After a few changes and mix ups of my reservation over the phone, I walked into
Vivo with fingers crossed that it would not be an unpleasant experience. After reading both positive and negative reviews, I arranged a small reunion with my friends with an open mind and was looking forward to a new dining experience.
Our reservation was at 8 pm, I arrived a little earlier with another friend. We were told by the hostess that our table was still occupied. Since we were not in a hurry, I didn't mind taking a seat and catching up with my friend. Eventually, my party had all arrived and our table was still occupied. Naturally, my irritation increasingly grew. Though the hostess did not come back to check on us or to give us a lead time of when our table would be ready, I didn't hesitate to voice my growing frustration that, after quite some time, our "reserved" table was still
not ready. No refreshments or drink menu were offered while we sat around and waited aimlessly. Finally, the manager came by and assured us that our table would be ready soon.
We were seated close to the open kitchen, which, despite having a large ventilation fan built on top, there was still a bit of fume swirling around. Our server rehearsed through the family sharing concept of the restaurant, the menu, and the portions with us. For first timers, it was quite helpful as we were not sure how much to order. After nominations and several veto, we came to consensus of ordering an appetizer, 3 pasta dishes, a main course, and a dessert to share among 5 people. There are also 2 prices for each item and we opted for the half portion for everything we ordered, which turned out to still be quite large and enough for sharing between all of us.

First course, antipasti $24 with roasted red peppers, pickled green beans, grapes, sunburst tomatoes, olives, parmegiano reggiano, artichoke, balsamic reduction. The charcuterie was consisted of mortadella (similar to bologna), spicy salami, procuitto de parma, bresaola (beef prociutto). Fobfather was looking forward to try the bresaola and I think he enjoyed it. It was a bit dryer and more lean than regular procuitto. This platter was a good size to share between 4-5 people.

First pasta dish was a braised lamb shoulder pappardelle $19. I love the way pappardelle noodles soak up in rich tomato sauce and grated cheese. I thought the sauce was delicious and had a lot of depth and quite aromatic. There was a generous amount of cheese and the braised lamb was chewy, but the right amount and not overly tough. The only thing to comment on is that the some of the noodles, although "al dente", was still too raw in the centre and was way too hard. The waiter came by to ask if we enjoy the dish. While I didn't say anything and kept observing my raw pasta, he also didn't take the initiative to ask if there was anything wrong with it either. Just sayin'.

Gigli $19 with sweet pesto, seared scallops and a generous amount of toasted pine nuts. The gigli noodles are similar to penne and hold thick sauce quite well. The pesto sauce was nice, very aromatic with garlic and basil. It had a good consistency when everything was mixed. The 2 scallops were cooked well. One more addition would've been better.
The risotto agosta $22 sounded delightful on the menu. It arrived with grated parmegiano reggiano, mushroom and lobster. Miss T had high hopes as she put it, "I haven't found a restaurant in Edmonton that makes a great risotto." Upon hearing her remark, the waiter quickly replied, "I hope this would be the best one."
It wasn't.
The lobster meat was succulent. The overall dish, however, was absolutely bland--so bland that I wanted to re-season everything and remake it myself. The texture also wasn't quite there either. The dish had potentials, but fell short in flavours and easily forgettable.
The prociutto wrapped asparagus $16 was a more versatile dish which was enjoyed by everyone. The grilled asparagus were slightly charred which added more smoky flavour to it.
The second side, sauteed local mushrooms with garlic and crushed chili pepper, for $14 was perhaps the least impressive dish on the menu. There was nothing outstanding about it. Aside from the chili, it was simple, too simple to be served as a $14 side. I was hoping it would be something I wouldn't be able to make myself at home. Miss T pointed out that some of the mushrooms were still undercooked in the middle, another bummer to add on top.
The grilled swordfish with grapefruit and leek $35 was served on a large cutting board rustic style as with the rest of the meat entrees. The fish had nice grill marks and still rare in the centre. I did the honour of squeeze the grapefruit on the fish. Once I took a bite, I think all our expressions were quite similar, it was : S
I love food with a lot of flavours and I love it when spices and other ingredients help enhance the natural flavour of the food. The swordfish missed its mark.
It was interesting they used grapefruit with swordfish since the fruit is acidic, slightly sweet and bitter. Usually citrus adds very well to fish and I'm quite a fan, however, it wasn't enough to enhance the flavour this time. We all agreed that the fish was under seasoned. It was quite bland, had mushy texture in certain areas and very dry in others. The grapefruit juice just became an acidic tarp covering pieces of tasteless half cooked fish. I could not try to enjoy it and left it alone after 1 piece. I didn't think it was
"disgusting" as L called it, but I definitely would not order it again. It made me miss Japanese food a lot, especially the tataki and ponzu sauce.
Flavours. We didn't send it back and just endured it, assuming that there was no way they could make it better.
Their signature tiramisu $12 arrived in a large fish bowl glass and again, it was enough for us to share. I liked both the taste and how it was presented. It was creamy with crumbly lady finger pieces and a stronger marsala wine taste.
Omg... were we stuffed!
The verdict:
The restaurant itself is doing very well with attracting new customers and creating a buzz in the city. While their staff seem to be very knowledgeable of the menu, ingredients and preparation, I wish they were more in tune with the diner's feedback of their dining experience. Our server did not ask again if we enjoyed our food or not. I also had an impression that this is an establishment that carries a strong confidence of being innovative, providing the best quality, and doing everything right.
Based on that night's experience, I was mildly amused and overall unimpressed. Sure, they had some great points. Our bill came to $180 after taxes which was reasonable for a large meal between 5 people. The portions are large and great for sharing. It was a good atmosphere that brings people together. However, in terms of execution, some dishes lack depth and are easily forgettable. When compared to other fine dining restaurants, I don't find that the price always match the value here. For example, the sides are a bit too expensive for what it's worth, even if for sharing. I've had bigger portions with better
quality at $5 per side which could serve a family of 5. Like many reviews, the restaurant has a great concept but still needs fine tuning in the details and execution. Also, mostly being more receptive to diners' feedback, whether it be positive or negative. I do like their tiramisu, and still would like to try their famous fettucini alfredo some time in the
near future.
For other review on Vivo, head over to
It's a Wierd, Wild, Wonderful Life.