Recap: Truck Stop in The Quarters

We usually avoid organizing What the Truck?! events in July because of how busy the Edmonton event calendar gets in the middle of summer, but the Boyle Renaissance Plaza venue was too good to pass up. It was an opportunity for food trucks to animate an area that should be more visible and appreciated, and we were happy that Edmontonians responded with a good turnout, in spite of several concurrent festivals.

Perfect weather for food trucks!

Though we estimate that a total of 1,000 people came through that evening, about 100 took a tour of the new facility, explored the community centre and learned about the programs offered by the YMCA.

Boyle Street Plaza

Those who attended may have noticed some coloured coupons floating around that day. The Boyle Street Community League had stepped up to purchase vouchers that were distributed to low-income residents and community members so that finances would not be a barrier to partaking in the event. We were floored by their generosity and inclusivity.

Gorgeous green space

City of Edmonton staff were on hand to provide face painting to children and adults alike, and Virgin Radio provided the soundtrack for the evening.

Mindy Cooper of Virgin Radio

Mack and I also made sure to line-up before the crowds gathered (good thing too, given three of the trucks sold out!). We were able to share the green curry chicken sandwich from Swich and the pulled pork poutine from La Poutine. Yum!

Green curry chicken sandwich

Pulled pork poutine

Thanks to everyone who came out! We’ll be announcing the details of our next What the Truck?! event taking place in August next week. Stay tuned!

Capital Excess at K-Days 2013

Mack, Amanda, Felicia and I headed to K-Days last Friday. Though I’m in favour of the “K” being “Klondike” (despite Northlands trying to leave the door open for any and all interpretations), for reasons of the name, weather or otherwise, Edmontonians flocked to the festival in the highest numbers since 2006, the year it was rebranded “Capital Ex”.

I won a prize on my first try at Bowler Roller!

The gold rush theme was back, most noticeably in Klondike Park. The gold panners lined the Chilkhoot Goldmine attraction (some looking mighty serious while doing so), and there was even a couple parading the area in period costume.

Gold panning

Our period costume

Inside the Expo Centre, The Farm display wasn’t new, but it was the first time we took the time to wander through. We probably got a bit too photo happy.

Felicia or the egg?

A real garden!

Amanda loves groceries just that much

A new exhibit this year was Our Alberta. Though it seemed like an extended promotional vehicle for Travel Alberta, I loved it. I thought it was very well done, from the walk-through replicas of a grain elevator and the Dunvegan Bridge, to the interactive elements like rock decorating, and the past and present photo displays. I hope they bring this back in the future!

Our Alberta

Amanda checks out the decorated rocks

Edmonton photo display

Dunvegan Bridge

But – the real reason for our visit: the food! For a second year in a row, Mack and I were fortunate to have been given the opportunity to overindulge at KDays for free. Bringing two additional eaters along for the ride, given their insatiable appetites, and well, youthful metabolisms, just seemed to make sense, especially since “healthy midway food” is somewhat of an oxymoron.

Our makeshift table on the Boardwalk

An improvement from last year was the availability of a coloured map indicating where the new food items could be found. That said, the map was somewhat incomplete – Northlands’ offerings were left off, and had I not read about it in advance online, I wouldn’t have known to look for it.

Located in the Expo Centre, Northlands was serving up A Taste of Canada, new this year. The dozen or so items represented some of the best value we encountered at the fair: heaping portions of food (the vast majority not deep fried!) for the price of a jumbo corn dog outside.

A Taste of Canada

We ordered several dishes to sample: a lobster roll from the Maritimes, a duck confit panini from the East, and the pulled bison sliders from the Prairies. I would have added the West’s Okanagan peach cobbler to the mix if the plates being handed to me didn’t make me doubt whether or not we’d even make it through three servings. Each plate also came with a side of either salad or chips.

Of the three, the duck confit panini was the most successful. The duck and cheese were plentiful, though the blueberry didn’t come through as much as it could have. I would have also preferred the sandwich to have been more than just lukewarm.

Duck confit panini

The lobster roll was filled with a generous amount of lobster and imitation crab, but the roll had likely been sitting uncovered in the cooler for hours on end, and resulted in stale, rather hard bread.

Lobster roll

Amanda didn’t mind the pulled bison sliders, but both Felicia and I noticed a sourness to the meat. It left us with an unpleasant aftertaste. Perhaps it was just a bad batch?

Pulled bison sliders

Also in the Expo Centre was The Grand, the K-Days equivalent of a multicultural food court. One of the highlighted items was aloo tikki from Bob’s Bombay Curry N’ Hurry. I was lucky to snag the last two potato cakes, and paired with the tamarind and hot sauces, it was a well-spiced snack.

Aloo tikki

Felicia couldn’t resist picking up a package of milk and cookies, being sold as a fundraiser for the Edmonton Food Bank and the Northlands Agriculture Scholarship Fund.

Felicia’s happy with her milk and cookies

Back outside, we hit up Rib Fest. It was one of my favourite food attractions last year, so I was happy to see they brought it back. Though its location was a definite improvement, being situated near a music stage, its overall square footage seemed to shrink, and seating was definitely at a premium.

Rib Fest

I love the friendly competition between each smokehouse, each of them with display tables overflowing with their past winnings. Even better are the staff, hawking their accolades at random intervals.

Yeah!

We shared a half rack of ribs from Boss Hog’s. The sauce was enjoyable, smoky and slightly sweet, but the meat was on the dry side.

Ribs from Boss Hog’s

Given the lack of tables in Rib Fest, we wandered over to the Boardwalk Beach and Beer Gardens next door to try our luck. Of course, given the free flow of alcohol here, it was even busier. It was easy to maneuver around however, and folks seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Boardwalk Beer Gardens

Beach volleyball court

On the midway, Mack made a beeline for his annual corn dog. I convinced him to try something new, and he selected the double bacon corn dog. The hot dog had been wrapped in bacon, then coated and fried. The “double” part came in with a disappointing side of bacon bits and a container of maple syrup. Needless to say, it made us wonder what made up the triple bacon hot dog.

Double bacon hot dog

One of the most novel items was the chimney cake, presented as a traditional Hungarian snack. Dough is wrapped around a steel cylinder and cooked over charcoal, then dipped in cinnamon sugar. Felicia, having visited Budapest last year, remembered it from her travels, although there, it was coated in sugar alone.

Chimney cake

Given most midway food is prepared away from prying eyes behind glass, it was refreshing to be able to watch the chimney cakes cook over the fire in front of us. Each cake took about ten minutes to make, as it was slowly rotated and browned over the coals.

Over the coals

The final product wasn’t as sweet as my palate would have liked, but would have been perfect paired with a cup of coffee. The texture was also notable, as the dough had a nice springy consistency. Best of all, we were told by the vendor that the chimney cake would last a few days on the counter (unlike those beloved mini doughnuts), and I am happy to say – he was right!

Much to my companions’ dismay, I was eager to give deep fried butter (you read that correctly) a try. It’s been on my radar since it was introduced at fairs in the deep south, but I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to sample it myself.

Oh, the anticipation

I learned that this preparation would see butter wrapped in pastry dough, deep-fried, then sprinkled with sugar.

Mack humours me

The verdict? Mack was the only one who ended up with an explosive bite (the butter, of course, liquefies), but the rest of us, after draining out most of the excess, figured it was just like eating butter-brushed pastry.

Deep fried butter

We also tried the deep fried caramel apple pie from the same vendor. Earlier in the festival, it had won the K-Days new food contest, enticing judges with its scratch made pastry. With the soft serve ice cream (which was particularly good), we enjoyed the turnover enough, though by that time, we were starting to reach our fill line.

Deep fried caramel apple pie

We capped of the night with Those Little Doughnuts (what else?), and waddled our way home.

Mack’s favourite treat

Thanks again to K-Days for the opportunity to eat our way around the festival!

You can check out the full photo set here.

Date Night: Birch Patio and the Devonian Botanical Garden

Though we later decided to indulge at the Hardware Grill Chef’s Table for my birthday, my initial answer to Mack’s question about what I wanted to do for my birthday was, “Date Night at the Devonian Botanical Garden”.

When it was announced that Elm Café would not only be taking over food service at the Devonian Botanical Garden, but also would be organizing a series of themed food and amusement nights every Thursday in the summer, I knew I wanted to check it out. It seemed like a great way to increase traffic to the attraction in a creative way. The evenings range from Cuban-inspired dinners with a side of rumba, pasta- and ricotta-making paired with an Italian feast and Taiko drumming lessons followed by a Japanese meal. But Mack wasn’t the least bit surprised with the date night I was most taken by: the July 4th County Fair. Hot dogs, burgers and popcorn with some live music? Count me in!

The drive out to the Gardens at rush hour wasn’t as bad as we originally anticipated, not taking much longer than the suggested Google Maps time. We paid admission ($13 for adults) and were immediately whisked away with the musical stylings of Up the Creek, a bluesgrass band.

Up the Creek

It was a gorgeous night to enjoy dinner outdoors. Elm Café’s concession stand at the Gardens is called The Birch Patio, and that night, in addition to their usual menu of daily soups and sandwiches was bison or chorizo bratwurst, beef burgers and ice cream sundaes. I ordered a chorizo bratwurst ($5) and Mack chose the burger ($7).

Al fresco dining at its best

Neither was particularly fancy, but they were tasty, and fitting for the night’s theme and atmosphere. It also meant that we had room for popcorn and ice cream afterwards!

Bratwurst, burger and lemonade

The real treat for us was the excuse this date night provided to get out to the Garden in the first place. Neither of us had been before, so we relished the opportunity to finally explore the greenery for ourselves.

Our biggest mistake was failing to remember bug spray, and again, when encountering bottles of it at the admissions counter, not recognizing that as a sign. We were literally chased off of some of the wooded trails by mosquitos, so hopefully this serves as a warning to any who follow in our footsteps – do not forget the repellant!

Into the woods

Besides the unavoidable pests, we really enjoyed wandering through the different areas, encountering wildlife, and stopping to smell the roses.

A family of geese

I found a treat!

Rose garden

More flowers

Mack even had the chance to do his best impression of Juliet!

We both looked forward to finishing our visit at the Kurimoto Japanese Gardens, and they didn’t disappoint. The soothing water feature, manicured lawns, and blossom-lined paths were even more beautiful than the pictures suggested.

Kurimoto Japanese Gardens

Waterfall

Flowers

On the bridge

Date night at the Devonian Botanical Garden was a fun way to spend a summer evening – I’d encourage you to check it out while you have the chance! Take a peek at the remaining schedule here.

On the (Alberta) Avenue: Shop Smart and Avenue Goes to the Dogs

Though the city’s fabric is enriched by long-standing events like K-Days, Folk Fest and the Fringe Festival, I’m really attracted to less established festivals like Deep Freeze and Illuminite. Someday, these events might come to be regarded in the same light as the “big boys”, but for now, I love their grassroots nature, charm and inclusive feel.

Alberta Avenue has really been a pioneer in this front, with the aforementioned Deep Freeze and Kaleido both setting the bar high for other communities hoping to employ festivals as a catalyst to revitalize the neighbourhood.

A few weeks ago, we heard about a launch of Alberta Avenue’s latest retail campaign called “Shop Smart”. Building on the coalition behind “We Believe In 118”, the drive reminds consumers to avoid questionable retailers and to shop locally. They have also launched a petition that advocates for the creation of a by-law that will regulate the sale of weapons.

The launch took place on July 11, 2013 with a small street party on the corner of 118 Avenue and 87 Street. With food trucks and a passport for prizes activity (involving visiting businesses displaying the “Shop Smart” decal to collect stamps), we thought it would be a fun way to spend the evening.

Shop Smart event

The timing, from 4:30-6:30pm, was curious, because it wouldn’t have given those that don’t live in the community much time to reach the event and participate. It also didn’t seem to be as organized as it could have been – one of the most prominent businesses featured on the passport, location-wise, was Handy Bakery. It wasn’t even open for the last part of the event.

That said, it was a good opportunity for us to finally visit businesses we’ve walked past dozens of times, but never had the excuse or time to check out.

Wall of guitars at Mhyre’s Music

Some businesses took the launch more seriously than others, as a chance to positively engage with new customers. Wee Book Inn, for example, handed out free tote bags and offered an in-store discount.

Mack at Wee Book Inn

Others, like Saffron’s Carribean Delight, seemed less than happy to be a part of the event. Granted, the server probably just felt overwhelmed, but the lack of welcome or even a smile didn’t make me eager to return.

The event was also an opportunity for us to try S*wich for the first time. S*wich is fairly new to the food truck scene, but sets itself apart in the sandwich category by baking its own bread. They also feature popsicles and ice cream sandwiches from THIS Place (affiliated with the truck). Mack and I are happy to say that the sandwiches do live up to its reputation, especially the bread!

Montreal smoked meat sandwich

Mack with a smoked turkey club

In the end, the prize we earned from collecting the minimum ten stamps was another tote bag with some information about the Avenue’s businesses and a few coupons. I’m not sure what we expected, but it was a fitting souvenir for the evening.

The following Sunday, we returned to the neighbourhood for Avenue Goes to the Dogs, an annual celebration of dogs. The festival, at Eastwood Park, began as a way for community members to meet one another, as many residents have dogs. Though we don’t have a dog ourselves (living in a pet-free building doesn’t help matters), we love dogs!

We ran into Pancakes, The Act’s loveable mascot

The festival lucked out with the weather – early morning showers gave way to overcast but dry skies. The crowds were also modest at the start of the festival (I was reminded of the rabid hordes at Toronto’s Woofstock earlier this year), but everyone had such genuine love for their pets that it more than made up for numbers.

Dog meet-up!

The real draw of the festival for me was the dachshund races. I missed the same kind of event at Woofstock, so this was a chance for me to watch this at home! There was a solid turnout of more than a dozen dachshunds and other long-bodied dogs, including Pancakes. Even Mack got in on the action, volunteering to hold Pancakes at the starting line.

Ready, set…

Go!

It really was the cutest thing, even if some of the dogs were less than cooperative!

See Spot run

Pancakes really had a bit of an unfair advantage due to her size, but some of the little ones gave her a run for her money, including the absolutely adorable Ellie, an 18 month old dachshund.

Ellie

Avenue Goes to the Dogs was much less commercial in nature than Woofstock, and felt very community and information-oriented, with displays that included City pet licensing requirements, the Edmonton Police K-9 Unit, and pet adoption societies.

Adopt me!

We had a great time, even sans dog. Kudos to the organizers for a great job, and for giving us another reason to visit the Avenue.

Smashburger lands in Edmonton

The number of fast casual burger restaurants in Edmonton just keeps on growing. On July 3, 2013, the Edmonton area’s first Smashburger franchise opened up in Sherwood Park, joining the likes of Fatburger, Five Guys, Rodeo Burger and The Burger Joint in an increasingly crowded burger scene. In many ways, it’s not surprising – North America’s love affair of the hamburger is well-documented, and with palates leaning more towards fresher alternatives, those offering something a step above drive-thru fare are blossoming. The Sherwood Park location is Canada’s third Smashburger, adding to Alberta’s glut, with two already situated in Calgary.

Mack and I attended the media reception in early July, eager to see how Smashburger would differentiate itself from others. It turns out, Smashburger attempts to distinguish its beef burgers with its proprietary cooking process: meatballs, rolled fresh daily, are “smashed” on the grill to order, a method, they promise, provides a caramelized sear that seals in the patty’s natural juices.

We were invited to order whatever we desired from the menu, a very generous offer. Featuring a number of pre-designed beef and grilled chicken burger creations, salads, and sides, prices ranged from $5.99-$8.49 for burgers. For more creative (or particular) eaters, Smashburger also offers a “create your own” option.

Mack immediately gravitated towards the Edmonton burger (each city features a recipe inspired by regional flavours). In this case, a beef or grilled chicken patty is topped with grilled onions, cheddar, BBQ sauce and a fried egg. A Saskatoon berry shake and poutine are also exclusive to the Canadian menu.

I decided to stick with the Classic Smash, with American cheese, Smash sauce, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion on an egg bun. Mack chose a poutine side, while I chose the Haystack onions.

We were happy to run into Su and Joveena, two of Edmonton’s prolific #yegfood tweeters. Dinner is always better with good company!

Su and Joveena

Portions were generous, and everything was delivered piping hot. Both of us enjoyed our respective burgers, but save my sweet egg bun, I’m not sure I’d be able to identify the burger in a blind taste test. I did appreciate that the Smash sauce was given as a side, which gave me control over how much I wanted to add, but Mack commented how much it reminded him of a certain “special sauce” at a rival quick-service giant.

Edmonton Burger and poutine

The sides, however, left something to be desired. Shoestring fries are not ideal for poutine, as they aren’t as suited to be weighted under the layers of gravy and cheese. My Haystack onions were more like the onion straws used as a textural addition to burgers, instead of the substantial battered and fried rings I’m used to. They were also incredibly salty. I’m sure this is just a personal preference, but I prefer my onion rings whole and not shredded.

Classic Smash and haystack onions

The service that night was over the top, as expected, though I’d be curious to see how it has toned itself down as the staff settle into a more typical rhythm.

Located in Emerald Hills, one of the newer neighbourhoods of Sherwood Park, it was a bit of a shame the Edmonton attendees didn’t decide to carpool before hand. The drive was close to 45 minutes from downtown in rush hour traffic, so it would be doubtful we’d undertake such a commute if we didn’t already have plans in the area. That said, if we were looking for a fast casual burger in Sherwood Park, we wouldn’t mind returning to Smashburger just for their namesake dish. Thanks to the restaurant for the invitation!

Want to give it a try yourself? For a chance to win $25 in Smashburger gift certificates, leave a comment below (with a valid e-mail address) with the name of the burger you’d order off of the local menu. Contest closes on July 26, 2013 at 11:59pm. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator and contacted by e-mail.

EDIT (July 28, 2013): Congratulations to Jessica for winning $25 in Smashburger gift certificates! Thanks to everyone who entered.

Check out the plethora of reviews from other local bloggers: Andrea, Courtenay, Eva, Diane, Karlynn, Lillian, Liv and Phil.

Smashburger
#530, 500 Emerald Drive, Sherwood Park
(780) 410-0999
Hours: 10am-10pm daily

K-Days 2013: New Food at the Fair

It’s that time again! One of our summer traditions is heading out to K-Days and soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of the midway.

Though it’s been years since we’ve taken in the rides, we’ve always reserved the right to indulge in Those Little Doughnuts and for Mack, a corndog or two.

I can smell them already…

K-Days usually tries to entice diners by introducing new items each year, and this time is no different. Here’s what I’m looking forward to at the festival, which runs July 19-28, 2013:

Home Grown Alberta: Based on our experience in 2012, I’m a little disappointed they decided to axe the Fusion 53 Lounge, given that was some of the best food we had during our visit, and it was meant to showcase locally-sourced products. This year, K-Days will feature a showcase area called Home Grown Alberta, where “local Alberta home grown producers will sample and sell their product.” This could mean many different things, but hopefully it works out to be an opportunity of great exposure for these businesses.
New Midway Delights: Last year, Capital Ex outdid itself with cricket pizza, so I was expecting to see deep-fried butter on this year’s menu (the “freak” food of choice at the Calgary Stampede). While the menu is much tamer than I expected, I’m intrigued by items like the chimney cake (sweet dough baked around a roll and dipped in sugar). It’s a little curious why items like pad Thai and Chinese noodle boxes would be featured so prominently (hasn’t our food culture normalized some ethnic foods?), but I suppose when most midway fare is battered and fried, I suppose it’s a step beyond that.
A Taste of Canada: For those looking for something more refined than the casual midway bite, a variety of dishes representing the different regions of Canada are available in the EXPO Centre. They include a lobster roll from the Maritimes, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches and duck confit paninis from the East, salmon wraps and Okanagan peach cobbler from the West Coast and from the Prairie, pulled bison sliders and beef & barley soup.
RibFest: I’m so happy that RibFest is back! Last year, we received our first taste of a Southern barbecue competition, with several vendors competing for our vote. Four trailers will be present this year offering up ribs and great atmosphere.

RibFest 2012

See you on the grounds!

Thursday Nights on the Edge in Central McDougall and Queen Mary Park

Central McDougall and the adjacent Queen Mary Park are one of the City’s four revitalization projects. Just north of downtown, they are communities in transition, and though the progress is slow, with the NAIT LRT line set to open in April 2014, and the new arena slated just south of the neighbourhood, you can bet change is on its way, for better or worse.

Central McDougall is my adopted daytime home, and I have written in the past about how I have come to appreciate the area. Over the years, the Business Revitalization Zone and the Neighbourhood Revitalization Coordinator have organized some public events, but they are sporadic and for the most part, poorly attended. Though residents are generally invited to participate, I think more could be done to spread the word to others to explore these communities in Central Edmonton.

I’m happy that the BRZ has decided to continue with the “Around the World in 80 Bites” tour, now renamed Flavour Journey. There are three dates scheduled for this summer: July 17, 31 and August 17. Each tour will introduce diners to the food from three different restaurants within walking distance of one another, all for $30. Participating restaurants include Acajutla, Caffe Sorrentino, Com Pho, Fat Jakks, Macmacaanka Waamo, and Pho Huong. I hope to finally join one of the tours this time around!

Another exciting initiative are the Thursday Nights on the Edge series. I get the sense that it is primarily intended for residents in the area (especially given the late start time), but the events are so varied and creative that I hope the word gets out about the program!

Every Thursday evening from 7-9pm from July 11 until August 15, Central McDougall or Queen Mary Park will be hosting a unique, family-friendly activity, including a petting zoo, historical horse-drawn carriage tours and an outdoor classical music concert. Mack and I ended up joining their inaugural event last Thursday, titled “Urban-caching on the Edge”.

We arrived at the Queen Mary Park Community Hall at around 7pm. Several other families soon joined us, and before long, Cheryl, the Revitalization Coordinator, arrived with instructions in tow. She handed each group an unlabeled map noted with hand-drawn dots, and indicated that we would find “treasures” at each of the locations. We were to look for volunteers wearing “Thursday Nights on the Edge” t-shirts. She set the parameters that we should be able to reach all five locations within an hour.

Ready, set, go!

We had come from another event that evening, so had the car. If we had taken transit or walked, it is doubtful we would have reached all five destinations. Given there were families with young children in attendance, without a vehicle, I’m not sure they would have made it to even one of the sites. In the future, a tighter start and end boundary would be recommended.

Map

With the help of Google Maps, we were able to roughly pinpoint the first destination in McDougall Park, where we found Laurene Viarobo, the Executive Director of the North Edge Business Association. She said we were the first to arrive, and handed us some swag, including revitalization-branded Frisbees and water bottles.

Laurene hands out swag

For our next stop, we headed south, and keeping our eyes peeled, spotted a t-shirt hanging in the window of Produce Mart (10720 107 Avenue).

Success!

It was a great excuse to step foot in the store, just two months old, but a welcome addition to a neighbourhood without easy access to fresh produce. The store is clean, with a solid selection of vegetables, fruit and other basics like milk. I hope the shop is successful!

Produce Mart

After picking up more revitalization swag, we walked over to Caffe Sorrentino on 105 Avenue and 109 Street. It didn’t look open, so we weren’t sure if we had the coordinates right, but one of the younger participants pushed open the door and invited us in. Our prize? A generous scoop of gelato!

Delicious reward

We enjoyed the treat on our way to our last stop (we skipped one by St. Joseph School with a balloon animal treasure), Ethan Allen. This destination highlighted the extremes of this neighbourhood, which range from lower-income rentals to pricey furniture boutiques. The staff inside were very friendly, and seemed happy to be a part of the event. We declined the spray tattoo treasure, though we noticed some of the teenaged participants particularly relished in this prize!

For their inaugural activity, I think the organizers did a great job! Mack and I enjoyed ourselves, and appreciated the opportunity to explore a few places for the first time. Check out the calendar for a list of dates and events, but coming up on July 18, Animals on the Edge at the Queen Mary Park Community Hall with a petting zoo, face painting, balloon animals and cotton candy.

Truck Stop: Boyle Renaissance on July 25, 2013

It isn’t by accident that our What the Truck?! events have taken place only in centrally-located, mature neighbourhoods. We knew early on, for a grassroots festival like ours, we needed to choose areas of high residential density and ideally, areas which also boasted high levels of foot traffic. Given we had a promotional budget of $0, we needed to encourage the chance that visitors could stumble upon the festival.

Of course, our secondary reasoning for the venues we have chosen in the past relate to our desire to animate underutilized spaces by showcasing their potential, and encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation by ensuring pedestrian and transit accessibility.

This is why our upcoming event The Quarters is so exciting. The area has fallen into disrepair over the years, but the City has a grand vision to breathe life back into the area, which will include parks, a direct connection to the river valley, and new commercial and residential developments. One development, the Boyle Renaissance, is well underway, and can be seen as the herald of change in this neighbourhood.

Boyle Renaissance

Located just east of downtown, the completed first phase not only includes both affordable and market housing in the Welcome Village, but also a community centre. Mack and I toured through the facility in March, and were really impressed by what we saw. The building houses the Boyle Street Community League and also functions as its multi-function community hall – a gym, meeting rooms and even a kitchen can be rented through the league. We’ve been told that certain choice times in the gym have already been fully booked for the year by sports teams.

Welcome Village

The YMCA occupies the second floor of the building, and runs several programs out of the facility, including a family resource centre, child care centre and a collective kitchen.

We also appreciated some of the aesthetic features, including built-in projection equipment to allow art or films to be showcased just behind the glass walls, and a communal table that will be installed in the outdoor courtyard.

Community centre

When the City approached us earlier this year about organizing a Truck Stop event at the Boyle Renaissance, we knew it was the perfect fit. Though it may not have the foot traffic of Downtown, Oliver or Old Strathcona, we hope that through events like this, more Edmontonians will be exposed to up-and-coming neighbourhoods like The Quarters.

Join us on July 25, 2013 for our next Truck Stop in The Quarters!

What: Truck Stop: Boyle Renaissance
Where: Boyle Renaissance Plaza, 103A Avenue & 95 Street
When: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Time: 5-8p.m.

Expect children’s activities, music, a movie projection and tours of the new facility. And of course, food!

We are thrilled that four of the food trucks that debuted this year will be joining us that night. This will be one of the best opportunities to try food from several of the newest trucks in town, all in one place!

Menus will be posted at the What the Truck?! website on July 18, so check back then. Hope to see you there!

Chef’s Table at Hardware Grill

In my family, June is a time for celebration. My Mum, Dad and I all share June as a birthday month, and of course, Father’s Day is a standard observance. This year, for one of my milestone birthdays, I decided the cumulative festivities could justify the Chef’s Table splurge at the venerable Hardware Grill. As it stands, $100 for five courses at the consistently excellent restaurant is reasonable, but it was still nice to have these special occasions to commemorate with my parents.

The Chef’s Table can accommodate up to six, and like any communal table, we were told that we’d likely be joined by a party of two that night. When we arrived, we noticed that the place settings were set for four. The couple never did end up arriving, but we appreciated the heads up nonetheless.

With my parents

The Chef’s Table is located right inside the kitchen, with a perfect view of Chef Larry Stewart and his crew. I’m sure the staff are immune to it now, but I would feel a little odd being observed, fishbowl-style, as I worked. That said, we really appreciated their candor and unaffected behaviour. As we would find out, unlike the nightmare back room scenarios portrayed on television, Hardware Grill is a pristine example of a well-oiled machine.

Our view of the kitchen

A printed menu laid out the five dishes for the night, which would be served over the course of three and a half hours. The meal was so well paced, we had no idea where the time went (it didn’t mean we finished all of our food, however – most of our entrée and desserts ended up in take-home boxes). And though the food was wonderful, what really set the experience apart was the staff. White linens sometimes equal stiff and awkward interactions, but at Hardware Grill, we are always floored by the service. Beyond gracious and professional, as expected at a fine dining establishment, staff are warm, good-humoured and seem to genuinely enjoy their work.

It was also the little things – for instance, we decided to order two wine pairings to share. Without missing a beat, individual glasses were delivered to each of us, a single pour split between two. Although this wasn’t my first time sharing a wine pairing, it was certainly the first time I’ve encountered the generosity of providing a second glass.

Just as the service was measured and executed perfectly, so too were the kitchen dynamics. Chef Stewart received each order, calling out items calmly. The other chefs would quietly get to work on their components, with Sous Chef Jesse Chalmers periodically updating the ETA of the main protein. Communication was paramount, and in this kitchen, was the cornerstone on an effective team. I wrongly assumed dining at the Chef’s Table would be a noisy affair; in reality, the din of the main dining room was noticeably louder than in the kitchen.

Mack observes the kitchen

The first course was a charming way to start off the meal – a bite-size sandwich layered with brioche, lobster, pancetta, arugula and oven-dried tomato paired with a lobster bisque. The photo is a bit deceiving – a heavy hand in the kitchen dealt the lobster.

Soup ‘n sandwich

The salad of buffalo mozzarella and symphony heirloom tomatoes was simple, but made with good ingredients, including a spike of lemon-scented olive oil, was delicious.

Buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad

Mack especially enjoyed the pasta course of hand-rolled goat cheese tortelloni, their creamy centres stealing the show. For me, it was the underlying corn broth that sung – it was skill that coaxed such fragrance and aroma from the corn.

Goat cheese tortelloni with beech mushrooms in corn broth

By the time we reached the entrée, we were already approaching the point of being uncomfortably full. Interestingly enough, we were encouraged to eat the hickory-smoked quail by hand, not something we would have expected. I ended up gravitating more to the vegetables on the plate, in particular to the caramelized cauliflower, lovingly browned in a way that I will try to replicate at home.

Hickory-smoked quail

After the preceding two courses, I was anticipating a light finish to the dinner. Instead, we were presented with a dense, intensely rich chocolate marquise. Even one half the size would have been too much for me, but the dollop of sour cream on top was curious, lending a tang that did not pair well with the chocolate.

Chocolate marquise

Kudos to the staff of Hardware Grill for a memorable experience. If anything, it reminded me that I shouldn’t let too much time pass between future visits to Edmonton’s most respected restaurant.

Hardware Grill
9698 Jasper Avenue
(780) 423-0969

City Market 2013: Week 8

The weather was perfect for City Market visitors on Saturday – warm without being too hot, with blue skies full of sunshine.

City Market square (love the colourful furniture!)

It’s also great to see all of the fresh produce rolling in, week by week. Saturday was no exception, with a greater variety than we’ve seen thus far, including broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, carrots and new potatoes.

Garlic scapes from Sundog Organic

Garlic from Sundog Organic

Kale from Sundog Organic

Broccoli and cauliflower from Erdmann’s

Apricots from Steve & Dan’s

Berries from Steve & Dan’s

Peas from Kuhlmann’s

Radishes from Kuhlmann’s

Beets from Kuhlmann’s

Flowers from Kuhlmann’s

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Carrots from Riverbend Gardens

Fennel from Riverbend Gardens

Kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens

New potatoes from Riverbend Gardens

Beets from Riverbend Gardens

I also really enjoyed the beats from Adje Performers’ African drums. They had more than a few people dancing in the square! I hope they’re back at future markets.

Adje Performers

See you next week!

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