Bernadette’s — Restaurant in Central Core

I've taken some time since my Uncle's b-day dinner here, just before Christmas, to critically and fairly think about how I wanted to review Bernadette's. Preface this by saying it was my Uncle's desire to celebrate his birthday in an Indigenous fine dining establishment, as we are Indigenous, so he and his partner booked us in for last seating at 8:30 p.m. on a weeknight.

Now to the review: The food was stupendous. A bit pricey for tapas/sharing but that didn't bother me (although it was a comment from my elderly family members). We tried a bit of everything, and I still left hungry with a much emptier wallet.. lol. (Maybe we should have just gone with the tasting menu instead of a bunch of shares??)

While the food was amazing, it's more important that I highlight some bits of the service and overall atmosphere of our experience, which did not let the food shine.

First I'm not sure if the space wants to be a hip lounge or fine dining establishment, it was very confusing. The owner/bartender (sigh, with a hipster too cool for school attitude) seemed more concerned with showing off her drink making skills and wine/spirit knowledge, by catering to the friends of one of her servers that gathered at the tiny bar (more on that tiny bar in a moment). Maybe she was having a night, but i was chided a bit for showing up 10 minutes early for our reservation and didn't exactly feel warmly welcomed.

As for our server, oh the poor guy.. He was new and awkward and it showed.. and deftly unable to handle all the curiosities of my elderly dinner companions on Indigenous sources, ingredients, stories that they craved and longed for. Too bad, as it was missed opportunity to really bring them along for the journey/story on the food etc.

Then the music, sigh. The music was so loud, we could hardly carry on a conversation. And the music choice: Indigenous trap, Indigenous hip-hop, and various types of Indigenous electronica didn't exactly contribute to a fine dining experience. Maybe a big tweak on the volume level and curating the music selection for fine dining might fix that. For the price point I don't want to scream across a table to have a conversation (again, most of my dinner companions were Indigenous senior citizens who wanted to eat Indigenous cuisine)

Be warned the space is tiny!! I'm not sure I would agree with only one long seating bench, tables across. and then a bar with stools directly behind. Because with that scenario, and the hipster crowd at the bar, there was literally no room to make your way past the aisle to the washroom or anything. Fire hazard indeed.

Point of all is this is the food is beyond amazing. But, maybe this is more a date place/lounge for the young and cool set as I don't really think the establishment and space is set up for a group of 7-10 people, most whom are seniors, seeking a Indigenous fine dining journey. This is not somewhere I would bring my 80 year mother (who wasn't in attendance) even though I would love to treat her to a night of Indigenous cuisine. It's a shame really.

I would go back, but in a group of 2, and for a nighttime post- event nightcap or maybe a late night nosh.. not for the entirety of a main event. Maybe a few tweaks and I could get on board with calling this the best restaurant in Edmonton, but not as it is. Amazing food, bad atmosphere, and service that needs a tweak in attitude and bringing you along for the...

If you come here expecting an indigenous eating experience or atmosphere, stay clear. I will first say that the food was amazing. The chef is doing a great job, and while we had to wait a little while, it was worth the wait.

The issue lies in pricing and how they present themselves as an "indigenous" restaurant. This is a "fancy" restaurant that used cree names to try to be able to use indigenous in their marketing. From the moment we walked in, we were asked if we had a reservation. Fair enough, somewhere so highly reviewed on Google must surely be busy, so it makes sense that we were asked if we phoned in to make a Tuesday reservation, we did not. Regardless, We were seated and were given drink menus and told that once we order a drink, then we will get a food menu.

Okay? This should have been our first red flag. The second red flag being the TECHNO MUSIC being played. I don't mind techno music but it felt like we were on whyte ave, drinking at the bar before heading to the dance floor. We ordered from their $20 cocktail menu (which does not state the Oz as customary) and hoped for the best. The drinks were great, we finished them and eagerly awaited our food menu (which is why we came here) . Once we got our menu, we were a little surprised at the pricing but hey, we want to support indigenous cuisine. We were told by the staff that the food was "indigenous style of portions , made for sharing." fantastic! Let's get 2 plates each and that should be plenty. We ordered the Bone marrow on Bannoc ($26 i believe) and the Bison rib for $60.

The Bone marrow was 4 cracker sized pieces of bannoc with Bone marrow on top. The chef did such an amazing job it was no problem. Not sharing size by any stretch.

Next was the infamous Bison rib. Surely, this would be sharing size, right?

We were presented with a SINGLE RIB. One rib about the length of a pork rib and 1 ½ inches wide. Absolutely the best rib we had ever had, there was a reduction of Saskatoon berries as the sauce which was amazing 👏.

BUT. A single rib. Not sharing size in any stretch of the imagination AND it was $60. I have never felt so misinformed and tricked by a restaurant in my life. I have had Bison rib before, and never was I presented with a single rib for that price. 3 or 4 okay, 1 ? Never. Eating that single rib between the two of us was such a humiliating experience, We would have purchased our own meals if we hadn't been told it was "sharing size plates, indigenous style."

Once we left, we ended up eating out again because neither of us got even close to satiated.

The only advice I can give is the owner that is in charge of pricing and marketing needs to take a big step back and reconsider what it is they are touting this restaurant as, indigenous or "indigenous". Maybe consulting some of the indigenous community would be a good first step? Having an indigenous chef doesn't mean you can call it an indigenous restaurant. Clearly, that is not what it is.

Please, please, please. Change the techno music to something else. P.s. we didn't need a reservation because there were only 3 tables ever seated,...

My daughter and son-in-law took me to Bernadette’s last night for the tasting menu as my Christmas present. Having dined at Michelin-starred restaurants before, I was looking forward to the experience.

Our reservation was set, but upon arrival, we had to wait 20 minutes for the previous diners at our table to clear. However, Svetlana was incredibly gracious and apologized multiple times. Since we were excited about the evening, we took the wait in stride and enjoyed admiring the restaurant’s gorgeous decor.

The Tasting Menu Experience

The tasting menu consisted of seven courses, with the first four being absolutely Michelin-star-worthy, while the last three were just okay.

PEI Oysters with Apple MignonetteThese were, without a doubt, the best oysters I have ever had. The balance of flavors was impeccable, creating a symphony in my mouth.

Endive Salad with TrufflePerfectly balanced, with the truffle adding depth without overpowering the dish—a great display of restraint by the chef.

Raw Elk with Bannock MedallionsThis dish was a highlight. The elk was as tender as butter, and the berries provided the perfect contrast—much better than the overly sweet gastriques some restaurants use. The accompanying bannock medallions were light, airy, and had just the right amount of char.

Gnocchi with Oyster MushroomsThe showstopper. Gnocchi should be pillowy soft, but I have never actually experienced it done to this level. These truly melted in my mouth, setting a new standard.

Skirt Steak with DandelionsReminiscent of a Heston Blumenthal dish but with a unique twist. It was nearly perfect, but a touch of acidity would have elevated it even more.

Bison ShankThe most disappointing dish of the evening. While not bad, the meat was dry, and the overall flavor lacked the depth and excitement of the previous courses.

Rose Ice CreamA pleasant ending, though it was slightly icy and lacked the finesse expected from a tasting menu dessert. A crisp tuile or some additional textural contrast would have enhanced the dish.

Overall Impression

Bernadette’s delivered a fantastic fine dining experience. The service was excellent, though it would need slight refinement to match Michelin standards. Despite the few misses, the highlights far outweighed them, making this an unforgettable evening.

I am eager to return, both for the main menu and another seasonal tasting menu. I highly recommend Bernadette’s to anyone looking for an elevated dining experience.

Bonus: The Spam Martini

I also tried the Spam Martini, which was divine. Perfectly dry, with an olive stuffed with Spam that was unexpectedly delicious—I could have eaten a whole bowl of them!

Bernadette’s is a must-visit for anyone who appreciates refined cuisine and excellent service. I can’t wait to see what they...