Tipping the Scales: Grain of Rice

Edmonton’s second no tipping restaurant just opened quietly in the west end with much less fanfare than the first. When Café Linnea launched this summer, there was much buzz about the imported concept of building gratuity into their prices, with an end goal of providing servers with more predictable wages. In some ways, the adoption of this philosophy is even more revolutionary with Grain of Rice, given Asian restaurants are stereotypically known for extremely competitive pricing, sometimes to their detriment. Mack and I stopped by this past weekend while running errands in the area.

Located on the far west end (in the same complex as the Save On Foods on 215 Street; GPS failed us by several blocks), Grain of Rice is operated by the Phung family. Son Tony Phung decided to help his parents rebuild years after their restaurant was destroyed by fire, but instead of recreating exactly what was lost, introduced some ideas to help make their business distinct.

The menu was trimmed from hundreds of items to a much more manageable size of a dozen or so dishes, with rotating specials to keep things interesting for regulars. Grain of Rice also sources meat from local producers, which, coupled with their no tipping policy, accounts for their higher prices. While some diners will undoubtedly balk at the idea of paying more for similar style dishes in other parts of the city, I think it’s reasonable if higher quality plates and good service are delivered in return.

Grain of Rice occupies the end bay of the strip, the interior benefiting from access to lots of natural light. The dining room is clean and minimalist, with the vibe of a fast casual restaurant. I liked being able to see into the kitchen as well, which seems to continue the restaurant’s theme of transparency.

Interior

The menu features many popular Vietnamese and Chinese dishes, including vermicelli bowls, peaches and shrimp, and wor wonton soup. Mack decided on the classic beef and rice noodles ($17), while I had to try their pho ($15).

Food arrived in good time, steaming hot. Mack was impressed by the portion size of his plate, and noted that they did not skimp on the beef. I would have liked to taste more smokiness in the noodles, but overall Mack enjoyed the dish.

Beef and rice noodles

The pho, on the other hand, could have used more meat (and personal preference, cilantro!). The rare beef was pretty tender, and the meatballs were tasty, but I very quickly ended up with a bowl with broth alone. And though Pho Tau Bay will also reign supreme in the broth department for me, the aromatics in the soup was notable.

Pho

Grain of Rice is still in their "soft opening" phase, so I imagine tweaks will continue to be made in these next few weeks. But I really support the philosophy behind the restaurant, so I wish them all the best.

Grain of Rice
1312 Webber Greens Drive
(780) 306-3338
Monday-Thursday 11am-3pm, 4:30-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm

Eat and Play Your Heart Out: The Rec Room

There’s a new full-service food and entertainment option in town! Back in September, Cineplex opened its first Rec Room in South Edmonton Common, the first of many planned for the country. In fact, after a second outlet is completed in Toronto next year, expect a third to follow some time in the summer at West Edmonton Mall (in the former Ed’s space). Though this first location happens to share the same parking lot as its theatre big brother, this may not always be the case, and besides some Scene Card branding on site, the visual connection is subtle.

At 60,000 square feet spread out over two floors, the Rec Room has been created as a destination. With more than 140 amusement games and crowd-pleasing music, it appeals to an adult crowd (like Chuck E Cheese for grown ups), but they’ve taken the concept even further. They have incorporated some nostalgic elements – there’s a small bowling alley upstairs and several retro games like pinball and Pacman.

The gaming floor

However, they’ve also done their research to stay on top of trends; hence, they also offer axe-throwing and virtual reality (curiously, considering the current market in Edmonton, they don’t feature escape rooms).

Virtual reality

In addition, I was surprised to find out they have a 225 seat auditorium and another stage in the main restaurant where programming is planned 7 days a week – everything from hockey on the big screen to karaoke, trivia nights and comedy shows.

The food at the Rec Room – divided into three distinct “restaurants” – mirrors its philosophy on entertainment. The nostalgia can be found in comfort food classics: a casual food bar called The Shed offers a poutine bar and a “sweet emporium” with gourmet doughnuts that can be injected with liqueur.

Doughnuts at The Shed

But they also stay on-trend with The Loft and its wood-fired pizzas (wood-fired anything continues to be hot) and the chef-inspired cocktails at the Rec Room’s main restaurant, THREE10 (named for the three territories and ten provinces of Canada).

THREE10

Mack and I were invited by the Rec Room to try the food at THREE10 over the weekend. Arriving for a late lunch on Saturday afternoon, we found the crowds still relatively sparse. By the time we left prior to the dinner hour though, it was starting to fill up. We were told that line-ups are frequent on weekends, and private rooms have been completely booked into the new year. And although minors are permitted as long as accompanied by an adult, based on customer feedback, they are considering adult-only hours.

Mack and I were impressed with THREE10’s beer list – it was nice to see several Alberta beers on offer, including Alley Kat and Yellowhead. On the cocktail front, we were a tad disappointed with our drinks. The restaurant boasted its recognition of seasonality, so it was unfortunate that we were recommended the strawberry basil lemonade – it was an easy drinking vodka-based cocktail, but one that should be retired until warmer times. The “new fashioned” that Mack sampled wasn’t quite as smooth as he was hoping for, with its mace-nutmeg syrup and rootbeer bitters.

New fashioned and strawberry basil lemonade

The menu at THREE10 is said to be “inspired by Canada’s vast and varied landscape”, meaning primarily that it strives to appeal to many tastes. It features some conventional plates (steak frites, pork chop, half chicken), but they also have nearly a dozen starters to consider.

The applewood smoked bacon maple jam ($11) was a tasty combination of melted double cream brie and an underlay of smoky, sweet jam. Served with crostini, this was a great shareable appetizer.

Applewood smoked bacon maple jam with crostini

Similarly, the popcorn fried chicken ($13), served with a chipotle BBQ sauce, was really satisfying. The morsels were lightly battered, and paired well with the moderate kick of the sauce.

Popcorn fried chicken with chipotle BBQ sauce

For larger plates, we selected two dishes suggested by their staff. The pickle brined fried chicken ($24) is prepared as described – before being dredged and fried, it is marinated in a pickle juice brine. We didn’t expect the brine to impact the flavour of the meat as much as it did, and unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for our palates. I was also hoping the house biscuits would have been flakier and more layered than simple drop biscuits.

Pickle brined fried chicken, with whipped potatoes, slaw and house biscuits

The organic BC salmon ($26) fared better, served with a bed of whipped potatoes, sautéed spinach and crispy shallots. The fish was cooked nicely, and as a whole, it was a refined plate that I wouldn’t have originally expected to find here. Reflecting their aforementioned seasonality however, they could have substituted root vegetables for the asparagus.

Organic BC salmon with whipped potatoes, sautéed spinach and crispy shallots

We didn’t have room for dessert, but continuing the theme of fun and games, the sweets menu is printed in the form of a paper fortune teller.

What’s your preference?

Although we’d likely return to THREE10 on future visits to The Rec Room for their appetizers, I’d prefer to round out my meal next time with a stop for poutine and a doughnut from The Shed, or perhaps a pizza from The Loft. The breadth of choices offered under the same roof at The Rec Room are what make the complex unique.

Before we departed, we took a spin through the amusements. Games are activated through credits purchased on an RFID bracelets, as opposed to using tokens, which can be cumbersome. For $20, 120 credits can be purchased, and most games we played cost between 4-6 credits per person.

Ice Ball (a Skee ball equivalent)

We had fun racing Mario Karts, playing a Skee ball equivalent, competing at basketball, and conquering Fruit Ninja and Crossy Road on big screens, among other games.

Hoops are my go-to amusement

Points achieved are recorded on the same RFID bracelet for convenience, and after a quick tour through the redemption room, it’s clear the prizes are much better than those found across the street at Chuck E Cheese.

Redemption Room

If you’re needing a break between errands at South Edmonton Common (especially during the busy Christmas season), consider stopping at The Rec Room for some games and a bite to eat.

Thanks again to The Rec Room for hosting us!

Flocking for Fried Chicken: Northern Chicken

After All is Bright two weeks ago, Mack and I wandered over to Northern Chicken. The brainchild of Chefs Andrew Cowan and Matt Phillips, Northern Chicken took over the space vacated by Relish Gourmet Burgers on 124 Street.

Much of the interior has been retained, but Andrew and Matt have made some changes – adding accents to the walls, expanding the open kitchen, and transforming the rear seating area into a rumpus room that can be booked for private groups. The space feels comfortable and unpretentious, and coupled with the excellent service staff we encountered that night, is a welcome sight.

Northern Chicken

The fried chicken concept is one that Andrew and Matt have been developing for some time. Both chefs have worked their way through many local kitchens (I met both of them years ago when they were at Century Hospitality properties), but are happy to finally be their own bosses. They’ve tinkered with recipes since their first pop-up back in April, and I think they’ve landed on some great flavours.

We ordered their three-piece fried chicken ($14) and a fried chicken sandwich ($14), both served with baked beans. For sides, we selected the honey thyme cornbread ($5) and the bacon creamed corn ($6).

The full meal deal

The restaurant was nearly full, so we were pleasantly surprised that the food arrived as quickly as it did. It was also incredibly hot – I had to let the fried chicken cool before I was able to handle it. I loved the breading, well seasoned with just a hint of spice. The chicken underneath (soaked for twenty-four hours in buttermilk) was incredibly juicy.

Three piece fried chicken

Mack was similarly delighted with his sandwich, which featured a very generous portion of fried chicken. He was particularly happy to encounter a soft bun more suited to this dish, a change made since that pop-up.

Fried chicken sandwich

Mack is the cornbread junkie between the two of us, and appreciated the thick-cut slice and dense crumb of Northern Chicken’s cornbread. That said, it was just a touch too sweet, with the honey overwhelming the cornbread itself.

Honey thyme cornbread

The bacon creamed corn, on the other hand, was the star of the show. I would have never anticipated this, but the texture and flavours hit all the right comfort food notes – I would look forward to curling up with a bowl on a cold winter’s night.

Bacon creamed corn

Before we left, Matt commented about how foot traffic really slows down after 9pm; it’s a reminder of how the area has changed since the Roxy Theatre burned down nearly two years ago. Given the cluster of establishments that have opened up within several blocks, however, I’m optimistic that diners will continue to flock to this neighbourhood for some great tastes. Congratulations to Andrew and Matt on the opening of Northern Chicken – see you again soon!

Northern Chicken
10704 124 Street
(780) 756-2239
Monday – Tuesday 11am-10pm, Thursday – Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-late, closed Wednesday

In Memoriam: Gail Hall

Generous. Compassionate. Community-minded. Pioneer. These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about Gail Hall, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 65 from cancer.

Gail meant so much to so many people. She was a tireless Edmonton booster, and never stopped sharing her love of local food, businesses and theatre. She was a fixture on 104 Street – at Credo, the City Market, and community events – and always made time to chat.

Liane wrote a wonderful tribute, but I wanted to share how Gail impacted my life. Gail was the person who set me on the pathway to discover local food. As I wrote five years ago:

When I first started to visit farmers’ markets, I would walk past the tables overflowing with produce and overlook the proud farmers showcasing their wares for cupcakes. To me, markets were weekend festivals – bustling, colourful, and meant only for a brief stopover. In 2007, a chance prize earned me the opportunity to cook alongside long-time Edmonton Journal Bistro columnist Judy Schultz and local food advocate (and Seasoned Solutions proprietor) Gail Hall. One afternoon was all it took to demystify the market; it was the first time I saw the market for what it really was – a plethora of farm fresh ingredients, and a direct link to the producers who grew or raised it.

Sourcing local food has now become a large part of my life; a weekly trip to the local farmers’ market is routine. And I continue to patronize many of the producers I first met nine years ago because of Gail’s introduction.

Meeting Gail for the first time in 2007

This also influenced where Mack and I chose to live. In 2009, we moved into a condo on 104 Street, just down the street from Gail and her husband Jon. This decision was in part driven by our desire to buy local:

An objection we often hear about shopping locally is the inconvenience of it – nowhere to park, limited hours, selection that rewards early birds. By choosing to live right on 104 Street – the home of the City Market – that isn’t a problem for us. And in the same way we value public transportation, supporting local farmers is another one of our priorities, so it helps when the barrier of distance is removed.

Gail and Jon at a cooking class in 2012

I also remember Gail’s generosity in helping me celebrate a milestone. Two years ago, my sisters had arranged a cooking class with Gail for my bridal shower. Along with my mum, we joined Gail in her home for a lovely afternoon.

Cooking with Gail in 2014

We prepared and enjoyed a meal together, but that wasn’t enough. I joined a larger group of friends for dinner at Tzin down the street after the class, and Gail called the restaurant and ordered another two rounds of their famous bacon for the table. It may have been a small thing for her, but the unexpected gesture meant a lot to me.

Gail has impacted the way that I eat, cook, and connect with my community. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude, so I’ll just say – thank you, Gail.

One Sweet Story: Caramia Caramels

Edmonton has a sweet tooth! Three dessert-based businesses have run successful crowdfunding campaigns this year: Sugared and Spiced raised more than $55,000 towards their brick and mortar bakery, Confetti Sweets reached their $20,000 goal to help them open up a third storefront, and upstart Caramia Caramels just passed their $13,000 target to purchase commercial equipment. It’s wonderful to see the community step up to support these local businesses, especially during tough economic times. I sat down with Alysia and Tammy Lok of Caramia Caramels this week to learn more about their story.

Alysia and Tammy have known each other for twelve years, best friends first and now sisters after Tammy married Alysia’s brother. They’ve always wanted to work together, but the right project hadn’t come up until Tammy discovered fresh caramels while on her honeymoon in Europe. Alysia didn’t even like caramels until she tried some of the sweets Tammy brought back with her. When they couldn’t find similar caramels (they weren’t aware of Red Balloon Pie Company), the idea of Caramia Carmels was born.

Tammy fell in love with the burnt sugar taste, and the layers of complexity that can be achieved with simple ingredients. Caramels, she said, are also a blank canvas for flavours and texture.

The Original - This is not like any caramel you’ve ever had before. Soft, yet perfectly chewy, this caramel melts in your mouth with a smooth and creamy not-too-sweet finish.

They launched the business this year at the City Market, and were bolstered by the feedback they received. Alysia’s favourite moments involved watching people’s reactions as they tried a fresh caramel for the first time. For this reason, even if their business grows, in-person sales at a market will continue to be a staple so they can interact with customers.

They quit their jobs this summer to focus on Caramia Caramels full time, but realized they needed larger scale equipment to increase their product capacity. The Kickstarter campaign was meant to raise the $13,000 they needed for a candy cooking machine, but since they’ve exceeded that goal, any additional dollars will be funneled into setting up the rest of the commercial kitchen.

Presently, Caramia Caramels offers 5 flavours: original, pumpkin spice latte, London fog latte, smoked maple bacon, and sriracha roasted almond. If those aren’t enticing enough, Christmas flavours will be released this month, and include gingerbread, candy cane and hot chocolate. Alysia is partial to the spicy and sweet sriracha roasted almond, while Tammy’s preference depends on the day. I tried several flavours from a complimentary bag, and really enjoyed the subtle earl grey hints in the smooth London fog latte caramel.

London Fog Latte This creamy and decadent bergamont flavoured treat will be the star at any afternoon tea.

Even though their business is less than a year old, Alysia and Tammy have made supporting charitable causes a cornerstone of Caramia Caramels. They donate caramels and some proceeds to local women’s shelters, hoping that their caramels can help spread some happiness. Alysia and Tammy recounted a recent group meeting they attended at a shelter, and were heartened by how hopeful and strong the women were in spite of the obstacles and challenges they were facing.

Their Kickstarter campaign closes on November 28, but for a quicker fix, you can find Caramia Caramels at numerous markets this holiday season. Their product is also available at Swish Flowers and at the newly-opened Hyatt Place.

It’s great to see small businesses flourish in our city – I wish Alysia and Tammy the best of luck as they continue to spread their love of caramels in Edmonton!

Recap: 2016 Gold Medal Plates

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the 2016 Gold Medal Plates, hosted at the Shaw Conference Centre in support of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. It’s been an incredibly successful fundraising event, having raised more than $11 million dollars for Canadian athletes since 2004. The culinary competition operated by Gold Medal Plates has become a benchmark for chefs in cities across the country, the preparation alone pushing chefs to refine their techniques, enhance flavour profiles and find the perfect beverage pairing. Those crowned at the local or national level are widely recognized for their achievement, and winning dishes can often be sampled at those restaurants for a taste of what judges deemed the best that year. Personally, I’d only read the results of the competition, and had never experienced it firsthand before this year.

Each of the ten competitors were tasked with crafting a dish and pairing it with a Canadian wine, spirit or beer. Unlike “mystery box” challenges that currently fuel reality television, chefs here are able to polish their dishes for weeks, meaning execution becomes the most crucial factor instead of thinking under pressure. Even in this year’s sample, it was wonderful to see the array of proteins showcased, and the diversity of cooking styles presented. If anything, it speaks to how fortunate we are to have such a rich food scene in Edmonton.

Chef Shane Chartrand and his team from Sage

Before the start of the competition, I chatted with Mary Bailey and was thankful for her advice (as a senior judge, she’s well versed in the tasting component). She said I needed to hustle, or I might not get to all ten stations. She was absolutely right; I picked up the last dish just before the closing bell.

The Chartier team

I was also glad to run into Teresa who was also in attendance that evening. It was fun to experience the event with someone else who was new to Gold Medal Plates, too.

My favourites differed somewhat from the judges’ selections. Mary had said this would likely be the case – the audience choices never seemed to converge with the official winners. My top pick was by Sage’s Shane Chartrand. His coal smoked albacore tuna was such a revelation that I actually paused mid-bite to savour it; the texture and flavour imparted was incredible. The sablefish also had a pronounced charcoal essence that I appreciated.

Charcoal and smoke from Shane Chartrand

I also enjoyed the dish prepared by Have Mercy’s Lindsay Porter. Her Alberta corn stone ground grits with shrimp, smoked Mangalitsa pulled pork, chanterelles and pecans was comfort food with refined flavours. Unlike some of the other plates, all components complemented one another well.

Corn grits with shrimp and pulled pork from Lindsay Porter

While dishes were meant to be paired with a beverage, one of my other favourites was actually a drink. The Caribeau cocktail from Chartier, a combiation of Fallen Timber Saskatoon mead, Alberta Premium rye whisky, birch syrup, Saskatoons, and spices danced on my palate, the hint of fruit balancing nicely with the spirit base.

The winners, as selected by the judges, were:

Eric Hanson of Prairie Noodle Shop, with his spot prawn, peach and plum preparations, paired with the Summerhill 2014 Ehrenfeiser
Doreen Prei of Get Cooking, with pan seared Icelandic salmon, chanterelle & celeric puree, squash butter, and crushed cold smoked pumpkin seeds, paired with 50th Parallel Pinot Noir
Shane Chartrand of Sage, with charcoal sablefish, cold smoked albacore tuna, sweet stock reduction, creamed corn, fondant potatoes, sesame seaweed snack and salt roasted beets, paired with Culmina 2015 Unicus Gruner Veltliner

The first place winner of Edmonton’s Gold Medal Plates will compete in the Canadian Culinary Championship finale in Kelowna on February 3-4, 2017. I wish Chef Hanson the best of luck as he represents Edmonton!

2016 Gold Medal Plates winners

The “gold medal” portion of the event refers also to the Olympic athletes in attendance, ambassadors of how the funding raised can lead to success. Gold medalists from the recent Rio games, Rosie MacLennan and Erica Wiebe, were among the nearly three dozen athletes present. Being the Olympics junkie that I am, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to fangirl and snap a selfie with Erica. She was extremely sweet and gracious.

With Erica Wiebe!

The athletes also like a good party, as evidenced by the finale that evening. Led by Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, the athletes piled on stage for a raucous rendition of “The Weight”. My sister, a huge fan of kayaker Adam van Kouverden, would have appreciated his enthusiasm at the mic.

Thanks to the organizers of the Edmonton Gold Medal Plates for having me!

10 Observations from 10 Years of Blogging

Ten years ago, I started a blog. I didn’t do so with a concrete purpose at the time, and simply used the website as a repository for my thoughts. When I began, I wrote about a greater diversity of subjects, but food rapidly became my primary topic of choice. Through this blog, I learned to cook, met other food-interested individuals, and discovered the restaurants I’ve come to love in this city.

Always ready to eat

Although the decade passed quicker than I’d care to admit, so much has changed in the food scene since 2006. Through snapshots of local food trends each year, it’s easy to see how far Edmonton has come. That said, I still think there is some room to improve – here are my 10 personal observations from 10 years of blogging:

Consistency is the key to blogging: one of the questions I’m frequently asked is how I manage to keep blogging. In the beginning, reaching certain milestones was a personal challenge (one that was incidentally posed by Mack, who at the time was just a friend). Soon after, I started posting bullet points of interesting items I had come across, including food-related news. These items eventually warranted their own posts, and Monday night Food Notes was born. Without this weekly driver, it’s unlikely my blog would have lasted as long. There have been periods where I’ve been delinquent in writing regular posts, but those pesky Food Notes were always there, requiring my timely attention. These past ten years, I’ve seen many blogs come and go, and the best advice I can give aspiring bloggers is to develop a schedule, and keep to it.
Social media was a game changer: in 2006, Facebook was two years old, and Twitter was founded that same year. It’s astonishing how social media has changed when, how, and with whom we share our food experiences. Those Food Notes that I mentioned used to rely exclusively on print media. Now, the vast majority of news is gleaned using the #yegfood hashtag on Twitter, providing an immediate and very public forum of discussion. Attitudes have also shifted drastically about food blogging and photography in restaurants – back in 2008, an incident with a manager at a local restaurant proved just how unprepared establishments were for citizen critics. Now, meals are captured for the masses on Instagram and Snapchat, and sites like Yelp and Zomato allow essentially anonymous reviews at the touch of a button. While restaurants have had to adapt to this new reality whether they liked it or not, tensions flared up again as recently as last week, so it’s clear that there’s still some work to be done.
There are few degrees of separation in the food community: for a city of a million people, the food community is incredibly small. The advantage to this, however, is that this environment creates opportunities for learning and collaboration, something I’ve personally experienced. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to work with several chefs to bring ideas of pedway and parkland pop-ups to life, among others. I’ve also found that the community as a whole is quite supportive, which is how a tiny festival can grow into something previously unimaginable.

Pedway pop-up in 2012

Money isn’t everything: some of the tension between food writers and restauranteurs involves the perception that writers are chasing free meals, and only those with deep pockets can afford to win over social media influencers. The truth is, many of the most endearing, perennially popular establishments in Edmonton such as Duchess Bake Shop didn’t start with an expensive splash. They have endured with a formula of quality products, good service, and consistency.
Edmonton loves chains: the birthplace of Boston Pizza and Earls, Edmonton can’t escape its history of creating concepts that resonate for the average diner. Casual upscale chains dominate the mid-range restaurant scene in the city, in spite of the fact that similarly-priced independent restaurants offer more choice and better service. I have to credit their popularity to marketing, long-standing familiarity, and unfortunately, to urban sprawl – power centres are prime real estate for chain locations.
Suburban restaurants on the rise: sprawl is also the reason behind the spread of independent restaurants across the city. When I started blogging, the vast majority of restaurants worth writing about were located in central Edmonton. Now, we have restaurants as far as Beaumont’s Chartier garnering attention.
Food trucks are here to stay: food trucks were on the fringe ten years ago, relegated to serving pedestrian food at industrial sites. Today, they have become mainstream, populating every outdoor festival, market and street fair in every corner of our city. Some may remember when Drift had a dispute with a brick and mortar restaurant back in 2012 about the right to vend on a particular street, and though complaints come up from time to time, food trucks are now an integral part of our food culture. What the Truck?!, a festival that began six years ago to promote food trucks, may actually not be relevant in the same form anymore.

The first What the Truck?! in 2011

The independent coffee scene was born and raised: it’s really been a joy to watch independent coffee shops blossom over the last decade. The third wave started in Edmonton with Transcend in 2007, became anchored downtown with Credo in 2009, and expanded into a coffee district, featuring five independent retailers within a two block radius. I don’t believe we’ve hit our threshold for great coffee just yet, and hope to see even more cafes pop up in the next few years.
Local food still has a ways to go: my blogging journey and understanding of local food are deeply connected. My first real foray into farmers’ markets was led by Seasoned Solutions’ Gail Hall, and my desire for proximity to the City Market was one of the reasons behind our move to 104 Street. Over time, I was hoping local producers would garner a higher prominence in mainstream conversations, and gain a greater market share of grocery dollars. There are some positives to highlight over the past ten years, with the establishment of more farmers’ markets, cooking classes aimed at demystifying local products, and urban agriculture education at Northlands. But, with the rezoning of agricultural land in the northeast, and the vague policy developed as a result, we’re not as far along as we could be.

Ringing in the City Market in 2009

Stand tall, Edmonton: as I mentioned on a podcast last year, Edmonton is often given the short shrift, overshadowed by Calgary. We’ve got fantastic chefs, producers, and food businesses that can stand on their own merit, and we shouldn’t be afraid to share the wonderful things happening in our city.

Thanks for reading over the years – your support, words, and kinship for food have meant a lot.

Recap: A Streetcar Named Dessert with Sugared and Spiced

For the past few years, enterprising groups such as Streetcar Shows have been organizing gigs that take place on the High Level Streetcar. It’s a unique and intimate venue to be sure, and given the limited number of seats, the shows always sell out. I’ve been hoping to attend one of the concerts, but haven’t been able to snag tickets. So when I saw that Sugared and Spiced was advertising an event they were putting together (cheekily named “A Streetcar Named Dessert”), I jumped at the chance.

The streetcar concert would feature baked goods from Sugared and Spiced and Edmonton singer/songwriter Martin Kerr. Mack and I have been longtime fans of Martin (he performed at our wedding), so we couldn’t think of anyone better to provide the soundtrack to the evening.

On a Saturday in September, Mack and I headed to the Strathcona Streetcar Barn on south side of the river to join two dozen other guests.

Off we go

It’s been at least a year since we’ve ridden the streetcar, but every time we do, we’re reminded of how fabulous the volunteers from the Edmonton Radial Railway Society are. Hugh and Sarah demonstrated their passion and knowledge about the streetcar, and made the experience even more memorable. It’s amazing that the streetcar continues to be operated entirely by volunteers; hopefully Edmontonians never take this for granted.

Hugh, one of the Edmonton Radial Railway Society volunteers

Along the way, were each treated to a generous slice of cake (the rich, dense chocolate peanut butter was delicious). If that wasn’t enough, we were each provided with a box of goodies to take home, packed with brownies, macaroons, rosemary shortbread, ginger cookies, madelines, and my personal favourite, the girls’ night in cookie with chocolate, caramel, raspberry dessert wine and coarse salt.

Almost too pretty to eat

Martin played two short sets. Although Mack and I have heard him perform many times before, this was the first time we were able to learn the inspiration behind some of his songs, including one he often plays at the farmers’ market. He was well suited to this small venue, and his rendition of Hallelujah, as we sat atop the North Saskatchewan River under the darkened skies, was simply magical.

Martin Kerr

Even before the evening was through, Amy and Jeff were already fielding questions as to whether or not they’d organize another Streetcar Named Dessert. They have, and tickets are only available in conjunction with their current Alberta BoostR campaign. Sugared and Spiced will be opening a brick and mortar bakery next spring, and are hoping to crowdfund some of the start-up capital that they need. Although they reached their first goal of $20,000 in just a few days, they’re still hoping to get to $50,000 by October 27, 2016.

Thanks to Amy and Jeff for putting together a wonderful event, and best wishes on the BoostR campaign in these final weeks!

Recap: Edmonton Culinaire Treasure Hunt

My friends Su and Allison are food scavenger hunt veterans, having competed in three previous contests in Calgary. The hunts sounded like a lot of fun, so when Culinaire Magazine (newly expanded in scope from covering Calgary to all of Alberta) announced an Edmonton treasure hunt, I jumped on board (and dragged Mack along with me).

We decided to join forces with Su and Allison so they could pass along the wisdom they’ve gained from experience. Our team also had the added efficiency of carpooling!

September 10 was a busy Saturday – one that saw the four of us start our morning at the Rogers Place open house. Although this was a chosen detour, Su and Allison hoped that Culinaire had adopted one of their recommendations from previous hunts – that clues should be distributed to the 50 odd teams at the same time for an equitable start, instead of first come, first served. Unfortunately, nothing had changed for this hunt.

Culinaire editor-in-chief Linda Garson kicks off the hunt at the Italian Centre

Some had really great themed costumes (I loved the team dressed to the nines in 1940s attire), but Su’s great idea was to wear our What the Truck?! shirts and vests so we could promote the last event of the year.

#TeamHighViz and #TeamWTT

While enjoying complimentary coffees and chocolate croissants from the Italian Centre, we settled down to solve the clues. Su and Allison recommended that we map the 30 destinations in order to plan our route, starting from the furthest out and working our way back to Pampa downtown, where the hunt would end. The Treasure Hunt regulations did express the need for a vehicle, and once we mapped everything, it was clear why – stops were as spread out at Nisku and St. Albert. Even though we decided to skip Nisku (and ran out of time before we could get to St. Albert), we ended up doing quite a bit of driving.

Fort Edmonton Park was the most picturesque stop

Another requirement was a phone with internet access, which made sense for GPS purposes. However, I never expected clues that would need to be googled word for word. The most egregious of these was the following: “the latest restaurant to erupt within walking distance of the new arena.” I thought of multiple restaurants that could fit this description (“walking distance” being subjective, notwithstanding): Joey’s Bell Tower, Baijiu in the Mercer Warehouse, Buco in the Epcor Tower, Bottega on 104 Street. The answer? Bundok in Fox One, as lifted directly from one of Liane’s posts.

Chef Ryan Hotchkiss at Bundok

At any rate, we had many favourite stops, memorable for different reasons. Canova, located just north of the Yellowhead by the train tracks, is one we would have never discovered without this activity. Formerly DeFazio Gourmet, Canova vended at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market, in addition to this retail location. The cornetti (vanilla cream-filled crescent) was delicious and one of the best things we ate all day.

Making pedal-powered smoothies at Earth’s General Store

D’Amores Mercato was on my list to visit for some time, and this event was just the excuse I needed. I knew they had a small food service operation, but what I didn’t realize was the fact that they are well-stocked with Italian basics and frozen pasta options. The staff were also wonderful as they helped us with the challenge of crafting our own pizzas – it was the type of service that will garner return visits.

Making pizza at D’Amores Mercato

Prairie Noodle Shop put some thought into their activity that saw each one of us tasked with peeling the perfect hard boiled egg. To help us with this, we were shown a nifty technique that none of us had been exposed to before, involving a spoon to separate the shell from the white. It was a neat tip, and based on that brief interaction, Mack (who has never before dined at Prairie Noodle), remarked that he would be back.

Learning how to peel eggs at Prairie Noodle

Some stops provided a financial incentive to return – Cured, for instance, provided a very generous $25 gift card per pair. The City Market, also hoping to lure back customers, gave each participant a $5 gift certificate. With those amounts alone, we had earned back more than half of the $65 team registration fee.

Allison and I are stumped at RGE RD

For the most part, establishments were mainstream in nature. It would have been great to see more ethnic establishments chosen as stops.

In case you were wondering, we made it to 25 of the 30 destinations, which wasn’t good enough to beat two teams that visited 29 locations. But in this case, we were satisfied with the journey – we had a great time with Su and Allison over the course of the day, and experienced what a culinary scavenger hunt could look like in Edmonton. Thanks to Culinaire for putting on the event, and to Su and Allison for letting us join forces!

Lazia Rebranded: Riz

While there’s no doubt the rise of Rogers Place has led to a number of new restaurants hoping to capitalize on related foot traffic, Riz Asian Kitchen is the first to rebrand in order to do so.

Lazia has been a Downtown staple for more than a dozen years, but owner Richard Lim thought it was time for a refresh. The website heralds the pedway connections between the Ice District and Edmonton City Centre where Riz is located (though to be honest, the ongoing construction in the mall might be a deterrent to some would-be patrons). Commenting that there was no better time than the present to remind diners of the space, Richard commissioned CK Designs (the same firm behind the Downtown mega bar applications) to redesign the restaurant. Given the tight turnaround time of several days, much of the same structure is intact, but the colour scheme has been muted to a palette of neutrals. In some ways, it’s now less distinctive than its other casual upscale competitors.

Mack and I were invited to enjoy a complimentary meal on September 6 when Riz opened to the public. The meaning behind the new name comes from the French word for "rice", and speaks to the fusion cuisine still present on their menu.

The menu, featuring sweeping Asian-inspired flavours from Korea to Thailand to India, does appeal to broad tastes, and includes some on-trend dishes including their interpretation of ramen. That said, they have some mainstream items on the menu, such as a basic burger and a Philly cheese steak. What does set the menu apart is the price – a majority of mains ring in under $20, making it an economical contender against the competition.

We shared the roti canai (so popular at East they had to migrate the item over to Riz), served with a curry dipping sauce.

Roti canai

Mack’s panko-breaded Japanese fish and chips didn’t have a noticeable Asian flair, except for a disjointed slaw comprised of noodles and carrots. He enjoyed it well enough, but thought it could have more readily lived up to the cuisine that inspired it.

Japanese fish and chips

I ordered the duck curry ramen. It was a very heavy dish; I would have preferred a slightly thinner broth as I laboured to finish it by the end. The flavours were good – the confit duck was delicious and married with the curry well. The yuzu red peppers were on the tart side, but they were a welcome pop given the richness of the soup.

Duck curry ramen

The service that evening was top notch, but given most in the restaurant that day were family, friends and media, it was somewhat expected.

Richard and his team have the experience to help draw in the crowds; only time will tell what will play well with the concert and hockey fans making the trek downtown. I wish Riz the best in the months to come – thanks again for having us!

Riz
10200 102 Ave, A113 (Edmonton City Centre Mall)
(780) 990-0188
Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-1am, Sunday 11am-11pm

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