Creations creates sensation explosion!

Well, that was just wonderful. One of the most delightful nights out I've had in ages, in fact. Creations Dining Room and Lounge is attached to the new Sawridge Inn Edmonton South, where the old Holiday Inn used to be. Boy, have things changed.

The buzz I had heard came mostly from a friend who is deeply connected in Edmonton's food scene. She has her fingers in many culinary pies and invited me to come see first hand what the buzz was about. So, like the busy bees we are, we made an early reservation, dinner for three at 6 o’clock. My sister came along to share (more opportunities to order different things off the menu) and to indulge in some much-needed sister time.

After being seated in our cosy booth, we were delighted to learn that they have a wine promotion to die for. As part of their so-called "Toast to the Frugal Gourmet" all wines listed are priced at $20 above their wholesale value. The wine list is a delight unto itself. With many offerings from Canada - mostly Okanogan but some good Niagara showings too, the list goes through each varietal with a quick and dirty profile of each grape and what diners may consider pairing their choice with from the elaborate menu.

While we sipped on our Creations Caesars, done up with ginger vodka and crushed ice, we perused the vast menu of foods and wines on offer, eventually settling on a bottle of Sumac Ridge Gewürztraminer, 2007, to accompany the many seafood and fish options that swam contentedly across our eyes as we glanced over appetizers, salads, and main dishes. There were also several kinds of wine being sold by the glass ranging from around $6-9, though mostly around $7.

Our server was helpful in selecting our dinner choices since we were torn in so many directions. Everything looked so good. All quite reasonably priced too, which didn't help in the elimination dance that was ordering. One thing he did recommend that I was not particularly fond of was the spinach and crab dip. Strange consistency, stringy bits of spinach, and a disappointing lack of cheesiness made this one choice a bit of a flop for us. Despite this, the dish was still flavourful and presented with lots of different yummy bread-ish things for dipping. The other appetizer we devoured devilishly was the elk sausage and wild mushroom flatbread (squeal). A perfect amount of toppings, very fresh and soft flatbread, this dish was balanced out beautifully with caramelized onions and some nicely selected herbs.

We wanted to try a salad too, and were given the option of either a petite or an entree-sized portion (applies to all salads). We couldn't decide between the seared tuna and avocado salad with fennel dressing or the tempura chicken and pecan salad, settling finally on a petite of the former. This dish was an excellent size for an appetizer portion, and with all the other things coming, we were happy to share it three ways. The fennel seed vinaigrette really brought out the flavour of the seared tuna, which had been marinated first with fennel and orange.

Before our mains arrived we decided to switch to a lighter red to accompany them. The Creations chefs have done a wonderful job on a menu that truly reflects the Canadian culinary tradition without boasting about having done so. Lots of west-coast influences could be found in ingredients like the shrimp, crab, tuna, and salmon, as well as a distinctly Japanese flair. However, the menu is also firmly grounded in rare and quintessential prairie foods like elk, bison, beef, lamb, and pickerel. To match these game meats, we chose a New Zealand wine - Cupid's Arrow Pinot Noir, 2008. It was lovely, with lots of blackberry, raspberry, and earthy tones coming through on the nose right away. The server was kind enough to decant it for us as we finished up the last drops of the Gewürz and turned our attention to the delicate task of dividing up our main dishes so everyone got to try a bit of everything. Our server was also quite attentive as he brought us large sharing plates with the entrees, which he set down in the middle for us all to delve in.

The barbecued duck burger was apparently so popular at lunch that it was moved onto the dinner menu. Knowing this, we simply had to try it. It was sweet, smoky and savoury, served on a fresh bun. It came with a few different options for the side, but taking the cue again from our server we asked for the parsnip crisps. When he saw how much we liked them, he came back later with a whole bowl full of them for the table. Order this and you will be glad you did.

I ordered the tenderloin duo, which, yes, is as magical as it sounds. A pair of steaks - lamb and wild boar wrapped elk, served with, dark chocolate jus, butternut squash, brandied cherry chutney, and a wild mushroom barley that made me think of a prairie risotto. Need I say more?
We thought we'd try a vegetarian dish to really test the menu. We were disappointed. The smoked tomato and spinach pappardelle was lacking in complexity and needed to be richer, somehow. There was too much black pepper and not enough depth to the dish, which just came out like a bunch of vegetables thrown together with green noodles and a plain sauce. Not great. But the menu is new. A menu is a living breathing thing and can always change based on how people respond to it. I think it's a kink that'll get worked out before long.

For dessert we ordered the tempura banana with green tea coconut ice cream, the balsamic blueberries with lavender coconut ice cream (both dairy free), and the chef’s special – a chocolate pate which went beautifully with the final glass of pinot which I lingered over for quite some time. The sweet endings were a perfect finish to a virtually flawless meal. The service was accommodating, informed, but not too pushy or ingratiating. The décor was upscale lodge with intimate booths and a dazzling fireplace. The price, at $66 per person, plus tip, was incomparable. Go to Creations and create a new favourite fine dining experience that you will return to again and again.

tame evening at The Wildflower Grill

This week is Edmonton's Downtown Dining Week. Restaurants, pubs, and eateries of all sorts are offering signature tasting menus at set prices for lunch and dinner. I thought I'd seize this chance and invite a friend out to try this place. I had scoured their lovely web site a few months back and was eager to try out their so-called new Canadian cuisine. The menu is plump with Alberta beef, lamb, and game meat like venison and bison. Lots of sumptuous and colourful local winter vegetables like carrots, beets, and butternut squash also feature prominently in the accompaniments that bloom on each big, white plate.

http://wildfloweredmonton.com/

My dining companion this evening was a new friend. She is very visually inclined,
and has flawless style to boot, so I knew she would enjoy this experience. The ambiance, we agreed, was perfect for the evening. Subtle tones and good rhythms played not too loud struck the perfect note in our cosy booth. Our server, Renee, was attentive but not intrusive, knowledgeable, and very genial. While I poured over the menu, selecting my food before choosing a wine, she brought organic, loose leaf peppermint tea for my friend, served in a French press. In the end I decided on a glass of the 2007 Road 13 Honest John's Merlot. I'm not normally a big Merlot drinker, but it was the only Canadian red being offered by the glass and I thought this new Canadian cuisine concept should apply to my glass as well.

My friend decided to order from the select menu choices that are part of the Dining Week promotion. Being a bit of a pain in the ass, and having to be difficult, I chose to order something I had my eye on from when I first perused the menu online, months ago.

My friend had the mixed vegetable salad with golden and red beets, and heirloom carrots and tomatoes. There was no overwhelming vinaigrette outshining the natural sweetness of the beets and carrots. Kudos to the chef for allowing these much-maligned roots to be the real feature of the dish. The nicest touch on her plate was the bright little flower petals that were dashed across the salad. I had the heirloom tomato and truffled buffalo mozzarella salad. Have I mentioned how much I am into buffalo mozzarella? With all the bison meat out here I am amazed I cannot find any of this cheese sourced locally... I'll give full credit to anyone out there that can find me some. The dish was served with side microgreens in a baked cheese basket; the plate artfully drizzled with balsamic vinegar reduction and olive oil. I will admit that I found my tomatoes a bit on the mushy side, though this could just be due to the availability of fresh heirloom tomatoes at this time of year.

Not surprisingly, the presentation of our mains was equally magnificent. My friend revealed to me that she is not fond of the big plate-little food style that is so popular in fine dining kitchens these days, but I love it. The food becomes the real focal point. Extra space on the plate gets used for artful displays of purees, reductions, and gravity defying vegetable towers. Though my friend found the applewood cured bacon that surrounded her Atlantic cod to be a little overpowering, she appreciated that careful preparation of the fish, it not being overcooked. The portion disappointed her. My bison tenderloin was beautifully arrayed in slices atop a serving of shallot and butternut squash puree. The chantrelle, fig, and smoked cheddar bread pudding tasted more like stuffing to me than anything else. But I do love fig and I thought it was an inventive compliment to the bison.

While we were both somewhat under whelmed by our entrees, the chefs at the Wildflower Grill certainly redeemed themselves with their dessert menu. Selections are presented thematically: Lemon, Berries, Chocolate, or Fruit. Each choice comes with various incarnations of the theme and a suggested aperitif is listed. We decided to share the Fruit dessert which came with fresh granny smith apple slices, sour cherry tart, mango sorbet, grilled pineapple, candied pear, and lavender blackberry crème brulee. The custard in the brulee was perfectly set and delicately flavoured. The pears were sweet and juicy while retaining much of their fresh, grainy consistency. Everything on the large white plate was so delightfully well thought out and put together. Had we chosen it, the suggested 2006 Vineland Estates Vidal Icewine from Niagara would have been a perfect pairing.

I think I would like to return to the Wildflower Grill. I'll make different menu selections next time. I might come back for brunch or lunch instead, and see if that makes any difference to the taste and feel of things. It was certainly a very high-end price considering our thoughts and feelings on the meal as a whole.

Wildflower Grill is located at 10009 –107 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1J1
T: 780 990 1938 F: 780 990 1887

In the spirit of things

I have been going to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival for many years. We won't say how many, that's not important. I go for the tremendous musical experiences, the long-lost friends and the atmosphere of bumping into people, and of course, the food. Some times food vendors at Folk Fest are just local communities that get together and come up with things to deep fry as a fundraiser or what-have-you. But What I really love is the opportunity to taste things fromlocal restaurants who come with an abridged menu of 4 or 6 items. It's exciting to try new places and to return to old favourites.
Yesterday my sisters and I lined up at Homefire Grill's food tent to be transported once again by their bison stew. The local restaurant specializes in grain-fed Alberta bison and AAA Angus beef. Their menu board broadcasts the claim that they specialize in innovative "Canadian" cuisine. I suppose here in Alberta that means flame grilled meat... which I am a-ok with . Every summer we look forward to the saucy, rich bison stew, served with banock and maple butter. Having just returned from the most "Canadian" of cities, Ottawa, the prospect of a new take on "Canadian" food intruiged me.
When we got to the front of the line, my sisters and I discovered that a decision had been made by the fine chefs at Homefire not to sell the bison stew this year. Shock! Horror! We flirted as best as we were able and asked if they would try making some later in the weekend to sell to festival goers. After a one-year hiatus from the festival, we missed this delictable dish so badly that resorting to shameless begging was not beyond the pail. After holding up the line for a sufficiently irritating amount of time, we four ladies moved aside and let those behind us to order the same thing - the pulled chicken sandwich. Smothered and slow cooked in tasty barbeque sauce and piled high un a biscuit-style bun, the sandwiches hit the spot but did not satisfy our craving for bison. As they passed us our food, one of the chefs smiled and winked at my sister Leah, who had been leading the charge for the stew in the first place, and promised that if she returned with a tupperware the next day, there would be bison stew waiting for us.
Well, in all the rush to leave at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, Leah forgot a tupperware. My sisters and I take very seriously the lineup to enter the festival grounds, and could not have arrived any later. *Shudder* Luckily for us, the Korean food vendors were there to save the day. Though I've never been fond of kim chi I will forever think of the masters of the bulgogi for their kindness. They gave us a take out container and would not let us pay for it. Leah marched over to the Homefire tent, where the chefs ladled in the piping hot bison stew which they'd been saving for us all day.
I sat down at the family tarp - 12th in the first group, I might add, what luck! - and ejoyed the late-night meal by the light of a folkfest candle. As the siren voice of Neko Case wafted over me I realized, it is not the music or the people or the food that make the festival, it is the way that all are affected by one another, and that in this place, for a short time, we are all family, sitting down to a delicious meal together, with music and candles illuminating the night.

Please visit Homefire Grill in Edmonton's west end. A true Canadian dining experience is only so because of the truly Canadian attitude of sharing what we have to give. Tell them the curly-headed bison stew girls say hello.
Homefire Grill - 18210 100 Ave
Edmonton, Alberta