Dim Sum at the Golden Rice Bowl

A private room, beautifully set tables, and great food. All added up to help create what we were told was "one of the best, most professional networking events we have ever attended". Lofty praise indeed. We did our bit and the staff of the Golden Rice Bowl did the rest. And a perfect luncheon it was. The staff of the Golden Rice Bowl are ever attentive, the food was hot and ready at the exact time we requested, important when you want everyone to be able to relax and focus on the matter at hand. I barely had time to knowledge we are ready to start food service and the first carts arrived. The sharing of good food is a key component to building of a relationship, any relationship. The table settings in the private dining area are 8 and 10 tops, round with a large glass lazysusans, which adds to the sharing experience. When the food is as good as that of this restaurant, the sharing comes easily. One of our guests is vegetarian and I had let the staff know when I called to confirm our numbers. He had said he would be pleased with just a nice salad but they had prepared a beautiful tray of choices just for him. A guest commented to me at one point as the lazysusans were filled with dishes and then rotated and each diner filled their plates, that there appeared to be only fried foods. We had just been served a variety of Dim Sum dishes. I was about to tell her to just watch, when the plates on the table were condensed and 3 more hot dishes arrived. Within seconds everyone was working to pick up the delightful peaches and shrimp combination with chop sticks, then the savory beef with tiny sauteed tomatoes and my personal favorite, a chicken with vegetables combination served over vermicelli noodles. Rest assured, no one walks away from a table at the Golden Rice Bowl feeling hungry. Food is always fresh, hot, favourful and generous. The staff are attentive, keeping tea pots fresh and hot, moving quickly in and out yet at the same time managing not to distract from the presentation going on at the same time. The restaurant is a bustle of activity, serving a long lunch period and always busy, a testament to their continuing quality of food and service, yet in our private room, divided off by heavy sliding doors we were not even slightly aware of the chatter going on just outside, on the main floor. A peek outside the door would have shown you staff everywhere for there is never shortage of service. You only have to look up, as did one of our guests looking for ice water, to have it appear seemingly seconds later, with glasses for everyone. One of the ladies stood to pour for all at the table and as she reached the bottom of the pitcher there was a server at her elbow replacing the emptied one, before she had time to even turn to look for more. If I gave stars on this page it would be 5 out of 5 to the Golden Rice Bowl, from the making of the initial arrangements to the close of our business for that day, it was seamless, flawless and our guests were totally happy.

Now That was a Quiche!

What do you get when the ingredients are puff pastry, boar bacon, cheddar cheese, eggs and fresh broccoli. When you have the culinary skills of a talented kitchen you get an absolutely wonderful Quiche. Topped by a delicious, sweet, fresh tomato reduction, which perfectly set off all those flavours it was fabulous. Truly amazing and perfectly accompanied by crisp fried potatoes, couscous salad and fresh fruit. The couscous salad had carrots, cranberries and a great dressing. Not sure what was the dressing on the salad but it was delicious. I was off to help with a shoebox gift project after church and decided to find a spot for lunch downtown. This was obviously a great choice. After lunch they offered the dessert tray. That dessert tray is the first thing you spot on the reception counter as you walk in. Took more willpower than mine to walk past that today to I shared to have a taste. A wonderful taste on the lips and keep it away from the hips! So off to help with the project bringing along my treat, a white and dark chocolate cheesecake ball that had been rolled in pecans. Just one word for it, yum... The other dessert choice? Tiramisu, a sour cream pie and a custard tart. So where was this savory lunch? At the Manor, on 125 St, Old Glenora.

Lunch at the Bistro at Ellerslie

After the Remembrance Day services today I headed over to Ellerslie Gift & Garden. I had some gardening to finish and I was also looking for lunch. Forgive if I am a little biased having run the Bistro for a year and a half, but now I just get to go enjoy lunch. It was almost a full house when I arrived today but I was able to secure a table and then place my order. There were several soups on the menu today and a nice assortment of panini, but there at the bottom of the daily menu board was an option I couldn't turn down. They had a special, potato pancakes. That decided it, a half serving of their cheddar, potato and bacon soup, definitely made fresh inhouse and the last half serving of the potato pancakes. Wonderful plate and just the right size, with some fresh vegetables and dip on the side. It was delicious and the perfect size. Four tender,fluffy potato pancakes and a cup of soup, crisp lean bacon, aged cheddar and chunks of potato. Then I topped that off with dessert, a dark. moist, freshly baked chocolate cookie. Glad I had gardening to do, to burn that off. It's a comfortable place to have lunch, even if you are on your own. The tables are small, intimate, surrounded by fresh plants with a great selection of current magazines on each table. A cosy spot to sit, enjoy lunch or just a coffee break and relax. I might have to go back and see what they have tomorrow.

A Taste of the Old World Downtown

For over 30 years if you said let's go to 'the Bistro' downtown many knew you were talking Praha. Then in March of 2009 a fire broke out on Howard Rice Way. By the time the ashes cooled Bistro Praha and several other restaurants were gone. Come forward to 2011 and Praha has been back in business for six months, everything old is new and wonderful again. Saturday evening we managed to slip in for an early dinner without a reservation but that isn't recommended. It is hugely popular so seating is in high demand. With the first bite you will know why. I asked about white wine for dinner and our server said we have a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, you'll like it. Okay sure, why not, trust your server. Oh yes, he was definitely right. To the menu. A quick scan down the first page and I felt like I had stepped back in time to travels in Europe. Appetizers cover the spectrum from open face sandwiches to escargot. Then there is a fried cheese. Our choices, the escargot with chili and garlic, the smoked salmon plate and the previously mentioned fried cheese with fried potatoes. As two of our main courses came with salad, the tomato salad and the green salad were chosen. We started with those, sharing all round. Wow. I don't usually become enamoured with salad but these were great. The escargot came at the same time. Wonderful, not the least bit chewy which they can be and we loved the zest of chili adding to the traditional garlic. Immediately following those were the fried cheese plate and the smoked salmon. The salmon had a wonderful smokey flavour, served with traditonally with red onions, capers, creamed cheese and lemon. It was commented that there was a lot of 'mmmming' around our table. Right about that time it occurred to me that we may have ordered too much food. But everything was wonderful. The fried cheese was crisp, with a great sauce. I have had fried cheese in other places and they have been rubbery, greasy logs. Not so with these. I could have made a dinner of just the tomato salad and the fried cheese plate. Our main courses were the Bistro Beef Gulash Zhorelec with Dumplings, the Steak Tartare, and the Chicken Alcron. For full description of these menu items and the rest of the menu check out their website at www.bistropraha.com. I had asked our server for a description of the dumpling but beyond knowing that it was a light fluffy flour dumpling nothing could have prepared me for this delight. A plate of tender, cut it with your fork meat, a flavourful sauce and the huge sliced tender dumpling. One bite and I am telling everyone "you have to try this". The chicken Alcron was fabulous, crispy with a bit of skin on it, panfried potatoes and the most wonderful sauteed mushrooms. And what can be said about the Steak Tartare, Filet Mignon hand minced, perfected spiced, generous to a fault with crispy rye toast. Just when we thought we could not manage another bite our server came with the menu. "Dessert?" she asks. We had already looked ahead so I knew I would be having the Apple Strudel, a restaurant favourite. The others were salivating about the crepes. So the menu was reviewed once again. The crepe choices are extensive each one sounding more tempting than the last. My dinner companions selected the Crepe Henry Christian which is steamed kiwi with orange liquer and whipped cream and the Crepe Nadia with chocolate sauce, Grand Marnier and whipped cream. If the sound of those have you salivating as well, you would be right. I had my Apple Strudel to go but I did surcome to a tiny bite of each of the crepes. The final pleasant surprise, the bill. With beverages, appetizers, main courses and desserts for three, just under $140 before tip. That is amazing. If I had to award stars for the evening five out of five. Great food, wonderful service, great atmosphere. I highly recommend it.

Rochford Bridge

If you have driven past Mayersthorpe you have driven under the trestle bridge and past the Trading Post. Lots of changes at the Trading Post over the past 3-4 years since Andy and Michelle purchased it and started their renovations. The entire building is charming, I always find something tempting in the gift shop, so so much better. Tonight on our drive back to Edmonton Mom and I stopped in to take a break and decided to stay for supper. The decor in the restaurant is unique and I find it warm and cosy. Unfortunately that is where the compliments stop. We were seated by a very indifferent young lady. I was about to flag her to ask for a menu when she returned with them. She was also very generous with the time to review the menu and make our selection. It was almost a full house so I don't know if that had anything to do with the slow service on a Sunday night but I do know when patrons at other tables lean towards you to ask how long you have been waiting for your food, it hasn't been a good night in the house. Really hope that tonight is the exception, not the rule. We ordered soups and sandwiches, just a light supper, Grilled Cheese and BLT. After 35 minutes I waved at the other server and asked if our food was coming soon. The table to our right had receive their food and they had come in after us but the 4 top to the left had come in before both of us and they were still waiting. The other server came to say our food was ready and Mom's Grilled Cheese and Broccoli Cheese Soup appeared. As the server put it down I looked at Mom's plate and was dismayed to see the half bowl of Broccoli Cheese sitting in a rounded lump in the bowl. She said it tasted like it had too much thickening but I hazard a guess that it was at the bottom of a soup tureen that had been sitting on the heat for a quite a while and the server had just scooped into the bowl and called it soup. Mom ate it but I would have returned it. At the four top they were also concerned to see just a wrap on two of their plates, apparently the kitchen had run out of fries. I didn't see it but Mom also said the cheese in her sandwich was processed but the menu said cheddar. .She had finished her soup and half her sandwich before mine came. The BLT was really hot so I know it was just off the press but the soup had cooled while they waited for the sandwich to grill. I had ordered the Gumbo Creole for my soup. I was dismayed to discover it was pre-made soup. With the quality of the gift shop and the decor I was really expecting much more. I don't like giving such a negative rating but everything went downhill from the time we entered the restaurant and we were not the only ones complaining. One table said that it seemed like our server, the indifferent one, had one speed, slow.

A touch of elegance in southern Edmonton

Thinking you are hungry, want a something a cut above for dinner and you are heading down Calgary Trail. Call Mark at Bistecca and he will find you a table. Bistecca is an Italian Steakhouse and Wine Bar. Nice descriptor but what it really is, is the kitchen of Chef Sonny Sung. And that is a wonderful thing. Not everyone is a hearty eater so it is great to be able to pair a salad and an appetizer and have an interesting dinner. You would think that might limit your choices. Not so here, there are 10 Antipasti choices and 5 salads and everything sounding so delicious the Antipasti selection alone feels like a huge menu. Then there are the Pastas, the Secondi, and heaven help you the Dessert menu. All of Bistecca's servers are great and they work on the team approach so you never have to wait for a busy server, but you have to ask for Kristof. He is a wealth of information and absolutely passionate about food and wine. Back to our evening, so we are heading down Calgary Trail and trying to decide where and what. Did I mention it is already past 8:30? Rhyming off all the places we can think of on the way from the north end, either not what we wanted or can't agree, when Bistecca pops into my hubby's brain. Perfect. Good old Smart Phone, and suddening I am talking to Mark. Yes absolutely the kitchen is still open and what time are you arriving? Perfect. Perfection it was, for me from the Tomato Bocconcini Salad to the Parmegiano Reggiano Riscotto Cake, just can't get past that wonderful smoked duck and the creamy riscotto. Did I mention that Bistecco now has it's own smoker? My hubby had the Carne Cruda Alla Piemontese, translation the most amazing steak tartare. Typically steak tartare is finely chopped, this was much coarser, beautifully spiced and accompanied by crudites. What it did on the palate was amazing. That was followed by the Linguine Frutti di Mare, beautiful plate of seafood on tender pasta in tomato sauce. Mom had the Arugula Salad, loaded with Pine nuts, and crumbled Santa Lucia goat cheese. She decided on the Angel Hair Pasta with sauteed shrimp for her Secondi. Even in the half size it was generous and just delicious. After all the sharing of bites, generous portions and glasses of wine, no one had room to do more than read the Dessert menu so we will table that for another time. Speaking of wine, Bistecca has an ample wine menu by the glass or the bottle so no matter what your favorite, they will have something to please your palate. To finish we recommend the Moscato and for the red wine lover we recommend you ask for the Italian version of porto. For a more complete look at the menu check out their website at: http://www.sorrentinos.com/bistecca.php

The Melting Pot

The website says whether you are looking for romantic fine dining for two, a happy hour party with friends, or a family gathering in our party room celebrating a special day, our gourmet fondue and intimate atmosphere are the perfect ingredients for an unforgettable night out! That doesn't begin to describe the Melting Pot. Our SEBA mixer was hosted there this evening. Those of us who arrived early were treated to a tour, from the private room for 40 to Lover's Lane with intimate, private little niches (snugs) for romantic diners for two, there are booths for all occasions. We were treated to 3 Cheese Fondues this evening, the Latin influence in the Quesco Fondito, the creamy Spinach Artichoke and the Fiesta, a Mexican rich with salsa, herbs and jalapeno peppers . Accompanying the fondues big bowls of assorted breads and trays of vegetables. Around the corner my personal weakness, the dessert fondue. We had Dark Chocolate with Brownie Squares and Turtle Chocolate with CinnamonToasted Marshmallows, and Banana Foster with fresh Strawberries. Everything was absolutely wonderful and our hostess Laura Browning, Marketing Manager together with the bar and service staff could not have been more welcoming. The food never stopped and neither did the conversation. It was a wonderful evening.