Brunch at Zinc

Our friend Tanya announced around her birthday that she wanted to go for a big brunch. Big brunch? My list of brunch spots is not extensive, but after a bit of searching, we came up with Zinc. Three courses for $36, and reports from a few bloggers that we'd be waddling out once our meal was complete.

We hadn't been to Zinc in some time; probably a year and a half ago now. But the interior remains as striking as ever, with rich blues, steel and wood all contrasted against one another. Our server offered us coffee and tea (included in the price), while I asked for a run down of their sparkling cocktails on offer that day (there were three or four, plus a couple lovely sounding mimosas). I ended up with a floral cocktail that combined St. Germain Elderflower and Violet liqueurs with sparkling wine. It was a great way to start the meal, and we all loved the purple hue of the drink.

The first course of cheese, pastry and preserves arrived soon after selecting our entrees. Since Charles is not a cheese fan, they kindly moved his cheese portion to the plate Tanya and I were sharing, and gave him extra pastry. Alongside the cheese there were pieces of peppery, cheesy shortbread, fruit, tarts and glasses of yogurt with berries. We enjoyed everything on the plate, with the shortbread stealing the show. The only thing I would add is some sort of list or explanation of that day's cheese, either printed or verbal.

There were three different mains on the table that day - Tanya chose the frittata with tomatoes and asparagus, and chose to add the house made turkey and apple sausage. Charles went with the only sweet option on the menu - the Neapolitan of pancakes - with Lagavulin bacon. And I went with the Salmon Benedict.

Since there were three different dishes on the table, we were able to try a bit of everything. I thought Charles' pancakes were the winner of the three. They were light and fluffy, and the different toppings were fun additions. The cubes of bacon served alongside were the perfect smoky accompaniment. Tanya's frittata was also well executed, and came out fluffy and tangy thanks to the dollop of goat cheese served on top. And although I wasn't a huge fan of the turkey sausage - it stood no match for the bacon on Charles' plate - Tanya really enjoyed it.

And finally, the Salmon Benedict. Nearly everything about this dish was lovely. The hollandaise was buttery and rich, with a nice acidity cutting through everything; their house smoked salmon was sweet, savoury and wonderfully smoky, and the buckwheat potato blinis were a welcome change from bread. My only complaint was that the eggs were slightly over cooked, which meant that beautiful runny yolk was nowhere to be found. This definitely wouldn't keep me from ordering a benedict next time though... the lobster sounds particularly enjoyable.

Just when we thought we could eat no more, slices of warm apple strudel arrived at the table to finish the meal.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Zinc for Saturday or Sunday brunch. While there may be a couple kinks, the menu offers something for everyone on the list. And if you don't feel like indulging in all three courses, each one is available on its own. And with that the brunch list grows.

Zinc at the AGA
780.392.2501

Brunch: 11-2; Further hours

*Past posts on Zinc can be found here, here and here.

A Fall Menu Launch at ZINC

Invited to check out ZINC's new fall menu a few weeks ago (yes, it took me awhile to post... and this is a lengthy one), Charles and I arrived ready to sample a few items and maybe catch up with some fellow bloggers. But after sitting down at a table of six with Chris and Sarah, and Sharon and Mack, we soon realized we would each be receiving every dish on the menu in "by the bite" form. So, with napkins already placed on our laps by the server (I don't think I'll ever warm to this), we began.

The evening began with an intro from Chef David Omar. With the new fall dinner menu, ZINC would continue to focus on local producers and businesses, with items coming from Paddy's cheeses, Green Eggs and Ham and Spring Creek Ranch, just to name a few.

The new addition this fall would be the "by the bite" concept - larger dishes taken down to a one or two bite format. Although I think this is far from tapas, I can see it being a nice option for those stopping for a drink/break/meeting/etc. after work - three bites would provide a nice transition towards dinner. And since many of us often wish to try more than one appetizer or entree, this concept means you don't have to choose just one dish. In short, Charles and I think "by the bite" is a excellent concept.

Food (with "by the bite" pricing) - there were six courses, each consisting of three bites the kitchen had paired for us. The 'bites' are meant to represent their larger plate counterpart.

First Course

Cucumber and Tomato Salad ($4) - Not a fan of tabbouleh, this one didn't do it for me at all - too much garlic and lemon. The quinoa however, was well cooked. Charles ate all of it, which I took as a good sign, but afterwards he said he probably wouldn't order himself.

Beet Salad ($4) - The first time we went to ZINC I had a beet salad and it was fantastic, so I'm glad to see them carrying a version forward. This one included sweet roasted red beet, a beet sorbet, greens and white turnip puree. I liked the combo, although I'm not so sure about the frozen element - the cold intensified the beet sweetness, which I didn't really care for. The crispy beet on top was a nice addition though, providing a crunchy contrast in texture with the smooth sorbet. Charles liked this one, and I'm amazed. He's definitely not a beet fan, but he said it was his favourite aspect of the first course.

Casear salad ($4) - A little garlicky, but otherwise well dressed. Really, it was a piece of crispy Prosciutto that stole the show. Charles liked the caesar also, and I don't think he got through the rest of the meal without imagining how the bacon could somehow work its way in.

Second Course

Lobster Bisque ($4) - This one didn't work for either Charles or I. I was expecting it to be richer and more complex. As Chris mentioned in his post, a piece of lobster meat in there might have been a nice addition. Charles, well, he's just not a shell fish fan, so no chance with this one.

Salmon Three Ways ($5) - My favourite on the plate was the Salt and Dill smoked gravlox - I'm a sucker for dill, and this little bite was full of it. The maple cured salmon had a nice sweetness, but the texture didn't do it for me - it was chewy, and a little leathery. Sarah described it well by comparing it to jerky. Charles had similar thoughts, although nothing on the plate jumped out at him.

Pan Seared Scallop ($6) - Easily the best things on this plate was the sweet potato and maple ginger purée - sweet, a little spicy and a rich orange colour, this was fall on a plate for me. We all jumped into the scallop before the demi-glaze came around, but the scallop as it came out was a little dry.

Third Course

Beef ($9) - Everyone at our table unfortunately received a piece of incredibly dry and overcooked beef, so any flavour from it was lost as was the goat cheese butter, which I was looking forward to. I suppose the dryness would be remedied via a regular sized steak, but if this dish is going to offered in 'bite' format, hopefully they can get the cooking times straightened out.

Vegetarian - Orzo Risotto ($7) - I really loved the flavours in this dish - the tomato and saffron worked incredibly well together. It wasn't really creamy, but I think this allowed the flavours to shine. I have to say, I wish there were more vegetarian options. I can remember the one non-meat option on menus when I was veggie, and it wasn't fun. Charles liked this one too, although he wasn't sure he would pay $7 for the serving size.

Chicken Supreme ($7) - The chicken here was prosciutto wrapped, leaving it incredibly moist, and we both enjoyed the kick given by the sauce on top.

Fourth Course

Green tea smoked duck breast ($8) - The duck was nicely cooked here, although neither Charles or I qite got the green tea flavour. And there was another creamy, flavourful purée here - pumpkin and potato. The blueberry jus was a nice sweet-tart complement to the duck and the vanilla scented tomato worked for me - although I try raw tomatoes every year, I just can't get over that acidic-sweet thing. The vanilla simple syrup took away most of the acidic bite of the tomato, so if you enjoy that aspect, this wouldn't be for you.

Lamb ($9) - If I remember correctly, this was the hit of the table, with well cooked, moist, tender lamb, and a flavourful Cassis jus. I like the addition of the polenta, but another one of their purées would have been fantastic here.

Braised Lentils ($4) - This dish didn't go over with either Charles or I - the lentils were well cooked, but neither of us could find the red curry cream. This was also my first pork belly experience. The way it's been spoken of to me, I was sort of expecting it to melt in some 'ultimate fatty goodness' way, but it didn't. The star of this one, as Chris noted, was the pickled carrot - sweet, sour, crunchy - just amazing.

Fifth Course

Cannelloni ($6) - This cannelloni was full of duck confit - Charles loved it, but said it was probably too rich to order the larger version of. It didn't quite work for me - I like cutting into a piece of duck confit and getting the soft, rich texture of a whole piece of meat; here it was ground so I missed that. The leaks were a little over powering for me, although I understand their necessity to contrast the rich duck.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions ($6) - I loved the braised cabbage here, yet another thing that signals fall to me. The pork was unfortunately a little dry, and Charles experienced the same with his dish.

Bison ($9) - The bison was a little over cooked, and both Charles and I found it a bit tough. The zucchini spaghetti squash didn't quite do it for me texture wise, but the potato gratin underneath was incredibly creamy, which I loved.

Sixth Course

*This course came out with small cutlery as an experiment, that would possibly make the 'bite' eating a bit easier... it didn't go over well at our table. But I have to say it was sort of entertaining.

Bison Carpaccio ($6) - As Chris noted, the bison unfortunately stuck to the plate here, meaning you had to scrape the plate to retrieve the thinly sliced meat, and we were also missing the poached egg. Despite this, the flavours here completely worked for me, especially the addition of whole pink peppercorns - great idea.

Salmon ($8) - This plate didn't work for Charles or I. The salmon was unfortunately dry and the lemon butter couldn't save it. The mixture of barley pilaff and kohlrabi and carrot had a bitter-sweet thing going on that wasn't working for either of us.

Spaghetti ($8) - I took my Nanny to ZINC for lunch this past June - she raved about the fish and chips (which are still on their lunch menu, btw), and I had an Alpaca burger. The meatball here was the same as my burger - too dry, and not overly flavourful. We also didn't receive any of the house spaghetti with this dish, since they couldn't fit it in the serving bowl. Hopefully they will change the vessel in regular service.

Dessert

I was glad to find an addition of dessert at the end of our slightly epic Monday evening. It was banana bread pudding with rum caramel sauce and bruléed banana, usually served with banana ice cream (like the spaghetti dish, the vessel here was just to small to facilitate its serving). Charles is not a banana person, so this wasn't going to work for him. I liked it though, and although it doesn't come in bite sized format on the regular menu, this was the perfect size, especially with the addition of the rich caramel.

At the end of the night, we both agreed there were 'by the bite' dishes we would definitely order, but I'm not sure all the dishes work with the concept. That said, we've enjoyed our visits to ZINC in the past, and while every dish wasn't a hit that evening, we will certainly be heading back for both 'by the bite' portions and full plates.

Thanks very much to everyone over at ZINC for a very memorable evening. It was certainly appreciated.

ZINC (at the AGA)
2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
780.392.2501 (online reservations here)
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with Sunday brunch (detailed hours here)


Check out Chris and Sarah's thoughts on the evening (as well as beautiful photos) here. The Undercover Gourmet was also there.

ZINC for Lunch

I finally finished exams yesterday, and to celebrate, Charles and I headed to the AGA for one final look at the Cardiff/Miller installations before they head out May 9th. We also stopped again at the Degas exhibit, however I can't say it was as enjoyable this time, as I had just spent the morning writing about Degas and the little dancer cast in my art history exam. We were also hoping to check out the Terrace Cafe for lunch, but thought we needed something more substantial than a wrap or sandwich. So instead we decided to head to Zinc and give it another try.

The restaurant was empty when we arrived around 2pm, but we were greeted promptly by the hostess. She happened to lead us to the same table as our previous visit.

Our server appeared right away to fill water glasses and to let us know about the specials - a blue cheese mac and cheese with flank steak, and a leek and potato soup. After that however, we were left for quite awhile to peruse the page long menu. We had long decided our orders by the time she returned - an Innis & Gunn with the Fish and Chips for Charles, and the "Un-Burger" with the soup of the day and an Amber's Chocolate Stout for me.

Chocolate Stout

Brioche

Bread plate

I wasn't expecting the fresh brioche during lunch, but about 10 minutes after our order two pieces appeared along with their Thyme butter. Unfortunately we didn't get to indulge in the extra carbs, as our server returned straight away with our mains.

As with our last visit, we were in awe over the plating designs. They are beautiful - clean lines and simple, functional plates and bowls (both of us are also in love with their cutlery!). Charles enjoyed his fish and chips, particularly the Alberta White fish they had chosen, however he thought the batter on the fish could have been more crisp. He also didn't care for the 'Saki Soaked Nori Aioli', and I can't say I did either after trying it with a bite of fish; it seemed oily, and it overpowered the flavour of the fish completely. However we both agreed that the root vegetable chips made up of thinly sliced beets, potatoes and yam, and the red cabbage slaw with black sesame seeds were fantastic.

Fish and Chips - Alberta White Fish, Root Vegetable Chips, Red Cabbage Slaw & Sake soaked Nori Aioli ($19)

My "un-burger"was great. The elk and caribou patty was rich, flavourful and moist, and I loved the sweetness of the honey caramelized onions. The Saskatoon berry aioli also provided a nice brightness that cut through the rich brioche bun and the burger itself well. I have to say the burger was incredibly large with all the toppings, so Charles helped me finish it... he thought he would definitely go for that on our next visit. The leek and potato soup was also good - rich and creamy and perfect for yesterday afternoon, which turned out to be a bit rainy and cold.

Alberta's Finest Un-burger - Homemade Ground Caribou and Elk, Honey Caramelized Onions, Saskatoon Berry Aioli, Sautéed Mushrooms ($17)

w/ Leek and Potato Soup

Our server came back to fill water glasses, clear our plates (she did not come back while we were eating to ask how our food was, etc.) and inquire about dessert. She came back with a dessert menu, also telling us that she didn't know if the kitchen was still open or if they had shut down to prepare for dinner service. It turned out that although they were shutting down, the kitchen 'would do dessert for us', and we ended up sharing the crème brulée, the same dessert Charles had during our last visit for dinner.

Vanilla Espresso Crème Brulée - Praline Hazelnut Gelato, Strawberry Foam ($12)

Crème Brulée detail

Neither of us thought the dessert was as good as last time, but couldn't place our finger on anything specific. Maybe it was the confusion over the kitchen and the way the menu was presented to us...

As with our last visit, we enjoyed the food, but found the service still lacking. Once again our server was friendly, but overall service was nowhere near polished. Hopefully Zinc will find their stride soon!

ZINC
2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
780.392.2501


**I meant to post more on our visit last month for dinner, but instead I've added prices to that post. Since it's been so long, I'm not sure I can accurately reflect on the evening. Hopefully this will serve as a bit of an update to accompany the post from our last visit.

ZINC...

We went to ZINC on Friday night, and while we enjoyed most of our food and all of the beautiful plating, the service was no where near smooth or professional. Our server was very nice, but it was clear he needed more training. Maybe they still need time, but I really thought they would have gotten it together after two months.

I'm in the middle of essays right now, so more details to come, but for now here are some (dark and blurry) pictures!

The view!

House made thyme butter and warm brioche

A very sweet AGA Berry Cosmo and an Innis & Gunn

Amuse bouche - cucumber, creme fraiche and earl grey tea smoked salmon

Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese puree, Beet and Rose Petal Honey Reduction, Beet Carpaccio & Carrot Juice ($14; the carrot juice was a palate cleanser before the next course. Charles' House Salad came with cucumber water as the palate cleanser - we loved this element!)

For me: Pan Seared Wild Alberta Pickerel ($34) with Pickled Mushrooms, Edamame Beans, Beets & Warm Potato Espuma (aka. foam); I was happy to hear that Zinc is part of Ocean Wise through the Vancouver Aquarium! I think this program is finally starting to gain some ground in Edmonton.... Here is an article about the program and some of the aquaculture issues from Avenue Magazine's March issue.

For Charles: Black Cod poached in a Barigoule Stock, Warm Fennel Salad, Brunoise of Cucumber and Potato in Creme Fraiche, Wild Boar Bacon, Basil Tarragon Emulsion ($36)

Charles and one of their beautiful blue water goblets

Charles: Vanilla Espresso Creme Brulee with Praline Hazelnut Gelato and Strawberry Foam ($12)

Me: Dark Callebaut Chocolate Flourless Cake (I really wish they would have used Valrhona here to punch up the chocolate) with Raspberry Sorbet and Mission Fig Compote ($12). They matched this with a complimentary glass of Maple Ice Wine from Quebec in honour of my birthday.

ZINC

2 Sir Winston Churchill Square

780.392.2501