Calgary Steak-Out: South St. Burger, Kensington Riverside Inn, Knifewear and Telus Spark

Besides exposing us to some of Calgary’s best restaurants, our YYCSteak Tour also inevitably allowed us to explore some of the other things our southerly neighbour has to offer.

South St. Burger

On our way down to Calgary, we decided to stop at Crossiron Mills for lunch. I had spotted South St. Burger the last time we were there, and this seemed like an opportune time to finally give it a try.

South St.

We were initially lured by their use of fresh Spring Creek Ranch beef, though the ability to customize each of our burgers wasn’t overlooked as well (something that seems to be all the rage at present, with chains like Five Guys and Rodeo Burger picking up steam in Edmonton).

The system was very similar to what you would encounter at Harveys – customers order and pay first, then are shuffled through a line to have your burger designed. South St. offers almost thirty different toppings, including several different mayos, relishes, and even a mango chutney.

Toppings

I ended up just choosing their burger combo ($9.29( while Mack upgraded to the cheeseburger combo ($10.29). Although we liked the size of the patty (much thicker than Five Guys), if they hadn’t made the claim of using fresh patties, we wouldn’t have known otherwise – they appeared to us to have been cooked from frozen. On the side, I have to say I enjoyed the onion rings, even if Mack didn’t.

Our meal

Burger

As a whole, South St. wasn’t disappointing, but it also wouldn’t be worth a detour either.

Kensington Riverside Inn

Tourism Calgary arranged for us to stay in the Kensington Riverside Inn, a marked departure from our usual high-rise digs in the core. It was a nice change though, as the charming room featured a semi-private patio area, turndown service, and a coffee tray in the morning.

Kensington Riverside Inn

There were also certain advantages to residing in the Kensington neighbourhood. One was its proximity to one of Calgary’s most bustling cafes, Higher Ground (coincidentally, it turned out one of our fellow YYCSteak companions, Dan Clapson, was the coffee shop’s manager).

Breakfast at Higher Ground

The other was how close we were to the Bow River and its waterside trails. Although the blustery conditions didn’t make it an ideal day for a stroll, we still took some time to explore what the area had to offer.

We took some interest in a pedestrian bridge that was still under construction at that point, called the Peace Bridge. Due to cost overruns and its somewhat avant-garde designs (one local told us that to them, it resembled one of those “Chinese finger traps”). The bridge opened on March 24, 2012 – I can’t wait to cross it the next time we’re in Calgary!

Peace Bridge

On our way back to the hotel, we also stumbled across this incredible bird house tree (dubbed the “Urban Bird Timeshare”) in the Sunnyside neighbourhood. What a unique and lovingly-crafted landmark!

Urban Bird Timeshare

Knifewear

We had intentions to do some window shopping in Inglewood, but it turned out most of the boutiques and culinary shops were closed on Mondays. Thankfully, Knifewear, the store that we really wanted to check out, was open!

Knifewear

Specializing in Japanese knives, we had only heard great things about Knifewear. Mack and I have been meaning to get a “real” knife for some time, but knew we wanted to wait until we could get down to Calgary.

The salesperson that assisted us was knowledgeable, and asked us some probing questions so that she could better recommend us a knife that would suit our needs. The best part of the shopping experience was actually getting to try them out! There were tomatoes and potatoes available on cutting boards so customers could get a firsthand feel of what the knife was like to hold and chop with.

Trial station

We ended up with an American-style factory-made knife – I had wanted some familiarity with what we currently use. And after using it for a number of weeks, I can say I am more than happy with the purchase – and I know where I’ll be heading when we need to further upgrade our collection!

Our knife!

Telus Spark

Tourism Calgary also wanted to provide us with an opportunity to check out one of their newest attractions – the brand new Telus Spark, their rebuilt space and science centre. Located in the same area as the Calgary Zoo, there’s no doubt this will be a high-traffic area for visitors to the city.

Telus Spark

Although the HD digital dome theatre is forthcoming, we were still able to get a good sense of the facility from the permanent galleries that were complete. Without a doubt, the biggest impression it left on us was just how hands on it was.

Erosion at work

There were a countless number of opportunities for patrons to “play”, including the Being Human, Earth & Sky and Energy and Innovation galleries. One example in the latter space that Mack and I particularly enjoyed was a wall where we could learn how much energy common household appliances would use when left plugged in and idle (for example, a coffee maker uses 305 watts per year).

How can you prevent brownouts?

The galleries also featured areas where patrons could leave their mark by commenting on an exhibit or answering a posted question. It was neat to see the collected responses – some very heartfelt and personal.

The wishing tree in the creative kids museum (for children aged eight and under)

The busiest gallery by far during our visit was the Open Studio. It was definitely made with the twenty-first century child in mind, with most of the activities being driven by digital technology. Many of the young patrons we saw were engrossed in animating their own scene – with options to do this digitally, with figurines and on paper.

Painting with sound!

As a building overall, Telus Spark also has some great function space. Theatres aside, the 10,000 square feet atrium is wonderfully open, with high ceilings and built-in projection, sound and lighting systems. We could see it being used for Pecha Kucha nights in Calgary.

Atrium

Telus Spark has also introduced some great events to try and engage unconventional audiences. Their once a month adult-only nights turns the facility into an evening destination, with a DJ, bar, and time and space for adults to get in touch with their childlike curiosity. It’d be neat to see something like this in Edmonton (though I’m not sure the expansion of the Telus World of Science will get us quite there).

In all, it was neat to see what’s possible with a brand new science centre. Check it out the next time you’re in Calgary!

Food Notes for April 9, 2012

I hope you all had a good Easter full of family and food! Mack and I had a pretty relaxing weekend, but are still trying to get some things finalized, such as the What the Truck?! schedule for the summer and fall (we hope to be more on top of things in the second year of this festival). In the meantime, like us on Facebook! Onto this week’s food notes:

Jennifer Cockrall-King is doing a talk about her book, Food and the City, at the Queen Mary Park Community Hall at 7:30pm on April 10, 2012.
Join Dee Hobsbawn-Smith at the Muttart Conservatory on April 26, 2012 for the launch of her new book, Foodshed: An Edible Alberta Alphabet. I flipped through the book today, and it looks like a great read and resource!
Valerie recapped what looked like an amazing “Rge Rd in the city” pop-up dinner at Chai Pani recently.
Courtenay, of the blog Messy Little Cook, has relocated (temporarily) to Amsterdam! She’s going to share her food adventures abroad – check it out!
We spotted these adorable(?) vegetable and animal-themed buns at T & T over the weekend. My friend Annie picked them up and said the custard was pretty creamy on the inside – so perhaps worth the novelty factor after all!

Who says you can’t play with your food?

Coming soon: more Vietnamese food in the core – The Phat Noodle (10347 Jasper Avenue) is moving into the space vacated by Sankyu 2 Go, next to Corso 32.

The Phat Noodle

Speaking of Corso 32, I neglected to write about our experience two weeks ago, momentous only because it was Mack’s first meal there. Ramps were everywhere on the menu! We especially enjoyed the house made goat ricotta and the grilled cheese topped with egg.

oat ricotta

Grilled cheese

Mack also joined me for lunch at Pho Tau Bay for the first time over the weekend (we actually met Callie from Revive Wellness there, as she wanted to feature us in their “Love to Lunch” blog series; you can read our answers here and here). Tau Bay is my go-to lunch spot when I’m not brown bagging it – it’s quick, consistent, delicious, and means that I can get a nice walk in over the lunch hour as well. Mack slurped up all of the soup and every noodle in his bowl – definitely a good sign!

My usual

Mack’s pho with brisket and steak

Good to the last drop!

Our unconventional Easter dinner took place at East – I had been itching for a reason to return to the restaurant with my family, and the long weekend was it. The roti and potato curry was as good as I remembered it, and the egg floss-topped butter shrimp and sweet and sour pork belly was a hit with my parents. The Penang char kway teow didn’t have that smoky wok aroma that we were looking for, and we found the glaze on the K.L. BBQ pork on the sweet side for our taste. Still, the service was great that night, and we enjoyed the dinner as a whole.

Roti

Butter shrimp

Sweet and sour pork belly

Penang char kway teow

K.L. BBQ pork

For a late lunch on the go this afternoon, we stopped in at Remedy downtown to try one of their butter chicken wraps ($8.75). It took over fifteen minutes for our order (we suspect because the kitchen may have dropped the ball), but the wrap itself made up for it. Hot and crispy, the wrap packed in a ton of chicken and the occasional pop of potatoes and peas.

Butter chicken wrap

On Saturday night, Mack and I headed to the Breakfast Television studios for the first ArtsScene Edmonton event of the year, their Trip the Light party. It was such an unconventional venue, but in many ways, was perfect for such a gathering, with a built-in stage, lighting and sound equipment available. Mack wrote a detailed recap, but I have to say I particularly enjoyed the high energy Mitchmatic. Thanks again to ArtsScene for the invitation!

BT party central!

Mitchmatic in action

Photo booth!

Toronto Redux: Tourist Trappings

I don’t get to travel for work often, so I felt very fortunate that I was able to attend a conference in Toronto in early March, and even better, stay on a few days longer so I could visit with my sister. Though it seems like just yesterday when I was out east (in reality, it was back in July), it was a great opportunity to be able to see the city in a low-tourist season. I’ll do my best to recap the trip in a timelier manner than I have in the past!

Depending on your interests, the number of tourist-driven sites and activities to visit could take up the bulk of any visitor’s itinerary. And though Amanda and I made a valiant effort to clear off some of those highlights last summer, there were still a few boxes I wanted to tick off my list.

Westin Harbour Castle

The conference hotel happened to be the Westin Harbour Castle, and after our experience, I think it will become our accommodation of choice on future visits to Toronto.

Our home for the week

Although the room itself and the service were nice but not exceptional, the location was second to none. Situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, our room had fantastic views of the water and of Billy Bishop Airport, all while being just steps away from Union Station and several major attractions. The waterfront location and directionality of our room sheltered us from the hustle and noise of the nearby freeways, and even better, we were able to easily take advantage of the trails and park adjacent to the hotel.

Our view

Harbourfront in the late winter – still beautiful on a cloudy day

Do not feed the birds

We had crossed through the same area in the summer, but it was more peaceful in the time leading up to spring – smaller crowds and open waters – all the more conducive to relaxing, contemplative strolls.

Even swans love the harbourfront!

Harbourfront Centre

We also made a point this time around to explore the Harbourfront Centre. We had no idea you could watch artists at work in the open studios, or take a look at the art displayed in the galleries.

Studio

Gallery

There were also skate rentals available to make use of the picturesque rink in front of the Centre, but (for me), the lack of railings were a deterrent.

Rink

Steven and Chris and the CBC Museum

After sitting through another taping of a daytime talk show, I think Amanda and I have gotten it out of our system. She booked us tickets to Steven and Chris, a CBC lifestyle show that airs in both Canada and the US.

We couldn’t help but compare this taping to our experience at CityLine last year. It was clear that for Steven and Chris, the audience was somewhat of an afterthought. First of all, it was longer than advertised – about three hours from the expected arrival time to being released from the studio. Second, there was only one monitor where we could follow the action on stage – especially important given the camera and behind the scenes personnel obscured much of what was happening. This monitor was unfortunately also partially blocked by cables. Third, unlike CityLine host Tracy Moore, who spent a lot of time after the show taking photos with all guests who requested one, Steve and Chris, between segments, only managed to pose with about half of the audience, then ran off immediately after the show wrapped. The show assistant and audience wrangler did their best to entertain us during the breaks, with giveaways, but they felt divorced from subjects covered in that episode.

Our view

The topics, which included storage design tips, muscle building exercises, cocktail recipes and children’s snacks, were of marginal interest to us, but we could see the appeal of the show. Chris is undoubtedly the star of the show, playing up a persona of a bumbling but good natured host.

Steven and Chris

We left the show with something in hand – generous samples of a shampoo and conditioner. But if being a part of a Toronto taping is something on your list, unless you are a Steven & Chris devotee, I’d recommend that you sign up instead for CityLine tickets.

That said, one of the bright sides of the Steve & Chris taping was that it got us to the CBC building. We made sure to check out the public museum while there, where we saw artefacts from shows that both my sister and I grew up watching, including Mr. Dressup and The Friendly Giant.

The tickletrunk!

Old friends

Doing her best Don Cherry impersonation

Raptors!

I will always remember my introduction to Canada’s only NBA franchise – they played an exhibition game many years ago in Edmonton, and although I’m sure the team itself should have been more memorable, what I recall instead was their mascot, Raptor. He has two versions: the more accommodating costume allowed Raptor to perform tricks and dunks, while the other (my favourite) was inflatable, and could be expanded and shrunk in the most comical matter. Needless to say, in anticipating our visit to the ACC, I was most looking forward to seeing Raptor again.

Anticipation

Amanda was able to secure tickets to a game versus the Orlando Magic. They were great seats at an amazing discount, courtesy of her friend who works for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Great seats

The game

We weren’t treated to the inflatable Raptor that day, and as a whole, the Raptor entertainment factor was rather low that day – no half-time tricks or anything more than a pre-recorded video of Raptor’s attempts at making it onto the Canadian Olympic team.

Raptor in the spotlight

The closest we got to Raptor was his foray into our section towards the end of the game, patty-caking with spectators a few rows away from us. His energy was certainly infectious, and it was clear that he was a crowd favourite.

Patty-cake!

Unfortunately for the team, a late rally and a strong performance from DeMar DeRozan wasn’t able to push them past the Magic. They lost 88-92 that night.

Real Sports Bar & Grill

Also on the sports theme, Amanda took me to one of her favourite place in Toronto – Real Sports Bar & Grill, a sports bar in Maple Leaf Square. It’s definitely a feast for the senses, to the point where I felt overly stimulated – between the flat screens (including our own personal television in our cozy booth), sports-themed fixtures, spotlights and blaring DJ-mixed music. And though there was nothing overly inappropriate for children, given the amount of alcohol flowing all around us and the tightly-clad waitresses, I was surprised to see the number of families with young children on the restaurant side of the establishment.

That said, it’s the bar side of Real Sports that really wows. A wall of screens entertain two floors of patrons, seated at the bar and a mix of tables and booths, all lit with a stylish blue hue. In addition to this open space, Real Sports also has a variety of smaller seating options as well, including a private area featuring recliners and in-seat service.

This is Real Sports

Amanda was able to make an early 5:45 reservation, but because it was game night for the Leafs and the place had been entirely booked up a week in advance, we were only able to have the table for an hour. Thankfully, they weren’t very rigid in enforcing this, and we didn’t feel rushed at all.

The prices were definitely a little higher than what I was used to paying in a lounge, but given the location and the surroundings, the premium was understandable. I couldn’t resist ordering one of the hot dogs in “Burkie’s Dog House” (I wonder if this section of the menu would be automatically renamed if Brian Burke was no longer the GM). My southwestern BBQ dog ($12.99) came topped with coleslaw and pulled pork – the hot dog itself had a nice snap, but the barbecue sauce was a tad sweet. The fries were perfect, however, hot and crispy and served in a cute mini-fry basket. Amanda’s Real Sports burger ($12.99) arrived pretty charred, but she didn’t mind.

Southwestern BBQ dog

Real Sports burger

Real Sports did a great job in replicating some of the energy that would be found in a sporting venue. There is nothing like it currently in Edmonton, but I have to wonder if something similar (albeit smaller) would work in the proposed Arena District.

Pearl Harbourfront Chinese Cuisine

We decided to take it easy on our last day in Toronto, with the aforementioned trek by the water. At lunch, we could have ventured to other more well-known restaurants, but given our low-key day, opted for the convenience of a restaurant inside the Queens Quay Terminal.

Pearl Harbourfront offered a water view and a relaxed dining atmosphere, just what we were looking for that day. We knew its tourist-centred address would make the food a crapshoot, but we were willing to take the risk. Urban Spoon reviews directed us away from the pricey dim sum menu (even though the majority of diners around us were partaking in the shared approach), but we found the regular menu just as expensive.

Amanda liked the view

We ended up with two dishes we were reasonably happy with (even though we weren’t entirely sure the server, with his limited English, understood what we wanted). Both the broad rice noodles and crispy chow mein ($15 each) hit the spot, and our only qualm was that the broccoli had been woefully overcooked.

Rice noodles

Chow mein

In all, it was a great place to sip tea and enjoy our last few hours together in Toronto, and contemplate when I’d return again.

I’ll be writing more about some of the unique food events and restaurants that we visited in future posts – stay tuned!

Roots on Whyte: Blush Lane Organic Market and Under the High Wheel

Though I really love where we live, I have to say I was envious of Old Strathcona residents this weekend when Mack and I paid a visit to their newest grocery store addition.

Calgary-based Blush Lane Organic Market opened its first Edmonton location two weeks ago in the Roots on Whyte building. Their philosophy places an importance on sourcing local products whenever possible, so I was interested in seeing their actual inventory. As accessibility of local products is one barrier that prevents consumers from making such choices, having a shop open for hours more extensive than a farmers’ market should help matters.

Blush Lane

The store is bright and well-organized, and packs a great variety of products in the relatively small space they occupy. They have a much better selection of local products than the nearby Planet Organic, at better prices. Sunworks supplies a majority of the protein – eggs, chicken, beef, pork – all at the same prices found at their stall at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market (and on the Roots on Whyte website, appears to be a separate business altogether). There was quite a bit of local dairy as well, including Bles-Wold, Vital Greens and Fairwinds Farms. In our quick sweep, we didn’t see much local produce, but we’re eager to see what will have in stock come summer and fall.

Sunworks products

It seems like Blush Lane, unlike other grocery stores, opted against an extensive prepared food aisle, which typically takes up quite a bit of real estate (we’re thinking of our neighbourhood Sobeys on 104 Street in comparison). They do have a deli, however, offering some ready-to-eat items.

Deli

We were already laden with items from the OSFM, but did pick up some Vital Greens milk. Mack and I can only hope that our own neighbourhood market, Pangea, is as well stocked!

Before heading home, we stopped for lunch next door at Jennifer Ogle’s venture, Under the High Wheel. The space is sparsely decorated, but it seemed to match a menu that focused on simple ingredients. We were told that Da Capo was supposed to have opened simultaneously (and prepare their coffee-based drinks), but due to construction delays, would not be ready until the end of April. As a result, they are trying to cope with their drinks menu on their own, with some struggle.

Under the High Wheel

The brunch menu was short, but still replete with options that Mack and I had trouble deciding between. We settled on the grilled panini ($13) and Belgian waffles ($14). I’m hoping for future menus that the names of local producers will be included, though we found out that the bread used for our sandwich was from the Italian Centre.

Two of my favourite things: Mack and pea tendrils!

The panini, with smoked cheddar and tomato, was nicely toasted, and we appreciated the sweetness of the tomato within. The fried egg on top didn’t hurt either, and even Mack, ever the salad hater, finished his greens! They were tossed in a light vinaigrette, with radishes adding a splash of colour and spiciness.

Grilled panini

I think the Belgian waffle, topped with bacon, a poached egg and hollandaise was the winner that morning, however. The waffle walked the sweet and savoury line well, and was perfectly crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside. The bacon really was what made the dish, especially because the egg was closer to medium as opposed to soft poached. But as a whole, this composition will make me dig out our own waffle iron to experiment!

Belgian waffle

Under the High Wheel is a nice addition to the neighbourhood, and would be a draw in and of itself. But coupled with Blush Lane, would make a great weekend outing. I look forward to many returns!

Under the High Wheel (in Roots on Whyte)
8135 102 Street
780-439-4442
Monday-Tuesday 11am-6pm, Wednesday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Food Notes for April 2, 2012 (plus a giveaway to the California Wine Showcase!)

Mack and I have been trying our best to take advantage of the lengthening daylight hours by going on more and more evening walks – it really feels like spring is here! On to this week’s food notes:

Sorrentino’s Annual Garlic Festival kicked off on April 1, 2012. This year, they are focusing on highlighting local ingredients.
If you were already thinking about it, this is a good week to give Crepe Symphony a try – all of their savoury crepes are $5 from April 2 – 7, 2012.
I’ve heard quite a bit of buzz about Three Boars (8424 109 Street) as of late. Anyone know when it is opening?
It has been interesting to see the direction Culina has taken in the past few years, first in expanding to enhance the food options at the Muttart Conservatory, and now serving up food in the Culina Cantina at the Edmonton Police Service Headquarters.
Backyard chickens have been in the news as of late – I have to wonder if the media picked up on Kevin’s webisode.
Every time we walk past Remedy downtown, we are absolutely amazed to see how packed it is – where did all of these folks hang out before it opened? Or did they just migrate from the Garneau location? Anyway, it was neat to see a profile on Remedy owner Sohail Zaidi in the Journal this weekend.
It was neat to see Slow Food member Johwanna Alleyne in the Journal – I had no idea she had a side pickle business!
Tonight Mack and I attended the 25th Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts at the Winspear. I really enjoyed all of the performances this year, especially Colleen Brown’s set. It was the first year we’ve attended that they’ve eliminated the intermission in favour of a food-filled after party in the lobby, and I have to say, I think it made for richer post-event crowds! The Northlands food was hit and miss – the petit fours and cold dips were the best of the lot.

Colleen Brown

Reception

Sherbrooke Liquor Store is organizing a California Wine Showcase, taking place at the Royal Glenora Club on April 13, 2012 from 6:30-9:30pm. The $65 ticket price is includes access to food and over fifty different wineries. Best of all, the event supports two good causes – Sherbrooke is donating proceeds to KidSport Edmonton and the Royal Glenora Gymnastics Program. The organizers were nice enough to not only provide a 10% discount to readers of this blog, but they have also offered me two tickets to give away. So to enter, just answer the following question by leaving a comment below with a valid e-mail address before noon on April 6, 2012. I’ll pick a comment at random and contact the winner by e-mail. The question is: What about the California Wine Showcase are you most looking forward to? Good luck!

EDIT on April 7, 2012: Congratulations to AH for winning the two tickets!

Not so Fab: Phobulous

Before jumping on the LRT to tackle the Home & Garden Show last Sunday, Annie and I met up for lunch at Phobulous. Neither of us had been there, but we’d heard quite positive things about the restaurant prior to our visit.

Our first impressions started off right – the interior was bright and cheery, and I was immediately drawn to the colourful paper lanterns hung from the ceiling.

Lanterns

That feeling didn’t last for long, however. We sat ourselves at the one remaining table (the only other seats were at the bar), and the server, with nary a greeting, wordlessly dropped off menus at our table and left. Our subsequent exchanges with her were similarly curt and perfunctory; it seemed like the last thing she wanted to do was interact with us at all.

In the face of such indifferent service, we were hoping the food would help balance out the experience. I liked the approach they took on their menu: dish categories were broken down and explained, so that those new to Vietnamese cuisine wouldn’t feel excluded. I also appreciated their cheeky page of pho puns (including “pho real” and “phonomenon”). I decided to order the “phovarite” with rare beef and brisket ($8.95). Annie decided to stick with bun, and chose the vermicelli bowl with grilled beef and spring rolls ($10.25).

My pho was disappointing, especially because it was one of their namesake dishes. Not only was the broth salty, but the small amount of meat provided was overcooked. The brisket was the better of the two, and the rare beef was anything but.

Pho with rare beef and brisket

Annie fared better with her vermicelli bowl. She commented that the noodles were more moist than bowls she typically encounters, perhaps due to the inclusion of more shredded vegetables. She enjoyed it.

Bun with grilled beef and spring rolls

With so few Vietnamese restaurants in the area, there’s no doubt Phobulous fills a need. But with unremarkable service and inconsistent food, it won’t be a restaurant I’ll be seeking out again anytime soon.

Phobulous
8701 109 Street
(780) 988-2696
Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sundays 11am-9pm

The Cooking Chronicles: Savoury Pies

I’ve been enjoying Karlynn’s series of spotlighting a pie a week, and was happy to see a savoury version in her most recent post. One of our favourite go-to recipes in our rotation is this chicken pot pie, but the truth is, Mack and I love most savoury concoctions. What’s not to love? With a bit of meat, some vegetables, and usually, some sort of starchy crust, a pie is the perfect comfort meal. We tried out two recipes in recent weeks with success.

Cottage Pie

Julie Van Rosendaal called this a cottage pie (instead of a shepherd’s pie) because she used ground beef instead of lamb, but whatever the name, it was easy and delicious.

It was easy to incorporate local ingredients into this recipe – we used Sunshine Organic beef, Peas on Earth carrots, Kuhlmann’s onions and potatoes, in addition to the grocery store frozen peas. We also ~~fattened up~~ smoothed out the potatoes with some butter and cream – totally unnecessary, but worth the extra calories in our mind.

Cottage pie

The recipe made a ton of leftovers to boot that reheated well – always a welcome bonus in our book!

Sausage, Cauliflower and Swiss Chard Potpie

This recipe caught my eye when I was flipping through the latest issue of Real Simple. The original recipe calls for kale, but the leafy greens were out at the grocery store, so we substituted swiss chard instead.

We cooked some Little Italy Foods Italian sausage with onions and the swiss chard, added some stock and flour, then combined it with chopped cauliflower. The mixture was poured into a dish then topped with puff pastry and baked.

Sausage, cauliflower and swiss chard potpie

The resulting dish was great – the cauliflower steamed up perfectly, and each bite contained a bit of sausage, chard, and gravy. Of course, the buttery crust didn’t hurt either!

We may be moving out of the season of savoury pies, but I think I’ll still be sneaking in a pie or two now and again, which will likely include both of these recipes.

Our New Local: Cask & Barrel

104 Street will soon be bookended by two upscale pubs – the Mercer Tavern at 104 Avenue is set to open this summer, while the newest addition to the Promenade, Cask & Barrel, opened last week.

This soft opening has allowed the kitchen and wait staff to work out initial kinks, but they’re leading up to their grand opening party on March 30 and 31, 2012. Mack and I were invited to a sneak peek on Wednesday night, and walked down the block after work to check out our new local. Owners Wayne Jones (of the Starlite Room and Brixx Bar & Grill) and Susan Forsey also live just down the street, so in many ways, this is simply a parlour they wanted to see in their neighbourhood as much as it is a business venture.

Susan Forsey of Cask & Barrel

Tucked on the southeast end of the Jaffer Building, and still without external signage, Cask & Barrel doesn’t quite have street presence yet, but in the summer, they hope to extend their seating on a sidewalk patio. Once inside, however, the interior makes an impression. It reminded me of what Local Public Eatery set out to be when it first opened in Edmonton – if it were less corporate, more intimate, and not situated in South Edmonton Common.

Interior

The colours are quite muted, with shades of textured blue and grey on the floor and walls. But they work well with the large windows and multitude of natural accents in the room, including raw wood above the sunken bar, tree stumps as lounge tables, and perhaps my favourite – Vinoture up-cycled bar stools constructed from discarded wine barrels. The theme of re-using and re-purposing items also shows itself in the light fixtures as well – overturned salad bowls became light shades, and dated chandeliers destined for the trash bin found new life once given a makeover. Though there will be a few more additions to the decor (such as locally-produced art), the room felt comfortable and pleasing aesthetically.

Wine barrel to bar stool!

Chef Mikael Charlton, who worked in Victoria prior to relocating to Edmonton, has created a casual menu featuring his twists on pub favourites priced at $8.50-$12.50, including eight different sandwiches. Susan treated us to two entrees and drinks during our visit, and after careful deliberation, we chose to sample their versions of mac ‘n’ cheese and chicken pot pie.

Mack enjoyed the farafelle baked with three cheeses and cream, but I would have preferred a slightly saucier base (our favourite mac ‘n’ cheeses are enveloped in the sauce). The chicken savoury, a butter chicken pot pie topped with layered pastry was excellent – nice heat, tender meat, and a well-seasoned gravy. The side of beef barley soup could have used some more salt and a lighter hand with the cornstarch, but the Chef acknowledged that it was a recipe he was working on. As a whole, however, Mack and I agreed that the portion sizes were good – not overwhelming but filling.

Farafelle

Chicken savoury

In the weeks to come, Chef Charlton will continue to make some adjustments to the menu. In the summer, Cask & Barrel is planning to open for weekend brunches, and will hope to incorporate ingredients gleaned from the City Market in those meals. Susan also mentioned that she’d like to offer “connoisseur” events in the future as well, which will encourage both new and experienced beer and whisky drinkers the opportunity to taste and learn more.

We had a great first experience at Cask & Barrel, and best of all, we know it’s not our last. It’s a great addition to our neighbourhood, and one we will be returning to soon!

Cask & Barrel (Twitter: @caskNbarrel)
10041 104 Street
(780) 498-1224

Not Quite There Yet: Afghan Chopan Kebab House

A few of my coworkers and I hosted an Afghan colleague from a Fort McMurray office two weeks ago, and we thought it was an appropriate occasion to try out a new Afghan restaurant within walking distance of our building.

Afghan Chopan Kebab House

Afghan Chopan Kebab House (10756 101 Street) opened up a few weeks ago on 101 Street next to Padmanadi. Although it is located on a major thoroughfare, it is inset on the street and thus easy to miss, which partly explained how quiet the restaurant was that Tuesday afternoon.

The décor was dated but clean, and brightened up by the ample natural light in the space. There is a large take-out counter, but plenty of eat-in space as well. We seated ourselves in a booth next to a window.

Service was surprisingly slow, especially given we were the only party in the restaurant (our request for waters was fulfilled about halfway through our meal). We were provided menus, but when we tried to order off of them, were encouraged to eat from the $9.99 per person buffet instead. The server indicated that the dishes served would be the same – namely, kebabs.

Although there were a number of buffet selections, that wasn’t actually the case – there wasn’t a kebab in sight! That said, there were a nice mix of vegetarian and meat dishes, including some pulse-based stews, pasta, shredded chicken curry and clove-scented rice. Dessert options included rice pudding and fruit.

Savoury buffet options

There’s no doubt that the buffet was value-driven, but the dishes were a mixed bag. The chickpea and bean stew and pasta (sampled on the second go-around) were the best of the lot, prepared and seasoned well. The lentil dish was noticeably undercooked, and perhaps worst of all, the chicken curry was strewn with tiny bone fragments – not appealing to eat at all. We fared better with dessert; the rice pudding had a nice rounded flavour and good texture. For the record, our Afghan colleague enjoyed the food, but noted that he was likely biased, given his homesickness for this cuisine narrowed his judgment.

My first plate

We all agreed, however, that their naan, delivered to our table freshly baked and imbued the unmistakable smokiness from a Tandoori oven, was some of the best we’d tasted in the city. Fluffy and light, it was delicious, even without any drizzle of oil or butter. The bread alone would be worth returning for.

Naan bread

Given Afghan Chopan Kebab House is a small, family-run business, I would hope it does well, particularly in light of the dearth of restaurants specializing in Afghani cuisine in Edmonton. Still, to foster repeat business, they have some kinks to work out with regards to service and consistency.

Afghan Chopan Kebabhouse
10756 101 Street
(780) 756-3191

Calgary Steak-Out: Rouge

In addition to commemorating the Stampede’s 100th Anniversary this year, Calgary also co-holds the title of Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012. As a result, Tourism Calgary is seeking different ways of marketing their city, including how to highlight their burgeoning food scene. So for two days in February, Tourism Calgary invited several food bloggers to join them for “a new take on steak”, showcasing how five local restaurants are interpreting the old standard of meat and potatoes. Mack and I were fortunate enough to be a part of this group (which included Calgary bloggers Julie van Rosendaal, Gwendolyn Richards and Dan Clapson), and took part in a junket that saw our accommodations and meals covered. It was a first for both of us, and while we acknowledge that we no doubt received special treatment (which colours the experience in a way that no average dinner could live up to), the trade-off in access to the chefs and behind-the-scenes exposure made it worthwhile. Thanks to Tourism Calgary for the opportunity!

We ended the YYCSteak Tour at the most formal of the restaurants we dined in that weekend, Rouge. Located in a historic house in the central neighbourhood of Inglewood, Rouge is known for its celebration of seasonal ingredients and exquisite wine pairings. In fact, two years ago, it was named one of the S. Pellegrino World’s 100 Best Restaurants.

Chef Paul Rogalski’s French-style cooking techniques and commitment to local producers reminded me very much of Chef Blair Lebsack. Both have such deep respect for farmers that a conversation with them reminds you that sourcing locally can be the norm and not the exception. We were fortunate that Chef Rogalski was able to sit down and join us for the entire dinner that night and share some of his insights (and of course, introduce each course!).

It was clear that Chef Rogalski had put a lot of thought into his take on steak, so much so that we weren’t getting just one interpretation, but four. The first was a steak tartar, dressed with Rouge’s signature beet paint and an incredible accent of creamy, thick egg yolk that had been cooked in an immersion circulator. Mack thought there could have been more crostini, however.

Steak tartar

Before the second dish arrived, we were told that we would be having shabu-shabu. I really wasn’t expecting the slice of shaved beef, horseradish agar gel and mushroom terrine with an herb-infused elk consommé that we were presented with. I didn’t enjoy the texture of the terrine, and the beef was actually quite difficult to eat in that shallow bowl, so it was not my favourite course. That said, it was easily the most elegant take on shabu-shabu I’ve ever had!

Shabu-shabu

My favourite course was the lamb two ways: a cut of sirloin and braised lamb bound together with lentils. The latter was particularly memorable, with perfectly prepared lentils enriched with bites of tender, shredded lamb.

Lamb two ways

Then, perhaps the most elegant plate of steak that weekend, served with a foie gras and bone marrow spring roll and a salsify bean puree. Not captured in the picture below was the most delicious rosti – it only made sense that their potato component would be equally compact but delicious.

Steak and spring roll

It should be said that Manager Andy MacDonald did an amazing job pairing wines with each course, but because we were departing for Edmonton immediately after that dinner, we didn’t really indulge all that much. On another occasion, we would have been happy to fully partake, but we know from Gwen that the pairings were enjoyable!

A thumbs up from Gwen!

The kitchen even had something sweet for us to end with – a bee pollen macaron with lemon cream.

Macaron

Although we appreciated the experience at Rouge, it was actually our least favourite of the YYCSteak visits. I still can’t quite put my finger on it, but it probably had to do in part with the relative formality of the restaurant compared with the others (I’m finding that I am definitely gravitating more to the casual upscale form of dining as of late). So although there is a time and place for such proper meals, I will admit that Rouge wouldn’t be our first choice on future trips to Calgary.

Still, many thanks to Chef Rogalski and the rest of the staff at Rouge for their generosity and hospitality – it did help round out our perspective of the Calgary steak scene.

Rouge
1240 8 Avenue SE, Calgary
(403) 531-2767

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