Warmin’ up a the Homefire Grill

Homefire Grill
18210 100 Ave NW

Edmonton, Alberta
Daryl Olson, General Manager Glenn Deegan, ManagerBruce Wells, Executive Chef

The Diner

This west Edmonton restaurant is a little off the beaten path; but, you can find it by going to their website and looking at their map. There is a little blurb on their website that explains their ownership; it is aboriginal Canadian owned… see website for details
The restaurant has a dining room area mostly composed of tables or booths for small groups, a lounge area and a room that you can rent for private and large group dining events.
As you walk in you might notice that the décor is done in warm earth tones and a “home fire” burns in the middle of the dining area radiating warmth. The lighting is mostly indirect and overhead pot lights; all the lighting fixtures contain aboriginal designs. Once you sit at a table the overhead lamp does offer enough light for comfortable dining. Colette and I arrived very early and I noticed that the overhead music was very loud for my tastes. As the evening drifted on, though, the music disappeared into the background of the lively conversations.
We were meeting 15 other people there for supper. They sat us at 4 booths on the upper level two booths per side of the aisle. I really did feel like a large group sharing a meal.
Colette and the ladies were quite convinced that one of the owners or managers has a family that dines out often. In the “stall” in the ladies washroom is a regular sized “throne” and a child sized one; it has soft scalloped edges on the seat to make it attractive to the young ones.
The waiter was very attentive to our needs, very friendly and yet sensitive enough to keep his distance at the right times.

The Dinner
The menu includes bannock and maple butter, bison, Saskatoon compote. They had bison in both meatloaf and prime rib.
Our group of 4 people ordered PEI mussels in a creole cream sauce as an appetizer to share. This has to be the second best way to serve mussels. The best way I have ever had was steamed in white wine with gorgonzola cheese. We asked for more bread to soak up the cream sauce.
For the meal we ordered Cajun Arctic Char (a special that night), Seafood Linguini, and two Bison Meatloafs. The Cajun Arctic Char was not too spicy; it was served over a bed of rice with steamed, al dente vegetables. The Seafood Linguini was swimming in seafood. I had rings of squid, shrimps and scallops in a creole cream sauce that tasted like seafood. It had bits of asparagus sprinkled through it for the vegetable balance. The Bison Meatloaf was very dense; not a lot of fillers or fat. It was served with steamed, seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes with gravy. It was topped with a saskatoon berry sauce. I had ordered a side of grilled scallops; they came out still very cold in the middle. I sent them back and they came back perfectly done. A bit steep in price: 3 for $8 (of course the menu doesn’t tell you how many you get for $8).
We didn’t have room for dessert, but some of the rest of the group did. The three desserts ordered, Sweet Potato Cheesecake, Saskatoon Shortbread and a Banana Split, received rave reviews. See the pictures above.

The wine list is extensive and interesting. You can read it on line before you go to see what you would like to drink. They have quite the unusually long list of wines you can buy by the glass (or by the bottle if you wish). We tried the Gewurztraminer from Alsace, the Vina Esmeralda from Spain, and a Malbec from Spain. Each one delivered its own characteristic charm.

The Thanh-Thanh can can satisfy

Thanh-Thanh
Oriental Noodle House
10718 101 Street NW
Edmonton, AB

The Diner

Walking into the Thanh-Thanh, you are struck by how neat and clean the dining area is and how quickly the staff are moving around to serve customers. This restaurant has a quiet environment that invites intimate conversation and excellent service. It is owned and operated by a family that obviously takes great pride in their services and their menu.
Two rooms are separated by a wall of glass with a frosted logo. Above the bar on the back wall is a shrine that includes a very large amethyst geode that has been cut in half lengthwise. A silent slate waterfall adorns one wall. Quiet music is playing overhead and it does not disturb your conversation. There is a seating area with a large aquarium at the back for those waiting in line for a table.
Immediately upon entering you are greeted by a server, asked how many and pointed to the general direction of a table you can choose. When busy, they will direct us to the table they chose. Almost immediately they are there with the menu, glasses of water and a pot of steaming tea. They give us some time to ponder the mouth watering descriptions on the menu. If we are not and the menus are still closed because we have been talking rather than reading, they give us a reasonable distance and wait for us to close the menu. The food comes quickly and is beautifully done.

The Dinner

Colette has been eating here for over 20 years and claims the quality has been consistently excellent. Whether ordering lemongrass meat or seafood dishes, fine quality soups or vermicelli lunch dishes, you will not be disappointed. Their yellow curries are delicious, and seafood always fresh. Try the curried vegetables (see the picture above), the lemongrass chicken, curried beef or chicken with cashews. Did I mention lemongrass? Contact us if you get a crappy meal. We won’t believe you! Oh—and don’t forget the Vietnamese iced coffee.
The portions are reasonable as are the prices. A couple can eat one platter with rice---but you will want to try more and take home the rest for the next day.
This place is one of Colette’s favorites. It is quickly becoming one of David’s, too. We ordered two entrees and rice; with tax and tip it came to $47 CAD.

Viphalay! What can we say...

Viphalay Laos and Thai Restaurant
10724 95 Street Edmonton
www.viphalay.com

The Diner
Just south of little Italy is a great south Asian restaurant that will please your eyes, nose and taste buds. Viphalay (pronounced Vee’fa-lay) is a small family owned restaurant (our favorite kind). It is owned and operated by the Mounma family to “express the pride and passion they have for their food, culture and traditions”. The restaurant is a one room that sits about fifty. It feels welcoming as soon as you walk in.

They have a lunch menu of quick noodle dishes and the dinner menu features traditional foods from Laos and Thailand. This year they added two chefs from Thailand to their team. The cuisine of Laos and Thailand is based on the concept of harmony and balance. A meal will be served all at once so that the complimentary combinations, flavors and textures can be experienced. They seem to match each other in fragrance and flavor. A typically Thai place setting is a plate, a fork and a large spoon. The menu comes in plastic sleeves as they are trying up different recipes.

The Dinner
We have enjoyed this restaurant on more than one occasion and the service is prompt, warm and friendly. The menu features appetizers, soups, noodle dishes, curries, stir fries, seafood dishes, rices and desserts. A few items we have tried and enjoyed:
Stuffed Tofu: Tofu stuffed with minced mushrooms, fish and bamboo—beautifully plated and delicious.
Gaeng Kah Gai or Coconut Soup: this fragrant soup features a kaffir lime leaf base with chicken, mushrooms, a hint of coconut milk, lemon grass and galangal. This could easily become soul food. It pleases the nose, the palate and the tummy.
Pad Thai: This is my tester dish in a Thai restaurant. If it is too sticky, or has no fragrance, than meh…later. The pad thai here passed the test and has shrimp, chicken, tofu and egg. It is almost a meal in itself…but you will want it with a green curry.
Puht Kieh Mow or drunken noodles were recommended by the server. Intensely spicy and pan fried with chicken or beef and mixed vegetables, they wake you up if you have had an all nighter.
Curry noodles: These spicy Thai noodles are swimming (literally) in a rich red curry with shrimp and fresh basil—fragrant red curry yumminess. Could use a few more noodles to slurp. Some heat happens.
Nuah na lok or Hell’s beef: marbled beef marinated in garlic and chili hot sauce, then fire roasted in hell’s oven. More heat happens.

Order up any of these dishes with coconut rice and you will not be disappointed. We will be back for dessert when we have room to try taro root custard and green tea ice cream. Anything with fresh mango is good for me too!

Hint for beer drinkers---watch what you pair the beer with. Some spicy foods can make your beer taste bitter and the heat hotter. Better to go with a fruit forward wine like gewürztraminer or riesling to manage the heat, or water.

I find that prices in Thai restaurants are a little higher than the moderate price point, but the dining experience rarely disappoints.

We were able to eat for two with one beer, one wine, taxes and tip for $70.

Furusato has a great future

Furusato Japanese Restaurant
10012 82 Avenue Edmonton

The Diner
Colette’s son, Jason, spent a year in Japan. We certainly consider him the expert in the family when it comes to Japanese food. He has mentioned Furusato several times. It was time to try it.
The front of the restaurant is very humble. It is a storefront on Whyte Ave in Edmonton decorated with wooden planks. When you pull on the heavy front door, you enter a teeny tiny foyer that helps to keep the Canadian winter cold out of the dining area. The entrance is surrounded by a Japanese styled, rough cut, wooden décor. Photos of people adorn the walls, Japanese décor hangs from the ceiling and a lucky golden cat waves at you from the kitchen counter top. The restaurant holds about 50 people maximum and you can sit at the sushi bar. Quiet Japanese music quietly filters into the room.

The Dinner
We ordered all three Japanese beers on the menu to taste and share. All three had one thing in common: they were delicate. While they tasted like beer, they were not bitter nor heavy. Immediately, we were reminded that Japanese food is subtle and a strong drink would overpower the food. The Asahi beer was very dry; the Sapporo was so delicate that it was a little boring; the Kirin Ichiban was like a delightful delicate, fruity Belgian beer. We ordered several things to share.
Our first course was a clear, delicate soup. Floating in the lovely broth were thin slices of lettuce, green onion and mushroom. Gyoza was second. Six beautifully grilled delicate dumplings perfectly shaped and accompanied by a vinegar and soya dip. All I can say is, “Delicious!”
Gomadare spinach salad came soon after. It is spinach that has been blanched, chilled and mixed with a sesame dressing. It tasted like spinach in a peanut butter sandwich. I know most people wouldn’t appreciate this analogy but I love spinach and I love peanut butter. Both flavours were delicately playing with each other on the tongue. First one would dominate the palate, then the other. What a beautiful dance!
The Yakatori Chicken was advertised in the menu as chicken and vegetables grilled on a skewer. The vegetables WAS green onion: about a 2 cm long piece between each of the three chicken cubes. The teriyaki sauce, of course, was delicious.
Sashimi was our fifth course: two salmon, two red snapper and two scallops on sushi rice. Mix a wee bit of wasabi and picked ginger into your soy for dip. The salmon was bright and colourful and displayed a marbling of fat. The red snapper was mild and fresh. The scallops were sliced in half and placed on the rice. They were like butter-- smooth, creamy and promisingly gentle in flavour. They were David’s favourite—can’t use too much wasabi or you won’t appreciate how delicate this sahimi is.
As if that wasn’t enough food, we still had a sixth course: Beef Shoga. It was described in the menu as strips of beef with ginger flavour. It was stir fried beef strips with a sprinkling of freshly grated ginger on top accompanied by stir fried cabbage, broccoli, onion, green onion, carrot and been sprouts. These came out on a cast iron platter shaped like a cow attached to a wooden plank in a similar shape – served kind of like they do fajitas in Mexican restaurants.
All of this food was on the table at the same time. We mixed and matched dishes with each other and discovered that we can make some very delicious combinations. The first combo was the dipping sauce. Colette added wasabi to the Goyoza sauce and poured in the teriyaki sauce from the chicken. Mmmmm… good! She also added the spinach Gomadare to the Beef Shoga – another brilliant move.
At the end of the evening, we decided that Jason really knows Japanese food. With the three beers the total came to $55.00 before tax and tip. We will be returning to Furusato soon.

All Aboard for Good Food

Saskatoon Station Place Prime Rib and Steak House
221 Idylwyld North
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
306-244-7777
saskatoonstationplace.com

The Diner

“Dining at the Station Place is a historic step into the past that makes this dining more than a food experience. The doors were first opened in November 1984 by the Arvanitis Brothers, who created the thematic railroad concept of this unique restaurant. The entire design of the building and the C.N.R. dining cars that are annexed to the building offers diners a real glimpse into the past. The benches in the lounge dining car are the originals from the C.N.R. Pullman Luxury Dining Cars. It is worth noticing the various authentic fixtures that accent the décor of the cars, such as the colourful stained glass windows, and the solid brass hat racks and molded table legs. There is a massive stained glass light fixture on the top floor that warms a room surrounded by old railway photos. The bar is carved wood and worth going to for a glass of wine just to enjoy the artistry.

The Dinner
Of course we ordered two different meals and shared. What other way to you get to taste as many offerings as you can? Our meal started with a salad of mixed greens with a delicious raspberry vinaigrette, and home made buns that are a recipe Colette has not tasted for years! Gramma buns—the kind with milk in them that makes them tender and entices you to melt butter all over them. Oh there was butter! David’s meal started with Red Clam Chowder. David couldn’t really call it Manhattan clam chowder; it wasn’t. But, it was a delicious mixture of tomatoes, vegetables, clams and spices.

The Station Master’s Prime Rib was possibly the most perfect piece of prime rib we’ve ever seen. It was beautifully seared on the outside and tender, moist and medium rare on the inside. . It was beef at its finest served with a small cup of ‘au jus’. Served with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash, peppers, and onion sautéed in butter and served over a bed of rice. The vegetables were so good that David forgot that they were vegetables and ate them all. Add a side of garlic mashed potatoes! Mighty fine.

The New York Steak done by someone who cares about their beef. We ordered it rare and it came rare. It was charred on the outside and warm and pink on the inside. We could taste both the flavour of mmmmm beef – and the charring from the grill. A little salt and pepper and we were in heaven. The veggies were the same as above, and the side was rice delicately flavoured with garden herbs.

The wine we chose was an Italian Folonari Valpolicella. Stop laughing those who know us! (we are truly Italian wine fans) It stood up against the beef, complemented the Red Clam Chowder and was pleasant to sip by itself. Price for the meal with bottle of wine: $120

Surprised in Medicine Hat

Tumbleweeds
925 7 Street SW
Medicine Hat, Alberta

The Diner
We were in Medicine Hat, Alberta on our way to the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The day was very hot as we traveled in the south of the province. We decided to stay at the Best Western Hotel right off Highway 1. As we looked out the hotel room window we saw the sign “Tumbleweeds--We serve AAA Alberta beef and fine wine.” It looked air conditioned; it looked inviting; it had fine wine! The decision: go to supper now and explore the town after it cools down a bit.
We were greeted right away and asked if we had a reservation – Saturday night, y’ know. They didn’t have room for us in the dining room so we were seated in the lounge area at one of the booths and presented with the menus and wine list. The booth was comfortable – the décor wood and leather. The room was well lit and air conditioned! We could hear clearly the country music being piped in over the speaker system in the ceiling; ah…we are in the south—cattle country. The server came over right away and asked for our order. We said that the wine list looked very intriguing and we would need time. She came back patiently several times and we were still not ready. Finally, we decided on our meal for the evening.

The Dinner
We decided on a bottle of white wine called Evolution from Oregon. Not being familiar with the wine we decided to order the meal around what we thought would be an interesting wine based on the description in the wine list. Here is what the vintner says about it: “Every new bottling has its own subtle and fresh personality. The 9 grapes tie together perfectly, creating a smooth, layered white wine that can hold its own or stand up to just about any food pairing you dare to serve it with. It is extraordinarily food-friendly, from light salads to the hottest fusion-style cuisine.” http://sokolblosser.com. It lived up to the description. It was great on the nose, and had depth on the palate. Colette loves these.
When the bartender took out the wine glasses to bring to the table, she very carefully looked at them in the light and brushed them clean of spots with a towel set aside for just this purpose.
We ordered a mushroomitarian dinner--our first appetizer--Mushroom Bruschetta. It came on toasted Italian bread sliced diagonally and laid flat. The mushrooms were on the bottom, some with the bruschetta mix. The cheese was melted on top in the broiler. The first bite reminded us of escargots! The cheese was not too sharp or too mild. The wine complemented it beautifully. Delicious!
The second appetizer was Beef Tenderloin Salad. The tenderloin was grilled to tender perfection at medium rare. There were mushrooms under the beef that had a lovely pan fried taste and gave the beef and salad a delightful cooked mushroom flavour. This food brought out a delicious new nuance in the wine.
For the main course we decided to order Chicken Spaetzle. Spaetzle can mean many things to many people. It can be very small and soft or very large and fried tough. This was spaetzle that looked a bit like a short, wide egg noodles. They were mixed with tender, moist white chicken pieces, a herbed cream sauce and mushrooms. This mixture was coated with grated cheese and baked in the serving bowl. It was fabulous--another triumphant pairing with the Evolution.
We were looking to get out of the heat and enjoy a slow dinner until we could go outside to explore Medicine Hat. We were surprised by a versatile white wine from Oregon and a great feast that featured mushrooms. By the time we got outside it had definitely cooled down so we were off to visit the city.

Ah, Baloney!

Katie’s Crossing
Township Road 530 & Range Road 221
Along the CNR mainline between Toronto and Edmonton
Ardrossan, Alberta

The Diner

Actually, let’s start with the kitchen and the order counter. It is a caboose. You walk up the stairs and into the caboose. The caboose is officially an ex-BCOL 78199; exx-CN 78199; exxx-CN79805; nee CN47200-series box car built in 1975. It is accompanied by, among other railway cars, a 1923 Flat Car, a 1917 work car, a 1956 TWDT and a 1914 coach, among others. The coach is the dining room called the Count Strathcona. There are other cars along a couple lengths of rail that have been collected over time.
As you enter the caboose, the menu is to your right. It includes such popular standby’s as Hamburgers, Fried Chicken and Fish & Chips. You can have a side of french fries or even a large pickle. My personal favourite is the Hobo Burger.
After you order your meal – and pay cash, the only method of payment accepted – you can either sit in the Count Strathcona or outside on the boardwalk patio with picnic table; they will deliver the meal to you. If you are lucky, while you are waiting, or while you are eating, a CN freight or a VIA passenger train may come by. The last time we were there we saw three trains in less than 30 minutes.

The Dinner

The Hobo Burger is a thick slab of fried baloney on a hamburger bun. It is accompanied by a slice of fresh tomato, fried onions, dill pickle chips, mustard and ketchup. It is a taste treat you won’t find in very many other locations. We had an ice cream cone for dessert.

They have a Bar Car with live music from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday nights; check them out!