I think it goes without saying that when the colder temperatures of Fall and Winter come around, we go looking for comfort food: things that warm the soul and are rich and fatty. Ask anyone around where to find comfort food in Edmonton, and you're more than likely to be told to go to the Dish & the Runaway Spoon - now called The Dish Bistro.

The Dish Bistro - 12417 Stony Plain Road - Edmonton AB

On a chilly day, my boyfriend and I found ourselves sitting in the homey atmosphere of The Dish Bistro, waiting for our hot dishes to arrive and warm us up. Sitting inside the restaurant really made it feel like I was eating in the comfort of my own home - just that someone was serving me. The servers were friendly and inviting, making the whole dining experience a pleasant one.

One of the dishes we ordered was the Duck Pot Pie ($18.75): curried duck with shiitake mushrooms, green peas and new potatoes in a mild curry coconut sauce, served with citrus apple fennel slaw and root vegetable chips. The curry was mild and creamy, tasting great paired with the flaky puff pastry on top. The slaw on the side had some tangy notes, cleansing the palate and bringing a nice change in texture between bites of the pot pie. The root vegetables were crispy and perfect to dip into the curry.

For myself, I had the Rustic Lamb Stew ($19.25): Alberta leg of lamb with tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, braised with rosemary and white wine, served with a herbed bun and root vegetable chips. Stews are essentially the definition of North American comfort food. A hearty bowl of stew with carbs and you are set to fall into a food coma. The vegetables in this dish were cooked to the perfect level - not too hard, and not so soft as to feel like baby food. The lamb chunks were tender and flavourful, and not too gamey. And I bet you know what the bun was for - soaking up all the saucy goodness in the bowl. I only wish there was more lamb in the dish, as the vegetables did outnumber the protein by quite a bit, especially considering the price.

For dessert we went for the sticky toffee pudding, served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. The cake was served warm, moist, and wasn't too sweet which is perfect for my palate. It was a lovely, decadent end to the meal.

Having finally tried out the comfort food at The Dish Bistro, I would definitely consider the restaurant to have a great selection of comfort foods. On a cold winter night in this city, any of the dishes would definitely hit the spot. However, based on the nature of comfort food and the portion sizes of the dishes here, I would say its fairly expensive for what you get. Comfort food is traditionally very filling and easy to cook, so consider this an upscale version of comfort food.

Whenever a new restaurant plans to open up in Edmonton, people here get pretty excited. There was so much buzz on social media about the opening of Plow & Harvest - not to mention, tons of giveaways for invitations to their exclusive sneak peek tasting before opening. I was included in the bunch of people excited about the opening, 'cause who doesn't love comfort food? The winter months here can be horrible and there's nothing better than a hearty bowl of soup or a heaping portion of mac 'n' cheese on a cold night!

Plow & Harvest - 10041 170 Street - Edmonton AB

Like the name suggests, Plow & Harvest aims to focus on making connections with local producers, to use their product to create the familiar flavours in comfort food that we all know and love. Walking into the restaurant, it really does have the farm and countryside feel - white picket fence and tractor included! The wooden accents and decor have a homey, rustic feel to them, and the large windows allow for lots of natural lighting.

During the night, I had the chance to speak with Chef James Bailey, who was on the team that came up with the concept for the restaurant and designed the current menu. A chalkboard around the side of the restaurant highlighted some of the local connections that the restaurant has already made, and he informed me that the restaurant is continuing to seek long-term relationships with farmers so that the menu can be as local as possible. In the next printing of the menus, the names of producers will be printed in the description of the dishes, so it will be great to see the recognition there. I have to say though - he did mention that Irving's Farm bacon is the best he's ever had, and I've got to agree!

At each table we noticed a tablet that had a program to peruse the entire menu. With the device, you were also able to put in your orders and even pay with a credit card on the spot. Pretty nifty, but it takes out the aspect of socialization with your server.  

Another feature of the restaurant that I appreciate is the openness of the space. The kitchen is open and visible to all patrons, and the tables are set at at a good distance from one another to allow for privacy. There aren't any major barriers that block one side of the restaurant out of view from the other either.

Aside from their list of local beers and wines to drink, Plow & Harvest offers Boylan's All Natural Sodas on tap and in bottles. Seven different flavours are available - with cherry cola, ginger ale, and lemon lime to name a few. I tried out the Cane Cola and Root Beer while I was there, and did enjoy both. The sweetness is less pronounced compared to their typical counterparts as cane sugar is used. The root beer actually reminded me of the old fashioned root beer you can get at the fair - so now you can get that flavour year round at Plow & Harvest!


Disclosure: as this was a media event, views expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not expected to feature this restaurant on my blog, nor obligated to do so. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.