Category: Edmonton

Self-serve Stir Fry: Mongolie Grill

Along with the tickets to Puppetry of the Penis, I was also lucky enough to receive a $25 gift certificate to Mongolie Grill from Vue Weekly. I decided to take advantage of it before a chocolate tasting, and met Amanda for dinner at the Jasper & 109 Street location of the restaurant on Friday.

Greeted by what seemed like one of five hostesses on staff, I was quickly led to a table and seated. It was still early evening, so the restaurant wasn’t that busy, but I could see that business would pick up as the night wore on. The dining room was a typical Western interpretation of Asian style – dark wood and dim lighting reminiscent of OPM. As I waited for my sister to arrive, I read over the instructions on the menu on how to build-your-own meal. Provided bowls were to be filled with vegetables, meats and seafood, and sauce(s) of one’s choosing, with each plate including soup, rice, and wraps to complete the meal.

I was a tad weary of the service I might receive, after a warning from Mack that staff weren’t that attentive, but I found our waitress pleasant and quite competent at juggling a few tables. She took our orders for soup, gave us our bowls, then explained that after choosing our ingredients, we would have our creations weighed, stir-fried, then brought to our tables directly.

A plethora of options greeted us at the fresh food bar, all clearly labeled, with a fair number of sauces to choose from as well. To be economical, knowing how heavy comparable ingredients are would help (e.g. mushrooms are fairly light), but overall, I liked the do-it-yourself concept because it does allow for healthy eating and balanced portions. At the same time, if the end result is inedible, one only has him or herself to blame.

I loaded up my bowl with a variety of vegetables, thin slices of AAA beef tenderloin, and ladles of honey garlic, teriyaki and Thai chili sauces (a combination recommended by the attendant). My bowl ended up with a price of $14.65. My sister stacked up her bowl, drizzling it with only teriyaki sauce, and had her portion priced at $21.23.

When we returned to our seats, small bowls of soup and bamboo steamers containing wraps and rice were waiting for us on the table. My hot and sour soup was too spicy for me to discern flavour from it, but Amanda’s corn chowder was quite good and hearty to boot.

We actually weren’t even finished with our soups when our plates arrived. I thought Amanda’s serving looked better than my own, but mine actually tasted better, if not only because I included more sauce than she did. The peanuts and tofu were a definite plus, but the lack of baby corn and onion had me wishing that I had lingered longer at the food bar. Unfortunately, the beef was tough, but this was not unexpected given the fact that the cooks are asked to blindly stir fry whatever is in a bowl at the same time.

Without the gift certificate, I would have considered our dinner a rather pricey one. But still, if your party includes those that are particular about what they eat, Mongolie Grill provides a comfortable and efficient venue for dining.

Interior

Fresh food bar

My bowl before cooking

Amanda’s bowl being weighed

Stir-fry station

Steamers with rice and wraps (I loved how tall the water glasses were)

My plate

Amanda’s plate

Ezio Faraone Park Photowalk

Finally following through with my intention on wandering the trails leading down from Constable Ezio Faraone Park, I asked Mack to join me on a leisurely photowalk on Thursday afternoon.

It’s funny how easily I took the surrounding area for granted, and though the greenspace (yes, finally getting green!) was so accessible and just down the road from my office, how I never took the time beyond occasional coffee breaks to explore the trail.

Here are a few of the pictures I took with the hopes of enticing you to take advantage of pedestrian-friendly pathways (the complete set is on Flickr).

Framed by trees

“Share the Trail”

Stairs

At trail’s end (or, where we chose to turn back)

Ezio Faraone Park (turns out I’ve been omitting the ‘a’ in ‘Faraone’ all these years)

Ezio Faraone commemorative statue (with the Legislature Building in the background)

Historic High Level Bridge
Bridges

More Bakery than Cafe: Breadland Organic Whole Grain Bakery

After reading a backstory about the owners of Breadland Organic Bakery (11642 104 Avenue) in Vue Weekly last fall, I included it on my list of places to hit.

I convinced Cristy to come to Breadland with me for lunch on Wednesday. It took us a while to find the non-descript storefront in the maze of Oliver Square, but we eventually located the bakery next to Second Cup.

Breadland is known for their use of organic ingredients and spelt flour, a whole grain version that is apparently easier to digest. We entered the empty space, greeted by a quaint seating area decorated with care, and racks of fresh-baked loaves behind the counter. Two coolers held various desserts and lunch items. Breadland also sells organic chicken eggs and coffee from St. City Roasters.

I was hoping for more substantial lunch choices (as alluded to in the Vue Weekly article), but all Cristy and I had to choose from was a daily soup (vegetarian chili that day), a pizza, and a quiche. We agreed to split a slice of the sprouted spelt crust vegetarian pizza ($5) and a spelt spinach quiche ($4).

The servings were unfortunately small (or fortuitously small, allowing for consumption of dessert), and cold. We didn’t ask to have our portions heated, so perhaps it can be done, but I would assume that most of Breadland’s nearly year-old business comes from customers interested in takeaway only. In any case, the pizza, topped with an interesting mix of lentils and beans, was as good as a cold slice of pizza could have been. The quiche was the main attraction, however – with a base of buttery crust, the custardy filling was streaked with velvety cheese and spinach.

For dessert, we chose to share a chocolate croissant ($3), and a gluten free coconut cashew ball ($4). The coconut confection wasn’t my favorite, but the croissant was fresh – crisp and buttery, I would have actually preferred no filling, as the chocolate was a tad too sweet and concentrated for my liking.

More expensive than your conventional café and without too many options, Breadland isn’t an ideal place for lunch. That said, I wouldn’t mind stopping by to try out a loaf or two in the future.

Exterior

Interior

Fresh bread!

Dessert case

Lunch

Dessert

Teatro la Quindicina: “Revenge of the South Sea Bubble” & “What Gives?”

I was so excited for the first Teatro la Quindicina show of the season (The Exquisite Hour, back in July of 2007, was the last Teatro play on stage) a double billing of the new Revenge of the South Sea Bubble and a revamp of What Gives? While not wholly disappointing, the evening was a mixed bag.

On the website, the Revenge of the South Sea Bubble is presented to be “a captivatingly convoluted noir-ish tale of deceptions compounded by lies, and speculations masquerading as conjecture.” Unfortunately, the one-act is as vague as the description. Involving two librarians, a Marilyn Monroe-esque dancer, a waiter, and a plot that was bereft of any real amusement, it really isn’t worth discussing further. Farren Timoteo as Vasco was endearing in his hyperbolic mannerisms however, and by the end of the evening, thoroughly reminded me of both Mark Meer (in his accent delivery) and Jeff Haslam (in his physical comedy).

What Gives?, a musical comedy, thankfully made up for the first show: “a pair of inspirationally bereft Broadway tunesmiths have their world turned upside down by the unexpected arrival of a pair of Canadian chorines.” Lighthearted and funny, the dialogue really allowed the actors to shine. I particularly liked Kendra Connor’s turn as Allure Potemkin, especially her showstopper of a “Baby Legs” number (Connor has the charm of Andrea House and the sass of Leona Brausen). The staging of “The Shanghai Stir-Fry” was also fairly clever, and as with most productions that don’t take themselves too seriously, it was easy to enjoy.

A Rocky Night for His Nibs is up next in July.

Quick as Atalanta: Opa Souvlaki

Looking for a quick pre-show dinner, Mack and I headed to Opa Souvlaki (8209 104 Street). May had good words to say about this chain, so I was excited to see if their food lived up to the expectations.

I’m not sure I’m totally sold on the design of the restaurant – the order counter is right by the door, potentially creating a logjam of patrons on busy days – but I can see how the friendly and engaging employee used it to his advantage, warmly greeting customers immediately as they entered Opa.

Mack and I surveyed the menu board above, and decided to order a Souvlaki Pita each ($4.99, 50cents extra for feta cheese). We had the choice of chicken, lamb pork, gyros, or fava, and we both opted for chicken. Mack also wanted to try their version of calamari ($4.99 for a side order).

Two pitas and two chicken skewers were placed on the grill, and once warmed through, we moved down the assembly line to have our wraps customized with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, and jalepenos. The calamari was freshly fried, tossed with salt and pepper and garnished with diced red onions.

We sat down at one of the handful of tables to savour our supper. The calamari was nice – crispy, light batter adorning rather large pieces of squid, it beat out similar dishes offered at more supposedly “high end” restaurants (Mr. Mike’s comes to mind). Secondly, the pita was great – haunted by memories of too much lemon at parsley, I was pleasantly surprised to find the tzatziki only mildly herby. The sauce complemented the tender chicken well, and supplemented with bites of fresh vegetables, made for a comfortably filling dish.

Inexpensive, efficient, and tasty, Opa Souvlaki provides a solid option for fast food on Whyte.

Menu

Pita assembly station

Calamari

Souvlaki Pita with Chicken

Coffee Oasis: Marcello’s

Beckoning through the glass and beyond the courtyard of Telus Plaza was the mysterious Marcello’s (10025 Jasper Ave, Unit #63).

I’ve been meaning to go for months since seeing what looked like an independent coffee shop across the way from my morning Second Cup, and now, having been, I wonder why I didn’t make the trek over sooner.

Marcello’s, it turns out, bills itself as a “market & deli”, has locations in six cities in Canada, and offers much more than just coffee. With a self-serve hot breakfast station featuring scrambled eggs, sausages, and home fries, a plethora of freshly-baked muffins, and a convenience store selection of dried cereals and sweet treats, even picky eaters would not go hungry.

As for coffee – count me amazed – Marcello’s serves no less than two dozen varieties of coffee every day, with more than a handful of flavoured varieties (my personal favorite). At $1.50 for a medium, it is also slightly cheaper than a similar-sized jolt at Second Cup.

Look to Marcello’s when you’re short on change, want more coffee options than Second Cup has to offer, and desire to avoid jostling for space and seats in the nearby Starbucks.

Marcello’s in Telus Plaza

Hot breakfast options

Muffins galore

Coffee, coffee and more coffee!

Edmonton Rediscovered

I feel like most of my pro-Edmonton posts will have a “Yes, but” subtext to them, as it is sometimes difficult to see the silver lining in a city that so pales in comparison with the urban Meccas of London and New York. Still, while it is inevitable to grow accustomed, and in many cases, tired, of one’s place of residence, it doesn’t mean what’s old cannot become new again, or at least rediscovered.

After my visits last year to the immensely walkable cities mentioned above, I have been wracking my brain to think of ways to explore Edmonton’s charm preferably on foot, in a season outside of the various and sundry summer festivals.

So here are a few of my half-day suggestions, either for yourself, or tourists that you hope will venture beyond West Edmonton Mall:

  • Legislature + Garneau: for a taste of history, the Legislature offers free year-round tours, with special mention always paid to the famous acoustic spot in the building. The Interpretive Centre is also worth a quick by for a silly photo-op great for kids (and the kid in all of us, of course). The grounds themselves should be taken in on their own right, and although lush in the warmer months, it’s worth a tranquil stroll or skate across the weather-permitting pond. Stop at Constable Ezio Farone Park across the way if another serene moment is needed. Walk across the historic High Level Bridge (the streetcar begins operation in May) to really appreciate beauty of the river valley, sparkling at dusk. Once across the bridge, a number of independent-minded eateries provide delicious incentives to relax and refuel: DaCapo Café, High Level Diner, Sugar Bowl, and Upper Crust.

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  • Royal Alberta Museum + grounds: the very charming Vi’s for Pies can make for a great start to the day, especially when learning is to follow on the menu. On weekends, the Royal Alberta Museum charges half price admission to those entering before 11am, or if preferred, stop by the Government House for a free tour of the building. Like the Legislature, the grounds surrounding the Museum are worth a gander, as well as the swanky residential homes in the area.

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  • High Street + Edmonton Film Society: start off with some art, with a number of galleries that participate in the Gallery Walk, free to peruse. 124 Street, often labelled a “more upscale Whyte Avenue”, the High Street area is also known for its chic boutiques and unique dining options. Check out cute clothing retailers Ginger and Red Ribbon, stationer Notables, kitchen supply haven Call the Kettle Black, and tea shop Acquired Taste. For the foodies, Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut is on the block, as is the most divine gelato in the city in my opinion, Bueno Gelato, and the notable eateries Urban Diner, Violino, and Matahari. To end off the evening (if this happens to be a Monday), consider joining the Edmonton Film Society for a movie. The Royal Alberta Museum Theatre serves as the current screening location, showcasing classic films that should not be forgotten. The showings are bereft of popcorn, but with a loyal audience that bursts into gasps, laughs, and spontaneous applause, it’s definitely more fun than the average apathetic group.

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  • Old Strathcona: start off with brunch or lunch, depending on the day, at Café Mosaics, New York Bagel Café, or Murrieta’s. If it’s a Saturday, head to the always-festive Farmer’s Market for live entertainment, bustling crowds, and organic, locally-produced wares. A pay-what-you-can matinee over at the Varscona Theatre is a possibility on a Saturday, but so is an early screening at the historic Princess Theatre. Afterwards, you may still have a bit of time to do some shopping – affordable jewelry at the Plaid Giraffe, something vintage from the Junque Cellar, or a unique gift item from the Tin Box? To round off the afternoon, why not stop by the giant Stanley Cup in the parking lot of United Cycle and reminisce over what could have been?

Healthy Eats: Cafe Mosaics

I met Amanda for lunch at Cafe Mosaics (10844 82 Avenue) on Friday, just before our intention to browse the shops on Whyte Avenue.

I had only been to the Cafe once before, less than a year ago for dinner. I remembered it to be charming, with decent service and solid entree options. Though our main reason for choosing Cafe Mosaics that day was to use the 2-for-1 coupon I had, I thought it would be a good opportunity to giver their lunch menu a try as well.

Arriving at about a quarter after 1pm was a bad idea – with no tables and no real room to stand by the door, perhaps we should have planned for a later meeting time. At any rate, I waited patiently to no avail for one of the two waiters to acknowledge my existence, and perhaps give me an estimate on the time for a table. I ended up having to approach them at the counter myself. Thankfully, things went a lot better after I sat down.

With vegetarian and vegan takes on sandwiches, soups, and salads, Amanda and I were “forced” to eat healthy. I was impressed that the sandwiches came with a choice of one of five sides, including soup, house/Caesar salad, chips and salsa/hummus, hashbrowns, or rice. She squirmed a bit with her order, but decided to take a risk on the Tofu Clubhouse ($10.95) with its thinly sliced grilled tofu, lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and cheddar, and a Caesar salad. I decided on the Grilled Mozza Pita ($10.95), with tomato, mozza, spinach and onion and a side of their daily soup.

Our plates arrived hot not too long after we ordered – no surprise since the restaurant was emptying out by that time. Amanda said that she barely registered the tofu in her sandwich, but that her salad was a little overdrenched with dressing. My pita was a great combination of fresh vegetables, with a generous amount of cheese binding the filling together, and best of all – would be an easy dish to duplicate at home.

Though we were left wondering if every table except ours was given a complimentary slice of chocolate cake, we couldn’t argue against the value of an $11.50 (excluding tip) lunch for two.

Interior (I love the bread clock!)

Menu

Tofu Clubhouse with Cesar Salad

Grilled Mozza Pita with Vegan French Onion Soup

“Puppetry of the Penis”

Thanks to Vue Weekly, Annie and I got to see a show on Thursday night at the Winspear that has travelled the world over: Puppetry of the Penis.

Given that the tickets were free, I didn’t expect that the seats would be so close – orchestra right, sixth row back, aisle seats. Looking around, I didn’t see the 60- 40 gender split I expected after reading an interview with one of the Aussies who started it all – there were way more women, sprinkled with just a few gentleman that looked like they were trying their very best to blend into the crowd.

The act started off with a very funny comedienne from Hamilton, Ontario, whose name has slipped from my memory. My favorite bit of her act was when she declared that she had wanted to fit into a new dress she purchased by the time of tonight’s show. With a flourish, she took off her jacket, revealing her dress, raised her arms, and announced that she had done it, receiving cheers from the audience. When she turned around to get some water to drink, we were treated to the pins barely holding the garment together, with full view of her Paul Frank underwear.

After a rather lengthy intermission, we were finally treated to the main act – Martin and Dan, two young Australian blokes with fairly diluted accents, came out onto the stage each wearing a cape. Energetic, enthusiastic, and of course, not at all shy, the two men used many a term over the course of the evening to describe their exercises – including “penis installations” and “dick tricks”. With a camera positioned just below the stage projecting everything onto a screen behind the performers, even those in the upper and dress circles were able to have a good view of the “puppets”.

Though I shouldn’t have been shocked to see what I did, I can’t say I was entirely ready to know that it was possible to stretch, scrunch, bend, fold and twist the male anatomy into the shapes such as the Eiffel Tower, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a sea anemone. Annie’s favorite was the snail, and well, I don’t think I had a favorite. For those curious, the show does sell a do-it-yourself handbook that will show, with step-by-step instructions, how to form 26 penis installations in the comfort of your own home.

It was an interesting experience, I will admit, but one you do have to be entirely prepared for in order to fully enjoy.

Culinary Q & A with Gord

Occupation: Retired Student. Couch Tester. Human Garbage Disposal.

What did you eat today?

I had to answer this so early in the morning. Unfortunately it’s exam season, so my dietary habits are about as poor as they can be. I’m back on the Coffee (a food group unto itself) and while I do normally enjoy a muffin at the bus-stop, I’ve been working on emptying the fruit bowl before it goes bad. Therefore, I had a mandarin for breakfast. I can tell you with certainty however, that I’m having Garage Burger for dinner. More on that later.

What do you never eat?

If I were starving, I would eat anything. See occupation. However given the nature of modern western gluttony, I have my pick of what I don’t eat. After hearing a story about Lobster, it is one of the last things I would ever order. I won’t go into detail, because it would ruin Lobster for you as well.

In the interest of being polite, I’ll eat my brussel sprouts or kidney beans. It’s extremely rare for me to leave something on my plate. However I’ve become quite accustom to cutting the gristle off my meat and throwing out the toast which I burn too badly.

I guess to that end if something is cooked poorly, I’ll let you know by leaving it behind.

Overcooked steak is gross. I don’t eat leather.

What is your personal specialty?

In regards to my favourite foods, or what I prefer to cook? If I had to make a meal for a king, it would be my Monolithic French Toast.

Thick sliced raisin bread is the only way to go. Cut the bread in half before you go any further.

Crack your eggs into a square shaped Tupperware container, into which bread naturally fits. A round bowl is not conducive to this exercise.

Adding water or milk to your eggs is a mistake. Adding cinnamon to this step makes more sense than adding it after cooked. Keep in mind that you must strongly whip the eggs and cinnamon, in order for it to mix properly (if at all). Leave the bread pieces in the egg longer than you think you need to. You want the bread permeated all the way through, not just on the surface.

With a single half-piece of bread added to the un-oiled frying pan, slide the second half-piece soft side to crust, such that the pieces smoosh into each other a little. Continue this practice until the pan is filled with 4-5 pieces of bread, all intertwined. Pour some of your egg-batter between any remaining spaces, and wait for it to cook. Once cooked, allow it a little longer. Not burned, but enough that it is nearly dry on top. Once that point is reached, you should have only 1 solid mass to flip.

Because you’ve left it longer on the first side, cooking on the second side is primarily to allow it to brown. Sliding the Monolithic French Toast off the pan onto a plate is your last step. Personally I suggest butter or margarine WITHOUT syrup. If you didn’t leave the bread in the batter long enough, your toast might be dry and still require some syrup.

If you’re feeling too skinny, add Mangoes and Whipped cream for a sugary delight.


As for my specialty to devour, Toad in the Hole with beef Gravy is my favourite. Effectively a massive YorkShire pudding with breakfast sausages dispersed throughout, smothered in delicious gravy. Ok, now I’m making myself hungry.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

I’m a sucker for a sharp knife. Without that, any kitchen is an exercise in frustration. However since I don’t want to steal Andrea’s answer, I’ll select the Banana Peeler. The hardest object in a kitchen to find. Confidently ask someone to fetch if for you. Observe their progress,

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

First and foremost, my plate better be served warm. There are few things worse than food served on a cold plate. Now onto the stuffs.

Prime Rib Roast, rare.
Chunky Mashed Potatoes, gravy.
Large Slice BBQ’ed Vegetables (green beans, red & green peppers, onion) with Sea-salt and Balsamic Vinegar.
Ontario Grown Peaches & Cream Corn on the Cob with a stick of butter for rolling.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.

All this served on a spaceship bound for somewhere that the world isn’t ending.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

The Garage Burger Bar. Proximity to school as well as the fact that my grandfather bought me $100 in gift certificates for Christmas present an excellent opportunity for a broke student to eat out on a bi-weekly basis.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

It really depends on what you’re looking for. Unfortunately I find as places get popular, their quality of operation declines for pursuit of the almighty buck.

I was a huge fan of Pita Pit’s Chicken Cesar Pita years ago. But as they got popular their quality tanked. Same goes for Funky Pickle’s Hotdog & 3 Cheese Pizza.

Chicago Deep Dish pizza (downtown location) has the GREASIEST thickest Pizza you’ll ever eat. 1-2 pieces is enough to fill ME. That speaks volumes.

Richard’s Donair in Sherwood Park has the best Jumo Donair I’ve ever had. But those are ‘After Bar’ food ideas. If you’re looking for quality dining or a personable dinner experience you have to broaden the scope.

‘A taste of India’ in Sherwood Park has an excellent Indian Buffet. I discovered the restaurant only after my sister worked there as a server. They bring their cooks over on temporary visa’s from India. The recipes are family secrets and their Nan-bread is the best you’ll have.

“Where everybody knows your name” is a typical business practice that keeps me coming back.
Chicken for Lunch and sister restaurant The Lingnan, have had my business for many years for their personal attitude and quality food. The Garage Burger bar is in the same category. The food’s good too (Amy’s Chicken and Cajun Burger are my staples respectively).

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

While I don’t want to sound pompous, we live in a multicultural country where all of the best things on the planet are brought to us directly. I’ve had Pizza in Italy. I’ve eaten french bread in France. I think that Canadians have taken the base idea from these foods, and isolated their strongest points. Alternatively, like with the ‘Taste of India’ example, those international cooks can come to us! While the foreign experience is an interesting change, I do so enjoy my cuisine in Canada. Granted some Canadian is a big place and poutine gets better the further East you move…

However there are international things I’ve always wanted to try. I refuse to drink Guinness until I’m at a bar in Ireland. That’s the only way to know it’s the real experience. Belgian beer also makes Canadian beer look rather silly.

I’ve always wanted to try Rat. I figure there are only a few places in the world where that’ll ever happen. I’ve also heard good things about Kangaroo.

Finally, living in Edmonton it is impossible to come across quality fresh fish. Something about being a land-locked province I guess. Luckily if I want sushi or fish in general, my brother lives in Richmond, walking distance from several fish markets.