Food Notes for February 25, 2019

Downtown Dining Week Returns

Downtown Dining Week, which celebrates the range of cuisine available in Edmonton’s core, is back for its 16th incarnation for 10 days from March 8-17, 2019. This year, they have nearly 50 participating restaurants, all offering fixed-priced multi-course deals: 2-course lunch or brunch for $18, or 3-course dinners for $30 or $45.

In addition to the special menus, the Downtown Business Association has also put together some special events to consider, including a cookbook sale at Audrey’s, tours of the City Market, cooking classes, and even a community potluck.

Openings

• The Iconoclast in the Oliver Exchange Building at 103, 12021 102 Avenue is officially open.
• A second location of plant-based chain Copper Branch is now open in South Edmonton Common, at 2205 101 Street.
• A second Cinnaholic, the vegan cinnamon bun bakery chain, is now open in Old Strathcona at 10345 82 Avenue.
• Filistix shared a sneak peek of their new Downtown location, due to open in April 2019 at 10621 100 Avenue.
• Ramen Misoya, with locations in Toronto and Montreal, will be expanding to Edmonton’s 104 Street in the Icon II.

Closures

• Bru in Oliver is now closed.

Upcoming Events

• Food4Good is hosting another Fruit & Veggie Sale on February 26, 2019.
• The 2019 National Brewers Cup competition will take place March 1-3, 2019 at the Transcend in Ritchie Market.
• The next Northern Bites experience on March 5, 2019 features a visit to Barr Estate Winery and a cooking lesson and tea tasting at Formosa Bistro. Tickets are $70.
• Leftovers YEG is hosting a meet up on March 11, 2019 for those wanting to learn more about food waste and the organization.
• Tickets for Avenue Edmonton’s Best Restaurants event on March 18, 2019 are still available. Tickets are $50.
• Yellowhead Brewery will be celebrating the first anniversary of its Drag Brunch on March 24, 2019. Tickets are $30 and include an all-you-can-eat buffet.
• Eat North is bringing its pop-up Drags Benny event to Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald on March 30, 2019. Tickets are $70, and include a cocktail and brunch canape hour, and a 3-course brunch. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards Canadian Pride initiatives.

Reviews

• The Journal enjoyed the fare at new-ish suburban restaurant Suda Thai Cuisine in Sherwood Park.
• Sharon shares her favourite items at Gangnam Street Food.
• Lydia posted a review of Golomein.

Local News

• Liane wrote a great piece about how certain restaurants, including Kanu and XIX Nineteen, have been able to snare a strong Head Chef.
• Also from Liane – she has more details behind Have Mercy’s change to a “recession-proof” menu.
• Giselle Courteau of Duchess Bake Shop shares her recipe for Spanish-style baked eggs in the latest Fast Food webisode. It’s a recipe that will appear in her second cookbook, Duchess at Home, due out in the fall.
• Chef Lasantha Mendis who works north of Fort McMurray competed in the fourth international bread baking competition Festival International du Pain 2019.
• Vancouver-based Chef David Hawksworth will be NAIT’s 11th Chef in Residence, from April 8-12, 2019.
• Eat North is a finalist in the Digital Presence category for this year’s Alberta Magazines Awards.
• Alberta set a monthly record on restaurant and bar spending in December 2018, totaling $810 million. The average Albertan spent almost $190 on dining out.

What I Ate

• It’s always a good day for soup in my books, and the bun bo Hue at King Noodle always hits the spot.

Bun bo Hue from King Noodle House