A Next Act brunch

This past Saturday morning began perfectly as we stepped into Strathcona market and saw some green things at Morinville and Gull Valley Greenhouses. Completely unexpected, we've been eating green beans and arugula this week. So it's spring to me... for a couple moments anyhow.

As we left the market we decided it was finally time to head back to Next Act to check out the brunch situation, something we had been meaning to do for awhile now. The place was about half full with families and friends (ie. many post market shoppers) as we arrived around 11:30. We settled into a mimosa and a pint of Full Moon ($4 for the new moon!) and looked over the menus - both lunch and brunch are on starting at 11am.

Charles didn't waver from our last visit, again going with the pulled pork sandwich ($12) from the lunch menu. I was torn between the 'Pulled Pork Melt' (hashbrowns, pulled pork, poached egg, cheese, pea shoots and house salsa; $12) and the breakfast burrito ($10). I eventually decided on the latter, easily swayed by the thought of avocado and black beans.

Our food came out in no time, and as I cut into my crispy burrito, I was happy to find it full of soft scrambled eggs, plenty of avocado, green peppers, cheese and black beans. Though a little 'heat' would have been welcome, the salsa definitely added a bright freshness to the mix, and the crispy potatoes were a nice addition on the side - a little smoky and slightly spicy. My favourite thing on the plate was the smoothie shot - fresh and hinting at a blender full of banana, it was a great finish to the dish. Charles seemed to enjoy his pulled pork sandwich even more than our initial visit - a little more smoky, sticky and flavourful this time, I was working on the burrito long after the sandwich disappeared.

After our successful dinner stop last October, we were happy to find the same comfortable, friendly space and service, along with a small but well rounded brunch menu that added even more to Next Act's appeal. While we love venturing outside Old Strathcona, it's always nice to re-discover great spots in your own neighbourhood.

Next Act Pub
8224 104 Street
780.433.9345
Hours: M-Th (11am - 1am); F-Sa (11am - 2am); Su (11am - 2pm)

This past Sunday Next Act began the first of a series of Family Dinner Nights. Keep an eye on their website for details on the next one. Reservations required.

The Next Act and La Bohème

After a great experience at Opera al Fresco this past summer, Charles and I waffled, then finally decided to take in Edmonton Opera's 2010/11 season. Kicking off the first of three with La Bohème this evening, we decided to meet up with a couple friends for dinner/drinks prior, and thought The Next Act would fit the bill.

The space itself has certainly been re-vamped, and both Charles and I loved the blend of new and old - warm hardwood flooring, clean white and grey walls, and elegant lighting somehow combine beautifully with the old bar and green furniture, and the space remains as comfy and casual as ever. And although I didn't check out the bathroom, my friend said it was clean and sparkly, versus the "interesting" state of the old one.

Pumpkin Pie spiced ale

Beer wise, Charles went with with a Steam Whistle (pint, $6), while the rest of us went for the Alley Kat seasonal brew - Pumpkin Pie spiced ale (pint, $6). I'm glad to see that Alley Kat brought back their Pumpkin Pie Ale (and that Next Act is carrying it on tap) - it has a caramel richness and pleasant spiciness that goes so perfectly with fall weather. For food we decided on a shared appetizer of crab cakes ($11 for 3), with entrees of fish and chips ($13), a halibut burger for me ($13) and a BBQ pulled pork sandwich with tobacco onions for Charles ($12).

Our crab cakes came out quickly, and we happily dove in. There were good reports on the crab cakes all around - they were light and flaky, and the red and green peppers studding them were an excellent addition... and we all fought over the last bit of dill aioli served along side. I was fine being the only one to enjoy the coleslaw - it wasn't the prettiest thing to look at, but the cabbage and carrots were fresh and crunchy, and the capers provided a welcome salty-acidic bite.

Crab Cakes

Mains were also enjoyed by all. Charles' pulled pork sandwich was rich, flavourful and moist, with bits of well caramelized pork providing a lovely sweetness. Our friend, who was desperately craving fish and chips, found two pieces of fish with a light, crunchy batter on the outside, and moist, flaky fish on the inside. After reading a rave review of the halibut sandwich by Allan Kellogg, I was happy to find it lived up to expectations. A flaky, meaty piece of lightly battered halibut came out on a soft bun, topped with coleslaw (which I was happy about... again the capers were welcome to contrast the richness here) and house tartar sauce, making an incredibly comforting, slightly messy sandwich that went perfectly with the Pumpkin Ale.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Fish and Chips

Fish Burger

All this turned out to be perfectly satisfying pre-Opera food - a little greasy, incredibly comforting, and perfect with beer. With friendly, casual and prompt service, a cozy atmosphere, and solid 'comfort' food that goes well with a good beer, we certainly hope to be heading to The Next Act a little more often.

*I should also note that we enjoyed our first opera, with Act II definitely turning out to be the highlight of La Bohème for us - lots of comedy, a dazzling set design, and streamers at the end that almost made Charles jump out of his seat.

The Next Act
8224 104 Street
780.433.9345
Hours: Su - Th (11am - 1am), F - Sa (11am - 2am); Weekend and holiday brunch from 11am - 2pm

The Pourhouse Bier Bistro

After a rough week of midterms and assignments (which seem to be lasting into this week and next), Charles and I decided to head out Friday evening for dinner. Not wanting to leave Garneau, we decided on The Pourhouse on 103rd and Whyte.

We had stopped back in August for what turned out to be a less than stellar lunch - both food and service wise. Promising to have over one hundred beers on the menu (it doesn't quite look like that many on the menu itself...), we were disappointed when they were out of quite a few. At any rate, we were hopeful for improvement - we love Sugarbowl, but an alternative to head to once in awhile, with solid food and good beer, would be great to have in the neighbourhood.

Arriving around 7:30, we found the place relatively empty, with just a few tables of two, and one larger, rowdier table of six. The space (formerly Flavours Modern Bistro) is as beautiful as ever - warm brick, the large window at the front, and rich hardwood floors. Some new lighting and a long mirror and banquette along the East wall have been added by the new tenants. We decided on a table along the banquette, and a server appeared shortly after with a food menu and beer list.

As noted above, the beer list seems a bit shorter than what is advertised. Organized by country, the list appears to be focused on Canadian beers (both large and small breweries), with a couple from Alley Kat and many from Ontario. There are also more fruity and pale beers on the list than dark browns or stouts, and everything is at a pretty fair price - about $6 a bottle. Charles went for one of the two Polish brews on the menu - Lezajsk - while I decided on Crabbies Ginger Beer, both of which we enjoyed.

Food wise, Charles was again craving a plate of nachos (~$12), with nothing yet beating out the plate offered at High Level Diner (they also have excellent refried beans with theirs that I always get to eat). I went for a veggie burger (~$14) that would come with toppings of house hummus and ratatouille, along with a salad.

Our food arrived in almost no time. Charles' nachos were simply nachos - nothing amazing here. My veggie burger was unfortunately a little disappointing - the large kaiser roll was pretty dry, and I couldn't seem to find the hummus anywhere on the slightly spicy veggie patty. Combined with limp lettuce and a mild ratatouille that had lost its juices to the bun, I left with my veggie burger craving unsatisfied. The salad was promising, with chick peas studding the entire thing, but whatever the combo of lettuce and dressing used, it left a bitter taste.

I'm not sure what we were expecting with The Pourhouse, but we were certainly hoping to find what it is that "Bier Bistro" signals to us - carefully chosen beer and good dishes to along with it. With The Next Act's new overhauled menu and space a block away, and with Accent lounge just around the corner offering solid food and drink, I still hope The Pourhouse can pull things together and offer something unique to Whyte and Old Strathcona.

The Pourhouse Bier Bistro
10354 82 Avenue
780.757.7687
Hours: T-W (3pm - 12am), Th (3pm - 1am), Fri (3pm - 2am), Sat (11:30am - 2am), Sun (11:30am - 10pm)


*We have a reservation for The Marc this coming Saturday evening, and after an early but good report on Chowhound and a recent post over at May Contain Nuts, I'm definitely looking forward to it.