Category: food

A New Addition to Edmonton’s Culinary Blogosphere

I’ve mentioned on this blog that the last six months have been a bustling one in Edmonton’s online food scene. A number of voices have joined the fray recently, and I do believe the more the merrier – everyone has a unique perspective on food, and there is seemingly an unlimited number of topics to cover, even in a city the size of ours.

A new blog began today, one I had been anticipating for some time. Eat My Words is Liane Faulder’s contribution to the blogosphere, where she will be documenting food highlights that don’t make it into the Journal. Her first two posts include tidbits about a bakery she visited during a recent Mexican vacation, a Dine Alberta dinner, and cupcakes she purchased from Flirt Cupcakes.

When I met Liane for lunch back in November, she indicated that she would be starting a blog in the new year. At that time, she asked me why I avoided posting short entries, as she thought immediacy was one of the handiest features of a blog. While it works best for me to gather the brief tidbits together in my weekly notes posts (giving it more substance, somehow), I expect Liane to share concise thoughts or experiences now and then.

I think the Journal Bistro writer entering the food blogging world in Edmonton is a positive step – I believe it will bring more awareness and readership to the blogs already in existence (Liane has started a blogroll, and also linked to some online resources).

Welcome to the blogosphere, Liane. I look forward to reading your posts!

Food Notes for March 9, 2009

Lots to share this week! Let’s get to it:

  • One of the concurrent sessions at the food security conference I wished I could have attended was about the recently completed “Cost of Eating in Alberta” report. It was released this week, and the findings aren’t surprising: though the acceptable portion of one’s income to be spent on food is 15%, the report found that some households were spending upwards of 32% on food. Read more here.
  • My piece on the Sabetghadam family behind Whyte Ave’s Sabzy Cafe was published this week in Vue Weekly. Vue also printed reviews of two relatively new restaurants – 100 and Culina Highlands.
  • Liane finally continued her series that sees local chefs promoting their favourite blocks to shop. This week, Koutouki’s Chris St. Denis introduced 124th Street to readers.
  • Local designer Lea Alcantara has created a page to try and answer the age-old question – is Tau Bay open?
  • Also mentioned at the conference was Augustana Campus’s 100-mile cookie challenge, where all but one of the cookie recipe’s ingredients must come from within 100 miles of Camrose.
  • Sometimes I like reading about the means and not just the ends to those means, and the Transcend Coffee blog is the perfect example of this. I love Poul’s recent post on how they are changing the way they sell their coffee, reflecting the learning that has gone on. Customers really reap the benefit of their passion and their willingness to share their growing knowledge base.
  • The Globe had a story this week about pay-what-you-can restaurant menus popping up all over the world in the face of the global recession. While I don’t think local restaurants will go down this path any time soon, Manor Cafe is offering $30 3-course prix fixe meals after 5pm Sundays to Wednesdays. Now it starts.
  • It’s always nice when local businesses get national recognition – Sylvan Star Gouda was featured in the Globe this week.
  • The Go Organic Cookbook I wrote about two weeks ago can be ordered online after March 11. It features profiles and recipes of 55 local producers. At just $20, it’s a worthwhile purchase.
  • I mentioned in February that Ruth Reichl is on Twitter. It turns out there are many other well-known food personalities on Twitter, including the NYT’s Mark Bittman. Eater has also started a new series called “A Movable Tweet: the latest from the industry Twitterati”. On the subject of Twitter and restaurants, I do think Soul Soup could benefit from using the service – they could Tweet their daily selection of soups, and remind local followers that they should be kept in mind as a lunch option!
  • As seen in the latest edition of City Palate, Lola Canola has started a monthly newsletter on bees and honey. E-mail Patty Milligan to be added onto the list.
  • The City of Vancouver just approved the keeping of backyard chickens. Will Edmonton (being lobbied by the River City Chicken Collective) be next?
  • You may remember Todd Babiak’s article about the disruptive television screens in the city’s bars. It seems that while television-less bars in New York are a dying breed, there are a few that remain committed to maintaining a venue for conversation and entertainment without a screen.
  • Starbucks began offering their value meals in the U.S. last week. For $3.95, customers could get a tall coffee and their choice of an egg sandwich, Perfect Oatmeal, or a slice of coffee cake (Serious Eats gives the egg sandwich a thumbs up). I hope something similarly priced debuts in Canada soon!
  • On the heels of thisiswhyyourefat, another viral, visual site: scanwiches.
  • An interesting blog post in the Village Voice about the proliferation of the tip jar, and the way some establishments try to guilt customers into filling them.

The Cooking Chronicles: Fried Rice

Fried rice is a dish I was a little afraid to make on my own. As my Mum’s versions have always been so tasty, I figured that my own attempt would never live up to her standard.

In an effort to use up some leftover rice in the fridge, however, I picked up some BBQ pork in Chinatown on Friday (at Tasty BBQ, 10632 97 Street, 780-428-3383) and asked my Mum for a few pointers. She advised me to scramble the eggs first, take them out, then fry up the onions and pork. Next, she told me to add the rice, peas, cooked eggs, and heat them through. Lastly, I was to season the mixture with salt and white pepper.

I did exactly as I was told, and was very happy with the result. The pork was a tad dry (not sure if the fact that the pork sat in the fridge overnight influenced this), but other than that, it tasted very similar to my Mum’s rice.

 

Fried Rice

I will definitely be making this again. Thanks Mum for the guidance!

Five for Foodies: Solo Dining

I would have preferred the name “Listage” for this semi-regular series, but realized that Eater already had a lock on that word. So instead, we have “Five for Foodies”, which will catalogue a handful of establishments that excel in a particular category, or offer something unique in the city’s culinary scene.

To start, I thought I would chronicle my five favourite places to dine solo. Often, my rationale behind eating alone is to get some work done, but other times I am consciously choosing a space that will allow me to relax amongst low-key surroundings. My bias as well, being without a vehicle, are restaurants in walkable areas of Edmonton and that are conveniently connected to public transit.

So in no particular order, here are my personal picks for solo-friendly eateries:

  • Shine Bistro (9828 101A Avenue) – I discovered this gem of a restaurant back in 2007. Tucked away in the Citadel Theatre complex in the shadow of Canada Place, Shine is a charming cafe-style eatery with local art on the walls. Their mainstays of soups and sandwiches aren’t unique, but the kitchen is consistent and service is brisk. My only complaint is that they are only open on weekdays until 3pm.
  • Leva (11053 86 Avenue) – Between their thin-crust pizzas and fantastic paninis, at some point I thought the cafe owners had me in mind when they designed their menu. I love the marble tables, the chic chandelier, and their shelf of interesting reads. Of course, their devotion to local producers doesn’t hurt either.
  • Blue Plate Diner (10145 104 Street) – my oft-cited favourite, it’s also my default solo dining destination. Nothing’s cosier than their brick wall, hardwood floor, and tabletop lamps. I never feel rushed, and their Friday Night Dinner specials are a  nice bonus.
  • Three Bananas Cafe (9918 102 Avenue) – this cafe is as central as it gets, as it is situated right on Churchill Square. It’s typically packed during warm weather festival season, but it’s a great place for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee all year round. I’m a sucker for their pepperoni and mushroom pizza, while the floor-to-ceiling windows are good for people-watching.
  • Hoang Long (10715 – 98 Street) – there’s nothing like musing over a bowl of beef noodle soup, and Hoang Long, which is just a short jaunt away from my office, has provided many a pho escape. I find the minimal decor soothing, and the sound level, even on a busy day, controlled. The large wooden tables are also the perfect reading surface for a newspaper. Unfortunately, the Chinatown location of Hoang Long has been closed for several months due to staff shortages – I hope they are able to reopen soon.

A La Carte For The Win: Normand’s

Eater is always an entertaining website, but in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, it was even more so. They had dubbed V-Day “Black Saturday”, as many restaurants predictably offered only very expensive prix fixe menus and nothing else, leaving diners at the mercy of establishments. Eater made sure to ridicule some of the more ridiculous Valentine’s Day offers, and also, to help readers spend wisely, posted lists of restaurants that continued to offer their regular menu in the face of “Black Saturday” temptation.

Well, back in Edmonton, we found the same phenomenon – many of our favourite restaurants were guilty of this. While I understand the desire to streamline the kitchen and make service more efficient, do the majority of people really need (or want) a four or five-course meal (especially one priced at upwards of $150)? It seems excessive, and a money-grabbing ploy, and we made sure we weren’t a part of it.

Mack let me choose the restaurant, and I decided to go with the elusive Normand’s (11639A Jasper Avenue NW). The only thing I knew about the restaurant was that they served game, and that they had been a fixture on Jasper Avenue for many years. I had called to make a reservation back in mid-January – at that time, the earliest seating we were offered was 8pm; we found out when we got to the restaurant that they had lined up reservations until 10:30pm that night.

Normand’s

The host was efficient – after taking our coats, he led us up a few stairs to a table in the corner. It gave us a fairly nice view of the tiered space, but was unfortunately placed near the bustling bar where orders were being placed a mile a minute, and near the kitchen where orders were streaming out on a continuous basis.

The interior reminded me of a cross between Le Table de Renoir and Bistro Praha – framed Renoir prints were hung on the stucco walls, and the plaster arches that divided the dining room aged the space at least twenty years. It was nice enough, but Normand’s could use a makeover, or at least an update.

We were given the choice of their regular menu, or a four-course Valentine’s Day special. The latter was tempting, given the decent price point ($54.95 per person for soup, salad, one of three entrees, and chocolate fondue to share), but none of the mains listed caught our eye. So a la carte it was.

As someone always taken by the mushroom soup option, I elected for the wild mushroom cream ($7.50), while the tomato basil soup du jour ($6.75) appealed to Mack. For our main courses, we deviated as we usually do – Mack went straight for the lobster and scallops mornay ($33.95), and I, still on a duck kick, opted for the Lac Brome Roast Duck ($30.95).

I was expecting the soup course to be fairly generous, as the price of a bowl wasn’t cheap, and Normand’s delivered. The cream soup (which is apparently one of the restaurant’s most well-known dishes) was rich, but not overly so. I thought it was better than the thicker puree I tried at Red Ox a few weeks ago, but it was still nothing exceptional. Mack enjoyed his soup, and there was definitely a roast garlic kick to it.

Tomato Basil Soup

Our mains arrived fairly promptly – Normand’s definitely had the air of a well-oiled machine. My dish had a bit of fanfare to it – not content to just serve either breast or leg, I received both in a small pot. Our server transferred the leg onto my plate, and helped me spoon some of the cranberry and orange port wine sauce over top of it. Mack’s mornay, in comparison, was quite a bit smaller, but drenched in a shallot white wine cream sauce, it made up for size with richness.

The duck meat was unfortunately a touch overcooked, but combined with the sweet sauce, was all right to eat (the large serving also meant that I had enough to top off a salad the next day – for whatever reason, the meat tasted better eaten this way). The crispy skin was also a nice treat – I think duck skin is the new bacon.

Lac Brome Roast Duck

Mack thoroughly enjoyed his dish (containing two of his favourite proteins, this wasn’t a surprise), though he said that the scallops tasted better with the thick, creamy sauce than the lobster.

Lobster & Scallops Mornay

I couldn’t decide on dessert, but swayed visually by the table next to us that had opted to share fondue, I thought fondue for two ($13.95) would be an appropriately cheesy way to end the night. Normand’s uses Bernard Callebaut chocolate, so the fondue mixture was decidedly sweet. Paired with the sliced fruit, however, it was perfect. Mack preferred the bananas, while I was a sucker for the strawberries. The toasted slices of almonds were a thoughtful touch on the plate and allowed that extra bit of indulgence.

Chocolate fondue for two

While I wasn’t blown away by our experience at Normand’s, I was very happy that they chose to offer their a la carte menu in the face of Black Saturday. They also managed to provide excellent service in spite of a full house. So although I’m not sure Normand’s would become my standby, it seems like a reliable establishment that isn’t likely to change its menu or its style anytime soon.

Normand’s
11639A Jasper Avenue NW
(780) 482-2600
Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday 11:30am-11:30pm, Saturday 5-11:30pm, Sunday 5-9pm

Edmonton Foodie Meetup #1

A few weeks ago, I wrote about an upcoming first-ever Edmonton Foodie Meetup that would take place at Blue Plate Diner. I didn’t know at the time of course that tonight would be one of the coldest nights in recent memory, but I should have also known that Edmonton’s culinary community are made up of a hearty bunch – every one of the 12 individuals who signed up on the wiki came, in spite of the weather!

 

Edmonton foodies

It was a great opportunity to meet the authors behind some of the food blogs I read every day, and to chat about our love of food. Here’s a list of the bloggers (and their blogs) that attended tonight (Diane from NAIT and Mack were also there though they don’t have food blogs):

The acoustics of the Diner worked against talking to those at the other end of the table, but for the most part, I’m glad we chose this particular restaurant. Service was good, and portions were larger than I remember from previous visits.

 

Sweet Potato Fries (Mack loved the mayo dipping sauce)

 

Green Onion Cakes (I could have done without these, but Mack disagreed)

 

Mack’s Green Curry and Broccoli Soup and Mac-N-Cheese

 

My Pozole Chicken Enchiladas (not as dry as the last time I had them, I was happy with the generous amount of cheese on top)

Thanks to everyone for coming, and a special thank you to Hanne and Courtney for helping me organize the get-together! Based on the interest expressed, I think we will be having a second foodie meetup some time in the future. Keep an eye on the wiki for details!

Food Notes for February 24, 2009

This has not been a good winter for me; second time in two months I’ve been sick – this time, the flu. At any rate, the notes must go on (albeit late):

  • Marianne and Zed of Loosen Your Belt and Eat Around Edmonton spotted an upcoming Mexican restaurant coming soon to Whyte Avenue and 108 Street.
  • Original Fare restaurants are pairing up with Unicef for its second-annual Tap Project this year, where diners can donate $1 towards the cause for the glass of typically complimentary tap water. Details aren’t on the website yet, but they likely will appear closer to the March 22-29 event date.
  • Liane Faulder and Jan Hostyn of Vue Weekly must be on the same wavelength(or there’s really nothing to cover in this town…) – in early February, they published articles on Andrea Donini of Earthly Delight Soup Co in the same week, then just this past week, Jan published a piece on Leva Cafe’s Jennifer Ogle, who had been covered in the Journal the week prior.
  • An interesting post from Ganda of eat drink one woman (a New York blogger who is in Sweden for the next six months) about food sold in tubes.
  • Need more blogs to add to your daily reading list? From Mack: a Times Online list of 50 best blogs worldwide.
  • Speaking of great blogs – Eat. Drink. Better. is a great resource for those looking at issues about food sustainability. It is great at highlighting new and innovative ideas.
  • I’m gearing up for the Top Chef finale tomorrow. Like many though, I was shocked at the contestant that was eliminated last week. Unlike other reality shows that are up front about considering past performances, the judges on Top Chef never make this apparent, resulting always in surprise – and seemingly unfair decisions. I’m rooting for anyone but Stefan!
  • Though the following isn’t food-related, I thought it was clever enough to share:

Culinary Q & A with Christopher Thrall

Occupation: My day job is communications/media and government relations for Alberta’s dairy producers. My nights are spent on freelance writing and communications contracts. Up until a year ago, I was the editor of Vue Weekly‘s Dish section.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast was almond Oatmeal Crisp and 1%. Lunch was homemade beef stew, a tangerine and a grapefruit – supper was a Royal from Boston Pizza. I think I savoured a Granny Smith apple and a tiny package of Mini Eggs at some point as well.

What do you never eat?

I am definitely not much of a fish guy – unless it’s battered and deep fried. Bless you, Brit’s Fish and Chips.

What is your personal specialty?

I am a master at ordering the unexpected from any given menu. There is always something that I haven’t tried: something I can’t resist. The results are always unusual, and often delectable. As for the personal specialty I make myself, I make a terrific "dog’s breakfast" (that always starts off as an omelette).

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

Cheese. There is always an aged cheddar, and usually a havarti. Sometimes, on a very good day, a Sylvan Star gouda.

What is your weekday meal standby?

The beef dolsot b-bim-baab from B-Bim-Baab (formerly the Korean Gardens). I have yet to find any single dish that compares to the mix of veggies, rice, beef and fried egg served in a blistering stomeware bowl. Give it a quick mix and a brief shot of hot sauce, then take a serving. While your taste buds go into paroxysms of pleasure, the rice and veggies that remain are crisping against the sides of the bowl. The meal actually gets better as you go.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The slow cooker. I can either have a roast ready for tomorrow night, or simply hurl in every veggie from my fridge that is threatening to spoil and come out six hours later with a killer soup.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Whuf. Nothing like an impending calamity to sharpen the ol’ taste buds… I would lay in a couple of bottles of wine – perhaps a Sangiovese and a Malbec, and leisurely take my time with my favourite dishes from around the city. I would start with sweet potato fries and corn fritters with jalapeno jelly from Da-De-O’s, then segue into a fresh floral salad from Inspired Market Gardens [ED: Gwen unfortunately doesn’t make salads anymore]. I would cleanse my palate with some of Leva Cafe‘s sorbet and start in on braised beef short ribs on risotto from Violino or the Manor Cafe‘s lobster thermidor. I would finish with Culina‘s cambazola toast dulce de leche and some loose white tea leaves from Steeps, and probably nibble on a white chocolate raspberry tart from Fresh Start on my way up to bed.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I would say B-Bim-Baab, or Yeti Gourmet in Beaumont. When I have to factor in the under-five set in my family, Boston Pizza or East Side Mario‘s are safe havens.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Culina. Yesterday, today and forever.

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

I would want to try new things. I’m not talking about extreme eating or anything, but I would love to devour falafel from a street vendor in Marrakesh, try some yak’s milk cheese in the Himalayas or some suspicious-looking but divinely-smelling bowls of murky soup in a Japanese unagi-ya. That said, sipping my meal on an expanse of deserted white sand overlooking the azure Caribbean waters sounds pretty damn good as well.

Resources from Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together

One of the most valuable things I gained at the Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference (previous posts are here) was information. As I mentioned in my posts on the conference, it seems that while many valuable resources exist in Edmonton, only those already connected are aware of the services or organizations that can help citizens on different aspects of food security. As such, the resource fair set up before Carol Off’s talk was a vital part of the conference.

The following are a list of organizations or pertinent events that may be of interest to you:

  • The Edmonton Food Security Network just launched their new website. It’s still a work in progress (I know they are offering workshops, for example, but they are nowhere to be found on the site), but they do have a good glossary though, for those just starting to look into food security. The EFSN had attached their new logo and information to packages of Bedrock Seeds – nice touch.
  • The Alberta Farmers’ Market Association has a great listing of approved farmers’ markets on their website, and I was told that the national body (called Farmers Market Canada) was launched on February 16.
  • I’ve mentioned City Farm here and there on my blog in the past (mostly to promote their Open Gate days), but in conversation with Susan Penstone, the Executive Director of City Farm, it seems they want to expand their operations to six total facilities across the prairies. I think they are providing a needed service – providing a tangible opportunity for urban dwellers (and particularly children) to learn about the land.
  • Susan is also connected to the Community Garden Network. The Network is set up to connect those with an interest in gardening with already existing projects, or, to set up a new garden.
  • Seedy Sundays (I heart the name) have been taking place for years. It is an event that in general promotes gardening, provides a medium for active gardeners to trade heritage seeds, and allows for those new to the field (pun intended) to purchase seeds specifically intended for our climate. Head to the Alberta Avenue Community Hall (9210 118 Avenue) on March 22 from 11am-4pm if you are interested. I’ll be there, in the hopes of acquiring the information and seeds to start a container garden this summer. For more information, e-mail Pam.
  • The Going Organic Network of Alberta is hosting a conference on March 11-12 in Camrose. They will also be launching a cookbook at the event.
  • Speaking of books, the Vegetarians of Alberta were also present, promoting their Vegan and Vegetarian Diner’s Guide. For a more general resource, I’m still wishing for a book like John Gilchrist’s My Favourite Restaurants, but of course, focusing on the capital region’s local, independent establishments.

Edmonton’s Best Kept Secret: the Old Timer’s Cabin

This really isn’t a conventional restaurant review, even though I’ve classed it as such. It falls into that grey area occupied by entrees prepared elsewhere to be heated and eaten at home.

I helped organize a staff development day for my office that took place back in January. I would have loved to go back to Fort Edmonton Park, but they didn’t have a space appropriately-sized for our group, which totaled nearly 90. After some research, we decided upon the Old Timer’s Cabin – central, with ample free parking, a good lunch selection and best of all, economically priced, it seemed like a no-brainer.

The room itself probably functions better as a dinner space than a training room, as the overhead lighting was spotty at best, but the majority of our staff found it a nice reprieve from the office environment. The location of the cabin, and the spring-like weather conditions that day, also permitted a post-lunch stroll in the bordering river valley, which afforded a lovely view of downtown Edmonton.

View from behind the Old Timer’s Cabin

Working with their catering manager was a bit harrowing, as he was definitely easier to communicate with in person as opposed to over the phone, but everything turned out fine in the end. Our lunch that day, made up of soup and build-your-own sandwiches with roasted turkey, roast beef, and plenty of vegetarian patties. The sandwiches were all right (and I am happy to report that the vegetarians and vegans were satisfied), but the soup was the star of the show – touched with the lingering aroma of fresh dill.

In organizing the retreat, I also found out that the Cabin runs a brisk catering and take-home food business – something I had absolutely no idea of before setting foot in the building. Through Sandy’s Food Service, which runs out of the kitchen (Sandy also being the catering manager of the Cabin), they produce orders of cabbage rolls (plain rice, with bacon, or with meat, priced at between $19-22 for a tray of 50) and perogies (cheddar, potato, cottage cheese, onion and sauerkraut varieties, priced at $17-20 for 50) which can be picked up anytime between 9am-5pm on weekdays. Those intending on making large orders should call ahead.

For $19, I was able to buy a frozen tray of 50 handmade cabbage rolls, a price, I realized later, that was identical to what I had paid for the tiny dish of enchiladas I purchased at d’Lish just a few weeks earlier. Of course, being completely frozen through, the cabbage rolls required a little more love in the oven (3 to 3.5 hours to be exact), but with some planning, it required no more effort than any other frozen entrée.

On Sunday afternoon, I took out the tray, covered it in a can of tomato soup and two pats of butter (as I had been directed to do), covered it with the lid, and put it in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours.

Perfectly formed cabbage rolls

I boiled some perogies to go with the cabbage rolls (talk about an easy supper!), and that was it. I remember Sandy saying that cabbage rolls done right have enough flavour on their own to bypass the inclusion of bacon, but I didn’t believe him at the time. After trying their rolls though, I am ready to concede – there was more than enough substance to make up for the lack of meat. The cabbage had softened down in the oven, and combined with the herbed rice and the tomato sauce, had a subtly sweet flavour. I easily consumed eight of them, but was thankful that enough remained for lunch the next day (they reheat very well in the microwave).

Cabbage rolls (with a side of perogies)

The next time I pass by the cabin on the hill, I will remember not only the facility itself, but the wonderful food sold in the basement of the building. I am definitely thinking of stocking at least a tray or two of the cabbage rolls in my freezer – perfect for a lazy dinner or potluck party.

Old Timer’s Cabin
9430 99 Street NW
(780) 465-2139
Pickup hours weekdays from 9am-5pm