Creekside Pub and Brewery

Atmosphere: 3.0 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Food: 4.5 out of 5

Okay, yes this is a pub for the most part with bar fare, but it is done well.

Creekside is located out in Eastgate and was actually there before the east side become so popular. The fact that it is thriving in the cluster &*(& that is the east end is a testament to the food and drink available.

Atmosphere...well it is primarily a pub. When you walk in - the door even says "No minors allowed". When I first walked in it looked just like a bar - pub height tables, vlt's, tv's with various sports - however there is some better seating upstairs - booths and tables that are a little quieter but still a bar. The decor is looking a little dated but I rather like all the entertainment memorabilia and movie posters scattered throughout. Takes me back to my teenage years in the 80's.

The menu is not haute cuisine - it is pub fare. They advertise Trifon's Pizza so not sure if the whole menu is made by same staff. They have some excellent specials and Friday night a pound of boneless ribs for $5.00 with your choice of sauce. These ribs are fabulous. They are tender with a nice crisp coating.

The entrees are also well done - you guessed it burger. I have now tried the mini burgers that you build yourself and the Mugger. I have to say the burgers are probably not handmade, but they are of a higher end processed patty. The partner in dietary crime had the wonderfully named "Wings 2 ways" - 2 chicken wings (actually seasoned breasts) and 1 pig wing (bone in side rib). Both were well seasoned and cooked just right; and on the second trip a chicken quesadilla with some nice veggies (wanted the steak but that was only a January special :-(). All entrees come with choice of side of course and they offer the regular list of salad (house or ceasar), soup, fries, sweet potato fries and the unique option of Lagers.

This place has a very close to feel to Bonzinii's in the Southend - probably owned by the same folks as the beers are the same and they share the Lagers recipe.

The service was excellent. The waitresses on both our visits were excellent and very helpful with the menu.

I can definitely see this in regular rotation. It is a very popular place - always full with the after work crowd. I will warn you the parking lot is a maze. We didn't know exactly how to get off Victoria avenue and so snaked around by the new hotels. Go in daylight and you can see the maze. A little bit of a challenge to get there but well worth it once there.

SOHO - sports bar/nightclub

Update: This place no longer exists...it has become yet another nightclub along that dewdney strip. Not that it will be missed - you can get a lot better food in a lot better atmosphere...So long Soho.

Atmosphere: 2.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5 (we were only ones there so they couldn't ignore us)
Food: 2.5 out of 5

SOHO has been around for a while in the Regina entertainment scene. It is located on Dewdney avenue in the strip of renovated warehouses that are home to a number of nightclubs and bars. In my young and wild days I believe this place was Manhatten's which then turned into the very hip New Yorx nightclub and then SOHO nightclub but I may be wrong on the history because I never went to any of those incarnations.

We chose this place out of blind luck - driving down Albert we spotted the billboard advertising a new executive chef who specialized in 'fusion'. Okay - it's newly renovated looking for new clients - excellent lets try it. (Later in my search I found the sports bar has been open since May 09 - surprised then at lack of afterwork customers - maybe why there is a new ad campaign?!?)

The nightclub part - the basement - has been voted best nightclub in Regina by the community newspaper (Prairie Dog) readers. I can't comment there because I don't fit that demographic at all and never really did.

Parking is street (no meters) and I believe people can park across Dewdney in one of the other warehouse lots.

The sports bar is in the upper part of the building - atmosphere is quite nice, love the rustic walls, open beams, great floor (mostly original wood with some concrete touches added - looks a lot better than it sounds) - and great lighting. Like any "sports bar" they have tv's with sports...all on the same channel but hey and some of the screens have seen better days unless you really like shades of green. Mix of tables - pub height and low. A couple of pool and foosball tables to keep folks entertained. Looks like a great place for after work 5 à 7 type of thing. We walked in at 7 and it was just us - but they are newly opened. Needless to say the service was tremendous as we were it, later some patrons came in and sat around the bar itself - not too social.

Full bar menu - although when asked what's on tap the server couldn't quite remember and it turned out to be the basic domestic choices you would find at any bar.

The menu is bar fare - a mix of appys, sandwiches and burgers etc - nothing I would call 'fusion'. Not exactly what I expected from the billboard advertisement or the website I checked on when we got home.

We went for the standbys - Ribs and burger. Ribs were not what was expected - rather than a slab of ribs they were boneless rib chunks (much like dry ribs) bathed in the chosen sauce which would be fine if that was what you were expecting. The burger was well cooked, good bun and dressed well but definitely not made in house - generic burger from the freezer, made with real meat, not too many fillers, but no love for the burger. Fries and Sweet Potato fries were also from freezer - although the aioli for the sweet potatoes was very tasty. Freezer was also the original home of the veggies that accompanied the ribs. Steaming fresh veggies would add a special touch and probably decrease food waste - because frozen - yuck.

As an aside - and directed at all restaurants - when I see a cook outside the back door having a smoke I question the food. Not because of health issues but because the cook has chosen to fry his taste and sense of smell. My expectations are immediately lowered for the food. If we had noticed this cook outside before we went in we may have made another choice - we did later see him go out for a break with his cigarettes which may have answered a few questions on the plate.

SOHO is a try-over type of place. Just getting their feet and trying to build their clientele from the nightclub reputation they have. I would recommend this place to folks looking for an after work nacho and beer break. If you want the basic food - it works - especially if you like the generic out of the box stuff that is being served at a lot of the chains...I don't so I'll probably try it again in the summer and see how they fair but it won't make it into my regular rotation of Regina eateries. I believe it is somehow associated with McNalley's (Irish pub down the street) whose food I don't go out of my way for either. Not sure if the owners are the same but the menu looks it.

Give SOHO a chance - it's a nice place for drinks but needs to work on full menu.

Rooftop

Atmosphere: 3.5 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Food: 3.5 out of 5

I had heard mixed reviews about the Rooftop restaurant - from really great to down right poor so I decided I would finally decide for myself. Downtown local again and parking was a bit of a challenge - lot is no longer free after 5:00 and does cost $2 - so remember change.

The restaurant is a renovated space of an older Western Pizza (I only went there 2x I think - both for my guilty pleasure of beef and mushroom pizza...mmh). It is very nicely laid out and decorated. A very different vibe than the old pizza place. Hardwood, laminate, slate, dark subdued colours and good lighting.

We did go on a Friday night without a reservation so we were forced into the bar/lounge. Not my first choice but the atmosphere was nice albeit a little loud - and again what is with the sports that is constantly on in every bar/lounge...a rant for another time.

The tables were bar height and I had to pause when the table was sort of sticky - but I think this had nothing to do with their cleaning techniques and much more on manufacture techniques.

For drinks they have a very nice menu with cocktails, wines etc - what I did miss was a list of beers on tap so had to ask. We are not big drinkers and usually go for pop, however the husband ordered pop first and it was off (usually due to lines not being cleaned on a regular basis - think 7-11 in the middle of summer), so I ordered a Rickard's Red - I believe I got a honey brown but I was okay with that - it had nice flavour.

Appy - First choice was the Bourbon bones but was informed that they no longer are on the menu - okay so we went for the dry ribs. I am a bit lazy and what with braces in middle age I usually don't like ribs with bones but these had such a great flavour and were tender off the bone that I readily enjoyed my share. They came with a sweet dip that went very well with the peppery flavour of the ribs - I think it was a appricot or apple sauce based.

Entre - As I said before, most places live or die in my heart by their burger so I always start off with a burger. I ordered the black & blue bison burger with sweet potato fries. The burger is served on a flat bread bun which I wasn't really expecting but was very tasty and complemented the meat very well. Nice big chunks of blue cheese could be found in almost every bite and the bourbon bbq sauce was tangy and added the right kick. The sweet potato fries were crisp and smooth and the aioli was more on the smooth than the hot side. Lots of veggies on the burger, made for a very filling entre. The husband had the berries and bison steak and he liked the berry sauce, however found the bison a bit tough/stringy even done medium/rare. Served with an overflowing baked potato and a skewer of seasonal veg grilled nicely with still some crunch.

Overall I think we will try this restaurant again and sit in the restaurant part. The menu is heavy on the steak so next time I am in the mood for beef I will definitely think of the rooftop as an option. Other items on the menu didn't wow me. I picked out a few items I will definitely try but with the prices as they are I will be selective in my ordering - I want to enjoy my meal for the price range - about $75 for 2 with only 1 drink and no desert.

Bitten - appetizer & dessert bistro

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Food: 3.5 out of 5

I like downtown restaurants...well at least the idea of downtown restaurants. The chains (chili`s, montana`s etc) can stay with the big box stores. The thing about downtown is of course parking...and the idea that it isn`t safe to be downtown at night. This is not something I tend to believe, however there is a weird vibe in downtown Regina when it is dark, like the streets have been rolled up and you should be tucked safely in your home. Regardless, we ventured out.

I hadn`t been in the building since it was a New Orlean`s styled restaurant a number of years ago. The atmosphere is nice, the tables are all pub height which I like but they are a little big and we couldn`t sit opposite each other but near the corner just so we could talk. This caused some upset the whole service (waitress was constantly handing things over the large table including the candle and drinks). I also should have switched chairs as my footrest seemed to be broken off which caused my feet to dangle and was soon a little uncomfortable.

The restaurant itself is narrow and long and the addition of the counter on one side of the restaurant to simulate a bar takes that much more room from the walking spaces so it is a little tight in there.

The menu has a nice selection of appetizers and desserts and it looks like a nice selection of cocktails and martinis - too bad we are not much of drinkers.

The starter selection is very nice - we tried the Korean Beef BBQ letuce wraps which were very tender and had excellent flavour.

The entreés are few, mostly I assume because they are an appy/desert place and not an entreé place. I ordered one of the pizzas (Honey Dijon Chicken) which had very nice flavours and came with choice of side (cesear salad in my case). The salad was good but nothing that stood out. It was definitely better than some I have had but not near the quality of others. My partner in dinning crime had the Prosciutto & Brie Stuffed Chicken Breasts with the bacon wrapped potatoes. The chicken was nice - smooth brie and salty prosciutto, but why such a large portion of meat (2 breasts)?!? The bacon wrapped fingerling potatoes had some promise but not cooked long enough so potatoes were not quite done and bacon on the soft side.

Related to atmosphere but maybe just petty on my side - the tableware...I guess when I am prepared to pay in the mid/high range for a nice meal out I expect a few little things to accompany my meal...like napkins. Having your cutlery wrapped in your napkin is fine at a chain, but I put this restaurant in a higher category and expected a nicer service (napkins - cloth preferably- on tables with silverware ontop - not knife and fork wrapped in paper napkin and taped together). I also expected a little higher quality plates and actual silverware. This really does seem bitchy but I do judge the quality of a restaurant by the weight of their silverware. The light aluminum stuff you get from the bottom end restaurant supply isn't what I think.

Dessert was again good but nothing fabulous. They have a very nice selection but I noticed no fruit and cheese board which I would be tempted if having a night of appy`s with friends. I should have went with my first instinct of cheesecake but went with the cremé brulé. Nice and smooth but the sugar was a little on the burnt side. I do wish I would have tried one of their flambé or cheesecakes.

I will most likely go back but not for a regular supper - I think it would be a great lunch downtown (when they also serve burgers or wraps) or just drinks appy`s and dessert (which was the original concept for the restaurant). If you are looking for a supper place, I would look elsewhere, but if you are looking for a place to have drinks and appy`s after work, the theatre or a movie then this is a good choice to unwind.

Upstairs Fondue Restaurant (Saskatoon)

Atmosphere: 3.5 out of 5

Service: 5 our of 5

Food: 4 out of 5

Okay, I'm actually starting the blog on Regina restaurants with a review of a Saskatoon restaurant.  We were in Saskatoon for convention last week and we decided to finally try the Upstairs Fondue Restaurant (http://www.theupstairsfondue.ca/) at 613 8th Street East.  

The place is a slightly out of the way and a little hidden - I had noticed the sign before while traveling down 8th Street heading toward Broadway, but it is easy to miss.  Pulling in was a bit of driving gymnastics and parking is limited, but Patrons do park in the Running Room's parking lot when it's closed.  

When we first entered, I was a little confused on layout - bathrooms are the first thing you see - thought I entered a back door.  Kitchen and the reservation counter are downstairs, and as the name suggests, the dining room is upstairs - with a flight of stairs that is not well lit.  Safety and accessibility concerns aside this was not a problem for us but if you have mobility issues this might be cause for concern.  The dining room is intimate, maybe 10 tables, total seating of about 30.  It is nicely decorated - I love the lighting fixtures - not over the top or trying to be too trendy.  For music they opted for Sirius/XM station set to world/latin music.  I enjoyed that touch (happy I didn't have to listen to commercials on regular radio and set a nice tone to the evening).

The Menu looks busy - which is a little odd because, although you get a number of choices, it is not a wide menu - it's a fondue restaurant after all.  I would recommend a revamping of the menu layout with the options cleanly laid out and a separate wine list.  You can order separate fondues (cheese, entree or desert) or you can order the 4 course meal which runs about $40/person - that's the route we went.

First course - soup or salad.  We wanted to mix this up so one of us got the mushroom soup and the other the broccoli almond salad.  The soup was not too thick and had a great earthy flavour with ample fresh cut mushrooms.  The salad had lots of crunch with broccoli, almonds and peas and a sweet dressing that made the broccoli pop.  The serving size was quite ample as well.

Cheese Course - your choice of 2 different cheese or a non-dairy alternative (for the vegan's out there I guess).  We chose the Garlic Cheddar which was served with bread cubes, vegetables & apples.  A couple share the fondue itself but they serve the dippables on separate plates.  The fondue had a nice bitterness like horseradish and a garlic flavour that didn't overpower.  The server offered more bread/veggies to finish up the fondue itself.

Entree - Although a fondue place, they offered hot rock in addition to oil or broth fondue.  Maybe next time for the hot rock but we went with the oil fondue.  We each choose 2 meat and one veggie - they also have some seasonal specials and Elk was on the menu.  Elk, Pork tenderloin, Teriyaki beef tenderloin, and chicken was ordered up.  All is served with a breading mixture and a variety of dips from dijon mustard to hot sauce and a side of dill potatoes.

I've had hotpot before but this was the first time for an oil fondue.   Cooking of course is a bit tricky - lighting provided it's challenges to see if your meat is done, and the odd oil pop did cause a couple of mild jumps at the table.  As for the food, I must say the elk was very nice and the teriyaki beef is a must.  I liked the variety of dips but I was hoping for a bit more unique mixtures to try out.  The potatoes were good, but I would suggest fewer potatoes and more veggies.  The size of the table was also a bit of a challenge with a large fondue pot, a number of dips, 2 plates and various glasses, room was at a premium. 

Desert - well of course here comes the chocolate.  With a choice of 5 different chocolate flavours or butterscotch (peanut butter cup was this nights choice) -  it came with melon, pineapple, pretzels, banana and crispy squares.  I was hopping for a slightly better mixture of fruit (apples, strawberries) and maybe a nice pound cake but the actual fondue was smooth and delicious.  I think I will try the special chocolate with a shot of liqueur next time.

For those who know their wine, they have a nice wine selection ranging from $30-$80/bottle.  I had a nice zinfandel from BC which was nice with the cheese and entree fondues. 

The service was exceptional.  The waiter was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Oh and remember to tip - our waiter made a lot of trips up that stairway with hot fondue and loaded plates of food.

I don't think this is a place I would visit weekly, or even monthly...but as a special occasion place this is fun and intimate.

Overall, the restaurant is an experience and not just a meal.  It is on the pricey side of $40 a person plus drinks, but for a 2hour+ dining experience, the fun of fondue and relaxing with good food and friends it is well worth it.  

In it for the food...

I was encouraged to start blogging my reviews of restaurants from around Regina - probably so I would stop complaining or raving to my significant other :-). 

As it says in the intro, I'm not a foodie - I'm not looking for the perfect pairing (since I only seldom drink) - but I am looking for a dining experience that I will enjoy.  This may sound simple but I have found that either the food, atmosphere, or more often than not, the service, can ruin that experience.

Now I may be recreating the wheel here - there are great review sites which tend to be hit or miss; there are other blogs reviewing Regina restaurants, which are good - but I think what will distinguish this blog is that I am (sadly?) of a middle aged generation with no kids - a niche market granted - that is not looking for hip, cool or the next place to be.  I want a good meal with good service.

I will be chronically the restaurants that I frequent with friends, alone or with my husband.  Some may be chains (although I have almost given up hope), local restaurants, brew pubs/sport bars or anything else that hits my fancy.  If nothing else, I hope this will expand my horizons to try some out of the way places and enjoy the tastes up for offer in Regina.