The Manor Casual Bistro

Having done several group bookings there you would have thought the owner, Lorraine, would appreciate our business, alas, no. Last Saturday, Jan 9 we had a group of 22 reserved and minutes before the show I get a phone call from her while I’m in the UK, so 2:30 am for me, threatening to cancel the event unless payment is produced forthwith. After 16 years of doing business with hundreds of venues I’ve never experienced a threat to cancel an event and in such a disrespectful fashion to boot! Of course she got her money and I’ll never bring another group there again, in fact I just got off the phone to her in which I cancelled my event for this Saturday for a group of 30 — she didn’t care. Here exact words to my host last week were: «We don’t need his business».

First time here but not my last. Amazing food, and atmosphere. Only thing is the ac comes from the floor so it was a bit cool. Background Music was a touch loud as well. Food was outstanding. We each had something different. There were 8 of us. No one had a complaint. Try it today.

We were looking forward to dining on the Manor’s beautiful patio, especially because it was a lovely evening. The food was good, but perhaps it is time to change the menu. Sadly, the service was not good from beginning to end. Thus, it will be a long time before we go back, if ever. There are plenty of other restaurants in the city of Edmonton that have nice patios, better food, and especially, servers who care about their customers.

How outrageous! Had dinner at The Manor Bistro and they charged $ 20 per piccolo of prosecco which is only about $ 10 – 12 in other restaurants. I was not made aware of the price but would have hoped when I ordered a second that the server would have said something. I have run into this problem before at Manor and their pricing and caution you when ordering there of their gauging; or just do what I’m going to do and avoid going there!

If I could, I would give it a 2.5… Our last time here was actually quite good and hence why I was confident for Sunday Brunch it wouldn’t disappoint… I was wrong. Each of us had a different dish… I had the Steak and Eggs, my companion the French Toast and our friend, the Omelette Special. Truth be told, I think the best of the 3 was the Omelette Special.
Before I go any further, the service and Staff were reasonably attentive given the day. One thing that did surprise me is that our server didn’t ask us if we wanted anything beyond «coffee or juice» — I would have enjoyed a Mimosa… but by then, it was too late and the moment gone. That said, I am going to a restaurant also to enjoy the food, so not sure if I am going to be going back any time soon. On to the food.
The French Toast is the one that sticks (and it was, sticky with a LOT of caramel sauce and whipping cream) out the most: VERY SWEET, TOO SWEET… the bread portions were VERY large and the bread itself was also sweet… My companion had such a «bomba di zucchero» (sugar bomb) that he (who usually loves sweets) said it was too much. My Steak and Eggs were fine but nothing memorable. On the eggs there was a very lemony sauce that I couldn’t understand since the bread was a garlic toast upon which the eggs where placed – the combo, not so tasty as they competed for my tastebuds. The steak was fine and as I ordered it. The Omelette Special tasted good and was what it said it was… a little heavy on the salt though.
I will be waiting I guess for another while before coming… and if I do come earlier, it will be because someone I know insists on coming …

The Manor Casual Bistro is located just off 124^th by the Museum in a cute little house that’s been converted into their restaurant. Parking can be very cramped in the evening, especially during the winter when roads are bad. But the location is certainly cute!
Inside it is lit appropriately for a romantic date, and very quiet. I had the now unavailable lamb meatballs as an appetizer which were quite tasty, and the Nasi Goreng for a main. The food was good but it didn’t leave me with a drop dead WOW either. I would say as far as fancier restaurants go it was about average. The service was exceptional though, and I definitely tipped accordingly!
The price wasn’t too high and it is certainly a unique place, so if you’re looking for a different but very nice place to go, this one is certainly worth a try! I went in the winter, but I heard their patio is gorgeous!

Great old house as a backdrop. Food is average but not quite worth the prices paid for them.
I came here in january for fork fest. A great deal if you havent tried it. 3 courses for $ 25 or $ 50 twice a year in edmonton.
I started with the daily soup. It was a pea soup. Definetly one of the best pea soups I have ever had. It was creamy and had a good flavour of cheese in it. It was mild and satisfying. A great start to my meal.
I decided on a goat cheese chicken tomato cream spinach pasta dish as I had just worked out and was willing to carb up as my reward. ;) the pasta was fresh and cheesy. It was good but nothing blew my senses if you know what I mean. It was tasty but average tasting. A little of a step up from homemade pasta. The chicken and goat cheese was a bit skimpy though. My friends had the beef bourguigoun which was tastier and had a great flavour to it. I guess I just misordered this time.
To finish I had the pecan whisky pie. It was yummy but a bit small. It was devoured in less than 2 minutes.
This place has great soups but thats not worth coming back for unless its really cold out. So ill pass for now. The fork fest was a great deal for $ 25 so if they offer these great deals on a regular basis I will be coming back alot more often.

Sometimes the places you frequent the most are the most difficult to review: Where do you even start?!
I probably eat at Manor at least once a month. During patio season (as it is my absolute favourite patio) probably more like 2 – 3 times a month. The menu under the helm of Chef Alex Sneazewell is just spectacular and ever evolving. He is a master of butchering and preparing fish, so I highly recommend a fish dish. He is also a big proponent of nose to tail cooking so you can get some really interesting dished such as the Odds and Ends dish with beef heart and bone marrow — and it is really good by the way! I even did a bone luge with port at the end of that meal! The bone luge was so complex in flavour, it blew me, as well as my American colleague!
The lunch hour is always busy and the menu is nicely tailored to suit a midday meal. The wait staff is excellent (save for a few newbie encounters I have had once or twice). A decade ago the liquids may have been all about the wine list, which is still quite good; short and sweet. Now however, the Manor is one of the places in Edmonton that is leading the way when it comes to cocktail culture. So stop in sometime just for a drink. The warm, inviting atmosphere in the old historic house will not let you down. And if you are looking for a place to have a private party, they have 3 rooms that fit the bill! Many moons ago I had my convocation party on the upper level!
See you at the Manor!

The Manor is the more upscale offering from the folks who own/​run Urban Diner. And it’s actually their original establishment, but the most up-​to-​date. Like Violino next door, it is located in an old house.
The restaurant brought on a new chef, Alex Sneazwell, last year who appears to have gained enough confidence to take risks and make the menu his own while still including some favourites from the old menu, such as the Nasi Goreng. The highlights of the new menu do not appear on the restaurant’s website, which needs to be updated.
I’ve admittedly never dined here in a traditional style. I’ve only come here for drinks from their fantastic cocktail list, but the menu and specials have seduced me. The cocktails are expertly crafted and the bartender will concoct you a custom cocktail if you provide your server with your desired flavour profile.
One time, Aditya R. and I shared an order of Squab, complete with a number of fantastic accompaniments (I remember Morels and Chanterelles, but not much else). The squab was perfectly cooked — very juicy and full of flavor, but not too gamy. This was the special of the night.
I was less impressed with the Panna Cotta for dessert — it wasn’t smooth enough, and too gelatinous texturally. And the flavours of the balsamic-​coated Strawberries were too understated. But they were trying, and that’s what counts.
The Manor has a new, well-​executed, and adventurous menu. The cocktails are divine, and they always play great music later on in the night.
One turn off may be that this purports to be a casual bistro, but the food and the prices are more on the order of special occasion. Perhaps the «casual bistro» moniker intends to make the restaurant appear to be warm and inviting, rather than stuffy.

It was disappointing to see very few patrons for lunch on a snowy day. My friend and I decided to meet as she’s a fan of their spinach salad and I remember enjoying my food the last visit.
I was seated promptly by the window when I arrived. Water with lemon was brought and I had a look at the menu. The menu is not extensive, with salads, and sandwiches, but the salmon sandwich sounded like a great meal.
While I was waiting for my friend, the server brought 4 slices of bread and butter. I waited for her arrival but when we dug in, it was fresh and still warm. When my sandwich and salad was served, I was impressed at the portion size of the salmon. It was huge and flaky and served on a big bun. I chose the salad over fries and soup, but there was little too much dressing on it. I ate half of my sandwich and most of my salad.
I didn’t mind it being quaint and quiet but it would have been better to see more people enjoying a meal here. There are more tables upstairs, along with the washrooms. I found the ladies’ room clean and modern.
Although it isn’t a place I frequent, I’m sure I will enjoy future visits.