Food Escape to Calgary: Day 2

Of course my favorite type of meal – brunch – had to be eaten in a diner. I settled in the end on Galaxie Diner (1411 11 Street SW), located just outside of the downtown core.

Galaxie Diner exterior

Walking up to the front door, it didn’t look good – the line up actually spilled onto the sidewalk. Thankfully, our wait was just under half an hour, and wasn’t unpleasant in the warm spring sunshine. We had time to peer in the window of the restaurant next door – Palace of Eats – which turned out to be owned and operated by the purveyors of Galaxie.

The number of seats in Galaxie are few – 6 booths and a handful of seats along the counter, but with fast, efficient, and friendly service, it’s no surprise that patrons are willing to wait.

Galaxie interior

Mack enjoying his first coffee of the day

While Diner Deluxe and Avenue Diner can be considered more upscale, Galaxie Diner doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a good old neighbourhood greasy spoon. A variety of menu items including omelettes, eggs benedicts, French toast and a parfait meant most tastes would be satisfied. I decided to order the Montreal Smoked Meat Omelette ($11.75), while Mack customized his Omelette of Choice with mushrooms, ham, and cheese ($11.75). Both were served with unlimited hashbrowns and toast.

Our seat at the counter provided the perfect vantage point of the stove and the two cooks behind it. One had perfected cracking an egg with one hand, and both juggled multiple orders on the same griddle with ease.

Hot on the grill

I almost wish I had a scale to weigh my plate before digging in – the serving was absolutely massive. The omelette was the heartiest I’ve ever had – the Montreal Smoked Meat was more flavourful than ham, but less dense than bacon, and really helped make an otherwise standard breakfast option “pop.”

Montreal Smoked Meat Omelette

The goodies inside my omelette

Mack’s custom omelette

Inside Mack’s omelette

With the bill, we were given two Dubble Bubbles – another reminder of the restaurant’s retro feel and fun.

Bubble gum!

My next planned stop was the Calgary Farmer’s Market. Though we had the address, we did not have a detailed map that would help lead us there. Luckily, Mack’s iPod picked up an unsecured wireless signal, and we were saved.

iPod to the rescue! (No, I am not affiliated with Apple in any way.)

Located in an old airport hangar, I was surprised at the sheer size of the market – it is at least twice the size of Old Strathcona’s, if not more.

Market exterior

Market interior

With over eighty merchants selling everything from handmade crafts, flowers, sweets, preserves, seafood, beef, and of course, produce, this market offers most of the essentials sold at a supermarket. What surprised me about the produce was the availability of imported vegetables – tomatoes from Mexico, plantains and garlic from the U.S., fruit from New Zealand. This is in stark contrast to the focus of Edmonton’s farmer’s markets (and the ideal focus, in my opinion) on locally-grown products. Mack thought this variety could be attributed to the need to cater to the customer – attract them to the market with the atmosphere and unique items, but offer them what they would buy elsewhere.

Produce!

Pet treats

Buttercream Bake Shoppe outpost

Hi Sebastian!

The main reason for our visit was to sample Phil & Sebastian Coffee. Their coffee and their Clover have a cult following in Calgary, and who were we to question the crowd?

Phil & Sebastian Coffee kiosk

The line-up

The Clover

The price for an individually-brewed cup of coffee was not listed on the overhead menu, so we weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into. It turns out, it wasn’t so bad – the Ethiopian-sourced cup of coffee was $3.50.

As we waited for our order, we chatted with the barista. He extolled the virtue of single-origin coffee, and we talked a bit about Edmonton’s Transcend and Kerstin’s Chocolates. More than the coffee itself, the passion exuded by the staff for their products made the trip here worthwhile. He even asked us to sniff the beans – twice – after they were ground by the machine.

Design also seems to be a Phil & Sebastian strength – their sleek cups and simple but memorable logo help foster the ideal that Starbucks began – that a cup of coffee can offer the illusion of a better life. Printed on the sleeves:

“We could write on the side of our cups about how we’re nothing like the other guys. We could tell you about the pride we take in every drink we serve. We could write about the contents of this cup being hot, and that you should use caution. We could tell you that Phil’s dad can run faster than your dad. We could write about our goal to raise your expectations of coffee. Or maybe, we could write on the side of our cups that you should probably stop reading this because your drink is getting cold. Enjoy.”

The barista told us to wait a bit before giving it a try (though it would have been impossible to do so if we wanted to – the coffee was scorching hot). The fruity tones were evident in the coffee’s aroma, but wasn’t noticeable in the drink itself. Mack noted that it tasted rich but not burnt, but in the end, I’m not sure I could identify a Clover-brewed coffee in a blind taste test. We’re hoping to head to Transcend this weekend to see what Edmonton has to offer.

“I have coffee and you don’t.”

Chinook Centre was our final stop, since Mack was itching to go shopping and spend his wealth of gift cards. The obligatory stop at the nice and roomy RW & Co. yielded no treasures, but Mack did end up picking up something from Old Navy, so the visit wasn’t fruitless.

On our way back to Edmonton, we stopped in Red Deer to have dinner with Tom and Bry at Boston Pizza. The waitress was obviously new, or not very good at multitasking, but it gave us time to catch up. Mack and I ordered the poutine, and I hoped that it would be better than the time before, but no, the gravy was just as lukewarm. But food aside, it was a good meal.

From my last few trips down to Calgary, I think I’ve finally been able to get past the elementary “must hate the city of the Flames” mentality. Not only do they have great restaurants, but the arts scene is more active than I could have ever imagined. Who knew?

The rest of my pictures can be seen on Flickr.

Food Escape to Calgary: Day 1

Being Dine-Out week, as well as what I wanted to optimistically deem a spring thaw, Mack and I decided to head to Calgary this weekend to expand our culinary borders.

After the half-day ETS Community Conference wrapped up, we headed to McDonald’s for some road trip sustenance. Thankfully, fast food wouldn’t set the tone for our food consumption over the next two days, but I will admit to enjoying my Quarter Pounder with Cheese (who knew two slices of processed cheese made such a difference?).

Quarter Pounder, Big Mac and lots of fries

We thought the road conditions would be poor, given that driving within the city was a slush-fest that morning, but the highway was in better shape than we expected, and so we made good time.

I had decided upon the Westin for our accommodations, based on a good experience I had last summer (albeit in the fancy, renovated Business Tower), and the deal they were offering while I was comparison shopping. When we arrived, however, the second impression wasn’t positive. It was past 4pm (keeping in mind that the check-out time was noon), and we were told that our room still had to be cleaned, with a wait of at least forty-five minutes. Opting for fresh air instead of idling in the lounge, we walked over to the nearby Prince’s Island Park.

Though there was still quite a bit of snow to be found on the riverbanks, there were a surprising number of ducks and geese near the water and in the park as a whole. More than that, these animals were so used to people (or are still carrying their winter weight) that they couldn’t be bothered to move away when we approached.

Duck, duck, goose

Geese!

Out on a stroll

River Café, nestled in Prince’s Island Park (was on my short list of Dine Out options, but would be a more appropriate choice in the summer, surrounded by trees in full color)

Why wear a cowboy hat when you can swing on one?

When we made it back to the hotel, we were pleased to find out that we had been upgraded to the Business Tower. Complimentary amenities included long-distance calls to anywhere in North America, wireless internet, Starbucks coffee, and a $21 breakfast credit for the in-house restaurant.

Mack lounging

I had planned a walkable itinerary for Saturday, so we headed for Stephen Avenue on foot. With some time to kill before our reservation, we ended up wandering around Rand McNally Bookstore. From their name, I thought they were only in the business of textbooks, but I was wrong. With wooden floors, a cozy cafe on the third level, and a children’s area that reminded me of the one in You’ve Got Mail‘s fictional Fox Books, it would be a nice escape from the bustle of Stephen Avenue in the summer.

Rand McNally Bookstore interior

Promptly at 6pm, to Blink Restaurant & Bar (111 8th Avenue SW) we went. I posted about Blink Supper Club in May of last year, with a note that their revamped menu was boosting business somewhat. I guess it wasn’t enough, as the original owners sold out, and the “club-by-night” concept gave way to a restaurant in its pure form. Out of my shortlist of Dine Out restaurants, Blink had the most interesting menu as well as a location conducive for the rest of the plan that evening.

Blink exterior

Upon entry, we were greeted by dramatic floor-to-ceiling length curtains, and then a friendly hostess, in that order. Like many a restaurant in Toronto, the dining room was narrow, but deep, lined with banquets, exposed brick, and dark wood. A wine case cleverly hid the DJ’s platform and turnstiles, though one wonders if they will bother keeping this fixture at all. Before she seated us, the hostess asked if we were here for the Dine Out promotion, and offered us both the special and regular menus as a matter of courtesy (take that, Ric’s Grill). The $35 pre-fixe included our choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert from a list of three in each category. Naturally, Mack and I chose completely different dishes to allow for a larger sample size.

Blink interior

Dine Out menu

My puree of squash varietals (with honey and preserves lemon creme fraiche) was divine – not hot enough for my liking, but was finely strained yet thick enough to be substantial. Sweet with just a hint of lemon, it ended up being the best of my three courses. Perhaps it set too high of a bar, as the rest of the dishes were underwhelming. Mack enjoyed his heirloom beets (a pink and orange variety usually not seen) dressed in an orange vinaigrette, but probably would have been satisfied with an entire plate of their creamy, fresh goat cheese alone.

Puree of squash varietals

Heirloom beets

Since being “denied” risotto in Italy, I have been on a quest to find the next best risotto in North America. But after Blink, I think I’m done – while great as a side, as a touch of savoury to a fish course, for example, I find I’m always looking for a bit of protein substance to follow the rice. Unfortunately with Blink’s version as well, my serving had not been continuously stirred, and as a result, the grains were inconsistent – some plump with stock, others still uncooked and crunchy. And though my self-imposed food critic demands had me ordering something other than what Mack had chosen, I should have gone with my gut and opted for the arctic char instead. Mack loved the fish – lighter than salmon, crisp and flavourful, it was both filling and satisfying. I thought the breaded and fried potato galette was the best part though – it was creamy, carb-y, and smooth on the inside.

Risotto of organic mushrooms

Land locked arctic char

For dessert, I couldn’t pass up the vanilla creme brulee, though I still haven’t found a restaurant that can duplicate the creme brulee I had on a cruise a few years ago. The cruise version spoiled me to expect a thin layer of custard, easily warmed through by a freshly torched surface. Blink’s brulee wasn’t bad – flavoured by real vanilla bean, it was definitely a dessert to savour. Mack didn’t enjoy his sticky pudding with butterscotch as much; it was too rich for his taste.

Vanilla creme brulee

Sticky pudding with butterscotch

The experience as a whole at Blink was great – attentive service, a refined atmosphere, and an elegant setting, I would recommend it for those looking for a higher end downtown dining destination. I am a bit disappointed that I wasn’t able to see the transformation of the room into a club, however – I guess I will have to head east for that.

After dinner, we headed to the most tourist-oriented part of our weekend: the Calgary Tower. Why? I had a coupon (heh), and though I had seen the view from the top during the day, the panoramic night display would be new to me.

Going up in a plywood elevator (what would people who are afraid of heights think?)

It turns out it really isn’t anything special. Olympic Plaza looked nice lit from above, and the glass floor provided a momentary distraction, but other than that, we stayed just long enough to get our psychological money’s worth.

Glass floor

At the top

The next stop was a free outdoor Glenbow Museum exhibit on Darfur. From the website:

“DARFUR/DARFUR is a provocative photography exhibit that will be projected onto Glenbow Museum’s walls facing Stephen Avenue and 1st St. S.E. from March 14 to 21, 2008. Over 170 colour and black-and-white images by seven internationally acclaimed photojournalists and one former U.S. Marine will bring into focus the landscape, the culture and the people that are currently under attack in the Darfur region in western Sudan.”

I had a vision that the photographs would be projected on street-level walls, and if we hadn’t heard a music cue, I wouldn’t have even thought to look up. The use of space and the idea of hypothetically exposing people out in public to the atrocities in Darfur are interesting, but standing outside on a random downtown street, the exhibit wasn’t as effective as it could have been.

DARFUR/DARFUR exhibit

Our last photo opportunity (as neither of us had skates) was Olympic Plaza. It was quite picturesque, especially with the lone skater on the pond, but when the snow, out of nowhere, started funnelling out of the sky, the bleak visibility forced us to turn back to the hotel.

Olympic Plaza

ETS Community Conference 2008

I’ve decided to just make a quick point-form post about my impressions of the ETS Community Conference, if not only to remember what I thought in my first year of attending. If you’re looking for a little more detail, feel free to read Mack’s post about the half-day event here.

I read in the Edmonton Journal a few weeks before the conference that Bob Boutilier, the new GM of the City’s Transportation Department, actually takes the bus to work every day from his home in Twin Brooks. He definitely earned some respect from me with that admission. And after hearing him speak on stage, I have even more admiration for his obvious passion for public transit and his deft appreciation of the politics behind a sprawling city devoted to its vehicles. He didn’t once patronize the audience and knew that we all had first-hand experience of the ills of the current system. While realistic in his assessment of the time it will take to extend the LRT, he left the audience with the assertion that he believes the current city council is pro-transit, meaning that it may be possible to lay the groundwork for a better, more efficient transit system in the next three years.
Charles Stolte, Manager of ETS, presented himself as much more of a statistics fan when compared with Boutilier, though I guess it was good to know that ridership had increased by 7.75% in the last year, and that they had reached their “saturation point”, as they now have more buses than garage storage space at this time.
I wasn’t too impressed with the ETS Info-On-the-Go “demonstration” (or rather, slides of screen shots), though it was amusing to notice that the virtual customer care representative was seemingly modeled after Posh Spice (she was even named “Vicki”). While there is potential for such technology, I agreed with those in the session that questioned the usefulness of the kiosk for those already familiar with the system.

I would consider attending next year’s conference, if not only to meet others who are like-minded in their belief that the system can and must be improved.

Random Notes

The fabulous Frankenstein will be staged in Calgary early next year at Alberta Theatre Projects, in partnership with One Yellow Rabbit. I am happy to see the play getting even more exposure in Canada!
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra released their schedule for 2008/2009. For those outside the Pulse8 Club age range, perhaps you might want to consider convincing a few friends to purchase a 2-for-1 season sampler pass, a great way to dabble in their musical offerings.
I just heard that NBC is doing its best to reunite the original cast of ER for its final season next year. I haven’t followed the show in a while, but that would definitely make me tune in.
Mack introduced me to TripIt, an online travel planning tool, while we were organizing our New York trip, and though I did use it for our Calgary outing, but I still prefer a good old-fashioned paper and pencil schedule. TripIt just doesn’t fit in my purse the same.
Here is an interesting article from Alberta Venture that uncovers how difficult it really is to bring in a high-profile speaker for an event.
An article in this week’s New York Times talks about the movement towards intimate restaurants where chefs are close enough to conveniently serve the food directly to the diner. An interesting fact from the piece, which may explain the phenomenon: “Cooks and other restaurant employees who do not interact with the customers cannot legally earn tips or share in the tips earned by the waiters. For the purposes of the New York State Department of Labor, cooks and and dishwashers have the same status: they are paid an hourly wage, with overtime, but they are not paid more for a busy Saturday night with 300 covers than for a slow Tuesday lunch with 30.”
There’s a new food blog in town: Edmonton Eats. It’s still in the beginning stages, and there’s no information about the authors of the website, but it’s always exciting when new voices join the discussion about the city’s restaurant scene.
Expressionz Cafe is a new community-oriented coffee house, seemingly modeled after The Carrot. Dare I say this will be a trend in Edmonton?

More on Calgary’s Food Scene

Though I’m pretty set on where I would like to eat in Calgary this weekend, I find that lists are great to refer back to. Here are some observations and a running tally for future outings:

Chowhound favorites the River Cafe (situated on Prince’s Island Park, and likely beautiful in the summer) and Teatro (which has a simply stunning interior) might be worth a splurge one day on reputation alone.
Capo comes with high regard from Andree Lau, a Calgary-based blogger whose taste I trust. Whenever I see advertisements or read about Capo, the name of the head chef, Giuseppe Di Gennaro, is never far behind. I do think Calgary has a more developed appreciation and awareness of the staff behind the food.
I have seen JAROblue mentioned numerous times as well, but without any content available on their website, it is difficult to assess whether or not they’re worth trying.
Independent coffee houses on the level of Transcend in Edmonton, are more numerous in Calgary, and include Higher Ground in Kensington and Caffe Beano. There were also rumblings on the Chowhound boards that Phil & Sebastian (currently based out of the Calgary Farmer’s Market), are looking for a space to call their own.
I am really drawn to The Cookbook Co.‘s marketing of their cooking classes – with their bright and well-designed flyer, I want to believe that the sessions themselves will live up to the promise on paper. It’s also great that they are able to draw from the local restaurant community to teach some of the classes.
We will be there to only hypothetically catch the tail end of it, but Calgary has their own Savour Wine & Food Experience. How cool would it have been to have dinner with someone like John Gilchrist?

Anyway, I am looking forward to this weekend as a means of sampling what Calgary has to offer.

Quotable People: Installment Eleven

“Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.” – Louisa May Alcott
“With true friends…even water drunk together is sweet enough.” – Chinese proverb
“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.” – William Blake
“No road is long with good company.” – Turkish proverb
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” – Victor Borge
“Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.” – Sir Rabindranath Tagore

Culinary Q & A with Shermie

Occupation: Law student

What did you eat today?

– 2 pieces of cinnamon raisin toast
– banana nut muffin with apple juice
– Tim Horton’s toasted chicken club on whole wheat without bacon, medium french vanilla coffee
– chicken curry, rice, green peppers and beef cooked in a wok

What do you never eat?

– squid

What is your personal specialty?

– anything requiring a microwave

What is your favorite kitchen item?

– the microwave

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Gotham Steak House in Vancouver – petit filet cooked rare with creamy lyonnaise potatos and cauliflower au gratin and chocolate mousse for dessert. Alternatively, Vij’s in Vancouver for lamb popsicles in the most addictive tasting sauce and their tapioca root fries.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for their petit filet. They do side dishes and dessert well too.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

Vancouver always has new restaurants opening with famous chefs, so I would just hit the hot new restaurant. West is on my list.

In Paris, I would eat fresh croissants, cheese and fruit.

Food Notes

They should have called it Truth: Impossible: it seems Dinner: Impossible host Robert Irvine lied about his credentials and some of his experience, leading to his release from the hit Food Network show.
A coup for Canada: Daniel Boulud will be assisting in the transformation of the space once occupied by Feenie’s. The best thing about the article is Rob Feenie’s quote where he celebrates his own greatness: “Do you think he came cheap? If this is the only way they can replace me, that’s great.”
An amusing rant against the 100-mile diet phenomenon in The Province.
I’ve been looking for food blogs to add to my reading repetoire, and this one caught my eye. I especially like her “Mom Series” – posts written as a tribute to her Mom’s traditional Chinese home cooking.
Avenue Magazine’s March edition is all about food. Check out this comprehensive list of local dinner preparation kitchens.
Also from Avenue, a spotlight on Pizzaria Prego (5860 111 Street). I will have to get myself to Lendrum Mall soon to try their Sunrise pie. Made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, bacon, scrambled egg, cheddar and tomatoes, it would be like having breakfast for dinner!

MacEwan Theatre Arts: “Hot Mikado”

MacEwan Theatre Arts wrapped up their season with Hot Mikado. From the website:

“The story is based on the Gilbert and Sullivan original The Mikado. In an imaginary Japan, the town of Tittipu has tired of the Mikado’s (emperor’s) law which makes flirting the only crime punishable by death. They appoint a lowly tailor, one Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner, since he has been condemned for flirting, and won’t execute himself or anyone else. Ko-Ko is about to marry his beautiful ward, Yum-Yum, but she is being pursued by a young man of her own age, Nanki-Poo, who is pretending to be a second-trombone player. He is actually the son and heir-apparent of the Mikado, having fled from his father’s court when accused of flirting with the elderly and formidable Katisha, who wants to marry him or have him beheaded. Will Nanki-Poo be executed? Will true love prevail?”

It’s not hard to guess the answer to that question, nor is it a huge leap to assume that the production relies too heavily of the charm on the cast to carry across a fairly trite story. In this case, as with most MacEwan productions, the cast was a mixed bag.

Corey Rogers (Nanki-Poo) and Yemie Sonuga (as Katisha) were both unfortunately unable to carry a tune. Thankfully, there were a few surprises (Adrianne Salmon and Matt Van Boeyen) to help balance out the group, but it was still a bit painful to have to sit through some pretty awful numbers.

Dickson and I were both looking forward to the appearance of Alissa Keogh, who even as a chorus Gentleman #7 in the first half of the production managed to outshine most of her castmates. The second act saw her take a turn as the Mikado, complete with a solo tap performance, which she nailed. Her ease with movement and song will be a loss to the MacEwan stage, but I am certain she will be on to bigger and better things upon graduation.

Also looking forward, the program included a listing of the 2008-2009 theatre season, which includes a play by none other than Stewart Lemoine, which will run from March 13-21, 2009. It seems his departure from the position of Teatro Artistic Director has allowed him the time and space to write for alternative venues like the Edmonton Opera and now MacEwan. Where will he pop up next?

Appalling Inconsistency: Ric’s Grill

I’ve been wanting to try Ric’s Grill (10190 104 Street) for a while, and a special menu offered in accordance with Edmonton’s Downtown Dining Week was the perfect catalyst to do so. So having made a reservation with enough wiggle room to make it to a show at MacEwan later that evening, Dickson and I headed to the Warehouse District on Saturday.

The Metals Building, in all its stalwart brick glory, always seemed inherently fitting for an upscale steakhouse. The interior offered nothing unexpected – dark wood, leather, and too-dim lighting reminiscent of Ruth’s Chris. While I understand that the booth we were seated in was designed to create a private enclave of sorts, Dickson actually felt borderline claustrophobic in its looming wake.

When I didn’t find a Dining Week menu among the leather-bound folders on the table, I requested one from our server. He replied that the promotion was not available to those who had not mentioned the special menu while making the reservation. As this was not clearly indicated on the website (as it is on Calgary’s Dine-Out Week site), nor was I asked such a question when I spoke to the hostess over the phone, I couldn’t fathom how this could have been their policy. Dickson amounted this to “nominal participation” in Dining Week, though when we heard a similar bottom line delivered to a nearby table who was also interested in the promotional menu, we found some comfort in their consistency.

Not so, it seems. May, who ate at Ric’s Grill the night prior, was immediately given the Dining Week menu upon request, even without “pre-ordering” over the phone beforehand. What boggles my mind is that the options available on the Dining Week menu are no different than what is offered on their regular menu, so a lack of food supply would not be an acceptable excuse. And as one would think the pre-fixe menus are meant to encourage otherwise experimental-shy patrons to dine outside their borders with the hope of reaping return business in the future, why so many hurdles would be in place to ultimately save the restaurant just a few dollars (the 6oz Filet Mignon pre-fixe with dessert was $35, while the same Filet Mignon is regularly priced at $31 without dessert) is beyond me. Though I will continue with this review to be thorough, it’s a safe bet I won’t be back at Ric’s Grill; it is unacceptable for a restaurant of their supposed calibre to be nothing more than a token participant in an event set up to promote the best of Edmonton’s urban cuisine.

I ordered the 6oz Filet Mignon, with a soup to start, while Dickson settled on the 12oz Top Sirloin and a Caesar salad ($31). The spicy beef and vegetable soup was great – the amount of beef was generous, and the vegetables had obviously been simmering for quite some time. Dickson said his salad (made from scratch), was quite enjoyable as well.

As for our entrees – I had no complaints about my steak, though I do think the Filet Mignon I had at Mr. Mike’s a few weeks back was just a touch better, if not only because I’d take a peppercorn cream sauce over Bernaise any day. And I won’t deny it – the fun of onion rings as a side is something I still haven’t gotten over.

Dickson’s sirloin, ordered medium rare, was exceptionally moist. So much so that the red juices that collected on his plate became somewhat unappetizing. I don’t claim to be a steak expert, but perhaps they should have let the meat sit for a while longer before serving it?

Ric’s Grill, I hardly knew ye.