Even though the consensus out there is mixed—as far as reviews go—we thought we’d give Zinc, the restaurant at the Edmonton Art Gallery, a try.

It was a weekday night and only a handful of tables were occupied. The restaurant decor is minimalistically chic and overlooks Sir Winston Churchill Square. The lounge area, with its dark colours and cool lighting, is definitely a place I’d park and have a glass of wine.

Our server, Alex, was a breath of fresh air…knowledgeable about food and wine and passionate about the ingredients used in the dishes. Naturally we were suspicious. 

The menu offerings looked impressive. It appeared that Zinc supported local suppliers and created dishes using as many local ingredients as possible. What the…?

And then came the bad news: the wild boar tenderloin was unavailable. Aha! The reason? The chef was having a hard time sourcing it locally and the only stuff available would come from Texas, so he opted not to purchase it. We hear about chefs like this…but we’re from the burbs and quite unused to this way of thinking. We did let him know about Earl and Deb Hagman of Hog Wild Specialties near Mayerthorpe, and asked Alex to pass that on to the chef. Earl is the guy who supplies and roasts the pig for Slow Food Edmonton’s annual Beer and Boar BBQ (the 5th annual goes this Sunday, August 8th so get your tickets at Slow Food Edmonton quick!)

While we were perusing the menu, Alex brought us an amuse-bouche of rabbit pate with truffle gelée on top: smooth, rich and (hopefully) a promise of good things to come.  The amuse-bouche did what it was supposed to do; our appetites were sufficiently whetted.

Steve chose the Taste of Alberta appetizer: a Spring Creek Ranch mini burger and a small alpaca chop. Both were delicious, although the alpaca was a bit tough. My duck confit ravioli was just right: delicate and earthy all in one. Nice.

The entrée was an easy choice for me. Braising is one of my favourite methods and I couldn’t pass up on the Cheek to Cheek, a dish of halibut and Madeira braised beef served with Greens Eggs & Ham potatoes.

We were happy to see products from local farmers, Andreas and Mary Ellen Grueneberg of Greens Eggs and Ham, used in the dishes and Alex informed us that not only do the Gruenebergs supply Zinc with ingredients, but he and Chef David Omar routinely stop by the farm and pick the ingredients themselves. Hallelujah, a chef and staff actually connected with the food they serve. That sort of thing only happens in a handful of restaurants in the area. (A good place to check for those resources is on the Eat Local First website.)

One of our favourite food shows is The Supersizers Go… where a comedian and a restaurant critic eat their way through history. On one episode, Giles Coren (the restaurant critic) said that you can always judge the mettle of a restaurant by its Creme Brulee and I have to say, Zinc’s Brulee passed in spades. I snorfed it back without taking a picture (oops). Guess I’ll have to go back.

So, what about those less than stellar reviews? A scramble to open and the ensuing growing pains, said Alex. Should they have been better prepared? Of course. Opening a restaurant when you’re unprepared can be suicidal, but from what we experienced, I’d say Zinc is on the right path now. As long as they remain passionate about the food they serve and continue to support local producers by purchasing their seasonal, fresh ingredients, they’ll be just fine. For those of you who tried it a few months ago and were unimpressed, I hope you’ll give Zinc another chance.