I was excited for this night out. With an amazing view overlooking Lake Bonavista — a man-made private lake that offers exclusive use to the residents of the posh Calgary neighbourhood — Newport Grill is an "upscale casual" eatery with a beautiful interior and an even better view.
Having had a chance to survey its menu ahead of time at http://www.newportgrill.com, I knew there were enough choices and options to tempt my taste buds.
We were seated in a corner table for two, with picturesque views of the lake highlighted through the table-to-ceiling glass windows. Over the course of the evening, I enjoyed watching the local youngsters hone their hockey skills, but was glad to be inside where it was warm on the brisk winter night.
Our waitress came over promptly to offer drinks. My guest opted for a chilled bottle of Stella Artois ($5.75), and I decided to sample an herbal tea, opting for a nice warm chai ($2).
As we tried to decipher our menus in the dark corner, we were presented with some fresh rye bread and butterballs. Our young waiter even offered to bring us new butter if the selection he brought was too cold and hard to spread. I don't think I've been pre-invited to switch my butter like that before. It was a nice, professional touch.
For appetizers, my guest decided on the Prince Edward Island mussels, served with spicy wild boar sausage, tomato herb garlic broth and cilantro ($13). I tried the boar chorizo wild rice soup ($8). The mussels were just right. They were tender, easy to detach and not chewy in the least. They came in a tomato-based broth that could be served as a soup in its own right. The pieces of boar sausage were an excellent addition to the dish. The soup was a rich, hearty broth, and was a great decision on a cold night.
For the main course, my guest ordered the eight-ounce strip loin steak, served with a béarnaise butter and merlot wine sauce ($27; the 10 ounce is $31). I decided on the surf and turf, described as chocolate- and coffee-spiced tenderloin with sea prawns and cognac butter ($38).
When our meals arrived, the waitress — who admitted she'd recently come back to work after a leave of absence — had punched in the wrong item and ordered me the mixed grill for one (lamb chops, filet mignon and buffalo short rib on sweet potato gratin with red wine sauce and ancho pepper demi-glaze; $34 for one, $64 for two).
While she was very apologetic and offered to correct her error, I'm not the type of person who could be bothered to send back my meal while watching the rest of the table eat. For me, it delays the experience and creates an awkward flow to the meal. I decided to give the mixed grill a go.
The ribs were greasy and hardly seasoned, which was unexpected. The lamb chops were very nice, served with a touch of pink remaining, and the tiny filet mignon was fine, but if it was originally wrapped in bacon, then someone might have stolen it on the way to the table. The sweet potato gratin was very nice, as were the other grilled vegetables that came with the dish.
My guest described the strip loin as "not the best steak I've ever had, but not the worst," and I thought that statement summed up the entire experience quite succinctly. Overall, the food was quite fine, but could have been better. On paper, executive chef Heather Gould-Hawke's menu is intriguing and offers enough variety to merit several visits to Newport Grill with different yet exciting choices. However, somehow, something was lost in the translation that evening.
I suspect the overall level of service that we experienced was definitely below the establishment's standards, but since it was my first time there, I can't say for sure.
Our meal ended on a good note, however, with dessert. We shared two treats, the carrot cake sandwich, served with a honey ginger cream cheese and pecan ice cream ($8) and a dark chocolate truffle brownie topped with espresso sauce ($9). Both desserts were divine and the brownie was thick and rich enough that two people could have easily shared it.
I'll just have to go back and try that surf and turf another evening.
Newport Grill is located at 205-747 Lake Bonavista Dr. S.E.; phone, 271-6711.
