Review: XIX (Nineteen) – Revisited

XIX Nineteen at 5940 Mullen Way.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of dining at XIX Nineteen (5940 Mullen Way) for the first time since November – when I was invited to try some of the restaurant’s dishes at a special preview event. (Read about that dinner here!)

I had such an amazing time at the preview dinner, I had been wanting to return to XIX Nineteen sooner but didn’t get the chance to until last weekend – when one of my best friends Kathy came up for a short visit from Calgary! My other bestie Rachel joined us…

With the beautiful Kathy at XIX Nineteen! :)

My lovely Rachel & Kathy!

And needless to say, our dining experience was beyond. Beyond. Wonderful! Nicole, the general manager came out to greet us. I thought it was so sweet that she remembered me from the preview dinner. Our server Colton was excellent. Chef Andrew Fung also stopped at our table for greetings and treated us to two extra appetizers. Wow! So well taken care of.

Feast your eyes on some of XIX Nineteen’s incredible dishes below (more review at the bottom of the post too!):

Ahi Tuna Twists (spicy Thai noodles, Asian slaw and cilantro aioli) – $12 at XIX Nineteen.

Gorgonzola PEI Mussels (garlic, red onions, leeks, hand cut fries and gorgonzola cream) $18 – at XIX Nineteen.

Asian Vermicelli Vegetable Slaw (crispy taro root, julienne root vegetable, pickled red onion, vermicelli noodle, ponzu dressing, with prawns) – $13 starter $18 full – at XIX Nineteen.

Albacore Tuna Napoleon (spicy miso dressing, diced avocado, tomato, red onion and Turkish olive oil) -$12 at XIX Nineteen.

Whiterock Dungeness Crab Cake (spring pea puree, tomato-basil salsa and basil aioli) – $18 – at XIX Nineteen.

Heirloom Tomato Prosciutto Salad (sliced Alberta prosciutto, crispy polenta, extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic glaze) – Market price ($18) at XIX Nineteen.

Duo of Alberta Lamb (grilled rack of lamb & loin chop, herb potato gnocchi, sauteed wild mushroom and mint pesto) – $36 at XIX Nineteen.

Everything was spot-on. The Ahi Tuna Twists and Albacore Tuna Napoleon were my favourite appetizers. In fact the Albacore Tuna Napoleon was probably my favourite of all the dishes – so bright, so light, so refreshing, great textures and flavour! And greatly priced at $12. A repeating theme throughout the dinner was just how gorgeous each dish was. Talk about how important presentation is? XIX Nineteen nails it. But pretty plating aside, the tastes were all there.

The only thing I would say that wasn’t top notch (and this is very minor), is the yellow sauce on top of my Duo of Alberta Lamb (I think it was mint pesto I’m not sure though) was a bit stronger/more pungent than I would have preferred. But beyond that – sooooo good!

Inside XIX Nineteen!

Kathy and Rachel (and I) could not stop commenting on the atmosphere of XIX Nineteen. Just fabulous ambience. And for a Sunday night, the place was very busy! I’m thrilled for them. I hope they continue to find success.

It took me so long to come back because, let’s be honest, XIX Nineteen is not a cheap eat. (And there are soo many new and old restaurants to try in Edmonton!) The mains are pricy. It is fine dining. And it’s not somewhere that I could come back to regularly (any more upper scale, finer dining restaurant with higher price points isn’t a place I can return to often. To be fair on my wallet). But it’s definitely a special occasion go-to. And such a welcome addition in Edmonton.

Oh and no dessert pictures – I’m kicking myself because we forgot to order dessert! Both Kathy and Rachel also had other places to be that night (busy, busy). Next time. Despite it not being a place I could afford to go often, I know that I’ll be back sooner rather than later because…

It’s almost Patio Season!!

It’s almost PATIO SEASON! :) (They’re working on theirs. Nicole said it should be ready sometime in May!) Looking forward to it!!

Linda