Food Notes for January 12, 2015

Lots to cover this week (everyone’s back at it), so let’s get right to this week’s food notes:

• Join the High Street Social Club for a “Farewell to Boardwalk Empire” 1920s cocktail party on January 18, 2015. Tickets are $55.
• In case you thought it was too late to enter the Signature Winter Drink competition, you’re in luck – the deadline has been extended to January 20, 2015.
• For you planners out there: Jacek and Credo are teaming up for a special Valentine’s Day tasting of champagne, chocolate and coffee. Tickets are $60.
• Great to hear that another coffee shop is joining the fray downtown – look for Coffee Bureau at 10505 Jasper Avenue in February!
• It’ Dog (8621 109 Street), replacing the Bad Ass Jack’s, is open and serving up Asian-inspired hot dogs and Korean fried chicken. Both Andrea and Cindy have early reviews.
• Twyla is the first to file a review on Solstice.
• The Journal reviewed the revamped Café Mosaics in Old Strathcona.
• Liane checked out Passion de France on Alberta Avenue.
• Congrats to Pampa on opening up their new restaurant in Calgary last week! It is located at Centre 10, 521 10 Avenue SW.
• Look forward to Burgers Priest opening in Edmonton in March.
• Where Magazine named North 53 Edmonton’s best new restaurant of 2014.
• I missed linking to Vue Weekly’s yearly wrap-up of their top 2014 eats and forward-looking pieces last week.
• Where to chefs eat? Check out Chef Paul Shufelt’s favourites in the city.
• Vinomania’s Gurvinder Bhatia also shared his list of the 100 best things he ate in 2014.
• Karlynn and Phil’s new (renamed) podcast is up – listen to episode #5 of Sweet Tooth and Meat Tooth here.
• Speaking of Phil – you might remember his epic “burger odyssey” last year. This year, he will be undertaking a quest to find Edmonton’s best pizza. He’s already taking suggestions!
• Sam Wok has been fined $30,000 for kitchen violations.
• Starting on July 1, 2015, New York will be banning foam cups and containers.
• Although it certainly lived up to its name yesterday, Mack and I headed out to Deep Freeze. The cold didn’t deter the crowds, and folks were out in full force to enjoy the festivities. As always, the atmosphere was fantastic – kudos to the organizers!

I couldn’t resist Olaf, who has become winter’s unofficial mascot