Alice in Wonderland
A fairy tale evening at Oxalis
BY LAURA OAKLEY
PHOTOS MICHELLE DOUCETTE
“I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is, ‘What?’” Says the title character in Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s novel Alice in Wonderland from 1865. Such was not the case when I walked into Oxalis on April 4th for its 2024 spring-themed event. You could feel a “vibe,” as they say, entering the restaurant—or—Wonderland. Excited anticipation in the air from guests and the Oxalis team shaped the energy of the evening. Teapots galore, bird cages, ceramic rabbits, decorative mushrooms, checkered-patterned tapestries hung on the walls—the visuals didn’t hurt either. (Plus, all the staff were in costumes.)
“These events push us creatively, allowing us to think even more outside the box. With the long winters here in Nova Scotia, it’s especially exciting to have something special to look forward to during a typically slower season.” Says Oxalis co-owner Sophia Gruber. The dinners also give regular customers a reason to get out and experience a completely new menu—one inspired by a whimsical theme and executed to the nth degree by the pros at Oxalis. Gruber, co-owner and chef Andi Preuss, and their team leaned into the Alice in Wonderland theme hard, and the result was truly magical. “For us, the greatest reward comes from being able to be playful with our dishes and seeing our guests enjoy the experience, connect with one another, and share in the joy of the moments we’ve worked so hard to create.” Says Gruber.
When we arrived at the table—walking past the bartender dressed as the Mad Hatter—the menu was inside a mysterious envelope on the table. A small stemmed glass adorned with a tiny queen of hearts playing card (stuck on with a mini clothespin) held the first cocktail of the night, “science,” which tasted like fruit punch with hints of peach and berry. It went down as smoothly as a fruit punch, too.
Chef Preuss is known for his gastronomy techniques and for making foods disguised as other foods. The amuse bouche is an example of that, with what appears as a small tomato next to a small raspberry on a rock. I know better, though. One bite into the raspberry reveals savoury, garlicky flavours, while the tomato tastes lusciously sweet, a great start to tell your brain not to expect the ordinary. The tiniest potion jar arrives with a note tied to the neck that says, “Drink me,” it is a pineapple, cherry, and butterscotch lemonade that simultaneously tastes savoury and sweet—definitely not poisonous. Luckily, I retained my typical body size to enjoy the next course.
Next, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party arrives, a delightful high tea spread of savoury baked items and gorgeous crudités. The crunchy pickled vegetables—carrot, baby corn, radish, asparagus—stick out from panko “dirt,” which is on top of lemony herbed cream cheese. The small pastries and bread include macarons filled with chicken liver mousse, gougères with truffle cream cheese, and madeleines with black pepper, garlic, and cheddar. Plus, a mind-bending crystal bread (bread that looks clear, made from potato starch and kuzu) topped with a succulent tuna tartare with black garlic aioli. The bread is light and airy, like rice paper. Our “tea” is poured into old-school floral tea cups, a savoury, warm oxtail consommé.
In between some of the courses, local magician Bill Wood steps out to entice the crowd with his sleight of hand. He does demonstrations and includes volunteers from the crowd, eliciting lots of giggles and adding a touch of magic to the evening.
The first course, Queen of Hearts, is stunning. A vibrant beet purée featuring pickled beets, balsamic-beet reduction, and a perfect quenelle of balsamic-beet sorbet sits on a plate adorned with beet hearts atop hazelnut purée, with branch-shaped cracker tuiles. It was succulent, rich, sweet, and savoury with a delicious crunch. Next, The Story of the Curious Oyster took us in another direction with delicately fried tempura oysters on creamed garlicky savoy cabbage, topped with pickled mustard seeds. Tangy and rich, the Oxalis crew perfectly timed its appearance in the eight-course lineup.
Next came two colourful caramelle pasta (candy-shaped stuffed pasta) filled with braised rabbit, bacon, and celeriac purée. The yellow and green-coloured pasta arrived on watercress foam with shiny jus drizzled around. A panko and charcoal crumble finished the dish, adding a satisfying crunch to each meaty, umami bite.
A palate cleanser of butterfly pea and Granny Smith sorbet arrives, accompanied by a sphere that bursts open with butterfly tea jelly. The treat is a perfect reprise before the big meat course—Off With Their Heads—which features P.E.I. Blue Dot beef tenderloin. Alongside the perfectly cooked tenderloin are a succulent braised beef cheek croquette, potato roulade, toothsome broccolini, a seared king oyster mushroom, and velvety beef tongue Bordelaise sauce with rich, gamey flavour. It’s essentially beef three ways.
Dessert at Oxalis is always an art form; this night was no exception. Red Roses is a shockingly beautiful dish with all-white components topped by a vibrant raspberry sauce poured table-side. Sweet clover mousse shaped as a rose, yogurt sponge, sour honey sorbet, and white chocolate malto—all on a white plate—the blood-red raspberry sauce is then poured (from a white ceramic jug) into the rose until it bleeds over onto the plate. The intense raspberry sauce complements the tart sorbet and delicately sweet mousse perfectly. The dessert was both striking and delicious.
Petit fours arrive on a glass checkerboard—chocolate chess figures, small square slices of “unbirthday cake,” and coffee-flavoured Cheshire Cat truffles—ended the dazzling meal. I’m not sure it could have been better.
“The positive feedback and overwhelming demand from our guests has been incredibly encouraging, inspiring us to keep pushing the boundaries with new concepts and experiences, even when it can be challenging,” says Gruber. “We’re excited to announce that we’ll be hosting another immersive dining experience in April 2025—we’re currently working behind the scenes on a brand new theme.”
Oxalis
22 Wentworth St, Dartmouth
Restaurant $$$-$$$$ D (GF)
oxalisrestaurant.com
