Food Notes for December 14, 2015

Can you believe Christmas is next week? There seems to be so much to do in the meantime, but all I’m hoping for is a few days off of work to enjoy the season! On to this week’s food notes:

• Chef Brad Smoliak is hosting their annual Kitchen Christmas sale on December 19, 2015, from 12-4:30pm. Stock up on their famous Bacon Jam and BBQ Rub, among other pantry goodies.
• Get Cooking is hosting a six-course pop-up Comal Mexican Table Dinner on January 7 and 8, 2016.
• Frosty Fox, which sold its honest ice creams at the City Market this summer, is continuing into the winter with their Ice Cream Squad – a three month subscription is $60, and will give you two pints or four sandwiches per month. E-mail Jennifer to join now!
• The much-anticipated Prairie Noodle Shop had a soft opening this weekend, but they’ll be welcoming diners officially on December 15, 2015.
• Liane shared that The Volstead Act (who were involved in setting up Woodwork), will open a new bar and restaurant in The Pearl.
• Stephanie pointed out a new Vietnamese restaurant, Pholangs, that opened recently at #109, 2920 Calgary Trail.
• Reviews are in for The Workshop Eatery, from Cindy and Linda. I look forward to visiting myself this weekend!
• The Journal published one of its most brutal restaurant reviews last week, about Olio d’Oliva: “The lamb chops had that sickly steam table/pressure cooker pallor, and the sauce meant to be poured over the couscous had all the snap of a tin of generic tomato soup.”
• Linda checked out Yumioca and Shun, for bubble tea and snacks, respectively.
• Andrea offers her thoughts on Alberta Hotel Bar and Kitchen.
• Andrea is also the latest to cover XIX Nineteen’s new St. Albert location.
• Some restaurant closings: The Cheese Factory looks like it is becoming a Dixie Lee Fried Chicken and Seafood Restaurant, and the Whyte Avenue Elephant & Castle will shutter on December 21, 2015.
• It’s list season: The Globe and Mail highlights the 10 best restaurant openings in Alberta. The Edmonton picks: XIX Nineteen, Nongbu, Solstice, Bar Bricco, and Rostizado. As Robyn pointed out – it’s unfortunate that the latter two actually opened in 2014 (Solstice opened right at the end of 2014, so it could be considered for 2015).
• Similarly, Huffington Post rounded up some of 2015’s best restaurant openings as well. The eateries that made the list: Nongbu, Little Brick, 12 Acres, Buco and Prairie Noodle Shop. I’m not sure pop-up events should be considered the same as having a brick and mortar restaurant, so I think the last one should have really been considered for next year.
• The Local Good highlights some of the changes that resulted in North 53’s success this year.
• Liane covered the recent Slow Food Edmonton wild game dinner held at RGE RD last week.
• What is it like for those in the kitchen who have food allergies? Vue Weekly chats with two chefs who have adapted to the challenge.
• I missed linking to Linda’s Seen and Heard podcast last week.
• At Southgate over the weekend, we noticed the garbage disposal area featured a bin for unopened condiments, to be directed to the Edmonton Food Bank. It was empty at the time, but it seems like a good idea to divert additional waste.

Diverting waste at Southgate Centre

• I was lucky enough to attend the Cocktails Perfected launch at the Hotel Macdonald last week with Liane. I found my new favourite, the Right Word, with lime, gin, lillet blanc and St. Germain. Delicious!

Right Word at the Confederation Lounge

• I don’t indulge in buffets very often, so a volunteer appreciation dinner at Khazana on Wednesday was a treat. Paneer FTW!

My (first) plate at Khazana