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Excusez-moi, j’ai faim et que vous voulez le repas parfait (for all you English speaking folk, that’s “Excuse me, I’m hungry and want the perfect meal”).
Indeed some of Edmonton’s most talented restaurants are hidden in small neighbourhoods and solemn alleyways, but this restaurant is neither. La Persaud is located just off the eastern end of 82nd Avenue along 91st Street. Camouflaged within the complex of Conceil Scoliaire Centre-Nord, the small restaurant can barely be seen from a moving vehicle. I’ve passed that area many times en route to the Bulgolgi House, but was never aware of La Persaud until recommended by my dear friend Lindsay (who is also a professional chef and going to be famous one day!). A large board is stationed outside the door of a strip mall, directing you into a building reminiscent of a medical center. However down a short flight of stairs, turn left through a plain looking door and you step into an entirely new world.
Where do I start with La Persaud besides mentioning it is one of the very few restaurants in Edmonton where everything was astounding? All 7 dishes were tried and tasted, all 7 were amazing (well ok, 6 ½ were amazing… don’t worry I will elaborate on my odd grading scale). An amuse-bouche of scallop ceviche and we are ready for appetizers! 3 appetizers were shared amongst 2 people due to the result of indecisiveness. Fois gras, steak tartar, and pork belly. The Fois Gras was good. Presented on a clean white plate with grilled apples rings and pine nut puree, it was an iconic French dish where the presence of fois gras itself says it all. The steak tartar was tastier. Moulded into a square topped with a plump quail egg, the steak had the perfectly balanced amount of spice, onion, and vinegar flavours. Served with a bed of freshly fried potato crisps, it was good enough to rival Continental Treat, my current favourite place for steak tartar in the city. The best dish out of the trio is the pork belly. This tender tower of pork with a top layer of silky fat was so savoury my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Alternating with perfectly cooked scallops like a checker-board, this plate was by far our favorite.
Onto the mains, potato crusted halibut and green pea risotto. The halibut was perfectly cooked, flakey, moist, and tender, with a fried paper thin potato crust that was crisp to the bite. Now I’m not one to normally order risotto at such a restaurant (this privilege is typically reserved for the Italians), nor am I one to order a vegetarian dish, but for this rare decision I am grateful. It was one of the most flavourful vegetarian risotto’s I have tasted. This petite looking, but very filling, bowl of rice was absolutely amazing. Strings of cheese stretched as my spoon travelled from bowl to mouth, enveloping pieces of tender asparagus, chopped tomatoes and artichoke hearts. So tasty, even the leftovers the day after were delicious. That and the pork belly were by far the highlights of the evening.
This is not to say that desert was a disappointment. The choices were narrowed down to lemon custard tart and Pavlova. The lemon custard was definitely made with fresh lemon juice, so fresh in fact that something less tart was needed to break up the acidity between bites (the half point lost on my scoring system). The Pavlova was a first for me, not just at La Persaud, but a first time ever. Even though I had nothing to compare it to, the meringue was crispy, light, and delicious (it also aided in balancing out the lemon tart!). Maybe not as picturesque as the Donna Hay version on Australia Masterchef, but never-the-less, still delectable.
7 dishes between 2 people, needless to say it was a great dinner. Aside from the rather acidic lemon tart, all dishes were close to perfection, and I would eat each and every one all over again.
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