The other day I had occasion to journey out of the house for a late lunch. I decided to go to Ranch House Restaurant and Bar in Red Deer. Being as it was after 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, the dining room was very quiet. The server (Wanda) came over right away and seated me. She was very polite as she took my drink order and left me to peruse the menu.For the most part it was the usual fare, though I noticed lamb chops and a lamb burger. When the server returned with my frosty pint glass of Traditional Ale (5.85), I informed her that I would start with the Basket of Bread Sticks (3.95).

While I waited I took a look around the room. The decor was very much in keeping with the ranch house theme. There was a large mural on one wall of some cowboys on horseback herding cattle. The opposite wall had a large fireplace in the middle.

After a short time my bread sticks were brought out to me. For my main course, I decided to the Fishwich (8.95) sounded intriguing enough to try. In the basket were four breadsticks, toasted golden brown and lightly brushed with garlic butter. A ramekin of a thick, hot, savoury marinara sauce was nestled beside them for dipping. The breadsticks were perfectly cooked, crusty on the outside while being moist and tender inside. The sauce was very tasty and an excellent accompaniment.

When my Fishwich was brought out to me, I found that the menu description, which had caught my eye, was quite accurate. A whole fillet of sole light breaded and fried crisp and laid on a mini-loaf with lettuce, tomato and dill mayonnaise. I squeezed a bit of lemon juice on it, closed up the bun and dug in. It, too, was perfectly cooked and very very good. I paused for a moment to investigate the caesar salad that I had ordered as a side dish. This turned out to be the one disappointment of the entire lunch. The romaine was crisp and fresh, however the dressing was very under flavoured and there was not enough of it. The croutons were obviously ordered in as opposed to being made in house.

After, my meal the server asked if I was interested in dessert (she made no real effort to sell it) and I politely declined. I finished off my beer, paid my 19.69 bill and left feeling distinctly satisfied.

My rating: Food - 3 out of 5

Service - 3 out of 5

Atmosphere - 4 out of 5

Overall Experience - 3.5 out of 5

The Ranch House Restaurant and Bar

7159 Gaetz Avenue N., Red Deer

(403)358-4100

Popularity: 70% [?]