Chinatown Dining Week Returns for a Third Year
Chinatown Dining Week is back for its third annual celebration of delicious eats in one of Edmonton’s most underappreciated neighbourhoods. It will be the biggest event so far, with a total of 16 participating businesses, doubling last year’s total.
Running January 9-19, 2020, participating restaurants will offer $18 fixed priced 2-course dinner menus available after 5pm. In addition, a new category will feature other businesses that may not focus on the sit-down experience, and offer $10 takeaway packages. Full menus will be released the week of December 16, 2019 on edmontonchinatown.ca.
Disclosure: while Chinatown Dining Week is an entirely volunteer-run initiative, I am the co-founder and a part of the volunteer team.
Openings
- Pampa’s offshoot cafe A Bite of Brazil is now open at 10114 104 Street.
- YEG Smoked Meats is open in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood at 8246 118 Avenue.
Closures
- The Downtown location of Doan’s is currently closed for kitchen renovations until the New Year. The southside location remains open.
- Looks like the renovated Garden Cafe in Chinatown was never really able to get off the ground; it is now permanently closed.
Upcoming Events
- Formosa Bistro is celebrating their second anniversary with lion dances and discounts on December 21 and 22, 2019.
- The menu for The Marc’s special brunch on December 29, 2019 is now up; call the restaurant for reservations.
- Save the date for Silver Skate’s new Battle of the Neighbourhoods event on February 12, 2020. Restaurants representing 4 neighbourhoods (Oliver, Ritchie, Downtown, Old Strathcona) will be judged on their best stew creations. Entrance to the event is free, but tickets will be required for food and drink samples.
Reviews
- Graham reviewed Braven and states that it is “a satisfying replacement for the late, great Hardware Grill.”
- Twyla raved about the traditional flavours served up in a modern way at Tiffin.
- The Journal had a positive experience at Noi Thai (located in the former Viphalay space).
- Stephanie shared her impressions of Brasserie Bardot after attending a media event.
Local News
- In the Journal’s latest Food Notes column, writer Tom Murray sheds more light on Royale and Pablo (both opened by Kevin Cam, the man behind Baijiu and Little HK), and also shares his favourite bites of the year.
- The Yards’ latest Best in the Core includes categories for best brunch, best date night, and best grab-n-go.
- Avenue vouches for the seafood poutine at eatery FrenCheese (8943 92 Avenue).
- Also from Avenue – check out their Christmas Day dinner guide if cooking isn’t for you.
- Congratulations to Eat Local magazine, who just published their first anniversary issue!
- Chris Lachance, the restauranteur behind the Century Hospitality Group, and designer Chris Kourouniotis commemorated their 20-year partnership this year.
- The latest episode of “Josh Eats Edmonton” on CTV News features Old Strathcona mainstay Langano Skies.
- The second episode of Global Family Favourites features Lisa MacGregor’s recipe for rosette apple pie.
- Epicurean Adventure Tours founder Bryanna Kumpula-Yung started a pop-up called Adley’s Bakeshop in honour of her daughter; all proceeds will be directed to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. Orders for cookies can be placed until December 19, 2019.
- If you’re looking for holiday cocktail recipes, Avenue has some festive suggestions.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- Exceed Solar is working with the University of Alberta to “study and perfect cold climate greenhouses in an effort to increase locally grown food supplies in colder climates.” The project includes building a solar powered off-grid greenhouse at the U of A Students’ Union’s community garden.
What I Ate
- Continuing to taste our way around Chinatown, the Chinatown Dining Week crew tried Shijing Taste Mixer last week, one of only a few restaurants in Edmonton offering Malatang street food. Named after a spicy mala sauce used to flavour the dishes, orders can be customized to include a variety of meat, other proteins, and vegetables, which are then stir fried with noodles and the sauce. It was a tasty and warming dish perfect for a cold night!
Chinatown Dining Week special from Shijing Taste Mixer
- We don’t order Skip the Dishes very often, but a craving for Padmanadi on the same day as their infamous Christmas Buffets meant I was more inclined to choose the delivery option in favour of line-ups.
Padmanadi delivery
- The kouign amann from Lock Stock is easily my favourite pastry in the city, and it’s a treat every time I’m early enough to snag one. Mack also tried their snegl (a Swedish cardamom bun).
Lock Stock pastries
Only Here for the Food 