Gini’s Restaurant

Food and ingredients of excellent quality. Dishes are obviously made with extreme care. Food is fresh, sauces are exquisite, flavours are balanced and subtle. This is by far the best restaurant I have tried in Edmonton.

I give this restaurant 5 stars because it was such a pleasant surprise don’t let the outside fool you. It made a French cuisine lover out of me. I came with hubby for their couples Valentine’s day special. The décor set the mood initially the waiter was a bit obnoxious because I didn’t want to pair wine with the menu as if it was a crime against humanity even though I explained I was pregnant but I don’t think he understood, but he later apologized so all is forgiven. It was a preset menu and everything was superb down to the last bite. I would highly recommend this Edmonton hidden jewel. Pics are included.

Gini’s Restaurant is exactly that kind of hidden gem, tucked away restaurant that you hear rave reviews about and yet never take the time to visit.
In this case, however, you should probably take the time.
Everything about Gini’s is French: from the white tablecloths, to the menu, to our adorably French waiter, Michel. The restaurant décor is simple and comfortable, although the Paris wall stencils would be better replaced with a few tasteful prints and hanging artwork.
Traditional French cooking is an art – it combines simplicity with full flavours, a knowledge of the basics mingled with the art of perfection. It is this simple beauty that Gini’s does particularly well.
We started with the Saumon Fume (smoked salmon), served with greens, capers, and olives – a beautifully light starter that we paired with glasses of the 2011 Lancatay malbec. Michel also informed us of the house specials, including the soup and salad du jour, meat specials, and seafood specials. Since the menu is quite compact (always a good sign of culinary proficiency, I say), I was surprised to hear of so many specials on the same day. While there may have been one too many (poor Michel had to struggle to remember the last one), it was a great chance for us to communicate with our server. He was lovely.
We were given a mango sorbet to cleanse our palates in between the appetizer and our entrées, which was a delightful touch.
For our mains, we tried the Chateaubriand Bouquetiere (beef tenderloin in au jus) and the Carre D’Agneau aux Herbes (spring lamb roasted in Dijon mustard, herbs, and fresh mint). These entrées were spectacular. The beef tenderloin was succulent and flavourful, served with roasted new potatoes and a selection of vegetables. The spring lamb, served with the same sides, had a delightful crust that didn’t overpower the flavour of the meat – and it was cooked perfectly rare.
I didn’t think I could handle dessert, but we ended up selected the Crème Caramel and the International Cheese Plate. One of the things I really liked about Gini’s was that they don’t overfeed you, but neither do they skimp on the portions. The entrée was a perfect size and the excellent cheese plate had five or six options, along with figs, bread, pears, grapes, and strawberries. I adored the cheese plate, but the Crème Caramel was delicious without being overly sweet, as is sometimes the case.
Price-​wise, Gini’s can be a little on the higher end, with most entrées sitting between the $ 30-​$ 40 mark. The service was attentive, though, and the food so well done in a classically French style that I’d return to this restaurant for those reasons alone. The location is a little out of the way (142 Street and 107 Avenue) but only a ten minute drive from downtown and easily accessible from the north and south sides of the city. So, if you want to try a traditional French dining experience combined with delicious food, I’d recommend giving Gini’s a shot. And don’t forget to finish off with that cheese plate!

Overlooked and undiscovered. Great french food at decent prices.
This restaurant has been here for years yet ive been only a few times. I think its bc the location really only gets local traffic as I never really drive by this place and everytime I do I want to come in to enjoy this place.
Its been awhile but what I remember is that the food is fantastic with large portions, great sauces and flavourful dishes. I just remember that I was surprised this place wasnt hopping busy bc the food was great.
Prices were low considering the quality of food and service. They have great daily specials too. So check them out on the weekday!!!
Service was spectacular but thats bc its not too busy. But perfectly executed throughout the meal.
This restaurant is undiscovered and deserves more hype than it receives. Its one of those best kept secret kinda places!!!

Very good service. Attentive, there when you need Them but virtually invisible. Went there for an important business lunch and the service was never intrusive or there at the wrong time.
On top of that the food was as excellent as it always is. The menus is very limited but is has chicken, fish and beef so what more could you want.
This is not my everyday lunch place but price for the excellent food and service is more than an equitable trade.
For important business or that special date this is a place well worth visiting.

It remains puzzling to me how some GOOD, solid and consistent restaurants run under the radar. For as long as I have lived in my neighbourhood, Gini’s has always been there and I have dined there for the last 4 – 5 years (it is my companion and myself’s first stop for our new school year Friday night ‘date night’) as well as going with a friend for an impromptu dinner (after work) and more recently with colleagues from work for a ‘pre-​Christmas dinner:-)
Admittedly, the décor is not the «sleek, Ralph Lauren red, exposed beams» style. In fact, it is the exact opposite. It does have big windows that bring in a lot of light and a space to eat outside. Yes, it is in a small shopping strip at a round-​a-​about, but so are the following restaurants: Bistecca, vivo, Cibo, Piccolino among MANY others that are situated in a shopping strip.
What Gini’s does offer is excellent service and REALLY good food, well-​prepared and authentic. What I mean by «authentic» is that it is made right on the spot and dishes on the menu and the specials come piping hot from the skillet NOT the warming light. On December 17 I went with colleagues from work and my order consisted of the mussels in white wine sauce and my main being the filet mignon. The mussels were fresh and the white wine sauce would have been perfect for a dish of angel hair pasta. The filet mignon was prepared to my order and the accompanying seasonal vegetables were NOT overlooked and weren’t drenched in butter or salty. One of my colleagues ordered the mushroom soup which is, if not the best, one of the best in the city. The fish special was a stuffed tilapia that another colleague ordered and she was nice enough to let me taste it. It was stuffed with lobster and overall it was quite good as it wasn’t prepared with a heavy sauce, on the contrary, it was seasoned with a light lemon based sauce (not buttery creamy) which still allowed you to actually taste the fish.
For dessert the feature dessert was an eggnog cheesecake, made in house (like all of the desserts) and it was a nice way to finish my meal (out of 5 of us, 3 got dessert – the same one ;-)). My only critique is their selection of bread. They serve what I call a «bun» which I feel doesn’t do the rest of what they have that is VERY good justice. If they change this, for me, it completes the package of being a neighbourhood gem of a restaurant :-)

Tried to find what I thought would be the best place to eat in Edmonton and decided to give Gini’s a try. The inside of the place could definitely use some renovation. The service, though being completely taken care of a single man, was spectacular. The food was «good» but not great. Was not disappointed, but left me wanting more. Some criticisms were that the seasoning was not right on some dishes, and the portions needed to be worked out better. On a tasting menu after being served several dishes it was not necessary to have a large piece of meat alongside three different vegetables, before dessert. The wine pairing was quite reasonable. Probably a good place to go in the city, but I would rather try somewhere else before going back.