HARDWARE GRILL

It was my 22nd birthday this past Friday, so a special friend took me to my all-time favourite spot to eat in Edmonton, Hardware Grill! Our first time here was for a graduation dinner earlier in the summer and we had a sea bass dish that Gordon Ramsay tried himself (and loved!) during his trip to Edmonton. It was so flaky and delicious and at that moment, we just knew this place was special.

As always, dinner started with a basket of 4 or 5 different types of bread and a plate of olive oil. Didn't get a picture, but it was just a regular bread basket. The cheese and jalapeño bread was our fave! Very soon after, our starters began arriving.

KFC - Korean Fried Cauliflower ($10)

Korean Fried Cauliflower, Sesame Seeds, Scallions

This dish really set a high standard for what was to come. The cauliflower was fried perfectly on the outside and the inside was still firm and not at all mushy. With the sweet Korean style sauce, we may have honestly mistaken it for chicken if we were eating with our eyes closed.

Kobe Style Beef Carpaccio ($19)

Parmesan Shards, Truffle Aioli, EVOO, Sea Salt Potato Chips

This beef carpaccio was SO soft! Our waiter recommended to grab a chip, spread on some of the truffle aioli (which was under the chips), lay on a slice of beef and top it off with a slice of parmesan (not pictured, we asked for it on the side). The textures were amazing together, and the truffle aioli was rich and creamy. Beef tataki is still our #1 raw sliced beef dish, but that'll be a difficult one to beat 😉.

BLT Wedge ($15)

Baby Hearts of Romaine, Toy Box Tomatoes, Candied Bacon, Avocado Ranch Dressing

This one we've tried already, so we knew it was going to be delicious! The candied bacon (although very little of it), was PERFECT and the dressing (we don't even like ranch) came in a perfect amount and mixed so well with everything else on the plate. Definitely one of our favourite starters.

Berkshire Pork Prime Rib Chop ($42) and Bacon Wrapped Elk & Slow Braised Beef Rib ($49)

Pork Chop - Grilled Polenta, Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash Puree, Pecans, Fresh Sage, Cider-Cream Sauce. Bacon Wrapped Elk & Beef Rib - Potato Bacon Pie, Butternut Squash, Beet Chutney, Braised Cabbage, Raspberry-Ermite Reduction

Totally forgot to take a picture of the elk & beef rib, but it's kind of visible in the back?? By the time the mains came, we were already low-key getting full and Hardware Grill has huge portions, so that didn't help. I had the pork chop - they asked me if I wanted my pork chop medium or medium well and the thought of eating pink pork was very off putting so I went with medium well. Still super tender but I'll be adventurous next time and go for medium. The fat on the pork chop was the best part, especially when dipped in the cider cream sauce! Polenta and butternut squash puree were a little bland compared to everything else on the plate, but we were still sooo satisfied from the meal.

I tried a bit of the elk and didn't take a second bite, but that's because I don't like gamey meat (lamb is even a bit too gamey for me). The beef rib was very tender and flavourful, though!

Last time we were here, we were SO stuffed from dinner that we couldn't fit dessert... and this time was no different ☹️. The table next to us had the cappuccino ice cream with hot fudge sauce dessert and that looked amazing but we literally could not eat any more. The server did bring us a couple of house made truffles though! They were almost too big to eat in one bite but we did anyways hehe. Very smooth chocolate!

Hardware Grill has never let us down, and the only thing that MIGHT be better than the food is the service. Servers were super knowledgable and accommodating, and it's honestly so rare to find a restaurant where literally EVERYTHING about it is perfect. If you're looking for an upscale place for a special event, we're 100% sure Hardware Grill won't disappoint.