Restaurant Receives Support for Upholding Mask Bylaw
Last week, Blue Plate Diner tweeted that they refused entry to patrons who chose not to follow the current mask bylaw.
“Soo… there’s still a mask-wearing bylaw in effect right,? Because we just got chewed out by a couple who "weren’t going to do this shit" when we politely asked them to put on their masks so we could take them to their table. Our staff and I will not be bullied.”
On August 1, 2020, the City of Edmonton adopted a bylaw that mandates a mask or face covering in all indoor public places. This includes inside restaurants when diners are not eating or drinking.
Co-owner Rima Devitt shared with CTV News that the patron was a regular customer. The restaurant had also experienced a second incident where a different customer refused to wear a mask.
The response to their tweet was overwhelmingly positive, with most respondents supporting their stance of enforcing the required protocol.
COVID-19-related News
- Uccellino has voluntarily chosen to temporarily close because the spouse of a kitchen staff has tested positive for COVID-19. They will be ensuring all staff have a negative test result before re-opening.
- McDonald’s closed two additional Edmonton locations after staff tested positive for COVID-19.
Openings
- Mood Cafe is opening soon in the space formerly occupied by Gracious Goods in Belgravia (7601 115 Street). They will offer pastry and pizzas.
- A new restaurant called Taste of Lebanon is forthcoming on Whyte Avenue and 101 Street.
- Smokehouse BBQ has relocated their operations to the German Canadian Culture Association (8310 Roper Road). The restaurant will re-open September 10, 2020 and feature a German menu and selected Smokehouse items.
Closures
- Malaysian restaurant Island Cafe & Bistro is now closed.
Upcoming Events
- 2019 Great Kitchen Party and 2020 Fire Masters winner Chef JP Dublado will be holding a take-out pop-up at Filistix Downtown on August 30, 2020. Take a peek at his menu and order online.
- If you’re craving Montreal-style bagels, Tamara Vineberg is co-hosting a bagel fundraiser for the B’nai Brith Youth Organization – $20 per dozen bagels to be received on September 16, 2020. Orders need to be in by September 11.
Local News
- Liane Faulder is retiring from The Edmonton Journal on August 31, 2020 after more than 30 years with the paper. While Liane has not been primarily covering food since August 2019, it is a loss for the local food scene.
- Congratulations to Northern Chicken who raised over $1500 for In the Weeds YEG, a group of hospitality professionals who provide mental health support and advocacy.
- Both Corso 32 and Bar Bricco remain closed due to flood damage.
- Explore Edmonton is offering a free digital brewery pass, which enables pass holder discounts at ten local breweries.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- Alberta Farmer has the origin story of Rosy Farms, a haskap farm in Alcomdale. Owner Andrew Rosychuk is investigating on-farm processing of the berries, and the potential to grow the market for haskaps and processed products.
What I Ate
- Filistix easily has the cutest patio Downtown – two tables framed by wood planters and a great set back from the street. We had to try their new sweet spaghetti (with hot dogs, of course). Emily loved it, but Mack and I will likely always prefer the flavour bomb that is the bagoong xo fried rice.
Sweet spaghetti from Filistix
- Running errands was made better after refueling at Farrow. Long live the Grick!
Grick sandwich from Farrow
Only Here for the Food 