Ampersand 27
December 29, 2014
” At one time it was the 27th letter of the alphabet, but Z was all like, “Nuh-uh.” “
– Ampersand 27’s website (http://ampersand27.com)
Artistic. Modern. Unique. That’s how I would describe Ampersand 27 [&27] – inside and out. The outside? That would be the inside of the restaurant. It’s better if you see it in person but Ampersand 27 took over Murrieta’s on Whyte Ave and turned it into a beautiful restaurant. Opened by Chef Nathin Bye, previous corporate chef of the Lazia group, there was a lot to look forward to at Ampersand 27. Whoever designed it must’ve had a passion for art because it was laid out in an open dining concept with an artistic decor to bring it altogether. The atmosphere of Ampersand was warm and very relaxing, especially for a fine dining place. There was also a separate side of the restaurant that was perfect for private dining parties. Now for the inside, that would be the food in my case. They offer a brunch, lunch, dinner, and cocktail menu. I had the opportunity of going for lunch. The lunch menu was laid out into 3 sections: flatbreads, plates to share, and entrees. Pricing was good and presentation was breathtaking!
Main dining area
Bar
Hot Days
Tree Top Squirrel
To start off our lunch, we ordered cocktails from the menu of Causes, Cures, & Remedies. I got myself a Hot Days because one of the ingredients was Earl Grey Ice and I’m a major Early Grey lover. The drink was also composed of Appleton rum, Giffard Apricot brandy, pomegranate honey reduction, and almond milk. It had a bit of a strong taste but the almond milk helped balance it out and created a subtle creaminess. My friend ordered a Tree Top Squirrel, which was definitely the stronger drink. It had hints of apple and cider aromas with a bit of chestnut liquor.
For sharing, the pastrami pork cheeks was recommended to us as their most popular “share & share alike” item. It was split between 3 of us and could’ve easily been shared if there was another person at our table. The plate was presented to us in a smoky fashion (literally), as there was a glass lid on it when it was brought out. The pastrami pork cheeks were flavorful and delicious! The spices added a of heat to the pork cheeks and there was some smokiness as well. The sauerkraut creme tied up the plate altogether and maintained all the flavors from being overwhelming. A must-try, indeed.
The & Signature Burger on the menu caught my eye. My favorite part of it was probably the garlic kaiser bun which reminded me of the garlic cheese buns that I always eat. The burger was juicy and fresh and had BBQ sauce instead of the usual ketchup. The fries that accompanied it were cooked in peanut oil – gotta stay healthy. The peanut oil created an interesting texture that made the fries crispy on the outside but not the inside. It was very enjoyable!
My friend ordered the Albacore Tuna Bahn Mi. Being Vietnamese, she wanted to see how Ampersand 27 would serve up the traditional Bahn Mi sub. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet her expectations of how Bahn Mi subs were. The bread leaned towards the drier side and most of the cilantro sat on one side of the sandwich, instead of being evenly spread out. The tuna was fresh though and seasoned well.
I had seen photos of the Rocky Road dessert many times on Instagram and knew I had to try it! Truly an art form itself, the rocks were of 4 different flavors; chocolate, mint, mango, and lychee. & they tasted exactly like what they represented. The outside of it had a crunch but the inside bursted with flavour. I HIGHLY recommend trying this! It’s very different but amazing and the texture was just out of this world.
We also ordered Red Velvet but it wasn’t anything special. The cake was too dry for my liking and I felt that it needed more of that chocolatey flavour you usually find in red velvet.
The verdict? Ampersand 27 is one of the greater additions to Edmonton’s growing food scene this year. I’ll be back to try out the other menus that they offer, and I hope to see you there too!
Address: 10612 82 Avenue
