Sublime Patio Party at XIX Nineteen

XIX Nineteen Patio

XIX Nineteen, helmed by Chef Andrew Fung, has been open only 6 months now. Steadfast friend @thepolishviking was lucky enough to be invited to get a sneak preview of their menu, which happened quite literally just after we returned to Edmonton after a month long vacation in Europe, and enjoyed their offerings. Luckily for Moo, she was unable to attend an invitation only event to celebrate the opening of their new patio, and asked me to attend in her place.

Smoked oysters with green thai curry aioli

XIX Nineteen is located on the far southwest side of Edmonton, in the area of Terwillegar South, an area I rarely venture to since I live downtown. The patio itself was very inviting, with soft seating in one corner, more traditional patio type tables and chairs filling the remainder of the space, and a beautiful outdoor fireplace in the middle of it all. Although the day threatened to be cloudy and rainy, it wound up being a beautiful day, drenching the patio in glorious sunlight.

Char grilled albacore tuna, citrus glazed
octopus with avocado paste

Although I was expecting simple cocktails and appetizers to be served, it wound up being a multi course feast! First they brought out smoked oysters with a green thai curry aioli accompanied by microgreens. The batter on the oysters was crispy, the oysters themselves were melt in your mouth soft, while the aioli was creamy with just the right amount of spiciness to enhance without overwhelming the oyster.

Next came char grilled albacore tuna, citrus glazed octopus with avocado paste and jalepeno and Serrano peppers. The tuna was lightly charred and obviously prepared by a deft hand, while the octopus had just a hint of glaze on it, and the tuna and octopus nicely.
avocado paste was bright, complimenting the

Lobsters and prawns

To our surprise, they brought out two large trays, brimming with lobsters and prawns! There was enough for a half lobster per person, served chilled the lobsters had meaty claws and tails, while the prawns were large and the accompanying Bloody Caesar cocktail sauce was mildly sweet and spicy. At this point, a group that started as strangers or online acquaintances, which included @lindork, @Neko01, @littlemissandrea, @EatMyWordsBlog, @Tina_Faiz and their respective guests, quickly bonded as everyone realized there was no easy or pretty way to crack into the lobsters without showering their neighbor in a spray of lobster juice.

Soy glazed AB veal tongue over sweet
and sour slaw on multigrain flatbread

As we had not expected a meal of these epic proportions, we were relieved to find out there were only two courses left - not including dessert - allowed us to gauge how much more seafood we could indulge in, but still complete this full on 6 course meal! A soy glazed Alberta veal tongue over sweet and sour slaw on multigrain flatbread was served next, which the humans said was so tender they would never know they were eating tongue had they not been told. They enjoyed how the mildly sweet glazed contrasted with the hint of acidity on the slaw.

Soy glazed AB veal tongue over sweet
and sour slaw on multigrain flatbread

By the time the orzo pasta paella with PEI mussels, manila clams, Spanish style chorizo and fried egg came out, I was feeling so full I had to limit myself to just a spoonful of the gently spiced pasta filled with expertly cooked mussels and clams.  Lastly, the dessert was a beautifully crafted vanilla panna cotta which was light, yet still creamy. The crème anglaise was luxurious with a hint of citrus, and was harmonious with the panna cotta.

I left satiated after enjoying a 2 ½ hour meal with mootastic food, company and conversation on a beautiful sun drenched patio! I look forward to a return visit to XIX Nineteen to try out their other offerings, as Chef Andrew Fung's food is most definitely worth venturing further from our home for!

More photos on PhotoBucket!

XIX Nineteen
5940 Mullen Way
Edmonton, AB  T6R 0R1
780-395-1119
Twitter: @XIXnineteen



(Note: There was no financial compensation from XIX Nineteen for this blog post, although they provided free food and drinks. Any review provided by me will completely reflect my thoughts and opinions – good or bad, and will not be swayed by having free drinks and food provided.)