Serve me a fancy cocktail in an even fancier fashion, and you’re going to get my attention. So, I am intrigued when the bartender comes to my table holding a glass with one large ice cube in one hand, and a flask in the other. He places the glass on the table, opens the flask and pours the drink right in front of me.
I was at Firefly Restaurant & Bar, located close to where the Whitemud meets Calgary Trail. It opened in the fall of 2023 and, the vibe is definitely buttoned down, with the bar as the centrepiece of the restaurant, surrounded by lounge seating and booths. But while the vibe says, “jeans are fine,” the menu, especially when you get to the entree section, injects more than a bit of fine-dining flair. So, once I got settled into one of the lounge chairs, I ordered a Southern Tip, with whiskey, Aperol and amaro nomino. And then came the presentation. The result of it all was like mixing two of the best things ever invented by humankind — the Negroni and the Old Fashioned. There was the sweetness of the whiskey, but also a pronounced (and delightful) bitterness that came from the Italian ingredients. The flask thing was just a cherry on top.
Then, for the main course: I wanted to live large, so I went for the 10-ounce pork chop. It came with a side of charred brussels sprouts, and the sliced meat sat atop a bed of mashed sweet potatoes. On top was a generous coating of blueberry compote.
As a combination plate, Firefly knocked it out of the park. The sprouts were fantastic, with just the right amount of burn on the outside, and the great mix of salt and bitter throughout. The compote and moist bits of pork made for an awesome flavour marriage, and I’m running out of adjectives. So, let me finish by stating the potatoes were pretty darn good, too. From presentation to flavour, Firefly is onto something.
I’m looking forward to what the next cocktail order will bring.
Firefly Restaurant & Bar
Rideau Park | 4208 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton | 780.750.4448 | thefirefly.ca
