| Big, bold and bright. Juicy orange, blue and green walls are the background for sombreros ranging tipsily up the curving central staircase. Turquoise tin bar stools cluster convivially around tables in the two-storey glass atrium while curvy banquettes slink around the perimeter. Julio’s Barrio (101-10th St. N.W.; phone 203-3066) has a playful vibe, a great view of the river and a rooftop patio.
A friend and I nipped in for a little Julio sunshine one rainy afternoon. Julio’s extreme sangria ($5.14) is a fine-flavoured mix of red wine, passion fruit liqueur, orange liqueur, peach schnapps, and fruit juices. The bobbing strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries were as playful as the rest of the place. We were off to a good start.
The soups were also good – we tried both. Peasant black bean soup ($5.75) is a hearty soup that comes with a variety of accompaniments: lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and a smear of chipotle pepper paste. My favourite soup was the light but satisfying sopa de tortilla ($5.75), a tomato broth with a range of do-it-yourself additions: feta cheese, tortilla strips, chopped avocado, fresh cilantro and the pepper paste.
Julio’s menu is a glossy listing, sprinkled with little red sombreros indicating selections "recommended by Julio & everyone who knows Julio." One such item is the combo platter ($13.99 – serves two to four). After the great drinks and the tasty soups, though, we were let down by the platter. The "spicy breaded shrimp" were bland with a tough coating. The cheese-stuffed jalapenos were middle-of-the-road, as were the chips, salsa and guacamole. My friend liked the flautas – chicken and onion wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried.
On another visit, we took our appetites to the upstairs patio and ordered entrees: a vegetarian burrito ($11.99), a chicken fajita ($12.99) and the quesadilla de hongo ($11.99). Once again we were underwhelmed by our food, with the exception of the leek and anise-seasoned quesadilla, that hinted at the interesting flavours Julio’s could be delivering. The "signature salsa" sides ($3.99) were fine, but nothing special. The passilla chili fudge pie ($5.25) we ended our meal with, was also simply OK. And none of our palates – ranging from spice-aversive to chili-headed – could detect in the dessert any of the "spike" of chili the menu promised.
It’s not that the food is bad, it’s simply bland – the same kind of "safe" food you’d get at a family restaurant chain. Julio’s does have four locations (three in Edmonton, where it all began) but it’s not a chain. So my question is this: when you have a place (the Kensington restaurant) that so perfectly sets the stage for delivering big, bold flavours, why hold back?
Julio’s has not lacked customers since opening, so apparently there’s a good market for what it’s offering. I’m just hoping that Julio’s decides to plunge into delivering, not just a great-looking place with a view, but one that delivers more great flavours, too. |
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