Food Notes for February 28, 2011

Mack and I went to Calgary for the weekend for a short getaway. As much as I know that Edmonton is always competing with #yyc, Calgary is a very nice place to visit (even more so when you throw caution to the wind and stay in a fancy hotel). On to this week’s food notes:

• A reminder that Downtown Dining Week starts this week and runs March 4-13, 2011. The menus are now up.
• In addition to Seedy Sunday on March 20, 2011, Just Food Edmonton and Slow Food Edmonton will be hosting an event called Beyond the Supermarket, which will provide consumers with alternative ways to support local producers.
• Avenue Edmonton released their third annual list of the 25 Best Things to Eat. I’m happy to see that Battista’s Calzones made the list. Also in the issue, an interview with the spunky Daniel Costa.
• Pampa, with its all-you-can-eat meat menu, is now open. Has anyone been yet?
• Marianne reviewed the plush Somerville Wine & Cheese. Looks like a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.
• Twyla visited the Five Guys Burgers & Fries location (a U.S.-based chain) – sure to be a bang up success. Mack and I first tried the restaurant in DC.
• City and Dale wrote about a recent brunch experience at Culina Muttart.
• Niche got a great write-up in the Journal last week.
• Liane posted more details about the new Southwest Edmonton Farmers’ Market that is set to open May 19, 2011, to run on Wednesdays from 5-8pm.
• Valerie wrote a wonderful tribute to Michael Schmidt, an advocate for raw milk, recapping his visit to Edmonton last week. Schmidt will be back in Edmonton on March 23.
• For all you Roll up the Rim to Win junkies, Jon Lin has again started posting about his winning (and losing) streak in his annual results tally.
• Food Network announced the competitors for Top Chef Canada (to start airing April 11). It’s unfortunate that no Edmonton chefs made the list (Century Hospitality’s Paul Shufelt was in the running), but there are two Calgary representatives, Rebekah Pearse of Nectar Desserts (now closed) and Connie DeSousa of CharCut.
• Speaking of Calgary, Foodie McPoon wrote about her Calgary quest for macarons.
• Over in Vancouver, it’s the end of an era: db Bistro Moderne and Lumiere are closing its doors.
• Looks like doughnuts are the new cupcake in NY.
• Mack’s Dad enjoys scotch, so we thought there would be no better place to take him for dinner than The Bothy. Martin appreciated the extensive selection of scotch, and was able to introduce Mack to his first taste of scotch (I stuck with wine). The chicken and leek pie was also just as delicious as I remembered.

Mack’s first scotch glass!

Charcuterie and cheese selection, featuring O Sol’ Meatos cardamom salami and Jam Lady condiments

Chicken and leek pie with tomato and bacon soup

• I met up with my family at Urban China for lunch last week. I haven’t been back there for dim sum since my visit early last year, but from what I hear, they’ve really improved (it is now at the top of my parents’ list of dim sum favourites). The har gao and siu mai seemed particularly tasty.

Pork and shrimp dumplings

• Last time, the epic battle featured Mr. Bacon vs. Mr. Tofu, but in another death match with only one winner, who would survive: the corndog or broccoli?

Captain Corndog vs. Baron Von Broccoli (as seen in Livingstone & Cavell Toys in Calgary)

Have a good week!