Openings
- South Indian restaurant Dosa Glory is now open at 9316 34 Avenue NW.
- Multicook Edmonton, which makes frozen Ukrainian food, has opened a second location in the Edmonton region. Find it in Sherwood Park, 800 Broadmoor Blvd., Unit 370.
- Toronto-based HolyShakes, offering sweet treats and milkshakes, opened a second location over the weekend at 965 Tamarack Way NW.
- Live Bowl’d will be opening a new location on June 23 at 10336 Whyte Avenue NW.
- Though I was sad to see Battista’s Calzones close, it is great that a Portuguese bakery called Luso’s Bakery and Bistro will be taking its place at 11745 84 Street NW. I’ve missed Handy Bakery greatly after they closed several years back after the fire.
- Another location of Sicilian Pasta Kitchen will be opening in Griesbach, 9810 137 Avenue NW.
- Afghan and Turkish restaurant Ariana Kitchen is opening soon at 13720 50 Street NW.
Closures
- On the heels of Whisked announcing the end of its residency there, Kommune, a Scandanavian-inspired snack bar, announced its closure. Kommune’s last day was June 15.
Local News
- Epcor’s Glass of the Sask campaign is back, celebrating the quality of Edmonton’s tap water. They’ve once again partnered with local restaurants to try special dishes that use tap water as a key ingredient. The first 50 diners at each restaurant will receive their own Glass of the Sask carafe. First up is Okie Dokie Smokies’ River Valley Grand Slam.
- Congratulations to the winners to the Best of Brunch YEG, a fundraiser put on by Meals on Wheels. High Level Diner, Rosewood Foods, Duggan’s Boundary, and Darling were all recognized in different categories. All participating restaurants donated $1 from feature dishes sold to the charity.
- Eat with Sharon reviewed St. Albert’s Barako Bistro, a modern Filipino-inspired bistro.
- Erika Eats Everything reviewed Dorinku Osaka and XO Bistro + Bar.
- Outdoor patio The Backyard has announced that it is moving after six years in its location on 104 Avenue.
- CBC Beer Columnist Jason Foster talked about the new Entertainment District designation for three breweries on 78 Avenue and 99 Street.
What I Ate
- I forgot to share last week that I tried a new Vietnamese coffee and matcha pop-up called Gu at the Van bLoc Party last week. It was my first time trying a Vietnamese salted coffee – the cream wasn’t overly salty, but it thickened the drink to a point where it was difficult to enjoy. It wasn’t my favourite, but I’d be willing to try something else.
Salted coffee from Gu
- I had lunch with some friends at The Atrium at Sabor (I know I’ve been harping about the construction around Seven Kitchens, but the situation around the Revillon Boardwalk is much worse). Perhaps deterred by construction, it was very quiet at the restaurant that day. It was a shame because the food was again outstanding. I ordered the fish skewers served over paella rice. The sablefish and salmon were perfectly grilled, and the rice was delectably crispy. Consider navigating the external maze and you will be rewarded.
Fish and paella rice from The Atrium
- Saigon Taste has been on our radar for many years, and we finally checked it out for the first time last week. I only realized after stepping inside that they had moved into the former Wild Tangerine space, where I have many fond memories. Thankfully Saigon Taste lived up to those memories, through a combination of their cute interior (I loved their artistic depictions of their food on their walls and menu), good service, and solid food. Their banh khot were crispy and delicious – I only wished for more lettuce to accompany the pancakes. My family enjoyed our other dishes, and left with portions packed for lunch. We will definitely be back again!
Banh khot from Saigon Taste
Only Here for the Food 