Before assigning a crop of restaurants to cover for the “family” edition of Avenue, I did a bit of crowdsourcing. Through social media, I asked for people’s recommendations for great dining experiences for both adults and kids. And, a large number of respondents praised Glass Monkey, located a few blocks north of Southgate Centre.
Why? Well, the menu features lots of snacks and small plates that are great for sharing, or for small meals for the kids. The beef carpaccio is served with toasted bread slices and comes with a tangy grainy Dijon mustard and a healthy covering of parmesan. A Chinook salmon and shrimp sharing plate offers a few solid, buttery bites.
But the must-have item on the menu is the homemade pappardelle; long ribbons of pasta are served with a variety of mushrooms and slow-roasted pork shoulder. The wild mushroom sauce is earthy, rich and addictive. Ask for extra crostini to soak it all up once the pasta is gone.
If your kids are pickier eaters, crowd pleasers like spaghetti and meatballs and massive, shareable poutine will hit the spot. And Italian sodas will make them feel special if mom or dad decides to have a drink with dinner. But, save room for the bread pudding; the rum sauce is an awesome tonic for a winter’s night, and the portion is big enough to share.
The Glass Monkey
Lendrum Place | 5842 111 St NW, Edmonton | 780.760.2228 | theglassmonkey.ca
This article appears in the February 2020 issue of Avenue Edmonton
