Pop-up Brings Chinatown to Downtown Farmers’ Market

Lola’s Gift Shop, a month-long pop-up located on the first floor of the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market (EDFM), aims to raise awareness about businesses in Chinatown, in addition to Asian- and BIPOC-owned businesses.

Developed through a partnership between the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society of Edmonton (CTC) and the creative collective I’ll Call You Tomorrow (ICYT), Lola’s will operate every weekend during market hours until Feb. 27.

CTC had been exploring ways to engage the community to increase visitors to the neighbourhood, said Alicia Chung, special events coordinator for CTC. Fortuitously, this lined up with ICYT’s intent to create a multi-brand retail boutique, said co-founder and creative director Raeland Mendoza.

“Since our studio is located in CO*LAB, adjacent to the Chinatown and Boyle Street communities as well as downtown, early on we knew if we were to expand our physical retail strategy, it’d also have to reflect the parts of the city that are meaningful to us as a collective,” said Mendoza. “That idea eventually became Lola’s Gift Shop.”

The partnership with the farmers’ market came about from an existing relationship between EDFM and the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA), one of the key stakeholders that advocated for the creation of the CTC back in 2018. In years past, the market and the CBA had collaborated on several long-table feasts for nearby residents.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for both (the CTC and the EDFM) to accomplish our respective and collective goals through collaboration,” said Chung. “The CTC hopes to bring value by adding to the vibrancy and the existing community of incredible vendors at the EDFM, as well as finding at least one way to answer the question, ‘If people aren’t currently coming to Chinatown, how can we bring Chinatown to them?'”

Lola’s Gift Shop plans to accomplish this by offering products from a mix of established Chinatown-based businesses and up-and-coming vendors, with an emphasis on businesses owned by people of Asian descent or people who are Black, Indigenous, or people of colour.

“Part of the fun in curating our brand list is pairing different scales of businesses,” said Mendoza. “Similar to the diversity in Chinatown, each brand is in a different part of their respective journey.”

Food and food-related products feature prominently among the 30 vendors sold at Lola’s, which also spans art, home goods, and fashion. “Since we’re Asian, there must always be food — really good food!” said Chung.

Brands currently available are Caramunchies, DRTY Ice Cream, Gourmai Dumplings, Hungry Zine, Mamahan Pastries, and Momma Tong, with plans to bring more well-known brands like Hong Kong Bakery and Ying Fat for special appearances.

Mendoza hopes that Lola’s will ultimately lead more people to explore Chinatown, located just one block north of the market building on 97 Street.

“A benefit of having over 30 retail vendor partners in our brand list is that we now have over 30 additional platforms in the city to talk about their own experience with the neighbourhood,” said Mendoza. “… (We) aim to bridge the gap for more Edmontonians to explore Chinatown.”

COVID-19-related News

• Bodega’s Sherwood Park location will be closed until February 2, 2022 due to a staff member testing positive for COVID-19.
• Northern Chicken is now offering dine-in service for lunch.

Openings

• Burger Brawl (a ghost kitchen run out of DOSC) returns on February 1, 2022.
• Fuzion Donuts are a ghost kitchen that opened up recently and is available through delivery.
• Another ghost kitchen, Taco Nova, launches February 2, 2022.
• El Corazon’s Latin flavours will be available soon at West Block in Glenora (142 Street and 102 Avenue).

Local News

• Just in time for Lunar New Year, Linda has a great post about whether businesses should sell Lunar New Year-themed products.
• Chef Sonny Sung shared his memories of Lunar New Year growing up. He was consulted by Twyla Campbell to help put together a list of best Asian restaurants in the city.
• Roasti Coffee shared that due to economic conditions and price increases, they will be increasing the price of their drinks and some beans.
• Fat Unicorn Brewery, with locations in Edmonton and Lac La Biche, support the truck convoy. Similarly, Dutch Delicious also supported the convoy.
• Phil’s Best Dish column last week focused on Culina To Go’s grab and go concept.
• Edify samples the sauerkraut soup from Continental Treat’s downtown location.
• Happy birthday to Bundok, who just celebrated their fifth year in business.
• The Edmonton Sun’s recent 20 Questions featured A Capella’s Kim Mahoney and Caramunchies’ Alysia Lok.
• Meuwly’s is offering a new referral program for their charcuterie subscriptions – current subscribers can give new subscribers a $10 discount while getting a $10 subscription credit.
• Happy Beer Street continues to pick up traction with seven breweries now a part of the unofficial brewery district.

What I Ate

• Tres Carnales Rostizado was offering an amazing deal in January – just $7 for their delicious chicken burrito. Even without the discount, it’s worth seeking out!

Chicken burrito from Tres Carnales Rostizado

• We decided it was best for Emily to have a virtual birthday celebration for a second year in a row. To help our Edmonton-based family commemorate the occasion, we delivered Sugared and Spiced cupcakes to everyone (customized with Emily’s favourite colours!), which the bakery pre-boxed for us for easy drop-offs. They tasted as good as they looked!

Vanilla funfetti cupcake from Sugared and Spiced

On The Edge Coffee Adopts Self-Contained Coffee Roaster

A new kind of ventless coffee roaster is allowing Edmonton’s On The Edge Coffee to release less pollution and tailor its roast to each type of bean.

Bellwether Coffee, based out of Berkeley, California, has created an electric and automated system that allows roasters to operate in spaces without requiring separate ventilation. On The Edge started using the machine at its Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market kiosk in December 2021, becoming the first in Edmonton and one of just a handful of roasters using the system across Canada.

Owner Jodine Chase acknowledged that coffee has challenges when it comes to sustainability, considering the distance it travels to reach consumers in other parts of the world. But transitioning to the Bellwether was a way for On The Edge to cut down on its own emissions. “Roasting accounts for about 15% of the coffee industry’s footprint, and so there’s room to reduce that right here in coffee-consuming countries instead of mainly burdening low- and middle-income coffee-growing countries,” said Chase.

The Bellwether’s air filtration system reduces the volatile organic compounds and particulate matter that traditional roasters release into the atmosphere, she added.

Jodine Chase with On the Edge Coffee’s Bellwether Roaster

Another big selling feature of the Bellwether is its consistent product output. Bellwether users have the option to source beans directly from the company, then program the machine to roast it based on a specific profile uploaded by Bellwether for that particular bean. That seamlessness allows roasters with less experience to tap into global expertise through the power of the internet. Currently, 75% of the beans roasted by On the Edge are from Bellwether.

“On my best day, I couldn’t do it as consistent as the (Bellwether) does,” said Jennifer Graham, head barista with On the Edge. Graham said the system permits the creation of roast profiles for beans sourced from elsewhere, or to edit existing profiles if they aren’t satisfied with the results. She believes that coffee roasted in the Bellwether has a cleaner flavour most apparent in light-roast coffees. “In our Ethiopian coffee, you can better taste the bergamot and blueberry notes,” she said.

On the Edge has plans to offer coffee cuppings and tastings in the spring to showcase what the Bellwether can do. They’re also not averse to the possibility of offering tastes of conventionally roasted beans alongside their Bellwether roasted beans to allow consumers the chance to judge the product for themselves.

Currently, most of the roasting is done on Sunday afternoons during market hours, and customers are welcome to stop by to see the Bellwether in action. “Customers really love it,” said Chase. “Most folks coming to farmers’ markets have a real interest in supporting local and supporting growing and food production practices. They can sip a coffee while learning about the farm it comes from as they watch the beans turn from green to brown right in front of their eyes.”

COVID-19-related News

• Mikado temporarily closed dine-in service and will re-open on January 30, 2022. They remain open for take-out.
• St. Louis Bar and Grill in St. Albert had to close for two weeks due to staff illness.
• Restaurants continue to struggle as the pandemic continues, including those downtown that continue to face reduced foot traffic.
• The Granary, a restaurant in Red Deer, was forced to close after AHS received complaints that staff had permitted guests to dine in after showing the picture of a dog with their identification. They have since been allowed to re-open after demonstrating their understanding of the Restrictions Exemption Program.

Openings

• Les Moulins La Fayette is a new French bakery that opened on January 14, 2022 at 4460 Calgary Trail. It joins locations in Calgary, and several in Ontario and Quebec.
• Mama Mia Pizzeria is now open at 6875 Ad Astra Blvd.
• KB and Co will be opening a location on the north side (16715 127 Street) in February 2022.

Closures

• Olly Fresco’s in the Edmonton City Centre Mall is permanently closed.

Upcoming Events

• Check out the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative’s Pop-Up Shop, running every weekend at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market until February 26-27, 2022. Find local products from Caramunchies, Mama Han, and Hungry Zine, with more to be added!
• Eats on 118 is launching its Lunch Club with an event at Mama Asha Cafe on January 26, 2022. The meal includes an opportunity to learn more about the business owner and their inspiration. Tickets are $25.
• Chef Table Living is offering several different food tours in conjunction with Ice on Whyte. Adult tickets are $79 and include visits to a couple of restaurants and VIP access to the festival.
• The Colombian is hosting a Valentine’s Experience featuring a six-course plated menu paired with natural wines on February 12, 2021. Only tables of 4 remain, for $300.

Local News

• Linda has a thread about some of the local businesses offering Lunar New Year specials in anticipation of next week’s festivities.
• Northern Chicken was transparent about their menu price adjustments made to compensate for increases in their costs.
• Edify samples some of Campio Brewing Co.’s popular menu items.
• Tzin’s windows and tiles were damaged after a police arrest outside their restaurant last summer – but the City of Edmonton will not compensate them for the nearly $3,000 in damages caused.
• In case you missed it – The Yards shared their annual Best in the Core list, including their recommendations for the best fries, most allergen-friendly restaurant, best cheap eats, and best coffee shop office.
• Alberta Food Tours has two new Alberta Cares Packages available, featuring produced sourced from Alberta-based businesses.
• The Loblaws City Market in Ice District will open at the end of 2022, about two years behind schedule.
• Shortages at grocery stores will be fuelled by a combination of supply chain challenges, weather, and the Omicron variant.
• Food rescue apps like Flashfood can save consumers money and divert some food waste.
• Congratulations to Parkland County-based Anohka Distillery who won the Best Canadian London Dry Gin at the 2022 Word Gin Awards.

What I Ate

• We walked over to check out Ayco Bakery last week. They will maintain their West Edmonton Mall location but bake everything for both shops downtown. I thought their cinnamon roll was tasty, and Emily could not stop talking about her strawberry-glazed donut.

Part of Ayco’s baking case

• We finished Chinatown Dining Week strong with a feast from Spirit Bistro and Namaste India. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the event this year!

Our spread from Spirit Bistro and Namaste India

• When Love Pizza offers a great customer appreciation deal at the same time as their amazing mac & cheeza, you order two Big Love size pies! Emily also got to customize her kid-size pizza which was also included as a part of their usual Sunday deal.

You can never have enough mac & cheeza

News of Incoming American Chain Disheartens Local Business Owners

On January 13, 2022, it was announced that American chain restaurant P.F. Chang’s would be opening their first Alberta location in Edmonton later this year. To be located in the Currents of Windermere, this would be the chain’s third location in Canada, with existing operations in Montreal and Winnipeg.

Predictably, as has occurred when other international brands enter the Edmonton market for the first time, every media outlet in Edmonton released a story about the forthcoming P.F. Chang’s. At a time when local businesses are challenged because of an unrelenting pandemic with no end in sight, it was especially disheartening to the owners of small establishments.

“The only thing more depressing than trying to maintain your small independent biz during a pandemic is doing it while watching everyone & their dog get a raging hardon for yet another garbage US chain coming to town to serve you bowls of overpriced starch & commodity meat.” – Paul Shufelt, of Workshop Eatery, Woodshed Burgers, and The Greenhouse

“Watching a few more local restaurants close their doors. We are now in the “it’s not worth it” phase. I fear we are entering the death of the small business (under $1 million). When you buy yourself a job and take home all the pressures, unless your plan is to scale…..” – Jimmy Shewchuk, of Prairie Catering, Say Uncle, and May

“If it’s not one thing, it’s another…If you think I’m heartless or driven by profit that I express frustration, you’re mistaken. I’m speaking from a position of survival. And we will not unless this entire situation changes…like, now. We will continue to do what’s necessary to get us to the next checkpoint. We will continue to fight for the survival of our business. We will continue to serve our loyal customers. But fatigue is definitely setting in. And we’re getting tired.” Ariel del Rosario, of Filistix

“Whether or not they’re type of restaurant you personally enjoy, we can all agree that large multinational chains can afford their own advertising. Let’s try to offer more free media coverage to the openings/stories of small independents that make our community vibrant!” – Peter Keith, of Meuwly’s

June’s Delicatessen was the latest local business to announce their closure last week, after many more shuttered their doors in 2021.

COVID-19-related News

• Bro’kin Yolk has voluntarily reduced the capacity at their locations (including their Edmonton restaurant) to 50% capacity.
• The Omicron variant has added complications to the already stressed hospitality community.
• Arcadia has re-opened for dine-in service.

Openings

• Ayco Cafe will be opening downtown at 10551 Jasper Avenue on January 19, 2022.
• Honey Jam, which serves katsu & udon opened on January 14, 2022. They are located at 8130 Gateway Blvd.
• Fuzed Kitchen + Bar is now open at 2335 111 Street (formerly a Brewster’s location).

Upcoming Events

• Chinatown Dining Week continues until January 23, 2022, with $10 and $18 specials offered at 18 participating businesses.
• Three Foodies at the 5th Street Food Hall is hosting a 3-course Burns Supper on January 25, 2022, for $50 a person.

Local News

• I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Adrienne Pan today. She was an ardent supporter of local food, and Chinatown Dining Week could always count on her to help us feature some of the small businesses in our event. This is such a loss for our community – Rest in Peace, Adrienne. Twyla Campbell shared her own memories of Adrienne, as well as some of her favourite restaurants.
• Roasti has decided to call it a snow day tomorrow and proactively keep both cafes closed on January 18, 2022.
• Did you know that two ghost kitchens offering sushi and Thai food operate out of the Royal Pizza located in the Hys Centre?
• A Bite of Brazil is hosting their own Soup Festival featuring all gluten-friendly soups.
• Remedy’s Southgate location is back up and running; their Jasper Avenue cafe is currently under repair.
• Phil’s recent Best Dish column highlighted bakery Sugared and Spiced.
• Edify checks out the Maria’s take on Northern Mexican cuisine.
• Alberta Food Tours highlights their top five vegetarian restaurants in Edmonton.
• CBC profiled cheesemaker Aditya Raghavan of Fleur Jaune.
• The Mawji Centre at NAIT hosted Peter Keith of Mewly’s to discuss their minimum viable product that eventually led to their brick and mortar shop.
• MilkCrate chef Steve Brochu and his wife Lourdes just finished cooking through a second plant-based book.

What I Ate

• Our first (of many) Chinatown Dining Week meals over the weekend involved pho from King Noodle House. It’s such a great deal for $18: large pho, spring rolls, grilled pork balls, and a drink!

King Noodle House Chinatown Dining Week special

• Mack thinks we’ve created a bubble tea monster in Emily! She tore through a majority of the two fresh fruit bubble teas we picked up from Tea Bar Cafe. They’re offering an amazing $10 Chinatown Dining Week special featuring a bubble tea + a bubble waffle.

Bubble tea from Tea Bar Cafe

• We followed that up with a Chinatown Dining Week meal from Syphay, who never disappoints! I love their pad Thai!

Syphay Chinatown Dining Week special

• Any day with Brio is a good day – I had been missing their Prairie loaf terribly. If you haven’t tried it already – their pre-order service is so convenient; it means you not only get to skip the line, but also means you don’t necessarily have to stop inside the shop if you prefer not to.

Goodies from Brio

• We also stopped by the Green Onion Cake Man this weekend after taking in the Deep Freeze festivities on 118 Avenue. There’s nothing like a salty green onion cake right off the griddle!

Green onion cakes from Green Onion Cake Man

Awn Kitchen survives setbacks with community support

Nothing could have prepared Kaelin Whittaker for the challenges she would encounter while trying to build her business, Awn Kitchen, in the middle of a pandemic. But she’s still standing, and her latest shift has been greeted with tremendous support.

“It’s been a roller coaster…I’ve lost sight of the why, I’ve lost sight of the strength and resiliency of myself, I’ve felt defeat, I’ve felt fear, and a whole slew of other emotions,” she said. “But I have also felt so much positivity, love, grace, and so much pride and happiness. The team at Awn is incredible and willing to pivot and adapt as needed, they are there to support one another and the dream and vision that is Awn, to keep dreaming and keep pushing forward, even when the days are hard.”

Awn Kitchen grew from Whittaker’s home-based business, originally called Ruby Apron, which offered baking and cooking classes out of her home. In June 2021, she opened a brick-and-mortar storefront in the neighbourhood of Lansdowne, fulfilling a dream to have a space that would accommodate those classes and a full-service café. She had started planning it in 2019, before COVID-19 turned everything upside-down.

“I had built a strong foundation for Awn before deciding to expand,” said Whittaker. “I knew Lansdowne needed and wanted a café.”

When Whittaker announced the postponement of all in-person classes in December, the community was disappointed but understanding. And their response was overwhelming when she introduced Awn at Home, which offers prepared meals made with seasonal ingredients.

“We’ve sold out every day, the feedback has been so positive, and it’s been a fun way for us to pivot,” said Whittaker. “It’s something we aim to continue doing once we are back to dine-in and offering in-person classes again.”

Whittaker said two things prompted her to expand: “Wanting more as a business owner and the idea of not wanting to put all of my eggs in one basket!”

She’s worked to shelter her 10 staff from layoffs throughout this period, and has been grateful that her team has consistently been on the same page about the pandemic. Awn has been through three sets of government restrictions, though Whittaker notes that she’s always been ahead of the mandated changes.

“In March 2020 I stopped teaching (in my home-based business) before any restrictions were put in place,” she said. “Late in 2020 I did the same, and I didn’t start teaching again until this July. To me, the virus has always been bigger than you or I. It’s about our community, about our first responders, our frontline workers, and about kids.”

Although the last couple of years have been a whirlwind, Whittaker still has a positive outlook on the future for Awn.

“The community in Lansdowne and beyond have been so receptive to what we are doing both in the café and workshop,” she said. “As we pivot and continue to offer new and exciting things, they’re on board for all that we do. It might sound cliché, but on the tough days it’s the community that keep pushing me forward.”

COVID-19-related News

• Broken Spoke Cider has decided to temporarily close their taproom.
• Bodega’s St. Albert location is temporarily closed due to a staff testing positive for COVID-19.
• With some provinces closing restaurants to in-person dining, some are calling for more financial supports for workers affected.

Openings

• The folks behind Workshop Eatery and Woodshed Burger will be opening up Hayloft Steak and Fish in early March.
• Vintage Fork’s tea business will be relocating to a residence in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood this summer.
• Envie, offering southern American cuisine, is open in the former Wildflower Grill space at 10009 107 Street.
• Aloha Hawaiian Poke & Grill is now open in west Edmonton at 11315 174 Street.
• Indian restaurant Lazeez Affair is open in west Edmonton at 10813 170 Street.
• Canadian dessert chain D Spot Cafe opened its first location in Edmonton at 3803 Calgary Trail, #540.
• Japanese chain Fuwa Fuwa Pancakes will be opening in Edmonton some time this year.

Closures

• June’s Delicatessen in Highlands announced their closure, with their last day being January 16, 2022: “Not to blame it all on ol’ Covey but it’s definitely been a huge factor. We set out to bring the Edmonton community a great lil’ Jewish inspired deli where we could all come together over blintzes, matzo ball soup, Reubens, bagels & much more. What we’ve had to do is change over and over and over again moving us further away from the initial vision we set out to share with all of you.” They will be sharing their new plans for the space at some point.

Local News

• The Tomato is soliciting nominations for their annual Top 100 Best Things To Eat or Drink in Edmonton list. Submissions will be accepted until February 4, 2022.
• MilkCrate just started a new loyalty program.
• Ernest’s at NAIT is re-opening for lunch on January 13, 2022.
• Learn more about new restaurant May from owner Jimmy Shewchuk and executive chef Doreen Prei.
• RGE RD’s Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton were interviewed about running a restaurant and opening a new business in the pandemic.
• Ohana Donuterie talked about their tempting Hawaiian-style donuts on Edmonton AM.
• Edify lists restaurants that offer thoughtful beer and food pairings.
• Jason Foster offers his 2022 predictions for the beer scene.
• Soho donated $2600 of cold weather wear to those in need last week.
• The majority of Edmontonians surveyed about the public parks alcohol consumption pilot want the program to stay.
• Local chef Corey Feschuk shares his recipes, all made from products sourced from the dollar store, on his TikTok channel.

Beyond Edmonton

• Calgary-based cookbook author Julie van Rosendaal had such an overwhelming response to her free online kids cooking camps last week that she’ll be continuing with classes in the evenings and on weekends.

What I Ate

• • We ventured outside over the weekend to pick up lunch from Jack’s Burger Shack, making it easily our longest outdoor walk in a week. It was well worth it though, and they even kicked in a grilled cheese for Emily to make up for the small fries they left off our order last moth. It’s so great having them in #yegdt.

Take-out from Jack’s Burger Shack

• • We were able to get a sneak peek of some of the Chinatown Dining Week deals (a benefit of being a volunteer!). Emily immediately took to the chicken skins from Kim Fat Market. They don’t seem like much, but fried to a crisp and showered with garlic, they’re savoury and incredibly addictive. They’re available for just $10 as take-out from January 13-23, 2022, along with dishes from 17 other participating businesses. I hope you’ll check it out!

Emily and her chicken skins

Chinatown Dining Week Returns for a Fifth Year

It’s hard to believe Chinatown Dining Week is now into its fifth year! When a small team of volunteers launched this event back in 2018, we did so because we wanted to encourage the wider community to explore what we believed to be an underappreciated neighbourhood in Edmonton. Five years later, this continues to be the case, and perhaps even more so because of the pandemic.

From January 13-23, 2022, participating businesses are offering special $10 and $18 menus. It is our biggest cohort yet, with a total of 18 participating businesses this year, with 7 of them joining the event for the first time.

We’re coming off our most successful event, thankful that the community rallied around the participating businesses in 2021, just as restaurants were shuttered to in-person dining. This year, many of the businesses are offering takeaway options in addition to dine-in service.

Please consider checking out a new restaurant during Chinatown Dining Week, or perhaps revisiting an old favourite, at a time when they could really use the patronage.

COVID-19-related News

• Reminiscent of what occurred in November 2020, a number of restaurants, including Chartier, Northern Chicken, Fleisch, and Arcadia, have chosen to voluntarily close in-person dining. Some of the closures coincide or extend pre-planned holiday closures, and others, like Northern Chicken, are temporary, but it’s hard not to think this might be a harbinger of mandated government closures. This uncertainty is the latest in a series of challenges facing the restaurant industry.
• Awn Kitchen has decided to postpone their in-person classes. During this closure, they are pivoting to offering prepared meals under the banner Awn at Home.
• 70 Acre Brewing Company had to temporarily close due to staff testing positive for COVID-19.

Openings

• Smoke BBQ and Bar is now open inside Crash Hotel at 10266 103 Street.
• Cafe Bel-Air, a vendor at multiple farmers’ markets, has opened up a brick and mortar shop at 8020 101 Street.
• Love Pizza’s Leduc location opened in December at 5411 Discovery Way, #110.
• Taiwanese bubble tea chain Xing Fu Tang has opened two locations in Edmonton, at 18483 Stony Plain Road and 3955 Calgary Trail.

Closures

• Darling Wine Bar closed up shop in December, but promises that “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon.” The intention will be to find a more permanent location.

Upcoming Events

• El Cortez is again hosting Yoga and Tacos on January 11, 2022, with an hour-long yoga session followed by a taco meal.
• Monsoon Bistro & Bar is hosting a Regional Indian Cuisine & Culture Series event on January 12, 2022, featuring a guest speaker and a four-course menu with wine pairings. Tickets are $145 per person.
• Chinatown Dining Week returns for its fifth year, January 13-23, 2022! Check out the special $10 and $18 menus being offered by 18 participating businesses.
• Deep Freeze, the annual winter festival in Alberta Avenue, is scheduled for January 14-23, 2022.

Local News

• If you haven’t seen it yet, Linda put together a great article about Edmonton food trends to watch for in 2022.
• Eat North looked back at Alberta’s food and drink scene in 2021.
• Phil reflected on his year of Best Dishes columns. His last feature was on Chinatown gem Gui Lin Noodle House.
• Website complex.com offers a list of the 30 Best New Canadian Restaurants, which for Edmonton lists Meat the Bun, and an Edmonton location of a Calgary chain, Bro’Kin Yolk.
• Given the deep freeze we’re in – Linda’s post featuring her favourite 20 spots for comfort soups in Edmonton couldn’t have come at a better time.
• May, the new restaurant located in the Art Gallery of Alberta, started serving lunch on December 21, 2021.
• On the Edge Coffee will soon be roasting coffee at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market.
• Farrow has started offering its own line of pickles and condiments.
• The Journal checked in with Kirsta Franke of Wild Heart Collective.
• Twyla profiled The Marc’s Patrick and Doris Saurette in Modern Luxuria Magazine.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency just changed the guidelines of the amount of food that can be brought into the country for personal use.
• Just before Christmas, Malina Ukrainian Bakery was broken into and had some equipment stolen. Thankfully, the community came out to support them.
• PCL staff donated $26,000 for the Edmonton Food Bank.
• A Calgary-based women shares her tips on stretching her food budget.

What I Ate

Happy New Year! It’s felt like a particularly gluttonous holiday season, mostly because heading outdoors for walks (my preferred exercise method) has been non-existent over the past two weeks. While I’m not looking forward to returning to the usual routine, I will be looking forward to more low-key meals, and hopefully, a break in the temperature! I hope you had a good holiday with loved ones as well.

• Earlier in December, feeling under the weather (and thankful for a negative COVID result), take-out from King Noodle House hit the spot.

Bun Bo Hue for the win!

• Food trucks in the winter are new to me, but props to the team behind Winter Promenade for their successful first event. The Avila Arepa empanadas helped warm us up, and Emily loved the visit from Santa.

Avila Arepa empanadas

• Given the current circumstances, my family has reverted back to take-out only (I managed to dine indoors five times since March 2020), but I will say we were disappointed by a recent OEB brunch order. The serving size seemed unfortunately small, especially for those of us who opted for their signature brunch poutines.

Confit de Canard poutine take-out from OEB

• Our love affair with Rosewood Foods has spread to my family with this amazing Christmas Eve box – the Black Forest cupcakes and gingerbread crullers in particular were hits.

Rosewood Food’s Christmas Eve box

• We also recreated a birthday tradition we started in the pandemic – enjoying Mack’s favourite carrot cake from Rosewood.

All smiles for Rosewood Food’s carrot cake