I was in Edmonton for a week in November. It was probably the coldest weather I have ever experienced. It was -34c when I arrived and stayed that way for the first two days. We decided that the only way to beat the cold was to find some good food and really enjoy our meals there.
My first step was to ask my Twitter followers where I should try in Edmonton. I was directed to a blog which had a great list of restaurants in Edmonton. I decided to use this blog as the starting points and go from there. As it turns out, we got to try three of the restaurants recommended and loved all of them. Here are some photos and comments about the ones that we tried.Skinny Legs and Cowgirls - "A sort of bistro"
I decided to try this one mainly because of the name. I decided that anyone that named a restaurant like this would have to be creative and original. I was right. On the outside, it was a tacky sign and looks like a very low end restaurant. As you walk in, the atmosphere is amazing and the staff is very welcoming. We went on a slow night so we got to chat with our server (Amy) about the food, wines and beers. They use organic food and local wines and beers. It turns out that her and her mother own the place and really take pride in all the aspects of the restaurant. At one point we ordered a beer that they were out of in the bar. She sent someone to the liquor store to pick some up for us. Not necessary but definitely appreciated.
We ordered the three cheese salsa bake, mussels and house salad to start. The salad was anything but 'house'. It had candied pecans, pears, beets and blue cheese. We decided it was an 'epic' salad.
For the mains, we ordered the mixed grill which included stuff like bison ribs, lamb and beef tenderloin. It was also loaded with amazing vegetables. I love sharing platters so this meal was really a hit for me. Everything tasted amazing and we weren't stuffed after it was said and done. I would highly recommend this one.
Skinny Legs and Cowgirls Website and Menu
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| Epic house salad |
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| Grilled Mix Sharing Platter |
We had a work event one night that ended at 8:30 and only provided apps for us. We decided to check out this restaurant as it was walking distance from downtown. It is very classy inside but not overly expensive. We weren't too hungry so we ordered a bunch of apps and shared them among three of us.
We tried the Gnocchi, Scallops & Prawns, Braised Beef short ribs and seared tuna. The presentation was really well done and made trying each dish that much better. They serve you a fresh warm bread in a measuring cup to start which was very original.
Wildflower Website and Menu
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| Warm bread in measuring cup |
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| Seared Tuna |
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| Braised Short Rib |
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| Gnocchi with sweet pea puree |
Culina Mill Creek - "Creative comfort food"
This one was a little out of the way from our hotel but we used our great smartphone GPS apps and got there on time. It was another slow night and the place was very quiet inside. I think we might have been a little too loud for this crowd. It had a nice, dark atmosphere and very creative washrooms with tons of mirrors. The menu was small and very unique, which I think are two very important things for a restaurant.
We ordered the Persian Platter, Truffle Popcorn, Duck Hot Dogs and butternut squash soup to start. The soup was amazing and the other apps were good too. The popcorn was just normal popcorn with a light drizzle of truffle oil. It was very greasy and I think we were all expecting something way more exciting. I'll include some images of the mains below. All were very good but they were very big portions.
Culina Mill Creek Website and Menu
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| Duck hot dogs |
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| Phyllo wrapped goat cheese |
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| Alberta Beef with blue cheese and chocolate sauce + mash |
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| Pork Tenderloin Steaks with spicy chimmichurri sauce and couscous |
Honorable Mention:
Hundred Bar and Kitchen - We had lunch here one day. They offer a bunch of different sliders that all looked delicious. I asked if I could get a combo of all three (one of each). They agreed and what came was amazing! There was one Kobe Beef Burger, one Lobster BLT and one Kobe chili hot dog.
Menu
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| Trio of sliders |
Rickys - Yes, it is a chain. Yes, it is a lot like other diners. But, wow, it always delivered great breakfast when we needed it badly. Make sure to try the stuffed hash browns. It includes shredded potatoes, bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions. Thanks Rickys!
Menu
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| Not pretty, but much needed. |
Tiny Tims Donuts (or Tiny Toms depending where you go) - These greasy little donuts come hot in a brown bag and are soooo yummy.
Sherlock Holmes Pub - Pub fare if you want that sort of thing. But I recommend it for having some pints with friends. Live music Thurs-Sat and very small intimate atmosphere that makes for a great pub. I try to stop in every time I'm in Edmonton. There are photos on the wall from the 80's of Gretzky, Ron MacLean, Tom Green, etc. If you go, make sure you check out Gretzky's mullet and Ron MacLeans head of hair!
Japanese Village - We had Teppanyaki one night and it was very yummy. I won't include a write up as it was a lot like other one's that I have been to in the past. A little disappointing since they wouldn't do the egg trick or the onion volcano. (even though we asked many times, haha)
Thats all! Let me know what you think and happy eating!
