Though brunch is always on the “to do” list when we’re on vacation, while we’re at home, it’s hard to motivate ourselves to get out of bed on the weekend! That said, planned in advance this summer, we were actually pleasantly surprised by some of the new-to-us brunch discoveries we made.
The first was Culina Muttart. Located inside one of Edmonton’s year-round tourist destinations, the restaurant now provides locals with a reason to visit the attraction on a more regular basis. The patio was lovely that day, diners enjoying the full sun among the planters and water feature, but we opted instead for a comfortable window seat inside. The only downside of the interior was its north-facing orientation, meaning that the majority of the tables seemed starved for sunlight, but I recognize not much could be done about that.
The menu is small, with just five mains to choose from. And in anti-food blog fashion, Mack, Grandma Male and I all ordered the exact same dish – the classic eggs benedict with honey ham ($15). Given how hungry I was that day, I also added a pastry basket for two ($7).
The basket arrived, still warm and accompanied by room-temperature butter and Jam Lady spread. Mack and Grandma Male both enjoyed the cornbread, while I polished off a delicious cheddar scone. The basket alone would have made for a light and lovely breakfast.
Pastry basket
The waitress then delivered each of us a small bowl of granola, topped with Greek yogurt. Nowhere on the menu was this inclusion listed, and while a welcome addition, had I known in advance, I likely wouldn’t have ordered the pastry basket at all.
Granola bowl
The eggs benedict was nicely presented, garnished with microgreens. We found no quibble with the white wine hollandaise, but were a bit disappointed with the eggs, which were medium as opposed to the requested soft poached. However, we all commented that the sweet honey ham was notable.
Classic eggs benedict
Service was professional, and Mack was satisfied with the number of coffee refills offered throughout our meal. As a whole, the meal was a positive experience, and made me want to return for one of their Thursday night prix-fixe dinners.
After brunch, we decided to cross the river to Louise McKinney Riverfront Park to take in the Slow Flash Mob. An initiative led by Amy Shostak, the one-day festival on July 20, 2013 sought to encourage multi-generational interaction in an underutilized green space.
Zumba lessons
Activities ranged from zumba to improv lessons, storytelling and karaoke. The activities were spread out across the park, making use of the Chinese garden, grassy field and Shumka stage. Things were very well-organized, keeping to the schedule. There was even a free shuttle which transported attendees from the Central Lions Seniors Centre.
Free doughnuts from the Ye Olde Donut Shoppe
It was just unfortunate that it wasn’t better attended. Of course there is always lots to choose from on any summer weekend in Edmonton, but I think some people may have been confused by the name of the event. Had I not read about the festival prior, I probably would have assumed the event encouraged sluggish group dances.
Julie and Birkley from Sugar Swing perform
Mack and I took part in the swing dance lesson led by the Sugar Swing Dance Club, while Grandma Male chatted with some of the others in the audience. It was a fun way to spend part of a sunny summer afternoon!
Swing lessons!
Thanks to Amy and her team for putting on this event!
Culina Muttart
9626 96A Street
(780) 466-1181
Lunch, Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm; Dinner, Thursdays, 5-8:30pm; Brunch, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am-2:30pm
Only Here for the Food 
Google tells me nothing about Ye Olde Donut Shop in Edmonton. Is this a real thing or was it just for the event?
It was just the booth set up for the event – sorry to disappoint!