Food Notes for December 20, 2011

Between the functions, potlucks and dinners, this Christmas season has been a busier one for me than usual! And with trying to spend as much time with family in Edmonton as possible before we jet off to Yellowknife for a week, I know December will be over in a flash. On to this week’s food notes:

Liv checked out one of the newest restaurants to hit Edmonton, Cibo Bistro. Looks like it’s worth a try (and might be a great Italian backup to those who can’t swing a reservation to Corso 32).
The Journal also reviewed a fairly new restaurant – Cafe du France, in the LeMarchand Mansion. It sounds like the review might help the restaurant at least raise its profile, “the pretty little café was completely empty at 7 p.m., and remained so until we left more than two hours later, literally shutting the place down.”
Great to see several food bloggers participated in the recent Meals on Wheels call out to the blogosphere for volunteers. I wasn’t able to make it, but I love living vicariously through pictures!
Michelle also spearheaded a recipe live blogging experiment to capture how to make classic butter chicken. Yum, I don’t need to be told twice!
Via Cream and Sugar: ever wonder what’s behind that distinct Subway smell?
It seems like vegetarian restaurants are on the up and up this year – Veggie Garden Restaurant (10582 100 Street, 780-757-9060) just opened up at the end of November. My coworker said it’s pretty good, but I have yet to try it myself.

Veggie Garden

Oodle Noodle’s second downtown location on Jasper Avenue just off 104 Street is on the cusp of opening. Mack and I peeked inside today to take a look at the progress – we love the exposed brick and seating that takes advantage of the room’s length. Look for a soft open soon!

Oodle Noodle

The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market was bustling on Saturday! I loved the pine arrangements right up front – fragrant and eye-catching! It’s also open on Christmas Eve for those last minute needs!

Pine arrangements

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with family and friends. All the best in 2012!

Ramen on the Brain: Meguro Ramen

The topic of Chinatown revitalization has been bandied about a lot in the past year, especially with flashy projects like the Yorkton Development residential towers and the Wild Rose Circle Development. But in the short term, existing businesses that bring people into the area will have a greater impact – no area can rely on large-scale developments alone.

That’s why it was great to see that a new ramen joint joined the Chinatown fray in recent months. Instead of opting for a newer, suburban location, Meguro Ramen chose to situate itself in the heart of Chinatown on 97 Street, in the space formerly occupied by Padmanadi.

In other large North American cities, the ramen trend has exploded, with eaters ravenous for hand-pulled noodles and umami broth. Ramen doesn’t yet have the same foothold in Edmonton, but we may get there soon if more restaurants with this focus continue to open up. During November’s cold snap, I met Annie at Meguro Ramen for lunch on a Saturday.

Save for the instant version, my experience with ramen has been limited. But in many ways, because of my love of pho, I am already partial to oversized bowls of noodle soup. At the same time, I knew my bias would affect my reception of dishes outside the realm of beef broth and rice noodles.

The interior has been completely transformed – gone is the buffet service, the dated paint, the wall of thumb tacked photos. In its place is a dramatic red and black room with paper and glass lantern accents, a space that I think would look even better after dark.

Interior

Although Meguro does serve dishes outside of the ramen family (about ten appetizers, and three different rice bowls), we zoned in on their namesake entree. We had the choice of ten varieties, made up of different kinds of broth and toppings, including the most unusual combination of ramen and cheese of all things. I didn’t stray far from pho, ordering the beef noodle ($10.95), while Annie opted for the curry ramen ($9.95).

Menu (I really appreciated the pictures)

Given we were among just three other parties, it wasn’t a surprise that our food arrived quickly. But we appreciated the expedient service, especially on that cold afternoon. The steaming bowls were garnished beautifully, while the atypical soup spoon helped round out its presentation.

Beef noodle ramen

I enjoyed the beef very much, tender, with just the right amount of fat. The noodles were quite good as well, thicker than I had anticipated, but satisfyingly chewy. The broth was a bit of a disappointment for me; bland and lacking flavour, I had to reach for quite a bit of the spice shaker on the table to liven it up. Annie had similar thoughts about her dish – thumbs up to the pork (which she found to be better than Nomiya), but was expecting a broth to have much more kick.

Curry ramen

When we went to the counter to pay, we asked the staff whether or not their noodles were made in-house. He responded, “It’s a secret.” Maybe it was meant tongue-in-cheek, but we interpreted that to mean, “No.”

Though our lunch didn’t quite show me what all the ramen hype was about, Meguro Ramen is close enough to my workplace that I think I will be back again soon – there are at least nine other ramen dishes that I’ll have to work my way through after all!

Meguro Ramen
10626 97 Street
(780) 497-8280
Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm

Food Notes for December 12, 2011

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? How about a pair of YEGWOOD treefarer shades? For a chance to win a free pair, just leave a comment on Mack’s blog! On to this week’s food notes:

Cally’s Teas is back! Or at least temporarily starting December 14 until her shop at 10151 82 Avenue is in order. Check out Marianne’s blog for more details.
Great news for the food truck scene this week: Battista’s Calzones bought a truck to debut next summer.
It seems like it’s been in the works for quite some time, but Cactus Club will be opening up a downtown location of their popular casual upscale restaurant on Jasper Avenue and 111 Street.
Twyla reviewed new-ish Mediterranean restaurant Ousia: “Ousia holds promise. The ambiance scores high, as do the appetizers and desserts. The entrees were disappointing but those issues should be easily fixed.” Great to see that the staff commented directly on the blog, too.
Liane shares her favourite dishes of 2011, and asks readers to share their own.
Kevin posted a link to the continuing campaign to protect the agricultural lands in Northeast Edmonton – consider becoming a Friend of Farmers.
There really is an app for everything: just released last week was Big App for Meat by butcher extraordinaire Pat LaFrieda, pitched as the “definitive butcher’s guide to every cut of meat”, with 360-degree interactive rotating meat and videos of butchery. Sounds like a great use of technology.
‘Tis the season for food trends. Here are some great links from Grub Street (keep in mind Edmonton is always behind, if we get the whiff of the trend at all).
Passed by a new forthcoming vegetarian restaurant next to Duchess on 124 Street and 107 Avenue called The Clever Rabbit. Vegetarian seems to be a trend this year, with Noorish having opening up not long ago as well.

The Clever Rabbit (excuse the drive-by photo)

We stopped by the St. Albert Christmas Market on Saturday to pick up a few gifts. There were a few producers present (Irvings, Steve & Dan’s, Erdmann’s, among them), but the majority were crafts and giftware vendors. We saw for the first time Steve & Dan’s sparkling juice – this would be a great non-alcoholic alternative for a local food gift basket.

St. Albert Christmas market

Steve & Dan’s sparkling juice

We couldn’t help but gape at the artificial grass in front of St. Albert Place – we wondered what the justification was – anyone know?

To cap off a busy week at work, Mack and I indulged at La Poutine on Friday night. Nothing beats fries, gravy and squeaky cheese as stress relief!

You can now wear your love of poutine

Quebecois and Surpreme

A Family Favourite: Cô Dô Huê

Every pho enthusiast has their favourite. Mine happens to be Pho Tau Bay for many reasons, but at the top: they are efficient and consistent. It definitely helps that it is the only dish they serve, so due attention can be paid to the soup base.

That said, I’m always open to trying new places, and my parents were eager to share their favourite with the rest of my family. Consequently, when Amanda was back in town in mid-November for her convocation, we headed to Cô Dô Huê one chilly evening for dinner.

Located in a non-descript strip mall in ~~Castledowns~~ Pembina, I would say that Cô Dô Huê could have the status of a hidden gem…except for the fact they had nearly a full house on a random Tuesday.

The interior was clean, pained a restrained shade of green. The patterned, upholstered chairs dated the space a bit, but I did appreciate the booths, including a large, circular one that we eventually settled into. It felt like we could’ve held court on the dining room!

The family!

The first thing I noticed about the menu were the prices – pho (albeit no size options to choose from) were priced at $9.95, about $2 more than the Chinatown restaurants like Pho Tau Bay that I more often frequent. Still, it was the mission of the day to try it, so both Felicia and I ordered our standard bowls: special beef noodle soup for her, and medium rare beef for me.

Mack, who typically shies away from soup, was convinced to select the spicy beef noodle soup (which a few of my parents’ friends claim is the best in the city). Amanda opted for her usual vermicelli bowl, and my parents ordered rice plates. We also agreed to share green onion cakes ($4.95) at my urging.

Three colour rice plate

Four colour rice plate (my dad couldn’t stop raving about the grilled shrimp on sugarcane)

Vermicelli bowl with grilled pork

Food came out quickly, in spite of the full room. The green onion cakes were a hit with the table, fried to a golden perfection. They were even salty enough for me!

Green onion cakes

The pho servings were large, as expected (Felicia barely got halfway through her noodles). The broth was clear, imbued with the familiar flavours of anise and cloves, among others. My beef, shaved thin, also remained tender throughout, and didn’t overcook. The only contentious spot was Felicia’s tendon; it was undercooked, and thus didn’t melt in her mouth as is her preference.

Special beef noodle soup

Medium rare beef noodle soup

Mack also enjoyed his soup (hallelujah!), spicy and full of texture. More importantly, he mentioned that he’d be open to having pho in the future!

Spicy beef noodle soup

Service as a whole was great – servers were attentive, and returned numerous times to check on us and to refill our water. Although I wouldn’t hesitate to dine at Cô Dô Huê again, its location would prevent me from doing so at a regular frequency. But you can bet you’ll be seeing my parents there again soon!

Cô Dô Huê
12819 140 Avenue
(780) 475-2660

The Cooking Chronicles: More with Donna Hay

I hadn’t touched Donna Hay’s No Time to Cook for some time, but when I needed some inspiration for a few quick meals, I knew I would be able to find a dish or two that would pique my interest.

Polenta with Mushrooms and Goat’s Cheese

I clearly haven’t mastered the ratio of water to corn meal yet, as I learned from making a recipe for polenta with mushrooms and goat’s cheese. Instead of the desired creamy consistency, I hadn’t included enough water, so the polenta turned out almost solid in nature.

Thankfully, topped with some sautéed portobello mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and Smoky Valley St. Maure goat cheese, my poorly-made polenta was made somewhat more bearable.

Polenta with mushrooms and goat’s cheese

Still, both Mack and I were left wanting something else – either an additional textural element, or another protein of some kind.

Fennel-crusted Pork

We had better luck with the fennel-crusted pork. We used an Irvings Farm Fresh tenderloin (Mack thinks the word is much more amusing than it should be), sprinkled with fennel, rosemary, salt and pepper and seared until cooked through.

To accompany the pork was some shredded Kuhlmann’s cabbage and green apple cooked with butter, white wine vinegar and brown sugar.

Fennel-crusted pork with cabbage and apple

We really enjoyed the dish – the pork remained perfectly moist and the fennel, as expected, complimented the flavours well. The cabbage was also surprisingly tasty from such quick preparation, and is definitely something we’ll make again, even apart from the pork. On any other day, I would have also added a starch of some kind – potatoes or a side of rice – but that night, I knew we would be heading out to the carb-laden Christmas fete at the Queen of Tarts, so the meat and vegetables were enough.

Thanks to Donna Hay for rarely letting me down!

Food Notes for December 5, 2011

It’s been a bit crazy at work these past few weeks, and for that reason, I’m grateful Mack’s been able to pick up the slack at home. It’s nice to have dinner waiting for you when return home after a long day. On to this week’s food notes:

You may remember soon-to-be-launched food truck Big City Sandwich has been taking over kitchens in restaurants around the city, to generate some income (and buzz) before the summer season. So it’s interesting to see existing truck Nomad do the same, for a similar reason – to tide them over in a city where winters are not necessarily hospitable to year-round vending. Their first dinner will be held at Yellowhead Brewery on December 20, 2011. There might be a few tickets left if you don’t blink!
Also on the evening of December 20, 104 Street businesses will be hosting a customer appreciation day. I’ll link to more information next week, but expect discounts like 10% off nearly everything at deVine’s, 25% off food at Blue Plate Diner, and complimentary treats all day at Queen of Tarts.
Maybe the most exciting news to me this week was finding out that 104 Street really is becoming Edmonton’s artisan coffee district – Roast Coffee will be setting up shop in the Mercer Warehouse on 104 Street and 104 Avenue, to be open some time in 2012. Great to see a small local business set up in the heritage building!
Will Jasper Ave eventually have its own chocolate district (near Kerstin’s Chocolates)? Bernard Callebaut will be opening up a new retail store (with a cafe) on Jasper next year.
Liv wrote about Cafe Coral de Cuba on Whyte Avenue.
The Journal reviewed Nola, the newest Creole restaurant in Edmonton. It’s quite a negative review, with such a different opinion than what others have told me about their experience. I’ll definitely have to check it out myself.
I haven’t been watching Recipe to Riches myself (is it odd to anyone else that Jesse Palmer is the host of that show?), but I know I was wondering if the products were actually worth buying. Foodie McPoon has been trying them all out, week by week, so you can get a second opinion first.
With another Wild Earth open on the west side at 14238 85 Avenue (and another one to come at the Epcor Tower), I wonder if people are confusing that cafe with the similarly-named Good Earth, which is also rapidly expanding?
Smashburger, deemed “America’s most promising company” by Forbes, is expanding to Edmonton. Makes me wonder why Five Guys hasn’t been more aggressive in northern Alberta.
Price check: this is an interesting post on the price comparisons between products at Planet Organic and Earth’s General Store.
Lots of great gift suggestions for the food lover in your life: cookbook recommendations from the NYT, and gadget picks from America’s best chefs.
362 slices and two and a half years later, a man who vowed to eat his way through Manhattan’s pizzerias is now done.
Taste of Lebanon, the second Cafe Beirut location on Jasper Avenue and 112 Street is now open!

Taste of Lebanon/Cafe Beirut

I had no idea Viphalay was moving to the house formerly occupied by Karma 99 Avenue and 105 Street.

Viphalay

Though the second downtown Oodle Noodle is on the horizon, Mack and I headed to the 109 Street and Jasper Avenue location on Friday to help celebrate its 1st birthday. We loved the decorations (who doesn’t love helium-inflated animal balloons?).

Or dragon-shaped cupcakes?

At Ikea this weekend, we stumbled upon the most adorable fruit and vegetable shaped stuffed toys. Mack didn’t have a choice but to pose with his new broccoli friends.

Green is good

Mercury Opera’s 104 Underground (an operascape)

Last Friday, Mercury Opera brought opera to the people – is there any place more democratic than a public transportation platform?

Although the show itself was free (transit operators weren’t checking for fare payments), a $25 ticket gave opera revellers access to some pre-show food and drink at four street-level businesses. I really loved the design of the entire event – from its transformation of an everyday space to a glorious stage, and its recognition and utilization of existing shops.

Given the event started at 6pm on a Friday night, we thought patrons would trickle in, and adoption of an early bird mentality wouldn’t be necessary. We were wrong; by the time we stopped into some of the participating retailers at 7pm, the trays were empty and the pitchers dry.

The crowd at Coup

In hindsight, the expectation of any event starting at 6pm with the promise of alcohol would be accompanying food of some substance (especially with the $25 admission price). Instead, there were platters of cheese and pretzels at deVine’s, and olives and pickles at Coup. We heard 29 Armstrong had been serving croquettes (long gone by the time we arrived), and the Eyecare Group had offered up desserts (also since devoured), but in the end just wondered whether the organizers simply didn’t anticipate the crowds that turned up.

Food at deVine’s

Thankfully for Mack and I, we had both eaten, but happily had some wine at deVine’s, and champagne at the Eyecare Group. People were clearly enjoying themselves, and we almost regretted not arriving at the party earlier.

Ed serving wine at deVine’s

At 8pm, the group was encouraged to head down to the LRT platform to ready for the show. Chairs for the Vif Quartet had been set up at the centre of the platform, and while the crowd eagerly waited for the arrival of the performers (by train, of course), volunteers and peace officers held caution tape in place to make sure all observers remained safe.

A packed platform

The show, in a word, was spectacular. The singers used the circular benches as their stage, and in their gorgeous Natasha Lazarovic gowns (it was as much a fashion show as an opera performance), colours reflecting on the mirrored panels surrounding them, it was a sight to see.

Arriving by train

Stunning

The acoustics were better than expected, and the live musicians that accompanied them elevated the show even more. When trains full of passengers drove past, their aghast and puzzled expressions were priceless – these kinds of things don’t happen in Edmonton, do they?

Encore

When the operascape was over, the performers left as they came – on the train. The void they left was palpable – we didn’t know what to do with ourselves! There should have been an after party to capture the buzz and energy in the air.

Congratulations to Mercury Opera for a fabulous event. I look forward to seeing what they come up with next!

You can read Mack’s post on the event here (including videos of the performance), and take a look at his photo set here.

Food Notes for November 28, 2011

The downtown location of Oodle Noodle is turning one! Help them celebrate this weekend, December 2-4, 2011. This coupon will get you an entree and a drink for just $7, while there will be cupcakes and a magician on hand at noon on December 2.
To help you be a more thorough shopper, Vinomania is offering free wine tastings from their Enosystem over the next three Saturdays from 11am-5pm (December 3, 10 and 17, 2011). You might just pick up a bottle for yourself, too!
Sutton Place Hotel’s annual Taste of Christmas kicks off December 6 and ends on December 16. Make sure to call ahead for a reservation!
Are you ready for a party? The Downtown Edmonton Community League is having a Christmas mixer at the office (10113 104 Street) on December 8 from 7-9pm. If you don’t have a membership yet, they will be selling them at the door for just $5. And with food being catered by Drift, you know it will be a good time.
Twyla reviewed Hakuna Matata, a fairly new Somali restaurant on Alberta Avenue. I’d be interested to try it myself to see how it compares to African Somali, my go-to Somali restaurant.
Marianne offers up a review of Noorish. Seems like most people are at first sceptical, but are quickly converted.
The Journal had a great piece about the trend (and Edmontonians’ hesitation) towards fully embracing the communal table. I remember first encountering one a few years ago in DC – we were apprehensive at first, but found that it was a great way to break bread with strangers.
Sarah Chan, of Girls + Bicycles fame, published a cookbook with her friend Leanne Brown. You can buy a hard copy, but you can also download it for free as well. I love how it is sectioned off into shops/farmers’ markets.
I’ve had Thanksgiving in a bowl, but never in croissant form. It looks delicious.
It’s a little disheartening to read about the food truck crackdowns in Midtown Manhattan. I really hope they find some way to work towards a more conducive solution for everyone.
Did you see the headlines last week about how the US Congress now considers pizza a vegetable? I did too, but it turns out that wasn’t exactly true.
A coworker had her farewell lunch at Khazana last week. I balked when I heard their lunch buffet was priced at nearly $18/person, but clearly this isn’t a problem for most – it was packed! Decent variety and good food, but I’m not sure I would pay that much for a lunch buffet on a regular basis.

The saag paneer was my favourite

I love putting together baskets of food products and trinkets to give as gifts. The Italian Bakery in Chintaown (10646 97 Street) is a great place to go, where last week I spotted a marzipan pig.

Some pig

I can’t wait until the Legislature grounds are all lit up for Christmas (taking place on December 1, which also kicks off the choir and hot cocoa season), but in the mean time, City Hall is looking lovely as well.

Have a good week!

Pyrohy Gluttony: St. John’s Cultural Centre

I’d heard tell that churches across town regularly served up perogies to the carb-starved masses, but I’d never attended one of these pyrohy suppers myself. Until tonight.

After work, a few of my coworkers headed to St. John’s Cultural Centre, within walking distance of the office, to stuff ourselves silly. St. John’s, like many others around Edmonton (including St. Andrew’s and St. Basil’s), offers these suppers on a monthly basis as a regular fundraising opportunity.

I’m not sure why I thought these suppers were a well-kept secret, but given how full the room was that night, it was clear this was a monthly tradition for many. Several tables were reserved, and others were filled with large parties who looked like regulars. And with wine at just $20 a bottle, it was easily one of the cheapest happy hour options in the city.

Not a well-kept secret

For $12 ($10 for seniors and $6 for children aged 6-12), we dined, all-you-can-eat-style, on two kinds of perogies, sauerkraut, roasted pork and Caesar salad. A separate table contained all of the usual perogy fixings – sour cream, bacon bits and (wait for it) sautéed onions in melted butter. I was in love.

Leigh, Sam and Elise load up

The perogies were just what I was looking for – the homemade dough makes all the difference. When we have perogies (from frozen, of course) at home, we typically pan-fry them in butter, but in this case, it would have masked the wonderful texture of the skin. The cottage cheese filling was good, but the potato and onion was definitely my favourite. . The roasted pork on my first go-around was moist and shredded ever so easily, but was a bit dry on my second run.

Plate #1

Dessert and coffee was also available for those who still had room. None of us indulged, partly because of the unidentified nature of the cake, but mostly because that second plate of perogies was probably a mistake.

Dessert

The next few pyrohy suppers at St. John’s are scheduled for December 16, January 27 and February 24. Start thinking about those stretchy pants now!

St. John’s Cultural Centre
10611 110 Avenue
(780) 425-9692

A Christmas Fête at the Queen of Tarts

We’re nearly a month away from Christmas, and with American Thanksgiving now out of the way, I think it’s now appropriate to pull out the decorations to start making merry at home. It was also perfect timing for a Christmas fête at the Queen of Tarts.

Sparking wine and sparkling lights

There’s a lot to celebrate at the Queen of Tarts – this will be their first Christmas at the storefront, and the space will allow the Queen of Tarts to have a greater selection of pantry gifts (including a special Greek olive oil called Parthena – pure and cold-pressed, a sample yielded a light, fruity quality, and a flavour that made it good enough to drink). They will even be putting together baskets to make it easy for the harried shopper!

Gifts for the pantry

Parthena Greek olive oil

The cafe is also kicking off regular dinner service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting on December 1st. And of course, special seasonal items will now start to appear in the bakery cases!

All decked out for the holidays

This evening’s open house was intended as a showcase for these delights, an opportunity to sample both sweet and savoury treats that will be offered over the next few weeks.

The Queen herself, Linda Kearney

Alongside a glass of sparkling wine, we were invited to try nearly ten different delectable desserts and appetizers that any hostess would be proud to serve. Among the more traditional sweets were mincemeat tarts, fruitcake and stollen (the latter was already packaged and ready for patrons to pick up).

Fruitcake and mincemeat tarts

Stollen

The palmiers, a delicate savoury cookie made from buttery puff pastry, simply melted in my mouth. The olive tapenade was a sophisticated addition. As well, mini brioche buns stuffed with mushroom duxelle were also a new item, a wonderful two-bite hors d’oeuvre with the earthiness of the mushrooms (I loved that the shallots retained their crunch) and a touch of sweetness.

Palmiers

Mini brioche buns and Mack’s favourite gougères

One cannot pass up the dessert tray at the Queen of Tarts, and tonight was no exception. The sinfully rich brownies are always a crowd favourite, but the seasonal gingerbread Bundt cakes held their own. I’m not much of a ginger fan, but I enjoyed them, won over by their moist and fragrant interior.

Thunder brownies

Gingerbread Bundt cakes

A big change is coming though – as you may have heard, the Queen of Tarts had organized a contest earlier this fall to help them pick a new name. Linda has finally settled on “Dauphine”, which is the French term for the Queen in waiting. Look for a launch of their new identity soon.

Thanks again to Linda and her staff for hosting the festive open house – it definitely helped get me in the mood for Christmas!

Queen of Tarts Bakery & Bistro
10129 104 Street
(780) 421-4410
Tuesday -Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 8am-6pm

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