L2 Grill - Chef Shane Chartrand

evanl · 06-12-2009, 11:56 AM

My wife and I regularly eat at many great new and old restaurants in Edmonton (and around the country). Up to this point I have gathered opinions from many foodies (I really like Sharon Yeo's onlyhereforthefood.ca blog for local treats!). We've never really had a terrible experience (or at least one bad enough to write about) and we've certainly had several really stellar ones (which we usually share with our friends and family).

Last night we had a really great dinner at L2 Grill in WEM. It used to be the Fantasyland Grill (which we avoided) but they invested about $750K in a remodel and it is very stylish. We had appetizers and a little wine. My wife had the beet salad and Kobe beef meatballs, and I had the butternut squash soup and grilled portobello mushroom. The portions were a perfect size for sharing and the tastes were delightful. My favourite was the soup (partially because of the very cool bowl it came in!) but each were very very good.

What made our experience special was that Chef Shane Chartrand (formerly of Sage) came out to talk to us. We've only had this happen in Edmonton on a few rare occasions (it used to be very commonplace at the Wildflower Grill). He spent quite some time with us first discussing the dishes and then talking about the new restaurant and his plans for the future. He seemed to be actively collecting feedback from patrons and talked to several other people as well. I'm not sure how others feel about this, but I thought it was outstanding! It was really nice to know that he was responding to patrons and said that if a dish 'wasn't working' it would disappear. He told us that the menu would be changed every four weeks and it may involve a future as a tapas style restaurant. This was very exciting news to us...we've always felt that WEM could use something like that. In addition he shared that the hideous Fantasyland Lounge was going to be closed and renovated with a reincarnation as a high end wine/scotch bar! We are looking forward to this with great anticipation...the west end needs something like that.

Anyway, I just wanted to RAVE about our experience last night. We'll be heading back soon to work our way around the entrees and see what interesting things he creates in the future!

Evan

Sonic Death Monkey · 06-12-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evanl

he shared that the hideous Fantasyland Lounge was going to be closed and renovated with a reincarnation as a high end wine/scotch bar! We are looking forward to this with great anticipation...the west end needs something like that.

It's nice to see the Fantasyland Hotel's resto-bars move upscale and out of the 1980s. I've heard nothing but great things about the L2 Grill.

ChrisD · 06-12-2009, 04:02 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I heard about L2 opening in WEM but I was unaware that it was replacing the old Fantasyland Grill. Thank god as it looked like a funeral parlour....seriously.

MylesC · 06-12-2009, 05:01 PM

I don't see how Fantasyland Grill could have been called a resto-bar....

Funeral parlour - yes.

Or are we just calling everything under the sun a resto-bar now?

blainehamilton · 09-12-2009, 12:50 PM

Thumbs up here. Used to go to school with Shane back in Red Deer. I hear he has made quite a name for himself.

Will be sure to check L2 out during the winter months!

darrellinyvr · 09-12-2009, 04:14 PM

It's good to hear that L2 is good, best of luck! The outside looks great and contemporary but the wing it is in does not give you any idea that it's there. The mall needs to create a reason to walk the short distance past Eddie Bauer, to glance down it all you see is a corridor circa 1986 to the parking lot or the Marketplace Chapel.

It would be nice to see something a little more unique in the mall succeed besides the chain outfits. It's like that dining room overlooking the Phase III foodcourt that now faces the entrance to Bed, Bath and Beyond, whoever came up with that has NO idea how to fit new businesses into place. I'm sure the restaurant owners are not impressed.

06-12-2009, 11:56 AM	#1
evanl First One is Always Free Join Date: Nov 2009	L2 Grill - Chef Shane Chartrand My wife and I regularly eat at many great new and old restaurants in Edmonton (and around the country). Up to this point I have gathered opinions from many foodies (I really like Sharon Yeo's onlyhereforthefood.ca blog for local treats!). We've never really had a terrible experience (or at least one bad enough to write about) and we've certainly had several really stellar ones (which we usually share with our friends and family). Last night we had a really great dinner at L2 Grill in WEM. It used to be the Fantasyland Grill (which we avoided) but they invested about $750K in a remodel and it is very stylish. We had appetizers and a little wine. My wife had the beet salad and Kobe beef meatballs, and I had the butternut squash soup and grilled portobello mushroom. The portions were a perfect size for sharing and the tastes were delightful. My favourite was the soup (partially because of the very cool bowl it came in!) but each were very very good. What made our experience special was that Chef Shane Chartrand (formerly of Sage) came out to talk to us. We've only had this happen in Edmonton on a few rare occasions (it used to be very commonplace at the Wildflower Grill). He spent quite some time with us first discussing the dishes and then talking about the new restaurant and his plans for the future. He seemed to be actively collecting feedback from patrons and talked to several other people as well. I'm not sure how others feel about this, but I thought it was outstanding! It was really nice to know that he was responding to patrons and said that if a dish 'wasn't working' it would disappear. He told us that the menu would be changed every four weeks and it may involve a future as a tapas style restaurant. This was very exciting news to us...we've always felt that WEM could use something like that. In addition he shared that the hideous Fantasyland Lounge was going to be closed and renovated with a reincarnation as a high end wine/scotch bar! We are looking forward to this with great anticipation...the west end needs something like that. Anyway, I just wanted to RAVE about our experience last night. We'll be heading back soon to work our way around the entrees and see what interesting things he creates in the future! Evan Last edited by evanl; 06-12-2009 at 11:59 AM.. Reason: Misnamed restaurant

06-12-2009, 05:01 PM	#4
MylesC Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton, AB	I don't see how Fantasyland Grill could have been called a resto-bar.... Funeral parlour - yes. Or are we just calling everything under the sun a resto-bar now? __________________ Man of Downtown

06-12-2009, 04:02 PM	#3
ChrisD Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton, AB	Thanks for the feedback. I heard about L2 opening in WEM but I was unaware that it was replacing the old Fantasyland Grill. Thank god as it looked like a funeral parlour....seriously.

09-12-2009, 12:50 PM	#5
blainehamilton Partially Addicted to C2E Join Date: May 2008	Thumbs up here. Used to go to school with Shane back in Red Deer. I hear he has made quite a name for himself. Will be sure to check L2 out during the winter months!

09-12-2009, 04:14 PM	#6
darrellinyvr Addicted to C2E Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Patricia Hieghts	It's good to hear that L2 is good, best of luck! The outside looks great and contemporary but the wing it is in does not give you any idea that it's there. The mall needs to create a reason to walk the short distance past Eddie Bauer, to glance down it all you see is a corridor circa 1986 to the parking lot or the Marketplace Chapel. It would be nice to see something a little more unique in the mall succeed besides the chain outfits. It's like that dining room overlooking the Phase III foodcourt that now faces the entrance to Bed, Bath and Beyond, whoever came up with that has NO idea how to fit new businesses into place. I'm sure the restaurant owners are not impressed.