Intent Coffee Closes Permanently

Back in September, Intent Coffee opened their cafe in Southgate Centre with such promise. Run by Mavi Tolentino and Reika Herradura, both identifying as queer first-generation Philipinx, Intent Coffee had a grand vision: “By hiring, investing, and empowering marginalized people in coffee, we will create a positive social and economic impact to the marginalized communities here in so-called Edmonton and as well as uplift Indigenous coffee producers in the Philippines.”

In preparation for their opening, they were able to successfully crowdfund over $6,000 to cover start-up costs. Their initial staff were made up of six people from the queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities, with the hope of creating a safe space for queer youth and people of colour.

Unfortunately, Intent Coffee announced that their shop closed permanently last week. In a statement posted to Instagram on July 26, 2021, they disclosed the financial duress they had been under and how their inexperience affected the business:

“In early July, we literally had $1,000 in our checking account. We have also made bad financial decisions over the past two weeks out of desperation to keep our doors open and keep our livelihoods…Going into this, we didn’t have any business background and definitely didn’t have any money. Our lack of experience led us to making mistake after mistake.”

Tolentino and Herrandura go on to say they are hopeful their work might spark some change:

“We might have failed in moving towards our vision but we at least failed forward and we certainly did not fail in trying. We hope that we have inspired at least one of you to be the change or create the change you want to see in the world.”

Openings

• A restaurant called Shoyu Sushi is coming soon to the former Allegro spot downtown, at 10011 109 Street.
• An outpost of The Canadian Brewhouse is now open at the Edmonton International Airport, next to the Central Security.

Closures

• La Boule, the popular Old Strathcona bakery, is announcing that they will be closing their doors on August 22, 2021. But we may see the business again at some point: “Our lease has come to an end and so we must say farewell. This is not goodbye forever, just so long for now.”
• Several restaurants at the Edmonton International Airport closed permanently over the last year, including Wayne Gretzky’s Wine and Whisky, Heineken Lounge, and Brioche Dorée Bakery.

Upcoming Events

• A reminder that the Heritage Festival returns July 31-August 2, 2021. Free timed-entry passes are required for entry.
• Ice District’s plaza hosts ICE Jam every Saturday starting at 5pm, with live music and food and beverages for purchase.
• Concert series Lord of the Wings (which hosts local talent but also offering up a side of wings) continues on August 28 and September 11, 2021 with two dates remaining at ReMax Field. The Journal has a backgrounder on the event.

Local News

• Edify is looking for the best burger in Edmonton in their Edify Burger Challenge. Submissions will be accepted until July 29, 2021.
• Opinions on 124’s newest addition, The Lot, which hosts a rotating roster of food trucks, are mixed.
• According to OpenTable data, Edmonton restaurants have seen an increase in customers in July 2021 when compared with July 2019.
• The Journal has the backstory on Drizzle Ice Cream.
• Seven local breweries located on 99 Street want to rebrand the road to be called “Happy Beer Street”.
• On its first day in operation, the Snickerdoodle booth at Taste of Edmonton was destroyed by a self-contained fire.
• The next item added to Edify’s Best Things to Eat list is the parmesan soup from Bundok.
• Sharman was invited to try the Hotel Macdonald’s patio offerings at the Confederate Lounge.
• Alberta’s craft distilleries continue to grow in numbers, alongside the number of craft breweries.
• The City is conducting a survey about its pilot program of permitting alcohol consumption at select picnic sites in Edmonton.
• Chef Scott Johathan Iserhoff of Pei Pei Chei Ow was featured in a Travel Alberta piece on his recommendations for Indigenous food, art, and storytelling in Edmonton.
• Local restauranteur Morris Klimove, who opened multiple restaurants in Edmonton including Steak Lofts, passed away at the age of 97.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Edmonton’s Better Business Bureau launched the Diversity, Inclusion and You Farm with produce grown donated to local organizations.
• Edify has a great profile on the family behind Chatwsorth Farm, and their shift to online virtual tours and farm education.

What I Ate

• I’m happy I was able to introduce Rosewood Foods to my two visiting sisters last week – I opted for their bistro chicken salad that day – light but satisfying.

Bistro chicken salad from Rosewood Foods

• Friday was the perfect evening to continue our picnic tradition with Young & Restless Pizza. One pie would have easily fed three adults but we wanted to sample both the pepperoni and meat lovers. The crust was thin and chewy, with a generous amount of toppings. Definitely worth a try, especially if you have the chance to enjoy it outdoors!

Pepperoni pizza from Young & Restless Pizza

• We walked over to the Black Owned Market’s one year anniversary event on Saturday and picked up some great finds! This included the chin chin poppers from Travelling Dishes, a Nigerian food service – immensely addictive, we all couldn’t stop eating them.

Chin chin poppers from Travelling Dishes

Geoscapes Returns to Elevate More Local Chefs

Geoscapes, the brainchild of co-founders Kris Harvey and Trevor Lipton, is returning for a second series of special events. Featuring guest chefs who prepare multi-course menus served up in transparent dining domes, the event runs from July 15-August 28, 2021. This time, they have partnered with Snow Valley who is not only hosting the domes, but also a separate full-service patio and bar.

Back in March, Geoscapes was the latest iteration of domed dining opportunities to appear in Edmonton, similar to the set ups offered at the Courtyard Marriot and Tiramisu Bistro, or during last year’s Dining Under the Stars. Located then at Victoria Golf Course, the domes offered what many guests were looking for at the time – a safe way to dine out indoors. “It was a huge success and was sold out almost every day of the week,” said Harvey. “We created really safe [dining] opportunities, and people said they loved that we brought life to that dark corridor of the river valley.”

It was also a boon to the hospitality professionals involved at a time when indoor dining was limited. “The chefs and businesses were doing double or triple capacity during that time period [because of Geoscapes],” said Harvey. “Over the six weeks, those businesses made over $150,000.”

In addition, unlike other domes that were imported, Geoscapes customized and manufactured their own structures locally. Harvey shared that the polycarbonate panels can hold 300 pounds of weight and can withstand wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour. In fact, Geoscapes is getting so much interest in the domes themselves from tourism boards and resorts abroad that they may be able to grow this aspect of their business as well.

This summer, Geoscapes will highlight the food from eight chefs. While there are some returning chefs from the previous event, including Shane Chartrand and Lindsay Porter, others are new to Geoscapes. “We really wanted to represent Edmonton as best as possible,” said Harvey. “We made sure we had representation from different communities and backgrounds, including women – we have amazing women chefs in Edmonton.”

Chefs Mai Nguyen of Gourmai Dumplings and Eric Hanson (formerly of Prairie Noodle) are participating in Geoscapes for the first time; neither are currently working at restaurants, and Harvey is excited that guests will be able to enjoy their exclusive menus. Chefs Tony Le and Troy Griffith from Century Hospitality Group are also new additions, and will be bringing their cuisine to the domed environment.

Harvey was also happy to invite Rub’d chef Calvin Tuefeld to the event. “We wanted to create opportunities for young chefs who are doing interesting things,” said Harvey. “This event can also open doors for future generations [of chefs].”

Tickets for the event are $125 for adults, with a minimum of four people per dome. While they did introduce the chance to purchase tickets for children at a discounted rate of $25, Harvey admits that the cost may exclude some diners. For this reason, they worked with Snow Valley to create two more approachable outdoor experiences in Tito’s Patio and Botanist Garden.

Tito’s Patio is led by Chef Kevin Ostapek (formerly of Prairie Noodle and Three Boars), and is promising a slice of Austin, Texas in Edmonton. “It’s truly an accessible option,” said Harvey. “You can get everything from hot dogs and burgers as well as amazing smoked brisket and pulled pork.” Sweet tea and lemonade complete the southern experience.

Botanist Garden, on the other hand, aims to transport guests to a garden party with fresh spritzes and flower-filled planters. Both patios are open for walk-ins only from Thursday to Sunday, 12-8pm.

Given restrictions have been fully lifted as of July 1, and summer weather begets outdoor dining, some might be questioning the need to dine in a closed (albeit air-conditioned) dome. But Harvey insists that the personalized nature of Geoscapes is priceless. “[The domes] give people the opportunity to create their own experience,” said Harvey. “At a restaurant, the table next to you is a factor, or the restaurant’s music selection.” And the reality is, many people aren’t fully ready to dine out in public yet. “Some people don’t want others in their space,” said Harvey.

Harvey is also looking towards the future, as the concept travels well. Their first chef in this series, Edmonton ex-pat and Food Network Canada star chef Roger Mooking, has expressed excitement that Geoscapes might tour the country. “We’ll be looking for partnerships,” said Harvey. “And we want to take our local chefs along, too and show the world how good they are.”

Openings

• There’s a new soft serve ice cream purveyor in town called Drizzle Ice Cream, located at 10322 81 Avenue.
• Bodega’s Sherwood Park location, its fifth in the Edmonton area, is opening on July 20, 2021. It is located at 210, 410 Baseline Road.
• The Italian Centre’s fourth location in the Edmonton area is opening in Sherwood Park on July 21, 2021. Find it at 8005 Emerald Drive.
• The Alley is opening its third location in Edmonton at 11966 104 Avenue later this month.
• Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea is now open in West Edmonton Mall, inside T&T.
• New bagel vendor Beb’s Bagels is selling its product at the 124 Grand Market.

Upcoming Events

• Eats on 118 tours are back this summer, running July 21, August 4 + 18, and September 1, 2021. Each event will involve stops at 3 restaurants. Tickets are $40, and act fast, because the first event is already sold out.

Local News

• Buddy Wonton has introduced Edmonton’s first robot server, a motorized cart that is programmed to deliver dishes to tables.
• The latest addition to Edify’s best things to eat list is the whipped ricotta from Corso 32.
• Have you tried the waffle doughnuts from Whoanuts?
• The Taste of Edmonton is still in urgent need of volunteers for gate counters.
• Dream Donair, located at 6230 99 Street, will provide free meals to those in need.
• Omar Mouallem’s documentary titled The Last Baron will premiere on CBC Gem on September 17, 2021.
• James Grant spoke with CBC about how he captured the title of the World’s Best Bartender.
• Signs placed at some parks as a reminder that alcohol consumption is not permitted there is overkill, says one Edmontonian.
• A University of Alberta researcher is seeking food businesses willing to respond to a survey on food waste. The goal will be to better understand how to reduce or redirect food waste.

What I Ate

• • It’s been great to have both my sisters back in town for the first time in 18 months! We’ve been hitting up certain places they’ve missed, including King Noodle House.

Take-out from King Noodle House

• • We had a great time returning to the haskap u-pick at Rosy Farms for a second year! We did not expect it to be as windy and chilly as it was (Mack had the foresight to suggest we bring jackets), but the pickings were even better than last year. Emily had a blast and ate her weight in haskaps (we topped up our pail charge to accommodate). We look forward to eating our way through the berries this week. Rosy Farms will be open for their u-pick for just another week, as a hailstorm unfortunately shortened their season this week.

Haskap picking at Rosy Farms

Taste of Edmonton Returns to Churchill Square

After being forced to cancel the festival in 2020, Taste of Edmonton has not only returned to the summer event calendar, but also to its long-term home at Churchill Square. This year’s iteration runs July 22-August 1, 2021.

In 2018 and 2019, Taste of Edmonton had relocated to Violet King Henry Plaza on the Alberta Legislature grounds, and though some guests and restaurants expressed that they preferred that site, the festival always intended to return to Churchill Square. “[Violet King Henry] Plaza was a temporary home until construction on the Square was finished,” said Leana Santos, Marketing Manager for Events Edmonton, the organization that operates Taste of Edmonton. “The LRT construction will not have any effect on physical distancing at the festival and 2021’s site plan is the largest in the festival’s history to allow for ample physical distancing.”

A number of gates will contain the festival site to manage capacity. However, guests will not have to queue for entrance or restrict their time on the festival grounds, Santos said.

The Heritage Festival announced this year that they have eliminated paper tickets in favour of direct electronic transactions with pavilions. Taste of Edmonton, however, is moving forward with the use of paper tickets. “In 2019 we had the option to purchase digital tickets [through the Taste of Edmonton mobile app],” said Santos. “However, after receiving feedback from our restaurant partners and attendees, we decided to switch back to hardcopy tickets to increase the speed of sale.”

The 2021 festival will feature 51 restaurants and food trucks. The menu as presented in the guide is akin to the Heritage Festival, with items organized by ethnic cuisine. As this is the first event since the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum, I was curious what Events Edmonton might be doing to address systemic inequities in their festival. “Events Edmonton welcomes all cultures at the Taste of Edmonton,” said Santos. “We are celebrating the city’s diverse cultures with over 150 menu items and the menu has everything from Canadian to Jamaican to Indigenous and everything in between.”

Although the website is coy regarding whether live entertainment will take place, Santos confirmed that patrons will be able to expect live entertainment.

Early bird pricing for Taste of Edmonton tickets ends July 21; they can be purchased in-person, online and at special events such as Al Fresco on 4th on July 17.

Openings

• Roasti Coffee has set up a temporary trailer at Snow Valley for the summer, from Thursdays to Sundays.
• After closing Mandarin, their successful University-area restaurant, due to the pandemic, Patrick Wong and his wife opened up 888 Dim Sum and Noodle in Devon.

Upcoming Events

• The dining domes of Geoscapes is returning, but this time at Snow Valley from July 15-August 28, 2021. Chefs involved in this iteration include Eric Hanson (formerly of Prairie Noodle), Lindsay Porter (of The Common), Mai Nguyen (of Gourmai Dumplings), and Toronto-based Roger Mooking. Tickets are $125 per person, with a minimum of 4 persons per dome.
• The Summer Fun Midway in place of K-Days will be running July 23-August 1, 2021, and will feature rides and fair food.
• The Black-Owned Market Edmonton is celebrating their first anniversary with an event on July 24, 2021 at Victoria School. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP.
• Backstairs Burger (still gearing up to open at 5th Street Food Hall), is popping up at the Coals and Cleavers patio on July 24, 2021.
• 17 Edmonton area restaurants are participating in Alberta on a Plate, a festival that celebrates local producers. Running August 6-15, 2021, the menus for the restaurants will be up on August 1.
• Packwood Grand returns on August 28, 2021 at the Century Mile Racetrack. It combines horse racing, fashion, and food and drink.

Local News

• Congratulations to James Grant, who was crowned the 2021 World Class Bartender of the Year. He worked most recently at Little Hong Kong.
• Chef Lindsay Porter is the new chef at The Common, and has revamped their menu. She also shares that a “secret patio” has been added to their lounge, 9910.
• In addition to being women-owned themselves, the owners of Brew and Bloom also house 20-30 products made by local women entrepreneurs.
• CBC interviewed Alan Demachi of Yoshi Express about opening his business in the pandemic, and how the last year has gone.
• Phil’s latest Best Dishes column focuses on Little Bear Gelato.
• On the same theme, DailyHive has a list of different ice creams to try in the city.
• The latest additions to EDify’s Best Things to Eat are the New York striploin from Liquids Kitchen & Bar and the chicken and beef shawarma combo from Shish Shawarma.
• Jason Foster profiles RavenWolf, a new brewery in Spruce Grove.
• Those looking for a patio in the Old Strathcona area can consult this map from the Old Strathcona Business Association for suggestions.
• Heritage Festival Executive Director Jim Gibbon shares what to expect at this year’s event.
• In response to the news that the UCP is trying to rollback nurses’ salaries, Arcadia is offering 10% off to nurses.
• The pandemic has ravaged the restaurant industry, with a number of people lost to suicide this year.
• Twyla’s recent seasonal eating column on CBC focused on greens and herbs.
• The provincial government has created a “Made in Alberta, by Albertans” label to help people quickly identify food at local farmers’ markets or grocery stores.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The extreme heat may have a long lasting effect on area crops and gardens, says Dieter Kuhlmann of Kuhlmann’s Greenhouses.
• Steve Breum of Alberta Farm to Food Bank near Pigeon Lake has donated 100,000 pounds of fresh food to food banks in the province since 2018.

What I Ate

• Our new daily route takes us by Rosewood Foods, so there will be a lot more patty melts in my future. Such a great sandwich.

Patty melt from Rosewood Foods

• We had take-out from Coals and Cleavers on Friday. It’s a hidden gem only in its second week run by the Alberta BBQ Collective. They’re operating a pop-up patio Downtown behind the Freemasons Hall (10318 100 Avenue). I really enjoyed the whole hog pork, and Emily ate up her share of mac and cheese!

Whole hog plate with collard greens and baked beans from Coals and Cleavers

Black Box Hospitality Embraces Pandemic-Induced Changes

It’s been over ten years since Nate Box opened the modest but mighty Elm Cafe in Oliver, and it’s safe to say that in that decade, he’s seen it all. Now at the helm of Black Box Hospitality Group, made up of four businesses including restaurants and a liquor store, even that experience couldn’t prepare him for the challenges wrought by a global pandemic. “The hardest part was the initial closures in [March] 2020,” said Box, “We laid off nearly 60 staff members overnight.”

Box’s longevity in the hospitality business is no accident, however. He attributes much of their success in navigating the changing restrictions to his strong team and their ability to continuously adapt. He also shared that some of the changes made in the last year may end up being permanent. At June’s Delicatessen, for instance, they expanded the takeaway menu with more transportable food and added shelves for pantry and home items. “It’s strange [be]cause we’re not sure if the plated-style menus we initially came up with will ever return,” said Box. “This grab-and-go style has been so much more accessible and simple to execute.”

Box shared that Highlands Liquor has, like other liquor stores in the province, been busy. However, to overcome the narrow margins in the business, they have been fortunate to build up a loyal clientele who return for their curated selection and staff knowledge. “It’s been encouraging to see people stocking up…on amazing craft Alberta beers, spirits, and small producer natural wines,” said Box.

District, on the other hand, was hit hardest, as it has been closed for nearly ten months in total since March 2020. Reliant on traffic from workers occupying the surrounding corporate and government towers, Box indicated that District won’t resume even partial operations until after Labour Day. In the meantime, the space has since been transformed to a pizzeria from Wednesdays to Sundays, called Young & Restless. “Pizza just makes sense for the District space and the current dining and takeout trends,” said Box. “Not to mention that that neighbourhood is in a bit of a pizza desert.” Box acknowledges (and supports) the success of other pizza concepts that have developed during the pandemic such as Sepp’s and High Dough, but is aiming to be more affordable and accessible than his counterparts.

While previous menus at District included pizza, the pies served at Young & Restless are quite a bit different. “[That pizza] wasn’t the kind you could box up and takeout,” said Box. “So we went back to the drawing board…Erica [Box, chief baker] spent 6 weeks or so figuring out a dough recipe that would work.” The cauliflower and sage pizza has carried over to the new menu, but other topping combinations, such as a mushroom ricotta and meat lovers, are all different.

Their newest establishment, Fox Burger, required the biggest pivot. Pre-pandemic, they relied (as most other restaurants did) on in-person dining. “We learned and adapted new software, websites, and promotions to change on the fly,” said Box. “And the neighbourhood and city rallied behind us to be their go-to choice for burgers and beers.”

The food truck was a fortuitous addition, when an ad for a fair priced, well-equipped truck came up. “Through the pandemic our limitation has been location and size of the kitchen,” said Box. “We didn’t and don’t need a big ass dining room to do what we were doing, we needed a bigger kitchen.” The Fox Burger truck has been in operation since May, with Wednesdays earmarked for service in different areas across the city. “It’s been great fun and also such an amazing way to test and engage with other neighbourhoods,” said Box. “We’ve had block-long line ups and even served 200+ burgers one evening in the pouring rain.” Box sees the truck as an additional revenue stream that will help Black Box recover in the long run.

While he stresses that Black Box has been doing okay, Box isn’t certain of the future, even with the removal of all restrictions as of July 1. “To be frank, I think that small businesses, especially those like ours in hospitality, are unaware of our vulnerability right now,” said Box. “Summer’s here, people are excited about going out, it’s bustling and it feels normal, but we’re forgetting that most businesses have been able to rely on government subsidies that will dry up soon, and that debts will be called, and that the cold slow months are four months away.”

COVID-19-related News

• Since mandatory mask requirements were lifted on July 1, some businesses have continued to require that patrons don a face covering. These include Fleisch and Sugared and Spiced.
• Depending on the community and the approach, restaurants across Alberta, including Campio Brewing and Fleisch, are grappling with the challenges that come with the removal of restrictions.
• Some patrons rang in the occasion of lifted restrictions at BRBN St at West Edmonton Mall at midnight on July 1.

Openings

• It looks like the folks behind Meat, The Next Act, and Pip are getting into the sandwich business with Pal’s.
• Medium Rare Carnivore Club has opened in Chapelle at 6492 Cartmell Road SW.
• Coals & Cleavers, operated by the Alberta BBQ Collective, held their official opening over the weekend. Find their pop-up patio at 10318 100 Avenue.
• Wheet Nothings, a gluten-free restaurant operating in Stony Plain, has gained quite the following for their donairs.
• Twisted Indian Wraps is a Canadian-based chain. They opened their first location outside of Ontario in Edmonton. Find them at 4440 Calgary Trail.

Upcoming Events

• Another Sari Sari Market, highlighting Fillipino businesses, will be held on July 24, 2021 at 9912 72 Avenue. Sosyal Scoops and Filistix will be among the vendors.
• Linda is hosting two cooking classes on July 27 and 28, 2021 with Pei Pei Chei Ow as a part of her month-long birthday celebrations. This comes as a part of her personal reconciliation efforts: “One of those acts includes pledging to spend money intentionally supporting local Indigenous businesses, such as artists and restaurants.” Tickets are $40, and 100% of the ticket fee will go to Pei Pei Chei Ow.

Local News

• On July 1, some businesses including Biera, Kind Ice Cream, Rosewood Foods, and Roasti Coffee chose to donate profits to organizations supporting Indigenous survivors or anti-racism groups.
• The Thursday 124 Street Market has been forced by the City of Edmonton and 124 Street Business Association to reduce their footprint to pre-COVID guidelines. This will mean vendors will not be able to physically distance booths. They are asking patrons to fill out a survey in July and sign a petition to support an expanded footprint. However, organizers are threatening to potentially move the market if a resolution cannot be found: “In the event that the market cannot secure additional space to support 60+ vendors and is found to not be able to operate safely and effectively for customers, we will be forced to move the popular, flagship 124 Grand Market location that has been operating harmoniously in the 124 Street neighborhood the last decade.”
• EDify’s Best Things to Eat series continues with Partake’s beef tartare and the bronzed ribeye from Rigoletto’s.
• Meuwly’s Artisan Food Market just celebrated their third birthday.
• Heat wave or no heat wave, it sounds like the Calle Mexico patio is becoming a popular spot for Edmontonians.
• The Transit Hotel restaurant owner is frustrated with the challenges he’s faced with the City’s permitting process, which has delayed their opening.
• There are consequences to being the last to adopt new service methods: the Edmonton Downtown Famers’ Market is closing their curbside pick-up option after six months in operation (Old Strathcona and Bountiful are continuing their programs).

Beyond Edmonton

• Food Day Canada is asking Canadians to pledge to shop, cook, and dine on Canadian ingredients on July 31, 2021.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Ceres Solutions is an Olds-based company taking spent grain from the brewing process then reusing it to grow mushrooms, then as protein-enhanced livestock feed.

What I Ate

• • I hit up the Campio Brewing Market that takes place every other week to pick up cinnamon buns from Typ Top Bakery. I have a soft spot for them and with the business also being a social enterprise, it’s a win-win.

Typ Top cinnamon buns

• • Forgetting your lunch isn’t so bad when T & D Noodle House is the fallback!

Grilled chicken and spring roll vermicelli bowl from T & D

• • Mack and I had a breakfast date at OEB last week. We’re still not comfortable dining indoors, so we’re grateful for the restaurants who have preserved their patios even as they’ve more fully opened up their dining rooms.

Breakfast plates from OEB