Edmonton’s First Multi-Day Indoor Market is Now Open

It was opening weekend for Bountiful Farmers’ Market, Edmonton’s first multi-day indoor market. With more than 100 vendors, an entertainment stage, and food hall, they attracted upwards of 15,000 people per day from Friday to Sunday.

Many of their vendors can be found at other markets across the city, but they do have some more unique vendors, such as Meuwly’s and Ace Coffee Roasters.

On a related note, Taproot also published their story on the new business of markets in Edmonton, which discusses the shift to multi-day markets and how that may affect some vendors.

Openings

• You can now find Farrow on the north side of the river: their third location is now open at 10240 124 Street.
• Dangerkat Waffles is now open in Old Strathcona, accessible through the alley behind the Cat Cafe (10111 82 Avenue).
• Bleu Flames, a locally-owned fondue restaurant opened in May in Sherwood Park (870, 3880 Sherwood Drive).
• Another microbrewery to add to the list: The Growlery Beer Co. is now open at 40 Airport Road.

Upcoming Events

• We already spend a lot of time at Alex Decoteau Park, but the Downtown Business Association is giving me one more: they have organized a great event series called Beats & Eats, happening over three Wednesday evenings from June 26-July 10, 2019. Attendees are invited to pre-order a boxed dinner from a nearby restaurant, then pick it up on the event day for a picnic in the park. The first restaurant up is Wishbone.
• Kitchen by Brad is hosting another perogy pop-up lunch on June 28, 2019. Advance tickets are required at $18 per person.
• The documentary The Biggest Little Farm, about a small sustainable farm outside of Los Angeles, will be screening at Metro Cinema from July 5-10, 2019.

Reviews

• Graham’s second visit to The Butternut Tree was perfect.
• Sharon posted her photolog of a recent media event at Rush Bowls.
• Stephanie shared her first experience at Indulgence.
• Crystal wrote that the food mostly made up for the poor first impression at Washoku Bistro.
• The Boyle McCauley News visited Liuyishou Hot Pot.

Local News

• The Green Onion Cake Man is getting into the business of meal kits, starting with Shanghai noodles.
• Liane shared the story behind Caramelt, one of the new vendors at the City Market. They sell a variety of chocolate products.
• The latest Fast Food episode features a recipe for Shake and Bake Souvlaki Chicken from Theo Psalios of Little Village.
• Twyla, who is the CBC Food Reviewer, wrote about her breast cancer diagnosis that happened earlier this year.
• The couple behind The Globe Diary will be relocating from Edmonton to Calgary.

What I Ate

• I had to be strategic with my Dine the Ave choice last week, and chose Donair Express at 8523 118 Avenue. I had no idea it had been open for more than 30 years, and that they make their own donair meat to boot. While it may not be the best donair I’ve encountered in Edmonton, it’s a solid option for a quick lunch with one of the most friendly owners I’ve encountered on Alberta Avenue.

$10 Dine the Ave special from Donair Express

West Edmonton Mall Adds More Local Flavour

In the last year, several locally-owned businesses have opened up locations at West Edmonton Mall, including Splash Poke, Calle Mexico, and Reinette Cafe.

In July, it will gain an outpost of Gangnam Street Food. Serving up Korean street food options, the concept seems well-suited to a food court environment.

Openings

• North American chain Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ is now open in Edmonton at 10416 Jasper Avenue.
• It’s a new kind of “food truck” – YEG Coffee Can (a mobile cafe in a repurposed sea can) is now open. They’ll be moving around the city this summer, but for now, you can find them at 108 Street and 103 Avenue.
• Shojo Izakaya is a forthcoming Japanese restaurant to open in the Brewery District this summer, at 10425 121 Street.
• American candy shop chain Rocket Fizz will be opening up in Old Strathcona.

Closures

• Accent Lounge in Old Strathcona has closed.

Upcoming Events

• Dine the Ave is on now, running June 17-23, 2019. Showcasing 20 hospitality businesses on 118 Avenue from NAIT to Northlands, special menus are being offered during the week for $10, $15, and $20. I attended a media preview last week, and CBC interviewed some of the participating businesses.

Reviews

• Toast Culture received a positive early review from the Journal.
• Graham was impressed with the fusion cuisine of Filistix’s new Downtown location.
• Crystal enjoyed her first foray into The Writer’s Room.

Local News

• For now, City Council has decided to wait for the province’s decision before allowing public alcohol consumption in municipal parks.
• It looks like NAIT’s first Executive Chef Michael Hassall has left, creating a vacancy.

What I Ate

• Mack, Emily, and I had our “last supper” at Blue Plate Diner last week. Due to the potential development of the Mackenzie Tower, they will be closing its 104 Street restaurant on June 30, 2019, and will relocate to another “central” location. My go-to dish for years has been their shepherd’s pie, so I had to have it again for old time’s sake.

I’m going to miss this patio!

• Some people avoid hot soups in the warmer weather, but I’m not one of them. King Noodle House’s bun bo Hue is year-round comfort food for me!

Bun Bo Hue from King Noodle

• Not food related, but as a long-suffering Raptors fan who has shared my love of the team on this blog before, I’d be remiss if I didn’t document somewhere that I’m still in shock that they managed to pull off a championship win. Still, #wethenorth!

New Ice Cream Parlour Adds to Ritchie’s Cachet

Ritchie, already home to award-winning restaurant Biera, popular butcher Acme Meat Market, and branches of local favourites Transcend and Farrow, gains another food destination this week.

Kind Ice Cream, a new small batch ice cream shop, is poised to open on June 12, 2019 across the street from Ritchie Market at 9551 76 Avenue. They’re just off the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign which raised more than $20,000. They’ll be serving up both dairy and vegan scoops and ice cream sandwiches from recipes crafted by Chef Chael MacDonald (he has worked or consulted at District, Little Brick, and Wilfred’s).

Openings

• The Art of Cake has opened a second location in Oliver fittingly called The Baker’s Son, run by Jeremy Hess, the son of Gloria Bednarz and Guenter Hess. It is located in the Allin Clinic at 10155 120 Street.
• Watch for DangerKat Waffles, coming soon with sweet and savoury waffle wraps in Old Strathcona, at 8115 101 Street.
• New coffee roaster alert: ADD Coffee is now open at 12003 145 Street.
• Sian City BBQ Bar opened earlier this year and is located at 5728 104 Street.

Upcoming Events

• Just a Little Night Market is coming up again June 21 and 22, 2019, with a marketplace, live music, and food and wine.
• Just in time to commemorate one year after his death, the next Book Club at Audrey’s will focus on Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. It will take place on June 24, 2019.
• The Common will be hosting another Prairie on the Plate on June 25, 2019. Tickets for the 5-course meal are $40.
• The next Fruit & Veggie Sale run by Food4Good is scheduled for June 25, 2019.

Reviews

• Twyla is among the first to review Speedy’s Cantina, which replaced Elm Cafe from the Black Box Hospitality folks.
• Graham shares his recent experience at Chartier, whose kitchen is now being helmed by former sous chef Tamara Solon (Chef Tony Krause was a very short-lived Executive Chef).
• Crystal offers a pair of reviews for Two Sergeants Brewing and The Melting Pot.

Local News

• The Journal had a great piece about Filistix’s new digs downtown.
• Certain restaurants have chosen to control their own deliveries (moving away from companies like Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats), so it seems natural that the next frontier are pre-order apps: Remedy will be launching their own skip the line app soon.
• Edmonton Food Tours is back for another season of tours Downtown and in Old Strathcona.
• Sustainable Food Edmonton’s second annual Golden Wheelbarrow Awards are now accepting nominations. The awards celebrate businesses that are environmentally-friendly, including favourite “locavore” restaurants.
• Sharman recapped the recent Swine & Dine at RGE RD.
• Dream Donair & Pizza on Argyll Road and 99 Street joins a short list of restaurants in Edmonton, including Indian Fusion, that offers a free meal to those who cannot afford it.
• The newest episode of Seconds, Please! features Siu To, known to be the person who introduced green onion cakes to the masses in Edmonton.
• This dining guide on an upcoming conference is such a great resource for eating out in Edmonton, I had to share it!
• Jason Foster (aka the blogger behind On Beer) is back after a hiatus.
• Congratulations to authors Karen Anderson and Matilde Sanchez-Turri, whose book Food Artisans of Alberta was shortlisted for the 2019 Taste Canada Awards.

Beyond Edmonton 

• The Government of Canada is working on a ban of single-use plastics as early as 2021. This would include plastic straws, drink stirrers, plates, cutlery, and certain fast food containers and cups.
• As Beyond Meat continues to gain traction, here’s an interesting read on some of the issues to keep in mind with meat-replacement products.

Addition of Youth Wage Prompts Pay Equality Website

Last week, Premier Kenney announced that a youth wage would come into effect on June 26, 2019, which drops the minimum wage for part-time workers under 18 to $13 an hour. In response, some restaurants are vowing to maintain the $15 minimum wage for their staff in spite of the changes.

Alberta15.ca is a website that is trying to create a directory of provincial businesses, including restaurants, that will continue to pay their staff a “living wage”. More than a dozen Edmonton and area food businesses are listed, including Northern Chicken, Meuwly’s, Love Pizza, and The Next Act.

Openings

• Edmonton’s first “fancy toast” establishment, Toast Culture, is set to open on June 4, 2019.
• Although the Hotel Macdonald’s summer hot dog and ice cream cart was out last year, the operating hours were inconsistent. They’ve changed it this year to open 7 days a week from 11am-6pm at the top of the funicular.
• Milk Crate, a sandwich shop and cafe, is now open in the Epcor Tower.
• I hadn’t come across Hungry Birds before, a family-owned “not so typical fast food restaurant” located at #182, 4211 106 Street. It opened back in November.

Closures

• Blue Plate Diner, spurned by the potential development of the Mackenzie Tower, will be closing in its current location on 104 Street on June 30, 2019. They hope to reopen in another location Downtown.
• The Bottega in Old Strathcona is now closed.
• It’s probably been closed a while, but I just noticed that Back Home Fish and Chips is also closed.

Upcoming Events

• This year’s Filipino Fiesta, featuring entertainment, vendors, and of course, food, will take place June 22-23, 2019 at Borden Park.
• Save the date: Sturgeon County’s 2019 Culinary Cookout will take place on August 9, 2019. They released a video this week to help promote the event.

Reviews

• Leduc published a pair of reviews about his visits to Say Uncle and Avila Arepa.
• Graham enjoyed his experience at Spotlight in Old Strathcona.
• Crystal shared her recent visit to Beercade for their Puzzle Battle and food.

Local News

• Congratulations to Edmonton Convention Centre Chefs Francis Derrick Flores and David Dubuc-Poirier who won gold at the Worldchef Regional Semi-Finals of the Global chefs Challenge. They will represent the Americas at the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2020 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Wilfred’s playful decor is featured in this Eat North piece about restaurants using illustrators to help their vision come to life.
• NAIT’s forthcoming Centre for Culinary Innovation, opening in the fall, is the focus of a piece in Avenue this month.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Kaelin from The Ruby Apron shared her first backyard beekeeping experience on her blog.
• Having trouble keeping up with the relocation news about the City Market? The latest Speaking Municipally podcast breaks it down.

What I Ate

• A single La Mision burrito from Rostizado is probably easily shared by two people, but for some reason Mack and I still decided on one each. It was delicious but induced a food coma.

Chicken burrito from La Mision

• It may be dangerous to have Tiffin so close to us – they’re super efficient and the food is tasty. I especially enjoyed the mango paneer.

Take-out from Tiffin

• The bagels from District are a beautiful thing. They will eventually be available at June’s Delicatessen, part of Black Box Hospitality’s presence in the Gibbard Block in Highlands. They hope to open (along with Fox Burger) some time in July.

Cheese and everything bagels from District