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