Steak Sandwich at Tony Roma's

Steak Sandwich, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I really enjoy the value lunch menu at Tony Roma's for two reasons:

1) The prices are right.
2) It changes regularly.

At the Westmount location earlier this week, I went for a steak sandwich. At 6 ounces, it was the perfect size for lunch, also done to perfection. It had a better flavour than a steak I recently had at a steakhouse. The crispy fries, creamy coleslaw, and garlic focaccia rounded the meal out nicely.

It may be a chain, but Tony Roma's is great food and great value.

Prime Rib - Baccarat Casino

Prime Rib, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

It was Prime Rib Monday at the Baccarat Casino. I went for it as my final meal of my shift.

What a slab I got! I think it was larger than the advertised eight ounces. It was thick, tender, and mostly well-done as I specified. Some of the thicker parts were pink, but not running blood, so I was OK with that. I was using the accompanying horseradish and au jus to give the meat and extra kick.

For my sides, I went with the roasted potatoes and vegetables. The vegetables were warmer than those with my lunch and nicely sauteed, but I did not have any real motivation to finish them. The potatoes, on the other hand, were outstanding. It was one potato cut in half, skinned, and roasted to crispiness, while the insides were fluffy.

At $9.50, the Prime Rib dinner was well worth the price and definitely worth a trip to the casino to enjoy.

Green Onion Cakes - Baccarat Casino

Green Onion Cakes, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Left unsatisfied by my lunch, I had a mid-afternoon snack of Vietnamese coffee ($4.50) and a green onion cake ($5).

I viewed this as partial redemption for the casino. The coffee was sweet and strong, while the onion cakes - there were two - were crispy and salty and flavourful. A few pieces were a tad too greasy, but I loved how crunchy most of them were.

I would definitely recommend the onion cakes to be ordered alongside any of the Chinese menu dishes.

Lemon Chicken Combo - Baccarat Casino

Lemon Chicken Combo, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I was excited to be helping out at a casino today for Boyle McCauley News. Baccarat Casino on 101 Street and 104 Avenue was the location. The dining facilities there, the cheeky-named Cafe Paradice, used to be known for having some of the best service and food amongst casinos in Edmonton.

Did you notice that I wrote that in the past tense? The menu has completely changed, and is now mostly westernized Chinese food at prices that are not remarkable. I know that the staff and customers here are mostly Asian, but when you're located a stone's throw away from some of the best Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese restaurants in the city, perhaps something different is called for.

Luckily, I had been craving Chinese food, so ordered one of the combos ($11). The lemon chicken was unremarkable - small bits of meat that was undistinguishable as to whether it was white or dark, in a light batter and lemon sauce. I have had similar or better at fast food kiosks in shopping malls. The fried rice was average, if not a bit greasy, and the vegetables were tasty but cold. I did not finish them.

I also noticed one of my co-workers did not finish his veggies with his supper meal later on. In fact, others with whom I was working also expressed disappointment in the food. "Why change perfection?" one said about the menu. Another person remarked that the food and service has gone downhill fast.

I know that the casino is capable of better than this.