Optimistically Cautious: More Than Just Scones: Arbour Restaurant at the Rutherford House

All throughout university, May and I had wanted to pay the cafe inside the historic Rutherford House (11153 Saskatchewan Drive) a visit. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Hub Mall and the rest of campus, Janice, Annie, May and I decided to meet there for lunch this afternoon.

With just eight tables, reservations are a must. The charming dining room was bright with windows along one wall, and quirky books and artifacts lined the shelves, reminding diners of the history of the space.

I had expected only scones and perhaps finger sandwiches on the menu, but boy was I wrong. Their tempting list of savouries included pies, quiche, and even chili. Though the dessert trays were beckoning, we were much too starved for subsistence on sweets alone. I decided on the Brie and Cranberry sandwich, with a side of the soup du jour (potato and leek with stilton).

As for drinks, the back page of the menu should satisfy most tea enthusiasts, with nineteen varieties to choose from. Luckily for me (as this was my first meal of the day), they also had coffee available, served in a coffee press.

Our orders didn't take long to arrive, and all of our dishes were very artfully presented (rosemary-as-garnish seems to be a theme as of late). My soup was delicious - rich and creamy, the blue cheese blended in well alongside the pureed potato. The sandwich was an interesting experiment - the bap was nicely crisp and toasted, and although the halves oozed with melted brie, the over-generous amounts of cranberry jam all but overpowered the cheese.

Over the course of our meal, two surrounding tables had ordered an assortment of dainties, causing some dessert envy on our end. As such, I will most certainly be back another day for high tea! The Arbour Restaurant is the perfect place to catch up with friends, to take Mum for brunch (as per Janice's suggestion), and works well as a starting point for a great afternoon - the nearby trails and campus in fall are ripe for exploration. With free parking out front, you really have no excuse not to check it out!