9602 Whyte Avenue 780-432-0480
Dave's Selection
Despite being called The Unheard Of, this popular restaurant is actually celebrating its thirty-year anniversary. What stood out about The Unheard Of was its Victorian decor. As soon as we walked through the door we saw various royal portraits and Victorian Christmas decorations on the walls. For $70 we were each given an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Even with this offer, we think this was our most expensive Dinner Club restaurant to date. Then again, that might also be because of the $60 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407. For appetizers, Ang enjoyed a refreshing choice of swordfish abd Ahi tuna in coconut sausomeness. Bree started her seafood kick with a seafood bisque. Dave chose a pear and brie salad with a scattering of cranberries. Angela's entree was a bison two ways served medium rare. In case you were wondering, the first way was a bison dumpling in consume while the second way was a bison steak. Bree had The Unheard Of seafood medley which consisted of lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, risotto and lemon chili sauce. Dave dived into three peppercorn lamb. Okay, let's talk dessert. A small fight broke out at this moment. Angela fell asleep at the wheel and so she got the last pick. Bree bullied the rest of us so she took the turtle tart which she loved more than life itself. Angela settled for the sauvignon blank poached pear which again was refreshing (which means disappointing). Dave tucked into the white chocolate cranberry cheesecake which was yummy thank you very much! Our waiter, Bridon, (not Bobert but nice guess Bree) opened up as the night progressed. He even called us a tricycle (Dave calls being the front wheel). It was good to sneak in a Dinner Club before everyone went their separate ways for the holidays.
Sabor Divino - September 17, 2010
10220-103 St. #109 780-757-1114
Bree's Selection
We each had a different aspect of the decor that we liked. Ang loved the timber. Bree liked the piano in the middle of the room. The wrought iron decorations on the wall caught Dave's eye. Also, on each timber beam there was a glass lantern that housed a speaker. Admittedly it took us a while to figure out what they were. Yet again, Ang brought a plus one with a healthy appetite: Graeme. Funny how Ang has chalked up three while Dave has yet to have one. Ouch. Our appetizers included broiled egg plant, mussels and spicy Italian sausages. Thumbs up all around. There was sangria on the menu so Graeme and the ladies went bobbing for fruit as usual. For an entree Ang dived into a plate of black spaghetti - we found out that the black comes from the ink of an octopus. Bree had probably the best pork she ate in her life (and clams). Graeme needed a steak so he got a steak. No back flips for the steak. Dave chose his dish solely on its name: Deuling Wild Boar. It tasted a bit like chili but didn't live up to expectations. There were two songs' worth of entertainment performed by a guitarist and a songster crooning into an old-school microphone. It was great but just didn't last. (That's what she said). The singer sang Happy Birthday to a woman at the table behind ours. In keeping with Dinner Club rules, we sent over the dessert sampler which included creme brule, mousse, cheese cake and tiramisu. It looked so good that we ordered it too. It was perfect for our group of four. We enjoyed the food, our time together and the entertainment but Ang and Bree wanted the wine to be more accessible... the waiter kept the bottle at the bar. Hopefully it's not another three months until the next time!
Bree's Selection
We each had a different aspect of the decor that we liked. Ang loved the timber. Bree liked the piano in the middle of the room. The wrought iron decorations on the wall caught Dave's eye. Also, on each timber beam there was a glass lantern that housed a speaker. Admittedly it took us a while to figure out what they were. Yet again, Ang brought a plus one with a healthy appetite: Graeme. Funny how Ang has chalked up three while Dave has yet to have one. Ouch. Our appetizers included broiled egg plant, mussels and spicy Italian sausages. Thumbs up all around. There was sangria on the menu so Graeme and the ladies went bobbing for fruit as usual. For an entree Ang dived into a plate of black spaghetti - we found out that the black comes from the ink of an octopus. Bree had probably the best pork she ate in her life (and clams). Graeme needed a steak so he got a steak. No back flips for the steak. Dave chose his dish solely on its name: Deuling Wild Boar. It tasted a bit like chili but didn't live up to expectations. There were two songs' worth of entertainment performed by a guitarist and a songster crooning into an old-school microphone. It was great but just didn't last. (That's what she said). The singer sang Happy Birthday to a woman at the table behind ours. In keeping with Dinner Club rules, we sent over the dessert sampler which included creme brule, mousse, cheese cake and tiramisu. It looked so good that we ordered it too. It was perfect for our group of four. We enjoyed the food, our time together and the entertainment but Ang and Bree wanted the wine to be more accessible... the waiter kept the bottle at the bar. Hopefully it's not another three months until the next time!
The Red Ox Inn - June 20, 2010
9420-91St. 780-465-5727
Ang's Pick
This was the smallest Dinner Club restaurant on record. It had only nine tables. It had a very simple decor with nothing on the walls. Before we go any further, we had a visiting member. Carol Zawada (aka. Morley) was Angela Zawada's plus one. In other words, she was Zawada's Zawada. As simple as the restaurant was, the server's demeanor elevated it to a more formal atmosphere. For appetizers we had, get this, Green Eggs and Ham, shrimp and dumplings (which were not sausome) and spinach beat salad with candied pecans. The Zawada's (being Polish) thought that there should have been more beats. For the main course, Dave had a little lamb, Bree had pork (417 calories... she is on this calorie counting kick), Ang had halibut and we are saving the best for last. Carol selected the special: the jerk snapper, and ohhh snap, it was good! It was coated in jerk seasoning... just the right amount of spice. The pesto cooled it off. It was served with rice and beans as well as a sprout salad. It was voted the best of the four dishes. The bottle of wine that accompanied the meal was Pinto Final Malbec. All three ladies gave it a woop woop (in case you don't know, woop woop is a good thing). Then it was time for dessert. Ang vetoed the cheese plate so that left us with four out of the five available choices. This caused a bit of a quandary because we would have to order the bread pudding. No one looked forward to it. Here are the four desserts: Bread pudding (#1 in appearance but #3 in taste), chocolate cake (least liked on all counts), pecan pie with really cool whip cream (#3 in looks #2 in taste) and lemon tart (#2 in looks #1 in taste... props to Zawada C. It was when Ang made her ritual trip to the bathroom we learned she would make a lousy interior decorator. She clearly grew up on the farm because she was in love with the barn theme therein. She was the only one. As the night drew to a close, we realized we didn't yet know the server's name so we made a game of guessing. Dave guessed Cyril. Carol guessed Allan. Angela made two guesses because she is special: Jeremy and Theo. Bree guessed Bobert. His actual name? It was Ramone. We were all wrong. He laughed at our silly game and said Theo was his favourite. We made his week. Just the right portion of food + great service + good company = another successful Dinner Club. Oh yeah, and Carol can come back next time she is in town.
Ang's Pick
This was the smallest Dinner Club restaurant on record. It had only nine tables. It had a very simple decor with nothing on the walls. Before we go any further, we had a visiting member. Carol Zawada (aka. Morley) was Angela Zawada's plus one. In other words, she was Zawada's Zawada. As simple as the restaurant was, the server's demeanor elevated it to a more formal atmosphere. For appetizers we had, get this, Green Eggs and Ham, shrimp and dumplings (which were not sausome) and spinach beat salad with candied pecans. The Zawada's (being Polish) thought that there should have been more beats. For the main course, Dave had a little lamb, Bree had pork (417 calories... she is on this calorie counting kick), Ang had halibut and we are saving the best for last. Carol selected the special: the jerk snapper, and ohhh snap, it was good! It was coated in jerk seasoning... just the right amount of spice. The pesto cooled it off. It was served with rice and beans as well as a sprout salad. It was voted the best of the four dishes. The bottle of wine that accompanied the meal was Pinto Final Malbec. All three ladies gave it a woop woop (in case you don't know, woop woop is a good thing). Then it was time for dessert. Ang vetoed the cheese plate so that left us with four out of the five available choices. This caused a bit of a quandary because we would have to order the bread pudding. No one looked forward to it. Here are the four desserts: Bread pudding (#1 in appearance but #3 in taste), chocolate cake (least liked on all counts), pecan pie with really cool whip cream (#3 in looks #2 in taste) and lemon tart (#2 in looks #1 in taste... props to Zawada C. It was when Ang made her ritual trip to the bathroom we learned she would make a lousy interior decorator. She clearly grew up on the farm because she was in love with the barn theme therein. She was the only one. As the night drew to a close, we realized we didn't yet know the server's name so we made a game of guessing. Dave guessed Cyril. Carol guessed Allan. Angela made two guesses because she is special: Jeremy and Theo. Bree guessed Bobert. His actual name? It was Ramone. We were all wrong. He laughed at our silly game and said Theo was his favourite. We made his week. Just the right portion of food + great service + good company = another successful Dinner Club. Oh yeah, and Carol can come back next time she is in town.
Violino - May 1, 2010
10133-125 St. Edmonton. 780-757-8701
Dave's Pick.
Tonight's special guest appearance... drum roll please... Michael Reid (Bree's beau). Violino is situated in a large but cute house just off 124th street. We were greeted enthusiastically by our waiter Leon who told us we could call him Peter if we didn't like anything. The tables were quite close together so we were blessed with the opportunity to overhear the conversation of a snooty family seated near us. We learned all about their various methods of preparing meat and the ins and outs of writing a resume. Way to go snooty family! The appetizers we shared included: prosciutto marinara, fonduta al formaggio and classico caprese. Ang and Bree enjoyed all of them while Mike and Dave were much pickier. Both didn't like the vegetables and surprise surprise... Dave wouldn't touch the seafood. Now time for the main course. Bree had the tiger striped (rawr) agnolotti with lobster. Mike had costina di manzo brasato with lobster on the side. Angela tucked into butternut squash risotto. When Dave's pasticcio di pollo alla crema arrived it drew many oohs and ahs because the pasta was brought to the table inside of a hollowed out wheel of cheese. Even the snooty family was looking on enviously. Dessert time: This is when Leon became Peter because the kitchen wouldn't make the special peanut butter dessert for Bree because it was only to be served with a certain dinner. Fine Peter fine! We did end up ordering almost every dessert available: peach cobbler, espresso tiramisu and the chef's sampler for two. We skipped the gelatto because they were out of mango... sacrilege! No visit to a restaurant would be complete without a trip to the washrooms which were located upstairs. The upstairs also hosts parties and larger functions by reservation only. As we all sit down to write this, and after a strenuous evaluation process, we have come to the conclusion that "Brother Reid" will be allowed back for future Dinner Club outings. Yet again, a great Dinner Club evening!
Dave's Pick.
Tonight's special guest appearance... drum roll please... Michael Reid (Bree's beau). Violino is situated in a large but cute house just off 124th street. We were greeted enthusiastically by our waiter Leon who told us we could call him Peter if we didn't like anything. The tables were quite close together so we were blessed with the opportunity to overhear the conversation of a snooty family seated near us. We learned all about their various methods of preparing meat and the ins and outs of writing a resume. Way to go snooty family! The appetizers we shared included: prosciutto marinara, fonduta al formaggio and classico caprese. Ang and Bree enjoyed all of them while Mike and Dave were much pickier. Both didn't like the vegetables and surprise surprise... Dave wouldn't touch the seafood. Now time for the main course. Bree had the tiger striped (rawr) agnolotti with lobster. Mike had costina di manzo brasato with lobster on the side. Angela tucked into butternut squash risotto. When Dave's pasticcio di pollo alla crema arrived it drew many oohs and ahs because the pasta was brought to the table inside of a hollowed out wheel of cheese. Even the snooty family was looking on enviously. Dessert time: This is when Leon became Peter because the kitchen wouldn't make the special peanut butter dessert for Bree because it was only to be served with a certain dinner. Fine Peter fine! We did end up ordering almost every dessert available: peach cobbler, espresso tiramisu and the chef's sampler for two. We skipped the gelatto because they were out of mango... sacrilege! No visit to a restaurant would be complete without a trip to the washrooms which were located upstairs. The upstairs also hosts parties and larger functions by reservation only. As we all sit down to write this, and after a strenuous evaluation process, we have come to the conclusion that "Brother Reid" will be allowed back for future Dinner Club outings. Yet again, a great Dinner Club evening!
Allegro - January 10, 2010
10011-109 st. Edmonton. 780-424-6644.
Bree's Selection.
This restaurant was not Bree's first, second or even third pick, however, sometimes availability helps to make decisions for you. Allegro is a small Italian restaurant located downtown. The decor was worth mentioning. There were multiple clocks on the wall and many mirrors. The curtains were colourful and the toilet paper was extra soft. Okay, that is not exactly decor but Ang said it was pretty much the main event. The words of the night were: Spice it up! We shared two appetizers: mussels and clams in a white wine sauce as well as cheese wrapped in prosciutto. Of the two women, Bree proved to be a clam cracking machine. For the main course, Ang had fettucini with salmon in white wine rose sauce and broccolini. Bree had zitte con pollo... sounds funny but she liked it. What can I say? Both of the ladies asked the waitress to SPICE IT UP! Dave had penne a gello. Yup. He did. Dessert time. The mango gellato tasted like soap so Ang took a pass on it. Bree had pecan caramel cheesecake with extra caramel that never arrived. Sniff sniff. Dave had to defend his lemon cheese cake from certain vultures! It was so good! Another Dinner Club tradition was upheld when we shut the place down.
Bree's Selection.
This restaurant was not Bree's first, second or even third pick, however, sometimes availability helps to make decisions for you. Allegro is a small Italian restaurant located downtown. The decor was worth mentioning. There were multiple clocks on the wall and many mirrors. The curtains were colourful and the toilet paper was extra soft. Okay, that is not exactly decor but Ang said it was pretty much the main event. The words of the night were: Spice it up! We shared two appetizers: mussels and clams in a white wine sauce as well as cheese wrapped in prosciutto. Of the two women, Bree proved to be a clam cracking machine. For the main course, Ang had fettucini with salmon in white wine rose sauce and broccolini. Bree had zitte con pollo... sounds funny but she liked it. What can I say? Both of the ladies asked the waitress to SPICE IT UP! Dave had penne a gello. Yup. He did. Dessert time. The mango gellato tasted like soap so Ang took a pass on it. Bree had pecan caramel cheesecake with extra caramel that never arrived. Sniff sniff. Dave had to defend his lemon cheese cake from certain vultures! It was so good! Another Dinner Club tradition was upheld when we shut the place down.
Langano Skies - October 18, 2009
9920 Whyte Avenue. Edmonton. 780-432-3334
Ang's Selection
After much too long of a break dinner club has resumed. Ang must have wanted to eat with her fingers because she selected a fine Ethiopian restaurant. In terms of decor, there was a drop ceiling painted to resemble the African sky. In the centre of the tables there were hand-woven baskets that housed the food once it arrived. We ordered two appetizers, the second of which was ridicuously fantastic. We now know the answer to the question: how much garlic can one dish hold? It blended garlic and jalapeno for a potent taste that left Ang and Bree brushing their teeth obsessively for days. For the main course we each ordered a different dish that we shared. They were kategna, doro tibs and yemisir kik wot. For dessert the traditional Ethiopian one wasn't available so we ordered a cheese cake, an apple crisp and a brownie. Nothing special. We did, however, pay for someone's birthday cake when we heard the singing (chalk another one up for our tradition). Bree (whose name is made up of the letters that spell beer) sampled a few beer from around the world. Her favourites were a beer from Kenya and one from Belgium. The Belgian one tasted like Dr. Pepper. It was a great choice Ang. Peace out.
Ang's Selection
After much too long of a break dinner club has resumed. Ang must have wanted to eat with her fingers because she selected a fine Ethiopian restaurant. In terms of decor, there was a drop ceiling painted to resemble the African sky. In the centre of the tables there were hand-woven baskets that housed the food once it arrived. We ordered two appetizers, the second of which was ridicuously fantastic. We now know the answer to the question: how much garlic can one dish hold? It blended garlic and jalapeno for a potent taste that left Ang and Bree brushing their teeth obsessively for days. For the main course we each ordered a different dish that we shared. They were kategna, doro tibs and yemisir kik wot. For dessert the traditional Ethiopian one wasn't available so we ordered a cheese cake, an apple crisp and a brownie. Nothing special. We did, however, pay for someone's birthday cake when we heard the singing (chalk another one up for our tradition). Bree (whose name is made up of the letters that spell beer) sampled a few beer from around the world. Her favourites were a beer from Kenya and one from Belgium. The Belgian one tasted like Dr. Pepper. It was a great choice Ang. Peace out.
Edmonton Queen - July 12, 2009
9734-98 ave. Rafter's Landing. Edmonton. 780-424-BOAT.
Dave's Selection.
For the first time ever Bree's keen skills managed to guess the location ahead of time. So to make it a very summery occasion the ladies conspired to shop at Winners ahead of time in order to buy big, floppy hats. We boarded and then Ang and Bree went straight to the bar to order their bottle of wine. Then we headed downstairs to what seemed an awful lot like a wedding reception. The food was buffet style and unlucky us, our table was one of the last ones selected to get up and eat. The food was roast beef, salads, a fish option, bread and butter, pickles... a typical buffet. The desserts were once again like a typical wedding: squares, cheese cake, etc... The food was average. Nothing really stood out. After supper we ventured to the upper deck to enjoy the boat touring the North Saskatchewan River , first East and then West. We played a mean game of "Name That Floatie": shoe, beer bottle, and Dave and Bree fought over the difference between a log and a stick. For the record, Ang agreed with Dave. All in all, the boating experience mattered more than the food. One more thing: when dining on a boat you cannot dine and dash but you can dine and splash.
Dave's Selection.
For the first time ever Bree's keen skills managed to guess the location ahead of time. So to make it a very summery occasion the ladies conspired to shop at Winners ahead of time in order to buy big, floppy hats. We boarded and then Ang and Bree went straight to the bar to order their bottle of wine. Then we headed downstairs to what seemed an awful lot like a wedding reception. The food was buffet style and unlucky us, our table was one of the last ones selected to get up and eat. The food was roast beef, salads, a fish option, bread and butter, pickles... a typical buffet. The desserts were once again like a typical wedding: squares, cheese cake, etc... The food was average. Nothing really stood out. After supper we ventured to the upper deck to enjoy the boat touring the North Saskatchewan River , first East and then West. We played a mean game of "Name That Floatie": shoe, beer bottle, and Dave and Bree fought over the difference between a log and a stick. For the record, Ang agreed with Dave. All in all, the boating experience mattered more than the food. One more thing: when dining on a boat you cannot dine and dash but you can dine and splash.
Boualong Laos & Thai Cuisine - Date???
10669-97 st. Edmonton. 780-423-4207
Bree's Selection
It was a very impromptu decision! At the last minute we decided that we needed a Dinner Club and Bree obliged by busting out her next choice. It was recommended by two people but unbeknownst to Bree, it had since changed locations and this had a significant impact on our experience. It didn't help that Bree and Ang were massively HANGRY and there was only one server for the whole place. This problem could have been medicated easily except they didn't even have a liquor license so no wine for the ladies! However, all was forgiven when the food arrived because it was piping hot and amazing. For appetizers we had pineapple shrimp (Dave even ate some) and spring rolls. We had drunken noodles and pad thai. We had curried chicken and some kind of beef dish. We all agreed that the curry was by far the best. For dessert we had delicious mango and not so delicious egg custard. Well, Matt liked it but only he did. Conversation ranged from old school wrestlers to cat's are cheap (catch a sheep according to Ang) and Ang's insistance that the toilet's lid makes a great back rest. It is definitely a restaurant worth revisiting in six months once it is more established.
Bree's Selection
It was a very impromptu decision! At the last minute we decided that we needed a Dinner Club and Bree obliged by busting out her next choice. It was recommended by two people but unbeknownst to Bree, it had since changed locations and this had a significant impact on our experience. It didn't help that Bree and Ang were massively HANGRY and there was only one server for the whole place. This problem could have been medicated easily except they didn't even have a liquor license so no wine for the ladies! However, all was forgiven when the food arrived because it was piping hot and amazing. For appetizers we had pineapple shrimp (Dave even ate some) and spring rolls. We had drunken noodles and pad thai. We had curried chicken and some kind of beef dish. We all agreed that the curry was by far the best. For dessert we had delicious mango and not so delicious egg custard. Well, Matt liked it but only he did. Conversation ranged from old school wrestlers to cat's are cheap (catch a sheep according to Ang) and Ang's insistance that the toilet's lid makes a great back rest. It is definitely a restaurant worth revisiting in six months once it is more established.
River House Grill - April 18, 2009
8 Mission Ave. St. Albert. 780-458-2232
Ang's Selection
For the first time we had to arrive in separate cars but what made it fun was that Ang texted Bree and Dave with step by step directions. It was like a treasure hunt. The building itself looked like a castle from the outside, and a river ran alongside it (hence the name). Once inside it was separated into two different sides. We were seated on the left side. The right side was a converted scotch bar. Looking at the menu we immediately noticed the crazy long names for all of the dishes. In each name they clearly tried to describe all of the ingredients as well. Our waitress was just lovely. However, we thought she might have a wild streak. This is why Ang and Bree nicknamed her the naughty school teacher. For appetizers they had a limited selection. Dave ordered an elk sausage and saskatoon berry salad. Bree and Ang shared a sambucca shrimp salad. Now for the main course: Bree ordered the carmelized chicken breast. Angela had the Jack Daniels striploin. Matt had the deep water Arctic Char. Dave had the rubbed down chicken pasta in mushroom sauce. All the food was organic and bought at the local farmer's market. As usual desserts were a must. We ordered four out of the five desserts on the menu and our super waitress was kind enough to give us the fifth one for free. Our desserts were as follows: creme brule, saskatoon berry cheesecake, cinnamon berry crisp, mocca ice cream and raspberry sorbet. During dessert we noticed a couple seated near us was celebrating the woman's birthday. Ang came up with a cool new Dinner Club rule: if someone at another table is celebrating a special occasion, we will send over a drink for them or buy their dessert. We got them a glass of port. The woman was totally grateful. It was an amazing evening. Thanks Ang.
Ang's Selection
For the first time we had to arrive in separate cars but what made it fun was that Ang texted Bree and Dave with step by step directions. It was like a treasure hunt. The building itself looked like a castle from the outside, and a river ran alongside it (hence the name). Once inside it was separated into two different sides. We were seated on the left side. The right side was a converted scotch bar. Looking at the menu we immediately noticed the crazy long names for all of the dishes. In each name they clearly tried to describe all of the ingredients as well. Our waitress was just lovely. However, we thought she might have a wild streak. This is why Ang and Bree nicknamed her the naughty school teacher. For appetizers they had a limited selection. Dave ordered an elk sausage and saskatoon berry salad. Bree and Ang shared a sambucca shrimp salad. Now for the main course: Bree ordered the carmelized chicken breast. Angela had the Jack Daniels striploin. Matt had the deep water Arctic Char. Dave had the rubbed down chicken pasta in mushroom sauce. All the food was organic and bought at the local farmer's market. As usual desserts were a must. We ordered four out of the five desserts on the menu and our super waitress was kind enough to give us the fifth one for free. Our desserts were as follows: creme brule, saskatoon berry cheesecake, cinnamon berry crisp, mocca ice cream and raspberry sorbet. During dessert we noticed a couple seated near us was celebrating the woman's birthday. Ang came up with a cool new Dinner Club rule: if someone at another table is celebrating a special occasion, we will send over a drink for them or buy their dessert. We got them a glass of port. The woman was totally grateful. It was an amazing evening. Thanks Ang.
Skinny Legs and Cowgirls Bistro (Organic!) - March 14, 2009
9008- Jasper Ave. 780-423-4107
Dave's Selection
The name says it all - the owner herself came to our table to explain that the restaurant was named after a mash-up of novel titles by her favourite author, Tom Robbins. We had a guest (Matt) with us for this Dinner Club. Upon stepping through the door, the first thing one sees is orange everywhere: orange drapery separates sections in the small restaurant. All told, Skinny Legs seats twenty-six people. Reservations are a must. This food was freaking tasty. We began with a thin crust pizza. Ask the waiter what's on it and he'll tell you, "Whatever is in the kitchen." All the food was sharzies. We had mixed veggies, chicken something, potatoes (with peanuts) in cream, feta and chili sauce (sauce + awesome = sausome), chirozo sausage... unbelievable! We just about licked the plates clean. That's how sausome it was. Once again, the girls had their sangrias! We ordered all four desserts that they serve: pine nut crust of goodness, creme brule, banana cream in a martini glass and pear crisp. The owner loved us so much she brought four shots of ice wine. The quote that begins this blog comes from the bathroom in this fine restaurant. Thanks Ang for going into the bathroom to photograph it for us with your cell phone cam.
Dave's Selection
The name says it all - the owner herself came to our table to explain that the restaurant was named after a mash-up of novel titles by her favourite author, Tom Robbins. We had a guest (Matt) with us for this Dinner Club. Upon stepping through the door, the first thing one sees is orange everywhere: orange drapery separates sections in the small restaurant. All told, Skinny Legs seats twenty-six people. Reservations are a must. This food was freaking tasty. We began with a thin crust pizza. Ask the waiter what's on it and he'll tell you, "Whatever is in the kitchen." All the food was sharzies. We had mixed veggies, chicken something, potatoes (with peanuts) in cream, feta and chili sauce (sauce + awesome = sausome), chirozo sausage... unbelievable! We just about licked the plates clean. That's how sausome it was. Once again, the girls had their sangrias! We ordered all four desserts that they serve: pine nut crust of goodness, creme brule, banana cream in a martini glass and pear crisp. The owner loved us so much she brought four shots of ice wine. The quote that begins this blog comes from the bathroom in this fine restaurant. Thanks Ang for going into the bathroom to photograph it for us with your cell phone cam.
Blue Chair Cafe - February 28, 2009
9624-76 ave. Edmonton. 780-989-2861
Bree's Selection
"Shut up and listen." Random... Menus on the back of old record jackets. The world's smallest stool. Flea market lighting. The most formal waiter ever. Photographs on the wall. And of course: blue chairs. Their signature dish was pad thai which both Bree and Ang indulged in. Dave had the chicken mole with a chocolate and chili sauce. For appetizers we all shared humus (jalapeno, red pepper and garlic) and mushroom cheese bruschetta. And now for the desserts: Dave had a peach and apple cobbler. Ang and Bree had an enormous, soft, homemade chocolate chip cookie with ice cream and chocolate sauce on it. But the best was yet to come. Blue Chair Cafe is much more than just a restaurant; it also provides live Blues music. We soaked it in for almost four and a half hours. The Blues trio consisted of the guitarist, a mandolin player and a big mouthed storyteller/harmonica man. They played old classics like Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and others by Otis Redding. It was enchanted. We were so inspired that we gave each other Blues names: Dave = Delta Dave (aka Turnpike), Bree = Tallwater Breeze, and Ang = Molasses Z. The musicians themselves approved when Ang told them. They even contributed by renaming Dave. Great pick, Bree.
Bree's Selection
"Shut up and listen." Random... Menus on the back of old record jackets. The world's smallest stool. Flea market lighting. The most formal waiter ever. Photographs on the wall. And of course: blue chairs. Their signature dish was pad thai which both Bree and Ang indulged in. Dave had the chicken mole with a chocolate and chili sauce. For appetizers we all shared humus (jalapeno, red pepper and garlic) and mushroom cheese bruschetta. And now for the desserts: Dave had a peach and apple cobbler. Ang and Bree had an enormous, soft, homemade chocolate chip cookie with ice cream and chocolate sauce on it. But the best was yet to come. Blue Chair Cafe is much more than just a restaurant; it also provides live Blues music. We soaked it in for almost four and a half hours. The Blues trio consisted of the guitarist, a mandolin player and a big mouthed storyteller/harmonica man. They played old classics like Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and others by Otis Redding. It was enchanted. We were so inspired that we gave each other Blues names: Dave = Delta Dave (aka Turnpike), Bree = Tallwater Breeze, and Ang = Molasses Z. The musicians themselves approved when Ang told them. They even contributed by renaming Dave. Great pick, Bree.
Louisiana Purchase - January 31st, 2009
10320-111 st. Edmonton. 780-420-6779
Ang's Selection
We ate alligator and we closed the restaurant! What a night. With Mardi Gras masks on the walls and cajun food in our stomachs, we truly felt like we were in the deep South. The menu was flexible in that it allowed us to select half orders of everything so we could try out more food! The service was great but then again when you're the only ones left in the restaurant, that's not difficult to achieve. Because none of the desserts on the menu struck our fancy, we headed to Bree's for Pinocchio ice cream: coconut, mango and lemon. Yum, yum. A good time was had by all. Yeehaw!
Ang's Selection
We ate alligator and we closed the restaurant! What a night. With Mardi Gras masks on the walls and cajun food in our stomachs, we truly felt like we were in the deep South. The menu was flexible in that it allowed us to select half orders of everything so we could try out more food! The service was great but then again when you're the only ones left in the restaurant, that's not difficult to achieve. Because none of the desserts on the menu struck our fancy, we headed to Bree's for Pinocchio ice cream: coconut, mango and lemon. Yum, yum. A good time was had by all. Yeehaw!
Khazana - January 17th, 2009
10177-107 st. Edmonton. 780-702-0330
Dave's Selection
A Tandoori restaurant with remarkable decor. Huge fireplaces, authentic Indian artifacts and copper pots and plates were found throughout. Bree and Dave both had butter chicken while Ang had Tandoori chicken. A word of warning: stay away from the free bread! The servers were all men dressed in traditional Indian suits. For dessert ice cream was the order of the day. On the way out of the door we each dipped into a bowl containing mints that looked more like pot pourri. Note to self: Ang is not allowed to imitate the accents of the native tongue at the restaurants.
Dave's Selection
A Tandoori restaurant with remarkable decor. Huge fireplaces, authentic Indian artifacts and copper pots and plates were found throughout. Bree and Dave both had butter chicken while Ang had Tandoori chicken. A word of warning: stay away from the free bread! The servers were all men dressed in traditional Indian suits. For dessert ice cream was the order of the day. On the way out of the door we each dipped into a bowl containing mints that looked more like pot pourri. Note to self: Ang is not allowed to imitate the accents of the native tongue at the restaurants.
La Tapa - November 29th, 2008
10523-99 Ave. Edmonton. 780-424-8272
Bree's Selection
A small Spanish restaurant located just off Jasper Ave in a quaint house decorated perfectly for the Christmas season with white lights and candles. We shared appetizers: potato allioli, calamari, chicken skewers... and the tradition began: sangria!!! We all enjoyed a cheese cake and creme brule. This great restaurant was to become the first of many for our dinner club. Sadly, it turns out we were there just before the restaurant's closing night. La Tapa closed its doors after ten and a half years of operation in downtown Edmonton. Thanks for the memories, La Tapa!!! Afterwards, we hit the Rivercree Casino.
Bree's Selection
A small Spanish restaurant located just off Jasper Ave in a quaint house decorated perfectly for the Christmas season with white lights and candles. We shared appetizers: potato allioli, calamari, chicken skewers... and the tradition began: sangria!!! We all enjoyed a cheese cake and creme brule. This great restaurant was to become the first of many for our dinner club. Sadly, it turns out we were there just before the restaurant's closing night. La Tapa closed its doors after ten and a half years of operation in downtown Edmonton. Thanks for the memories, La Tapa!!! Afterwards, we hit the Rivercree Casino.
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