EDMONTON: Red Ox Inn & the girls

A few of my girlfriends really wanted to host a stagette for me. But the whole notion brings to mind tacky tiaras, penis-shaped cups, and ‘Suck for a Buck’ T-shirts.

I am not a woo girl.

But after they assured me the night would involve none of the above, I consented to a small dinner with close friends in Edmonton. Katherine took the reins in organizing the meal and she knocked it out of the park by choosing the Red Ox Inn.

Chef Frank Olson and his wife Andrea run this tiny, wonderful 12-table restaurant tucked (and I mean tucked) in mostly residential Strathearn near the Folk Fest hill.

Katherine had arranged for a five-course dinner with Frank ahead of time, as well as some lovely surprises.

We sat down to a specially printed menu that Katherine and my sister had conspired on. Titled “Last Supper — Remembering the crushes, exes and jerks,” each dish was named after a guy in my former dating life. Needless to say, the food was more satisfying than those relationships. (Zing!)

[Our excellent server, Ramone, jokingly asked why his name wasn't at the top of the menu.]

We had a chilled bottle of Syncline Subduction white wine from Washington state already waiting for us, courtesy of my sister who couldn’t make it, which was such a lovely surprise.

First course was a purée of fresh corn with chanterelle mushrooms. It was stunningly simple and took full advantage of seasonal ingredients. After the first taste, Steph and I both declared that the soup was “so … corny.” Yes, we work with words.

That was followed by an arugula salad with crispy squid, grape tomatoes, roasted red peppers, shaved fennel and lemon aioli.

We were all a bit leery of the fennel — because its taste can be so overpowering — but shaved so thin, it was a pleasant partner to the sweet tomatoes and crunchy squid. Chef Frank is a clever one!

A generous filo-crusted crab cake was our third appetizer. This was a standout, on a bed of tomato chutney, next to a scoop of lemon marscapone.

The crab cake itself was meaty and chock full of flavour, but adding the lemon marscapone just made it dance. Who knew?

Even the seafood-avoider among us ate the whole thing.

Chef Frank gave us four choices of entrées: Arctic char, shrimp curry, duck breast and tenderloin. We all picked duck or steak; this is why I love these girls.

Now after three well-sized starters, we did not expect our entrées to be overflowing. Well, check this out.

I counted about six huge slices of the grilled duck breast — cooked perfectly of course with the requisite sliver of tasty fat and browned skin. Served with a butternut squash caponata, crisp risotto cake and red wine reduction, it was total luxury.

But the Alberta tenderloin medallion was hands-down one of the best steaks I’ve ever tasted. Melt-tender, it sat on a delicious bed of mashed potatoes with cognac-wild mushroom cream sauce, and a side of roast root vegetables.

My duck was excellent, but the tenderloin was sublime.

A bottle of red (which I’m kicking myself for not writing down) also appeared at the table, a gift from Portia who also couldn’t attend. Sooo thoughtful!

Our meal ended with the Trevor Linden lemon tart, over which I explained how as a teen growing up in Vancouver I had a major crush on the Canucks’ captain and used to write fan letters to him — until he wrote back one day effectively warning me I was one step away from a restraining order, but not in those words, of course.

Really, I had only wanted a personal letter back, and I got it. So there.

Anyhoo, the Red Ox Inn’s lemon tart was soooooo good. Made with a pineapple pinenut crust, it came with a scoop of raspberry sorbet.

Stuffed and happy and nary a penis-cup in sight, it was a wonderful, wonderful night.

As we were leaving, I thanked the hostess (who I think might have been the co-owner). She said, “You must be so loved; we got so many phone calls to order wine and to set up the dinner.”

She got it dead on. I felt so loved. Thank you, girls, from the bottom of my heart.

Red Ox Inn, 9420-91st St., Edmonton, Alberta, (780) Open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Closed Mondays. Reservations recommended.