Last nights dinner club found us girls at one of YEG's newly sought after restaurants Tavern 1903 at the Alberta Hotel.... I think all of us girls would agree we left feeling fully satisfied with the evenings food, drinks and of course conversation!!
The stunning restaurant in the bottom of the Alberta Hotel has been open for under a year, and is really making its mark in Edmonton cuisine; the mere fact that the restaurants is under the same management as Hardware Grill, speaks volumes; the food, the ambiance, the service, all top notch in my eyes and Tavern 1903 is no different (if you have dined at HG than you know what I am talking about and if you haven't I highly recommend you give it a try).
Previous to visiting Tavern 1903 I had seen some really beautiful pictures of the bar area, and to be honest I was a little disappointed when I arrived and realized we were sitting on the dining side... I mean don't get me wrong the dining side is equally beautiful but more modern and formal feeling. The bar has an old world charm that I was expecting and looking forward to; I suppose I will just have to make another trip sometime soon so I can take in the bar side (I see no problem in that!!).
The evening started with Prosecco and ended with a shared short bread cheesecake parfait as dessert; in between were a selection of wine, shared appetizers, salads, and entrees that were all equally exquisite in design, plating and of course taste!! The appetizers we shared included the K.F.C. (Korean Fried Cauliflower!!) and a Ricotta spread with slices of baguette. I can't say the Ricotta dish was anything overly special but the K.F.C. was definitely something I would go back for time and time again!
Dinner for myself was the Thai Seafood Bowl, and I shared the Beet and Goat Cheese Fritter salad (which I can't find the name of on the online menu). This turned out to be way too much food, and finishing the soup, as tasty as it was, proved that my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach!
The Thai Seafood Bowl was a little on the spicy side, which I didn't mind at all, and loaded with plenty of seafood! All I have to say about the Beet and Goat Cheese salad is A-MAZING!!! The combination of these two ingredients, along with dates and candied pecans was a perfect balance for my tastebuds; It would probably rank up there as being one of the best salads I have had in a restaurant in a long time!! I would definitely go back and order any one of these dishes again, but to err on the side of less glutenous I would probably pair the K.F.C. with the Beet Salad and call her a day!!
As usual the evening was a hit, the only thing missing was our 5th member who couldn't be with us to take part. I can definitely see another trip to the old Tavern 1903 in my future.... especially in the summer when they open up that large patio on the exterior...I can hardly wait!! Winter can seriously get the heck out of here.
...in the meantime I will be dreaming of Beet Salads and Tavern 1903!!
...xo...CS