Located in the heart of downtown Edmonton, Madison's Grill offers Canadian cuisine in an upscale setting. It is a favourite business function spot of my colleagues, but, until now, I've never had the opportunity to visit. On the chilly December evening of my visit, the restaurant is tastefully decorated for the holidays, and is busy with many large groups celebrating the season. Despite the bustling atmosphere, my party is seated promptly, and offered a good explanation of their concept, seasonal features, and specials for the night.
Candied sweet potato bisque
The candied sweet potato bisque, a selection from the holiday menu, arrives first. A brulee meringue floats on top, which I find overly spongey and somewhat unpleasant. Small pieces of deliciously salty pancetta lounge in the bottom of the bowl. These, along with a twist of maple syrup, bring life to the smooth sweet potato soup.
Roasted beet salad
The beet salad is beautifully presented. The greens are coated in a mildly acidic mustard vinaigrette. The pungency of the stilton crumble is subdued by the rainbow of sweet roasted beets.
Crab ravioli
For a small charge, the homemade crab ravioli arrives split between two of my guests. The pasta is perfect in texture, and saffron imparts an earthy essence to the cream sauce.
Pork chop
The pan roasted pork chop is also a holiday menu item. The bone-in pork chop arrives perfectly cooked, the meat flavourful and juicy with every bite. A balsamic onion marmalade imparts more sweetness than acidity, and is lovely on the chop as well as accompanying wild rice and cranberry pudding.
Arctic char
My guest finds the seared arctic char and ratatouille similarly well prepared. The fish and velvety mashed potatoes thrive beneath a roasted garlic butter sauce.
Clockwise from the top: Saskatoon berry creme brûlée, egg nog custard, pumpkin bread pudding.
I break into my creme brûlée with a crack after a few taps of my spoon. The contrast of the luscious Saskatoon berry custard with the rigid sugary shell create a very luxurious dessert. The accompanying white chocolate peppermint bark is a delicious bonus. The pumpkin berry bread pudding, though light on pumpkin flavour, is lovely with the mascarpone quenelle.
We were not disappointed with our visit to Madison's Grill. As expected for the price point, the service is exquisite and the food prepared to a high standard. Marks of the culinary team's creative talents are notable in many dishes; however, I would welcome even more imagination to allow Madison's keep pace with other fine dining establishments in the city.
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