Baijiu
Mercer Building
10359 104th Street
http://baijiuyeg.com
With much anticipation and excitement buzzing near the Ice District, Baijiu opened its doors on February 1st. When you step into the restaurant, you instantly feel teleported into a cocktail bar in Vancouver or Toronto. There is a stark contrast between the quiet downtown streets and the restaurant. One side of the restaurant has softly lit wall spanning various types of liquor bottles, and the other filled with seats that resonated a very similar design to Woodworks. Look closely and you’ll notice the little quirks of the restaurant that defined its own identity – neon signs, mismatching chairs, dim lighting, hip-hop music, plastic Chinese soup bowls, and chinaware.
The double-sided one-page menu has a variety of options but is not overwhelming. The dishes are designed to be eaten family-style. As the restaurant was designed for drinks and small plates, I opted-out of the larger plates. The following dishes were ordered:
Pork and shrimp lion head dumplings
Inside the intricately wrapped dumpling, the filling is flavourful and reminds me of other dumplings you can find at other Chinese restaurants. Unfortunately, the wrapping is too thick for my personal preference – resulting in a chewier exterior and texture to eat.
Pine Haven Beef Carpaccio
There was a slight imbalance of the beef ratio to the crispy shallots, scallions and lotus root. Although flavourful and a nice touch to the dish, the sesame sauce that accompanied the dish is too thick.
Korean Braised Beef Bao
I have yet to find a place in Edmonton that serves good bao. The beef is tender and flavourful, and the bao provides a soft pillowy texture. The other components within the bao did not jive well all together. Personally, there is a lack of texture – despite the presence of kim chi and sprouts to provide a crunch.
Tom Ka Clams
One of the more popular dishes served on the menu and I can see why. Tom Ka is a type of soup from the Thailand and Laos area that has coconut milk infused with lemongrass, chilled, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and a variety of other herbs and ingredients. The broth is flavourful and complements the clams and bed of noodles at the bottom of the bowl.
Overall, the restaurant has added a positive vibe to the Edmonton downtown scene. The dishes appear to be hit-and-miss, but I’m looking forward to trying their bigger plates during my next visit. The price of the food is a bit on the higher end for Asian food, but with its location, I’m not that surprised. The pace of service can vary at times, but all of the staff members are friendly. Baijiu is an inviting spot for late-night drinks and a place to meet up with friends.
Eat. 