Meat – June 13, 2015

8216-104 Street (587)–520-6338
Angela’s Selection
Go figure… The yogi amongst us picked the place called Meat. Upon entering, the restaurant definitely had a cafeteria feel. The tables were a light wood colour and there were so many of them! It was also noisy like a cafeteria. Every day, Meat smokes over 700 lbs of meat. In their words, when they are out, they are out. In terms of food, there were no appetizers. Food was served family-style (share and share alike). To simplify matters, we ignored the sandwiches and ordered a platter of assorted meats: beef brisket, pulled pork, BBQ ribs, smoked apple-glazed chicken, fried chicken and Andouille sausage. Complementing the meats, there were four house-made sauces: cherry, spicy, bourbon and mustard. We wanted to fill every square inch of the table with food so we ordered several sides as well: Brussel sprouts, coleslaw, mac and cheese, garlic fries and the largest pickles one dollar could buy. Now that the table is set, each person had their own strategy for eating. Bree’s was fast and furious (inspiring us all to go into attack mode). Fighting her anxiety, Ang tried to keep it slow and steady so she wouldn’t overdo it. She says she has had problems with buffets in the past. Dave was a stacker. Every morsel of meat had to be accompanied by a slice of pickle, a garlic fry or two, a little mac and cheese… you get the idea. As an invited guest, Graeme just did as he was told. There wasn’t a dry piece of meat on the table. The sides weren’t exceptional but then again, the restaurant’s name isn’t Side Dishes, is it? The desserts we ordered were peach cobbler, pecan pie and bourbon banana parfait. They were all delicious but that BB parfait was outstanding!!! Full bellies and full hearts were shared by all. After a seven month hiatus, this dinner club will be remembered for reconnecting as much as for sharing an enjoyable meal.

The Parlour – November 28, 2014

10334-108 Street (780)-990-0404
Dave’s Selection 

The sign and outdoor fireplace stoked our imaginations but the Parlour’s interior failed to live up to its namesake. Once inside, the ceiling was vaulted enough to accommodate a loft. The main level featured a wood-fired pizza oven. Otherwise, the tall tables and open bar felt more like a lounge than a parlour. Maybe if we had ventured up to the second level, we would have enjoyed the atmosphere a little more. The appetizers, on the other hand, were fantabulous. Bree: carpaccio, Dave: meatballs, Angela: cauliflower fritto… delicious, scrumptious, delectable… these appetizers alone were worth visiting the Parlour again and again. So too was the wine. The Sandhill Pinot Gris went down so smooth a second bottle was ordered. Now to describe the main course. Bree’s excitement for the signature Parlour pizzas was quickly cooled by the Gamberi which sucked royally (in her exact words). Dave dove into the spaghettini and meatballs. This variation on a classic dish was okay but definitely not memorable. Angela was pumped to be in an Italian eatery so she ordered the lemon prawn linguine. There was a lot of pasta but not a lot of flavour. All in all, the entrees were a bit of a let down. In no particular order, the desserts were the lemon tart, the chocolate torta and a coconut/mango gelato. Of the three, the gelato was the best but you can’t go wrong with Pinocchio. Time to wrap it up! Although this wasn't the best Dinner Club experience, getting together before the holidays was just what we all needed.