Red Ox Inn Edmonton - Consistently excellent food, creative twists, increasingly busy

Posted by

Rating: 8.5/10

Been heading to Red Ox Inn for the last several years and its a rare gem as its consistently consistent with its excellent food -Unassumingly and simply prepared, beautiful plating, innovative and complex tasting profiles that meld to lift this cozy intimate restaurant (only has about 10tables and seats about 40ppl max) into the list where truly special occasions can and should be held. Bonus points for locally sourcing ingredients. Service is always polite and helpful, especially in the wine deciding section.

The FOOD
Over the years some of the appetizer sizes have shrunk in size (the crabcakes and scallops - very much lamented as they are very tasty and executed well) and the sides have evolved and changed up/swapped to enliven the menu. The crispy crabcakes (with mainly crabmeat) are now served in a strange yogurty-fruit sauce.. the old roasted jalapeno sauce paired much much better, but thankfully the giant shrimp appetizer is still the same. Can never go wrong with giant seasoned seared shrimp in my books.


The duck, lamb and steak have always been made to perfection, and need no other descriptions, because you just need to put it in your mouth, sit back and enjoy. Desserts if you have room are made in house - the bread pudding is a mainstay as is the fresh lemon tart/flan. I always regret not licking the fresh vanilla and creme carmel sauce that came with the bread pudding off my plate... the pudding was just an excuse to have that delectable sauce... nomnomnom!

Read more »

Il Pasticcio Edmonton - Intimate setting, good italian

Posted by Rating: 7.5/10 


Being the sister restaurant to the Sicilian Pasta Kitchen, I was pleasantly surprised that though the popular menuitems from SPK was present, there was a huge difference in terms of the indifferent/rude service inherent at SPK that was not present at Il Pasticcio. Though the entrance is a little hard to find - in through what looks like a office building, and then walking into what looks like their kitchen, this small intimate and cozy resturant with dim lighting, attentive servers and fresh chef of the day specials overlooking a bit of the river valley and a historic mansion is a nice place for business lunches and quiet dinners or dates.

The FOOD
If you're a pasta lover, you'll be bringing home some lunch as just like SPK, their pasta serving sizes are gargantuan. The kitchen staff are lovely as they will make your food to order depending on what fresh items the chef has picked up from the market that day, and will happily substitute out ingredients upon request. 


As with all good restaurants, their menu items have evolved overtime, though if you want their enormous bowl of mussels prepared in capers, peppercorns, garlic, doused with white wine, and finished with diced tomatoes, lemon and fresh herbs (old menu item) just ask and you won't be disappointed. They currently serve their mussels in either a tomato pureed-parmasean sauce or a heavy cream and gorgonzola sauce - both lovely, but I still prefer my mussels cooked a bit more simple and not masked by the sauces. If you get the mussels, ask for lots of bread, and be prepared to pack your pasta order home.
Insalatas and other dishes are hit and miss. Most salads are prepared and plated beautifully - mainly keep in mind whats in season before you order and ask the waitstaff what they've tried - they're surprisingly honest, and they don't laugh when you mangle the menu item names as you try to pronounce them.

Read more »

Noodle Maker Edmonton - Great pulled pork.. wait, its a noodle place!

Posted by Rating: 7/10

Photo courtesy of noodlemaker.wordpress.com

So after hearing some mixed reviews from fellow foodies the past several months, finally decided to try this place out for myself. I've had people telling me ths food ranged from mediocre to comparable to Vancouver, with service also yoyoing around. The verdict - really depends on what you order, and service is ok - the state of service in the resturant industry in Alberta has always been sadly lacking. Chef's been around the block, working in the industry for years, opened up a few resturants in his time, his latest a noodlehouse set in one of the shadiest areas in town... how shady? Had to plow through a group of homeless gents to get into the entrance of the resturant. First striking thing as you enter.. a large old school wood/coal? fired stove at the back of the dining area. Was tempted to touch it, but there was a sign labeled hot on it - perhaps its a quaint way of heating up the room, or just an odd decorative piece the owner hasn't set up quite yet. A dusty metal fountain? contraption sits beside the stove, so maybe both are decorative. Keep in mind this location is a hole in the wall, and so yes, close your eyes to a bit of uncleaniness.. its expected so suck it up.

Read more »

Zinc Edmonton - Mixed feelings

Posted by

Rating 7.5/10

Went on the Art Gallery's 1st anniversary night with a large group of friends. In retrospect, maybe not a good idea as the kitchen staff was swamped trying to pull off the catering side for AGA supporters and philantropists and keeping pace with patrons on the resturant side.

Service was a bit spotty - Polite with some mixups despite clarifying twice, and while a nice dinner should take 2hours or so.. a 3.5+hr service time was a bit much, even with plently of wine, cocktails and good company, the long lapses between courses was a bit aggravating. So was waiting over 10min to get the bill after we were notified the resturant was closing.

Decor - shiny metal chrome, gorgeous wood panelling, artsy lighting and funky utensils, high ceilings with huge windows looking at Churchhill Square inside the Art Gallery - how can it not be artsy? Warm ambiance with a lounge feel.

Read more »

Shanghai 456 Edmonton.. Great traditional Shanghai-nese food

Posted by

Rating: 8.0/10

The Restaurant: Shanghai 456

Truth be told, there really is no great chinese food places in Edmonton when you compare them to places in Vancouver, Toronto, HK or *gasp* even Calgary... all us foodies out there know that. Shanghai 456 is simply.. simple food, done well... for Edmonton.

Keep in mind traditional Shanghai-nese cuisine differs from the mainly Westernized-Cantonese style endemic everywhere, so no, you won't find ginger beef here (although the chef will make you any chinese dish you wish to name providing he has all the ingredients at hand).

You've been warned - this place is hard to find - it is in an old dingy airport hanger cafeteria (so no wood paneling, dim lighting and lush carpets), but you have to give the chef credit for carving out a restaurant in such an obscure location! It epitomizes the term "hole in the wall". The chef does not speak english, though some of his staff do and service is prompt and friendly (so hard to come by in these times!). Review is for dinner only - apparently it functions as a cafeteria during lunch hours.

Read more »