Category: Edmonton

Taste of Edmonton 2007

Though I know I said I would cut out the “extras,” at least until returning to my pre-Europe weight, I couldn’t resist a trip to the annual Taste of Edmonton festival on Monday.

I had previewed the menu somewhat on the website before heading down to Churchill Square, so it wasn’t as much of a shock to me that tickets were astronomically priced at $1 each. When taking into consideration portion sizes, and the questionable quality of food cooked en masse in an outdoor tent, this summer tradition has really become an expensive one.

Thus, Dickson and I decided to sample just a few dishes, with the intent on filling up on more reasonably priced fare elsewhere. Out of habit, I chose Hong Kong Bakery’s green onion cakes and was pleasantly surprised that they were tastier than last year’s version – more flaky and crispy this time around. Dickson scruputously redeemed his tickets on stuffed mushrooms from the Gas Pump and Beijing Beijing’s ginger beef. He much preferred the former dish, if not only for its smaller grease rating (and no pictures…just two days back from Europe, I wanted to step away from the camera for a while).

I’m not sure I’ll go back to the Taste of Edmonton next year, especially if it is similarly priced. I’d be more likely to skip down south to give Taste of Calgary a try, simply because most of the particpating restaurants are new to me.

Taste of Edmonton runs until Saturday.

Culinary Q & A with Michael

Occupation: Career Adviser

What did you eat today?

Today we had a family potluck. I had potato salad (ooooo potatoes), tenderly cooked ribs, sausage, cheese, KFC chicken (yummy) and pickles. I actually had salad, but I don’t remember the name and I don’t think I will be good at describing it. And of course more potato salad. (You are correct guessing that I will have potato salad for lunch tomorrow. Who doesn’t like left overs?)

What do you never eat?

Some types of sea food like oysters and similar kinds.

What is your personal specialty?

I am going with a) almost anything with potatoes and b) omelet.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

After a long consideration, I am going with a fork. I like to use fork when I eat.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal?

I would definitely have mashed potatoes with creamy mushroom gravy. (I can almost taste it) I would add a medium done steak and some vegetables. I would also have an omelet even it doesn’t go together, but why not if the world would end tomorrow.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don’t go to restaurants allot, so I eat mostly at home, developing my cooking skills.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I like Royal Glanora, their brunch menu.

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

This is a hard one. I guess I would explore all types of food first and then decide.

Tidbits: Notes from Edmonton’s Epicurean Scene

  • St. Albert’s outdoor farmer’s market kicks off for the season on Saturday, July 7. Though the City Centre market takes first place in my books, St. Albert runs a close second.
  • On the heels of Moon Garden, another Vietnamese restaurant has opened up in town. Phobulous (yes, that really is the name) has set up shop at 8701 109 Street. The text underneath their sign claims “authentic” cuisine, but really, with a name like that, who will take them seriously?
  • Watch out for Essence Organic Tea Bar (10011 102 Avenue). Though still under construction, I’d be curious to see what their conception of a “tea bar” is (the idea in my head is an amalgamation of Steeps and an Asian bubble tea shop).
  • Arts on the Ave Edmonton Society is a grassroots initiative with a goal of revitalizing the Alberta Avenue area. One of their major projects – a coffeehouse – will have its grand opening this Friday. Named The Carrot, after a quote by Paul Cezanne (“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.”), the cafe will showcase art, music and other performances. Definitely a cause to get behind – bravo for this achievement!

Waiting out the Rain: Flavours Modern Bistro

My sister and I ducked into Flavours Modern Bistro (10354-82 Avenue) for a late lunch this afternoon in part to refuel but to also wait out the rain. And wait we did.

I haven’t been back to Flavours since a bad experience a few years ago with a very rude waiter. It was a shame too, as their applewood smoked chicken was divine, but couldn’t override the bad taste left in my mouth from horrible service.

On this rainy grey Sunday, however, I was willing to put aside past grievances and give the bistro another shot. Their lunch menu looked inviting, and with plates ranging from $8-12, the prices were reasonable. The interior hadn’t changed since my last visit – creaky hardwood floors, dark furniture and banquets, sleek mirror-lined walls and classy chandeliers. With sultry jazz music playing in the background, it really was a shame that the restaurant was nearly empty – perfect dining atmosphere cannot be devoid of tinkering wine glasses and hushed conversations.

My sister ordered the feature BLT sandwich and a caesar salad. I opted for the succulent-sounding breast of chicken sandwich (with pancetta bacon, lettuce, tomato and smoked provolone) and a bowl of Brazilian spiced black bean soup. Despite a table of four being our only other company, the food took over twenty minutes to arrive. Perhaps moderately acceptable if we had ordered well done steaks, it was inexcusable in this instance. My sister was also rather miffed that they didn’t offer freshly ground pepper or refill our water glasses once throughout our meal. The sandwiches themselves were on the small side, but I found the chicken tender as it should have been. The soup turned out to be the unexpected better deal – slightly spicy and chock full of beef, vegetables, and lentils, I would have gladly given up my sandwich for another bowl of soup.

Though not as negatively memorable as my last experience, our lunch at Flavours didn’t stand out as particularly good either.

Restaurant interior
Breast of Chicken Sandwich with Brazilian Spiced Black Bean Soup
BLT with Caesar Salad

Picnic in the Park with The Copper Pot

Doug had a great idea for his farewell lunch at work – instead of the standard sit-down meal at a nearby restaurant, he wanted us to take advantage of having the beautiful Ezio Farone Park just across the street from our building by having a picnic together. So ordering sandwiches from The Copper Pot (101, 9707-110 Street), we gathered on the grass under absolutely perfect weather.

Besides their regular lunch menu (which can be viewed on their revamped website), The Copper Pot also offers three sandwiches, one wrap, and a soup & salad combo available for take-out only. Priced at $8 each (sides extra), the selections are on the steep side, but considering its downtown office building location, the expense is understandable. I ordered the Ham & Cheese Panini (blackforest ham and brie on grilled French bread) and fries. As I enjoyed my sandwich with good company and for a special occasion, I didn’t mind incurring the cost for something easily duplicated at home for much less, but on a regular day, I doubt I’d order it again.
So – thanks Doug for a great Friday afternoon, and all the best with your future endeavours!
Ham & Cheese Panini and fries
Doug shows off his Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwich
Violet does the same
Evania and Michael pose with their respective Ham & Cheese Panini and Greek Salad Wrap (this is starting to feel like a Copper Pot advertisement)
Doug’s turn to give a speech as Anna looks on
Group shot

Whimsical Cupcakes: the Store

This really doesn’t deserve an entire post on its own, but I don’t think I can hold onto this announcement until I have enough material for a “Tidbits” entry.

Whimsical Cake Studio, of Downtown Farmer’s Market fame, is opening up its store on Friday, June 15! Located at 14910-45 Avenue, grand opening festivities will be taking place some time in mid-July. Having sampled cupcakes from Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver, I can confidently say that Whimsical offers some of the best treats available in both Alberta and BC.

Needless to say, I’m craving a cupcake right now…

Sterling Awards Nominations

This year’s Elizabeth Sterling Hayes Awards nominations were announced last week. Recognizing the best in local theatre, the nominees span the gamut from risky productions (Catalyst’s Frankenstein) to heartfelt dramas (Theatre Network’s Closer and Closer Apart) to experimental, edgy material (Citadel’s The Pillowman).

I don’t feel as if I am in a position to pick the winners, as I haven’t seen all of the shows listed (Frankenstein would have been hit or miss with me, but I regret not seeing it for all of its critical acclaim), but I am happy to see some names singled out that I did have the pleasure to watch on stage this season. James DeFlice and Patrick Howarth were great in Closer and Closer Apart and Dreamland Saturday Nights, respectively, and I can’t disagree with Andrea House’s nomination for her supporting role in David Belke’s The Raven and the Writing Desk because she is just that good. Lastly, what can I say about 10 Days on Earth that I haven’t already? Simply amazing.

Teatro La Quindicina is glaringly absent from the ballot (both in productions and their family of actors), but as with most entertainment awards, comedies are as a whole ignored in favor of the dramatic. Maybe next year.

Winners will be announced at the gala on June 25.

Tidbits: Notes from Edmonton’s Epicurean Scene

  • One of the city’s oldest continuously operating restaurants has closed. The Silk Hat, established in 1912, has shut down due to the planned demolition of the building in favor of a new tower.
  • Vue Weekly printed a retraction last week for writing an incorrect story that El Rancho was closing. Mistakes happen, but I hope El Rancho doesn’t lose any business from that unfounded rumor, especially since they are tucked and hidden away from the sight of a main thoroughfare.
  • There’s a new cafe on the block: Axis Cafe (10349 Jasper Avenue) just had their grand opening on June 1. With positive press already, and a storefront that opens up onto the sidewalk, it may be worth a visit when you’re looking for a cup of joe on a warm summer night.
  • CBC Centre Stage in Edmonton City Centre is presenting a series titled “Food Fight: Local vs Global” this week. Events of interest include restaurant cooking demos from 3:30-4PM with local chefs (June 12 – Home Fire Grill; June 13 – Wild Tangerine; June 14 – Bacon), and a celebrity taste off on June 15 to determine whether local, organic, or supermarket produce is tastier. Drop by if you’re in the area!

Mass-Produced Comfort Food: Chianti’s

My sisters and I used to play a game called Edmontonopoly, a spin-off of the popular board game substituting local companies for properties up for sale. Two such properties were restaurants Chianti’s and Fiore’s, and I remember always wanting to go there in typical childhood idealization fashion. Well, I’ve been there numerous times since, but it has almost always been underwhelming.

Mack and I chose Chianti’s (10501 82 Avenue) on Tuesday for its proximity to the Varscona Theatre (where we were heading to see a show afterwards) and its Pasta Frenzy deal, when over forty of their pasta dishes are priced at $7.99.
It was surprisingly busy, with about a ten minute wait for a table, despite the weather being drizzly and cloudy. With the number of large parties inside, it seems Chianti’s is hard to beat in terms of accommodating all types of tastes and budgets. Their menu never ceases to amaze me – though I would imagine the A + B + C ingredient substitution formula is likely heavily utilized, I’m sure the cooks in the kitchen don’t necessarily appreciate the variety. As an unfortunate result with such menus, quality is most often the first casualty, and Chianti’s is no exception.
Mack ordered the Alla Marchese (veal filled noodles with pepperoncini in a cream pesto sauce), while I opted for the Cannelloni (rolled pasta stuffed with veal, vegetables, topped with mozzarella then baked in tomato sauce), if not only to compare it to Moxie’s version. The wait for the food was long, despite taking the large crowd into consideration, but was tapered with our cesar salad and baked onion soup appetizers. The pastas themselves were all right – my cannelloni was on the dry side, and I preferred the sweetened tomato sauce found in Moxie’s equivalent to the more tart sauce used by Chianti’s.
Chianti’s isn’t a bad choice (especially dining al fresco during Fringe season), but in particular during Pasta Frenzy, you get what you pay for.
Insalata Di Cesare (Cesar Salad)
Zuppa Di Cipolla (Baked Onion Soup with Cheese)
Alla Marchese
Cannelloni

Theatre: “East of My Usual Brain”

After dinner, Mack and I watched the new charmingly-titled Stewart Lemoine play East of My Usual Brain at the Varscona Theatre. From the website:

“East of My Usual Brain sets forth the utterly unexpectable tale of young bookstore clerk Eric Thaw (Ryan Parker), whose perceptions of life in an unremarkable city undergo an extraordinary transformation when he accepts a position as the research assistant to tempestuous European author Istvan Madaras (Ron Pederson). Istvan has himself been completely untethered from his moorings after a chance encounter with the alluringly pensive Bianca (Belinda Cornish) one afternoon in a public garden. Inspired, amused, and occasionally horrified by this romantically tortured pair, Eric must broker a resolution in a suddenly unfamiliar landscape that grows more peculiar and more beautiful with every scene.”

Let me just preface this review with the advice to never attend a show tired. That said, it was no fault of the play itself that I missed most of the first half due to, well, a lack of caffeine in my system. From what I did gather, it was a typical Lemonian-exercise of a verbally shy courter, with Pederson for the first time cast not as the yuppie bystander, but as the starry-eyed would-be Romeo. Pederson did great, pulling off both a mustache and accent without falter (his silent struggle with low table seating in the tea shop was a notable comedic moment). Parker was a seamless addition to the Teatro family (as this was his Teatro debut), and I can see why Lemoine reacted with a “You–get in the car” comment after seeing Parker’s spoof of the 80s duo Wham. My only lukewarm reception was towards Cornish – noticeably older than Pederson, her inclusion in this role appeared mainly to be because of her English accent. She was as upright, mysterious, and transcendent as her character demanded, but I wasn’t entirely sold that both Eric and Istvan would fall for her. Moreover, whoever’s decision to allow Bianca the number of costume changes that would rival an Oscar host’s should regret it – Maggie Walt‘s designs were flashy and ultimately distracting. Bianca’s wardrobe superseded the focus that should have been on the words.

The set deserves its own praise as well – both beautiful and functional, the red lanterns hung behind the paper screen were a nice touch. However, I am still wondering whether designer Mike Takats deliberately chose to use low tables, despite its alignment with Japanese and not Chinese culture.

All in all, it was an enjoyable play, with the expected poignant metaphor (in this case, excuse my mangling, but of the orientation necessary in love and in life), charming characters, clever dialogue, and laughs.