Openings

• A second location of BC-based Basil Pasta Bar is coming soon to 10014 104 Street.
• Chain El Furniture Warehouse is coming to Jasper Avenue.
• Laker Coffee is now serving up drinks at Fort Edmonton Park’s new cafe.

Closures

• Langano Skies has announced that their last day of business at the restaurant will be June 19, 2022.

Upcoming Events

• The Twilight Picnic Experience is back at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden. The events resume in June, and the $125 tickets include admission to the Garden for two, activities, and a gourmet picnic box.

Local News

• Cafe Bicyclette sustained some damage from the storm last week and is temporarily closed as a result.
• JustCook Kitchens had a break-in last week. While there was no damage, cash and tablets were taken.
• Nuttea in Old Strathcona was featured by CBC Radioactive and the Journal.
• Edify checked out the doughnuts at Hello Mochi.
• Congratulations to Filistix’s Downtown location on their third anniversary.
• Those looking for farm-to-table dining experiences should consider The Old Red Barn.
• Restaurants can now permit dogs on patios without prior approval from Alberta Health Services.
• Did you know that there is an Edmonton-themed coffee shop in Morocco?

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• When the cap of urban hens was lifted in 2019, the number of backyard hens in 2020 and 2021 exceeded all previous years combined.
• The Wâposo-Wâti Park and Community Garden is now open at 107 Avenue and 110 Street. It is a partnership between Native Counselling Services of Alberta, the City of Edmonton, and Alberta Retina Consultants.

What I Ate

• I finally swung by YEG Smoked Meats to fulfill my #AdoptAShopAB commitment. I picked up our family’s favourite beef pepperoni, along with some sausage and Montreal smoked meat.

YEG Smoked Meats product

• Summers are for picnics: we grabbed some take-out from Jack’s Burger Shack and enjoyed it at our neighbourhood park.

My go-to Hangover burger

• We are happy to have a tasty new Downtown neighbour – it will be ready handy (and dangerous) to have Seoul Fried Chicken so close. I especially love the golden kari.

Our Seoul Fried Chicken spread

• We celebrated a family birthday at Branches at the Greenland Garden Centre. It was certainly a hit with Emily – she wolfed down the mini pancake bites (it helped that they were covered in sugar, alongside whipped cream, syrup, and Nutella for dipping).

Breakfast bowl and breakfast pizza from branches

• Mack and I had a hosted date night at Fu’s Repair Shop. We loved the vibe, and everything, from the drink menu to the dishes was so playful but well conceived. Our favourite dishes were the pork wontons and the green onion cake panzanella salad.

Noodles and won tons from Fu’s

• Our plot is in at the Alex Decoteau Community Garden! We always put our faith in tomato plants from Sundog Organics, but this year we’re also trying out growing peppers and cucumbers for the first time. It’s a great excuse to spend time outdoors, and Emily is now at the age where she loves assisting her fellow community gardeners.

Garden selfie!

Renovations to Bridge Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market into the Future

With its fortieth anniversary approaching, the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is planning a slate of renovations that will make multi-day operations possible, something the market says both customers and vendors are asking for.

Keith Persaud, market manager, said the building’s history as a former City of Edmonton bus barn has made it difficult for the facility to meet current Alberta Health Services standards and that infrastructure upgrades are a prerequisite if the market were to ever consider becoming a multi-day operation.

“You need to have sinks for sampling and tastings and concession-type food,” said Persaud. “Our vendors have plastic bottles with a bucket.”

Changes to the local food ecosystem during the pandemic have also been a factor in moving renovations forward, given the proliferation of farmers’ markets over the past several years, and the rise in home delivery options. “The industry is changing, becoming more competitive,” said Persaud. “People don’t want to be in a room shoulder to shoulder with 15,000 people, they want more options to come on other days.”

Persaud notes that the shift to a younger cohort of vendors with a different approach has helped make the multi-day conversation possible.

“The new generation is not looking at what their mom and dad did. It’s not coming to the market and standing here. It’s ‘I make this, I hire people, and trucks go out,'” said Persaud. “There’s good and bad with that. You’re not meeting the owners like you used to. The upside is that the vendors are getting more opportunities to sell products and customers are getting more days to shop markets. It’s not as personal as it used to be, but that’s the way it’s going.”

When the proposed renovations — which will include redesigned vendor stalls — are complete, the market intends to open on Fridays from 11am-5pm and on Saturdays from 8am-3pm.

The market also plans to add a general store and a new kitchen and events space, both of which would operate seven days a week. The general store would sell vendor products during off-market hours, and would enable the market to expand its curbside pick-up service to seven days a week. Looking into the future, Persaud teased that a delivery option might even be on the table.

“We’ve talked about home delivery from the market — why couldn’t people call here for delivery if we had the general store? It’s not that hard to do any of that if we’re set up for it. We’re open to anything that is driven by the customers if we have the infrastructure.”

As for the kitchen, Persaud is excited about the possibilities. “The concession we will be one of the truest farm to table experiences. My chef is going to be shopping the market for everything he or she does. When it’s out, it’s out,” said Persaud.

Inspired by an idea he heard about in Red Deer, Persaud will also be looking into whether the entire market could be licensed. “Hopefully you can walk the market with a glass of wine in your hand,” said Persaud. “Why not? One doesn’t ask, one doesn’t get.”

The idea to activate the building seven days a week comes on the heels of questions about whether the lot across Gateway Boulevard should continue to be designated for parking (the market has a lease on the lot until 2025). Persaud could not speak to whether the plans are contingent upon access to free parking, but did confirm they are in ongoing conversations with the city.

“In an ideal world, I would like to tell you that we have that parking lot forever. We are working with the city, and everybody realizes what is needed in order for this vision to happen,” said Persaud. “People drive to the market, it is a destination. You can’t build a Safeway without a parking lot.”

The market has contracted Clark Builders to carry out its vision over the next 18 months at an estimated cost of $3 million dollars, funded through a mix of private and public funds. Construction would take place on days the market is not operational, and the intention is for vendors to continue with minimal disruption during this period.

“If everything goes according to plan, next year is our 40th anniversary and we’re looking to do a ribbon cutting in the fall during harvest time at the end of September,” said Persaud. “We just want to give people more energetic things for the next forty years.”

Openings

• Seoul Fried Chicken’s second location, at 10145 104 Street, is now open.
• Takopo is a new food truck on Edmonton’s streets, offering “one of a kind takoyaki…just like the way it is being served on the streets of Osaka.”
• A second location of Westgate Halal is now open at 12512 137 Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• The Common’s Street Car Cask Party Series kicked off earlier this month, but will continue with events into the summer. Coming up is an event on May 26, 2022 featuring a cask from Town Square Brewing, paired with food from Fu’s Repair Shop on May 26, 2022. Tickets are $57.77.
• The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival will take place June 3-4, 2022 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Admission starts at $19.99 plus fees.
• Local chef Peter Zukiwski of Pitt Country BBQ will make an appearance on Food Network’s Fire Masters. 5th Street Food Hall will be hosting a watch party on June 5, 2022. Tickets are $6 and includes a beer.

Local News

• Twyla checked out Pei Pei Chei Ow’s take-out location at the Whiskeyjack Art House.
• This week’s Lindork Does Life video features Calabash Cafe, also known as Edmonton’s BTS cafe.
• Edify stopped by Taste of Persia in west Edmonton.
• Discount food app Too Good to Go has had a strong uptake of businesses in its first month of operation – so far, 100 Edmonton businesses have joined.
• Edmonton chocolate company 7 Summits Snacks has been named a semifinalist for the Startup Global Pitch Competition.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• It’s such great news that Stanley Milner now hosts a free-to-access Seed Library – check it out if you’re looking at planting this season (or have seeds to share or donate after you’re done planting for the season).

What I Ate

• I picked up some breakfast sandwiches from Pei Pei Chei Ow at Whiskeyjack Art House last week. They included pesto, greens, 2 eggs, and mortadella. And bonus, while you wait, you can check out the “We are Medicine” exhibition by Lana Whiskeyjack. It was their third week serving food; they are open 7:30am-4:30pm on weekdays. I’ll be swinging by again to try some other sandwiches soon!

Pei Pei Chei Ow Breakfast Sandwich

• We feasted on take-out from Padmanadi (with a side of Burmese pork curry from Hom) on Friday. Their ginger beef never disappoints, but we also really enjoyed the salt and pepper tofu, which was new to us.

Padmanadi (and Hom) take-out

• We’ve been in the thick of Oilers fever living so close to Rogers Place, and have taken every opportunity to walk through Ice District on viewing party nights. Last week, we were lucky enough to be treated to some Jackie O’s on our way through, our first mini donuts of the season!

Excited for mini donuts!

• We also took in the first period at Churchill Square’s family-friendly viewing party over the weekend, and couldn’t pass up some El Mero Mero tacos during the visit.

Pescado tacos from El Mero Mero

Edmonton Urban Farm Continues to Grow

After a year of significant expansion, the Edmonton Urban Farm continues to grow, as staff plan to add infrastructure, further diversify its community of farmers and open its doors to the public on a regular basis.

Established in 2014, the Edmonton Urban Farm is made up of two acres and is located at 113 Avenue and 79 Street. In addition to garden plots, the Urban Farm is also home to one bee hive and six egg-laying hens. The goal of the Urban Farm is to connect people to food and farming within the city, explained Jessie Radies, director with Explore Edmonton.

“The urban farm is a community hub for urban agriculture, education and sustainability,” said Radies. “It’s also a thriving example of how surplus urban lands can be used to build connections and enhance local food security.”

With the dissolution of Northlands in 2021, Explore Edmonton took over the management of the Urban Farm. In that same year, the Urban Farm was able to double in size thanks to grant funding from the United Way and the Butler Family Foundation. Last month, it was announced that the Urban Farm would receive nearly $100,000 from Prairies Economic Development Canada to further enhance the property.

“This project encompasses the expansion that happened last year, which expanded the urban farm by 30,000 square feet”, said Radies. “It will also allow us to add infrastructure to extend our growing season and provide a shaded area for visitors to protect from heat and rain.”

The Urban Farm allocates plots to partner community groups, and this year, will involve over three hundred people from 20 different groups. Groups include Homeward Trust, Right at Home Housing Society, Student Association of MacEwan University, and Wild Outside. But Patty Milligan, agriculture education specialist, shared that the largest number of their new groups are made up of newcomers to Canada, connected with the Urban Farm through the Multicultural Health Brokers.

“Some are experienced gardeners or farmers, some are brand new to gardening in general, and some are brand new to gardening in Alberta,” said Milligan. “We’ll be helping gardeners become familiar with the unique requirements of Alberta’s climate.”

The participating newcomers represent a diverse number of cultural communities, including Afghan, Filipino, Karen, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Somali, Syrian, South Sudanese, and Vietnamese.

“Groups appreciate being able to grow specific vegetables that are not easily found in Edmonton supermarkets, or, if they are, they are very expensive,” said Milligan. “One group grew three different kinds of bok choy last year. Several groups appreciated being able to harvest pumpkin leaves, amaranth, and bean leaves. I suspect those varieties will expand in the coming year.”

As all plots were already spoken for earlier in the year, it is clear interest from prospective gardeners continues to be strong. Milligan cites a number of factors, such as a desire to gather with other members of the community, and an appetite to gain gardening knowledge and skills. However, food security and safety have also played a role.

“Many gardeners have commented on the expense of fresh vegetables and appreciate being able to walk away from the Urban Farm with a bag full of tomatoes or kale,” said Milligan. “People also want to be able to gather in a safe space, both safe from COVID, and also safe from racism. One gardener mentioned that seniors from their community don’t always feel welcome when they visit public spaces.”

For the first time, the Urban Farm will be open to the public every Saturday from 10am-4pm from May 21 until Oct. 8. Visitors can opt for a self-guided walk, or join scheduled activities to be posted on their website.

Milligan is looking forward to what this season will bring. “This will be a year of much energy and change and I am excited to see the results. I also hope that we start to be noticed as a model – there should be urban farms all over the city!”

Openings

• Takam Market at MacEwan University is adding another concept called Big Sky Sandwich. It launched on May 16, 2022.
• A branch of Good Earth Coffeehouse is now open at The Maclaren at 10147 124 Street.

Closures

• District’s Young and Restless Pizza pop-up is now closed, but they left the door slightly open for the future.
• Burger Brawl announced their closure last week. Their last day of operation was May 14, 2022.

Upcoming Events

• Swine and Dine returns on May 31, 2022 to Hayloft Steak and Fish. Tickets for the 3-course meal, featuring Irvings Farm pork, are $68 each.
• This summer, Alberta Food Tours is bringing back a limited run of their Savoury and Sweet Strathcona food tours. Tickets are $95 and include a sit down brunch and four food tasting stops.

Local News

• Too Good To Go, an app that helps divert food waste by connecting consumers with discounted food that would otherwise be thrown out, is coming to Edmonton. The app is currently live in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec City, and Calgary.
• Western Living announced their ten short-listed 2022 Foodies of the Year, and two Edmontonians made it: Omar Mouallem for his Burger Baron documentary, and Scott Iserhoff of Pei Pei Chei Ow.
• Linda’s #AdoptAShopAB list is up, and features 50 Edmonton (and 50 Calgary) businesses ready to adopt. Sign up to commit spending at least $25 from May 16-30, 2022 at one of these local independent shops.
• Also from Linda, she hits up several brunch favourites in Edmonton, and visits third-generation owned Bing’s #1 Chinese Restaurant in Stony Plain.
• The Public has partnered with the Capital Care Foundation to offer a Feast on Your Field experience at home, with pre-order kits available for pick-up this week from Highlands Golf Club, Royal Glenora Club, and Meuwly’s.
• NAIT released a patio guide featuring restaurants run by NAIT grads.
• Battista’s Calzones reopened this weekend after repairing damages sustained in a fire.
• DRTY Ice Cream has faced several set backs this year, but owner Abby Ulanimo is persevering.
• The Culinary Cook-Off was held this past weekend, to benefit the arts program at Highlands School. Congratulations to the winning teams, including the Highlands Golf Club, Von’s, Bloom, and Red Balloon Sweet Co.
• Edify checked out the hot dogs at Pub 1905.
• Edify also chatted with the owners of Blue Plate Diner and Northern Chicken as they struggle to keep up with rising canola oil prices.
• St. Albert follows in Edmonton’s footsteps in permitting alcohol consumption in specific park sites starting in July.

What I Ate

• • We picked up dinner from Nourishak on Friday night. They have a cute and charming interior with cozy nooks, but we opted for take-out. My sous-vide chicken sandwich was satisfying (I liked the crunch from their house-made potato chips), and both Mack and Emily loved the addictive seaweed chips. Their lemonades were also great – I can see us returning for cold drinks on a hot day!

Take-out from Nourishak

• • We indulged in some Little Bear Gelato after our market run at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market on Sunday. It was the perfect day to enjoy a sweet treat in the sun – I love their Belgian chocolate flavour.

Belgian chocolate gelato from Little Bear

Openings

• Pei Pei Chei Ow started serving breakfast and lunch take-out at Whiskeyjack Art House in early May. They are open Wednesday to Friday 8am-3pm. Find them at #102, 11051 97 Street.
• Nuttea, specializing in nut-based “mylk tea”, hosted their grand opening on May 7, 2022 at 8204 Gateway Blvd.
• It looks like Japonais Bistro will be opening a second location in Windermere.
• Vish is opening up its first Canadian franchise location at 10326 124 Street. Their concept is an “urban hummus bar”.
• Serengeti BBQ, serving up East African cuisine, is now open at 8815 118 Avenue.
• Y-Not Indian Bar & Bistro, focused on Indo-Chinese and Nepalese cuisine, opened on May 4, 2022 at 3311 34 Street.
• The Golden Spoon, serving South Asian food, opened recently at 3820 17 Street.
• Gigi’s, a “walk-up window ice cream shop creating ice cream inspired by cheesecake”, opened in Spruce Grove this weekend.

Closures

• After 18 years in business, the owners of Langano Skies has announced that they will be closing in late June. It may not be the last we see of Amsale and Paul Sumamo: “While this may be sad news to some, please understand this is not a final goodbye – but a “see you later”…We’re hoping to continue serving our food at Edmonton’s summer festivals & have some extremely exciting plans in the works – so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!”

Upcoming Events

• The Backyard is hosting a live music series that starts called For the Love of Downtown. It starts May 19, 2022 and runs every Thursday into September, and admission is free by donation to local charities, and food from partner restaurants will be available during the events.

Local News

• The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market will be operating another market at the Currents of Windermere on Thursdays from 4-7pm from May 19-September 29, 2022. Expect over 40 vendors.
• Tenants at Strathearn Centre have been given six months’ notice to be out by October 31 for a redevelopment project. Affected tenants include long-standing Ralph’s Handi Mart, neighbourhood favourite Juniper Cafe, and Al Manara, a seafood shop and market.
• Farmers’ market vendor Dutch Girl Cafe faced a series of issues in April, and will need support to get through the next month.
• It looks like Battista’s Calzones might be back open as soon as next week after the fire they experienced two weeks ago.
• The Gateway featured Kaffa Roaster & Studio and how it has grown organically to match the vision held by its co-founder.
• Twyla’s highlighted Fleisch Delikatessen on Edmonton AM last week.
• Chef Doren Prei of May is featured in the current issue of Modern Luxuria.
• Edify checked out Burger Daddy.
• I loved hearing about the inspiration behind Emily Chu’s new series of snack food illustrations that she sold at Royal Bison this weekend.
• Congratulations to Culinaire Magazine for reaching its ten year milestone.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Did you know that Canada is celebrating the Year of the Garden in 2022? People are encouraged to plant something red to celebrate their pride.

What I Ate

• Mack and I stopped by Hoang Long’s third location, in the former Al Centro space (9892 Jasper Avenue), last week for some iced Vietnamese coffees. We found out they make their own doughnuts and macarons in-house, and also serve Flirt Cupcakes. Their signage could use some work, but they are open Monday to Saturday 10am-6pm.

Sweet treats from Hoang Long 888

• Mack and I had a date night at Dalla Tavola Zenari on Friday! We had a lovely meal (the lasagna would have been big enough to share) with great service. I am looking forward to returning, hopefully on the patio!

Lasagna bianca and salsicce crostoni from Dalla

• Comfort in a bowl from Kasey Ramen was the perfect way to start off the week.

Kitakata ramen from Kasey Ramen

Fu’s Repair Shop Aims to Celebrate Chinese Culture

The folks behind a new bar and restaurant called Fu’s Repair Shop hope it can showcase Chinese culture in a different way.

Since opening in early April in the former Prairie Fish and Chips space, partner and head chef Winnie Tsing Chen says the response from guests has been overwhelmingly positive. “I think Edmonton has been needing a place like this for a very long time now, and we are so glad to be able to provide it,” said Chen.

Fu’s is a project spearheaded by Chen and four individuals who co-own The Common and 9910, which includes Justin Der, who separately also owns the clothing store Foosh. The establishment’s name, which obscures the fact that food or drink will be served, is deliberate and is connected to some of Der’s family heirlooms.

“Who is Fu? It’s a mystery just like our repair shop exterior,” said Chen. “‘Fu’ is also a double nod to the Cantonese word for fortune or good luck. A framed swatch of the character hangs on Justin’s family wall, saved from the baby carrier used for Justin’s dad 70 years ago.”

Fu’s seems to be joining a national trend of hip, Asian-inspired restaurants that have popped up in other cities across Canada over the past decade, such as DaiLo in Toronto, and more recently, Gwailo in Calgary. But for Chen, the impetus for Fu’s was much simpler.

“The inspiration behind Fu’s was just wanting to open a fun place … that serves fun, delicious food that we want to eat and cook, serve drinks that we want to make and drink, in a place where we would want to hang out,” said Chen. “We love dim sum and Chinese food, and we wanted it for more than just brunch.”

The food menu will be familiar to those who have frequented dim sum restaurants, including dumplings, rice rolls, and lotus-wrapped sticky rice, but it also features some more fusion-style dishes, such as five-spice duck tacos and green onion cake panzanella salad (as a fun aside, the food items are all priced to end with .88; the number eight is considered lucky in Chinese culture).

Chen shared that the menu is both a practical compilation but also an homage to what she has enjoyed eating over the years. “The dim sum is basically a ‘greatest hits’ of our combined favourites, keeping in mind what is achievable given our budget, kitchen size, team, and equipment availability. And the rest of the menu is things I was inspired by during our mini food trip to Vancouver back in January, some personal favourites, and other delicious dishes from some personal travels from when I was young.”

One of Chen’s family recipes also made the cut. “My proudest dish has to be Mr. Chen’s beef noodle bowl, just because it is my dad’s personal beef and soup recipe,” said Chen. “My family used to have a noodle shop in Chinatown when I was younger and that was my favourite dish that my dad would make. I’m really happy to be able to bring it back. It also makes me really happy to see him smile when I get to tell him about how we’ve sold out of soup on a particular day.”

On the drinks side, social media has been buzzing about Fu’s boozy bubble tea. “I think I’m lucky that while everyone else spent their lockdown downtime making sourdough, my girlfriend and I spent our time mastering boba and cheese foam,” laughs Chen. “While our food menu leans heavily Chinese, we wanted our cocktail menu to be more pan-Asian just to open up the options for ingredients and flavour profiles we can explore.”

Fu’s has allowed Chen to build on her personal connection with Chinatown through the intentional sourcing of ingredients.

“My parents were immigrants to Canada and I grew up in the Boyle Street area, just blocks away from Chinatown, so Chinatown has always felt like home to me,” said Chen. “We use Delta for our rice noodles, and I go to United Grocers, 99 Supermarket, and Hiep Thanh to pick up our produce, dry goods, and spices. I’m really hoping this can be my platform to contribute my part to support Chinatown and its businesses and revitalization.”

Due in part to Fu’s unconventional exterior and how it leans into some Chinese tropes in décor, there have been some questions about whether the restaurant could be seen as commodifying Chinese culture. Chen believes those who visit Fu’s for themselves will see what they are trying to achieve.

“I never thought for once, ‘Hey, I think we can make lots of money off Chinese food or Chinese culture.’ My goal with the menu is to share some of my favourite Chinese dishes, but also just have fun with the menu and enjoy what I cook. We just want to let the food and experience speak for itself, and I think that in itself is the essence of celebrating the culture.”

Chen is optimistic that Fu’s could act as a bridge for guests to further explore Chinese culture, including through visiting businesses in Chinatown.

“I would really like diners to leave the experience wondering, ‘What else is out there? Where did this come from?’ And even though I may have been inspired by hip and trendy places around the world, I’m also trying to translate my memories of family vacations, home-cooked meals from my parents and grandma, and childhood memories of my favourite restaurants in Chinatown that are sadly no longer in business,” she said.

“That food and that vibe, even though not visually the same as Fu’s, is a feeling I’m trying to recreate with the food and experience.”

Openings

• Earl of Sandwich has opened its second franchise in Edmonton, at 10083 109 Street.
• Fresh Slice, a BC-based chain, is now open Downtown at 10071 109 Street.

Closures

• Cafe Blackbird in Crestwood has permanently closed after eight years in business.

Upcoming Events

• 11 Edmonton area restaurants are participating in Le Pizza Week from May 1-14, 2022.
• EdmontonEats will be hosting a new series called World Community Feasts at Avonmore Community League, starting with their first event on May 13, 2022. Cindy Lazarenko will share recipes from her Ukrainian roots. Tickets are $25 each.
• Ice District will be hosting tailgate parties during the Oilers’ playoff run.

Local News

• Giselle Courteau and Jake Pelletier are stepping away from Duchess to “focus on our children, families and new adventures.” Garner Beggs will remain involved in the business alongside two near partners, including Jay Downton and Ewa Jastrzebski of Oodle Noodle (among other initiatives).
• The Butchery is offering a Mother’s Day brunch kit for those who are looking at preparing a meal at home.
• Linda’s #AdoptAShopAB initiative returns, and focuses all on food businesses this time around! Nominate businesses from May 2-5, then look for the curated list of 50 Edmonton (and 50 Calgary) businesses and sign up to support them May 16-30.
• Also from Linda, she updated her dog-friendly patios list, just in time for some stellar weather this week.
• Sharon tried the brunch served at Filistix.
• Edify checked out Fu’s Repair Shop, and revisited El Mariachi.
• Do you have mad burger skills? Prove it at Jack’s Burger Shack’s Burgersport competition.
• The Colombian’s French Quarter location celebrated its first birthday over the weekend.
• CBC dives into why Edmonton is considered good testing ground for American chains looking to expand in Canada.
• Honest Dumplings was featured by Shaw Business as a part of their Passion Profile campaign.
• The City of Edmonton has expanded their alcohol consumption at designated picnic sites to encompass 124 picnic sites at 18 parks. New parks to this year’s program includes Paul Kane and Ezio Farone Park.
• The Organic Box will be receiving an investment from the Government of Canada to adapt their Güd Box to improve access to fresh, affordable, and seasonal produce to low income and new Canadian families.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Edmonton Urban Farm also received funding from the Government of Canada to expand their footprint.

What I Ate

• I am really hoping local meal kits, possibly my favourite pandemic pivot, continue to thrive. We tried Momma Tong’s frozen bun bo hue kit that we picked up at the Chinatown Transformational Collaborative pop-up at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market back in February. Although the noodles took longer to cook than I was expecting (I probably should have pre-soaked the noodles), the soup had great flavour and it made for a great lunch.

Momma Tong’s Bun Bo Hue

• For lunch at Dagu Rice Noodle with Linda last week, I tried one of their crossing the bridge soups for the first time! The do-it-yourself process felt a little like having an individual hot pot, and having access to unlimited noodles was a nice bonus.

Crossing the bridge soups from Dagu

• The return of fair weather also means the return of picnics! We dined on take-out from Backstairs Burger, including the Chip Shop Sammich.

Chip Shop Sammich and fries from Backstairs Burger

• We tried Banh Mi Cali for the first time on the weekend. We shared the charbroiled beef and charbroiled pork banh mi. The bread was outstanding, and though it was pricier than #yegchinatown competitors, they were pretty satisfying sandwiches.

Our Banh Mi Cali order