The Art Gallery of Alberta’s restaurant, Zinc, is about to launch a new fall menu and a lucky handful of us gathered last night for a tasting of Chef David Omar’s latest creations.
What you’ll see on the new menu is food “by the bite” or “by the plate” with dishes offered from $4 to $40. This type of menu is much like ordering wine by the glass or by the bottle; you can stop by for a nibble or settle in for the full meal deal. A bite of cannelloni, Caesar salad and a house created buschetta-infused martini can be had for just over twenty dollars making Zinc a perfect destination before or after a performance at the Winspear or Citadel.
Along with supporting local producers and sustainable foods, I admire that Chef Omar encourages feedback and ideas from staff. When a cohesive team is at work, everyone benefits. I also like the fact that many items are made in-house like the candied salmon, vanilla-scented salts and sugars, and pastas and sorbets to name just a few. A little effort goes a long way.
My favourites of the night were the beet sorbet, cannelloni, duck breast, lamb and chicken saltimbocca. The challenge is going to be in preparing the small bites of meat and finding a way to not overcook them as well as arriving at a price point customers won’t balk at (for wee bites), but I have faith that Omar and his team can handle the challenges.
And yes, another event where I forgot my camera and had to rely on my iPhone. Not great. Sharon from Only Here for the Food promises to blog about the event as well and I’m sure her pictures will be a little nicer than mine! I noticed she and Mack came better prepared than I.
Better yet, go to Zinc and eat…a picture may be worth a thousand words, but like Marvin Gaye sang, (there) “aint nothing like the real thing, baby.”