Cilantro and Chive - Red Deer — Restaurant in Red Deer

We’ve tried almost all restaurants in Red Deer and decided to give Cilantro and Chive a try. My wife booked a reservation online to celebrate our anniversary. So we arrived and of course waited for few minutes and then the receptionist sat us in an eight seater middle table. So, I asked several waitresses to understand the seating arrangement as we booked online and it obvious that we’re just 3. I would get the logic if all tables were occupied but there were 2-3 tables (can sit 4). We weren’t really happy because no one really answered our question on why we can’t be seated on those vacant tables as we reserved online and again, we’re just 3. Was it because we’re part of the visible minority? Or perhaps put as there because we won’t complain anyway? We’re about to leave but we decided to stick around but I wish we would’ve just left. The food was okay, nothing really spectacular in our opinion. The waitress seemed to be exhausted. Overall, the experience was not good for first timer.

Reply: Since I cannot reply on your response, I will just do it here.

Thank you for your explanation regarding the booking of reservation. We booked a specific time (8:00pm) and actually arrived early. Our apologies as well because we thought since we booked a specific time and date, there will be a reserved table. We’re not aware to call ahead just to confirm or say that you’re coming because again, we booked it ahead and we will be there by 8:00pm as per our booking. I think things could’ve been different if the lady even just asked if we’re okay with the table (clearly too big for a family of 3) or if we’re willing to wait if ever. In addition, I gave several servers a chance to explain on why we can’t move to the other vacant tables and I even asked my wife if there’s like a specific option to make when you’re booking that she missed. All they said that, it’s the system and quite frankly I didn’t get it especially if you can see empty tables. No one even bother to ask if everything is okay or maybe we want to move to empty tables. And that’s okay, it is what is and just wrapped up our stay. See, my apologies if you felt insulted when I brought the race issue because that’s exactly how we felt when we see new families taking those empty seats wondering what did they do differently that maybe we missed. Overall, the experience could’ve been amazing if only questions were asked and/or explained the rationale accordingly. I am sorry to hear as well on what happened to the other lady, that’s...

It's rare for me to post a restaurant review, but I need to commend Cilantro and Chive's Red Deer location for a fabulous dinner. We arrived in the early evening thinking it would be empty on a Monday but were wrong, as clearly the locals know about this gem.

After being seated promptly, our server handed us our menus and answered our questions. I settled on the Jambalaya Pappardelle, while the rest of our party ordered a full-sized poutine, a kids' hamburger and a Philly sandwich with a Caesar salad.

My pasta dish was incredible -- usually 'jambalaya' brings to mind a boil-in-a-bag Creole dish on rice, which too often turns into a starchy, mushy mess. Cilantro and Chive's version was exquisite: the chicken was cooked perfectly, the shrimp was tender and plump while the sausage was delectable, with just a touch of spice. It was served on a bed of pappardelle, which is a wide and flat noodle that was able to sop up the delicious cream sauce. I could not stop raving about this dish until my wife put her hand on my shoulder and firmly said "That's enough."

The rest of the dishes were equally incredible, with my son's poutine receiving high praise for its ample amounts of cheese and gravy. Still feeling ravenous we ordered dessert, consisting of an ice cream sandwich and creme brulee. The ice cream sandwich was rather large, with two hefty cookies holding in a giant scoop of some of the best strawberry ice cream I've ever tasted. The creme brulee was also top-notch with its creaminess contrasting nicely with the crisp, sugar topping.

The original Lacombe location of Cilantro and Chive will always be one of our favourites due to its cozy, funky atmosphere, but the Red Deer location is equally as enjoyable with its larger dining room, which is just as welcoming to families with young children as it is to hipsters. The service was friendly and prompt, the athmosphere was inviting and any requests we had were greeted with professional courtesy. I didn't get a chance to sample a craft beer from the ridiculously vast menu, but next...

My hubby and I dined at the Cilantro and Chive on a Friday evening, after reading the reviews elsewhere and seeing their amazing menu. We did make a reservation online and glad we did. The restaurant was quite busy when we arrived and there was a bit of a waitlist to get in. Since I had made the reservation, we did get seated right away.

Our server, Estelle was great! She came by our table shortly after we were seated and since we had never dined there before, I did have a few questions about the menu.

They have a great food selection, and an even better drink menu! Of alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices.

My husband got the Kinabik pint and I got the mocktail flight board. Our drinks did take a little longer to come out, but Estelle apologized for the wait and honestly it really wasn't too long of a wait. My flight board had a Lavender lemonade, Fuzzy Peach Slush, Raspberry mojito and peach mule (all non-alcholic). Normally I'm not a huge lavender fan, but it was my favorite drink! All of them were super tasty and refreshing!

The restaurant was participating in the Alberta on a Plate event and I ordered their Bison meatballs and spaghetti and my spouse ordered the fish and chips.

Our meals took a little longer to come out (and this time we did notice the wait), around 25 minutes to come out. But we were enjoying our drinks and the ambiance.

My spaghetti entrée was a good size, and tasted great! The cheese filled bison meatballs were very tasty and the spaghetti was good as well. I do wish that my dish was slightly warmer, but that didn't stop me from enjoying my meal. My husbands fish and chips were very crispy and seasoned well. The fish pieces could have been a little bit bigger, but he was happy with his meal.

We didn't have room for dessert, which was disappointing, but overall we were super happy with our meals and our dining experience! Estelle was a great server and very pleasant.

We will definitely be back to dine at Cilantro and Chive the next time we're...