Corso 32

Corso 32
10345 Jasper Ave
(780) 421-4622

After much hype about how good this restaurant is and how it is so popular that the first available reservation is usually a month's wait, we decided that we had to give it a try.

For our appetizer, our group of 4 shared the arancini ($7), which are crispy rice balls. Tonight they were filled with a delicious mixture of radicchio and flowing taleggio. We also decided to split the rest of the meal family-style with 2 pasta dishes and one meat dish.

arancini

The first pasta dish was the Pappardelle, which had a tomato sauce base, spicy wild boar sausage, swiss chard, and parmigiano cheese ($21). This was one of my favorite dishes. I've never had pappardelle before but I loved how it was made here. The pasta tasted fresh with an amazing texture, and it had a thin and delicate feel to it. The sausage was savoury with the right amount of spice.

pappardelle

The other pasta dish was the Bucatini Al' Amatriciana ($17). This also had a light tomato base, and included a house-cured pork jowl and pecorino cheese. The bucatini was another shape of pasta I've never had before. One thing I didn't notice was that it should have had a hole running through the centre of the noodle. The pork jowl was deep in smoky flavor and made me wanting more.

bucatinin.al'amatriciana

The third entree was the Fried Short Rib ($24). It was paired with a shaved pear and arugula salad, along with a side of crostini. The short rib was oh so tasty and was flaky and tender. This dish tied with the pappardelle for being my favorite items, and writing about them is making my mouth water!

fried.short.rib

Finally for dessert, we shared two selections, the first being the Chocolate Torta ($9). It was quite a large slab for one serving, and it was topped with salty hazelnuts, which contrasted well with the truffle-like texture and richness. The second dessert was the Warm Apple Crostata ($11). This was actually my least favorite item of the evening (not that it was poorly made or tasted bad, but I much preferred the other items of the night more. The crostata was served with a scoop of fior di latte gelato, but I would have preferred a vanilla flavor in the gelato rather than just a plain creaminess to it.

warm.apple.crostata

chocolate.torta

We arrived for 6 pm and all but our table and our neighbouring table for 2 were already occupied. After leaving the restaurant, we already made a booking for their next available date which was exactly 4 weeks away. When making a reservation, they will warn you that they have a 2.5 hour dining limit. They're closed on Mondays and the occasional Tuesday. Sometimes you can get in last minute - they make occasional posts on Twitter about any cancellations and no-shows.

Even though the restaurant was in a small space and only seats 32, no more than 2 tables were closely situated and background chatter from patrons filled up the room well so it wasn't like you could hear everyone's conversations.

Overall, I had a super dining experience at Corso 32 (the only thing I didn't enjoy was the room temperature water) and am looking forward to my return visit next month. The menu changes frequently so it will be a new gastronomic experience every time. You should book your table today!

4.5/5

Suitcase Souvenirs: Nova Scotia's South Shore

Nova Scotia
May 2012

If you're ever in the Halifax area and have time to rent a car to go on a road trip, be sure to visit Nova Scotia's south shore. I was able to make it to Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, and Peggy's Cove and back to Halifax in one day. If I had more time I would have loved to travel all the way along the south shore to the west of the province via the Lighthouse Route.

Mahone Bay is a picturesque town filled with neat little shops featuring local artisans. The most popular scene is of the trio of the Anglican, Lutheran, and United churches. The best site to photograph the quaint main street and the churches would be from across the harbour on Edgewater Street or Oakland Road.

mahone.bay

Lunenburg is designated a UNESCO world heritage site for being one of the best-preserved examples of a typical British colonization area. It is home to the Bluenose II (on the Canadian dime) and unique architecture; nearly all of the buildings in Lunenburg are constructed from wood and are painted with rich and vibrant colors. Some of the activities tourists can participate in include a whale watching tour, a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, or a wander through the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.

Lunenburg

While planning my drive, I found a ton of information on things to do and see in Mahone Bay and Lunenburg, but not much for Bridgewater. I figured that since it's a larger place, there must be more to do and see, but it wasn't the case. It had a more urban and commercial feel to it due to things being more spread out and to the abundance of big box stores. If you're pressed for time on a day trip, I would suggest skipping Bridgewater.

Peggy's Cove is a must-see. It's home to North America's most photographed lighthouse and the Swissair Flight 111 memorial. A tip: one of the first parking lots you'll see when pulling into Peggy's Cove is at the visitor information centre. That parking lot is still a short walk away from the lighthouse, so if you didn't want to enjoy a scenic walk through the town site, I would suggest that you keep driving until you get to the Sou'Wester Restaurant where you'll be right next to the rocks leading up to the lighthouse. Since the goal of my trip to Peggy's Cove was to take pictures of the lighthouse at sunset, my drive back to Halifax on the (very) loopy and windy road was completely in the dark. However, I've been told that this would be a lovely drive during the day!

peggy's.cove

This was my first time out on the east coast and I can't wait to go back to explore more of Nova Scotia and the other maritime provinces!

Ernest's Dining Room

Ernest's Dining Room
NAIT
11762 - 106 Street
(780) 471-8676

I had first gone to Ernest's Dining Room about 10 years ago. I remember rather enjoying the experience back then but the thought to go back had fallen off my radar until recently. After making the reservation, I perused the menu online and I was eagerly anticipating the day we would go.

When we got there and upon making our meal choices, we were presented with a pea and mint gazpacho amuse bouche. I thought it was heavy on the pea taste and texture and didn't care too much for it.

gazpacho

I ordered the Okanagan Ice Wine Cured Tourchon of Foie Gras ($12) as my appetizer. The foie gras was creamy, smooth, and wonderful and was served with cubes of ice wine gelee and 2 crostini triangles. While I enjoyed the flavour of the crostini, what I didn't like was how fragile they were (they crumbled each time I tried to handle them). I also didn't like how there were only 2 on my plate. I had to resort to using bread from our basket to partner with the rest of the foie gras and jelly. I was slightly disappointed because the name was a bigger mouthful than what was on my plate!

foie.gras

We had planned on sharing the foie gras as an appetizer, but when the French Onion Soup ($8) with a fluffy topping was served to the guests at the table beside us, Andrew's curiosity was piqued and he had to order it. There was a giant golden puff of gruyère soufflé  topping the bowl of soup. Unfortunately, it was overall lackluster. Both the souffle and soup were lacking in flavor. Andrew would have liked to have more cheese in the soup and I thought that there could have been more onions.

french.onion.soup

A pineapple sorbet was brought to us next to cleanse our palates between the appetizer and entree. It was fruity with the right amount of creaminess. It prepared us to look forward to our next course.

pineapple.sorbet

surf.and.turf

Andrew ordered the Surf and Turf ($29). The surf was a dry aged bison tenderloin and the turf was a butter-poached lobster tail topped with caviar. They were served with a leek and bread pudding and carrots and broccolini on the side. The tenderloin was tough, even though it was cooked to Andrew's request of medium. The lobster was more enjoyable than the bison, but in some sections it ended up tasting far too salty. The bread pudding was fantastic. It was buttery, moist, and savoury. The broccolini and carrots were yummy and cooked to our liking.

surf.and.turf

My entree was the squab ($23). Since I've never tried squab before, I decided that this was my chance to order it. But I didn't enjoy the taste - it was too gamey. While I enjoyed the texture of the buckwheat, more salt than flavor came out as the taste. This dish is not something I would order again, but I'm still happy I gave it a try. I would have squab again in the future to give it another chance in hopes of coming across one that's less gamey.

squab.breasts.with.hen.of.the.wood.mushrooms

Lastly, our shared dessert was the Feature Clafoutis with Devonshire Cream ($7). I was extremely excited to have the clafoutis for dessert since the only time I've had it was at a French-themed work potluck several years back. Tonight's clafoutis was made with pears. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't made with cherries, as it traditionally is and it is how I remember eating it. However, the use of pear was not a letdown. There was a perfect balance between sweet, spicy (cinnamon) and fruity. The batter portion was light and custard-like and had the right amount of sweetness. Andrew's opinion is that it would have tasted better with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

pear.clafoutis

I also had a glass of Peter Lehmann Layers white wine from Australia. The menu description states "A flamboyant blend of semillon, muscat and Gewurztraminer that delivers a wine loaded with smells of lychee, rose water, musk and ginger. In the mouth, it’s clean, rich and surprisingly dry." The only thing I agree with is that it is a surprisingly dry wine with a crisp finish. I was content with it overall though.

Ernest's is one of our city's hidden gems. The entire restaurant is run by students in NAIT'S Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management students. The menu consists of photo worthy gourmet creations. A major difference between Ernest's and other fine dining establishments is that the menu is reasonably priced. Although tonight's meal wasn't quite spectacular, I would try it again in the future, and hopefully not wait another 10 years before coming back. Based on tonight's meal, I give Ernest's 3.5/5. I am hopeful that I will be more pleased with a future visit.

Seared Scallops are Incredibly Easy!

Because of some delicious scallops I ate in recent weeks at The Marc and Botero (Las Vegas) and because of a sale on scallops at Costco, I wanted to try to make my own at home. Little did I know how easy they were to prepare! I followed the advice of Alton Brown from the Food Network. The prep time was minimal and the cooking time was next to nothing! They also tasted fantastic! Here I thought that you had to have some superstar chef skills to prepare seared scallops properly.

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Seared Scallops
Adapted from Alton Brown at The Food Network
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
8 large scallops (I used Olivia brand scallops from Costco - they were huge: size U10!)
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Defrost scallops in the fridge overnight or in a resealable bag under cold water. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

2. Salt and pepper the scallops.

3. Heat a saute pan over high heat, and add oil and butter. When the fat is smoking hot, add the scallops. Sear the scallops for 1 minute and 45 seconds on each side. Adjust cooking time according to scallop size. They are ready when they have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while being translucent in the middle.

4. Remove from heat immediately. They will still continue to cook. Serve immediately.
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In order to complete the meal, I decided to serve the scallops over a bed of cheesy polenta with a side of Greek salad.

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Cheesy Polenta
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Add milk, water, and some salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce heat to low, and gradually whisk in cornmeal. Cover and cook approximately 10 minutes or until cornmeal is soft and creamy, while stirring every few minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, and butter. Stir. Gradually stir in cheese and serve.
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The salad was prepared without a recipe, but I used a combination of an English cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, crumbled feta cheese, and kalamata olives. The dressing was based on another recipe from allrecipes.com
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Greek Salad Dressing
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large jar with a lid (or in a deep bowl), combine all ingredients prior to the vinegar. Pour in the vinegar and mix vigorously (or whisk vigorously if using a bowl). The dressing can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for up to a week.
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Harvest Room - Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

Harvest Room
Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
10065 100 Street
780-424-5181

A voucher deal for lunch at the Harvest Room came up on Travelzoo recently. For $39, two people can have a 2-course lunch and a soft drink (a $76 value). The menu for this voucher was set at a choice of the feature soup or a salad to start, and a choice from 4 entrees.

Upon ordering, we were presented with a large plate of assorted breads. I had the poppyseed topped one and it tasted standard to me.

bread!

Andrew and I both had the grilled pear and cranberry salad. It consisted of spring mix, dried cranberries, cinnamon-grilled pears topped with toasted almonds and crumbled goat cheese. This was a lovely and fresh salad, with a light sprinkling of honey-vanilla vinaigrette. The salad was well-made with the right amount of sides to complement the mixed baby greens. We both appreciated how the salad was not doused with dressing.

cranberry.pear.salad

My entree was the herb roasted chicken with pumpkin risotto. The risotto was marvelously rich and creamy with sweet cubes of pumpkin. The chicken was savoury and succulent. A cinnamon cream accompanied the chicken on top of the risotto. I felt that the chicken was seasoned well enough and that the risotto was rich enough as is that it didn't need the additional cream.

pumpkin.risotto.with.herbed.chicken

The roasted pork belly was Andrew's choice. It topped a bed of wilted spinach on top of blood sausage mashed potatoes. The pork belly was juicy and was filled with an aromatic smoky flavor. The potatoes were very buttery and also velvety and smooth. The blood sausage bits were a pleasant accompaniment to the mashed potatoes.

irving.farms.roasted.pork.belly

We peeked at the dessert menu after our meal, but were actually quite stuffed from our heavy meals, so we passed. But some of the choices included a creme brulee, chocolate brownie, pecan pie, and cheesecake.

The Harvest Room has a warm, elegant and historical feel to it, with high ceilings and bright windows which offer a magnificent view of the river valley. Their menu items aim to support and feature local food producers.

centrepiece

It was a bit difficult to contact the front desk staff of the harvest room as we had to call a few times to make reservations when the phone wasn't being answered. Upon our arrival, we also had to wait about 5 minutes before anyone greeted us, and another 5 minutes before we were seated (due to patrons on the phone who don't understand the concept of holding the line). Otherwise, the service was pleasant and speedy, and we were checked on multiple times by both our server and the hostess. I would love to return to the Harvest Room again in the future. I have decided that the next meal adventure I would like to try there is the breakfast buffet ($24). Let me know if you would like to join me!

4.5/5

La Ronde

La Ronde
Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe
10111 Bellamy Hill
(780) 420-8366

We received a gift card to La Ronde from Danny several months ago but haven't gone until we were reminded of it by our friend Thomas recently. He recommended that we try the Chateaubriand there. We went on a Wednesday evening, and by chance, we discovered that they had a Monday to Wednesday special on a Chateaubriand dinner for 2. For $89, the meal comes with caesar salad and 16 oz of Chateaubriand, flambéed and served right at the table.

I initially ordered a small (250 mL) bottle of French merlot, but I was informed that they no longer carry it and instead was offered a glass of the Mollydooker Scooter Merlot from Australia, which I enjoyed.

The caesar salad was also prepared before our very eyes. A large cart full of ingredients was brought to our table side and our server started preparing the dressing from scratch. He made some delightful conversation with us in the process. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, and the finished product was salty (in a good way), garlicky and cheesy. I quite enjoyed the dressing. Our portions were rather large but we finished our entire plates.

Preparing the dressing

 

caesar.salad

The Chateaubriand was another table side production. This time, two people were involved in the process. The steak, potatoes, and vegetables were neatly placed onto a large serving tray. At our table, the "bouquetière of vegetables" were first divided among our two plates, and then a shot of whiskey was poured over the beef and flambéed. The tenderloin was then sliced and served. We had asked for the meat to be cooked medium to medium-rare, but the first bite felt a bit too dry and overcooked to about medium well. But upon further bites, it fortunately improved. The centre was moist and tender, and the outside seared portion was savoury and flavorful; the texture resembled a tender beef jerky.

Table side serving of Chateaubriand

Plated Chateaubriand

Since the salad was quite filling, we decided to only eat half of our meals so that we would have room for dessert (and a yummy lunch for the next day!). We ordered the Pistachio and White Chocolate Slice ($12). It was filled with an apricot purée and paired with a white chocolate-covered raspberry popsicle. There was also a nest of hard candy threads on the side. I thought the entire arrangement was eclectic but didn't really think everything fit together. On the main portion of the dessert, the white chocolate and pistachio parts of the slice were delicate and creamy with a thin layer of cake, but I could have done without the tart apricot filling. It seemed a bit odd to have a popsicle on the side. I liked the tart raspberry interior but not necessarily with the white chocolate coating. Andrew enjoyed the entire popsicle, however. Lastly the needle-like candy was amusing. The pointy ends hurt my gums and tongue as I closed my mouth down on it, but I couldn't stop eating it since was so unique and magical looking! Again, it seemed like an odd addition to the dessert.

pistachio.and.white.chocolate.slice

This was our first time to La Ronde and it was a great experience. The restaurant completes one revolution every 90 minutes and the views were lovely from 24 floors up the Crown Plaza Chateau Lacombe Hotel. We were treated with fantastic service, and our server was pretty humorous as well. I would love to go back especially when he's working.

Edmonton's Spring thaw

4.5/5

Faculty Club Wine Tasting - March 2012

For this wine tasting event, there were 8 wines from the Cameron Hughes label. Cameron is not considered a winemaker, however. What he does is he buys the surplus stock of wines from luxury winemakers who have trouble selling a particular harvest, bottles them under his own name and sells them for a fraction of the price. The promotional material for this event dubs him as the "Robin Hood" of the wine world. The result is that each wine is often in limited and varied quantities.

Most of the wines under this label are produced in California and surrounding area. Few are imported. There are confidentiality agreements that prevent him from divulging the originating vineyard of the wine. As such, it would be difficult for a consumer to try similar wines from the same producer.

Jackie's idea of wine "tasting"

Since it may be difficult to track down the various lots we tried that night, I'm going to refrain from mentioning them here. However, the Cameron Hughes wines are considered high quality, ultra-premium wines that would normally sell for upwards of $100 a bottle. His prices in Alberta start at $20 a bottle, so keep your eye out for these wines!

Wine winners

My winning bottle

As always, there are many wine-related door prizes handed out at these tasting events. This time 3/10 people at our table went home with something! Last time, it was 2/7. I must say our track record is getting better! :) Let me know if you're feeling lucky enough (or just in the mood to sip wine) to join me at the next tasting.

Wine Tasting Group 2.0