The next time in Edmonton, I look forward to an evening of dining at RGE RD. Husband and wife team Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton opened their 60-seat, farm-to-table restaurant in 2013, adding a tip-to-tail butchery in 2020.
By the time I completed my research and interview with Lebsack, I was ready to pack my bags and head west.
This couple’s passion for serving fresh and local began years ago when they were inspired to work directly with farmers. Not only did they consult with farmers on providing specific ingredients, but they also helped plant gardens and care for the livestock.
When the results of their hard work were ready, they offered a special dining alfresco event known as “farm dinner on RGE RD x” with the x indicating the location of the host farm. These white-tablecloth dining experiences grew in popularity since their 2011 inception, and it will be a happy day when Lebsack and Fulton can once again host farm dinners.
With the introduction of RGE RD, the business has grown, as has the number of farms and farmer markets they rely upon.
“Working with local farms ensures freshness in the products. By buying local, our ingredients have better shelf life, quality, and taste. Plus, we have input. If we want a certain variety of potato, our farmers will grow it. Or, if we want a certain breed of pig, they will raise it. That is important to us,” Lebsack said.
The RGE RD menu changes regularly as it is dictated by local suppliers and the seasons; this is one of the things regular customers have come to appreciate and anticipate.
A menu favourite is a blind tasting of six courses called the road trip. When ordering, the customer is unaware of what will be served until it is presented on the table. Patrons have come to trust the quality, flavour, and creativity of what arrives from the kitchen, making the road trip a top menu choice.
For those who like to share dishes, you may consider the kitchen board, which is unique each time it is prepared.
It features a variety of homemade sausages and charcuterie, cheese, pickles, condiments, and buttermilk crackers. Like the road trip, the kitchen board satisfies the adventurous palate. And, as people have become more food-curious and attracted to different cuisine, both are perfect options. As much as I adore charcuterie, I know I’d have to add a couple of RGE RD’s unique Scotch eggs. Imagine a soft-boiled egg wrapped in spicy lamb or swaddled in black current bison served with a variety of chef-inspired aioli sauces and pickles. Yes, please.
Along with farm-to-table ingredients, the décor of RGE RD contributes to a farmhouse atmosphere. A variety of vintage tins and grinders, butcher blocks, and heavy leather wall décor, plus various wood and other textures, create a rustic yet inviting and warm ambiance.
The attention to detail in RGE RD extends next door to The Butchery, which exudes European elegance while featuring heirlooms and striking cabinetry. The spacious, 4,000 sq. foot shop allows the restaurant to receive animals from the abattoir the day after slaughter, enabling quality control over the dry aging process.
It is so much more than a whole animal butchery providing market-style and on-the-spot seam butchery. They also grind fresh meat every day and make in-house deli meats, cured meats, and sausages — from mortadella and liverwurst to salami to smoked hams. Moreover, they will help you select your protein and offer cooking techniques.
While Lebsack and Fulton welcome you to their restaurant, they also want customers to have the opportunity to experience the joy of cooking at home using quality local ingredients.
Over the last eight years, their hard work has paid off. In addition to a loyal and growing customer base, they have received numerous accolades, including being recognized in Avenue Magazine (all seven years) as the No. 1 or No. 2 Edmonton restaurant and lauded by EnRoute as one of Canada’s best restaurants.
Fulton and Lebsack have been acknowledged as a Top 40 under 40 in Edmonton and Lebsack was also named one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture.
Contact: RGE RD, 10643, 123 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5N 1P3, 780-447-4577, or via www.rgerd.ca.
Adele Buettner is a farm girl (at heart), foodie, volunteer, business owner and lover of all things relating to agriculture and food. She is located in Saskatoon.
