Author: Sharon Yeo

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

Food Notes for January 28, 2019

Two Food Halls Opening Soon in Edmonton

Beljan Development, the company behind the Crawford Block (home of Holy Roller, El Cortez, and Have Mercy), and Oliver Exchange (soon to house Brio Bakery, Culina Grab and Go, and Iconoclast Coffee), is working on bringing the trendy food hall concept to Edmonton. They’re planning to include food halls in the redevelopment of the Strathcona Hotel and the YMCA building downtown, with the latter, called Williams Hall, set to open in Fall 2019.

Openings

  • Jack’s Sandwich Shack has replaced Ong Hanoi Style Fried Chicken at 15 Perron Street in St. Albert.
  • Signage just went up announcing Ice District locations for Guru and Delux Burger Bar at the base of the Edmonton Tower.

Upcoming Events

  • The next Swine and Dine will be held at Salz on February 11, 2019. Tickets for the three-course menu are $40.
  • The annual Winefest returns to the Shaw Conference Centre on February 15-16, 2019. Tickets to the all-inclusive event start at $87.
  • NAIT is hosting their inaugural Cook, Butcher & Baker Food Competition Showcase on February 23, 2019, featuring the top students from the Department of Culinary Arts & Professional Food Studies. Tickets are $50.
  • The wildly popular medicinal plant walks with herbalist Robert Rogers always sell out – tickets for his events on July 9 and August 7, 2019 are available on EventBrite through The Local Good for $60.

Reviews

Local News

  • Chef Steven Brochu is leaving Chartier in February to helm his own cafeteria and catering operation.
  • There’s a new brewery tour in town: Canadian Craft Tours, who leads tours in BC and Calgary, is launching brewery tours in Edmonton.
  • Speaking of beer, The Local Good has a great resource mapping out establishments who have at least 40% of their taps devoted to Alberta beers.
  • Star Metro published a piece about a ghost kitchen operating in Edmonton, though I’m not sure it’s the first – after it closes its doors to public in mid-February, Solstice Seasonal Cuisine will still be offering food through delivery apps.
  • The latest webisode of Fast Food features The Commodore’s Chef Megan Gee and her kimchi fried rice.
  • Send a sweet gift that will also benefit charity: Bloom Cookies will be offering Cookie-Grams for Valentine’s Day, with $5 from each $28 box going towards the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton. On a related note the Local Good recently profiled Bloom.
  • The most recent NextGen vlog highlights Cafe Linnea.
  • Sylvia Cheverie from Chartier is interviewed on this week’s episode of Let’s Do Coffee, a podcast about entrepreneurship.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

  • The Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association is offering an Introductory Fruit Production workshop, all about fruit production and its economics in Alberta. Tickets are $50.

Beyond Edmonton

  • The new Canada Food Guide has finally been released. For the most part, the reviews have been positive, and I’m a fan of the healthy eating habits included along with the food guidelines (here’s one opinion, from Food Network chef Laura Caulder).
  • CBC’s Great Canadian Baking Show is accepting applications for their third season. The deadline to apply is March 10, 2019.

What I Ate

  • Congratulations to Cora’s who officially opened their downtown Edmonton location on Wednesday, located at 10041 106 Street (in the Days Inn). Emily and I were happy to be part of the festivities!

Cora's

Enjoying our Cora’s breakfast

  • I’m always happy to see more ramen options available in the core, so I had to try Jang’s version, available on their lunch menu. I loved the miso beef broth, and of course, the house-made noodles were perfect, as would be expected from the sister restaurant to Nudoru.

Jang

Gyu ramen from Jang

  • Mack and I found ourselves near the University of Alberta today, and took advantage of this proximity to check out the (no longer new) digs of Filistix in the Students’ Union Building. Their food always hits the spot, and I’m looking forward to their downtown location opening later this year (they’re hoping for April).

Filistix

Comfort food from Filistix

  • Chinatown Dining Week came to a close over the weekend. Mack and I snuck in one more meal at Padmanadi – it was a happy coincidence that my favourite dish (the ginger beef) made it onto the menu! If you attended Chinatown Dining Week this year, please consider filling in this survey – the results will help with the planning of future events. Thank you!

Padmanadi

Curry chicken and ginger beef at Padmanadi

The K-Wave Continues: Gangnam Street Food

Back in 2017, I noted in my year end wrap-up that Korean eateries were making their presence in Edmonton known. What was particularly impressive was the range of establishments that were opening – mainstream-friendly Korean Fried Chicken and Korean BBQ joints, but also bingsu (Korean shaved ice) dessert bars, Korean soup restaurants and anju (food to accompany alcohol).

A year later, Culinaire Magazine published a piece further categorizing the variety of Korean cuisine available in Edmonton and Calgary, which has continued to grow. In fact, a new restaurant specializing in Korean street food is set to open tomorrow, January 24, 2019.

Gangnam Street Food is situated in a south side strip mall on 34 Avenue. It is also known as “K-Mall”, in recognition of its cluster of Korean businesses, including bingsu place Let Eat Snow and the newly-opened grocer A-Mart. Gangnam Street Food is the brainchild of the folks behind Dookbaeki and Baekjeong, so they’re already somewhat familiar with Edmontonians’ appetite for Korean cuisine, but this concept brings the team back to their youth.

Gangnam Street Food will offer inexpensive dishes found in Korea that are popular with young people; quick handheld bites picked up after school, or before a night out. Dishes will be priced from $4-9, so for the price of one main elsewhere, diners can easily sample several plates. The restaurant is primarily set up for those looking for take-out, but there are also about 30 seats to eat in. In addition, their menu will be available on Skip the Dishes.

Two weeks ago, I was among a small group that was invited to preview Gangnam Street Food. We were able to try 7 of the dishes (though there will be more on the full menu).

Gangnam Street Food

Part of our spread

It’s no surprise that the deep-fried items we sampled were the most crowd-pleasing overall; they would easily appeal to those unfamiliar with Korean cuisine. The Korean-style hot dog features a wiener wrapped in mozzarella cheese and house-made dough, then fried. It fared best when eaten right away (which I had failed to do), but I still enjoyed the concept.

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Korean style hot dog

Similarly, the Dak-gang-jung, or deep-fried boneless and breaded chicken, was straightforward and tasty. Here, it was served with honey mustard sauce, though there were spicier dips available on the counter for those keen for more heat.

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Dak-gang-jung

Gangnam Street Food’s version of Dduck bo kki, was plenty hot for me; the rice and fish cakes were stir-fried with a spicy sauce. When I was first introduced to this dish in Korea years ago, I always opted for the more pedestrian version on menus, so just for the reason of my personal preference, this was my least favourite dish.

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Dduck bo kki

In addition to the hot dog, skewers also make an appearance as an easy-to-eat meat on a stick. That night, we tried two of their kkochi (skewer). Both were charcoal-grilled, but the chicken was basted in a Korean Bulgogi sauce, while the pork belly had been brushed with a house-made “super spicy sauce”. The portions here were on the smaller side, but would be ideal for those just looking for a snack-sized amount of meat.

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Kkochi

The spam and sausage cup-bap was the full meal deal. Rice was layered with ham, sausage, stir-fried kimchi, bean sprouts, corn, lettuce, and a pan-fried egg. This dish will be very familiar to those who have frequented standard Korean restaurants, albeit in a smaller serving. It was satisfying enough, and helped balance out some of the heavier courses.

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Ham and sausage cup-bap

For dessert, we sampled the Ho dduck, a Korean-style pancake with melted cinnamon and sugar filling, served hot. This was also a favourite of the night, unsurprising given the classic flavours, but notable for the dense and doughy texture of the pancake itself. We were told this was perhaps the most difficult recipe to develop, though I can say it was worth their time – I will be returning in the future for seconds!

Gangnam Street Food Edmonton

Ho dduck

It’s great to see how the Korean food scene continues to evolve and mature in our city, and Gangnam Street Food is certainly poised to help introduce another facet of this diverse cuisine to Edmontonians. Thanks again for having me (and for the very generous $100 in gift cards to their “family” of businesses). Best of luck with the opening!

Gangnam Street Food
#15, 9261 34 Avenue
(780) 244-0148
Monday-Sunday 11am-9pm

Food Notes for January 21, 2019

The Plight of Kitchen Labour

Chef Paul Shufelt of Workshop Eatery used his latest column in the Edmonton Sun last week to discuss the challenges faced by cooks trying to make a respectable wage: “Our system is broken, those that tell you otherwise are lying. Sadly though, until we all agree to change the way we do business…talented young cooks will continue to give up, in pursuit of something a little more financially rewarding.” He was also interviewed on Global Edmonton about his thoughts on chef compensation.

Openings

  • A new bubble tea chain from China called Heeretea has opened in Old Strathcona, at 11116 82 Avenue.
  • A location of the chain Delicious Pho is now open in the MNP Tower (101 Street & 102 Avenue).
  • The Raymond Block at Whyte Avenue and 105 Street will soon house a Blaze Pizza and Five Guys, but another location of Remedy Cafe will open on February 2, 2019. The location will include a chai brewery.
  • More of a re-opening – Austrian restaurant The Bauernschmaus is open again after a renovation.

Upcoming Events

  • La Poutine Week is returning on February 1-7, 2019, providing an opportunity for participating restaurants to showcase a signature poutine. While it claims to be a national event, representation throughout Canada is spotty, with Winnipeg actually claiming the quantitative crown.
  • Are you interested in opening a microbrewery? The City of Edmonton is hosting a free information session on February 12, 2019 that will include reps from AGLC.
  • NAIT is hosting a Junior Chefs’ Valentine’s Dinner on February 12, 2019. Tickets for the 3-course meal are $65.
  • Motley Que Barbeque is hosting an Introduction to BBQ class on March 10, 2019. Tickets start at $110.
  • Hot Chefs Cool Beats is returning after a hiatus. It will take place on April 25, 2019 at the Mosaic Centre. Early bird tickets are priced at $125 and are available until February 1, 2019. I attended the inaugural event back in 2012.

Reviews

Local News

What I Ate

  • I had to hit up at least one Chinatown Dining Week restaurant this weekend! Su and I met up at Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles on Friday, and found it to be a full house by the time we left! We really enjoyed their hand-pulled noodles, nestled among the beef cubes and broth. Chinatown Dining Week runs until January 27, 2019.

Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles

Noodles, beef cubes and beef bone soup at Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles

Segway Fun: Exploring the Legislature Lights with River Valley Adventure Company

My first taste of riding a Segway came six years ago, when we partnered up with River Valley Adventure Company for our pop-up Blink: Urban Picnic event held in Louise McKinney Park. During that event, the owner of the company, Chris Szydlowski, gave our attendees mini lessons on Segways, which they were using to lead tours on the area’s trails. I was only able to try the Segway for a few minutes, but I remember not feeling all that comfortable on the vehicle.

Fast forward to now: River Valley Adventure Company is not only leading tours in green spaces, but starting last year, they also began hosting the Legislature Lights Adventure! The 60-minute tour combines a few of my favourite things – Mack and I are frequent visitors to the grounds during the holidays, as we find that the lights and music create a magical effect. Also, being that he is a very passionate Edmontonian, Chris delights in being able to share fun and interesting facts about the area throughout the journey. He invited us to experience the Adventure for ourselves last Friday.

We met him in the visitor parking lot south of the Terrace Building, where he had positioned three Segways. Because neither Mack or I were experienced Segway riders, Chris added a 30-minute introduction clinic to get us started.

Legislature Lights Segway Tour

Chris Szydlowski

It was the mark of a great teacher, because after that lesson, I felt surprisingly confident on the Segway. I had been afraid of tipping or losing control of the machine, but with his expert instructions, I was able to trust in using what I had learned to ride, stop, and safely disembark the Segway.

Something I should have done was listened to his advice on layering up for the conditions! He had recommended dressing like we were “headed for the mountains”, but at -8C that evening, we didn’t think it was necessary. However, at times, when we were cruising along at the top speed of 20km/hour, it was a bit more biting than what we are used to as pedestrians. Our feet, in spite of not standing directly on the cold pavement, also could have used proper snow boots.

Chris shared that in its second year, the Legislature Lights Adventure had already more than doubled its bookings when compared with the previous year. And while many who have attended the tour have been from out of town, some were playing tourist in their own home. Certainly for us, we learned many facts that we did not know – Chris took us to the spot (commemorated by a plaque) that was the home to one of the previous Fort Edmontons. In addition, we found out that the domed fountain that operates in the summer is actually an exact sized replica of the Legislature’s dome!

Legislature Lights Segway Tour

Holiday lights at the Legislature

Chris told us that Edmonton is one of the most Segway-friendly cities in Canada; the vehicles are permitted on city sidewalks. It so happened that our tour coincided with rush hour, so for our brief trek up Capital Boulevard to admire the public art, Chris was adept at guiding us to cross streets safely and warning pedestrians of our presence with a bike bell.

Legislature Lights Segway Tour

On Capital Boulevard

For those hoping to document their experience, Chris makes sure to build in a number of photo opportunities along the way. As we started in the late afternoon, the lights didn’t have as dark of a backdrop to shine against. The public tours are offered later in the evening, however, so would be adventurers needn’t worry!

Legislature Lights Segway Tour

Our favourite vantage point at the Legislature

Overall, the tour was a fun way to explore one of my favourite places Downtown, and one that I would highly recommend! Thanks again to Chris for the invitation to experience the Legislature grounds on a unique set of two wheels.

The Legislature Lights Adventure is available until January 31, 2019.

Food Notes for January 14, 2019

Edmonton’s First Multi-Day Indoor Farmers’ Market

The discussion about the need for a year-round multi-day farmers’ market in our city has been going on for years. Calgary has several such markets (we’ll leave their tendency to be a one-stop produce shop aside for the time being), but neither the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market or the City Market have been able to meet this demand. Enter a new player: Bountiful Markets, to be located on the south side at 3696 97 Street. Features include an ethnic food hall and space for 140 vendors. Riverbend Gardens has already signed on as a tenant. They hope to open in May or June of 2019.

Openings

  • Pink Gorilla Pizzeria, which took over the former Parkallen Restaurant at 7018 109 Street, opened over the weekend. It’s the second restaurant from Mark Bellows and Ryan Brodziak of The Local Omnivore. The Journal has a preview of some of the pizzas available.
  • Also on the pizza front, Artisti Pizzeria opened in Holland Plaza last week at 11998 109A Avenue.
  • Al Centro opened its doors over the weekend, with soft opening hours continuing this week. Find them at 9888 Jasper Avenue.
  • Amore Pasta’s downtown location at 10235 101 Street in the MNP Tower opened today! They had to delay their opening a week due to mechanical issues.
  • A new coffee shop in Jagare Ridge called Caffiend Coffee is opening on January 18, 2019 at 14132 28 Avenue SW.
  • Gangnam Street Food has delayed their opening to January 24, 2019. Lydia has a photolog of what to expect.
  • Nello’s in St. Albert is opening a location in downtown Edmonton in the space formerly occupied by his father’s restaurant, Il Pasticcio (11520 100 Avenue). Some may remember back in 2013, Nello’s tried their hand at a space in Grandin (now The Butternut Tree), but was unsuccessful.
  • The brewpub that will open in the former Characters space now has a name: Campio Brewing.
  • Ritchie has developed into a hot neighbourhood for new food shops over the past two years. Another business to join the fray – Kind Ice Cream, which will offer small batch ice cream (including vegan options). They hope to open in the spring.

Closures

  • Solstice Seasonal Cuisine is closing on February 16, 2019. The owners are looking into opening a new concept in the space by the end of the year, but in the meantime, Solstice will still be offering their food via Skip the Dishes, and use the restaurant as an event space.
  • The downtown location of the Three Amigos has closed.

Upcoming Events

Reviews

Local News

  • The Journal covered Chinatown Dining Week, which runs January 17-27, 2019.
  • In case you missed it, The Yards selected the winners for their forth annual Best in the Core awards, which features many hidden and not-so-hidden gems in Downtown and Oliver.
  • Chef Ben Staley’s previous restaurant Alder Room was featured in Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery, a “guide to the world’s truly exemplary, organic, sustainable, and ethical restaurants”.
  • Love Pizza has opened up their business to franchise partners.
  • The latest webisode of Fast Food features Filistix’s Ariel Del Rosario’s chicken and pork adobo.
  • Chef Steve Buzak of the Royal Glenora Club placed second along with his teammate in an international ice carving competition in Harbin, China.
  • The newest episode of The Edmonton Community Foundation’s Well Endowed Podcast features an interview with Jon Hall and Twyla Campbell. They discuss the biography of Chef Gail Hall that they published late last year.

What I Ate

  • Our Chinatown Dining Week team met at Kanto 98 St. Eatery last week, where I tried their incredibly addictive garlic fried rice for the first time. It won’t be my last time.

Untitled

Our meal at Kanto

  • It was definitely a Love Pizza kind of night on Friday – Mack and I have been looking forward to the return of the mac & cheeza for almost a year! It was just as delicious as we remembered.

Untitled

Mac & cheeza from Love Pizza

  • Mack, Emily, and I stopped in at Al Centro on Saturday on our way home from the City Market. They were clearly in soft opening mode, but we decided to sample one of their pizzas on offer – they have the distinction of being Edmonton’s first Roman pizza bar. The slice was just under $6, which was on the pricey side, but we did really enjoy the crust – it held up nicely and had a great chew.

Al Centro

Potato and bacon pizza from Al Centro

Green Onion Cake Man

Green onion cakes and hot and sour soup from The Green Onion Cake Man

  • This isn’t “what I ate” so much as a “where I could eat” – has anyone else noticed that the Courtyard Marriott has winterized their tables overlooking the North Saskatchewan River? I spotted these a few weeks ago on the funicular, but didn’t have the chance to check them out until the weekend. They can seat up to six, and there are blankets for warmth. Staff weren’t certain they’d hold up on very cold days, but on sunny afternoons, they definitely trap heat. Worth a look for those seeking winter patios!

Courtyard Marriott

The Riverside Bistro patio at the Courtyard Marriott

     

Culinary Highlights: 2018 Edition

2018 was defined by Emily, who entered into our lives at the end of January. So when it comes to food, much of this year was spent taking baby steps and learning how to dine out with a little one. In rediscovering local restaurants with a baby-coloured lens, it continues to surprise us when we’ve dined at establishments with high chairs, but no change table.

I’m also proud that I was able to meet my goal of maintaining this blog – albeit with fewer posts – after Emily was born. I really wasn’t sure what my life would look like with a small human to care for, but keeping up with the Edmonton food scene was a welcome exercise to keep my sanity intact!

Here are some of my favourite food-related memories of 2018:

My favourite new restaurant opened towards the end of the year, with an ethos that exemplifies the culinary experience that I now crave most: unfussy and unpretentious. Partake is a lovely spot on 124 Street, with good food and a great vibe.

Partake

Happiest hours at Partake

We also discovered a wonderful new high tea option in the city at The Art of Cake that also happens to be Emily-friendly!

Art of Cake

Treats for days

I definitely had more time for brunches this past year, so it was perfect timing for Calgary-based OEB to roll into town. Eating my way through the breakfast poutine portion of their menu will take me well into 2019.

OEB Breakfast Edmonton

Brunches with Emily

I was still on a sweets hangover from my pregnancy (my strongest craving while carrying Emily was baked goods of all sorts). No dessert was more spectacular – or fun – than the Fruit Loop-dusted confetti cake from Rebel.

Rebel Food and Drink

The sparkler takes the cake

It was great to be a part of a volunteer team who successfully organized the inaugural Chinatown Dining Week in January (if you missed it, the event returns for a second year starting this week)!

Gui Lin

The 2-course meal from Gui Lin

We continued our tradition of visiting farms of producers we frequent. This year it was a tour of Sundog Organic Farm.

Sundog Organic Farm

Strawberry fields forever

I also had the opportunity to see some urban agriculture even closer to home – the rooftop hives are a sight to see at MacEwan University.

MacEwan Urban Beekeeping Tour

Urban bees

Speaking of urban agriculture – Mack and I embraced community gardening this year, and found that our life was better for it.

Alex Decoteau Park Garden
At our plot in Alex Decoteau Park

Mack and I were fortunate to do some travelling this year, with stops in Canmore and Kananaskis, and a short flight to a Vancouver Island getaway in Sooke.

Shirley Delicious

At Shirley Delicious, our favourite breakfast spot just outside of Sooke

It was a year full of change, but without a doubt I’m having the best time of my life. Here’s to 2019!

Food Notes for January 7, 2019

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays – I know we did. Christmas does seem more magical with a little one around! I am playing a bit of catch up with these notes, however, as I’ve missed a couple of weeks. Regular readers will also notice a slightly new format. I might still tweak the categories here and there in the weeks to come, but I hope these changes will make it easier to read!

Chinatown Dining Week Returns

The second annual Chinatown Dining Week runs from January 17-27, 2019. Like last year, all restaurants are offering 2-course dinners for $15. With 8 participating restaurants, including Kanto 98 St. and Padmanadi, there is something for everyone on the menu! Learn more about the new restaurants on board, and whet your appetite with the menus here.

Openings

  • Amore Pasta is opening its second location downtown at 10235 101 Street on January 7, 2019. From the folks behind Cafe Amore and Black Pearl, this quick-serve eatery will offer made-to-order pastas from a selection of sauces, vegetables, and proteins. Interestingly enough, they’ll also be open for breakfast during the week; Amore Pasta is open weekdays from 8am-9pm and on weekends from 11am-9pm. Leduc has a preview of what to expect.
  • Pink Gorilla Pizza, which has taken over the space formerly occupied by Parkallen Restaurant, will be aiming to open on January 12, 2019. It’s a new restaurant from the folks behind The Local Omnivore.
  • There’s yet another new microbrewery opening called SYC Brewing Co. They’re celebrating their grand opening with a party on January 12, 2018. Tickets are $20 which includes a flight of beers and food from Smokehouse BBQ.
  • Gangnam Street Food is a forthcoming addition to the “K-Mall” area, at #15, 9261 34 Avenue. They will be opening on January 14, 2018.
  • I’m a huge fan of Todd’s sourdough breads, so am eagerly awaiting Brio Bakery’s brick and mortar storefront, located in the Oliver Exchange Building at 12021 102 Avenue. They’re hoping for a January opening.
  • Dauphine has finally opened their new bakery and cafe in Montrose, located at 6005 120 Avenue. Some may remember their beautiful space on 104 Street which closed back in 2016. Linda and Paul have already begun serving brunch, too!
  • Copper Branch, the latest plant-based franchise to land in Edmonton, is now open downtown at 10316 Jasper Avenue.
  • Curry Vibes is now open in the Mayfair, at 10827 Jasper Avenue.

Closures

  • The Sequel Cafe has shuttered, but has announced that they plan to reopen in the core in the future.
  • I was sorry to hear about the closing of El Rancho, one of my go-to eateries on Alberta Avenue.
  • Holy Roller is currently closed for renovations and will reopen with a new concept.
  • Cally’s Teas in Old Strathcona is also now closed.

Upcoming Events

  • The first Taste Alberta Prairie on a Plate dinner will take place January 17, 2019 at Under the High Wheel. Tickets for the 4-course meal are $65.
  • The Hotel Macdonald is hosting a Grand High Tea Celebration on January 26, 2019 to celebrate the launch of their custom tea blend. A Master Tea Sommelier will be on hand. Tickets are $75 per person.

Reviews

Local News

Year in Review

Urban Agriculture and Farming

Beyond Edmonton

What I Ate

  • I finally had the chance to order some doughnuts from Apollo Donuts to try (they’re available by pre-order only, for pick-up on their production days at Transcend or The Colombian). I really liked their blackberry yuzu glaze.

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Apollo Donuts

  • I’m determined to eat my way through OEB’s breakfast poutines, and so far, the confit de canard is my favourite! It was still as busy as ever last week, but as they do offer reservations on weekdays, I’d highly recommend planning ahead if possible.

OEB

Confit de Canard at OEB

  • Mack, Emily, and I managed to sneak in for the brunch at Northern Chicken at the end of December. Their biscuits are unreal – I really enjoyed the breakfast sandwich featuring a sausage patty, egg, and cheese.

Northern Chicken

Breakfast sandwich at Northern Chicken

    Chinatown Dining Week Returns, January 17-27, 2019

    I’m thrilled to share that Chinatown Dining Week is returning for a second year, running January 17-27, 2019. It was so successful last year that we knew we wanted to bring it back again and make it even bigger!

    Chinatown Dining Week 2019 postcard

    Although many are familiar with the great eats available in Chinatown, others continue to be unaware of the diversity and value of meals to be found within walking distance of Downtown. With Chinatown’s proximity to several prominent attractions, including the newly-opened Royal Alberta Museum, Ice District, and the Arts District, those planning an evening out could easily incorporate a stopover in the area.

    Chinatown Dining Week is about highlighting some of the tasty options in the neighbourhood through $15 2-course fixed price dinner menus. This year, we’ve expanded the event to 11 days (up from 9) and will have 8 participating restaurants (up from 5). The menus will be online at edmontonchinatown.ca starting January 7.

    Our volunteer team is excited to welcome back three of our partner restaurants from our pilot last year – Asian Express Hot Pot, Gui Lin Noodle House, and King Noodle House. They embraced this new idea early on, and we’re happy to help introduce even more people to their food!

    We also have five new restaurants on our roster:

    • Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles – located on the northern edge of Chinatown, this noodle house is often overlooked. But their steaming bowls of noodle soup and dumplings make it an ideal place to gather on a cold winter evening.
    • Kanto 98 St. Eatery – shortlisted for the prestigious list of 2018 Best New Restaurants, Kanto made a splash even before it celebrated its first birthday. Their brand of Filipino fusion eats has won over its share of fans.
    • Namaste India – a hidden gem, it seems that few know that a delicious Indian buffet spread can be found in the heart of Chinatown.
    • Padmanadi – this vegan restaurant was serving plant-based cuisine before it was trendy. Their vegan takes on classic Asian dishes have a cult following in Edmonton.
    • Tea Bar Cafe – so much more than bubble tea, Tea Bar also serves Hong Kong-style savoury and sweet dishes to complement their drink menu.

    We hope you’ll join us for Chinatown Dining Week!

    A High Tea Tradition: The Art of Cake

    It’s been a tradition over the last number of years that Mack and I take Grandma Male to high tea at Christmas. As a result, we’ve been able to sample our way through most of the high teas available in the city, ranging from the opulent experience at the Hotel Macdonald to more quaint settings such as Reinette Café in Mill Woods. I had only recently heard about the high tea at The Art of Cake, held on certain Sundays each month. With a few dates in December to choose from, we made a reservation for the four of us a couple of weeks ago.

    We had been running a little behind, and it turned out we were the last party to be seated (the staff had graciously included a high chair at our table). It was a full house that afternoon; clearly the word has gotten around about their high tea! Much to Emily’s delight (she loves music), our table was situated next to a guitarist who added to the pleasant atmosphere.

    Art of Cake

    Emily enjoying high tea

    I had only been to The Art of Cake once before, ducking in to pick up some baked goods, so hadn’t before taken the time to survey the interior. It’s a lovely space, with high ceilings and numerous chandeliers beckoning the eye upward. I liked the natural light and the cozy vibe imparted by the wood furnishings and dining sets that are charmingly not uniform.

    High Tea at The Art of Cake

    Mack and Grandma Male

    Moments after we were settled, we were provided with a pot of crème de Earl Grey tea. While I appreciate the pomp and circumstance of the choice of tea in some cases (the presentation of the tea box at the Hotel Macdonald, for instance), it is much more efficient when tea is simply set. It was also an unexpected bonus that the tea was pre-steeped in the kitchen so we could simply enjoy refills without having to wait for the leaves to steep in our tabletop pot.

    High Tea at The Art of Cake

    Tea setting

    A few minutes later, staff descended from the kitchen and started serving all tables in rapid succession. The presentation of the tiered tray (created by My Uniquely Vintage), plates of mini quiches, and scones rivals any high tea I’ve been to in the city. It was also a lovely touch that menu cards were left on the table so we could easily reference each item.

    Art of Cake

    High tea tray

    We found there to be a great variety of savoury and sweet items. The spinach and feta quiche and cranberry chicken salad puffs were a favourite on the savoury side, and Grandma Male enjoyed the festive gingerbread men-shaped scones (served, of course, with clotted cream and strawberry preserves).

    High Tea at The Art of Cake

    Festive scones

    For dessert, Mack liked the flavour and texture of the gingersnaps, while I marveled at how much the cream cheese mints reminded me of After Eights. And though cupcakes are not a typical high tea item, I’m a sucker for them, so I loved that they were included here. At $45, The Art of Cake falls in the middle price range of available high teas, but we thought it to be of good value overall.

    Service was amazing; tea refills were provided quickly, and because the food was delivered so expediently, we found we could really take our time to work through the treats.

    I would highly recommend high tea at The Art of Cake – with a picturesque setting, good food, and excellent hospitality, it was the best high tea we’ve been to in recent memory.

    The Art of Cake
    11811 105 Avenue
    (780) 441-1229
    Tuesday-Thursday 8am-6pm, Friday 8am-9pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm, closed Mondays (high tea served on select Sundays; reservations needed)

    Epicureous in Edmonton: 2018 Year in Review

    While the biggest trend of 2018 in Edmonton was the rise of plant-based establishments, it’s important to note that the momentum actually began in 2017. The Moth Cafe, sister to the popular Cafe Mosaics, vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant An Chay, vegan pizzeria Die Pie, and quick-serve Good Stock all opened last year. They were joined in 2018 by celebrity chef-driven Kanu, vegan bakery Cinnaholic, franchise locations of Green Moustache and Copper Branch, and Square Root, the first plant-based eatery located on an Alberta post-secondary campus. But perhaps even more significant, plant-based items even made their way into the mainstream, in the form of A & W’s Beyond Meat burgers (which were so in demand they sold out across Canada), and vegan hot dogs at IKEA.

    City Market

    Here are a few other items that were notable to me in 2018:

    • Another rollover trend from 2017 was the continued proliferation of independent bakeries in the Edmonton area, but this time, primarily outside the core. Although vegan cookie favourite Bloom, specialty producer Food in the Nud, and City Market darling Dauphine opened in mature neighbourhoods, Milk and Cookies Bakeshop, Jovic Bakery, and Pome Bakery located in more suburban communities. St. Albert also had its share of newcomers, with Confections Cake Co. and a second branch of Macarons and Goodies setting up shop.
    • It was also a great year for independent cafes and coffee roasters, with no less than half a dozen helping to caffeinate the masses: Colombia Mountain Coffee, Rogue Wave, Grizzlar Coffee and Records, Lui-Chi, and Roasti in Sherwood Park.
    • Owing to the changes made to Alberta’s minimum brewing production laws several years ago, microbreweries continue to proliferate in the Edmonton area. Sea Change Brewing, Ale Architect, Omen, Analog Brewing Company, Two Sergeants (who relocated to Edmonton from Fort Saskatchewan), and Endeavour Brewing Company in St. Albert, all opened their doors in 2018.
    • Bundok helped put Edmonton on the map nationally, landing on the prestigious Canada’s Best New Restaurants list.
    • As always, it’s great to see when local restaurants can build on their successes by expanding their operations. Congratulations to Splash Poke, Pampa, Louisiana Purchase, Let’s Go Number Two (Hanjan’s sibling restaurant), Bottega 104, Chix Shack (operated by the folks behind Sawadee in Sherwood Park), Buco, DOSC (opened by the folks behind Japonais, Dorinku, and Seoul Fried Chicken), and KB & Company on the opening of additional locations.
    • Although changes such as the increase in minimum wage have made it more challenging for some restaurants to turn a profit, there was enough confidence in our economy for numerous chains to expand to Edmonton. These high profile brands included matcha master Tsujiri, dessert bar Cacao 70, brunch favourite OEB, seafood eatery The Captain’s Boil, and American chain Bubba Gump Shrimp.
    • We also saw our share of closures, including long running restaurants Packrat Louie, La Boheme, Parkallen, El Rancho, and Characters. 124 Street tenants North 53 and Daravara didn’t survive, and the Alder Room shuttered in spite of its critical acclaim.
    • Due to the LRT construction, the Taste of Edmonton relocated to the Legislature grounds this year. Based on the positive feedback they received, it will be interesting to see if they decide to return to Churchill Square in a few years.
    • Several programs to help those in need also kicked off this year, ranging from The Hallway Cafe’s suspended coffee program (similar to the one run by The Nook Cafe), to pay-what-you-can produce from VEG in YEG, discounted produce at Manna Market (inspired by the Food4Good veggie sales), and Boyle Street Eats, a social enterprise food truck.
    • In the age of Instagram, it’s a bit surprising that there aren’t more social media gaffes committed. However, the most memorable incident involved food blogger Leduc Nguyen’s negative Instagram post about The Common, and retaliatory comments from Cartago’s Katy Ingraham.
    • While it didn’t exceed Chartier’s record-breaking crowdfunding total from 2015, Black Box Hospitality’s Kickstarter for their forthcoming Gibbard Block project came close, exceeding their $100,000 target.
    • It was a mixed year in food media. Edmonton saw the loss of alternative paper Vue Weekly (and their Dish coverage along with it), but we also gained food-centric print magazine Eat Local. Food Artisans of Alberta and Maps, Markets and Matzo Ball Soup were also published in 2018, highlighting many amazing producers in the province and the life of local food advocate Gail Hall.

    You can check out previous year in reviews here.