Author: Sharon Yeo

Sharon is an Edmonton-based blogger who has been writing about food since 2006.

Fringe Theatre Adventures: “The Bone House”

Marty Chan’s The Bone House was the first play I ever watched, introducing me to the wild world of live theatre back in my high school days. I haven’t looked back since, immersing myself in the Fringe Festival every summer, subscribing to Teatro la Quindicina, and partaking in many other productions throughout the year. When I heard Fringe Theatre Adventures was bringing back the play that started it all for me, I couldn’t wait to watch the remount.

Mack and I headed to the Arts Barns on Friday night, and joined a relatively intimate crowd in the PCL Studio Theatre. One of the coolest things about this incarnation was that Chris Fassbender, who played assistant Jacob in the past production, took on the lead role of “mind hunter” Eugene Crowley this time around – it was great to see him on stage in Edmonton again, as Fassbender has since relocated to Vancouver.

The play, set up as being a lecture on serial killers (and on the Midnight Cowboy in particular, who has not yet been caught), is psychologically unnerving. Though having seen it before prepared me for some of the twists, my memory could not protect me from other frights. Crowley shifted random members of the audience (including me) twice, ensuring that a majority of the attendees were sitting among unfamiliar peers. Moreover, the build up towards the unexpected ending is subtle and so well done, gradually encouraging unsaid possibilities to multiply in the audience’s mind. Tracey Power’s turn as the frail Gabrielle halfway through manages to heighten the terror even further, ensuring the audience is vividly aware of the Midnight Cowboy’s brutality, as Gabrielle recounts the murder of her parents.

The Bone House is one of those productions that you have to experience yourself – any more detail shared would ruin it. Even after my second viewing, I would still name it as one of the best plays I have ever seen. Go while you still can.

The Bone House runs at the TransAlta Arts Barns until November 7.

Walk ’til you Drop: CrossIron Mills

With some time to kill before dinner on Friday, we made the most of my conference hotel and venue being on the north edge of Calgary and merged with the weekend traffic towards Balzac.

CrossIron Mills, which holds the distinction of being the largest single-level shopping complex in Alberta, has put Balzac on the map, for better or for worse. Driving into the mall, Mack commented that the surrounding grey, bulldozed landscape reminded him of Mars – barren and void of life. I had to agree, but I am certain that within a year, the empty space will be populated with other big box retail.

Similar to other malls in Calgary like Chinook, anchor tenants are accessible via their own external entrances. This provides great convenience for the focused shopper, though as the centre’s location isn’t really that conducive to a quick stop, the gateways are rendered less effective.

 

Food court

The mall is divided into six “neighbourhoods”: fashion, ranch, resources, fossil, sport and to come in 2010, entertainment. Each district has a décor scheme that ties that distinguishes that particular wing, with a seating area highlighting the theme.

In the ranch neighbourhood

Sport seating area (with LCD panels up above, and replica trophies)

 

Pro Hockey Life‘s stick cluster

As far as shops go however, there aren’t that many unique retailers. Jim commented that Cork is a decent wine shop, and I noted that the South St. Burger Co. looks like it is worth checking out, but the majority of stores can be found elsewhere, within transit-accessible city borders.

Mack keeping cool in a pod chair (I can’t recall the name of the furniture store; they had some funky pieces though)

One exception to this statement is the 150,000 square foot Bass Pro Shop – it seriously blew our minds. Stepping into the building that stretched forever upwards, I half-expected Vince Vaughn to pop out, dressed in full-on fishing gear, as if we were on the set of a comedy.

Bass Pro Shop

From the antler-lined entranceway to the the two-storey waterfall, the massive fish-filled tank, and the taxidermy display reminiscent of a wildlife museum, it’s an outdoorsman’s paradise. Anything you could possibly need for fishing, hunting, camping or boating is available in the store, and while I’m certain their selection is good, the fact that the store is a tourist attraction in itself doesn’t hurt matters either.

Fish tank (we didn’t stay for the feeding time)

General store (with ice cream and other classic goodies)

The store is a bit of a playground as well, as evidenced by their shooting gallery. Fun could be had for just 50 cents, and well, Mack couldn’t help himself.

Duck!

We didn’t stay at CrossIron Mills quite as long as we could have, but it was enough to experience the mall. All in all, Bass Pro Shop is worth a visit for the pure spectacle of it – the rest is nothing you haven’t seen before, or couldn’t get elsewhere.

Retro Cool ‘Dogs: Le Chien Chaud

I had heard great things about Calgary’s “other” hot dog palace, Le Chien Chaud. Having visited the infamous Tubby Dog last year, we thought a comparison stop was necessary to complete our Cowtown hot dog tour.

With Wednesday supper being our own responsibility (the conference would be covering all other meals over the next day and a half), I thought that would be a good time to pop over to Le Chien Chaud. Arriving at 7:30, Mack and I just made it – the owners were tidying up when we entered, readying for their 8pm closing time.

It is evident that the restaurant is a labour of love for owners Bob and Jane Steckle, who actually run the shop themselves. As opposed to Tubby Dog, which is a dive (albeit an endearing one), Le Chien Chaud has a boutique feel, with artfully displayed artefacts, posters, and memorabilia relating to the phenomenon of hot dogs. The walls are bright red, and when contrasted with the black and white checkered floor, the retro feel of the establishment is unmistakable.

Interior

While some of the topping combinations went beyond the usual ketchup, mustard and onion family, Tubby Dog definitely offers more creativity and shock value with their wasabi and cereal-encrusted creations. For that reason, the menu at Le Chien Chaud reminded me very much of The Dawg Father, Edmonton’s premiere hot dog purveyor. Mack ended up choosing the breakfast dog ($5.75), dressed with cream cheese and chive scrambled eggs, cheddar and bacon bits. The Coney Island dog ($5.75) sounded best to me, drenched in a meat sauce. We both opted for the default pork/beef combination, though all beef, vegetarian, buffalo and bratwurst was also available.

We sat down, and before we knew it, our freshly prepared meal was set in front of us. Mack and I were both immediately disappointed that the cheese was not melted – a trip through the broiler would have made a world of difference, especially as a means of binding the toppings together. Although Mack enjoyed his hot dog (commenting that it was moist and flavourful), he would have preferred warmed bacon crisps, instead of the bacon bits that almost tasted artificial.

Breakfast Dog

I am almost always a messier eater than Mack, and in this case, the ladle of meat sauce on my Coney Island dog had me at a disadvantage from the start. However, it was worth the mess, as it added a rich and textured punch to an otherwise typical dog.

Coney Island Dog

Our high expectations had raised the bar for Le Chien Chaud, and while we enjoyed our experience, wouldn’t advise going out of your way to try it.

Le Chien Chaud
3, 2015 4 Street SW, Calgary
(403) 229-3641
Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm, Sunday 12-5pm

Food Notes for October 26, 2009

Mack and I just returned from a week away from the city, spent in Calgary and Banff. It was a much needed mini-break, relaxing and restful. And of course, we ate quite well, something we tend to do when we’re away, and I’ll be catching up on posts for the next little while. I hope you all had a good weekend!

  • Nate Box, whose Elm Cafe was supposed to have opened by now in the space that formerly housed Hulbert’s, has hit a snag with building negotiations, and is desperately seeking an alternative space.
  • Vue Weekly wrote about Backstairs Cafe, Edmonton’s vegan “culinary speakeasy”. I’ve been reading about underground supper clubs in Toronto and other places for a while; it’s nice to see the trend finally reaching Edmonton.
  • There was some Chowhound chatter about Bulk Barn, billed as “Canada’s largest bulk food retailer”, carrying over 4000 products. Look for its first Edmonton location to open in November in South Edmonton Common (2077 98 Street, 780-461-4454).
  • Liane wrote about the longstanding Fin’s in Bistro last week, which celebrated its fifteenth anniversary this month. I still haven’t made it out to the shop located in Sherwood Park, but intend to at some point.
  • The Gold Medal Plates (a fundraiser for Canadian Olympic athletes) took place last Wednesday. Chef Nathin Bye of L’Azia won gold with his Alberta bison prepared three ways, with Blair Lebsack of Madison’s Grill and Sonny Sung of Bistecca rounding out the podium.
  • Maki at In My Element attended Savouries, a LitFest event combining food with literary readings. It sounded like a great event; I am sorry I couldn’t attend.
  • Bruce at Moments in Digital did a photo shoot to help promote an Edmonton Food Bank campaign to raise awareness of hunger. The Expressions of Hunger photo and literary contest will be open until March 31, 2010, after which the public will be invited to vote for their favourite entries.
  • While in a Calgary Starbucks last week, we noticed a Calgary ‘City Mug’ (the branded cups are something I have started to collect). Why no Edmonton mug, Starbucks?

 

Calgary Starbucks mug

  • We also had the, erm, pleasure of visiting CrossIron Mills, the newest example of sprawling shopping centre design (more about it later). In it, however, we discovered South St. Burger Co., a burger chain that seems to be doing its best to source its naturally-raised, hormone-free beef locally. This location proudly serves Spring Creek Ranch beef. We were heading to dinner elsewhere, but I’d be eager to give their food a try.

 

South St. Burger Co. in CrossIron Mills

The Cooking Chronicles: Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Kale

Among the goods I picked up at the final City Centre Market was a beautiful bunch of curly kale from Sundog Organic Farms. I had tried kale for the first time earlier this year in a recipe that didn’t highlight the vegetable very well, and though I probably should have stuck to something simple like sautéing it with some olive oil and garlic, a Giada de Laurentiis recipe caught my eye.

Farfalle with spicy sausage and kale from Everyday Pasta, like most of Giada’s recipes, was really straightforward. The only thing I would have changed in hindsight was roughly chopping the sausage once out of the casings – breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon didn’t work well at all. The 1/3 cup of cream went a long way to flavouring the sauce, and the parmesan finish helped bring the pasta all together.

And the kale? It didn’t taste like cabbage this time around, and had a nice mild, almost spinach-like flavour. It added some great texture to the dish.

Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Kale

Olde Time Fair on the Square

En route to Stanley Milner on Saturday, I passed through the Olde Time Fair that was taking place at Churchill Square.

Juggler

The family-friendly outdoor event was blessed with beautiful weather – such a difference from the winter chill felt just a week prior. There were “roving entertainers” (a stilt walker and juggler, among them), carnival games, face painting, pumpkin carving and hay rides.

Pumpkins!

Hay Rides

Carnival Games

Though the City Centre Market officially concluded for the year last week, there were a few vendors on hand (in walled tents to keep out the wind had their been any). There were no produce or meat vendors present (save Medicine Man Bison), but there were accessories, candied treats, baked goods, and pickled items available for sale.

Vendors

It was a lovely way to spend some time outside. I hope we get a few more weekends like that one!

Food Notes for October 19, 2009

I’ve been looking forward to this week for a while – on Wednesday, I’m heading down to a conference in Calgary, and after that, Mack and I will be spending the weekend in Banff. Nothing like a mini-break in the fall to rejuvenate our spirits! On to this week’s food notes:

  • Congrats to Chad Moss of Transcend Coffee for placing third in the Canadian National Barista Championships held this weekend in Vancouver! Check the Transcend website for photos of the competition.
  • The Journal filed an early review for the sparkly-new Indian eatery, Zaika, tucked on the city’s burgeoning southwest side.
  • See Magazine published a positive review for Nyala (10875-98 Street, 780-761-2000) this week, the relatively new Ethiopian eatery that took over the space previously occupied by the Blue Nile.
  • Original Fare has a new contest to encourage patrons to visit independent eateries (or, alternatively, to reward those who do already): experience 10 different Original Fare restaurants before December 31, 2009, and you can enter a draw to win a $250 gift certificate!
  • The Manor Bistro (formerly known as the Manor Cafe) as a new website!
  • The Duchess Bake Shop received more online food love this week, with a post by Twyla at It’s a Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life. A note to anyone looking to visit the bakery – Duchess just changed their hours to hopefully allow Garner and Giselle some breathing room: closed Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday 9am-6pm, Thursday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm.
  • Liane blogged about the launch of an exciting new cookbook called We Eat Together, filled with recipes, photos and stories from nine local farming families. It is being launched at the Artery on November 25.
  • Thanks to Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) for writing about her experience in hunting down the ingredients (and of course, subsequently pulling them all together) for Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon. I’d like to attempt it someday…
  • In recent weeks, Mack and I hit up two of our favourite restaurants in Edmonton. Before the final City Centre Market day, we just had to have brunch at Blue Plate Diner.

It was full when we sat down, but cleared out by the time we were done

Mack in weekend-mode

Mack’s Pancake Breakfast

My Big Breakfast

  • A quick meal at Route 99 prior to a show in the nearby theatre district has become standard for us. Or, we just need an excuse to indulge in poutine. Yum.

Poutine!

Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza (as always, so generous with cheese)

Fish & Chips

Enjoy the return of fall!

Teatro La Quindicina: “Everybody Goes to Mitzi’s!”

Last Wednesday, Mack and I attended the last Teatro La Quindicina performance of the season, a spirited musical comedy titled Everybody Goes to Mitzi’s! As with the last few years, the final play of their season highlights other local playwrights.

Mitzi’s was written as a tribute to the Edmonton supper club scene in the 1960s, cataloguing the romantic hijinx of staff in one particular establishment. The cast, made up of Teatro regulars and one recent graduate (Robyn Wallis) was solid, and the group definitely looked like they were having fun.

A band was up on stage and played through most of the production, which really helped to set the lighthearted tone. The songs were catchy and upbeat, and instead of simply being musical interludes, actually helped move the plot forward. My favourite was the duet featuring Tippi (Wallis) and Jack (Ryan Parker), if not only because it was the song most pleasing to my ear. The clever will-they-or-won’t-they duet between Mitzi’s staff Mitch (Andrew MacDonald Smith) and ‘Numbers’ (Jocelyn Ahlf) was also enjoyable.

The 60s-inspired costumes deserve a special mention as well <insert ubiquitous Mad Men reference here>, and in particular I thought Tippi’s wardrobe stole the show (she seemed to change outfits after every scene).

The play ended on a very optimistic note – one that sees the characters adopt a forward-looking stance on the city’s development, which is not unlike the outlook many citizens have on the current state of Edmonton. It was a fitting ending, and left me smiling as I left the theatre.

Everybody Goes to Mitzi’s runs until October 24.

Creations Grand Opening

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Sawridge Inn inviting me to the grand opening of their new dining space, Creations. Located in the former Holiday Inn on Gateway Boulevard, I was interested to see what they had done – the photos on the website seemed promising.

We were greeted with a jam-packed parking lot on Thursday evening about halfway through the event. I think we were both expecting a more intimate, personable opening, so we did not anticipate the crowd that was present. We are also among the youngest in the room, and definitely underdressed in jeans, as most of the attendees were in business attire. We didn’t recognize anyone, though I found out after the fact that Foodie Suz was also there!

Creations Lounge

We were made to feel welcome though as we walked into the hotel, directed to the coat check and oriented to the layout of the space. The Creations Gallery features art work by Canadian artists, with new pieces presented on an ongoing basis. The water feature separating the exhibition from the lounge was lovely.

Creations Gallery

The art theme continued in the dining space, with a focus on Aboriginal pieces. I loved the wood and stone accents, which helps separate the room from the bustling freeway outside. And though Creations isn’t large, the high ceiling helps make the space seem bigger.

Welcoming dream catcher

Dining room

Stunning 12 foot fireplace

Several food and drink stations were scattered throughout. Not only was wine poured, but champagne and spirits as well! We also helped ourselves to bite-size samples of several of their regular menu items. Mack’s favourite was the teriyaki scallops, while I loved the pork tenderloin with a blueberry and port compote.

Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry and Port Compote and Sherried Beef Caprese

Almond-encrusted Sole, Cranberry Chicken Breast and Flat Iron Steak

Dungeness Crab and Spinach Dip and Pistachio Lamb with Rhubarb Chutney

On the whole, I was impressed with the food. Considering everything had to be prepared in large batches and kept warm either with burners or heat lamps, I could still taste the quality.

Before we left, we were each given at $25 gift card. Even if they hadn’t provided us with this generous gift, I would have considered returning for a full meal anyway – the entrees are intriguing, and the menu prices are reasonable. We’ll be back, and I look forward to experiencing Creations on a regular night.

Creations (in Sawridge Inn Edmonton South)
4235 Gateway Blvd.
(780) 989-4439

The Cooking Chronicles: Curried Tofu Scramble with Chapati

I am one of those people who is afraid to cook without a recipe, at least for dishes I am trying my hand at for the first time. But after sampling my coworker’s curried tofu scramble (which I thought could pass for scrambled eggs), and asking her for the verbal recipe, she convinced me that the four ingredients (plus spices) would be difficult to mess up.

She had eaten the dish with chapati, an Indian flatbread. I did not get the chance to ask her for that recipe, but located one online that didn’t look too difficult. Using our brand spanking new food processor (which helped greatly), combining the whole wheat flour, salt, warm water and oil into dough was a snap. Once we had refrigerated the dough for the minimum thirty minutes, Mack proceeded to roll the dough out into flat discs, while I preheated the pan.

Mack rolling out dough

We’ve never made flatbread before, and I have to tell you I was almost giddy when I watched the chapati balloon. For some reason, I didn’t think such a simple ingredient base, preparation, and short time span would actually translate into a successful product.

A ballooning chapati!

Once the chapati were done, we set to make the curried tofu (having only one usable non-stick pan definitely slowed down our dinner preparation that night). To two softened medium onions, we crumbled in one package of extra firm tofu, and made sure to cook it until all of the tofu’s liquid had evaporated. We added turmeric and curry powder (completely forgetting about the salt and pepper), and then two medium diced tomatoes. Lastly, we threw in a handful of chopped parsley (my coworker had recommended cilantro, but we did not have any on hand).

The result? Not bad for a first try on both recipes. The chapati was much more dry than my coworker’s had been (expected for a variety of reasons – technique, old flour, etc.), but was all right. The curried tofu was also okay, with a notable texture unlike any tofu I ever had before, but lacked a certain something beyond salt and pepper. Mack commented that the tomatoes made the dish for him.

Curried Tofu Scramble (a shade of radioactive yellow!)

After we made this, I read a post over at the Little Red Kitchen that may help us with future scrambles. Anyway, I love a recipe that can be made using pantry and fridge staples, and this is one that we may play around with yet.