Greek Eats on the Street: Little Village Food Truck

The food truck scene in Edmonton just keeps on growing – and really, the more the merrier at this point, where the demand for great street food still seems to outpace the supply. The latest addition is Little Village Food Truck, owned and operated by Theo Psalios.

Little Village Food Truck

You might recognize the Psalios name – the family opened the popular local chain of Koutouki restaurants, and starred in the first two seasons of the Food Network show The Family Restaurant. Now, the family has scaled back to just one Koutouki location on 124 Street, and Theo has branched out to bring Greek eats to a curb near you.

Theo Psalios

Little Village has been open for just a week, serving up lunch downtown at 105 Street just south of Jasper Avenue in front of the Atco Building. But we caught up with the truck last Thursday at the 124 Street Grand Market, where Little Village was feeding the dinner crowd alongside Drift and Nomad.

A fleet of food trucks!

Theo changes up the menu almost daily – make sure to keep abreast of his offerings on the Twitter account. On that night, he had two items available: a Greek lambwich ($8) and Little Village potatoes ($4.50).

The lambwich was everything it promised to be – a generous portion of delicately roasted lamb shoulder topped with feta and pickled cabbage. I especially loved the brioche bun – the sweetness complemented the meat well. The side of potatoes was also enjoyable, topped with tzatziki and scallions.

Greek lambwich

Little Village potatoes

Mack and I are hoping Little Village will be joining us for our 2012 What the Truck?! finale this September, but until then, make sure to keep up with their whereabouts on Twitter!

City Market Report: Week 12

If today was any indication, it seems like the weather will cooperate this long weekend. The aisles of the City Market were basking in glorious sunshine. Martin Kerr was back busking in the square, and I know we’re not the only ones who believe it feels more like a market day when one can hear his voice resonating above the trees.

Market square

It’s always great to see new vendors join the fray, but in this instance, it was a familiar face returning to the City Market! You may recognize Rhonda Headon from O Sol’ Meatos, one of the two companies she and her husband Brian runs, but this time around, she was at the market selling her wonderful products from The Cheesiry. We picked up some two month old pecorino. Look for them the next time you’re at the market!

The Cheesiry

It was the first Saturday for field tomatoes at Sundog Organic, but Mack and I were too late to buy the pound we needed for one of his favourite late summer recipes. Next week! We still picked up a ton of fresh produce for the week though, including raspberries which we couldn’t wait to dig into.

Leeks from Sundog Organic

Beets from Sundog Organic

Nectarines from Steve & Dan’s

Plums from Steve & Dan’s

Carrots from Kuhlmann’s

Kohlrabi from Kuhlmann’s

Cucumbers from Kuhlmann’s

I hope you all have a lovely long weekend!

Still Not Perfect, But Getting There: Taste of Edmonton 2012

The Taste of Edmonton just racked up its most successful year ever, as defined by ticket sales. There was such a high demand for food that organizers ended up having to utilize their 2011 ticket inventory.

So in the face of stagnant or declining attendance at Capital Ex/K-Days, what made the Taste of Edmonton such an attractive festival in this packed summer calendar? Was it truly the changes and additions to its 2012 incarnation that had such a huge impact? In part, I think the answer is yes.

First Annual Taste Festival Cook-off

Taste of Edmonton introduced several different initiatives in an effort to reach a new, younger demographic this year. One of these initiatives was the on-stage cook-off.

Over two days, bloggers and food enthusiasts put their skills on display in live cooking competitions. Although Taste has hosted cooking demonstrations in the past, the inclusion of amateur chefs was a new element.

On stage

Mack and I were present for one competition involving three food bloggers, who had an hour to put up their best food truck-inspired entrées. It was an absolute scorcher that afternoon, but Phil, Teresa and Michelle all toughed it out and made it look easy. Hosts Liane and Amanda also kept the crowd entertained, providing relevant commentary and opportunities to win prizes throughout.

The final dishes were judged by three local chefs – David Omar of Zinc, Lindsay Porter of 4th and Vine, and Shane Chartrand of Murietta’s. They tasted, tasted again, and agonized over the scores, as it turned out only a single point separated the winning dish from the other two.

Judges

In the end, Phil was crowned the victor. But in a surprise announcement, it turned out that all three were victorious in a way – each of the three chefs had agreed to adopt one dish to be featured on their restaurant’s menu.

The winning dish

Congrats, Phil!

Though the crowds could have been larger for the cook-off that we attended (and perhaps would have been if the competition had been kept to half an hour), it was a great first time event. It added a community dimension that has been lacking, and is something I hope organizers expand in the future.

Curb Your Hunger

In a way, food trucks were an inevitable addition to Taste of Edmonton. With organizers looking for a way to punch up the food offerings, food trucks were an easy way to do it – they are self-sustaining (and thus would not need to draw on power or water sources), offer consistent and unique products, and are undoubtedly fashionable. So Curb Your Hunger, Taste’s food truck corral, was born.

Drift in the thick of things

Given our experience with the trucks at What the Truck?! and other events, Mack and I weren’t sure how well the trucks would fare. No doubt their food would be a hit, but could they keep up with the volume demanded by the large crowds and long hours? How would they store that amount of food in the truck? Could they compete price-wise, given some trucks use superior, locally-sourced ingredients? And with organizers taking a significant percentage of ticket sales, would it be worth their while?

Curry ‘N’ Hurry, one of the newest trucks

Organizers admit that this was a bit of a mixed bag. It probably didn’t help that the trucks weren’t consistently present (some through no fault of their own, having made other commitments prior to signing on to Taste). Their menus were also listed separately from the other restaurants, while some trucks like The Act were probably easily overlooked because they faced away from the rest of the vendors. In addition, some trucks did sell out early to the dismay of some patrons, without kitchen staff to lean on to replenish supplies.

The Act

Of course, it should be noted that Taste’s embrace of food trucks (and the recent announcement that Eat St. will be filming in our city) means that these darlings of the food scene may finally be considered mainstream. No doubt this provided some Edmontonians with their first exposure to gourmet mobile food, and that’s a good thing.

So – should trucks continue to be a part of Taste? Obviously, this is ultimately up to the trucks if they want to participate (and if the festival is open to having them), but I hope organizers tweak this aspect for next year if Curb Your Hunger returns.

New Menus Items

Food festivals like a Taste of Edmonton are extremely democratic. Patrons eat what they want, and vendors who can cater to that are rewarded with monster sales. For that reason, it’s easy to see why crowd-pleasing dishes like green onion cakes and mini burgers will forever remain on the menu at Taste, and restaurants are unwilling to risk serving something outside of the box. Understandably, organizers are also faced with a dilemma: sure, an exotic menu peppered with innovative dishes would be easier to promote, but would it appeal to the average festivalgoer? Edmontonians are known for their fairly conservative palates.

Still, to attract patrons who are tired of seeing the same dishes return year after year, or to pique the interest of those with more adventurous tastes, organizers heralded a menu boasting 65% new menu items. Some of the most anticipated items came from the food trucks, but some new restaurants like Guru and TZiN stepped up to the plate as well, bringing with them a reputation of quality and higher-end food.

As a whole, Mack and I were satisfied with the food we tried this year. We were very deliberate with our choices, but were much more impressed with the quality of the dishes we at this year when compared with 2011.

The grilled pork dumplings from Urban China were easily my favourite. The skin was nice and crispy, and the three ticket price didn’t hurt either. We also enjoyed the falafel and pork belly sandwich from Drift, but that was no surprise given we’ve had it many times before!

Pork dumplings from Urban China

Pork belly sandwich from Drift

Falafel from Drift

Guru’s samosa had been freshly fried and absolutely packed with tandoori chicken, while the accompanying tamarind sauce cut the heat in one sweet stroke. Moreover, TZiN’s vegetarian dish of panzanella salad was a nice change of pace, light and refreshing.

Samosa from Guru

Panzanella from TZiN

We are admittedly not immune to having old favourites, though – Mack couldn’t leave the grounds without a sample of his favourite crack chicken from The Lingnan!

Dry spicy chicken from the Lingnan

Given the record ticket sales, I would imagine most who attended Taste had positive food experiences. Hopefully the organizers can build on that momentum for next year.

Still Not Perfect, But Getting There

Although some seem to think this year’s event was near flawless, I disagree. I’ve written in the past about what changes could make the event better, and though organizers have made some great enhancements and improvements this year, I think there is more to be done.

The layout still needs to improve in places, where flow is obstructed due to lines or a lack of room to move.

No room to move

In addition to Centennial Square, couldn’t 99 Street between the Art Gallery and City Hall be better utilized? Telus had set up a booth there, but really, couldn’t the organizers have utilized the space better and placed food vendors there, instead of a promotional vehicle that was only present for a few days?

Waste of space

More non-beer tent seating would also be appreciated. It’s hard to get past the Churchill Square visual of Taste essentially being a giant beer garden when so much real estate is allocated to the 18+ zone.

Churchill Square

Though the reality is that the festival won’t ever be a “taste of the best of Edmonton”, when the draw isn’t just the food, but the atmosphere of it all, it would still be great if one of the summer’s premiere events did continue to attract the crowds that came out this year. It will be interesting to see how the event manifests itself in 2013, especially with Giuseppe Albi retiring. Former Northlands employee Paul Lucas will be taking over Events Edmonton (and Taste of Edmonton along with it), so we will see.

The Cooking Chronicles: Soup for One

Last week, Mack’s UK and US colleagues were in town, so I was left to fend for myself in the kitchen while he was showing them the best of what Edmonton had to offer. The dish I reach most often for on such occasions is soup.

Yes, I recognize that the blinding heat doesn’t seem the most conducive to soup, but it’s hard to beat a one pot, one bowl meal. A single recipe also creates enough leftovers for multiple meals, which cuts down on cooking that week. To top it off, it’s an excuse to eat good bread!

I decided to try two new recipes last week, and they both turned out well.

Beef and Cannellini Bean Minestrone

The recipe for beef and cannellini bean minestrone caught my eye in Giada’s new book, Weeknights with Giada. It employs a pretty classic combination of beef and tomatoes, but was appealing to me for that reason since I don’t typically make beef-based soups.

Beef and cannellini bean minestrone

It was a pretty hearty soup, speckled with vegetables, though next time, I’d add a small pasta.

Chicken, Corn and Cheddar Chowder

I cheated with this Julie Van Rosendaal recipe for chicken, corn and cheddar chowder (which appears in Spilling the Beans) – not only did I eliminate the beans, I used a store bought rotisserie chicken. But it still tasted delicious!

Chicken, corn and cheddar chowder

I think the reason had to do with the cream base (my favourite kind of soup), and the fact that it has been a while since this type of soup has graced my kitchen. Of course, the potatoes, sweet corn, and bacon didn’t hurt either – definitely a bowl of comfort!

So although I am enjoying these warm days, there is an upside to cooler nights – weather conducive to soup!

Food Notes for July 30, 2012

Is anyone else equally disappointed in The Newsroom so far? I had such high hopes for Aaron Sorkin’s new HBO drama, but several episodes in (I’m at 1.4 so far), his two female leads are still maddening. It’s actually made me re-watch some of The West Wing just so I can be reminded of how good Sorkin can be. Here’s hoping it gets better! On to this week’s food notes:

Don’t forget – What the Truck?! @ the Victoria Promenade takes place this Friday, August 3 from 5-9pm.
Have you started planning your meals yet? The Heritage Festival runs this weekend from August 4-6, 2012. Check out this year’s menu here.
On the heels of their first successful food crawl in May, the North Edge Business Association will again be offering patrons another chance to tour some of the neighbourhood’s ethnic eateries on August 15, 2012. For just $30, diners will be treated to three meals at Caffe Sorrentino, Acajutla and Africa Restaurant. Purchase tickets here.
Eat St. is coming to town: the hit series will be in Edmonton from August 7-9 to profile Molly’s Eats, Drift, and The Act. Congrats to the three trucks for helping to put the city’s food trucks on the map!
Sounds like Little Village Food Truck, Koutouki’s venture into the mobile world (and Edmonton’s first truck serving up Greek eats) will be setting up downtown this week – check them out at 105 Street and Jasper!
Yellowbird Cafe Truck (to be technical, it is a trailer) also launches this week, serving at the Canadian Little League Championships this weekend at John Fry Park.
Naan-o-licious is now open at 10331 82 Avenue.
Tutti Frutti is now open in Southgate.
Amber’s Brewing Company has found a new brewing home – they have contracted a new St. Albert-based brewery Hog’s Head to produce their beer.
The Journal reviewed Tumbleweeds last week, a restaurant I will admit that I hadn’t heard about until reading the article.
Global Edmonton had a great feature last week highlighting a few Edmonton restaurants who choose to source products more locally.
Want to be on TV? CBC has put a call out to find its next food star.
A good read about the politics of the Canada Food Guide.
If you have an abundance of Saskatoons and don’t know what to do with them, Karlynn has five recipes for you.
Food Secure Canada will be hosting their seventh national assembly in Edmonton from November 1-4, 2012.
Valerie posted about a special event Calgary’s Knifewear is hosting on August 4, 2012. The shop has invited master blacksmiths who will be hand-hammering knives outside the store.
Also from Calgary, OliV, a store similar to Edmonton’s Evoolution, looks like it’s worth checking out. Love the idea of tasting vinegars and olive oil together.
A victim of its own success? Calgary is putting a halt on new food truck permits for the remainder of its pilot project.
How about this for terroir: a New York artist serves up a five course rat-based meal. Yes, rats.
It looks like Korean favourite Wong Jung Gak will be moving into the digs formerly held by Basil Leaf (10023 107 Avenue) in Chinatown. I’m excited that good Korean eats will soon be walking distance from both my home and workplace! A sign on the door claims the grand opening will be August 1, 2012.

Forthcoming Wong Jung Gak

I didn’t know Noodle Maker (9653 102 Avenue) shut down until Mack and I passed by it this weekend. It will be replaced by a Filipino eatery.

Panciteria De Manila

The best thing about not having my lunch last week was an excuse to indulge in Mama Pizza/Pho Huong’s green onion cakes. Yum.

Green onion cakes

Mack and I helped organize most of the food vendors at this weekend’s Interstellar Rodeo, and it sounds like they were very well received. But that was nothing compared with the rave reviews the festival received as a whole! Congrats to Shauna and the rest of the organizers for a job well done!

Pork belly sandwich from Drift

Whitehorse performs on Sunday at Interstellar Rodeo

City Market Report: Week 11 (and Dirt City, Dream City)

By the time we got downstairs to the City Market, it was later in the day and the rain had started to come down.

Rainy market afternoon

In some ways, this was good for us, because the selection of fresh produce was still quite good, but I acknowledge that the weather wasn’t what vendors were hoping for.

Sweetheart plums from Steve & Dan’s

Pattypan squash from Kuhlmann’s

Zucchini and summer squash from Kuhlmann’s

Cauliflower from Riverbend Gardens

Thankfully, the rain cleared up that afternoon, and Mack and I took the opportunity to explore Dirt City, Dream City in The Quarters.

Examining Crow’s Advice by Holly Newman

Dirt City, Dream City encompasses 17 different art installations spread across the neighbourhood. We weren’t entirely sure how we would locate all of them without a paper guide, but the “scavenger hunt”-like experience turned out to be fun, and the map printed on the descriptive boxes beside each piece was really all we needed. The pedestrian nature of the exhibit was fitting given it is closely tied to how most residents of the neighbourhood get around, and encouraged us down streets we probably wouldn’t have travelled on our own accord.

Accompanying artists’ statements and biographies

Along the way, we encountered many different manifestations of art – from Adam Waldron-Blain’s live performance on a construction-ridden street to billboard canvases to an entire community garden.

In Performance by Adam Waldron-Blain

The underlying message behind the installations was an expression of the dichotomy between the current reality of The Quarters and the optimistic future plans propagated by the City. Without question, there is progress being made (the YMCA Welcome Village set to open later this year is the first in a series of planned improvements), but after walking past too many derelict buildings and gravel parking lots it’s easy to see why residents would be frustrated.

Simulacrum by Carly Greene

Unlike most gallery art we come across, I loved the open air nature of this exhibit, and how they interacted with the natural elements. One good example was Aaron Paquette’s Everyone is Welcome, which was so welcoming that we saw a rabbit settled comfortably in the centre of the piece.

Aaron Paquette’s Everyone is Welcome

The Quarters Community Garden by Tiffany Shaw-Collinge also appealed to me because it was a living example of a piece larger than life, engaging residents in tangible art.

Quarters Community Garden

The piece that resonated the most with me was The Placebo Effect by Emily van Driesum.

The Placebo Effect

I couldn’t agree with her accompanying art statement more:

“A tree encompasses the strength, growth and enduring qualities of The Quarters Downtown, while reflecting Edmonton’s goal of bringing people and greenery back into an urban setting. In The Placebo Effect, stitching implies an attempted healing. However, by removing the root system of the tree, the stitching may not be enough to sustain healing. The Placebo Effect illustrates a potential revitalization of the Quarters community. Without the root system, the attempted healing process may have a beneficial result or no result at all.”

Dirt City, Dream City closes on July 30, 2012. Check it out if you can!

What the Truck?! @ Victoria Promenade on August 3, 2012

One of the best things about food trucks is their mobility, and the fact that they can set up virtually anywhere. If What the Truck?! was well received, Mack and I planned to move the festival around, with the knowledge that there are numerous underutilized places and parks in Edmonton that we couldn’t wait to colonize with food trucks. Thanks to the Edmontonians who have embraced food trucks in droves, we have that flexibility!

When we started to plan out our 2012 season earlier this spring, we identified Oliver as a prime potential site. The densest neighbourhood in the city, with great access to public transportation made Oliver ideal. We connected with the Oliver Community League to see if this was something they were interested in supporting, and to our delight, they were right on board.

We jointly identified a number of suitable locations, which included Paul Kane Park and Oliver Pool. But without a doubt, Victoria Promenade was the street at the top of our wish list.

Victoria Promenade (picture from marceloilers)

It is often lamented that to animate the river valley, more amenities are needed. Although the Victoria Promenade doesn’t offer quite the same natural escape, we think it’s still one of the most meditative spots in the City, with expansive views and benches to relax on. Even better, there are numerous restaurants and cafes just one street over. In our opinion, the Victoria Promenade is one of the best kept secrets in Edmonton.

Whether or not you’re already familiar with the Promenade, we hope you’ll consider joining us for eats and beats on the street next week! It will be unlike any other What the Truck?! we’ve organized so far.

What: What the Truck?!, Edmonton’s food truck extravaganza
When: Friday, August 3, 2012
Where: Victoria Promenade (100 Avenue, south of Jasper and 121 Street – very limited parking, so walk, bike, or ride transit!)
Time: 5-9pm

We are also happy to now be able to share the menus with you. With ten trucks in total, there should be something for everyone.

See you there!

Food Notes for July 23, 2012

We just announced the second What the Truck?! event – it will be taking place at one of our favourite places in Edmonton, Victoria Promenade, on August 3 from 5-9pm. Check out the line-up of trucks, and stay tuned for menus this week. Hope to see you there! On to this week’s food notes:

Speaking of food trucks, Edmonton’s newest truck is set to hit the streets this week: welcome to Little Village Food Truck, run by the family behind Koutouki.
Mercer Tavern finally opened on the weekend. It’s apparently been packed since – anyone been yet?
Love bacon? Mark your calendars for Lux’s annual Bacon Day Dinner on September 1, 2012.
Sorry to have missed this pop-up dinner on the High Level Streetcar, offered by Staff Meal Edmonton.
Liane reports that the space vacated by Bueno Gelato on 123 Street and 102 Avenue will be filled by Cookie Love.
Caffe Sorrentino joins the burgeoning list of locally-owned options at the Edmonton International Airport, which includes Wok Box and Coney Island Candy.
The latest Strip Search feature in the Edmonton Journal highlights “Little Lebanon”.
Looking for an easier way to browse your favourite local food blogs? Mack’s got a solution for you over at ShareEdmonton!
Vote for your favourite community garden at Sustainable Food Edmonton!
The Globe shone a spotlight on the city’s growing farmers’ market scene last week.
Falafel 101 (10159 101 Street) looks about ready to open.

Falafel 101

Frozen yogurt really is taking Edmonton by storm: Tutti Frutti is set to launch another location in Southgate Mall. Watch for the grand opening on July 29, 2012, when free frozen yogurt will be handed out from noon-3pm.

Tutti Frutti

Mack and I had a great time at the “bring your own patio” event at Tres Carnales on Friday. Perhaps we took the name a little too literally, as we were the only ones who walked our entire patio set over, but we were thankful for the table – it’d be a challenge to eat tacos on one’s lap! The event organizers are planning for another event in the fall, when the report is brought back to Council.

Makeshift patio (the fish tacos were delish!)

It was too hot to cook last week, but I had to use the stove to make one of my favourite warm weather meals: Yankee fish cakes. I served it atop Lactuca greens and Gull Valley tomatoes.

Yankee fish cake salad

Have a good week!

Overindulgence at Capital Ex 2012

Love or hate the name, the fair with the much-maligned moniker is here to stay. And for Mack and me, Capital Ex is something that we look forward to attending during the busy Edmonton summer season. It’s loud and boisterous, with that infectious carnival atmosphere that isn’t replicated by any other festival in the city.

Capital Ex

While we’re not as adamant about what attractions should be maintained or embraced, we do have our opinions. For such a big event that tries to appeal to every demographic and age group, there are hits and misses. This year was no different.

The Food

On the consumables front, Mack and I were lucky to have the opportunity to try the breadth of cuisine offered at Capital Ex for free. For such a task, we also elicited the help (and stomachs) of my sister Felicia and her boyfriend Jeff, and even then, our capacity was limited. But we did our best!

Ribfest

One of the heralded additions to the Capital Ex line-up this year was Ribfest, which promised good Southern-style barbecue.

Ribfest

Located near Northlands Park (the race track), I was disappointed that such an attraction was relegated to the far corner, instead of trumpeted near an entrance. As a result, the two times we passed through, the crowds weren’t nearly as large as they should have been. We did like the fact that the Telus Stage concert was being streamed on the large screen mounted in the paddock, which connected Ribfest to the larger festival, but I think this simply highlighted the need for live entertainment in the eating area, and moreover, a more prominent location for the entire set-up.

Tongue-in-cheek displays

Ribfest also incorporated a charity aspect, as all five barbecue purveyors have been paired with a local charity. Diners were given the option of voting for their favourite, with the charity partner reaping the benefit of a donation from Northlands. We have to say the voting aspect wasn’t very well promoted (we were only provided a ballot from one purveyor), with the voting box itself partially hidden by a fence. Also, for an informed vote, one would have to spend a minimum of $45 to purchase a third of a rack from each of the five establishments, unless they happened to dine in a large group. If this continues next year, perhaps some sort of discounted punch card could be instituted?

Gator BBQ Company

That said, we really enjoyed Ribfest as a whole. None of us had ever been to barbecue competitions, so everything was new to us – from the eye-catching displays to the tables brimming with trophies – it really was a sight to see.

Trophies!

The food being the main attraction was also very well done. Felicia and I tried the pulled pork sandwiches ($9) from Gator BBQ Company. We both wished we had a scale to weigh the sandwich, as it was absolutely bursting with meat. It could have been a touch warmer, but the slightly sweet sauce and buttery meat certainly hit the spot.

The spread

Jeff and Mack dug into ribs from Gator and Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ, respectively ($13 for half racks). Between the two, Prairie won the battle with their aromatic, tender meat. We found out later that they use Manitoba oak to smoke their ribs.

In need of wet naps

I do hope they keep Ribfest for next year. There’s lots of good to build on, and given how many people lament the lack of good southern barbecue available in Edmonton, this could become a legitimate attraction for Capital Ex moving forward.

At The Grand

The eats available off the midway always seem to undergo a yearly rebranding. This year, under the banner of “The Grand”, there were many new dishes available, on top of some long-standing favourites.

Cyclones (or, pizza in a cone) caught our eye. Staff told us this was the first time this UK-based product had been brought to Canada. They promote a 70-30 ratio of ingredients to crust, as opposed to typical pizza which has a 30-70 ratio.

Not an ice cream cone

As utensil-less, processed products go, the mozzarella and tomato version was pretty good. The crust (baked low and slow), was crunchy but not hard, and the cheesy, tomato-speckled filling was reminiscent of a Pizza Pop.

Cyclones

We also hunted down the customizable cream puffs available at Le Grande Café. Organizers did a great job of creating a space reminiscent of an outdoor café, with cute blue-checkered tablecloths and a water feature.

Le Grande Café

In my frugal student days, I remember hunting down the cheapest eats at the fair. Besides mini doughnuts, these cream puffs would have sat well with me then. For $2, diners can choose from several different whipped fillings and toppings for a personalized and economical treat. I opted for a decadent berry whipped cream topped with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, sprinkles and chocolate-covered rice crisps to be dipped in dark chocolate. Mack was a bit more restrained, with chocolate cream topped with toasted coconut and powdered sugar.

Cream puffs

While the pastry was definitely no Beard Papa, I was satisfied. The cream was light and airy, and did not taste artificially sweet. Mack was less enthused, calling it more of a “cream sandwich” than a true cream puff. But for $2, it was worth it.

Fusion 53

The biggest surprise for me at Capital Ex was Fusion 53. Replacing Sip!, which in previous years offered fairgoers a sophisticated food and wine alternative to midway fare, Fusion 53 is billed as “elegant” and “refined”, and also features live entertainment and a casino. While no doubt some people would naturally gravitate towards the 18+ atmosphere to escape the chaos of the grounds, I always wondered whether patrons truly wanting a high end dining experience would really seek to find it at Capital Ex. As such, is this really something organizers should continue to offer? Pondering this, I checked my expectations at the door of Hall A.

Fusion 53

Dimly lit, the lounge space was partially full, no doubt drawn to the Duelling Ivories Piano Show (who were fantastic, by the way). We settled down on a comfortable couch and tried to get the lay of the land. For two food features (with stations similar to what Sip! had set-up in previous years), patrons could order them by purchasing tickets at the counter, but to order most things off the food and drink menu, one had to do so through a server. We tried four items ($10.50) in total.

Though it seemed table service was an odd choice at first, we came to appreciate it later. After many hours on our feet, this was our first chance to relax. Unlike Sip!, which favoured stand-up cocktail tables, Fusion 53 enabled us to just sit back and enjoy the entertainment.

Lounging

It also helped that the food was great! Felicia’s grilled coconut shrimp made up for its small serving in flavour, and was obviously made to order. Mack’s house smoked brisket slider was generously sized, though Mack would have preferred a softer bun. My smoked chicken and quinoa shooter was the best thing I ate at the fair – the meat was moist, and the quinoa was dressed delectably. Jeff also enjoyed his caramalized bananas on coconut ice cream.

Fusion 53 dishes

My only criticism of the menu at Fusion 53 was that it did not live up to its “local” billing. While homegrown products may have been incorporated, it wasn’t evidenced anywhere on the menu, save for apple, rhubarb and custard tarts apparently made from “local ingredients”. If anything, a small venue like a dedicated lounge would be the perfect way for Northlands chefs to experiment with products sourced locally. Should they decide to continue Fusion 53 in future years, I do hope they consider enhancing this aspect.

On the Midway

Let me say it was not easy to locate specific items on the midway. Signage was poor, and a walk through the fairgrounds yielded nothing. We had to ask someone at guest services who was able to point us in the right direction, but for a fair attempting to woo “foodies”, the execution was poor. A map made for food enthusiasts highlighting new experiences really would be useful in this regard.

Anyway, we heard that the red velvet funnel cake ($6) was a crowd pleaser, so with some guidance, located the vendor near the Top Cop diving show. None of us had ever had a funnel cake before, so we didn’t know what we had ordered was a smattering of deep fried dough in a shade of radioactive red. Sweetened with a combination of icing and powdered sugar, it was crispier than a mini doughnut. It didn’t, however, remind any of us of actual red velvet desserts – no hint of cocoa, just fried batter.

My first red velvet funnel cake

On the savoury side, we also tried a trio of sliders ($10) from the Canadian Beef Bacon wagon. Having replaced beef patties with strips of bacon, the sweetness of the maple bun did enhance the bacon.

Canadian Beef Bacon sliders

Mack had great intentions to try the cricket pizza, but I’m sorry to say, he just couldn’t do it. It just really bugged him (hehheh). No, in all seriousness, the freak food attraction of the fair just did not look very appealing – the crickets did not look fresh at all, and looked more like maggots than crickets. If we’re going to eat bugs, at least make them look appetizing! Were you brave enough to try it?

Cricket pizza

The Exhibits

Of course, Capital Ex isn’t just about the food. There’s tons to see, and I really enjoyed some of the exhibits new to this year.

Though the music theme wasn’t as prevalent as I was expecting, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame displays were interesting to browse (who knew Kiss had a pinball machine)?

Mack checks out the displays

Even better was the Rock University, which certainly seemed to appeal to a generation of kids who grew up on Rock Band. It was an interactive exhibit I would have expected to see at the Telus World of Science, and not at Capital Ex, but it really was a fun opportunity to try out different instruments and take some zany snapshots.

Felicia’s a rock star!

On Abbey Road

Rhythms of the World, a seeming return to the cultural showcase of fairs past, was an exhibit I really hope they keep and grow in the future. The installations, which only covered a handful of countries, were eye-catching and photogenic.

China installation

Down you go!

It was surprisingly quiet, but provided a nice reprieve from the midway, and a laid-back opportunity to browse boards of information.

Aboriginal display

The space also hosted a great stage, so we sought out a performance schedule, but couldn’t find one posted anywhere. We found out later it was on the LCD screens outside the hall.

In the Family Fun Town this year, they also had a petting zoo. I’m a sucker for animals!

Lambs

Pigs

The Shows

It’s almost too bad the Michael Jackson show from last year had already been done – it would have fit in perfectly with the music theme. It also wasn’t reminiscent of an acid trip, which The Aluminum Show was.

The Aluminum Show

They also tried a little too hard to engage the audience – the inflatable pillow sequence went on for much too long.

No, it’s not a rave

The Midway

We didn’t go on any rides this year, but we did catch a bridal party going down the Kiwanis slide.

Whee!

Games, on the other hand, were fair game. Some of us were more successful than others.

Just stand up, darn it!

Felicia with her prize

We ended our night with the fireworks show – a fitting way to end our day at an Edmonton tradition.

Fireworks

Thanks again to Northlands for the opportunity to eat our way through Capital Ex!

You can see my full photoset here.

City Market Report: Week 10

By the time Mack and I reached the City Market on Saturday, the weather had taken a turn for the worst, but for most early birds, the skies were just fine for shopping. But in spite of our late start, we were still able to pick up everything we needed (and a bit more!). This week, kohlrabi, broccoli, zucchini and beans were available – really, there’s no excuse why anyone wouldn’t be consuming more vegetables right now!