Openings

• US-based brand Crumbl Cookies is opening its first Canadian location in Edmonton, to be located at 5041 Mullen Road NW.
• Home-based business Thai Avenue opened a storefront at 6536 170 Avenue. Thanks to Celeste for the heads up!
• I missed including the opening of buffet breakfast restaurant French Toast, which opened in December at 8937 82 Avenue.
• Chain St. Louis Bar and Grill is opening a third location in the Edmonton area in Jagare Ridge (14222 28 Avenue SW).

Upcoming Events

• A fundraiser for the Campus Food Bank on March 18 will see author James Wilt talk about his book “Drinking Up the Revolution: How to Smash Big Alcohol and Reclaim Working-Class Joy”. Tickets are $20.
• Meals on Wheels is hosting a fundraiser on April 5, 2023. Wing Wednesday will take place in the Stantec Tower, and will include samples of wings. Tickets are $45.
• Hot Chefs Cool Beats returns on May 11, 2023. The event includes interactive food and beverage stations, ice carving stations, and entertainment. $95 early bird tickets are available until March 31 plus tax, with funds supporting the Canadian Culinary Fund.

Local News

• Such a great example of manifesting – Hanjan put out an invitation to Simu Liu (who is in town to host the Junos), and he ended up taking them up on it!
• King Noodle House also had a visit from a celebrity – comedian Andrew Phung stopped by over the weekend.
• Congratulations to Hayloft Steak + Fish who are celebrating their first birthday this month!
• Twyla highlighted Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine catering company Chapelle Kitchen on Edmonton AM.
• Phil’s latest Best Dish column features Cafe Bel-Air.
• Edify checked out Bro’Kin Yolk and newcomer Ashford House Pub.
• Also from Edify – they interviewed Chartier, Sugared & Spiced, and Otto about the impact of inflation on their business.
• Situation Brewing is in negotiations with a potential buyer to continue operations, but the original owners have folded their beer-making business, reports Jason Foster. The restaurant remains open.
• Sherwood Park Farmers’ Market asks Council for help finding a permanent home.

What I Ate

• I had been craving Rosewood Foods’ patty melt, so finally hit them up last week. If you haven’t tried it yourself – you won’t regret it.

Patty melt from Rosewood Foods

• I met up with a colleague for lunch at Hallway Café last week, with Ellie in tow. It’s one of my favourite places for a meal Downtown with a baby, with ample stroller room, lots of menu options that can be consumed with one hand, and on my visits, no large crowds. Food-wise, I also appreciate that you can order a half pizza plus a side, which always means fries for me.

BBQ chicken pizza and fries from the Hallway Cafe

• While enjoying Martin Kerr’s performance at the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Sunday, we tried Waffloos for the first time. The sweetness of the liege waffle worked surprisingly well with the savoury ham and cheese flavour, but part of me was nostalgic for the simplicity  of Eva Sweet’s version (remember them)?

Waffloos

Bonjour Bakery Relocates for the Long Term in Old Strathcona

Edmonton’s Bonjour Bakery has planned for a long future in Old Strathcona with the opening of a purpose-built space on Whyte Avenue.

Yvan Chartrand has been operating Bonjour Bakery since 2009, renting space in an 80-year-old building along the busy stretch of 99 Street and 87 Avenue NW. But after his son Kenny joined the company in 2017 in the role of head baker, Chartrand started exploring real estate options that would provide more stability.

“Looking at the future, I thought for him, if I wanted to retire, and he wanted to take over, I’m young enough that I can still make a move to help, so the timing was right,” said Chartrand.

It was important for Chartrand to stay in the area, and when he exhausted the possibilities of finding an existing building in the neighbourhood that would suit the bakery’s needs, he purchased land five blocks south at 99 Street and 82 Avenue NW.

“Being on Whyte Avenue is a dream,” said Chartrand. “My mother is from the Peace River region in northern Alberta and when I was a kid, I would hear about Jasper Avenue and Whyte Avenue. So being able to build a new building on Whyte is quite special.”

The land purchase went through in January 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic ground everything to a halt. For a time, Chartrand did not know if construction would move forward. “I put a foot on the brake pedal because I didn’t know which way things were going to go,” he said. “Restaurants were struggling and our wholesale business collapsed. So we would decide (whether to build) based on our sales.”

Fortunately, bakeries were permitted to continue operating throughout the pandemic. “Surprisingly for us, our sales stayed quite stable,” Chartrand said. “People still needed to eat.”

Last year, when he could see the pandemic waning, Chartrand finally initiated plans for the building. The one-storey, nearly 3,000-square-foot bakery opened for business on Feb. 1. The exterior offers a European flair, but the red paint is a nod to the many brick buildings on the street.

While the amount of space is nearly identical to the space Bonjour used to rent, the configuration is better for customers and staff. The retail area has doubled to accommodate more people, and Chartrand will be travelling to Montreal in the spring to source more specialty crisps, olives, spreads, and mustards to stock on the shelves (being careful to not compete too directly with K & K Foodliner across the avenue). Chartrand is also excited about the open concept that allows customers a full view of the production area.

“You can see the mill where we mill the flour, you can see the oven, the mixing,” said Chartrand. “People need to see how their food is made. I don’t have any secrets. Some places put up a wall because they don’t want you to see what’s in the back, but I’m the complete opposite. Who is making it, how it is made, it’s all part of the experience.”

This extends to the lineage of the flour he uses for the pain paysanne, made from heritage red fife wheat. He sources the grain to grind in-house from a farm near Bonnyville. “I can tell them where the grain is from, which field, who harvested it,” said Chartrand. “One day I hope to be able to say this for all of the flour I use.”

The new bakery will enable Chartrand to enhance some of Bonjour’s offerings over the next few months, but he intends to stay true to the bakery’s roots. “We will still focus on what we like doing and what we’re good at: bread, croissants, and that type of dough,” said Chartrand. “We will go more into pastries with some tarts, but we are not a patisserie.”

In early April, the bakery will also offer cold sandwiches. Some will be pre-made for people to grab and go, but the majority will be made to order at the cheese counter. “The sandwiches will be made from our bread and the cheeses we carry,” said Chartrand. “We will have a daily sandwich. It will be very European, like sandwich shops in Paris.”

Currently, Bonjour Bakery is open 8am to 4pm, Wednesday through Saturday. Soon, Chartrand will be extending hours, likely adding Tuesdays, opening later on Thursdays and Fridays, and in the summer, adding Sundays.

Even with minor shifts, Bonjour’s longevity can be attributed to Chartrand’s firm principles, which breed patron loyalty.

“Personally, I don’t sell anything that I don’t eat,” said Chartrand. “I couldn’t sell something that my heart is not in. Your customers will see it.”

Openings

• Yelo’d has re-opened in Old Strathcona in a new location at the Dominion Hotel, 10324 82 Avenue.
• Jeff Senger’s new butchery Modest Meats opens this week, a few doors up from High Dough. It is located at 7345 104 Street.
• Manchester Square is really filling up – Western Sandwich Company’s standalone location (they also have a stall at Bountiful Farmers’ Market) opens on March 7. Find them at 10712 124 Street.
• Mukja K-Street Food has taken over It Dog’s location (8621 109 Street). Their soft opening will take place on March 8.
• Preston’s in the Coast Edmonton re-opened as of March 1, and is being run by A Capella Catering.

Upcoming Events

• NAIT’s Chef in Residence Program resumes with Calgary-based Connie DeSousa and John Jackson from Charcut, among other restaurants. They are hosting a Chef in Residence lunch and dinner on March 16. Tickets start at $28.
• Edmonton’s International Beer Fest returns to the Edmonton Convention Centre, March 24-25, 2023. Tickets start at $27.53 for general admission, with sampling tickets at an additional cost.

Local News

• March is the month of food lists in Edmonton, starting with Edify’s Best Restaurants. I’m stoked that Fu’s Repair Shop and Kasey Ramen were recognized among the best new restaurants.
• The Tomato’s Best 100 Things to Eat and Drink also came out, with a dish from Uccellino topping the list.
• And though we published it back in October, this is as good of a time as any to remind those looking for recommendations to check out Edmonton Food Faves. Linda and I put it together, and I think it stands up pretty well to the above two lists.
• Twyla paid a visit to Zula Kitchen and Wine Bar, a newly-opened restaurant in Glenora from the folks behind Sofra.
• It’s always great to see local businesses collaborating. In the most recent case, Kind Ice Cream teamed up with Beb’s Bagels to create the *Almost* Everything Bagel ice cream flavour.
• Edify previews Downtown Dining Week, which begins March 15.
• Some restaurants were hoping for more support from the Alberta budget released last week.
• Uncle Brian’s Food Company has been temporarily closed by Alberta Health Services due to health-related violations.
• Congratulations to Karen Anderson on her new cookbook Eat Alberta First.

What I Ate

• We picked up dinner from our neighbouhood XO Bistro on Friday. Their fusion pho beef dip was tasty and hit the spot.

Vermicelli bowl and pho beef dip from XO Bistro

Greater Mill Woods Dining Week Spotlights Southeast Eateries

A desire to draw attention to the food scene in Mill Woods has grown into a new dining week offering deals at nine restaurants in southeast Edmonton.

The inaugural Greater Mill Woods Dining Week will take place from March 3 to 12. Each participating business will feature an item priced at $15 or less.

Event lead Daniel Witte said the idea was sparked during a participatory budgeting session with Coun. Keren Tang of Ward Karhiio last summer. “Participatory budgeting empowers people to create small-scale projects that would make an impact on people in the ward,” said Witte.

Volunteers were given a maximum of $2,000 to carry out projects. So far, they have included a wide range of activities, including painting a Pride walkway at Mill Woods Transit Centre (which Witte was also involved in), adding Google Street View for bike lanes, and creating welcome packages for new refugees.

Witte noticed that some of the restaurants he frequented in his neighbourhood were struggling. “I love these restaurants, but it would be great if more people knew about them,” said Witte. “We wanted to have a dining week to spread the word about some of these places to help them.”

Tang connected Witte with the Mill Woods Presidents’ Council, a body comprised of representatives from all community leagues located in Mill Woods, The Meadows, and Ellerslie. The council offered volunteers with event experience. It also broadened the boundaries to include parts of Ward Sspomitapi. Coun. Jo-Anne Wright of Sspomitapi stepped up to match the $2,000 in funding to support the project.

As a result, the Greater Mill Woods Dining Week encompasses businesses in the heart of Mill Woods, such as the 2nd Floor Café inside the Mill Woods Seniors Association, as well as restaurants situated in newer communities further south, such as Woodshed Burgers and Tiffin India’s Fresh Kitchen in Ellerslie.

Witte was adamant that a transparent process be adopted to ensure restaurants weren’t invited based on volunteer preferences and that the focus remained on small businesses. A form was sent out through community leagues requesting restaurant nominations; volunteers then reached out to the 30 nominated restaurants, of which nine agreed to participate.

Witte is pleased with the range of dishes represented. These include macarons from French patisserie Reinette Café, a Chinese food combo from Tasty World, and a donair meal from Magma Donair.

“The specials are a good introduction to the restaurants,” said Witte. “I know I have no clue where to start with a new menu when I go to a restaurant for the first time. This is a bridge in.”

During the event, diners are encouraged to share their experiences on social media with #MWDiningWeek. All posts will be entered into a draw to win $40 gift cards to participating restaurants.

As a lifelong resident of Mill Woods, Witte is hopeful the event encourages other Edmontonians to visit the area.

“Mill Woods feels like its own little city,” said Witte. “It has such a diverse array of food from restaurants who have been in Edmonton for a long time. It has its own little version of everything.”

Openings

• New Irish gastropub Ashford House is now open at Manchester Square, located at 12026 107 Avenue.
• Lalibela African Restaurant is now open in the former Langano Skies location (9906 72 Avenue).

Upcoming Events

• The next Nosh Food Fest will take place this weekend, March 4-5, 2023 at the Strathcona County Community Centre.
• This year’s Downtown Dining Week runs March 15-26, 2023. Nearly 60 restaurants are participating this year. The menus are up to peruse early.

Local News

• Yoshi Express in Old Strathcona could use the support – his windows were smashed and his payment machine had been stolen.
• The Journal has more on the Confederation Lounge’s renovations.
• Phil’s latest Best Dish column highlights Pei Pei Chei Ow and their blend of Indigenous and Ukrainian hospitality.
• Edify checked out Luna, Huma’s new rebranded restaurant and menu.
• Rhubarb Cafe and Cocktails showcased some of their treats and drinks on Global.
• The Downtown Business Association profiles The Marc’s chef Cara Lazarevich.
• Edmonton AM interviewed the owner of The Bedouins restaurant about the impact of the pandemic and inflation.
• Token Bitters CEO Keenan Pascal and Mayor Amarjeet Sohi met over mocktails to talk about Keenan’s experience as a Black-owned business owner in Edmonton.
• Food Bike Tour and Rig Hand Distillery will receive $99,999 from Prairies Economic Development Canada to enhance tourism experiences and products.
• Karlynn Johnson shared some of her favourite Easter recipes to bring attention to the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, noting the holiday’s significance to by Orthodox Ukrainians.
• The City will permanently allow alcohol at select park sites after the pilot last summer yielded no noteworthy issues.

What I Ate

• My friend Su and I hit up Pip for a pre-theatre meal last week. It was my first time in their new space, and in spite of the larger space, it still felt really cozy, especially on that chilly night. I enjoyed the natural wine they had on feature that night, and the gnocchi hit the spot.

Gnocchi from Pip

• We grabbed take-out from Dorinku Osaka on Friday. They had nifty containers for the ramen (not dissimilar from the containers used by Dagu), with separate compartments for the broth and the noodles. Emily enjoyed the chicken karaage, too.

Take-out from Dorinku Osaka

Openings

• The Glass Cafe is now open Downtown, located at 10345 107 Street. They brew beans from Catfish Coffee Roasters.
• A new butchery is open in Glenora, called Arpa Farm Fresh Butchery, from the folks behind Sofra and newcomer Zula Kitchen Wine Bar (located next door to the butchery). Find them at #110, 14055 West Block Drive.

Closures

• Milk & Cookies Bakeshop is closing its storefront on March 11, 2023: “The last year has been really hard on us. Sales are way down, ingredient costs are way up, staffing the bakery has been a rollercoaster, and I had a baby 4 1/2 months ago. I need less stress & more flexibility, so it’s time to say goodbye to this part of the business.” The business expanded during the pandemic in 2020. The post references that it may not be the last that we see of Milk & Cookies, though!

Upcoming Events

• Save the date: this year’s Seedy Sunday will take place on March 26, 2023 at the Alberta Avenue Hall.

Local News

• Congratulations to the winners of Silver Skate’s Battle of the Neighbourhoods: Town Square Brewing for best beer, Campio Brewing for best food, and Odd Company and Culina for best beer and food pairing.
• The Journal wrote about Roger Letourneau’s company Lessig Fermets Inc., which makes small batch fermented hot sauce.
• Edify checked out the food at OilBurgers and Da Kao.
• Boyle McCauley News reviewed Pei Pei Chei Ow.
• The Great Canadian Baking Show is hosting an open casting call in Edmonton on March 1, 2023.
• Students from 16 Edmonton area high schools will be competing in the 16th annual High School Culinary Challenge on February 25, 2023. Winners will be announced on March 6.
• Edmonton’s Food Bank has reduced the maximum number of hampers clients can access per month from four to three.

What I Ate

• We checked out a couple of restaurants participating in the Feed the Soul Dining Week before the event wrapped on Friday. First, we picked up lunch from Cafe Caribbean – I enjoyed the curry chickpeas with potatoes!

Curry chicken and curry chickpeas with potatoes from Cafe Caribbean

• We also grabbed take-out from Mesobena – it was a massive amount of food. and a great way to try several dishes at once. I loved the kik alicha (yellow peas) and tikel gomen (cabbage and carrot).

Beef and vegan combos from Mesobena

• I didn’t know Padmanadi has a separate brunch menu, served up on weekends! I tried the curried tofu scramble and would definitely order it again.

Curried tofu scramble from Padmanadi

• Love Pizza has a great deal on Mondays, with 2 pizzas for $25 – so we had to indulge in their mac & cheeza one more time before it retires for the year. It will be available until the end of February.

Mac & cheeza pizzas from Love Pizza

Openings

• Mai Mai Vietnamese Street Kitchen is now open at 14221 23 Avenue.
• Bonjour Bakery has moved to their new location at 9913 82 Avenue.
• Stephanie visited new Indian cafe Chai Chill and Grill Cafe (10158 82 Avenue).
• Gnudi, a new pasta concept, opens at the 5th Street Food Hall on February 15.
• Sandwich shop The Lunchbox will open in March at 9707 110 Street.

Upcoming Events

• Winefest returns to the Edmonton Convention Centre on February 24-25, 2023. Tickets start at $122 and include an all-inclusive sampling of wine and food.
• Freson Bros. is hosting the 3rd annual Future of Alberta Food on February 25, 2023 at NAIT. Six teams will make 24 dishes attendees can sample. Tickets cost $75.
• The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival will take place March 10-11, 202 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. General admission tickets start at $21; food and beer vouches are extra.

Local News

• Vegan pizzeria Die Pie is planning to re-open as a standalone restaurant in April (they currently operate Seitans alongside other concepts in the 5th Street Food Hall). They have started a crowdfunding campaign to help them reach their goal.
• Local restaurants, including the Robert Spencer Hospitality Group, and Transit Smokehouse, shared with the Journal how they are addressing rising food and utilities costs.
• The Th3rd Wave Coffee Award results are in – congratulations to Rogue Wave for winning cafe and roaster of the year, and to Sorellina Cafe and Brew Bar for winning new cafe of the year.
• Phil highlighted Wild Rose Cakes on his latest Best Dish column.
• Twyla’s Edmonton AM column focused on Nepalese and Indian restaurant Green Bean Mountain Bistro.
• Also from Edmonton AM – they featured one of the Feed the Soul participants, Cafe Caribbean.
• Edmonton Convention Centre chef Serge Belair talked to CTV about the dishes that helped him with his podium finish at the Canadian Culinary Championships.
• Between Bountiful Farmers’ Market introducing an import produce vendor and the Downtown Farmers’ Market selling oranges, it appears the Edmonton farmers’ market scene is moving closer to the Calgary model of markets offering more of a general grocery store selection instead of focusing on locally-grown options.
• In honour of World Pulses Day on February 10, TechLife asked a chef for tips on cooking with beans, one of the most inexpensive ways to add protein to your diet.

What I Ate

• I was invited to the media preview for the launch of the renovated Confederation Lounge at the Hotel Macdonald last week. An updated food and cocktail menu accompanies the refreshed space, and most notably features an old fashioned priced at $299 (they have since sold three such drinks, but the rest of their cocktails are priced between $21-24). I sampled some of their new food items, and particularly enjoyed the fried brussels sprouts tossed in a sweet chili sauce, and the pillowy bao buns with Korean beef. Thanks to the always hospitable staff for having me!

The bar at the Confederation Lounge

• Emily and I hit up Tea Bar Cafe on the weekend to take advantage of their extended Chinatown Dining Week deal – it was such a hit that they are continuing their promotion of a bubble tea + bubble waffle for $10 until February 28!

Our order from Tea Bar

Feed the Soul Highlights Food and History of Black Communities

Edmonton’s newest dining week aims to increase support for Black food entrepreneurs, as well as raise awareness about some of the barriers they face.

The inaugural Feed the Soul Dining Week will run from Feb. 10 to 17, in the middle of Black History Month. The event will see 18 local Black-owned food and hospitality businesses offer deals during that period. For example, Jamaican eatery Flava Cafe will kick off festivities with $5 jerk chicken on Feb. 10.

Feed the Soul is the brainchild of Rochelle Ignacio of Enid Rose Collective, who separately manages the volunteer initiative Black Owned Market YEG. Ignacio is co-leading Dining Week with Sara Awatta, founder of YEG Services.

Awatta points out that the eclectic mix of participating retailers represents the spectrum of Black-owned businesses in Edmonton. “Our locations vary all over the city,” said Awatta. “We have businesses like Allegro Italian Kitchen that have been around for more than 10 years and businesses like PhatBar Bakery that are opening just this week. Dine-in, take-out, online-only — this reflects the diversity of the Black food scene in Edmonton.”

A volunteer-run event, Feed the Soul came about when Ignacio was housebound with COVID, and binge-watched a Netflix docuseries called High on the Hog. The show exposes the thread that links cuisines in Africa to those found in the United States, based on recipes adapted by enslaved people.

The idea of contextual changes to food resonated with Ignacio. “Both of my parents are from Trinidad, and growing up here, on Sunday we had traditional Trinidadian food,” said Ignacio. “One of the dishes they served is red beans and rice. I thought it always came with onion and tomato and bacon. But when I went to Trinidad, I learned that they don’t put bacon. My mom adapted the dish to ingredients she could find.”

Ignacio found similar modification stories when speaking to Black restaurant owners during her outreach. But what she also found was a striking number of Black businesses that simply didn’t make it through the pandemic. Her team consulted lists posted in 2020 by Linda Hoang and Ashley Otieno, and found that 14% of them had closed since then.

“Why aren’t Black restaurants thriving the way their counterparts are? Why are these restaurants empty even though the food is good?” said Ignacio. “We want Feed the Soul to expose people to new restaurants and make them household names. Sometimes people are scared to try new food or need the invitation to try.”

Sara Awatta and Rochelle Ignacio of Feed the Soul Dining Week

Ignacio and Awatta are also using Feed the Soul as an opportunity to build the capacity of the business owners themselves. For instance, all digital images and videos captured over the course of the event will be provided back to each business, so they can use the assets in their own marketing efforts.

In addition, by facilitating meetings between participating entrepreneurs, they have been able to foster the development of supportive connections.

“The business owners are talking about where they’re sourcing their chicken, where they’re renting kitchen space, what hours are working best, what are their expansion plans,” said Ignacio.

“I’m excited to see what future collaborations will happen,” added Awatta. “We’re starting to see things that are in the works from that networking.”

Feed the Soul has also partnered with Glass Bookshop to bring in resources to help Edmontonians learn more about Black food and history. Select titles from Feed the Soul’s book list are available at a 10% discount during the event, and a portion of the revenue generated will be redirected back to Feed the Soul.

At the end of the day, Awatta is looking forward to the gatherings that will happen as a result of the dining week.

“Especially post-COVID, we barely ate at the same table,” said Awatta. “What we’re hoping to accomplish is to bring people together in a capacity that has been lost over the years.”

Openings

• PhatBar Bakery and Cafe is celebrating their grand opening on February 11. They are located at 10813 82 Avenue.
• Da Kao Bistro is the newest Vietnamese restaurant to open in Edmonton, located at 9750 180 Street.
• Kilmanjaro VIP, offering authentic Swahili cuisine, is now open at 12433 97 Street.
• New coffee shop alert: Monacci Coffeehouse is now open at 2055 163 Street SW.
• A new dessert concept called Mochi Waffle is now open inside the downtown location of Splash Poke (10079 109 Street).
• On the heels of a Tiki Bar opening Downtown, a second will be opening in Old Strathcona called Tiki Tiki on Whyte.
• I missed that Rigoletto’s opened in their new location in December (9802 Jasper Avenue).

Closures

• Tres Carnales Rostizado announced their permanent closure as of January 31 after nine years in business. This comes after Tres Carnales also shuttered its doors in January.
• Taco Nova is no longer operating out of Komune as of January 31, 2023.

Upcoming Events

• One week left on La Poutine Week, which runs until February 14, 2023. 28 restaurants are participating with a feature poutine.
• Old Strathcona’s Sweet Treats & Latte Festival runs February 4-20, 2023, and highlights 17 area businesses.
• Taste of Africa is returning on February 25, 2023 to the Arden Theatre in St. Albert. Tickets are $10.

Local News

• Congratulations to Fife N Dekel on 40 years in business!
• In the lead-up to Waffle Bird’s one year anniversary, they are hosting some collaborations and pop-ups at High Level Diner this month, including a burger night with Phil Wilson on February 13.
• Chef Serge Belair of the Edmonton Convention Centre picked up the bronze medal in the Canadian Culinary Championship that took place in Ottawa over the weekend.
• Lots of great cafes and roasters are up for Th3rdWave awards – vote for your favourites before February 12.
• It’s hard to believe Valentine’s Day is next week! I’ve shared before my thoughts on dining out on that day, but I do like the idea of picking up some themed treats to celebrate. There are lots of local options to choose from, including sweets from Sugared and Spiced, dinner from Culina, charcuterie from Meuwly’s, and BreadLove, Zwick’s, and Doughnut Party’s Valentine’s Day Drops through The Public.
• Tenants at Manchester Square’s, including newcomer Rhubarb Cafe, feel optimistic about the development.
• Alongside the Zellers popping up in Bay locations in the spring, you can also expect Zellers-branded food trucks serving up some of their classic items from the restaurant.
• The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction updated its guidelines on alcohol consumption. Their recommendation is for no more than two alcoholic drinks per week.
• A reusable container service called DishZero has launched at the University of Alberta.
• 40 people from different organizations gathered to discuss food insecurity and collaboration possibilities.

What I Ate

• Thanks to everyone who came out to support Chinatown Dining Week! We heard some great feedback from the businesses (including Kim Fat, who sold 1100 pounds of chicken skin during the event). My family certainly in our share of meals over the 11 days!

Pho and bun bo Hue from Co Chin Saigon

Ginger beef from Padmanadi

Bun bo Hue from King Noodle

• Mack and I were also able to duck out for another date night. We had a lovely dinner at Uccellino – on the rare occasions that we dine in, we remember why take-out will never replace great hospitality.

Goat ricotta crostini from Uccellino

• I also had the chance to attend the media preview of Feed the Soul Dining Week. There were many tasty bites to be had, including these delectable red velvet cakes from Layered by Rissa.

Red velvet cake cups from Layered by Rissa

Chinatown Dining Week Returns for a Sixth Year

Chinatown Dining Week is back for a sixth year, and will run January 26 – February 5, 2023. 15 restaurants will be offering $10 and $20 deals for dine-in or take-out. The full menu will be posted on January 13.

Having launched Chinatown Dining Week in 2018, the past six years have been a whirlwind. Getting traction for a new event can ben challenging, but we are fortunate that Edmontonians responded really well and embraced our campaign to encourage diners to discover culinary gems and revisit old favourites.

That said, the past few years have no doubt been tougher on our business partners. After the pandemic at the start of 2020 closed restaurants to indoor dining, a wave of anti-Asian racism related to how the pandemic started impacted businesses in Chinatown. The fifth wave of the pandemic continued into 2021 that brought another set of operating restrictions. In 2022, discussions about Chinatown were overwhelmingly linked to impressions of a lack of safety and security in the neighbourhood.

But through it all, the businesses who are a part of Chinatown Dining Week have soldiered on. While some restaurants are newer to the area, having opened over the last two years, such as China Marble, Co Chin Saigon, and Spirit Bistro, the majority of participating businesses have been operating for at least a decade. Hong Kong Bakery and Kim Fat, for instance, have both been open for more than 30 years. The presence of such long-standing businesses speaks to the resilience of the business owners and the community. We hope Chinatown Dining Week can play a role in continuing to raise awareness about these locally-owned establishments and support their longevity in Edmonton.

Openings

• Zula Kitchen and Wine Bar, from the folks behind Sofra, is now open in Glenora, located at #120, 14055 West Block Drive.
• Kind Ice Cream announced that they will be opening their third location in Oliver, coming early 2023.
• Japonais Bistro is opening a second location in the currents of Windermere this spring.
• Culina will be opening an outpost at The Piazza in Little Italy on 95 Street and 108 Avenue.
• New Asian restaurant Chi & Em (10542 82 Avenue) opened in Old Strathcona at the end of December, and offers some traditional Vietnamese dishes not typically found elsewhere in Edmonton.
• Rhubarb Cafe & Cocktails is the latest business to open in Manchester Square, located at Unit 12, 12020 107 Avenue.
• Sheng’s Tea is the newest bubble tea shop to open in Edmonton. Find them at 10048 82 Avenue.
• The Varisty has taken over the former Red Robin’s space on the south side (4211 106 Street), and is especially accommodating for families with little ones. It opened at the end of December.
• Taco Delhi offers roti and naan tacos, and is now open at 3318 Gateway Blvd. Edify checked it out.
• Honi Honi is a new Tiki lounge, located at 10262 103 Avenue. Katy Ingraham of Fleisch asked whether Tiki bars should still be in existence at all.
• The Boiler Room, located in the basement under Fox Burger, is now open, offering additional seating for Fox Burger and offering a similar food and drink menu.

Closures

• Tres Carnales announced that they are permanently closing its doors after 12 years in business. Their last day of service will be January 14, 2023. This announcement comes after Alberta Health Services forced the restaurant to close back in October for violating a number of food and health regulations.
• The last day for HOM in the 5th Street Food Hall will be January 21, 2023. HOM will still be available for catering, take-home dinners and private events.
• The Journal recounted the brief life of The Gavel Pub, which opened during – and did not survive – the pandemic.

Local News

• May will be relocating from the Art Gallery of Alberta to Canteen’s former space on 124 Street.
• The Tomato is once again soliciting nominations for their Top 100 Things to Eat and Drink list. Nominations close on January 23, 2023.
• Twyla featured El Mero Mero last week on Edmonton AM.
• Edify visited Pizza Garage in St. Albert, as well as Halo at the Edmonton International Airport.
• Calle Mexico is now offering breakfast.
• Rosso Pizzeria made Big 7 Travel’s list of 50 Best Pizzas in the World.
• You can now find Carlo’s Bake Shop vending machines at West Edmonton Mall, Southgate, and at the Premium Outlet, in addition to Kingsway Mall.
• Edmonton-based Oodle Noodle has expanded to Calgary with their first location.
• The Norwood Legion hired a chef from Ukraine and uses Google Translate to communicate.
• Certainly the saddest news to come out of the holidays was the announcement that Jean Paré, the venerable cookbook author, had passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 95.

What I Ate

It’s been more difficult to blog with two kids than with just one, something I probably should have anticipated but didn’t think would be that much harder! As a result, I took a longer break than I originally planned – but did have a really restful and rejuvenating holiday with my family. I hope you had a similarly wonderful start to the new year.

• Inspired by a piece by Ramneek Singh in Hungry Zine, my family tried Punjabi-style pizza for the first time over the holidays. Based on our first taste from Supreme Pizza, it’s a style we will definitely order again. The palak paneer pizza in particular was the crowd favourite.

Palak paneer and butter chicken pizzas from Supreme Pizza

• We can never get enough noodles – our go-to on a cold winter night was our neighbourhood Dagu. Their salted crispy chicken was a great side addition.

Our Dagu take-out

• Mack and I were also fortunate enough to get away for a date night at Birdog. We finished our night with their version of a Deep ‘n’ Delicious cake – and I can report that it was a dead ringer for the cake, complete with the foil-lined packaging. The texture and flavour is what you’d expect, but the cake is springier and the icing doesn’t have that sheen of oil. Thanks Birdog for the treat!

Birdog’s chocolate cake

• We tried Butternut Tree’s high tea for the first time over the holidays. It was pretty close to Emily’s dream meal, as it’s probably the only time in her life she was permitted to eat cookies for her lunch. We were satisfied with the spread of items, with our favourite bites being the bacon-wrapped dates and the turkey and gravy poutine rappe.

Emily cameos with our Butternut Tree high tea spread