Cactus Club (Edmonton, AB, Canada)

Date of Visit: August 5, 2009
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Website: www.cactusclubcafe.com


The Menu: LOTS of selection with many signature dishes by Rob Feenie. The appetizers are probably the most worthwhile feature of the menu. Mostly Western meals with Asian inspired dishes.

Service: Quick. They were kind and pleasant but Tim and I felt rushed through our meal. Biased opinions on which items to choose from, rather than explaining the expected taste of some dishes. Only a short period allotted for giving an order. The moment we sat down, the waitress came to ask if we were ready to decide. Not the best service I've experienced.

I certainly did not leave happy with the service.

Food: Appetizers - SO GOOD! I would recommend the Beef Carpaccio - a thinly sliced peppercorn-crusted tenderloin with grainy dijon aioli, pickled shallots, fried capers, paresan, and five-heab crostini on the side. Excellent dish with a combination of flavors that would be best paired with a spicy caesar (perhaps the burger or bison caesar). Tim's personal favorite thus far is the Tuna Tataki - a seared albacore tuna, green papaya slaw, orange, avocado, pine nuts, and yuza vinaigrette. Great portions for appetizers!

However, the main entree goes downhill. So far, I have tried the cedar-roasted salmon, sablefish, and pistacchio-crusted halibut. Tim has ordered the peppercorn sirloin and the chicken. I found the sablefish was unnecessarily overdone with soy sauce, which increased the sodium content. The salmon and halibut were not over cooked, but the halibut had a twist in flavor! The mashed potatoes and thai red curry sauce was infused with LOTS of ginger. The two dishes Tim has experienced were good but the chicken was deemed a little bit salty.

The best dessert hands down is the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bar. It's delicious - the end.

Beef Carpaccio with Crostini

Tuna Tataki

Pistachio-crusted Halibut

Chicken

Environment:
-The style is similar to many restaurants, i.e. CHOP, Earl's, Joey's, etc. - the interior is posh, clean-cut, with some unique details. For instance, in the lounge, Tim and I were drawn to the centre piece of the bar - the cube television.


-Lighting is dimly lit to simulate an feeling of intimancy, romance, and warmth. I just love the lighting design! It reminds me of a modern take of a blooming lotus flower.

-Spacious lounge, dining area, and patio. The patio has a glass roof and heating lamps to protect customers from all the elements. Unfortunately, due to the weather and timing - Tim and I have yet to experience the patio setting.

Tim - Patio = Sadness.

Drinks:
-Cactus Club is always trying to invent new signature drinks. One being a shot I saw being made but have not yet tried it.
-Cocktails and martinis = YUM! My favorite signature cocktails include the bellini and the brazilian. The brazilian are made with fresh kiwi, limie, and sugar cane (among with other things) - such a fresh delight! (Pictures of both are shown below)
-The only beer Tim had tried was the longboard lager, which was a pale beer with a surprisingly sweet flavor.


Overall Experience: Though the appetizers and drinks are worth while coming for, the main entrees require much needed attention and tweaking. At best, Tim and I both agree that the entrees are mediocre to good. Pricing was decent. However, the rushed service stimulated a feeling of anxiety and essentially a bitter feeling.

Photos from: Cactus Club website, Erika from urbanspoon.com, Mastermaq from flickr.com

The Blue Pear (Edmonton, AB, Canada)

Date of Visit: July 29, 2009
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Website: www.thebluepear.com


The Menu: Simplistic and unique. We visited the Blue Pear for Forkfest. A set menu was provided and included: (Appetizer) Smoked Poultry and Shrimp Salad, (Entree) Baked Pacific Wild Salmon Fillet, and (Dessert) Rhubarb with Whipped cream (the actual name escapes me). Worth a visit every few months as the menu changes seasonally. Small portions, yet filling. The appetizer was tangy, different, and light. We both enjoyed the entree as it was cooked just right. The dessert was a tad bit tarte for me but Tim prefers a tarty taste.


Service: Timely service without any lag time. The food arrived promptly, which was most likely due to the set menu. However, despite the prompt catering, we did not feel rushed with our meal. Cultery was changed prior to dessert and tables were cleaned as necessary.

Food: Lovely and interesting combination of certain items. They truly accentuated the flavors of the items used. Not overly spiced, but light, fresh, and flavorful.

Environment:
-Situated in a very small and shady area. Entering into the small restaurant was not expected. I found it amusing that you were required to ring a bell to enter.
-Inside was intimate and beautiful. Tim was not sold on the design but it was elegant. On one side of the wall (near the kitchen), there was a glass encased with water falling from the ceiling down.
-The downside would be the lack of a view or patio. However, I doubt anyone would want to sit on a patio in that area.


Drinks:
-Conducive to wine drinkers, the Blue Pears provides various delicious wines.
-Beer list is limited but Tim always finds something to drink!
-The caesar was decent and spicy but as per usual, overfilled with too much ice in too small of a glass.

Overall Experience: Intimate and romantic. Loved the service and the idea of having a new menu every few months. We cannot wait to try it again!

Saltlik (Banff, AB, Canada)

Date of Visit: July 25,2009

Location: Banff, Alberta, Canada
Website: www.saltliksteakhouse.com

Patio + Beer = Tim wins!

The Menu: Categorized into very descriptive areas of food and drinks. The wine was uniquely categorized by taste (i.e. Bold, round, old world). First timers can rest easy as the server will walk you through the menu by describing the different cuts of meat, sides, and other dishes. Furthermore, visitors can inquire about the food and what to expect, such as the differences betweens the cuts of steaks. For instance, filet would be the most tender, whereas the ribeye would be thicker but have much more marbling in it).


Service: Servers were attentive yet not overbearing or annoying. Incredibly knowledgable about the wines and foods. Food was delievered promptly and elegantly.

Food: I love the option of choosing different cuts of meat with another sauce that may not be initially paired with the steak on the menu. For example, if you ordered the Blue Cheese California Cut New York but without the blue cheese and subsitute it with green peppercorn demi. The side dishes are perfect sizes to share with another individual and try other sides. I would highly recommend the Blue Cheese California Cut New York and a side of scalloped potatoes. DELICIOUS! Or as Tim likes to refer to it as, "EPICALLY AWESOME."

Environment:
-2 floors - the main floor is a posh lounge with a lovely bar. We sat down at the lounge for about a minute before there was a table available at the patio.
-The second flood is a more wood/cabin feel restaurant with a high end design. The patio was designed with heating lamps circulating the entire patio to ensure maximum heat retention. There were approximately 6 tables on the patio.
-The view, once again...breathtaking. I love the scenary of moutains surrounding you.


Drinks:
-The cocktails were interesting yet, not as appealing as I would have expected. It could have been my mood of the day that turned me off to most drinks. I did essentially have a strawberry daquiri with rum and it was sweet, refreshing, and satisfying (though, not great).
-As previously mentioned, the wine menu is categorized based on taste - perfect for wine drinkers unfamiliar with all types of wines but have an understanding of what appeals to the taste buds. For instance, some prefer fruity red wines, while some take preference to bold, round, old world types of wine.
-Beer selection seems average.

Overall Experience: Quite lovely and romantic! The sun was setting, the view was lovely, and the food was great. I was so filled that I had to waddle back to our hotel. But so worth it...*drool*

The Bison Restaurant & Lounge (Banff, AB, Canada)

Date of Visit: July 24, 25, and 26, 2009
Location: Banff, Alberta, Canada
Website: www.thebison.ca



Though the Bison did not initially lure Tim and I into the restaurant, the patio situated on the second floor was the selling point.

Patio + Beer = Tim cannot resist.

The Menu: Organized with few, but sufficient amount of appetizers, soups & salads, main dishes, drinks, and desserts. (Sorry, the words are blurry - but the menus for lunch and dinner is posted on the website)


Service: Servers were attentive, knowledgeable with the menu and details of each taste, prompt, and welcoming.

Food: Phenomenal! Unique twist to many simple dishes.
Examples:
-Wild Salmon was baked with the skin and served with mixed spring greens, roasted seasoned (large) cherry tomatoes, peppers, balsamic dressing.
-French toast with homemade bread, specialty cheese, bacon, blueberries, and frosted sugar.
-Bison chili with homemade bread and melted butter.

Environment:
-2 floors - the main floor is the sandwich take-out spot, bar, and indoor/outdoor lounge. The top floor is the main dining area, kitchen, and patio (picture seen below). It has a wonderful view of the mountains.
-Design inside is warm with the lower floor as more of a cabin feel (there is a large table made of a slice of older tree and smaller tables are made with tree stumps painted over). On the top floor, the dining area is a posh design - perfect for more formal dining and parties.

Drinks:
-BEST Caesars ever!! 4 interesting concoctions that make each with an interesting and strong flavor.
-BEST mojito! Light, refreshing, minty, with the right amount of Jamacian rum! Yummy in my tummy!
-Various beers with a particular delicious Grizzly Paw. It was crisp, darker, with minimal after taste.



Overall Experience: Wonderful! Considering Tim and I spent every day we were in Banff to visit during Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner - we had a phenomenal experience. My personal favourite caesar would have to be hands down the Burger Caesar. It had a wonderful taste that truly presented a smoky BBQ burger with a crusted rim (for the bread). I loved this hidden gem on Bear St!