This long weekend really couldn’t have come at a better time. Hope you had a great time with your families as well! On to this week’s food notes:
- This year’s Farewell to Winter Patio Party is taking place at the Hotel Macdonald on March 14 and 15, 2015. Tickets to the “fire and ice” themed events are $45.
- Save the date: Eat Alberta 2015 is taking place on May 2, 2015.
- The week’s biggest food news was the announcement that Whole Foods will be opening a store in south Edmonton in the fall of 2016 (in South Park, in the existing Canadian Tire). I am disappointed with the choice of a location so inaccessible by transit, but I am curious to see if the city can support such a large organic retailer. Do you think Edmonton is ready for a Whole Foods?
- Native Delights has opened up a storefront in the old Sloppy Hoggs location (10406 118 Avenue).
- Vue Weekly has a great review about The Mercury Room, Edmonton’s newest vegan restaurant.
- Andrea reviewed the Chinatown location of Lee House.
- I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the latest Elm Café project, Little Brick, does open up in March!
- I loved this story in the Journal about chef sweethearts Matt Phillips (of Lux) and Sarah Masters-Phillips (of Belgravia Hub).
- Congratulations to Confetti Sweets, who will be bringing her Sherwood Park-baked cookies to Hollywood for a pre-Oscar party.
- Mack and I had a pretty low-key Valentine’s Day – bun bo Hue at King Noodle House, followed by a visit to the Art Gallery of Alberta. We’d both wanted to check out the exhibit Future Station for some time, but as a bonus, we also managed to watch a bit of the fascinating 24 hour film, The Clock. It is definitely worth your time, heh.
Spicy noodle soup from King Noodle House
- We’re thrilled that there’s a new coffee shop in the neighbourhood! Coffee Bureau (10505 Jasper Avenue) has had a soft opening these past few days, but will officially be open tomorrow (Monday-Friday 7am-5pm, plus Saturdays). They’re using beans roasted by ACE Coffee, owned by the folks behind Leva Café, and will offer pastries sourced in part from Leva. Coffee Bureau is built mostly for takeaway business, but it’s a cute little spot that’s renewing my hope for a larger “coffee district” downtown. Go check it out!
Coffee Bureau
Only Here for the Food 
The Whole Foods location isn’t completely inaccessible by transit – shuttle bus 304 runs between Southgate and South Park.
Exciting news! My hubby and I can’t wait for Whole Foods to get here!
As someone who lives on the south side, I’m fairly pleased with the location of the Whole Foods. I really like Whole Foods, and I hope they take something away from this whole Target fiasco.