Nola Creole Kitchen & Music House – March 31, 2012

11802-124 St. (Two blocks from Dave’s house- so why did he have to drive all the way to the west end to pick the girls up? Damn you rule #8) 780-451-1390
Bree’s selection

Nola’s chill vibe began with a darker atmosphere and a lit stage on the far end. Throughout there was a red and black décor with some accents of note: records on the wall and a display of musical instruments. The only feature that didn’t belong was the VLT machines. Thank goodness they were curtained off from the rest of the space. When we first arrived the place was busy and so it was a distracted waitress who brought us our appetizers. As “tapas” we chose barbequed shrimp, grilled andoulille sausage and smoked tomato and red pepper bisque. Much to Dave’s dismay he had to share his soup with his spoon becoming communal. No food forts at this Dinner Club. The soup was delish (great consistency) but the girls really loved their sausage! The first band felt more like background music so we decided it was time to play guess the waitress’s name! We also decided to make it into another official rule (#10): if a person guesses correctly, the other two will pay for their meal. Minus the alcohol. There are limits to everything. Bree guessed Veronica. Ang guessed Andrea. Dave guessed Cynthia. None of us were right,  but “Crystal” opened up to us from then on. In fact, she challenged us to guess her middle name. She even gave us the hint that it kind of sounds like a stripper name. Bree guessed Sunshine. Ang guessed Panther. And miracle of miracles Dave guessed Rose which was absolutely right! Nevertheless, for the rest of the night she was known as panther. Rawr. Now back to the food: Bree’s main course was alligator jambalaya. It was too dry so she asked for extra sauce and then it was sausome. Dave chose the pork and peaches on a bed of rice which wasn’t very warm. Angela ordered the blackened snap snap snapper. Yes, she did like it. Might have liked a bit more of it actually. To wash down their dinners the girls shared a bottle of White Truck. Pure class. Nothing but the best for the sistas. By this time the second band took the stage. They were okay but the people dancing stole the show. With a leather dress, arms in the air and a lot of “bubbling” going on, the party had really started. When Crystal came by to ask if we wanted dessert, we said, “Yes, one of everything! Except for bread pudding.” She was impressed. Between chocolate mousse, pecan tarts and beignets (fried balls of doughnutty goodness dipped in chocolate sauce), balls won hands down. This entire dinner club is best summed up in three words: panther, sausage and balls.

Vivo Ristorante - January 8, 2012

18348 Lessard Road 780-756-7710
Angela's Selection

Have you ever been to a restaurant where the meals you ate were not your choice? Neither had we until we met Corey, our waiter. Immediately after learning of our Dinner Club mission, he snatched the menus from our hands and asked us to trust him. Despite Angela's initial hesitation (What if he chose only the expensive items on the menu?), we agreed. Sweet surrender. After a brief but heated battle over which plate was designated for the olive oil/balsamic vinegar for our bread (Bree was right. Dave was wrong. Corey brought us new plates), our first appetizer arrived. It was a caesar salad like no other. The big head of lettuce came out on its plate chopped into three sections. They charred it, dressing and all, to bring out the flavour. We loved! And then BAM! Corey uppercuts us with the best part of the meal: the fettucinni! Even without cream in the sauce, the garlic, the buffalo mozzarella, the butter... it melted in our mouths. We had to request a second helping. It was a guilty pleasure indeed. With his next surprise, could Corey equal the amazing fettucinni? Not exactly. It depends on whom you ask. When the brussel sprouts arrived, Angela recoiled in true childhood horror. (If only there was ketchup). Meanwhile Bree laughed at Angela until her childhood nemesis arrived: beats. It was Angela's turn to gloat. Dave... was Switzerland. With the vegetables, we received bistecca, a sizeable medium rare steak. It was tasty but nothing to write home about. Where Vivo somewhat dropped the ball was the limited dessert selection. Because we passed on the cheese platter, we were left with tiramisu and gelato. Not being coffee fans, the tiramisu ranked second to the sour apple, blood orange and lemon flavoured gelato. Throughout the meal we wet our whistles with pellegrinos for Dave and Angela/Bree switched things up by ordering two bottles of a white wine called Blasted Church. Hell never tasted so good. The decor was modern with an open style kitchen where an eager eater could sit watch them cook. So Corey, if you're reading this, it's time for your report card: Bree holds up a 9.5 on her old school score card (Beats, really?). Angela offers 1 and 3/4 thumbs up (Brussel sprouts... no ketchup). Teacher Dave gives an A- (Corey is not a hot female). Vivo is definitely worth a second go.

Padmanadi - November 27, 2011

10740-101 Street 780-428-8899
Dave's Selection

We have decided to title this Dinner Club: "I can't believe it's not..." Padmanadi is a vegetarian/vegan/non-alcoholic Indonesian restaurant. Immediately upon entering, BOOM, there was a huge Buddha to the right and cool wooden chairs that Angela thought resembled the letter A. Bree thought they weren't loungey/comfortable enough. The walls have framed photographs of various employees and the wallpaper became funkier the farther one got into the space. We ordered three appetizers: gado-gado (a tofu salad with peanut sauce), salty chicken* with hot sauce (not real chicken) and roti with curry (a crepe-like bread). The salty chicken was great but Bree especially enjoyed the salad. The restaurant's concept encourages sharing and not only with the appetizers. The three entres we chose to share were ginger beef* (also not meat), spicy string beans, and Indonesian rice with vegetables. Bree liked to call the last dish 'crazy rice'. We're not sure why. Oh well. The food was served very quickly and it was piping hot. The waitress brought us enough water to drown in. In other words, the service was prompt and efficient. We were well fed and well hydrated. The meal was delicious, however, the desserts did not have a wow factor. From the many choices, Bree was quick to pick chocolate lava cake. Angela set her sites on a pineapple cupcake with coconut frosting. Dave made the safe choice and took on a vanilla cheesecake drizzled with berry sauce. The chocolate cake lacked flavour. The cheesecake wasn't dense enough. That leaves the cupcake with the distinction as best dessert. It actually had flavour. Despite the lack of alcohol (Bree couldn't satisfy her beer craving) and the speed of the experience (we were in and out in an hour), we did enjoy a change from the ordinary meats and treats of our previous restaurants. Come to think of it, the time has flown so fast! This is the third year anniversary of Dinner Club. That would make it the longest relationship Dave has had with a woman. Two women actually! Let's hope for many more to come!

Corso 32 - September 9, 2011

10345 Jasper Avenue 780-421-4622

Bree’s Selection

As we approached we could not help but notice Corso 32 was situated below Penthouse Massage. Interesting. Despite holding reservations for 10:00 pm (Corso 32 appears to encourage late night dining) we had to wait twenty minutes to be seated during which time Dave seriously considered ducking upstairs for a quick “massage”. This ten to twelve table restaurant was dimly lit which is why we noticed the cool light fixtures first. There was also an illustration of a pig on the wall with its various sections labeled. Yum? Awkward? A bit of both. We certainly didn’t need to know that prosciutto comes from a pig’s butt. The menu was simple: we started with antipasti. Bree had prosciutto with baked cheese and egg on it. It tasted like breakfast! Angela selected the arugula salad. Dave had pasta stuffed with ricotta and egg yolk on the side which was runny and yucky in his opinion. Of the three, Bree’s was best. Before we move on to the main course, let’s talk about our cold waitress… all business there! We didn’t even bother to learn her name. Ok, back to the food. Bree tucked into gnocchi with wild wild boar. Angela is not nearly vegan so she sucked back half a hen (like a champ) with wicked shaved zucchini/lemon mint sprinkled on top. Dave’s house made ravioli with brown butter and chopped asparagus was delicious. Our three way cage match didn’t decide whose entrée was the best so we’ll give them a tie. There were only three desserts on the menu so we ordered them all. Angela chose the chocolate torta which was super rich but she did enjoy the salty hazelnuts (also like a champ). Bree had vanilla panna cotta with Okanagan fruit. “It was a light, refreshing end to her meal,” says Angela Zawada, Bree’s unofficial spokeswoman. Dave’s dessert won the night. It was morsels of deep fried fluffy batter with a hint of lemoncello in the center of each. So good! The atmosphere was great. The food was superb. But the best part of the evening was the “stimulating” conversation. Sorry non-dinner clubbers, can’t repeat it here. We are pinky sworn to secrecy. Insert elitist laugh here… bah ha ha – ahem.

Pampa: Brazilian Steakhouse - March 19, 2011

9929-109 Street 780-756-7030
Angela's Selection
Meat on a stick: And now for the rest of the story... Pampa is three weeks old and because of Angela's recent trip to Brazil, it was an obvious choice. The restaurant was very open - almost food court style in its layout. At the centre of the space there was a buffet so we didn't need to order appetizers this time around. There was quite an assortment of nutritious foods available. Some stand outs included quinoa, pineapple powdered with cinnamon, mango, and a refreshing apple salad. Bree, however, wasn't the biggest buffet fan. Our waiter, Chris, had an interesting sense of humour. When Dave asked him why all of the meat masters (the servers who bring around meat skewers for sampling) were men, he said it was because women skewer around too much. We told him that he was funny and he said, "I know. I have a Brazilian of them." Ha ha ha. It turns out there are nine varieties of meat on a stick. Our two favourites were the spicy sausage and the garlic encrusted sirloin. We should also mention that on every table each person has a small cardboard circle with green on one side and red on the other. Green means meat please! while red means no more (at least for now). From time to time special treats were brought randomly by the table. Dave went gaga for the cinnamon coated bananas and asked for another one. Chris was kind enough to hook a brother up. It didn't take long to feel full so we ordered desserts while we still could. Bree ordered a coconut custard that she wasn't happy with so the owner of the restaurant came over to suggest an alternative on the house. We were very impressed with the service. Hopefully the next Dinner Club pick will also allow Angela to speak the native tongue of the waiters... Obrigado Pampa!

The Unheard Of - December 19, 2010

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.