Eat Well: #abcsofyyc #carino

ABC's of YYC (Week 3: C)

Carino Japanese Bistro
709 Edmonton Trail NE

Carino Japanese Wine Bistro was the next stop of our foodie adventure.  Located on Edmonton Trail across from Diner Deluxe!  We have not been here in over a year and it was quite different before  so we were excited to give it a try!

Octopus Carpaccio- Dried Tomatos & Yuzu Oil

This delightful plate was a pleasant surprise.  The octopus tasted quite good on it's own and with the various components on the dish.  We found the Yuzu Oil a tad thick and the flavour was strong and almost overwhelming if there was too much on the octopus.  So we scraped a bit off.  The tomato added a burst of flavour when we bit into it.  Overall, a great start!

Foie Gras Chawanmushi-  Japanese Egg Custard with Seared Foie Gras

This was purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect.  The consistency of the egg was so smooth and with the richness of the Foie Gras was a match made in heaven!  There was Edamame that added texture to it as well. 

Lobster Mentaiko Pasta- Spicy Pollock Roe, Baby Scallops, Calamari, Anchoy & Edamame

This was sooooooooo tasty.  It kept getting better and better with every bite.  The sauce had a kick to it that lingered on the tongue.  However, the lobster was overcooked and rubbery; it was a struggle to remove it from the shell.  Everything else was on point!

Duck!  Duck!  Duck!!! Type 4- Penne in a tomato sauce with duck meatballs, Foie Gras Torchon with Riesling jelly on top, Tuille and Confit leg

The leg was cooked perfectly and the Foie Gras went perfectly with the sweet Riesling Jelly that cut through the richness.  The duck meat balls were delicious and had great consistency!  The pasta tasted good, but it wasn't the best compared to everything else we had.   

Chestnut Mont Blanc- Dessert Special of the night.  Chestnut Mousse, with Cream, Fruit, Meringue and Fresh Chestnuts within the Mousse

This had a punch of flavour, but the consistency was so light making it easy to enjoy.  The mousse with the cream and fresh chestnuts made me want to eat the whole thing, but I thought I should be fair and leave John half.    

Overall, this was much better then we remembered and are happy that we decided to come back.  My favourites were the Chestnut Mont Blanc and the Lobster Mentaiko Pasta, whereas John's favourites were the Foie Gras Chawanmushi and the Duck!  Duck!  Duck!!! Type 4.

Enjoy!