Category: food

Food Notes for April 11, 2011

As much as I’m not a fan of rainy days, we really need it to wash away all of the accumulated dirt and sand. So bring on the rain! On to this week’s food notes:

Chopped Leaf

The Chopped Leaf

  • Kathryn and I were able to pop by Battista’s Calzones for lunch last week before a meeting nearby. I am happy to say the meatball calzone was still every bit as delicious as I remembered.

Battista's Calzones

Mama Mia calzone

  • Before our second supper of alley burgers, Amanda, Felicia and I had dinner at Niche (which was reviewed in the Journal this week). It was packed, with many parties turned away, so reservations are a must. The full house didn’t cause service to slip up though (our server was fantastic), and our food arrived promptly. Amanda enjoyed her duck confit, and Felicia the dish of beef cheeks and pasta. I decided to try the braised pork and lentil soup and the bison short ribs. The earthy soup hit the spot, with a hearty texture befitting of a cool, spring evening. The short ribs were good, but in terms of meat satisfaction, I would likely end up ordering the beef cheeks again next time. The three of us shared the salted caramel brownie, and I am happy to say it was much better than the first one I had a few months back. It was warm, with flakes of salt evident underneath the whipped cream. Comfortable but refined, Niche will make a regular out of you!

Niche

Confit of Brome Lake duck with mashed potatoes and lemon thyme gravy

IMG_3149

Braised Spring Creek Ranch beef cheeks in a wild mushroom cream and egg noodles

Niche

Braised pork and lentil soup

Niche

Bison short ribs on white cheddar crostini

Niche

Salted caramel brownie

Niche

With the sisters!

Edmonton’s Own Alley Burger

When an idea is as great as Charcut’s alley burger – involving $5 versions of their upscale burger sold from their back alley door – you know it is just a matter of time before it appears in other cities as well. Edmonton has jumped on the bandwagon, with Century Hospitality Group’s Hundred embracing their back alley to purvey $5 gourmet burgers.

Friday saw the debut of #yegalleyburger, widely publicized in both the Journal and Metro. For that reason, I figured it would be best to line up early, just in case, so we joined the line-up of half a dozen people at 9pm.

IMG_3158

Felicia and Amanda made sure to dress for the weather

Hundred’s alley was without a dumpster, patrolling security guards, or the threat of passing cars, so it provided a bit of a different experience than standing in line outside Charcut. But perhaps the biggest disparity was the lack of devices and cameras being used. Sure, there were a few people snapping photographs and updating their statuses, but relatively few when compared with that night in Calgary.

IMG_3160

The line at about 9:15

Eventually, there grew to be about 30-40 people standing in line, eagerly awaiting the back door to open. A few minutes before 9:30, Chef Andrew Cowan appeared, trading $5 for a Century Hospitality Group poker chip that would guarantee the bearer a burger.

photo

Doesn’t it look like a shady exchange?

IMG_3162

Winnings!

The kitchen was on top of things, as the burgers started coming out right at 9:30. We grabbed our burgers, loosely wrapped in paper, and headed back to the warmth of the condo.

IMG_3168

#yegalleyburger

It was well worth the wait – the patty was well cooked, with a ton of flavour, and the duck egg was a nice touch, but what the three of us were most drawn to was the peppery hit of the arugula. I’m sure that even Mack, ever the rocket-hater, would have enjoyed it as a fresh counterpoint to the beef. On that note – Jerry posted a video of his friend devouring a burger – warning: don’t watch it while hungry!

We read later on Twitter that some people were turned away, so if you are planning on snagging one next week, make sure to get there early! It was fun, Hundred – looking forward to the next one already!

Follow @cheftonyle, @chefcowan and @chefpshoey to find out the details of the next #yegalleyburger!

Food Notes for April 4, 2011

I love that it is again warm enough to open up our windows. There is something so comforting about being able to hear the downtown soundscape from our condo. On to this week’s food notes:

  • The Alley Burger comes to Edmonton: Liane posted that Century Hospitality Group will indeed start the back alley tradition here – starting this Friday.
  • Chris reviewed the new restaurant Nomiya last week. Looks like a great place to share food!
  • See Magazine reviewed Bistro India, the newest restaurant serving south Indian cuisine in the city.
  • Cathy paid a visit to the relocated Japanese Village that, in her words, is now “nearer Red Deer.” Heh.
  • Avenue Edmonton interviewed the city’s brisket superstar, Rand Petersen (aka “Bubba” of Bubba’s BBQ and Smoke House) for their April 2011 issue (I will link to it when it goes online). I have to say I’m a bit disappointed that he won’t be moving around much, or at least to a location where it is a tad more transit accessible.
  • Castledowns Farmers’ Market celebrates their grand opening on April 6, from 4-8pm (via Liane).
  • On the heels of Top Chef All Stars (loved who won, by the way), comes the first season of Top Chef Canada, which starts on April 11. To get you through the week – check out Sherene’s  interview with host Thea Andrews.
  • Canned tomatoes and beans are a great weekday shortcut for me, but the more I read about the prevalence of BPA in the plastic liners, the more I think we should be eliminating canned foods from our pantry.
  • The WSJ had an interesting piece about how small businesses are having to be shrewd in order to keep from losing money when offering online coupon deals.
  • I couldn’t help but think of Ellen and Jill when I read about NY’s newest “build your own sushi” joint (can you say Doritos sushi?). Finally, sushi I’d be interested in! Heh.
  • How cute are these retro lunch boxes from Old Navy?

Lunchboxes

I’m a pepper!

  • While on the LRT on the weekend, we spotted an ad for Urban Diner. Loved the idea of stains communicating their range of dishes!

Live Fast, Dine Hard

Urban Diner ad

  • We were happy to see Pat at the City Market on Saturday. She will be at every other City Hall market. She was also happy to announce that Ocean Odyssey also launched their website!

City Market

Pat of Ocean Odyssey Inland

  • After the Taste of Bourbon on Wednesday, Mack and I grabbed a bite at Cactus Club. My original intention was to dine on the butternut squash ravioli, but I was swayed by the idea of Korean lettuce wraps ($14.75), while Mack ordered flatbread with tomatoes, feta and a balsamic glaze ($10.50). The pork and pickled vegetables were lovely, but forming the wraps using the iceberg lettuce leaves weren’t quite as elegant or as easy as I had hoped. Still tasty though!

Taste of Bourbon

Korean lettuce wraps

Taste of Bourbon

Flatbread

  • Mack and I headed to L’Azia for the Edmonton Champions after party on Thursday. My wine on an empty stomach ordered the gyoza (a pricey $6.95) instead of the siu mai. They were all right, but we expected them to be filled to the brim with goods, and not the half-empty pockets that they were. Especially for $1.40 a pop.

L'Azia

Gyoza

  • The GalaGuru that Mack and I attended on Friday at the AGA featured a burger bar (with choice of bison, beef or turkey patties, with an assortment of condiments and cheeses)! We loved the round, stylish chafing dishes.

Burger Bar!

  • Did you know New York Fries is now offering two new poutine varieties? Instead of the traditional gravy, how about a mild butter chicken sauce with your cheese curds? Or, a red wine sauce and angus beef? We tried the former (though the latter reminded us of the upscale poutine we had last year at Madison’s Grill). Though the chicken was a little dry, it actually wasn’t half bad.

Butter Chicken Poutine

Butter chicken poutine

Serving the “Mack Burger”: Loungeburger

Before we realized we’d even have a shot at getting our mitts on an Alley Burger while in Calgary, we were craving beef. A quick search on Chowhound led us to Loungeburger, an upscale casual joint whose lineage we couldn’t help but link with Edmonton’s Delux.

It was insanely packed – or maybe it has just been a while since we had to compete for seats during the Saturday night rush hour. The restaurant does accept reservations (which, of course, we did not have), but curiously also honoured reservations in their so-described first come, first served lounge. We waited about half an hour before being ushered to a table.

As mentioned, Loungeburger falls into the genre of restaurants popularized by Joey’s, Earls and Cactus Club, sharing the traits of pulsating background music, dim lights, and servers in form-fitting clothing. But perhaps because of its burger-forward menu, this restaurant also seemed to draw its share of families with young children.

The dining room, dressed in all wood and shades of brown, was not appealing. My friend Jill would have called it regretful feng shui, but to me, it just did not have a sense of flow – with oddly placed columns, a raised enclosure in the centre of the space, and a poorly planned combination of open tables and booths, I couldn’t help but think they should have consulted the designers of Local Public Eatery (a great example of how to combine the best of booth and table worlds). Thankfully, the food didn’t reflect our opinion of the décor.

Though Loungeburger isn’t quite a one-note restaurant (they do offer a range of appetizers and non-burger options), their burger menu is mighty impressive. Not only are there eighteen different burgers, but with the possibility of customizing your own, the true count is endless. They also serve six kinds of fries, alongside ten different dipping sauces (at extra charge).

The lounger ($23) Mack chose was made for him– with a 1/2 pound blend of Kobe and triple A beef stuffed with applewood smoked cheddar and bacon (two of his favourite things!), it’s a wonder his photo wasn’t on the menu itself. And boy, did it live up to his expectations – it was a hefty burger, with an acceptable amount of grease, and in between bites of bacon, beef and cheese, Mack declared it “money.”

Loungeburger

The Lounger with homestyle fries

Loungeburger

Mack digs in

My burger was a little more straightforward – I embraced the opportunity to try a Kobe beef burger ($21), sandwiched between Loungeburger’s pretzel bun. It was a satisfying meal, but for me, nothing really out of the ordinary. The beef had a nice rounded flavour, and like Mack’s patty, had a perfectly charred crust. I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to distinguish the Kobe from any other type of beef. I was also expecting a little more from the pretzel bun – it certainly looked good, with a twisted top and a nice sheen. And though its dense interior was able to hold together with the assault of the patty’s juices, it reminded neither of us of a pretzel. The curly fries were the best of the two kinds we ordered, and tasted like those served at Arby’s.

Loungeburger

Kobe beef burger with curly fries

Service was steady, and our waitress deserved props for her efforts to try and fix our wobbly table. Based on that, and the fact that they didn’t disappoint on their namesake dishes, we would definitely return. Especially on nights when the Alley Burger isn’t in session.

Loungeburger
#270, 14 Avenue SE, Macleod Trail South, Calgary
(403) 250-2747

Culinary Q & A with Karlynn

thekitchenmagpieOccupation: stay at home mom who gets out in the evenings/weekends once in a while to work at a hospital here in Edmonton.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast was french toast made with my homemade 8 grain bread, maple syrup and blueberry/strawberry fruit salad, A&W onion rings and a root beer for lunch, (I know, I know). For some end of the day recuperation I had a mini cupcake from Bliss (I just brought them home from Calgary) and a glass of white wine.  My late supper was spinach salad with strawberries/toasted almonds/vinaigrette and a tuna sandwich on same homemade bread, with more of that white wine.  Throw in a banana, mini carrots, cucumber..and that about covers it. I also foresee some popcorn with butter in my future tonight since it’s movie night at home with the husband.

What do you never eat? We try not to eat anything with hydrogenated oil in it, we’ve cut it out of our diets completely, even my son now reads labels to check for “the bad oil”. After cutting it out for so many years, it truly makes our stomachs ill if we eat a product containing it now.

What is your personal specialty?

Desserts, I think I am a little of a scone fanatic, actually. I must have more than a dozen recipes for scones on my site, all my favorite in some way.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Butter, fresh fruit and wine. What that says about me, I have yet to figure out.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Winter: spaghetti sauce with ground steak hidden in it (so my “vegetarian” son gets protein) over whole wheat pasta. Don’t worry, he doesn’t have moral issues concerning meat, just texture. He has no problem inhaling deep fried fatty chicken nuggets, but doesn’t believe me when I tell him that’s not eating vegetarian.

Summer: toasted tomato sandwiches on homemade bread with tomatoes from my garden or a simple Greek seasoned chick pea salad with same garden tomatoes,cucumbers, olive oil and feta.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My KitchenAid mixer, hands down.It whips icing, mixes cookies, grinds meat, makes pasta….and it’s purty. It also takes up so little space compared to the return of what it does, I hate kitchen clutter, so an all-in-one works for me. Oh, wait, or my bread machine, until I am down to driving my kids once in the morning and once in the afternoon instead of three daily trips, hand made bread is not entering my food world. I love that I can set it to have hot, fresh bread done right when we wake up in the morning. You sure won’t see me up at 4 am kneading dough!

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.   A make your own sundae buffet with the kids and Mr Magpie, ice cream, brownies, chocolate and sauces and whipped cream galore. Everything I don’t allow them to eat on a regular basis, because if it’s my last meal, I want to spend it with them. Maybe some duck leg confit from the Hardware Grill…it seems to be permeating my food dreams lately….

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Daawat‘s on Whyte Ave, I can’t get enough of their vegetable or chicken Korma with a side of coconut naan. Heavenly hot spicy cream sauce and sweet honey coconut flavor at the same time.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton? Kevin Kossowan’s house. However, my opinion may change at any moment, Valerie hasn’t had me over yet.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

The only thing I really can bemoan in this area is the lack of fresh seafood and having it as integral a part of the markets here as it is in coastal towns. Not that it would do me any good, as I am the only seafood lover in my family.

Karlynn blogs at The Kitchen Magpie.

West Edmonton Mall’s Taste of Bourbon

When I hear the words “taste of”, my mind immediately drifts to the concrete surface that is Churchill Square, remembering the wafting smell of fryer oil, barbecue, and the excited chatter of summer revellers enjoying one of Edmonton’s most popular festivals. Could this formula be replicated elsewhere, namely, within the confines of a shopping complex?

Taste of Bourbon

Taste of Bourbon

West Edmonton Mall is giving it a shot, with an event called Taste of Bourbon. This year sees its second incarnation, with 14 restaurants (most of them located right on Bourbon Street)participating. Sampling tickets were priced at $1 each, with the evening also boasting live entertainment and cooking demonstrations.

Taste of Bourbon

Bourbon Street

Mack and I were lucky enough to get a voucher redeemable for $25 worth of tickets, and unlike last year, were actually free to attend. We encountered a very busy Bourbon Street, benches overflowing with people enjoying their small plates.

Taste of Bourbon

The Hooters mascot

Scanning the menu, the dishes ranged in price from 2 to 6 tickets, averaging 4 tickets in price. Each restaurant offered up to four different dishes, most of which seemed to be samples taken from their regular menu.

Taste of Bourbon

Beard Papa was the odd booth out, as they were handing out free samples (which of course, we graciously accepted)

We dove right in – the alligator popcorn (6 tickets) and grilled cheese lollipops (6 tickets) from The Red Piano were easily the most appealing dishes being offered. We found the alligator to be slightly chewy, but the breading made up for it somewhat. The lollipops seemed to be a bit of false advertising to us – they really were deep fried balls of cheese – tasty, but not what we were expecting.

Taste of Bourbon

Alligator popcorn

Taste of Bourbon

Grilled cheese lollipops

Mack wanted to try the Creole crab and scallop cake from Moxie’s (4 tickets). It wasn’t spiced as aggressively as he would have liked, but it satisfied his craving for seafood.

Taste of Bourbon

Mack and his Creole crab and scallop cake

Mr. Mike’s crackling sirloin steak bites (4 tickets) sounded interesting to me, but just turned out to just be their version of dry ribs, served with a ranch sauce. It was tasty, albeit not too exciting, but like much of the food served at the event, was chosen for its crowd-pleasing nature.

Taste of Bourbon

Crackling sirloin steak bites

We rounded off our sampling with a serving of taquitos and rice from Jungle Jim’s (5 tickets). It was a hefty serving, with four taquitos over a bed of rice. The rice was bland, and though I would have liked crispier taquitos, they were all right.

Taste of Bourbon

Taquitos and rice

We caught a bit of Chef Shane Chartrand (of L2 Grill) on the makeshift stage. He was about to flambé a dish – something necessarily flashy to draw in the passing crowds.

Taste of Bourbon

Chef Chartrand

Noticeably missing from the list of participating restaurants was Earls and Cactus Club Cafe. Given both establishments were bursting at the seams, with extensive lines of patrons outside, it was obvious such a promotional opportunity wasn’t necessary for either, but that seemed to be beside the point of Taste of Bourbon. Bourbon Street is essentially one large dining hall – if one restaurant is full, it is an easy enough just to head next door.

That said, given most of the restaurants have multiple locations and/or are chains, with the exception of Fantasyland Hotel, L2 Grill and The Red Piano, a majority of the dishes served were fairly pedestrian, and can be found on menus at restaurants all over the city. Thus, Taste of Bourbon just can’t have the draw that something like the Taste of Edmonton would have, where many independent restaurants participate, in a setting that isn’t easily replicated indoors.

Still, it was a fun evening, and one I would partake in again, but perhaps not go out of my way to visit.

For the Love of Sharing: Taste

Some time ago, Bruce and Sarah recommended that Mack and I try Taste, the next time we were in Calgary. Located in the same building as Hotel Arts (which we stayed at the last time we were in Calgary), we were sorry to have missed it, but vowed not to make the same mistake again.

It was just a short walk from our hotel, just south of the Fairmont, but because of their subtle signage, we really had to know what to look for. The dining space was probably slightly larger than Corso 32 in Edmonton, but had a similar vibe, intimate and laid-back. There were a mix of table options: high, bar-height arrangements, most of them open for communal dining; banquet seating against the window; and where we ultimately decided to sit – at the bar.

Similar to our experience at The Slanted Door, our choice was affirmed by the friendly and knowledgeable bartender (it was also neat to get a peek behind the counter – where the Flames game was being live-streamed on a laptop). The bartender filled us in on the monthly overhaul of the wine list, changed to keep things fresh – it could be based around a region or type of grape, for example.

The menu at Taste is built upon the idea of small plates meant to be shared, a concept that might be a dime a dozen at the moment. What sets Taste apart, however, is the fact that their kitchen (if one could call it that) consists of a few hot plates, and nothing more. Perched at the bar, we had a great view of the kitchen masters, churning out dish after dish, unhampered – and unfazed – by their cubbyhole workspace and its lack of standard appliances.

Taste

The kitchen (my apologies for the terrible/lack of photos – we were playing with Mack’s new camera, which you would think would result in better photos, but this was the outcome of a combination of poor lighting and setting unfamiliarity)

The duck meatballs ($15) were served with crispy spaghetti – their version of spaghetti and meatballs. It was our favourite dish of the night, fatty and flavourful, with just the right amount of whimsy. We thought the duck would also make a great slider patty, sandwiched between a tiny brioche bun.

Mack also really enjoyed the mac n’ cheese ($10) with aged cheddar and parmesan. It wasn’t as rich as some we’ve had in recent memory, but we liked the crunchy topping.

The mini beef tacos ($15) were a great idea in theory, but just didn’t work for me. The crispy wonton shells shattered into pieces at first bite, and though the beef tataki was well seasoned, the texture, combined with the carrot slaw and the crumbled wonton skins, wasn’t appealing. Mack didn’t mind these so much.

Taste

Mini beef tacos

The gnocchi ($10) were nice and light, perfect little bites that convinced me that pasta actually could work well in small portions. But though I loved the fragrant top notes of the truffle oil, it completely overwhelmed the wild mushrooms.

We sprung for the most adorable dessert – three different creme brulees served in three tiny ramekins. Between the lemon, lime and blueberry, with nicely caramelized tops, we both preferred the lime custard.

The menu changed on March 7, and has been reviewed by a slew of Calgary food bloggers, who were invited for a, erm, taste (they also have photos that you can actually discern). In addition, they offer fun weekly events such as a discounted menu on Tuesdays, and sausage party Thursdays – how can one pass that up?

Taste
1210 1st Street SW
(403) 233-7730
Monday-Saturday 11:30-late

Food Notes for March 28, 2011

With a little over a month to go, Eat Alberta has sold 50 tickets! There are still 10 available though, so don’t be discouraged. On to this week’s food notes:

  • Great to see West Edmonton Mall is continuing with their Taste of Bourbon Street. The second annual sampling is taking place this Wednesday, March 30 from 4-9pm. In addition to eats, you can also look forward to cooking demonstrations.
  • Want to learn more about the birds and the bees? Well, urban chicken coops and hives, that is. A presentation on April 21, 2011 at the Stanley Milner Library will be discussing the basics of keeping urban bees and backyard chickens, and how to ensure these options are available in the city. Patty Milligan (Lola Canola) and Laura Klassen Russell and Dr. Lori Hanson (from the River City Chickens Collective) will be presenting.
  • Brooke checked out the Beard Papa outlet that opened in recent months at WEM.
  • There was a great feature on Kevin Kossowan in the Journal this week, capturing a wild game cooking demonstration he hosted with Taste Tripping.
  • In an effort to expand relationships with local producers, Lux will be introducing a series of 3-course “From Market to Table” dinners in May, inspired by ingredients found at the City Market. The Century Hospitality Group as a whole is also going to start sourcing sustainably-fished Ocean Wise seafood.
  • Speaking of the Century Hospitality Group, they hosting their own in-house Top Chef-style tournament! Pretty cool.
  • This is an interesting thread about the heightened need to accommodate food allergies – how far is too far? On a related note, here’s a great TED Talk from a woman who wanted to pinpoint the cause of an increasing number of food allergies after her youngest child began reacting to food.
  • The NYT had a great piece about veggie burgers finally coming into their own.
  • So many food shows, so little time: watch for the first of two food-truck related series to debut on Food Network Canada on April 6, called Eat St. The show will highlight some of the best trucks in North America.
  • I passed a new Japanese restaurant on 105 Avenue and 101 Street over the weekend. It didn’t appear to be open yet though (but I could be wrong).

Yakitori Grill

Yakitori Grill

  • I noticed that Shine Bistro (in the Citadel Theatre complex) is now Vicki’s Gourmet Bistro & Catering. Anyone been yet?

Vicki's

Vicki’s

  • La Poutine has their signage up! Their website has been changed to say their opening can be expected for April. I hope so – can’t wait for poutine!

La Poutine

La Poutine

  • But until then…Route 99 is still our go-to place for poutine, even if it isn’t authentic. And nothing says welcome back to Edmonton like comfort food (Mack was in London last week).

Route 99

Mmm…

  • It was a rather blustery, grey week in Edmonton. Perfect for a warming bowl of pho!

Pho Tau Bay

Pho Tau Bay

The No Line Brunch: Big Fish

In perusing Chowhound threads to determine a brunch spot while in Calgary last month, I came across the suggestion of Big Fish, a restaurant run by the same folks behind the ever-popular Diner Deluxe. Posters commented about the restaurant’s under-the-radar quality, meaning that one could snag a seat without a gratuitous wait. We were sold.

Arriving at Big Fish on a Saturday morning, we got exactly what we expected – a table upon arrival. (other pluses – the restaurant has a decent-sized parking lot, and even takes reservations). There were two other parties when we sat down, but the restaurant was no more than half-full during our stay.

Big Fish

Interior

The dining room was flush with natural light, and cozy, with well-worn wooden furniture. I could easily see why the family seated behind us had chosen this as the venue for a birthday celebration – in many ways, it felt like eating in a friend’s kitchen, laid-back and comfortable. The service mirrored the room, friendly but relaxed (and our coffee mugs were never empty!).

In spite of the restaurant’s name, Big Fish does have a few brunch options devoid of seafood. I chose two of them. First, the wild mushroom, truffle, basil and white cheddar scramble on duck confit hash ($15). It was a rich, filling dish (my first time enjoying duck for breakfast), with a generous cap of melted cheese on top. The pea shoots were a nice touch, but I was hoping for something more than smashed, boiled potatoes for the hash.

Big Fish

Wild mushroom, truffle, basil and white cheddar scramble on duck confit hash

The second was due to my indecisiveness, and a bit of a Gilmore Girls moment – the Urban Baker raisin brioche French toast with orange curd and maple syrup sounded too good to pass up, and the server said it was all right to order just a slice. And yes, it was worth the indulgence, the citrus providing just the right burst of freshness to balance out the butter and syrup.

Big Fish

French toast with orange curd and maple syrup

Mack ordered the eggs benedict with dungeness crab ($14). Like me, he would have preferred crispy potatoes, but he did say that the smashed potatoes willingly soaked up the runny yolks. And the most telling picture of all: he finished his plate.

Big Fish

Eggs benedict with dungeness crab

It’s odd, the line that separates brunch from lunch. While that line is formed to some degree by the time of day, day of the week, and menu items, atmosphere also plays a big factor, at least for us.  Though the food was solid at Big Fish, the space just didn’t have that buzz, that intangible weekend zest for life that our favourite restaurants do. Half the fun of brunch is the people-watching, after all! For that reason, though it’s probably not rational to choose line-ups over reservations, unless we needed to secure a table in advance, you’ll likely find us back at Dairy Lane or Over Easy instead.

Big Fish
1112 Edmonton Trail Northeast
(403) 277-3403

The Quest for Okonomiyaki: Ichiban

The original reason Ellen and I had decided to dine at Mikado late last year was two-fold: she had wanted me to try sushi (the raw kind), but we had also heard that they apparently offered okonomiyaki (a Japanese pancake) off-menu.

Though Mikado ended up not serving okonomiyaki, Ellen did finally track down a restaurant that does serve it – Ichiban on the west end, located in the same strip mall as Bon Ton Bakery. We made a date with Jill for dinner there two weeks back, mostly so we could finally share that elusive okonomiyaki.

It was surprisingly busy for a Monday night, but Ichiban had the vibe of being a go-to neighbourhood restaurant – nothing fancy decor-wise, but clean and comfortable, with a mix of booths and tables to choose from. We opted to share a number of small dishes, which, short of going the bento box/udon route, seems to be the ideal way to dine at Japanese establishments.

We started with a dish probably the furthest from my comfort zone – an order of sunrise maki ($9.95), rolls comprised of shrimp tempura, tobiko and fresh salmon and tuna. The battered shrimp was an interesting addition, and enveloped by a ring of rice, could have been the sort of one-bite appetizer served at an upscale cocktail function, but for me, the raw element was again a stumbling block. Here, the difference in temperatures between the tempura and the salmon just highlighted my aversion further. I hated disappointing Jill and Ellen though, especially knowing how much they love sushi, and want for me to love it too.

Ichiban

Sunrise maki

The rest of the meal was rounded out by other small plates that would definitely have a wider appeal. Kara-age tofu ($4.50) remains one of my new favourite Japanese discoveries – a lightly fried shell giving way to silky tofu within. The oyster ponzu ($6.50) was a little less successful, with a bit too much breading impeding on the taste of the oyster itself. And how can anyone not love tempura ($10.95)? Ichiban seemed to do a particularly good job – light and crisp, it didn’t feel like as much of a guilty pleasure as it should have been. We also thought the restaurant was quite generous in its serving, with a number of shrimp to go around.

Ichiban

Kara-age tofu

Ichiban

Oyster ponzu

Ichiban

Tempura

But of course, the main event was the okonomiyaki ($7.95), a savoury pancake of sorts which could include a variety of fillings. In Ichiban’s case, it was dried shrimp, cabbage and bacon, worked into the batter, then fried. Given this was my first encounter with this dish, I chose to defer my judgement to Jill and Ellen. They said that they were used to puffier versions, and said the kitchen should have included more cabbage. They were also hoping for a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise on top. In all, we enjoyed it, but we agreed that it wasn’t worth going out of your way to seek.

Ichiban

Okonomiyaki

Service was good but nothing exceptional – food arrived at a fair clip, and our server checked in on us every so often. But while we enjoyed our meal at Ichiban, the experience left us with the same feeling that the okonomiyaki did – we’d likely only visit again if we were already in the neighbourhood.

Of course, I’m thankful to have friends that are willing to push me to try new things, friends that ultimately put up with my stubborn palate. We even have our next Japanese adventure already planned: shabu-shabu!

Ichiban
8750 149 Street
(780) 481-5252