Taking part in Fork Fest

Sorry for the gap in posts-I got sidetracked and forgot to update my blog!

I typically don't eat out for dinner too often, and if it's more than twice in one week...I start feeling guilty. It also depends on what I've eaten. It was Fork Fest from January 16-2o and then again from January 23-27. I didn't parttake in the first week because I was refraining from spending too much. The latter, I decided to take part with a few of my girlfriends. I was scanning through the menus of Fork Fest and decided that The Dish was the best value for money.

My salad

The Dish (formerly The Dish and Runaway Spoon-I believe they still go by that name for catering, as indicated on their signage outside of their restaurant) is a cute little bistro located on the intersection of Stony Plain Road and 124th Street. The type of fare they serve up isn't too fancy nor not fancy enough; it seems to strike a good balance. With entrees like Alberta Lamb Stew, Shepherd's Pie with whipped Sweet Potatoes, and Crab cakes with mango aioli, served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables,-it is enough to make your mouth water. I was waiting for about 45 minutes for my girlfriends to arrive (cellphone trouble) when I got too hungry and asked my server for my starter salad and wine (the Fork Fest deal included a salad or soup, main entree, dessert AND a glass of house wine.) The salad was seasonal greens with artichokes drizzled with a honey vinagrette.

The wine I chose was a house white wine from Chile. By the time I devoured my salad and sipped my wine four times, they arrived. After looking at the menu about a dozen times, I couldn't choose between the Alberta lamb stew or the Crab cakes. Being a fan of locally sourced foods, I finally opted for the Alberta Lamb Stew--only to hear that they are sold out of it. Next option: the crab cakes!

Crab cakes with mango aioli, rice pilaf and steamed veggies.

The crab cakes were good, but they weren't fantastic. The rice pilaf was a bit too dry and it didn't really seem like pilaf to me at all-the rice was too fluffy. The seasonal veggies were steamed and were fresh and crisp.





For dessert, there were quite a few delicious options such as raspberry white chocolate creme brulee, apple crisp with ice cream and toffee pudding to name a few. Without hesitation, I chose the toffee pudding...and was it ever delicious! Big portion, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, drizzled with caramel sauce. That finished off the meal just perfectly.

Delicious toffee pudding!

I would recommend this place to anyone who enjoys casual dining in a cozy and relaxed environment. I definitely felt like I spent my money wisely at this restaurant-and probably because it was Fork Fest, but the portions and the quality of food was very decent.

Verdict: scrumptious!