| Amid months of advertising teasers, buzz and anticipation, Victoria’s Restaurant reopened their doors on August 25. A moderate facelift has brought the large and intricate space back to life while retaining its original esthetic.
With a restaurant, café, lounge and ballroom, there is something to satisfy the food and social palate around the clock. Long-time Calgary restaurateur Witold Twardowski has given the space his "Midas touch," that has traditionally consisted of reinventing Calgary restaurants while retaining some of their past charms.
It was one of those cool, drizzly days of fall when a girlfriend and I headed to Victoria’s for supper before going to the theatre. It was a quiet Wednesday, so we sat in the deep, sumptuous high-back chairs on the upper level overlooking the main dining area. Opulent shades of reds and burgundy are complemented by dark, inky-black accents, while exposed brick and gilded brass give rich texture to the space. With so many nooks and crannies, one can observe the multiple dining area activities or nestle snugly into a more private, unobtrusive nook.
The "wet paint" menu was explained by our server as being a smaller, introductory menu to "test the waters" and would gradually expand with more hearty selections. After speaking with new Chef Chris Tappin, I discovered he has done just that. The restaurant’s third new chef since its opening, he has committed to retaining Victoria’s signature hearty fare, while giving it a gourmet touch and keeping the cost down. He has a proven record of accomplishment, having helped open both Verve locations, and has spent time in the Mescalaro kitchen. Since Victoria’s now has a full-service bakery, Tappin is busy maximizing the available resources and incorporating elements like day-old bread into bread pudding desserts and savoury sides.
We looked over all the substantial, belly-filling choices on the menu and started out with glasses of wine and a couple of appetizers. The house-made cracker and bread plate was a bargain at $7. It came with three dips – caramelized onion and cream cheese, roasted red pepper and spicy, pickled eggplant. They were served with a few slices each of hearty rye loaf, crusty French bread and thin, crispy flatbread. Each was uniquely delicious and we dipped every last crumb.
We also tried the light-as-air scallops ($10), served on two skewers with juicy pieces of ham for enhanced flavouring, garnished with curled beet shavings and assorted greens, drizzled with a citrus glaze.
For our entrées, I settled on the lobster macaroni and cheese ($19) with its big chunks of fresh lobster meat, small juicy peas and pasta in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with a thin, crispy layer of breadcrumbs. The doggy bag of leftovers (it was a very large portion) tasted even better as lunch the next day.
Tappin explained that as he phases out past mistakes, some menu items have had to be changed, such as the lobster mac and cheese. It’s now become baked lobster and rock shrimp cannelloni. The menu tweaks make better use of the ingredients and improve food storage requirements.
My girlfriend ordered the meatloaf ($15), which was tender and moist. Growing up, I was used to the dried out variety, with a can of tomato paste poured unceremoniously on top. This was anything but, with thick mashed potatoes and savoury gravy that was neither heavy nor greasy. The meatloaf made the final menu cut, and has been joined by other new recipes such as the beef bourguignon, that is marinated and slow cooked for three days, and a braised arctic char, served with a caraway-scented sushi rice side.
Tappin is currently building up his kitchen staff to support the key skills in many of the slow cooked and braised recipes – old bistro-style classics he’s made into Victoria’s own. There are also plans to revive the old Sunday dinners with prime rib, pot roast and other plentiful choices.
To our amazement, the whole bill only totaled $67 before tip for two glasses of wine, two appetizers and two entrees. It was a steal for an evening of great, upscale comfort food in a luxurious setting.
Victoria’s is located at 306 17th Avenue S.W.; phone, 245-5356. |
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