Darling puts down permanent roots
Darling, the popular 40-seat restaurant on Whyte Avenue, sprouted from new parenthood, coupled with the scorched earth of pandemic-related lockdowns. Owner Justin Jones, who had been working front-of-house at Biera, found himself simultaneously out of work at the restaurant and overwhelmed with the newness of parenthood. “We had just become parents, lockdowns were happening, and we couldn’t go anywhere,” Jones says of what he and his husband faced during that time in 2021. “We had travelled a lot in the past and were reliving those memories of good food and wine. We missed it so much and we were going stir crazy. I said to Derrick, ‘Let’s do a pop-up!’ and it took off from there.”
Working at some of Edmonton’s top restaurants had given Justin Jones plenty of on-the-floor experience, while Derrick, a more behind-the-scenes type, took on the budgets and flow-charts. All combined, the duo approached the venture with a well-rounded business tool kit. Held both indoors and out at the Take Care Café, the pop-ups focused on natural wines and seasonal food offerings. After five months, the couple had enough inspiration, experience and solid fan base to take the concept one step further—to that of a full scale restaurant. They secured a spot across the street in a vacant commercial space and began the transformation.
The menu still focuses on creative fare made from seasonal ingredients grown by local, small-scale producers, with chef Tyler Biollo taking over where talented Lindsay James left off.
“Working with the crew at Three Boars and then Ryan Hotchkiss at Bundok, taught me the importance and benefits of cooking with seasonal ingredients,” says Biollo, pointing to a plate of tomatoes topped with Alberta goat cheese and cold-pressed canola oil flavoured with rosemary. “You can see where the sun has hit the tomato in certain parts, and you can taste the difference in a tomato like that when it’s picked at the height of freshness.”
The tomato dish exemplifies how Biollo and sous chef, Josiane Cosette, both NAIT culinary grads, approach the food they serve. “When you work with ingredients like this, you can keep things simple,” Biollo explains. “You don’t need to interfere. You can let the ingredients speak for themselves.”
If ever there was a perfect representation of beef carpaccio, what Biollo offers could be it. A fluffy cloud of grated Piave Vecchio covers ethereal slices of robustly flavoured Alberta beef that yields to minimal chewing effort. Paired with an earthy red wine, it’s a magical combination.
The menu features as many plant-forward dishes as it does protein-focused options, with olives, sourdough bread, salads and pasta appearing alongside fish, pork and Alberta beef. You might want to stop in just for dessert, especially if the chocolate tarte is on offer. It’s a harmonious combination of all the good and sweet things in life: shortbread pastry, chocolate crémeux (like a heavier ganache), caramel and hazelnuts.
The focus on wine continues to be on those made with minimal intervention and without additives. An aromatic orange wine from California called Wonderwerk Big Orange worked wonderfully with cheese, and the Abbia Nova ‘Senza Vandalismi’ Cesanese from Piglio, was a gorgeous partner to a pan-seared steak served with a thick swath of herby persillade.
Don’t get too comfy with the wine list, though; Jones is on a mission to expose customers to as many natural wines as possible. “We offer a new selection starting every Friday, so what you see today won’t be here next week or next month. We like to keep things fresh and interesting.”
Darling is hitting all the right notes—from intriguing drink options to flavourful fare, and an inviting interior that makes you want to stay a while. Grab a seat on the patio while you can. It’s dog friendly, gorgeous and open until the temperatures dip. Bring your pals, bring your kids: the restaurant is child friendly, Instagram ready, and brunch is served on weekends. Darling is the cool, friendly neighbourhood spot you wish your neighbourhood had thought of first.
Find it at 9616 – 82 Avenue, Edmonton.
Places To Be
See this month's local flavours, products, and services.
