For my son’s birthday brunch, we chose Tiramisu Bistro on 124th St. Once we found out about the option of booking a little plastic geodesic dome that you can bring your dog to, our minds were made up.
So the five of us, plus Ollie, show up at 10 a.m. on a minus-6 Celsius morning. A heavy wooden table for six, cushioned benches, two heaters and a raft of blankets greet us. Ollie got busy sniffing the place out.
The three domes are set between the sidewalk and the northbound lane of traffic, making me wary of vehicles despite the row of jersey barriers set out to protect us. We were the first to use the dome that morning but it quickly warmed up inside, leading us to shed layers.
Unfortunately, it also caused some of the ice that had built up overnight to melt, dripping on us and the table. Our server, who did yeoman’s work making her frequent way in and out of the restaurant and then in and out of our zippered dome, brought a clean towel and the birthday boy wiped up the water condensing on the metal frame. No harm, no foul.
Any minor discomfort from the droplets or the slightly chilly feet was remedied by the menu. Among our server’s recommendations was “anything that comes with brisket.” Enough said. I ordered the smoked brisket hash bowl, which features pulled beef brisket with spicy hollandaise sauce served on maple spiced potatoes. It comes with sauteed veggies and two poached eggs (I choose hard yolk). My wife got the classic breakfast – two poached eggs, bacon, maple spiced potatoes, homemade croissant and fresh fruit. My son – chip off the old block – went for the beef brisket benny. The girls went sweeter, the youngest with the bourbon Madagascar cinnamon French toast and the middle one with the mascarpone crepe.
Everyone reached around to try each other’s brunch. “It’s a generous serving of bacon,” said my wife of her meal, “and my eggs are done just right. The potatoes are really good.”
We came to the consensus that the maple potatoes alone are worth the price of admission, perhaps outshining even the brisket
I don’t think I’d book the dome again, preferring to head into Tiramisu’s charming interior for my dining pleasure. Ollie can stay at home. But my wife disagreed. “I like the dome,” she says. “It feels like we have our own private spot.” Fair point, even with the accompanying hum of traffic and passersby.
Tiramisu Bistro
Westmount | 10750 124 St NW Edmonton
780-452-3393
tiramisubistro.ca
