Food Notes for July 8, 2019

I was away for work and holidays last week, so I took a break from my blog. Those of you who subscribe to Taproot, however, did receive a Food Roundup, written in my absence by my friend Linda! Click here if you’re interested in signing up for the weekly roundup through Taproot. This week’s Food Notes is a two week update.

Blue Plate Diner Announces New Location

The beloved 104 Street restaurant has shared the details of their next home. Forced to relocate from Downtown because of the forthcoming Mackenzie Tower development, Blue Plate Diner will be moving to the 124 Street area.

Relocating to the former Back Home Fish and Chips space at 12323 Stony Plain Road, they hope to be open by August. The 104 Street location will remain open until July 31, 2019.

Openings

• On the heels of Kind Ice Cream’s opening in Ritchie, Made by Marcus has joined the fray with an Edmonton location that opened last weekend.
• The Woodshed, a burger-focused restaurant on 124 Street from Chef Paul Shufelt (of Workshop Eatery) is now open at 10723 124 Street.
• Dorinku finally has signage on their forthcoming Downtown location, at 10328 Jasper Avenue (the former Alder Room and Alta).
• Toronto-based Oliver & Bonacini shared more information about their four forthcoming concepts located in the new Ice District JW Marriott, named Kindred Food + Drink, Braven, Alchemy, and Lobby Bar.
• The owners of Trang Tien (formerly located in The Quarters where The Moth is now) have re-opened a restaurant in Beaumont, at 5009 52 Avenue.
• A new candy shop called Rocket Fizz is now open at 10544B 82 Avenue.

Closures

• Zenari’s has closed their Manulife location as of June 29, 2019. However, fans will be happy to hear they will be re-opening later this year as Dalla Tavola Zenari (translated as “from the Zenari table”) in the Kelly Ramsey building. They have started a Kickstarter campaign and hope to raise $95,000 to help with the transition.

Upcoming Events

• The next Swine and Dine event will be held at Say Uncle on July 16, 2019. Tickets for the 5-course menu are $50.
• Tickets for the Heritage Festival, running August 3-5, 2019 at Hawrelak Park, are now available online.

Reviews

• Graham was expecting more from newcomer La Bodeguita de Cuba.
• Crystal wrote about her experiences at Cosmos Greek Kitchen and Seoul Fried Chicken.
• Leduc shares his thoughts on Lava Rock Grill & Sushi, MishMash Parfait, and Brio Bakery.

Local News

• Congratulations to Chef Shane Chartrand for being named to the Western Living class of 2019 Foodies of the Year!
• Avenue has compiled their list of the 25 Best Things to Eat in Edmonton (and area), contributed by notable locals.
• Learn more about what it took to transform an old service station to Mimi’s, a new restaurant in the community of Greenfield.
• Liane has a great round-up of must-try eateries on 124 Street, and news about Meuwly’s plans for a liquor license and food and history crawls led by the folks behind Barking Buffalo Cafe.
• Linda has you covered with a list of top 10 summer treats to try in Edmonton.
• Sharman recapped the recent Taste Alberta dinner at The Common.
• Lydia and Leduc offer their perspectives on a Sunworks Farm and Three Boars collaboration dinner.
• Now is the time if you wanted to get your hands on fresh mangoes shipped in from South Asia, a special imported treat available from some local grocers.
• One of Liane’s pieces published last fall about blue collar restaurants was recognized by the Society for Features Journalism.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market announced that they’ve undertaken a vendor verification process to ensure the products sold at the market are actually produced by the vendor selling them. It’s an interesting strategy in light of the increased competition in the market scene this year.

Beyond Edmonton

• Those Little Donuts, a Stampede staple for many, is not on the midway this year; it apparently due to a late application to the festival. They’re a K-Days favourite of mine, so I do hope they’re headed to Edmonton later this month!

What I Ate

• I had the pleasure of spending some time in Ottawa for a conference, and met up with fellow foodies Lillian and Dan while there. They introduced me to Rabbit Hole, a cozy joint on Sparks Street.

Chicken, bacon, and tomato pizza from Rabbit Hole

• Mack, Emily, and I hopped over to Toronto for a reunion with my sisters over the Canada Day long weekend. Poutine was in order, and this one from a vendor at the Liberty Village Farmers’ Market was one of the best I’ve had in some time – layers of squeaky curds over crispy fries.

Poutine

• Mildred’s Temple Kitchen has been on my list for some time, and we finally made it for b’lunch during this trip. They’re known for their pancakes, and after trying them myself, I now know why – they’re impressively fluffy.

Blueberry pancakes from Mildred’s Temple Kitchen

• A meal at Otto is becoming a bit of a birthday tradition for me – we had a belated birthday celebration on Friday. I can’t pass up the Otto dog and the fries!

Our spread at Otto