Moriarty's Bistro and Wine Bar

Every neighbourhood has one business location where nothing can survive. We've all seen these poor investment black holes: the mom and pop Turkish restaurant that's also a dry cleaner, the deli counter cafe that still expects a 15% tip, the corner store with only two shelves of imported British snacks. Three to six months later and the "For Lease" sign goes back in the window, ready to swallow up someone else's life savings. The space at 10154 100 Street used to be a revolving door; it has been several things, including empty, since I moved to Edmonton. But most recently, the wise and cunning owners of the Sherlock Holmes Pub, right next door, opened Moriarty's Bistro and Wine Bar, a classy, tasty, and hopefully permanent fixture in the downtown revival.

The resurgence of the downtown core in Edmonton has been glacial. After the stinking West Edmonton Mall was erected in 1981, businesses fled the urban centre like it was on fire. The Oil Sands Boom of the Oughts (awkward!), however, brought people back to the middle of town, as younger people with money decided they wanted to live somewhere akin to a real city. When I first moved here in 2006, there were really only places to live and a few services, like supermarkets, but no entertainment and very little in the way of dining opportunities. But then a few spots either opened or retooled: The Hat (formerly the Silk Hat), Karma, The Pint (formerly the Fox Pub), Lazia, etc. They're not all 100% fantastic, but at least it's something that doesn't require a trip across a bridge to Yobtown (read: Whyte Avenue).

Now, nearly thirty years after the initial decimation of downtown, the urban scene is back on its feet, and Moriarty's is the latest to quietly open and offer great service, nice atmosphere, good location, excellent food, and one of the better wine lists in Edmonton, not to mention interesting beer on tap.

My partner and I recently decided to make an evening of our trip to the Art Gallery of Alberta. After traipsing about the gallery for a few hours we were ready for something to eat and a taste of liquid fun. Moriarty's is just across Winston Churchill Square, so we headed over and were immediately seated in a comfortable, raised booth. The waiter was courteous, knowledgeable, and prompt when we needed him, but he could tell we were in date-mode so he mostly left us alone, which is perfect. I hate it when waiters want to get all up in your biz and call you buddy.

We ordered a bottle of Benjamin Nieto Malbec, some gnocchi, and I think my date had some soup. No one cares about soup, but apparently it was good. The gnocchi was hot and tasty, the wine was served correctly, tasted great, and made the walk home a lot warmer. The pricing is not unreasonable, though you probably wouldn't want to eat there every day. They also have an Enomatic wine system, which I have yet to try, but I have heard good things.

The atmosphere is classy and modern, if a little bit hollow sounding, and bathroom connoisseurs will definitely enjoy the facilities.

I have also eaten lunch there once. I had the special: some kind of barbecue beef sandwich or something. It was good like the dickens. I had a pint of Pedigree, which is a beautiful, forgettable beer with very little head, just like your girlfriend in highschool. Zing! I sat at the bar with my hombre Sean, and we yakked with the affable bartender.

In short, this place is good and will hopefully stick around for awhile, to say nothing of the expanding Conan Doyle-themed establishments in the Rice Howard Way area. Maybe Watson's will be opening where CoCoDi's used to be before it deservedly burned to the ground.