Local Restaurants Continue to Innovate During Pandemic
It’s been six weeks since the current social restrictions were put into place, with no end in sight. Restaurants have been forced to get even more creative as the length of the pandemic grows, with no choice but to meet the need for diners to eat at home.
Several food businesses have started creating kits for people to build dishes at home – Nomiya is offering tonkotsu ramen kits, El Beso is selling margarita and taco kits, and Meuwly’s makes it easy to bake your own flatbread (with a side of dessert). New businesses have also sprung up to cater to this demand, including Nai Nai Mie’s Indonesian-style tossed noodles.
Others are combining food with (socially distant) events. Chefs from Milk Crate and Why Not are collaborating on a take-out burger battle on April 29, 2020, while Colleen’s Chocolates is leading a virtual chocolate tasting on May 1, 2020. Even food trucks are getting into the mix, with a food truck “drive through” being organized for May 2, 2020.
In other COVID-19 related-news:
- Several restaurants that have been closed for some weeks are returning for limited take-out, including Bundok, Baijiu, and Campio Brewing.
- Zwick’s has partnered with SYC Brewing for craft beer and pretzel delivery.
- Indian Chef, a restaurant in Chapelle, has been offering free meals to anyone in need since April 1. Dil-E-Punjab, a restaurant in Mill Woods, has been serving 25 to 50 meals per day.
- Blue Plate Diner has started selling their supplier’s eggs for pick-up at the restaurant.
- Liane provides some background on how Steve and Dan’s expanded into the grocery delivery business.
- K-Days, Taste of Edmonton, and Heritage Days announced last week that their 2020 events are cancelled.
- Sysco has joined the household grocery market, with their new Sysco@Home service.
Upcoming Events
- The next #EatWithMeEdmonton will be taking place on April 29, 2020, and focuses on businesses in the 124 Street area.
- The Edmonton Resilience Festival has moved online for this year’s iteration; most workshops commence on May 2, 2020, but more are still being added.
- Knifewear is streaming online classes on their social media channels, which include knife skills and cooking classes.
- NAIT is hosting a webinar on the future of plant-based foods on May 21, 2020.
Reviews
- Linda and her husband Mike celebrated his birthday by eating pizzas for a week! She shared his five favourites, but his top pick was Stony Plain’s Atomic Pizza.
- Sharon reviewed Korean-Chinese restaurant Rae Mi Hyang.
Local News
- The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is offering their afternoon tea to go for pick-up over the Mother’s Day weekend, while Workshop Eatery has put together some timely gift baskets for the occasion.
- A car crashed into Pind Punjab Restaurants and Sweets today; although no one was hurt, the business owner does not know when they might re-open.
- Foodora has announced that they will be closing operations in Canada in May.
Beyond Edmonton
- Restaurants across Canada are uncertain the reliance on third-party delivery apps are tenable to their bottom lines at this time.
- This NYT Magazine feature by Gabrielle Hamilton is a must-read – synthesizing her twenty years in the restaurant business and why her restaurant may not return after the pandemic.
- As some states in the US are permitting restaurants and bars to re-open, the NYT explores how post-pandemic dining might look.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- The Organic Box is partnering with participants in Open Farm Days to deliver three locally-sourced boxes for a limited time this week, in support of Alberta producers.
- Given all of the uncertainty in supply chains, it’s great timing that Sundog Organic will be offering farm box subscriptions this year!
- Supplies of meat across the country are being impacted by meat processing plant shut downs, while there is a glut of some agricultural products, such as milk and potatoes.
What I Ate
- Friday night dinner was take-out from Dynasty Century Palace – they’re offering 30% off all pick-up orders. It was a great excuse to visit a #yegchinatown mainstay and get a walk in as well!
Our order from Dynasty Century Palace
Only Here for the Food 