Category: Edmonton

June in Edmonton is for Festivals

  • I’ve always wanted to go on a tour of downtown Edmonton led by the Core Crew, but the times have always clashed with my work schedule. In any case, tours will be hosted in the summer every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-2pm starting in June. Details here.
  • The Edmonton Food Bank is marking National Hunger Awareness Day on June 2 by hosting a screening of Affirming Diversity: Rural Images and Voices on Food Sovereignty in Rural India.
  • A free screening is taking place on June 6 at the Royal Alberta Museum with a film titled Will the Real Alberta Please Stand Up?, followed by a panel discussion. Details here (scroll to the bottom).
  • Interested in the possibilities of solar power? Think about taking part in free tours of some eco-solar homes on June 6.
  • The Heart of the City Festival on June 7 will see non-stop entertainment and activities for families. Drop by Giovanni Caboto Park (95 Street & 107 Avenue) for the fun.
  • June 9-16 will see the city’s second annual Creative Age Festival, recognizes “the vital contributions of the arts to lifelong learning, creative expression, health and well-being in later life.” Check out the website for listings of many free and low-cost events.
  • NextFest, a celebration of theatre, dance, visual art, music and film, bills itself as “the precocious teenager of Edmonton’s festival family,” heh. It runs June 11-21.
  • The Age of aQUEERious Pride Week is on June 12-21, kicking off with the Pride Awards on Friday night and Pride Parade and Celebration on Saturday afternoon.
  • June 13 kicks off Western Canada’s largest outdoor farmers’ market in St. Albert! Over 250 vendors will be expected to showcase their wares this year.
  • deVines Wines is organizing a very cool event on June 13 – they’re calling it “Al Fresco on 104th Street” to benefit the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters. Among other things, the street will play host to food vendors, a fashion show, an outdoor movie screening and of course, an open door wine tasting. I’ll be there!
  • Edmonton’s annual River Day kicks off on June 13 with a pancake breakfast, and follows with a whole host of other family-friendly activities, including fishing activities and opportunities to ride in a canoe or raft.
  • Celebrate Africa Day at the African Centre (13160 127 Street) on June 13-14 with activities such as a fashion show, “Taste of Africa”, and African dance and drumming. Call (780) 455-5423 for more information.
  • A free concert titled “That’s Edmonton for You” featuring leading members of Edmonton’s indie rock scene is taking place on June 14 at noon at the Louise McKinney Riverfront Park. Local musicians have composed songs that address the notion of community and sustainability – should be interesting.
  • On June 14, from 10:30am-2pm, the BLIA (10232 103 Street) is organizing a Vegetarian Food Fair, which will offer more than 50 different samples of Asian cuisine. If it’s anything like the vegetarian lunch I had there recently, I’m sure it will be a great event. Call (780) 424-9744 for more information.
  • Activities commemorating National Aboriginal Day will be taking place June 15-22.
  • InterVivos is hosting Jessie Radies of the Blue Pear at Von’s Steakhouse on June 16 for a talk titled “Stick it to the Recession” that will address the importance of keeping consumer dollars in the local economy. I’m sure it will be great.
  • Pecha Kucha is already in its fourth iteration in Edmonton, and will be in its biggest venue yet at the Shaw Conference Centre on June 16. Get your tickets soon if you’re interested – it will undoubtedly sell out early. Check out Mack’s write up of PK3 for a taste of what to expect.
  • Improvaganza will host the best improvisers from around the world during its 10-day event, June 17-27. I haven’t been in a few years, but I’m hoping to check it out again this year.
  • The Dreamspeakers Film Festival, which offers a venue to explore Aboriginal culture, is now in its eighth year and runs June 18-21.
  • Love beer? You’re in luck – the third annual Edmonton Festival of Beer on June 19 & 20 will showcase your favourites alongside entertainment and food.
  • June 19-July 1 will see the Works Festival take over downtown Edmonton with displays and performances of art.
  • June is Bike Month, which means it’s time for Bikeology, a month-long festival to celebrate cycling culture. It all cumulates on Bikeology Festival Day on June 20, with free activities at Beaver Hills House Park.
  • “Find your jazz” at the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, June 26-July 5. I love that they have a glossary of jazz terms up on the site.
  • The Muttart Conservatory opens after extensive renovations on June 27. I haven’t been to the pyramids in a while, but I’m eager to see what they’ve done to the place!
  • The Feats Festival of Dance is on June 27-July 5.
  • The Freewill Shakespeare Festival kicks off its previews on June 30, and runs at Hawrelak Park until July 26. This year’s plays: Comedy of Errors and the “slasher” (or so billed by Chris Bullough) Titus Andronicus.

Enjoy all the city has to offer!

No Hand-Tossed Dough: Tony’s Pizza Palace

After visiting the new Alberta Avenue farmers’ market, and prior to the artsScene Edmonton launch party, we stopped in at Tony’s Pizza Palace for dinner. One of my coworkers raved about Tony’s after lunch there some time ago, primarily because she could see the chefs hand-toss the dough like in the movies. As a result, I was most looking forward to this aspect of our dining experience.

Based on our initial assessment of the older stucco building, Tony’s seemed to be a family-friendly, neighbourhood pizza place. When we walked in, the décor seemed to match our judgment – dated, but comfortable, with wooden fixtures, clunky chairs and at the back, an open window into the kitchen, where we saw six busy hands and a huge oven behind them.

With the laid-back interior, we were surprised to find that the servers were dressed to the nines. The waiters all had crisp white shirts, black vests, and ties – a major disconnect with their surroundings and the patrons, who for the most part were rocking jeans or casual slacks. Though their service was friendly and efficient, I had to wonder if management confused the desired atmosphere of Tony’s with that of an upscale French bistro.

Interior

At any rate, once settled with our drinks, we perused the menu. We ignored the entrees and pasta dishes and headed straight for their namesake dishes. The “specials” (topping combinations pre-selected without room for substitution) were quite expensive (ranging from $14.25-$21.50), at least when compared with the price to customize our own pizza.

We asked our server how large the medium was, and at 12’’, decided that Mack was hungry enough to warrant ordering two of them, knowing that any leftovers would make a welcome brown bag lunch. I decided on the classic margherita pizza ($14.25 for medium), though tomatoes were absent, while Mack customized a medium pizza with Italian sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms ($15.25 for three toppings). Unfortunately, basil wasn’t a topping option, so I could not have customized my own margherita.

While awaiting our meal, I anxiously watched the kitchen window and waited for the dough-tossing to begin. Unfortunately, my patience went unrewarded, and we did not see a single toss over the course of our evening. We should have asked if they had changed their policy, but our food was delivered shortly and I neglected to do so.

The pizzas were indeed generously-sized, molded perfectly to fit circular pan underneath. Mack noted the crust – not at all greasy and thin but sturdy – he was able to pick up a slice to be eaten without utensils. He much preferred this to its Neapolitan sibling – the chewy, and airy type propagated by Famoso, while I disagreed. The margherita, with its very basic cheese and basil topping, let the crust shine. Mack’s custom pizza, on the other hand, was loaded with meat and mushrooms, and despite the less-than-crispy pepperoni, he enjoyed it. I should also note that the sauce was not overpowering – sometimes a heavy hand is used to distribute the base, but these pizzas had just the right amount of sauce.

Margherita Pizza

Three-topping PIzza with Sausage, Pepperoni and Mushrooms

The isolated location of Tony’s would prevent it from becoming a regular haunt for me, particularly when the downtown location of Famoso, with their lovely charred and chewy crust, is so much more central. But I was happy to have tried it, even without the free pizza tossing entertainment.

Tony’s Pizza Palace
9605 111 Avenue NW
(780) 424-8777
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm; Dinner: Monday-Thursday 4:30-10pm, Friday 4:30pm-midnight, Saturday 2:30pm-midnight, Sunday 4:30-10:30pm

Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market Opening Day

While we were in DC, on our way back to our hotel, we stumbled upon a FRESHFARM Market, one of four run during the week in different areas of the city. Situated in a high-traffic area in a small park next to a Metro stop, a hospital, and smack dab in the middle of George Washington University campus, it was a great location. And though the vendors numbered only around a dozen, what they offered was ideal for students, commuters, and residents to pick up en route to their homes. There were two produce vendors, a baker, a bison farmer, a poultry farmer, and a few prepared food vendors – not a comprehensive group, but definitely enough variety to satisfy most shoppers.

Foggy Bottom Farmers’ Market

I think there need to be more neighbourhood-based markets in Edmonton, particularly on weekdays so a “trip to the market” can simply be a brief stop on the way home, instead of a special weekend trip.

As such, I was really happy to learn that Alberta Avenue would be getting a year-round farmers’ market on Thursdays beginning May 28, from 2-7pm at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall (93 Street & 118 Avenue). While I don’t reside in that neighbourhood, I wanted to check out the opening day and be a part of the excitement.

Welcome!

Around 30 vendors were signed up to showcase their wares today, though more are expected to join as the weeks progress. Craft vendors were concentrated inside the hall, while the majority of the food vendors were outside.

Inside the Community Centre

Outdoor vendors

Though I like to browse crafts now and then, the draw of farmers’ markets for me is the food. Dip Sea Chicks (who have stalls in both the City Centre and Strathcona markets) was the only familiar vendor to me, but there were others selling prepared food as well. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a produce or meat vendor to be seen.

I have a feeling this was just a very muffled start to what will become a very successful addition to the growing list of initiatives spearheaded by the Alberta Avenue community. The grassroots effectiveness of the neighbourhood continues to amaze me, and I have no doubt this endeavour will blossom with time. Bravo to the community for getting this off the ground!

Check out the market every Thursday from 2-7pm at 93 Street & 118 Avenue.

Off the Beaten Path: Oriental Veggie House

I took it upon myself to accompany a visiting consultant for lunch, and having worked with her over several months, thought I knew her well enough to suggest we try a new place within walking distance of the office. As it was one of those gloriously sunny spring days, I thought the brisk walk would do us both good, a refreshing change from the morning long fluorescent-lit meeting.

On Chowhound, the two most frequent responses to the question, “Where can I get good vegetarian/vegan fare?” is Padmanadi and Oriental Veggie House (both lean heavily on soy and taro root products to create a “meat”-like texture). I had been to the former for their monthly buffet, and was curious to see what the latter had in store.

We reached the restaurant just after noon, and found it empty on a Friday. Though that wasn’t a good sign, the friendly proprietor quickly greeted us and led us to a table. The space was larger than I had expected from the outside, and filled with natural light from a bank of windows. Décor was minimal, and though I pointed out to my dining companion that the vinyl tablecloth was in dire need of replacement, our surroundings were pleasant enough.

The menu, printed in an attractive font and bound on thick cardstock, was a pleasant alternative to the large plastic-encased folders typically found at Asian restaurants. Though the combination for two ($28.50 for the specified soup, appetizer, and two entrees) looked interesting, my companion didn’t like the chosen dishes. So instead, we put together our own meal that included a seaweed and tofu soup ($5.95), shredded veggie tofu wrap ($5.95), country style tofu ($8.95) and rice noodles with veggie seafood ($9.50). We opted not to order rice due to the steep $5 charge.

Menu

Over the course of our meal, two other parties joined us, but for a restaurant in the Chinatown area with free parking, it was much too quiet. The upside to this of course, was quick service. We received our first course soon after putting in our order. As we had ordered the small, I was expecting a portion meant for an individual. Instead, we were confronted by a bowl that yielded each of us three servings, brimming with contrasting textures of crunchy seaweed, silky tofu, and pea poppers. The broth was not overpowered by seaweed flavour though, and I found the mildness to be the perfect way to start off the meal.

Seaweed and Tofu Soup

The intriguing tofu wraps were next – I ordered them purely based on the concept, thinking it would be the healthy equivalent of a spring roll. It turns out tough bean curd was used to enfold shredded carrots and bean sprouts, among other vegetables, then pan-fried. The wraps were actually quite greasy, and without the crunch that I was hoping for.

Shredded Veggie Tofu Wraps

The next two dishes came fast and furious, and we struggled to keep up. The country style tofu was reminiscent of a dish that could be ordered at most Chinese eateries serving more traditional fare. Filled with plump cubes of tofu and vegetables, we both wished we had ordered the rice after all – rice would have been the perfect way to soak up the delicious sweetness of the sauce. The rice noodles in our second entree were moist and cooked well, but I wasn’t too fond of the overly chewy “seafood”.

Country Style Tofu

Rice Noodles with Seafood

Our lunch totalled about $40 (with a $3 pot of tea), definitely not inexpensive when compared with other area establishments. The owner did point out their two chest freezers containing products that customers could take home to prepare themselves. For example, a popular item was their faux chicken.

Oriental Veggie House did provide an interesting alternative to the usual Asian cuisine, and is worth a try if you’re looking for something different.

Oriental Veggie House
10586 100 Street NW
(780) 424-0463

Volunteering for Homeless Connect 2

When Mack and I realized that we would be back from DC in time to volunteer for the spring Homeless Connect, we both didn’t hesitate to sign on. Well, I did, briefly, only because the time was not ideal – we’d arrive back in Edmonton late on Saturday, which would mean we’d have six hours of sleep at best before a day of service.

We didn’t volunteer for the first Homeless Connect in Edmonton that took place back in October 2008, but the concept of a one-stop service location for the city’s underprivileged was an intriguing one, and both of us were eager to see how the day would unfold. 

We caught the bus bright and early on Sunday morning to the Shaw Conference Centre, where an 8am volunteer rally was meant to energize us for the day. Through the doors of the hall, Mack and I received our bright blue t-shirts (neon orange shirts marked team leaders), and had coffee while we waited for the proceedings to start.

Almost ready for the day

Due to technical difficulties, the proceedings didn’t start until at least 8:30. While it wasn’t as high-energy as it was advertised to be, outside of MLA David Xiao’s canned and awkward address to the crowd, I appreciated the intent of welcoming and ensuring volunteers understood that their time and assistance was valued.

Volunteers

After the welcome, we were told that volunteers would self-select their teams for the day. With several hundred volunteers, this seemed like a very chaotic way to start the event. I chose to be on registration duty, and along with about 60 people, followed the team lead for a brief orientation. 

And was it ever brief – though we were all treated as capable individuals, I wished something more formal could have been put into place. The five minute spiel we received was much too ad hoc, and while the form and the procedure didn’t seem complicated, compared to the comprehensive overview we were provided before participating in the Homeless Count, I was left feeling a tad unprepared for the task at hand.

We were told to take the time we had before the doors opened at 10am to explore the hall and familiarize ourselves with the services available. I have to commend Homeward Trust for coordinating nearly 60 service providers for this second event – all volunteering their time and services that day – from haircuts, dental services and immunization to elder counselling, clothing distribution and identification provision, it was inspiring to see so many organizations come together to serve the homeless community. 

Elder counselling area

Mack’s volunteer area for the day – free long distance phone calling and internet

Dental services

At 10am, we were greeted to a rush of people, and were kept busy for a while. The registration form captured basic demographic information that would allow the organizers to ensure the services provided were appropriate, and was fairly quick to run through with individuals. After I was finished with the form, I provided each person with a care package, containing a hat, shirt and personal care items, before linking them with a guide who would orient them to the hall and lead them to the service they wanted to take advantage of first. 

Haircuts

Though people did trickle in the rest of the day, it wasn’t too busy after the initial crowd. The team leaders were really great in coming by to let us know that we should take our lunch break (and any other breaks we needed to), and we were able to have a hot meal alongside clients. I was also able to chat quite a bit with my registration desk partner – he said that now that he and his wife were empty nesters, they had more time to volunteer. It was his first time being involved with an event like this, and he said it really opened his eyes – most of the people he had interviewed did not fit his previous image of “homelessness”.

I met many people that day – a father who was struggling to get his life back in order so his daughter could return to his care, a woman who had just moved into a new apartment that weekend, with the help of a support agency, and a mother who was interested in getting her son a much-needed haircut. It was amazing how just sitting down with someone for a few minutes provided so much perspective on things.

We were told that this event was much more organized than the first, but that numbers were likely down for a variety of reasons (weather, experience of long lines at the last event). I think Homeless Connect 3 will only improve on efficiency, and based on this experience, I think I will be volunteering again on October 4.

You can read Mack’s thoughts on the day here, and see his photoset here.

Food Notes for May 25, 2009

Mack and I had a great time in DC! And though I’d rather be there, at least the weather warmed up in Edmonton while we were away! I’ll slowly be making my way through recapping the trip (Mack’s still uploading all the photos as I write this), but in the meantime, I have an abbreviated version of notes to share (I purposely took a break from reading blogs while on vacation):

  • Edmonton has a new farmers’ market! This Thursday, May 28 will see the dawn of the year-round Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market at 93 Street and 118 Avenue. Over 30 vendors are expected in this first week, with the list to grow in coming months. I’d love to see more community and neighbourhood-based markets, so this is a great start. More information here.
  • See Magazine’s Best of Edmonton results came out this week. Their annual poll covers more than just food, but of course, that’s the section that interested me the most. Like the Golden Forks, I was surprised to see The Lingnan and The King and I voted Best Chinese and Best Thai, respectively, but it was good to see Blue Plate Diner and Hardware Grill come out on top for Best Brunch and Best High-End Dining.
  • The Edible Prairie wrote about the upcoming Asparagus Festival taking place at Edgar Farms on May 30 & 31, one of several events that are a part of Country Drive, an event that encourages exploration of rural Alberta.
  • In recognition of National Hunger Awareness Day on June 2, the Edmonton Food Bank (11508 120 Street) will be screening the film Affirming Life and Diversity: Rural Image and Voices on Food Sovereignty. RSVP to Tamara by May 29 at 780-425-2133. Also, between June 2-12, any monetary donations made to the Food Bank will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by Kraft (up to $150,000 across Canada) – consider donating  in June.
  • Two articles from the Journal this past week are worth a read – Liane’s “neighbourhood food tours” series continues with a piece on Little Lebanon, and an interview with Ocean Odyssey Inland’s Pat Batten.
  • Vue had a piece covering the new Boualouang space – the owner is happy about having a larger kitchen.
  • For the plane ride to DC, I picked up the latest issue of Food Network Magazine. It’s not a bad read, filled with recipes from the network’s personalities and light features (like a breakdown of Ina Garten’s new kitchen, and current trends in the food world – like marriages in fast food restaurants). I wouldn’t subscribe to it, but I’d consider buying a copy now and then.

Food Notes for May 18, 2009

I won’t be blogging while in Washington, but if you want to keep up with what we’re up to, check out Mack’s blog, Flickr photo stream, or Twitter feed. I do have some notes to share this week though:

  • Vue Weekly released the results of the 2009 Golden Forks awards this week. Categories include best restaurants, best dishes, and other. Some consistent winners continue to baffle me: Creperie for most romantic,  Route 99 for breakfast (I love their poutine, but their breakfast offerings are pretty weak), Lingnan for Chinese (although I suppose the category didn’t specify “authentic Chinese”).
  • My cover article on how some restaurants are coping with the economic downturn was also published this week. Thanks everyone for your kind comments over the past few days!
  • Liane has been really pushing Teddy’s – it was featured in her piece about the city’s best sandwiches back in April, while its desserts were highlighted this past week. Maybe it’s my perception, but those ads with the woman in the leopard print dress probably give me the wrong impression about the place. That and the fact that the stodgy brown building looks a bit foreboding from the outside.
  • The latest edition of City Palate mentioned a fairly new restaurant called Easy Burger and Bar, located at 11172 – 87 Avenue (the old Windsor Pub, which was shut down for health violations).
  • Chris over at Eating is the Hard Part posted about Harvey’s upcoming “free hamburger day” on May 24. Brulee Blog also has a great compilation of deals to be had.
  • Apparently the Calgary Farmers’ Market is considering becoming a for-profit organization. A great post on where this might lead.
  • The NYT has a great article about corporations attempting to jump on the local food bandwagon.
  • I’m still reeling from the announcement that Frank Bruni will be leaving his food revising post at the Times in August. On the bright side, I’m loving all of the coverage, and the chatter about who might replace him.
  • Our version of pre-theatre dinner on Thursday was Oodle Noodle on Whyte. We needed a quick dinner preceding wine and cheese night at the Varscona for our first show as Teatro la Quindicina subscribers. Mack ordered his usual combo box while I decided to try something new – the penang laksa. While the creamy coconut sauce was fragrant and tasty, I wished the noodles would have soaked it up a little better.

 

Combo Box and Penang Laksa boxes

  • I tried the new Tim Hortons iced coffee ($1.39 for a small) over the weekend. While it isn’t bad, and cheaper than the iced brewed coffee from Starbucks, I would still head to Starbucks on most days.

 

Tim Hortons’ Iced Coffee

  • Mack and I took his grandma out to the Arbour Restaurant at Rutherford House yesterday to celebrate her birthday (I’ve written about it before). As a tea lover, we thought she’d love their selection of teas, in addition to their small dessert plates. We ended up with probably too much to eat, but it was a lovely meal nonetheless. Both Grandma Male and I had their turkey pot pie ($13), while Mack opted for their sandwich of choice, a ham and swiss on brioche bread ($11). For dessert, Mack and I shared the afternoon scone plate ($12 for two), which included a pot of tea, mostly because I had a hankering for their always delicious raspberry butter. Mack’s grandma opted for the chocolate pot du creme ($6), which she enjoyed as well. If you’ve never been, I’d recommend the Arbour Restaurant as an alternative to your usual Sunday brunch standby.

Turkey Pot Pie

Ham and Swiss Sandwich with Broccoli Soup

Chocolate Pot du Creme (in the background) and Afternoon Scone Plate for Two

Scone with Raspberry Butter and Monk’s Blend tea (I love their delicate china!)

Crumb Explosion: Van Loc

I needed a quick lunch stop en route to Lucky 97 for a few groceries, so decided to take the opportunity to visit Van Loc in Chinatown.

My usual banh mi haunt is Nhon Hoa 2 on 97th Street, but after two recent reviews in Vue and the Journal, I was curious to see what Van Loc had to offer, as both pieces noted that the baguettes they used were second to none.

I stopped in just after noon, and it was clear they were in the middle of their lunch rush – customers continuously filtered in for take out orders. The space was definitely larger than either Nhon Hoa or Kim Tuyet, and its predominantly white interior gleamed even brighter with the natural light provided by the bank of windows. I was happy to see there were three tables to allow for eating in, though they probably could use a good scrubbing (the disadvantage of having white furniture).

I looked at the menu briefly, but already knew I wanted my usual variety, the shredded pork banh mi ($3.50). After a brief wait, I received my sandwich in a white paper submarine bag. The sandwich I was given definitely beats their competitors in the size category. The amount of cilantro, pickled carrots and cucumber included also seemed more generous than others I’d received. As for the bread, I actually found it to be the weak link of the sandwich – it had been over-toasted to the point of being too hard, making it a little difficult to eat (and definitely messy; the requisite crumb explosions made me thankful I was eating alone).

Shredded Pork Banh Mi

As the other elements of the sandwich were good, I’d definitely be willing to give Van Loc another try, with perhaps a request to keep the toasting time down to a minimum.

Van Loc
10648 98 Street NW
(780) 413-8887

City Market Opening Day!

I’ve been looking forward to the May 16 City Market kick-off for a while – there’s nothing like starting off your weekend with an outdoor stroll through the core, surrounded by the optimism of spring.

Market Day!

We arrived just after noon, and ran into Paula, who told us that opening ceremonies had taken place earlier that morning (you can see her photos here). Mayor Mandel was even on hand to welcome patrons to the ever-expanding market, which this year will play host to 95 different vendors.

It was great to see that organizers were finally able to shut down 102 Street to allow for pedestrian-only traffic. It seems they also put out more tables and chairs, great for those needing a seat to eat their vendor-gleaned goodies.

104th Street

A stiltwalker and juggler made it even more festive

As we are departing for our vacation on Monday, we couldn’t stock up on too much. That said, as it is only mid-May, there wasn’t much fresh produce available anyway, save some winter vegetables and hot greenhouse bounty. The market featured mostly non-produce vendors, including those selling bedding plants, crafts, and prepared foods. I was happy to see En Sante Winery out, as well as Happy Camel – both of which we will patronize another day.

Buying tomatoes from Doef’s Greenhouses

We came across a booth for Original Fare and Keep Edmonton Original – while we are very familiar with both groups, we didn’t know about their VIP card program. After a VIP card holder has dined at an Original Fare restaurant, it is swiped, and at the end of the year, the accumulated “points” are converted to cash, and sent to the card holder in the form of a gift certificate that can be redeemed at any of the restaurants. We signed up on the spot. There is a link to the VIP card on the website, but it doesn’t seem to allow new registrants – I hope they add this function to their website.

We read on the Belua Designs blog that Fremly would be at the market today, so we brought Netty along for the ride for a photo opportunity. Unfortunately, Fremly had to stay behind today, but Netty was able to take a picture with all of the monsters that were still looking for a home.

Netty at the market

We also took the opportunity to drop off our contribution to the newly-established Greens, Eggs and Ham CSA. Mary Ellen clarified how it works – the $250 or $500 contribution to allow the farm to expand is essentially a deposit, so whatever I pick up from her stand that week at the market will simply be deducted from my initial contribution. If you frequent their booth anyway, why not consider supporting the farm even further? Further information here.

Netty stands guard over our duck eggs

The City Market is open rain or shine every Saturday until October 10. See you there!

Solid Choice: Back Home Fish & Chips

On a lazy weekend when I didn’t feel inspired to cook, Mack and I decided to finally patronize Back Home Fish & Chips, just down the street from his apartment. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been tempted by the wafting, intoxicating smell of good ol’ grease when passing by, but the circumstance to visit them didn’t present itself until now.

 Back Home Fish and Chips

The restaurant always looked so quaint from the outside, with their checkered tablecloths and large bank of windows letting in a healthy amount of natural light. When we walked in, we found it to be much the same as our external impression, and found a seat in a cozy booth. The rest of the diners in Back Home seemed to be made up of regulars, which didn’t surprise me. I find that most stalwart fish and chip fans will have one joint they believe to have the “best” product above all others in the city, and deign to listen to any other opinions (you would be hard pressed, for example, to convince my parents that anything other than Joey’s Only would offer them the quality and value for their dollar).

Menus

Our efficient waitress brought us menus and took our drink orders straightaway. While the menu did offer their namesake dish, they unfortunately did not offer a choice of fish – haddock was the only type available. On the bright side, I was surprised to find all types of seafood listed, from calamari to clams to cod tongues and cheeks. Their prices were fairly reasonable, meaning we probably could have split an appetizer without breaking the bank. We decided in the end to just proceed to the main course; I opted for the small fish and chips ($11.95), which contained three pieces of fish, while Mack was easily swayed by the shrimp and chips ($15.95).

Our dishes arrived in speedy fashion, helped by the fact that we were the only ones who put in an order at that point. Though both my fish and fries were a bit dark (perhaps signalling a need to change the oil), both for the most part were crispy. The kitchen definitely did not scrimp on portion sizes, and even with their smallest plate, I struggled to finish my meal. The light batter concealed an flaky and moist fish, fork tender underneath its shell. Mack also enjoyed his shrimp, which were flavourful and satisfying.

Small Fish and Chips

Shrimp and Chips

Final verdict: while our experience wasn’t unexceptional, it wasn’t particularly memorable either. So if a fish and chip craving were to hit us, we wouldn’t hesitate to return, but Back Home won’t become a destination restaurant either.

Back Home Fish & Chips
12323 Stony Plain Road NW
(780) 451-7871
Monday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm, Friday 11:30am-10pm, Saturday noon-9:30pm, Sunday noon-8pm