal Jackson and try to have all meals come out at the same time....
Natasha :)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Barb and Ernie's Old Country Inn, Edmonton, Alberta
South central of the city. This couple have a beautiful story of their lives and their cozy diner. There is usually a line up at the door, which can be a good sign. Breakfast is what they do best, which is great when thats all im in the mood for. The menu is huge, definitely hard to choose, hotcakes, omelette's, Benedict, eggs any style, even a healthy portion for those craving some cornmeal crepes or multi grain hotcakes. The couple are from Germany, so that is the atmosphere they have created, kind of loud, friendly welcoming and Schnitzel. Unfortunately, my recent experience was not as good as my first. After we had been asked if we were ready to order about four times within ten minutes of being sat, i was getting slightly annoyed, considering the wide selection in front of us. My medium eggs were a pool on my plate, the French toast was dry and barely French at all, and after all that there were a few (what looked like facial hairs) under my toast.....yucky, that was the end of that meal....So not so great, however, the coffee was always being refilled, the servers were nice, and my meal was taken care of, so they do care about their customers which i applaud. Everyone has their off days, and i guess this was one of mine, and whoever gave two attempts at making my eggs.....I will definitely go back and try again, they did win me over by having Twinnings Earl Grey tea......
Natasha :)
Natasha :)
Credo Coffee, Edmonton, Alberta
Downtown Edmonton, quick stop for a rumored best cup of coffee. So perhaps its a preference, not of mine anyways. Nice people and service, however, the snack choice was pretty bare. The coffee was fresh and hot, but not tasty at all. I had an Americano, it was very sour and quite fruity, my mum had a regular medium blend coffee which was very weak and watery. I prefer a nice smoky roasted espresso. We both enjoyed the open, bright atmosphere, but they could have turned up the cozy just a touch. Will try a French press next time....
Natasha :)
Natasha :)
Zenari's, Edmonton, Alberta
Great place to go for a quick coffee, or a long leisurely lunch. Its mostly Italian food, one of my faves! The selection is all so delicious and hard to choose, so its best to go with someone who is willing to share what they got. Pastries, muffins, desserts of all kind, carrot cake, tiramisu, muffaletta, grilled Italian sandwiches, soups, lattes....i could keep going but ill let you go and see the rest for yourself :)
So i had, minestrone soup, grilled Italian sandwich and bean salad. Everything was great, homemade soup very tasty, sandwich was full of veggies, melted cheese and toasted wonderfully. The bean salad was very simple but yummy, i could taste a good quality olive oil in the dressing. Its a great location, downtown in Manulife Place, lots of tables to choose from, you go up to order and they bring it to your table. After your meal you can have a little browse at their great selection of kitchen wares. Thanks for the oven mitts mum ;)
Natasha :)
So i had, minestrone soup, grilled Italian sandwich and bean salad. Everything was great, homemade soup very tasty, sandwich was full of veggies, melted cheese and toasted wonderfully. The bean salad was very simple but yummy, i could taste a good quality olive oil in the dressing. Its a great location, downtown in Manulife Place, lots of tables to choose from, you go up to order and they bring it to your table. After your meal you can have a little browse at their great selection of kitchen wares. Thanks for the oven mitts mum ;)
Natasha :)
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