Food Notes for July 19, 2010

I still can’t believe The Hills pulled that kind of ending on us. Six seasons and four years later, they choose the series finale to tease the audience with the suggestion that everything was staged? Sure, I’ve acknowledged that it was a “scripted reality” from the start, but why not just continue the charade? Sigh. On to this week’s food notes:

One more week to work on your entries for the Wild Boar & Beer Scavenger Hunt! If you’re not inclined to participate, you can purchase tickets for the event online here.
Does the Taste of Edmonton menu excite everyone? Something needs to change about the event – it seems to be the same every year. Also – interesting to see Krua Wilai still participating (as The Marc is taking over their storefront) – did they move?
Capital Ex released the details of their take on marathon food last week – the Monster Burger, made of 1kg of Spring Creek Ranch beef, plus bacon and other toppings, takes 20 minutes to cook, and costs $39.50…unless you can finish it all on your own (it is meant to feed six to eight people).
Kelly wrote a great post about the limited edition chicken and Eva Sweet waffle sandwich Elm Café offered on Saturday. It sounds like it will be back, due to popular demand!
A new Vietnamese sub shop is coming soon to the space next to Sweetie’s Cafe on Rice Howard Way.
Looks like Press’d in Edmonton City Centre is targeting an August 2010 opening.
The Dish is expanding into the Electrum Design Studio! They will have additional seating room, or if the doors are closed, private space for up to 30 people
MRKT, the newest lunch spot in the core, gets more blog love, this week from Liane.
The Journal wrote an article about the first location of a Tim Hortons in Edmonton that has been equipped with a Cold Stone Creamery.
Also in the Journal, the newest foodie profile – on the Edmonton Community Foundation Executive Director, Martin Garber-Conrad.
Did you know people are knocking down the doors of Dahlia’s Mediterranean Bistro for their meatballs? I didn’t, until I read the profile of owner/operator Fadi Smaidi in Vue.
The Queen, a community garden in Queen Mary Park (111 Street and 109 Avenue, just north of the Edmonton Chinese Baptist Church) is having an open house on Sunday, July 25, from noon-3pm! Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions, and the CommuniTea Infusion Van will also be there for the festivities.
Also on the subject of community gardens, Jennifer Cockrall-King continued her series on urban gardens in Edmonton, with posts about two gardens just west of downtown (I love the Oliver garden, for the record!).
Marianne wrote about Country Cuisine’s Taste of Summer event (a great alternative to the Taste of Edmonton) that took place recently. Look for their other popular event, Tomato Fare on August 15 – I enjoyed it last year.
Always great to see new local blogs pop up – welcome, GourmAndrea!
Are cupcakes saving New York’s economy?
How’s this for a foodie twist on the traditional matching sites – Salad Match strives to pair you up with someone based on your salad affinity. Would the Alberta equivalent be “Burger Match”?
Eva told me about Teaopia that opened in Kingsway a few months back. We finally came across it while shopping at the mall on the weekend. We didn’t explore it (I will freely admit I don’t know much about tea), but on a different day, I’ll be back.

Teaopia

Mack and I are such suckers for novel potato chip flavours (not a new topic). This time, we were sucked into buying a bag of “Late Night” Doritos, which are supposed to taste like cheeseburgers. The verdict? There are hints of ketchup, cheese, mustard and pickles – and the combination does remind us of cheeseburgers!

Mack poses with our new favourite chip flavour

We haven’t been eating out on the balcony as much as I would like, but we did take a moment outside with some treats I picked up from Whimsical Cupcakes the other day. Yum!

Hurrah for cupcakes!

City Market Report: Week 10

I have faith that one of these Saturdays, we’ll actually make it to the City Market when it opens at 9am! I think part of why we drag our feet now has to do with it being right outside our door – the urgency is no longer there.

Always busy intersection

A new concession vendor started this week, called The Fork and Spoon Brigade (how cute is that?). They’re hard to miss, in a shiny orange truck, and they feature bacon from Irvings Farm Fresh in their dishes!

The Fork and Spoon Brigade

The menu isn’t extensive (it is a food truck after all), but there’s hearty fare, including a breakfast crepe and egg sandwich for those early risers, and a BLT crepe and a vegetarian chili for those seeking lunch options. Alan Irving showed us his BLT crepe that he picked up – it looked delicious.

BLT crepe

Between The Fork and Spoon, Eva Sweet, Filistix, and of course, the venerable Fat Franks, the City Market is shaping up to be food cart and truck central!

Also new this week was Inspired Market Gardens’ herb sorbets, made exclusively for them by local ice cream maker Pinocchio. Gwen had four flavours this week (they may change from week to week), including basil, rose and raspberry tarragon. We picked up a half pint to try, particularly because we missed out on the lavender sorbet at Indulgence.

Herb sorbets from Inspired Market Gardens (yes, we sampled some too)

While shopping, we ran into Gail Hall’s Market Fresh cooking class, who was busy learning about the difference between” certified organic”, “organic”, and “natural” from Sunshine Organic’s Sherry Horvath. It seems like an eternity ago since I participated three years ago.

Market Fresh cooking class

Between all of our socializing with friendly faces, I didn’t do the best job of documenting the week’s fresh produce. And our tardiness probably meant we missed out on much of it too. I hope for an earlier start next week!

Beautiful carrots from Kuhlmann’s

Radishes from Kuhlmann’s

Cabbages and kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens (the latter made it into my basket this week!)

With a full fridge after our visit, we’re all set for the week. See you there next Saturday!

The Cooking Chronicles: Cooking with Spinach

Most of the spinach I buy inevitably ends up in a salad. I have gone so far as to wilt spinach, but those instances are few and far between.

So, with the markets bursting with spinach, I thought I should change it up a bit, and be a little more creative. Two recipes featuring these greens caught my eye.

Carrot, Spinach and Rice Stew

After a few meals that unavoidably left me with numerous dishes to wash (I don’t know why I complain about dishes so much…I honestly don’t mind doing them, but the less there are to clean, the better), I immediately gravitated towards Mark Bittman’s one-pot carrot, spinach and rice stew. It’s another gem of a recipe that features under ten ingredients, combined and allowed to simmer away happily on the stove, thickening and intensifying in flavour all the while.

The comments recommended adding chickpeas, which I did, as well as a dash of cumin, which was Bittman’s suggestion. I also finished it with some dill (fresh from a coworker’s garden!), which was just the pop that a dish like this, served in the middle of summer, needed. I probably could have added more spinach (I used the remainder of a bag of Greens, Eggs and Ham mixed heritage spinach), as it does wilt down an incredible amount, and here, was given the time to cook and lose that stringy texture. Mack really liked that the chickpeas had ample time to soften (I added them with about fifteen minutes to go).

Carrot, spinach and rice stew

All in all, another successful Bittman recipe!

Pea and Spinach Soup with Coconut Milk

I’m not sure what inspired me to make vegetable stock for a soup recipe, but I did. And guess what? It wasn’t difficult at all! With guidance again from Bittman, I had a decent stock in half an hour.

Before and after

Though I haven’t made too many things from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavours, I love flipping through it periodically – with recipes that embrace seasonal cooking, it’s a good starter book for ideas on how to use fresh ingredients available at farmers’ markets. A recipe for pea and spinach soup with coconut milk provided the perfect opportunity to marry two seasonal ingredients – peas from Edgar Farms and spinach from Sundog Organics.

Unlike the spinach in the stew, however, I thought it could have been given a little more time to cook, and unfortunately, the curry overwhelmed the subtle cilantro flavour. That said, I really liked how the coconut milk and sweet peas balanced the heat from the curry, and all of the different textures in the soup, especially the peas (how could anyone not love sweet peas?).

Pea and spinach soup with coconut milk

What are your favourite ways to cook with spinach?

Baseball Night in Edmonton with Homeward Trust

Last week, Homeward Trust treated their Homeless Connect volunteers to an Edmonton Capitals game. It was a very different kind of volunteer appreciation evening, but one that provided a refreshing change from the usual appetizers and drinks, and as Mack said, the formal thank-you speeches. And really, what’s better than a local agency supporting another local organization?

Batter up!

As Mack said in his write-up, this was our first visit to Telus Field in a number of years. I know the last time I attended a baseball game, the team that played here was called the Edmonton Trappers! Much has changed since then – the team that calls Telus Field home is now the Edmonton Capitals, a part of the Golden Baseball League. Their season has been great so far, with a record of (as of today) 29-15.

That night, they were playing the Tijuana Cimarrones (I had no idea the GBL included teams from as far away as Mexico and Hawaii). The Capitals pulled into an early lead, and helped along by a few home runs, won easily 14-5.

Let’s play ball!

Though baseball is far from my favourite sport, I thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace and the venue (with a perfect line of sight of both the High Level Bridge and the Legislature). However, it felt a bit like the opposite of what we experienced at our last Eskimos game – instead of being underdressed, we were overdressed – in jeans and without any sun protection, we absolutely baked in our west-facing seats.

It was HOT

To escape the heat, we spent a lot of time wandering the innards of Telus Field to check out their reasonably-priced food menu. We had eaten a full meal at home before the game, but couldn’t resist a slurpee and an ice cream as efforts to keep cool. And, well, when I saw their gourmet hot dog offerings (which they claim to be the most extensive in the city), I just had to try one.

The perogy dog ($4.50) came topped with cheese, bacon, onions, fried potatoes and loads of sour cream. I could have done without the latter, but other than that, it was pretty tasty, and definitely something creative that I wouldn’t have expected to be sold at the ballpark (Telus is no Citi Field).

Perogy dog

I also have to applaud the Capitals for being ahead of the curve when it comes to promotions. Though their regular tickets are quite affordable at just $10 each, between their 4 for $44 Thursdays (4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 drinks for $44), movie nights (watch a movie screening out on the field following the game), and innovative ideas such as offering free parking to those who carpool with four or more individuals, I think the Capitals will be around for years to come.

Mack and mascot Razzle

Thanks again to Homeward Trust for the tickets! It was a great way to unwind on a summer evening in Edmonton.

Valley Zoo: Onward with the Master Plan!

The Valley Zoo was one of those attractions that had been on my list to re-visit for some time – I had trouble even remembering when I last ventured out there. So I was delighted when I found out one of our board meetings was scheduled to take place at the Zoo, with a behind the scenes tour to precede the more formal portion of our monthly gathering.

A sunbathing alpaca (it had just received a haircut)

The Valley Zoo just celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. When it was originally built, it was conceived as the Storyland Valley Zoo, in line with most of the other zoos built in North America during that time period. Remnants of the original design can still be found around the site, but will soon be retired in favour of a more modern facility.

Storyland aspects

Humpty Dumpty won’t be put together again

Dean Treichel, the Operations Supervisor of the Zoo, was a fantastic guide, and was obviously passionate about his job and the facility. He was just bursting with pride, and keen to share his knowledge about the zoo with us.

Wallabies and rabbits – too cute!

Tigers, oh my! (we were led into the building where the animals are fed…I have never been that close to a tiger in my life)

Adorable red panda

The piece de resistance of our visit, and what I was most looking forward to, however, was Lucy. There has been much controversy in the past year over the zoo’s lone elephant, but above all the rhetoric, what shouldn’t be lost is how much her keepers care about her. Maureen, for instance, has been with Lucy for 21 years, and cheekily said, “I will be crazy glued naked to her body” if they ever take her away. I’m sure a sense of humour would be imperative to remaining sane under all the scrutiny.

Lucy on one of the seven walks she takes every day

After the tour, Dean presented the Master Plan for the Zoo, which was passed by City Council in 2005. So far, $43 million dollars have been earmarked for capital development over the next two years. What most impressed me about the plan was how the designs will not only provide more learning opportunities for visitors (a key, said Dean, for small zoos), but how they chose to really embrace animals of our northern climate. Moreover, they have incorporated several sustainability features, including a green roof on the sea lion retreat building and an Arctic marshland that will help filter and reuse water, with an end goal of net zero water usage (except for loss due to evaporation).

Master Plan

Many of the habitats he showed us were still in their conceptual stages, such as “forest homes”, which would be built on tree canopy platforms to allow patrons to watch animals in their natural, tree-bound environment. Or, eye-to-eye viewing of prairie dogs and their underground tunnels.

That said, construction has already begun on one of the most impressive planned upgrades – a new habitat for pinnipeds. Dean was confident that the design would lead to award-recognition for the zoo, and based on the slides, I’d have to agree. The 750L seal and sea lion saltwater pool will be stunning, with details that elevate the design from straightforward to remarkable – including theatrical northern lights on the buildings and an acrylic panel that will mean the animals can swim beneath the feet of visitors.

Arctic Shores model

Another project is The Wander, a central trail system through the zoo mimicking the North Saskatchewan River in design that will be lined with play and demonstration areas, and will help visitors navigate the facility.

Though some funding has been secured, the Valley Zoo Development Society is committed to raising $12 million towards the renovations.

Bravo to the Valley Zoo staff for re-imagining what Edmonton’s zoo can be. Best of luck with the fundraising campaign!

Breakfast Value: Madison’s Grill

I’ve raved about lunches and dinners at Madison’s Grill, but there was still one meal they serve that I hadn’t yet sampled – breakfast. A birthday brunch with the girls provided a good opportunity to finally do so, on a sunny morning in June.

When I initially looked at their breakfast menu online, I just couldn’t believe what they were charging. Just $10 for a customized omelette? $12 for French toast? $14 for Alberta beef hash? What made the low prices even more incredulous is their use of local products – from eggs to bacon to cheese. And in their well-appointed dining room, I would think brunch at Madison’s offers one of the best values in the city.

The only downside was their limited hours (being a hotel after all) – they only serve breakfast until 11am. May and I arrived just after 10, and after settling in with beverages, awaited Annie’s arrival. We called her half an hour later, and it turned out she had our meeting time confused, and asked me to order something for her. Plates were served to May and I not long after, while the kitchen tried to keep Annie’s dish warm in her absence. They ended up having to make her dish again because they deemed it not fit to serve – a testament to how accommodating and understanding Madison’s is as a whole.

In terms of the food – both May and Annie enjoyed their dishes. May had asked for one each of their crab cake and smoked salmon Benedicts ($14; which our server happily combined), while I had ordered Annie a regular eggs Benedict ($12).

Crab cake and smoked salmon Benedict

Eggs Benedict (I love the cups bursting with fruit)

My omelette ($10) included three fillings of my choosing from a list of ten options – Irvings bacon, mushrooms and Sylvan Star Gouda. Though the eggs were prepared quite nicely – fluffy and light – the fillings were distributed inconsistently throughout, with the cheese concentrated on one end and the bacon on the opposite end. Also, this was personal preference, but the mushrooms were chopped a little too finely for my taste. I did like the pan potatoes, however, flavoured with some fresh herbs.

Omelette with bacon, mushrooms and cheese

There are several other dishes I’d like to try off the Madison’s breakfast menu, and with their fantastic service and demonstrated value, I know I’ll back in the future.

Madison’s Grill (in the Union Bank Inn)
10053 Jasper Avenue
(780) 401-2222
Weekday breakfast served 7-10am, weekend breakfast served 8-11am

Food Notes for July 12, 2010

Sometimes it feels like I’m going to be back-blogging for ages. I know one day I’ll catch up, but until then, thanks for being patient with me! On to this week’s food notes:

Some of the Fork Fest menus have been released – hopefully the rest will follow fairly soon! The pre-fixe food festival runs July 18 – 22 and July 25 – 29, 2010.
Advance tickets to the Taste of Edmonton, which runs July 23 – August 1, 2010, are now on sale (they will save you 10%, and time in line).
I’m not sure how long these hours have been in effect, but Tree Stone Bakery has new hours (they’re open at 8am on weekdays now!).
We spotted a new festival food vendor at the Works and at the Street Performers Festival called Twice as Nice. May said they have a new storefront location as well, offering Caribbean cuisine (10049 156 street, 780-757-7550).
Marianne reviewed the new location of Padmanadi – it looks gorgeous inside! Also, a sign up in the window of the original location on 97 Street states that it should have re-opened today, July 12, 2010.
Marianne also wrote about the revamped Parkallen Restaurant, as did Sarah (though I’m linking to it a little late) – I want to see that wine case in person!
On the subject of closures, Kabsa on Jasper Avenue and 104 Street has now closed – no notices, but all signs of life has evaporated from the storefront. I had the chance to visit them for the first time earlier this year, and had enjoyed my meal.
Jennifer Cockrall-King has a great post on community gardens in Edmonton, and an interesting piece on the rooftop hive on the Royal York in Toronto. She’s also taking registrations for the 2010 Okanagan Food and Wine Writers’ Workshop.
This is pretty cool – the new Kingsland Farmers’ Market in Calgary offers free coffee to the mayor of FourSquare!
I’ve never heard of Where to Eat in Canada, but Liane posted that the book just released their 2010 edition, which seems to feature a random smattering of restaurants in Edmonton. I’m glad she’s following up to see what the criteria is.
Vancouver just announced the winners of their food cart lottery – insane to think they received 800 applications for a coveted 17 spots. The carts are to be operational on July 31, 2010.
The Opener, David Adjey’s new show about first time restaurant owners, is looking for interested Edmonton restauranteurs who would like some assistance with their opening. Take a look at the trailer here.
Ben & Jerry’s released the finalists in their contest to name their newest ice cream flavour. You can vote for your favourite here.
Eater posted their round up of the 5 biggest bar and cocktail trends – Treasury, the vodka bar and eatery on Jasper Avenue, would fall into their trendwatch…if it were to ever open.
A forthcoming restaurant called 4Food opening up in New York is right up Mack’s alley, featuring crowd-sourced burgers, a giant screen highlighting relevant Tweets, and iPads replacing traditional pen and paper systems. Wonder if it’ll survive the novelty, in spite of their claims of quality food.
Mack snapped a photo of a Breyers ice cream truck that stopped on Jasper Avenue and 103 Street on Friday. They were handing out free ice cream samples – better than coffee for an afternoon break!

We all scream for ice cream!

Our agency held its annual “Kick Off to Summer BBQ” on Tuesday, having been rescheduled from a blustery day in June. Nothing says summer like a parking lot cookoff, right?

Free lunch!

Not related to food at all, but timely – I helped organize a soccer game at the office, to help commemorate the World Cup final. We had an awesome turnout, and though the skies poured a half hour before our game was set to start, the sun appeared just in the nick of time. It was a wonderful way to spend a lunch hour, soaking up the rays as a spectator (to have played myself would have equalled death by cardio).

I love it when the weather cooperates

Slow Food Edmonton’s 2nd Annual Wild Boar & Beer Scavenger Hunt!

Slow Food Edmonton’s 5th annual Wild Boar and Beer BBQ is a celebration of local food and drink! It is a chance to sample Mayerthorpe’s Hog Wild products, as well as several local and regional side dishes. In addition, there will be beer tastings and tours of Edmonton’s award-winning microbrewery, Alley Kat.

When: Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 1-4pm
Where: Alley Kat Brewery, 9929 60 Avenue
Cost: $40 for Slow Food Edmonton members, $50 for non-members

For your chance to win two tickets, on behalf of Slow Food Edmonton, I’ve put together our 2nd annual scavenger hunt of local producers, restaurants, and independent businesses. Your objective is to collect as many points as possible! From now until July 25, take photos of yourself posing with as many of the items below as you can. Some items on the list will earn you more points than others. Remember to ask permission before taking photos with individuals!

Upload your photos to a photo sharing site such as Flickr or Picasa, and send the link to boarandbeer@gmail.com by 11pm on July 24, 2010. In the event of a tie, the name of a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be announced on July 26, 2010.

Have fun with this – the scavenger hunt is meant to encourage exploration of some of the best Edmonton has to offer. Perhaps you will find a new favourite in the mix!

I would like to acknowledge the Amateur Gourmet, and their Great New York Foodie Scavenger Hunt as the inspiration for this challenge.

Good luck!

Take a picture of yourself…

In the Indian-inspired room at Cafe Haven (5pts.)
Eating gelato at Leva Cafe (5pts.)
With a wild mushroom of your choice from Mo Na (5pts.)
With a copy of We Eat Together (5pts.)
and a prepared recipe from the book (an extra 15pts.)
With a container of Pinocchio ice cream (5pts.)
With latte art in Transcend (5pts.)
Holding a bottle of Alley Kat beer (5pts.)
in a restaurant that offers Alley Kat on tap (an extra 10pts.)
dressed as a cat (an extra 20pts.)
With Nate Box at Elm Cafe (10pts.)
Holding as many different issues of The Tomato/(Edmonton) City Palate as you can (3pts. each, up to a maximum of 30)
next to Mary Bailey (an extra 10pts.)
and a copy of The Food Lover’s Trail Guide (either volume 1 or 2; an extra 15pts.)
With Patty Milligan/aka Lola Canola (5pts.)
wearing a beekeeper’s suit (an extra 20pts.)
With a baguette at Tree Stone Bakery (5pts.)
Enjoying an Eva Sweet waffle (5pts.)
In the Secret Garden at The Dish (5pts.)
Juggling three tangerines in front of Wild Tangerine (10pts.)
Eating a macaron at Duchess Bake Shop (5pts.)
Cooling off with an iced drinking chocolate at Kerstin’s Chocolates (5pts.)
Holding a package of Hog Wild Specialties (15pts.)
Holding a Slow Food membership card (10pts.)
Donating a non-perishable item to the Edmonton Food Bank (5pts.)
With a half-dozen duck eggs from Greens, Eggs and Ham (5pts.)
Holding an Original Fare VIP membership card (10pts.)
Touching the ball in the lion’s mouth (for good luck) at Lucky 97 (5pts.)
Perusing the deli options at Careit (5pts.)
In front of a community garden (5pts.)
Checking out the dessert case at Vi’s for Pies (5pts.)

City Market Report: Week 9

It was our second weekend at the condo, but it still feels surreal to have the City Market at our doorstep. So it was a little funny on Friday when this was literally true – five vendors from the market had set up in front of our building that morning to be interviewed by Lorraine Mansbridge during the morning news. Though they weren’t selling any products, we lucked out when Bamir of Eva Sweet Waffles started our morning off with a complimentary waffle (thanks, Bamir!).

The Friday City Market

Bamir being interviewed by Lorraine

A day later, the market was on in full swing. Though a little rain started off the day, it didn’t seem to dampen attendance much.

Our balcony view of the market

It’s hard not to be inspired by the fresh vegetables available, and more than that, to limit what I buy because everything is just so vibrant and tempting!

Beautiful pepper plant from South Cooking Lake Greenhouses (this was their last week)

Garlic scapes from Sundog Organics

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Green beans from Doef’s/Gull Valley Greenhouses

Kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens

Stone ground wheat from Halwa Farms

Peas were out in full force on Saturday. We picked up a bag from Edgar Farms, but decided one pound was just not enough, and attacked the heap of peas at the Kuhlmann’s booth too.

I just can’t get enough peas

In addition to the peas, carrots from Kuhlmann’s, spinach from Sundog Organics, potatoes from Greens, Eggs and Ham, onions from Green Valley Farms (the producer actually calls me the “onion girl”, heh) and a bell pepper from Doef’s filled up our bag.

We also decided to treat ourselves to a pretzel from Schneckels (their slogan is a mouthful – “If you’re going to ‘schnack’, schnack on a Schneckel). Maria told me to watch for them a few weeks ago, but for whatever reason, I probably walked right past them several times. It turned out to be their fourth week at the market, selling savoury and sweet hand-rolled pretzels. The vendor said he had sold upwards of 400 a week, so he seems to be doing quite well! We picked up a salty pretzel ($3), and though would have preferred to eat it warm, found it to be well-made, with the slightly crunchy exterior and chewy interior. It was a bit too salty for us, however. I’d be willing to give the chocolate version a go next time!

Pretzels from Schneckels

Hope to see you at the market next Saturday!

Off-Menu Extravaganza: Lux Steakhouse

Birthdays provide me with a yearly excuse to try something new, in a price category that is normally out of the question (particularly in light of having recently taken on our first mortgage). Last year, we checked out the decadent Sunday brunch at the Hotel MacDonald. This year, I wanted to do something a little different.

It was at the Grilled Cheese Olympics back in March where Mack and I first met Tony Le, the Executive Chef at Lux Steakhouse (he and his colleagues at Lux are undoubtedly the most active chefs on Twitter in #yeg). It turned out he was an avid reader of our blogs, and at that time, he generously offered to prepare an off-menu meal for Mack and I.

I had pocketed his proposition until I started thinking about where I wanted to celebrate my birthday this year. A posh steakhouse seemed perfect – it would be a nice break in between packing and cleaning. We provided Tony with a price per person ($75), and confirmed the date. I couldn’t wait.

It was a quiet Saturday evening in the restaurant – the perfect atmosphere to relax after a busy day (and of course, meant that Tony would have the time to prepare our dishes). Also – I’m not a fan of the dim, masculine, almost gothic nature of traditional steakhouses, so Lux’s open room with wood paneling and visually intriguing glowing red portholes was a welcome change.

Our server Robin was great throughout the evening. Attentive without being overbearing, he gave us the space we needed to enjoy such a meal. After we were settled, he drew our attention to the half-price wine promotion Century Hospitality is currently offering this summer (with Lux’s turn on Saturday nights), which applies to all bottles of wines available by the glass. We took his recommendation of the Quails’ Gate Reserve Chardonnay, which would pair well with some of the meatier dishes Tony had in store for us that evening.

In addition to our purchased wine, however, Tony was kind enough to provide us with a bottle of Sumac Ridge sparkling wine to start us off (Robin asked if we would be driving; as public transit users, we were safe). He said when he first tried the wine, he thought it would pair perfectly with truffled bacon popcorn, and set off to experiment.

Cheers!

He was right. I love dishes that taunt the nose first, and this was definitely one of them, with the almost earthy notes of truffle a harbinger for the savoury flavours to come. The addition of bacon fat (from Irvings bacon) made for an irresistible combination, each tasty morsel leading to another, in between sips of the sweet bubbly. Pretty soon, I found myself staring at an empty basket (and I finished before Mack did, which almost never happens).

Truffled bacon popcorn

As each course was served, Tony came out of the kitchen to explain the dish, something we really appreciated (the opportunity to hear the creator describe his piece firsthand really enhances the product). The second course, he said, was inspired by the fact that we are avid market shoppers. He went to the City Market that morning to shop for some ingredients, many of which ended up in our heirloom tomato salad – including tomatoes from Doef’s Greenhouses and bee pollen from Lola Canola (two of our favourite producers!). It was an undoubtedly beautiful dish, with the tomatoes sliced mandolin-thin, with the white balsamic reduction and ancho chili oil subtly highlighting the freshness of the produce (I love that the tops were left on the tomatoes). The bees pollen had an interesting, almost malted texture to me, which Mack really enjoyed.

Heirloom tomato salad with white balsamic reduction and ancho chili oil and bees pollen

The lamb salad rolls that followed helped showcase Tony’s range of inspiration. The shredded, perfectly cooked (rare!) rack of lamb had been rolled up with soba noodles and apple kim chi for a bit of heat – I adored the different textures. Served with a watercress and dill salad with an amazing pickled ginger mirin, I can’t see why this course shouldn’t become a regular appetizer on the Lux menu.

Lamb salad rolls with pickled ginger mirin

Next, the pan-seared halibut reminded me that I am but a humble cook – no halibut I’ve ever made has tasted like that, so flaky and moist. Served with a bacon broth that had been cooked with sea asparagus (from Mo Na), the broth took the salty edge off the sea asparagus, but left them with that signature crunch. I requested a spoon to make sure no part of the dish was left unconsumed.

Pan-seared halibut with sea asparagus in a bacon broth (I’m a terrible food blogger – I was halfway through the dish before I realized I hadn’t yet taken a photo…it just looked that good)

We were a little disappointed that the duck used in the subsequent dish wasn’t sourced from Greens, Eggs and Ham, but we understood Tony had his shopping limitations. The Brome Lake duck had been finished with a cab demi glaze, and was served with a grilled apricot and potato gratin. The breast had been well-prepared, and I liked the accompanying sauce. The apricot was a nice touch too, ensuring our palate wasn’t overpowered by the protein and cheesy starch.

Duck breast with cab demi glaze, grilled apricot and potato gratin

Our final entrée was an espresso bison shortrib with a peppercorn glaze and topped with potato frites. While it’s difficult not to enjoy any meat tender enough to fall off the bone, I have to say the bison was overshadowed by the bed of corn. The grown-up cousin of our starter, this was decadence at its finest, the kernels just danced in my mouth with a coat of sumptuous bacon fat and truffle oil (thanks, Matt!).

Espresso shortrib with a peppercorn glaze, potato frites and truffled bacon cream corn

As we readied ourselves for dessert, we couldn’t believe that we were already into our second hour of dining. The time warp was attributed to the skill of the kitchen that ensured the courses were properly paced so our stomachs weren’t overwhelmed.

The first of two desserts (you read that right) was a flaky pastry with sour cherry compote, poached pears, champagne sorbet with raspberry coulis (the raspberries and pears were sourced from the City Market). It was the perfect plate to follow several dense courses – funny how fruit can help settle an ailment of overeating, no? Both Mack and I agreed, however, that the best thing on the plate was the light and refreshing champagne sorbet.

Flaky pastry with sour cherry compote, poached pears, champagne sorbet and raspberry coulis

What was the final course, you ask? A birthday cake in the form of cream cheese and chocolate cupcakes, accompanied by coconut and walnut chocolate truffles.

Cream cheese and chocolate cupcakes and truffles

We were really happy that Tony was able to sit and chat with us for a while at the end of the meal. Though we’ve had conversations in passing, it was great to finally have the opportunity to get to know him a little better. It was easy to see his passion for Edmonton, and he stated his intentions to remain here, in order to continue to contribute to the community. I think the city is lucky to have such a talented and committed chef in Tony!

All smiles

Thanks again to Tony and the rest of the staff at Lux for a wonderful night, and for one of the best birthday meals I’ve ever had.

Lux Steakhouse and Bar
10150 101 Street
(780) 424-0400
Steakhouse hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11-2:30pm; Dinner, Monday-Thursday 5-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11pm, closed Sunday

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