You don’t have to go down to Calgary to enjoy an elevated dining experience.
Take it from Chef Li Luo, who has been helping craft the menu at the restaurant at Woodside Golf Course for more than 14 years.
“We work together as a team to make the menu. The servers, the line cooks, everyone has a signature dish. The idea for one of our most popular dishes came from the dishwasher,” says Li, with a chuckle.
Unlike most chefs who work their way up, Li started his career in a high-end fine-dining establishment in Calgary. He worked for La Caille on the Bow in 1997, where he learned the importance of quality ingredients and food presentation.
He took the culinary program at SAIT in the early 2000s to solidify the skills he had learned on the job.
“I started at the right spot and then got caught up in the excitement of making food,” says Li.
“My early experience gave me the guidelines and high expectations of flavour that I have now. I was lucky to start high.”
Those high standards are reflected in the culinary style of the completely renovated 525 Restaurant and Patio, where each menu item is created with fresh, quality and locally sourced foods.
“We don’t order anything pre-made,” says Li.
“Nothing is frozen. We make our own sauces, cut our own meat, make our own spring rolls from scratch. That’s what makes us stand out from other restaurants in Airdrie. Everything we do is fresh and in-house.”
Li says suppliers provide daily delivery to ensure the culinary creations are whole and natural, and he opts to partner with local businesses first. Whether it’s sourcing the best Alberta beef or sampling the latest craft beer creations from local breweries, 525 supports Airdrie and area companies whenever possible.
“We look for local products first because not only is it fresher, it’s building community,” he says. “If we support them, they support us. We buy their products, they come in for a meal.”
The re-energized space at 525 provides a unique dining experience to anyone who eats there. Li describes the style as “high-end casual.”
“We’ve created exceptional menu offerings that are complimented with polite, attentive service to produce memorable experiences for our guests,” he says.
“It’s comfortable, classic, fine dining. Whether you are a golfer, a family or a local senior, there is something you’ll love and crave again.”
Li says the menu item he craves the most is the six-ounce salmon filet.
“I just love the freshness of the lemon dill cream sauce and the bright colour of the beet root risotto,” he says. “It’s a beautiful dish in looks and taste.”
If your craving is for breakfast items, 525 Restaurant and Patio also serves Airdrie’s largest buffet brunch every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch offers traditional favourites and contemporary menu features for all tastes.
