Grandiose, Delicious and Back in Business!

I miss @tasteem. If beer and career made me into the Beerologist, then @tasteem back on the STEEM blockchain made me a professional restaurant critic. I use the term 'professional' loosely but being paid for your review would make it so.....no? Though tasteem.io has is no more but my buddy @slobberchops and I are flying the flag and not going to let that, or a little pandemic, stop us from chasing our dreams.

So, come tag along with the family as we treat ourselves to dinner at one of the nicest places in town, freshly reopened after the lockdown.

Here is the exclusive rear entrance of Revival House https://revival.house here in Stratrford. The wall planters collect snow for a few months but will be overflowing with herbs and blooms in a few months time.

This epic dining location lives in a historic gospel church turned fine-dining and events venue. All four seasons are special here and winter is no exception, especially after reopening after a nice winter break.

Before I Get Started...

I have to apologize for the photography really not doing the delectable dishes justice. We were dining up on the stage and the house spot lights were killed shortly after this shot. The main dining room is bathed in a soft organic light which is much more conducive to a great dining experience than it is photography!

Can I start you with a Drink?

Don't mind if I DO!

The drink menu is a double pager starting with several signal cocktails, a nice selection of wine, and a row of craft beer taps!

As if that much win and beer weren't enough, page 2 has you covered with even more craft beer and wine by the bottle!

I am no RH newbie and I knew there would be some Redline Speed Wobble strong American pale ale http://www.redlinebrewhouse.com/the-beers/speed-wobble/ on tap. Only place in town that has it.

The Menu

The menu looks rather retro and spooky under the mood lighting and I refuse to spoil that with using a flash. Starters, mains and dessert all on one action-packed adventure through global cuisine.

I must pause again to give you a peak at the low house lights for that elegant mood. The dishes you are about to behold are at least 10x more delicious than they look in this post!

Of Course Appetizers!

These little crispy parcels of scrumptious are vegetarian spring rolls. They have been a mainstay on the menu since they reopened for take out after the initial lockdown. Actually, I probably have a shot of them the night before opening...

There they are! Equally as delicious as I remember and I had to fight off the ravenous chicks to snap a pic before they dove into these.

We opted for an order of the Hargow Dumplings for a nice treat for the non vegetarian. So soft, munchable and even better when dunked in the hoisin sauce!

Here is your patented Dramatic Extreme Close-up shot designed to welcome you to the very edge of the dish, and imagine the rest of the patrons raising an eyebrow at the old millennial taking pics of his food.

We tripled down on the appetizer course as the soup of the day was a tomato-gouda soup that was too warm and creamy to pass up. They brought us 2 spoons so that we could all have a taste and should have brought 4 which actually would have dwindled into a silverware fencing match. Unbecoming behaviour in a fancy restaurant so it worked out for the best.

The Main Course!

My better half opted for the Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp. The Asian fusion flare the menu has taken in the last year is so wonderful and is rich in this dish.

My oldest one is a vegetarian and followed her mom's lead but went with tofu. I am not a fan of tofu on its own but it is rather great at providing a little texture and soaking up a zesty sauce.

My youngest is a little less adventurous with bold tastes generally but had a GREAT pub curry over the last while and loved it. This is Butter Chicken which is such a great addition to any menu and my go-to recommendation when introducing someone to Indian food for the first time. Ended up being nice and spicy which made the Shirley Temples go down quick and an emergency glass of cooling milk arrive shortly after. The cucumber raita is such a nice touch to balance out the heat.

What Would Zeke Order

I deliberated between the Royale With Cheese Burger, that legit Laotian dish, and the steak, but ended up going in a different direction. I settled upon the Garlic Sausage Rigatoni. I am amazed at how small these dishes look as I can assure you I couldn't finish this order after the appetizers and a couple beers. What a great lunch it made the next day!

The Entertainment

We had a special treat not only dining upon the raised area where the celebrities eat, but having our own minstrel right next to us on the other side of a barrier. Rick Francis sort of provided us a private show of smooth, jazzy folk finger picking. He is so happy to be back and performing after the latest lockdown. Sore fingers didn't stop him from getting quickly back into performance shape. Good to have such an intimate performance and chat with a friend again even though it was through our masks.

Some find it satisfying to see the bill and what I was dinged for my meal during Tasteem reviews. I didn't manage to snap a picture of the bill but I remember it being $178 Canadian which would only be one Litecoin if they accepted crypto. I will pay that any day to treat the family and live a little local high society.

All in all...

I am a little jaded because we get to work with this fine establishment but we had a fantastic evening. It felt active but safely spacious. Fancy but approachable and comfy. Familiar but exotic and fantastic overall once again.