Red Ox Inn

For a tiny establishment - it only seats 25 or 30 people - this is the the "biggest" fine dining restaurant in Edmonton.

We were a party of 4 in a corner booth. There seem to be as many local neighborhood clients as very well-dressed fine-diners that did not appear to be locals. It is such a friendly environment that it seems the patrons enjoy talking with and amongst each other - a rare event in a fine dining establishment. Normally, I would be a bit put off by that, by the prospect of such intimacy with total strangers while dining, but at the Red Ox, it's a perfectly normal and homey experience. It is really apparent that the owners know their customers well and the customers come back regularly.

Getting a table at this restaurant is not possible on any day of the week without a reservation. This was a Sunday night--I had called on Sat. evening for the reservation and was lucky to get the last table for 4 in their 5 pm seating. There is another seating between 7:30 - 8 pm - a little too late to eat such a magnificent meal.

When one arrives there, it is on a small street in the French part of town. From the outside, this could be described as "a little hole in the wall" with a shingle hung. Don't let this fool you as something extraordinary and wonderful awaits you. The decor is understated and really well thought out. Simple and stately - yet unpretentious. The service is absolutely exceptional. The waiter mixed the most incredible gin martini I have had in a long time and was expertly knowledgeable about all the wines (and there were many) on the world-wide wine menu. They even serve some organic wines - a rare occurance in Edmonton's fine dining community and so appreciated by people like me.

The menu is lovely and simple - not too few choices, not too many. The butternut squash soup is a staple and well worth having; It is sophisticated and simple all at once. This was my 7th visit there and the 4th time I have had this soup. It is THAT good. There are only a few well selected appetizers and main courses. They truly understand that it does not take a multi-page menu to please everyone - even a vegetarian. Every dish is perfectly prepared and served with care and thoughtfulness. The only word that can describe all 4 appetizers and all 4 entrees we ordered is PERFECTION. A friend ordered the warm goats cheese salad with cranberries and almonds. It certainly looked delicious (with the only sounds coming forth being "Mmmmm, OMG, this is amazaing!"), with a generous round of breaded and fried goats cheese perched on top of baby spinach and topped with a great tangy port dressing. The warm goat cheese salad seems to be a favourite here. For the main course, the people ordered lamb, one ordered beef, I had the salmon (on top of a bed the the most incredible mashed potatoes I have ever had). Everyone had equally rave reviews of their respective entrees.

For dessert, the blueberry bread pudding is better than any you will ever find. I did not sample it but the person who ordered it refused to share with anyone at the table - even for sampling. I am gluten-intolerant and dairy intolerant which was no problem, they simply custom make something! My friends also ordered the warm chocolate cake which looked very small and decadent - perfect after such a long and great dinner. One person ordered the pecan chocolate pie. More ooohs and aahhs...which I did not sample but it looked divine.

Our bill was $320 for 4 entrees, 4 starters, 3 desserts and 2 bottles of red wine - which seemed well worth it for this experience. It was completely worth it and would do it again - SOON.

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story"