Modern Luxuria Vol 21 February 2022

WORDS BY TWYLA CAMPBELL

PHOTOGRAPHY STEVEN HOPE

XO Bistro finds the balance between the old and the new.

Captivating dishes and creative cocktails are on the menu at this modern Vietnamese bistro

Edmonton boasts an impressive number of places to enjoy Vietnamese dishes, but rarely will you find one that offers a modern take on traditional fare. XO Bistro is an exception to the rule.

Thuy Dinh opened the downtown bistro in 2017 with the hope that her menu would not only appeal to devotees of Vietnamese food, but to curious customers as well who are less familiar with the flavours of her ancestral nation.

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While it’s hard to sway loyalists from pho or vermicelli bowls jam-packed with grilled meats and fresh herbs, unexpected plates like oxtail topped fries and sizzling chicken wings coated in a sweetened fish sauce captivated a legion of diners dipping their toes into the waters of southeast Asian flavours for the first time. Those same customers returned, venturing more daringly into bowls of spicy bun bo hue and banh xeo, a pancake filled with shrimp, vegetables and bean sprouts.

It was risky, but in taking that chance, Thuy Dinh accomplished two things: she pleased the veterans andconverted the wary.

Perhaps the cocktails helped. The Good Morning Vietnam, a mix of gin, soho, lychee puree and hibiscussyrup, and the Hennessy-based Emperor Kaffir Mule are delicious accompaniments to any dish, be itappetizer or meal.

If you’re wondering about the name of the bistro, the XO is a nod to the popularity of XO Hennessy in Asiancountries.

Of course, “xo” is also the symbol for a hug and a kiss and while love is in the air for February, Dinh, true to form, decided to forego a romantic nuanced menu. Instead, she is celebrating, in general, the love of food and friendship - two important aspects of which to be reminded of during this point in history.

Diners won’t be disappointed with the menu any time of the year, thanks to input from staff and partners that Dinh joined forces with to open a southside location in 2021.

“Our partners at the second location have helped tremendously in terms of design, introducing new menu items, marketing, and daily ops,” she says, adding, “Hopefully we will only get better with time.”

Striving to improve is admirable. Dinh and her partners are keenly aware of the importance in maintaining customers’ interest by offering enticing dishes and good service. Keeping popular items on the menu helps patrons stay loyal, but offering new fare, like the sweet and spicy tamarind prawns, entice first-time customers through the door.

Coffee and dessert are worth the mention, too. If you’ve been to Hanoi and tasted the egg coffee specific to that city, you’ll be pleased to know it’s on the menu at XO Bistro. And the Saigon Affogato? Well, you’ll need to try this dessert to fully understand its seductive appeal.

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Sit at the bar under the canopy of the cherry blossom tree or snuggle into a booth by the wall. While the MacTaggart location is still sleek and shiny at not even one year old, the older downtown location is undergoing a reno, hopefully complete by the time of this article. Change is good - as long as it doesn’t happen to the rice paper spring rolls, that is. One bite was all it took to make a loyalist out of me.

www.XOBISTROBAR.COM

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