In the three hours I’ve been here in Fort McMurray, I’ve asked around and this place called “LIVE” was recommended a couple times. So here I sit in a corner seat at this basement restaurant of a hotel that’s darkly lit. Looking over the menu, there’s a HUGE variety of items and they’re all priced higher than I would expect.
I’ve just been enlightened that the kitchen staff is from Sri Lanka so there are some real authentic dishes! If the portions and quality is as good as I’m being lead to believe, it’ll be worth the higher prices.
For starts (mainly because the server said it was so great) I’m going to have the Chilean Sea Bass appetizer. I’m a little concerned being 1800-ish KMs from the nearest ocean. Time will tell… It sounds amazing, Chilean sea bass, crispy polenta cake, sweet and sour confit salmon and chives, sun-dried tomato pesto, fennel, orange, tomato and sweet gherkins salsa, balsamic glaze in lime jelly.
Then they have a “live burger” that sounds just crazy! 100% beef burger with fried egg, bacon, cheddar cheese, mixed lettuce, tomato, cocktail sauce, bread and butter pickles with potato wedges, that’ll be the main course.
Dessert however, well I might be skipping that. The server tells me there’s a really good warm ginger though.
The place seats about 60 or 70 people and the service is pretty good. Make sure you have plenty of time though as time from ordering to getting food is a little longer than I’ve experienced elsewhere at similar style establishments.
The appetizer arrives, it now makes sense that it took so long… Look at this:
Amazing presentation, great mix of flavors in each presented section and even when mixing the flavors, they all worked with each other. Every bite was a new taste. That’s a pretty good dish I’d say!
Next is the burger, tall burger. Now I’ve become pretty picky about my eggs so I’m going to eat a couple bites of egg straight up. Nuts, it’s hard. That patty is super great though! The patty is incredibly flavorful and well spiced. The potato wedges each tasted like a baked potato. Nothing to special.
BUT…. what IS special, is this crazy warm ginger. Everything on this plate is edible and looks so cool! Check it out for yourself:
There are sugar sculptures on this thing that are made in house and they taste just like cotton candy! I almost feel guilty eating them! The cake itself Is a soft gingerbread, like a gingerbread man, but WAY better. Take all the excitement of the Christmas season add to it your favorite happy thoughts then sprinkle a snuggle and a hug from in front of the fire when you were 7 and that’s the greatness of this dessert!! Not kidding. By the way, I don’t like gingerbread… but this, this I’d have again.
That dessert was a terrific way to wrap up this dinner. This place has misplaced fancy food in a bar! Wild.
