From Tech to Tête de Moine

Tech expert turned restaurateur brings the delightful do-it-yourself experience of fondue to a neighbourhood near you

If one could pick any European dining tradition that could be easily listed off the top of one’s head, it would be the delightful experience of fondue. For the familiar but uninitiated, this involves dipping bread, meat, seafood, or veggies into a pot of cheese kept warm and melting by the heat of a candle or an oil lamp. The same experience can also be had with the delicious combination of fruit and berries. Arsh Saini and his partner felt that, in Edmonton, there were not enough options available for people to partake in fondue.

Using his background as a software engineer, Arsh finds himself uniquely positioned to understand his customer's needs by numbers, and is able to connect with the best possible technology to enhance a diner’s experience. He describes it as “a lasting experience to spend those special moments surrounded by a warm and cozy environment”.

“Bring your special one for a date night filled with an aromatic four-course meal cooked at your table by our servers, with lots of fine wine to choose from, and soft music that allows you to pour your heart out.”

While their menu offers up a wide variety of options, not all of them are fondue. For those who would prefer a more traditional steak dinner, the aforementioned four-course meal is the most popular experience Bleu Flames has to offer. With bread, veggies, meat, cheese, fruit, and of course, chocolate, it checks off every fondue aspect one could ask for in a meal. All this is accompanied by soup or salad.

“You start with freshly baked bread, veggies and fruit to dip in melting cheese that’s cooked in white wine, beer, or apple juice for kids. The main course offers tons of chef marinated meats and seafood like beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, salmon, lobster, scallops and more to choose from! Finally, the mouthwatering chocolate fondue is made from high-quality Lindt chocolate accompanied by brownie bites, bacon, strawberries, and oreo covered marshmallows.”

There aren’t enough fondue restaurants in the Edmonton area, so bringing the Bleu Flames experience to Sherwood Park was one of the inspirations.

For those whose mouths are now watering, but are not sure where they would start once presented with such a glut of options, Arsh has some delectable seasonal suggestions. If you’re thinking of delving into the world of fondue to celebrate your summer wedding anniversary, give the Welsh Rarebit cheese fondue, cream of wild mushroom soup, Canadian coast to coast meat fondue, or flaming bleu chocolate fondue a try. If you’ve got a first date to impress this winter, you’re sure to do so when you order the grill option for your main course. This allows you and your date the fun of grilling your own choice of meats right at your table!

www.bleuflames.com

WORDS BY MONA BUTLER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREVOR TSOI