Openings

• Edmonton’s newest Korean restaurant, chain Makchang Dodook had their soft opening on January 26. Find them at 1007 Parsons Road SW.
• Anejo Restaurant, a chain with locations in Toronto, Calgary, and Banff, has opened in Edmonton at 11954 104 Avenue.
• The Lobster Mobsters, a seafood business with storefronts in Nisku and Brooks, is opening up in Edmonton. They will be located at 17011 100 Avenue, and intend to be open by April 1.

Closures

• The Downtown Edmonton Farmers’ Market is officially closed, and the association has declared bankruptcy and will dissolve. I went to the market on their last day to find that so many vendors had already pulled up their equipment and had left. Apparently the market may return in some form outdoors in the summer, but we’ll see.
• French Toast announced their closure.

Upcoming Events

• Feed the Soul returns February 2-11, with 13 participating Black-owned businesses offering some great specials.
• Save the date for Downtown Dining Week, returning March 20-31.

Local News

• The King of Tarts is temporarily closed due to damage in the other parts of the building.
• Mary Bailey from The Tomato shared her favourite places that opened in 2023, and includes Happy and Olive, Darling, and Little Wolf.
• Edify checked out Die Pie and Caffe Sole.

What I Ate

• Our last Chinatown Dining Week meal was take-out from Spirit Bistro. Those big rice noodles really hit the spot, and make great leftovers. Thanks to everyone who helped us #eatyegchinatown this year!

Big rice noodles with beef from Spirit Bistro

• It’s been a busy month for me work-wise, and this weekend was no different. Our go-to desk lunch has always been El Fogon, and the beef and cheese arepa didn’t disappoint.

Beef and cheese arepa from El Fogon

• I did have the chance to meet up with a friend for brunch at Culina’s pop-up spot in Little Italy (the piazza out front is looking fantastic). There was some great variety of sweet and savoury options (the scallion mashed potatoes were great, and the whipped yogurt was fantastic). Thanks Su for the invitation! Check out Culina’s other pop-up events on EventBrite.

Brunch at Culina (with the most beautiful Corelle plates)

Openings

• New bakery and cafe Scratch Baking is now open at 44 Capital Boulevard downtown.

Closures

• Pei Pei Chei Ow announced that they are closing in two weeks. A small glimmer of hope – in the same post, they do tease “a new chapter”.

Upcoming Events

• Chinatown Dining Week is on until January 28 – there are some great deals to be had for $10 and $20 at 24 different businesses.
• Linda is hosting a Feed the Soul Dining Week Food Tour on January 27, which will preview three participating restaurants. Tickets are $45 each.
• Fu’s Repair Shop is hosting the first Swine and Dine dinner of 2024 on January 31. Chef Winnie Chen’s family-style menu incorporates Alberta Pork through the Chinese provinces. Tickets for the 4-course meal are $68.88 and can be reserved by phone or online, referencing the Swine and Dine menu.
• Winefest Edmonton is coming up next month, February 23-24, 2024 at the Edmonton Convention Centre. Tickets start at $137.02.
• Edmonton Cocktail Week is taking place March 4-10, 2024: its “a homegrown initiative spearheaded by a group of passionate entrepreneurs who believe that this is a great place to make cocktails.” The event includes a bartender competition, $12 feature cocktails at 8 local restaurants, and a distillers’ symposium.
• Edmonton International Beerfest returns March 21-23, 2024 to the Edmonton Convention Centre. Tickets to the event start at $29.75. Also offered this year at the event is Cicerone Certification, recognized as the “premier certification for beer servers, makers, and masters”, and rarely available in-person in Canada.

Local News

• The Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market shared that their last likely day of operations in their current location in the GWG Building will be January 28: “It is unable to sustain operations in its existing location. The association board has recommending ceasing operations at the end of January and exploring bankruptcy.” The Board had been exploring options to return to 104 Street but is no longer in a financial position to do so. Some vendors are exploring other options. When the market announced its move in 2019, I had many questions – but what is most clear from the move is just how much potential was never realized, and how much the market gave up with the shift to an indoor location.
• The Journal has the story behind Momma Tong’s new storefront in Old Strathcona.
• Edify had more information about Northern Chicken’s 124 Street closure: it was a combination of inflation, a drop in business, and the CEBA loan repayment.
• Also from Edify, they checked out Tatsu Sushi, and were hosted for a Chinatown Dining Week meal at Spirit Bistro.
• An all-female team is headed for the IKA Culinary Olympics February 2-7 in Germany.

What I Ate

• My parents picked up the first of our Chinatown Dining Week meals last Friday – Padmanadi and Syphay are family favourites.

Take-out from Padmanadi and Syphay

• Mack and I followed up that meal with take-out from Xu Hue. I tried their rare beef salad for the first time last fall – it is so good.

Chinatown Dining Week combos from Xu Hue

• We also celebrated Emily’s birthday early over the weekend. We returned to Cupcake Mama for her delightful treats, also a family favourite.

Emily requested “bright pink” icing, of course

Openings

• Hanjan has opened its third location in Old Strathcona, next to Teapsy Lab at 10536 82 Avenue.
• Korean restaurant chain Makchang Dodook will be opening at 1007 Parsons Road SW.

Closures

• After 7 years, the Northern Chicken location on 124 Street has closed. Their location on 104 Street Downtown remains open.
• Sorellina Brew Bar closed its doors on January 14. They will continue as a roasting company and their beans will be available through the website.

Upcoming Events

• Chinatown Dining Week runs January 18-28! 24 restaurants are offering $10 and $20 dine-in and take-out specials Check out the menus!
• Green Onion Cake Man is hosting cooking classes in January and February. The cost per pair is $175, including all food and drinks.

Local News

• Congratulations to Red Star, who celebrates their 20th anniversary this week.
• Darren Cheverie is stepping back from Chartier: “Speaking completely candidly…I’m not needed anymore.” He will be behind the scenes, but has taken on a role outside of the food industry: “All of our family’s eggs in one basket just isn’t sitting right anymore.”
• Edify profiled Taylor Corbett, the new head chef at Restaurant Yarrow.
• Also from Edify, they sampled the smoked meat sandwich at The Refinery Grill.
• Sharon posted about three spots to warm up with crossing-the-bridge noodle soup in Edmonton.
• CBC’s RadioActive visited Taystee Donair and Pizza as a part of their Strip Mall City series.
• Amy Quon is retiring from Chicken for Lunch at the end of February; The Lingnan is soliciting video messages for her send-off. The deadline is February 10.
• Meuwly’s is now offering take and heat dinners for pick-up on Fridays. Meals serve four and cost $169.
• Edmonton’s Food Bank met its holiday goals, raising 300,000kg of food and $4,000,000 in donations.

What I Ate

• The cold couldn’t deter us from heading to Van Loc last week for their amazing buy one get one free deal in celebration of their first anniversary. We may or may not have maxed out with 6 subs so we were plenty covered for lunches…so good.

Assorted sub from Van Loc

Openings

• Pizza Garage has opened its second location downtown at Central LRT station, 10020 Jasper Avenue.
• Sherwood Park has a new Korean restaurant called Zigle Korean Bulgogi Restaurant at #900, 800 Broadmoor Blvd.
• Central City Market, offering pizza, pita pies, gelato, and more, is now open at 10508 106 Avenue.
• Crumbl Cookies opened their fourth location in the Edmonton area  last week in Namao Centre at 15831 97 Street.
• It looks like Hanjan is adding a third location, partnered with Teapsy Lab, in Old Strathcona at 10536 82 Avenue. Thanks Su for the heads up!
• Okinawa Onigiri will open in the former Sequel Cafe space at 10011 102 Avenue which has been vacant for several years.
• Anejo Restaurant, with locations in Toronto, Calgary, and Banff, will be opening up in the Brewery District in 2024 at 11954 104 Avenue.

Closures

• The cafe side of Awn Kitchen will close on December 23. Owner Kaelin Whittaker posted: “Awn is unique – we’re two businesses in one, and I can close the café and continue to live out the vision for my business – sure a little bit different, but I have that opportunity. I am lucky – even though it’s hard. I don’t want sadness around this decision, it’s a decision that has been months in the making.”

Local News

• Korean restaurant JMT will be moving to a “more spacious location in Whyte Ave” early next year. Until then, the current Downtown space will continue to operate.
• Odd Company Brewing collaborated with Doughnut Party on a limited time chocolate stout, made with “real DP donuts in the brew”.
• Taproot had a story about holiday pop-ups in Dolly’s and Wilfred’s.
• Caffe Sole spoke with Edmonton AM about opening up their second location downtown.
• Edify checked out Maverick’s Donut Co., and also rounded up some places to grab a sweet treat for the holidays.
• On the savoury side, the Journal created a list of holiday dinners for those looking to order in.
• Some businesses will not be able to pay back the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan and may be forced to close. Others, like Meuwly’s, are being creative to repay their loan.
• St. Albert Gazette interviewed Socrates Restaurant, Jack’s Burger Shack, and The Hot Grill who have seen a decline in regulars or order sizes over the last year.
• Bent Stick Brewing has created a new ale that celebrates gender diversity.

What I Ate

This is the last Food Notes for the calendar year – I’m hoping to have some down time over Christmas. Thanks for following along this year! Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

• We finally made it to Hanjan last week (located right on the Oliverbanh, we really should have made it sooner). Ellie loved the spacious dining room, and exploring its nooks and crannies. We also really appreciated, with two hungry kids in tow, how fast the kitchen was! Emily scarfed down two of the bulgogi tacos, and the japchae really hit the spot.

Our spread from Hanjan

• We picked up some pre-ordered scones from The Art of Cake on the weekend, perfect to share over tea with a family member who isn’t as mobile as she once was. The clotted cream and strawberry preserves were a wonderful accompaniment.

Scones from The Art of Cake

Openings

• Congratulations to Caffe Sole on opening their second location at Edmonton City Centre Mall.
• Delavoye Chocolate Maker has opened 10639 124 Street, Unit 105.They offer “single-origin, flavoured and dark milk chocolate bars to house-baked confections and chocolate-inspired drinks unique to Edmonton.”
• Cafe Delicia is a new coffee shop to open in Oliver, located at 11108 102 Avenue.

Local News

• Dine Epic is readying to open their Whyte Avenue location, and as a result, has shifted their Downtown location to a private event space only.
• Urban Diner is hosting a Spanish-inspired pop-up from chef Cyrilles Koppert for 12 weeks.
• Edify has a guide to some boxed and in-person Christmas feasts available this season.
• Also from Edify, they were invited for a media dinner at West Edmonton Mall’s Atlas Steak and Fish.
• Uproot Food, which had been growing by selling other local food brands, has decided to transition away from this: “But due to our current cash flow realities, we need to focus on our own products to ensure we can continue. Uproot will continue, but down a slightly different path. Now is the time to pivot. Going forward, Uproot will focus on South Island Pie and Honest Dumplings as well as NKD Chocolate which is part of our portfolio and Mitsoh, our partner brand.”

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• TrustBIX is exploring converting empty downtown offices into vertical farms for vegetables.

What I Ate

• It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the Festive Brunch at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, so we thought it was time to indulge again. The buffet spread was impressive as usual, and Emily enjoyed watching the process behind the made-to-order crepes and omelettes. But it’s always the service at the Fairmont that makes visits to the hotel extra special, and this occasion was no different.

Festive brunch at the Hotel Macdonald

Openings

• 124 Street is getting an influx of new independent coffee shops – while Transcend’s permanent location is under construction, they will be serving out of a temporary pop-up at 10639 124 Street.
• Coffee Bureau is also joining in the fray, opening up a location in the Mercury Block at 102 Avenue and 123 Street.
• Downtown’s newest coffee shop Bar Oro opened on November 21 in Energy Square, 10550 Jasper Avenue.
• Wild Rose Cakes is also planning to open up shop downtown in the spring of 2023.
• New pizzeria Lore Pizza by Trial & Ale Sour & Wild Artisanal Ales will be opening on December 13 at 17850 106 Avenue NW.
• Nagoya Japanese Cuisine kicked off their soft opening on December 4, 2023. Find them at 17308 Hiller Road SW.
• Congratulations to Saffron Indian Cuisine on their third location in Edmonton, located in the west at 17006 90 Avenue NW.
• Another rolled ice cream option is available in town – chain Ice Flame is now open at 9728 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Flying Dragon, serving up Asian-inspired noodle and rice bowls, opened up back in October in Old Strathcona at 10336 81 Avenue NW.
• I missed Rau Vietnamese Kitchen’s opening in Sherwood Park back in September.

Local News

• My daughter Emily is so excited to see this – Duchess Bake Shop’s annual gingerbread castle is in the shape of Frozen’s Arendelle Castle this year. If you’re planning to check it out, remember that Duchess is collecting warm weather donations on behalf of the Bissell Centre, which gives you the option of entering the contest to destroy the castle in the new year.
• Brunch is now being served at Odd Company Brewing’s south side location.
• Edify is crowd-sourcing nominations for Edmonton’s Best Dessert for their upcoming Best Restaurants issue. Nominations are being accepted until January 31, 2024.
• Also from Edify, they checked out Marlo and Nuovo Bistro.
• Ernest’s at NAIT, Tzin, and Uccellino made Open Table’s Top 100 Restaurants in Canada list.
• The December issue of Modern Luxuria features a profile of Effing Seafoods.
• Congratulations to Hungry Zine co-founder Kathryn Gwun-Yeen Lennon on being a recipient of the Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund.

What I Ate

While I will do my best to keep up with these weekly posts, I’m entering into a pretty intense period at work, in addition to preparing for Chinatown Dining Week taking place in January. As a result, it is possible (as was the case last week!) that I may have to postpone an update here or there. In the interim, remember that Taproot Edmonton publishes their own weekly Food Roundup, so if you’re missing that local food content, head over there!

• Being near Chinatown just before the dinner hour was the perfect excuse to reacquaint myself with take-out from Pho Tau Bay! I would have wished for more broth in our extra large order (I always reserve a cup to sip the next day), but it still hit the spot.

My usual order from Tau Bay

• After checking out Winterval in our neighbourhood on Friday, my family picked up a smorgasbord to enjoy, including eats from Tiffin, Seoul Fried Chicken, and Wayback Burger. It’s so great to have so many tasty options steps away from our front door.

Friday night eats after Winterval

Openings

• Jacek’s second shop in the Edmonton area is now open in Crestwood at 9674 142 Street (Jacek closed its long-standing store on 104 Street back in 2020).
• Stephanie posted about a new US donut chain called Duck Donuts that has expanded to Edmonton. It is the second branch in Canada and is located at 16749 127 Street.
• Crumbl Cookies continues its aggressive expansion in the Edmonton area with its third location opening on November 24. Find the newest Crumbl in St. Albert at #228, 2 Herbert Road.
• Frank’s Community Pub is coming to Mill Creek in spring 2024, at 8815 99 Street.

Closures

• One of my favourites on Alberta Avenue, Mama Asha Cafe, announced their closure. Their last day of operations will be November 29. Mokha Cafe will be opening its its place (named after the Yemeni city of Mokha), and the new owner is “committed to serving Mama Asha’s classics and introducing exciting new menu items.”
• Downtown lost its last McDonald’s after the franchise in City Centre Mall closed last week.

Upcoming Events

• Van Loc’s William Chen is hosting a Vietnamese Coffee making workshop on November 25. Tickets are $11.98.
• Downtown’s newest event venue, called Last Modern Event Venue, is hosting holiday high teas in December in partnership with Hirondelle Bakery. Tickets are $65 plus tax for adults, and available dates include December 2, 3, 16 and 17.
• Save the date for the second annual Feed the Soul event, which will run February 2-11, 2024.

Local News

• Owners of restaurants including The Next Act and El Jardin, said it is difficult to manage increased customer expectations amidst inflation.
• The Jonas brothers stopped by Pip for brunch while in Edmonton last week.
• Edify checked out Mai Vietnamese Fusion at West Edmonton Mall.
• A local Facebook page called Edmonton, YOU’VE GOT TO EAT HERE!! has increased traffic at some featured businesses.
• Paul Shufelt vented his frustration at the demands on his small business to comp items for groups.
• Just in time for the holidays, another edition of the CoffeePass is back! The $45 passport entitles the holder to a free drink at 36 café partners in the Edmonton region. Mack and I have been supporters of the CoffeePass since the beginning; it has introduced us to so many independent gems that we probably wouldn’t have visited otherwise.
• Also on the gift front, Alberta Food Tours has put together another Alberta Chocolate Artisans Care Package. The $99 box contains ten of Alberta’s best chocolatiers and confectioners, and a portion of sales is directed to Food Water Wellness, an Alberta organization promoting regenerative agriculture.

What I Ate

• I tried a couple of new cafes this week, and the beautiful weather made it a good excuse to get a walk in at the same time. While the transit oriented development is still terrible at Century Park, it is great to see more independent retail at the end of the line, including Be Coffee.

Coffee from Be Coffee

• It has literally been years since Mack and I have dined in Route 99 Diner – they were our mainstay pre-pandemic and before we had kids, and then the pandemic happened and we tended to eat closer to home. We returned there for a date on the weekend, and in spite of the time that has passed, we found solace in the fact that not much has changed. And our go-to dishes of poutine and pizza were just as satisfying as we remembered.

Poutine and pizza from Route 99 Diner

Openings

• Gratitude Coffee is a new café that opened last week in Sherwood Park at #132, 2833 Broadmoor Blvd.
• Il Poom is the newest Korean restaurant to open on the southside earlier this month, at 3338 Parsons Road.
• It looks like the southside is getting a Turquaz Kebab House Express, at Ellerslie Road and 97 Street.
• Montreal-based chain Pizzeria Bros opened its first Edmonton location in South Edmonton Common back in September. It is located at 2205 101 Street.

Upcoming Events

• Guru in Ice District is hosting a Flavours of South Africa wine dinner on November 16 that will feature 5 wines. All-inclusive tickets are $125.

Local News

• The bakers at Duchess are hard at work creating their annual gingerbread castle. It will be available to view starting November 18. Those who donate new socks and warm weather accessories (which are being collected for the Bissell Centre) will be entered to win the chance to destroy the castle in the new year.
• Speaking of bakeries, Crave Cupcakes and Doughnut Party have collaborated to create a new treat each: Crave has made The Bernadette, with flavours of rosemary, lavender, and chocolate, while Doughnut Party has created a red velvet doughnut with cream cheese glaze and red velvet crumble. They are available until November 18.
• Edify checked out D’Arcy’s Smokehouse Restaurant (rebranded from Links WoodFire Sausage Co.), and Tansen Izakaya.
• Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ is now offering an all-you-can-eat experience, anytime of day.
• Via Linda’s blog, Tiffin India’s Fresh Kitchen is now offering Tiffin services, with customizable meal plans for weekly or monthly pickup.
• What a milestone: Zocalo celebrates twenty years in business.
• Happy first birthday to both Vintage Fork Tea Shop and Asymmetrical Brewing!
• CBC profiled Swiss Donair as a part of its Strip Mall City series.
• Feed the Soul Dining Week is currently recruiting volunteers for their next event.
• The focus of this year’s Vital Signs report is food insecurity, as Edmontonians continue to find it challenging to mitigate the rising cost of food.

What I Ate

• We’re hardly ever in that area at dinner time, but we were in South Common on Friday night – the perfect opportunity to finally pick-up take-out from Jerusalem Shawarma. They didn’t disappoint – they were fast and efficient, and the portion size was massive. We ordered the family platter for three, packed with chicken, potatoes, rice, salad, and side of hummus and pita. We had tasty leftovers for days.

Emily couldn’t wait to dig into the Jerusalem Shawarma platter (I can’t blame her)

Openings

• The Colombian’s fourth location opened on November 4 in Mill Creek, at 8905 99 Street.
• A new wine bar called Coterie has joined the mix in Old Strathcona, located next to Boxer at 10330 80 Avenue. The Journal profiled proprietors Trystan Fung and Ainsley Lamash.
• The Table in Onoway, Alberta, has opened up a sister café called Milk & Honey in Edmonton. It is located inside the Saints Church, 6315 199 Street. They serve up coffee, sandwiches, and pastries.
• Hanako Sushi opened in October in Terwillegar, at 2341 Rabbit Hill Road.
• Mr. Halal Burger opened last week at 9715 137 Avenue. Their chicken, beef, and French fries are all halal, and their milkshakes and churros are kosher.
• Red Deer-based Bubble tea shop Bestea will open an Edmonton location on November 8 at MacEwan University’s Robbins Health Learning Centre.

Closures

• Delux Burger Bar closed their St. Albert location.

Upcoming Events

• The second Behind the Apron workshop features the cake decorating with Layered by Rissa. It takes place on November 21, and tickets are $86.53.

Local News

• It’s always great to see local food personalities recognized on Edify’s Top 40 Under 40 list. This year, MIlkCrate and GhostLight’s Steven Brochu and Token Naturals’ Keenan Pascal were honorees.
• The Journal interviewed Shaun Hicks about Little Wolf.
• The November issue of Modern Luxuria includes a piece on Chappelle Kitchen Catering.
• Edify sampled eats from Chatkhara by Krishna and Meuwly’s.
• The City of Edmonton’s Rally for the Road website, featuring businesses impacted by the construction on Stony Plain Road, profiled El Corazon.
• Happy 7th birthday to Northern Chicken!
• Flava Cafe celebrated their third birthday this past weekend.
• The Hockey Night in Canada team stopped by The Lingnan for dinner last week.
• Alberta-based Karlynn Johnson’s third cookbook, A Very Prairie Christmas Cookbook, is now available.
• Company’s Coming founder Jean Pare, who passed away last year, was inducted into the Taste Canada Hall of Fame.
• The Edmonton Community Foundation’s winter Legacy In Action issue focuses on food security and adaption, and includes stories about RGE RD’s farm-to-table dinners, Yellowhead Tribal Council’s hydroponics, and the Campus Food Bank, among others. Its companion episode of the Well Endowed Podcast focuses on innovative agriculture.

Beyond Edmonton

• No Edmonton restaurants made the longlist, so it is no surprise that Edmonton was absent from the just released Canada’s Best New Restaurants top 10. But it was a little shocking that Alberta was completely cut out from the top 10.

What I Ate

• It’s become a bit of a Saturday morning tradition to grab a coffee while Emily is participating in an activity downtown. This week saw a visit to Lock Stock (their herb and cheese biscuit falls a close second to their koign amann for me).

Coffee and biscuit from Lock Stock

• Our volunteer team is deep in planning mode for the 7th annual Chinatown Dining Week, coming January 2024. We hit up China Marble for a team meeting – their crispy noodles and stir-fried pea shoots really hit the spot.

Our spread from China Marble

• We were #gifted Evoolution’s advent calendar, comprised of 24 vials of oils, vinegars, and salts. We were first introduced to the calendar during the pandemic, and Emily enjoyed exploring the different smells and flavours of the tiny bottles (small enough to fit in her kid-sized hands!). Evoolution has simple video recipe ideas for each day – now that Emily is older, I’m looking forward to actually preparing some of the dishes with her this year! The calendar is $69.95 and makes for a unique gift, especially for those looking for something more savoury than the typical chocolate advent. Thanks to Evoolution for helping us continue this tradition!

With this year’s Evoolution Advent Calendar