KayceeK's Profile
The Marc, Edmonton
Well, I see I had originally responded to this thread back in October of 2010 and finally had the opportunity to visit this restaurant with two other couples this past Saturday night. We really enjoyed ourselves and I am happy to revive this thread!
The room was a tad noisy and we strained to hear our server's descriptions of the dishes, but I chalk it up to the fact that the place was totally packed, save for a few seats at the bar. I would rather have a hopping space than an empty one anyway and, as our reservation was for 9pm, we were drinking and living it up before going dancing, so our own conversations became animated to match the din of the room and as a result of the wine anyhow! The room was very tastefully appointed, modern but cozy as someone else mentioned in their review.
Our server was soft-spoken but very knowledgeable and sweet. I love that she did not come off as "trying" too hard and when we spoke of other restaurants, she did not hesitate to recommend some competitors. Nice! Also, when I asked for her choice between two bottles of wine, she let me sample both - very classy. Both were very tasty too and reasonably priced. :) Also great cocktail selection although I regretted having a glass of bubbly to start - the bubbles were a bit "lacking". The margarita special was a good deal though, proclaimed one of the ladies (she did have 3). :)
Now the food. Only 3 of us had starters .Two gents had caesar salads and I had the beet salad with greens and goat cheese. I can never resist a good beet salad and this was delicious. The lads enjoyed their salads as well and the cheese crisps sitting atop the greens were very pretty. There was a bread basket provided as well, nice and warm, but nothing really standout-ish. Bread and butter - simple.
My hubby had the pork shoulder for his main which was very hearty and flavourful - and only 21 bucks. Great deal! I had the arctic char, as did another lady, and the skin was nice and crispy. Shaved asparagus and I think a creamy pea sauce accompanied the fish. Seasonal. One gent had the roasted game hen as he could not resist the description of "duck fat potato", and proclaimed that, had he been home, he would have licked the plate clean.
Desserts, I was pretty full at this point, but did manage to get in on a lemon slice which nicely cut the richness of hubby's pork dish. Other companions had the chocolate cake. I wish we'd ordered the beignets as I saw them being delivered to another table - they looked crispy but airy. Next time! Espressos, and tea as well - we were able to linger until about 11:45 and never felt rushed.
I would very happily go back to The Marc. Very reasonably priced food, very good service, and nice location. Why did we wait so long?
amazing salad or salad dressing made with fresh basil?
I love to do a roasted sweet potatoes salad. You roast them with oil, seasonings, bit of cayenne. Add some diced pears and continue roasting. Toss with fresh basil and splash of lemon juice at the end and let it come to room temp. Yum!
Vegetarian accompaniment to leg of lamb?
I think you've received some great suggestions from others already, but thought I might add roasted stuffed red peppers. Hearty, pretty, and might fit a Mediterranean theme. :)
If all foods were nutritionally equal would you change your diet?
I probably wouldn't workout as often, but eat relatively the same! :) Maybe I would drink homo milk instead of 1%. I'd probably indulge in more treats and sweets.
Olive Bistro & Lounge - Jasper
My hubby and I recently went to Jasper for a snowshoeing weekend. We worked up quite an appetite outdoors all day and so were hoping to find a good warm, stick-to-your-ribs meal and Olive Bistro certainly did not disappoint.
On a Saturday night, after striking out at both Evil Dave's and Syrah's, both with no tables available until late, we came across Olive, conveniently tucked beside the Bear Paw Bakery (from where we picked up obligatory coffees and raspberry white chocolate scones earlier in the day). The friendly hostess gave us a seat by the window and, while not filled to capacity, the restaurant still provided people-watching and a reasonable amount of background noise to make the evening interesting but not unbearably loud.
Hubby had a lager to start and then helped me finish my 1/2L pinot noir. We were treated to warm breads and herbed butter to start as we perused the Mediterranean menu. Lots of varied items, but the menu still made sense and didn't seem thrown together at all, like many restaurants seem to do.
We shared the charcuterie board to start and for $18, the amount and quality of food was great. 3 or 4 different cheeses, lovely crackers, crisps, and thins, prosciutto rolled into roses (very pretty display), spicy genoa, pepperoni, apple slices, mission figs, and red pepper jelly. A very nice start to the meal.
We normally choose different entrees, but the coq au vin sounded so tempting to us both, two orders arrived shortly after our appetizer. The chicken was fall off the bone tender and coated in a delicious, perfectly flavoured mushroom wine sauce, atop potato gratin and season veggies. The portion was huge and only $24. I wish we hadn't arrived so hungry because we scarfed down our plates, not saving room for dessert. :(
A very nice meal and great way to end the day, this restaurant which I understand is still relatively new to Jasper is well worth a visit. :) We'll be back!!
YES IT'S TRUE! PYREX EXPLODES
I've had one explode on me once too as I opened the oven door to take it out. Scary stuff. I was cooking halibut with tomatoes and feta. Ruined, glass everywhere. Grr.
Restaurant Websites - At this point they should pretty much be mandatory [moved from General Topics]
Sure there are great places that don't have a website; but I'm with you - I like to check out a restaurant's decor, photos of menu items, the menu itself, how late it stays open, how extensive their wine list is; etc. Lots of ethnic places I'll just stop in and go with something safe. Go to a pho place for pho...go to a sushi place for sushi, etc. But if it's "international", "French", "fine dining", etc. where a lot of territory can be covered, then come on, put up a dang website.
What Makes a Good Hot Chocolate Good?
I agree - it can't be watery (or made with water). I like it nice and creamy and prefer it served not *too* hot. Other than that, I'm not too particular. Love it with whipped cream!
Cleaning out your pantry -- what do usually have to toss?
When I toss things, it's normally because they weren't put back properly. For instance, dried figs/dates left kind of opened that since hardened and had any moisture left in them sapped.
Sexiest restaurant YYC?
Thanks for all of your suggestions. I haven't decided on a place yet but will certainly report back wherever we do experience. While 'sexy' is subjective, of course, I would think most people would agree that a venue conducive to conversation, with not too harsh lighting, Buddha-Bar-ish tunes, martinis, friendly but charming servers, and delectable nibbles is!
Sexiest restaurant YYC?
Hello,
Heading to Calgary for a "fancy dress" party this weekend with a bunch of friends and wondering where the sexiest restaurant downtown would be! Meaning, dim lighting, not too heavy menu, chill music, extensive wine/drinks list, and all-in-all fun vibe. Sushi is good, some spice is good, tapas maybe?
Cheers!
I don't bake because?
I don't bake because it's only hubby and me at home and most of the results would likely go to waste - particularly since neither of us are that big on sweets. That said, this time of year, there is nothing better than warm apple pie in which we will indulge. Fortunately Grammy passed down a killer crust recipe. :)
YEG Simple Poll. The war of the restos...
I have a Birthday dinner coming up and am split between Culina and Corso 32. I recently dined at Culina Millcreek and both my dining companion and I loved our meals, so I would go back in a heartbeat. But I have heard such great things about Corso 32... What are the portion sizes like at Corso?
Then I have another dinner with a larger group coming up soon (guests have fairly healthy appetites)... Hardware Grill vs. Wildflower.
Finally, for decent schnitzel - Bauernschmaus vs. Bistro Praha?
Thanks PrairieHounds!
-----
Culina Millcreek
9914-89 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 2S7, CA
Pancakes and waffles - how do you top them?
spazita - I'm from NB - maybe it's a maritime thing to enjoy the molasses!!
Pancakes and waffles - how do you top them?
No one has mentioned molasses! While not my 'favourite' topping, I do get a craving for it occasionally. Otherwise, I like stewed fruit or berries, or just maple syrup.
Alternatively, in the summer, plain pancakes with butter and a side of freshly caught fried trout - hooo boy!! :) :) yum.
Von's in Edmonton
Well, we went (10 of us) and had a very nice night! In the reviews I had read prior to going, most concerns expressed by patrons were with regards to rude staff but we actually had a very nice gent serving our table. We didn't have any weird requests and were all easy-going guests, so his job wasn't all that hard, and the restaurant didn't seem particularly busy, but still, all our dishes arrived at the same time, we all received what we had ordered, and he was friendly.
The special was had by 4 of the fellows - back ribs and bison baked beans. They all licked their plates - okay not the plates, but certainly their fingers. My ahi tuna steak was perfectly prepared, the risotto was nothing to write home about though, nor the meager side veggies, but whatever. The price wasn't that unreasonable. ($37 for the special, $31 for the tuna). Other dishes were steaks (duh), the chicken stuffed with, I believe, blueberries and goat cheese (looked good). As far as presentation goes, every dish had a rosemary sprig in it, which I guess was their attempt to look "fancy", but seemed kind of silly in every dish - fish - chicken - meat.
The desserts all looked great too - no "light" options though unfortunately. I'm not a big dessert person but a nice fruit pie would have hit the spot. As it was, one guest ordered the marshmallow creme brulee with ginger snap (seemed to enjoy it but had a hard time finishing - maybe too big a portion for such a sweet dish). The red velvet cake "pops" were good (I sampled) - not as sweet as would have been expected and kind of "fudgey" in texture. Someone else had the deep fried bread pudding and, again, finished it, so I'm assuming she enjoyed it. :)
All in all, a nice night out. Not sure that I would go rushing back, but I couldn't find any faults.
Von's in Edmonton
Hounds, I've heard mixed reviews of Von's but am going there for a celebratory dinner with friends tomorrow, organized by the person of honour. I am leaning towards a fish dish but wanted to check with informed minds as to how they are with their seafood versus their steaks? Any tried and true dishes? Are oysters in season now?
Thank you!
Have you ever sent back scrambled eggs?
I always feel so bad for staff who work a diner morning shift. They work so hard - often to customers simply ordering coffee and expecting umpteen refills - and the prices tend to be cheaper, so tips tend to be smaller. God, what a tough gig!!
African Safari Restaurant - Edmonton
Does anyone have any feedback to share about this restaurant? I have heard that the portions are very generous and reasonably priced - I'm not too familiar with African food, save for Moroccan, can anyone share insight into what I can expect?
Also, what's camel like? :)
Thank you!
Kabuki Sushi & Grill
Friends want to go here later this week for a sushi fix. I haven't read a single stellar review, or even a mainly-positive one since reading up on the place; how do I politely suggest we stick to ol' reliable? (Kyoto downtown for me). Does Kabuki have bento boxes?
Looking for Great Thai Food (Edmonton)
May I ask what is the Edmonton Foodie Meetup Group? Interesting!
To the question at hand - please not The King and I :o( I've had nothing but bad experiences there. I'm partial to Saigon Paradise on 137 Ave and 97 Street. It's delicious, has cheesie decor, and is family-owned. They also do Vietnamese.
Weird location in a strip mall, but I dig it. :)
Bon Appetit & Paltrow
I just really, really can't stomach Gwyneth Paltrow. And, someone else said it well above that the editor really almost kowtows around her - the overly flowerly language used to describe her, the pompous posturing in the kitchen photos, etc. Give me a break.
Bon Appetit & Paltrow
This is hilarious. I completely agree. I let my magazine sit in my mailbox for a good five days because I didn't even feel like opening it. Mehh.
Vegan coming to Edmonton
Check out The Blue Plate Diner www.blueplatediner.ca which is downtown. They have some nice vegan options.
-----
Blue Plate Diner
10145 - 104 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 0Z9, CA
