Food Notes for January 20, 2025

Openings

• Calgary-based Kinjo Sushi has opened a location in Edmonton at South Edmonton Common, 1739 102 Street.
• BB2 All You Can Eat Korean BBQ will soft open on January 23 at 2335 111 Street.
• L’OCA’s second location in Parkview (9106 142 Street), taking over the institution that was Andy’s IGA, will open on January 31. The store will maintain Andy’s tradition of stocking many kosher products.
• The folks behind Spruce Grove’s steakhouse Barbacoa have opened a sister cocktail and wine bar called Barbaretta at 115 First Ave, Spruce Grove.
• It looks like Home and Away in the Mercer Warehouse will be rebranding into The Alfred Bar.
• Last month, Town 82 opened in Old Strathcona at 10401 82 Avenue.

Closures

• Carol’s Quality Sweets has closed after 35 years in business, and was challenged by “mandated pandemic closures, break-ins and city road closures”. Carol and Grant Logan are retiring, but are saying farewell one last time on January 26 at the Glenora Community League with a sale of chocolate and sweets.
• After nearly 3.5 years in business, SoHo has announced their closure as of January 18.

Upcoming Events

• Grounds for Coffee hosts informal coffee tastings. Their second event will be held on January 26 at The Connected Kitchen. Tickets start at $27.
• Last Modern Events is hosting a Lunar New Year event series in January and February, including a kick-off event on January 31 with Mai Mai and Boba Bar popping up with their favourites.
• Edify’s annual Best Restaurants event will be held on April 7 at the Edmonton Convention Centre. Their early bird tickets are on sale until January 31 at $80 each.

Local News

• The Journal has more details about what to expect from Lauren Kyle-McDavid’s forthcoming restaurant Bar Trove. The article mentions she is focusing on local products and is working with a consultant from Toronto to put together the French-inspired menu. Bar Trove is aiming for an April opening.
• El Cortez is temporary closed but will re-open with an “upgrade” in spring 2025.
• Spilt Bar is seeing an increase in business, coinciding with Dry January.
• Happy second birthday to Honi Honi Tiki Lounge.
• Edify checked out new restaurants Nam Siam in Chinatown and Yangming Chinese Restaurant in Wîhkwêntôwin.
• The Downtown Business Association is soliciting applications for vendors for the 2025 Downtown Farmers’ Market, which will run on Saturdays from May 17-October 11, 2025.

What I Ate

• It is Chinatown Dining Week! It runs until January 26, and even though I am not involved this year, we are still planning to enjoy many of its participating restaurants. We started with an order from Syphay. I love their pad thai, and $20 is a great deal for a meal that rounds out with spring rolls and tohm yum soup.

Chinatown Dining Week combo from Syphay

• I also met up with a friend for a catch-up at Pho Tau Bay. It has been too long.

My go-to pho

• Mack also filled our fridge with subs from Van Loc, with their second annual buy one, get one free offer in line with their birthday.

Subs for days

• For a get together this weekend, we had sweet treats from both Farrow and Great North Cookie Co.

Sweet overload

• Linda and I had a great time chatting with Mack and Troy about our Edmonton Food Faves list. You can listen to our conversation starting this week on Speaking Municipally.

Tasting some of our faves