I've walked to Duchess Bakeshop numerous times (maybe one too many) and have always been curious about the bustling cafe at the end of the block. It took years of curiosity and only a moment of whim to finally step through its doors and take a seat.
Tiramisu Bistro, as its name suggests, serves Italian fare. I would describe it as a cafe and restaurant hybrid. It's casual and family-friendly; a good meeting grounds for all sorts of folks and for all sorts of occasions.
For an Italian cafe, I expected paninis, coffee, and pastries, maybe a pasta dish or a pizza if they're fancy. But Tiramisu Bistro serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. Antipasti, salads, risotto, pizza, fresh pasta, even full dinner entrees. But if you're in the mood for a simple cup of coffee and a slice of tiramisu, well, they have that too.
The dining room is cheerful and bright with lime green accents and IKEA-esque pendant lights. The coffee bar dominates the center of the space, which is where one would go to peruse dessert options. During nicer days, their patio also spills out onto the side of the street. We were free to choose any table we wanted, so we tucked ourselves into the back corner.
Our waitress was friendly and personable. While we were there, there was actually a strange incident that occurred in the men's washroom just steps away from our table. When our waitress was notified by someone nearby, she handled the situation quickly and professionally, without skipping a beat.
We started dinner off with an appetizer of arancini ($16.00). Four panko-breaded risotto balls, filled with bits of stringy fontina and parmigiano. They lay nestled on a bed of arrabiata sauce, and garnished with peppery arugula and an extra sprinkle of parmesan.
These little morsels were great. Piping hot, cheesy, and crispy. I especially liked the arrabiata sauce which was spicy and flavourful.
LT went for the beef ragu ($17.00), made with fresh pasta and an Alberta beef ragu in tomato sauce and parmigiano. It's a hearty, comforting dish, and there was plenty of leftovers for LT's lunch the next day.
I decided on the aglio olio ($11.00) pasta with olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, sea salt, pepper, and parmigiano. I also added on their suggested house-made Italian sausage ($5.00). The pasta was cooked al dente but I noticed it was a bit dryer and stiffer in texture. It could have also been my menu choice, as there wasn't much of a sauce to help hydrate the pasta. I had some ordering regret in the end only because it was quite a lot of oil that sat a bit heavy in the stomach afterwards.
Even though we were stuffed, we couldn't skip on the restaurant's namesake. I don't eat tiramisu ($7.50) often enough to pretend to be an expert, but I really enjoyed their rendition. It was sweet and creamy but ate incredibly light. It disappeared in no time.
124th Street is filled with so many amazing independent eateries but what I find commendable about Tiramisu Bistro is that it feels like a cornerstone for the community. There's no pretense, and that's exactly what I like.
Tiramisu Bistro
10750 124 Street
Edmonton, AB
(780) 452-3393
- CT
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