Culinary Q & A with Bruce Clarke

Occupation: Photographer/Owner of Moments in Digital Ltd. and Product Manager at Britec Computer Systems

What did you eat today?

Breaded chicken cutlets stuffed with turkey breast and mozzarella cheese, rice, & corn

What do you never eat?

Pickles, Olives and raw Tomatoes. Not sure if it’s a texture thing or just the taste I don’t like.

What is your personal specialty?

I love cooking with garlic but I’m known for my Spinach Dip

What is your favorite kitchen item?

While technically not found in the kitchen, I do consider the BBQ my favorite cooking item.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Bacon wrapped filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, and fresh corn on the cob. Carmel cheesecake for desert.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

For a quick lunch on the go I prefer Subway – it feels somehow like I’m eating healthier. For a night out, we go to the Mikado a lot for Japanese.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

That is a toss up between Bua Thai downtown, The Mikado downtown, New Asian Village, and OPM on the southside. We have several favourites depending upon what we are in the mood for.

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

Green curry chicken in Thailand or Hakata style ramen in Fukuoka Japan.

Food Notes

The Edmonton Food Security Network is offering its first of five learning events, “designed for front-line service providers who work on food security issues as well as community members”. The upcoming session will take place on Tuesday, November 4 from 9-11am at City of Edmonton – Community Services Circle Square (11808 St. Albert Trail). Direct your RSVPs here.
The second branch of Culina has been open for nearly a month in the old Bacon location (6509 112 Avenue, 780-477-2422). Alan Kellogg gave it a thumbs up in the Journal.
The site formerly occupied by Sapphire Lounge (10416 82 Avenue) will be transformed “soon” into the Sabezy Cafe.
I passed by a new catering/bistro(?) place called d’licious in the High Street area the other day. It is also “coming soon”.
Via the Edible Prairie Journal, a link to enRoute’s list of the 10-best Canadian eateries. No Edmonton entries, but Calgary’s Chef’s Table made the cut.
Also via the Edible Prairie, I found out that Transcend‘s Chad Moss recently placed fourth at the Canadian Barista Championships. Read more about his experience at their blog.
Since being bitten by the entertaining bug, I know I like collecting ideas for off-beat food gatherings. Amber Hildebrandt’s grilled cheese party seems like the perfect combination of spontaneity and ease.
Mack sent me an interesting post by Darren Barefoot, where he muses about the idea of seasoning. I don’t know about you, but even if my dish contains “enough” pepper, I can never resist reaching for the tabletop peppercorn grinder anyway…
I’ve been meaning to try Safeway’s bakery cupcakes since spying them in the case a few months back. Priced at just $1.50 each, you can’t beat the price. The cake itself was moist and not too sweet, but the latter could not be said for the icing, and I ended up trashing most of it. Decent deal to satisfy one’s sweet tooth though.

Banana Chocolate and Vanilla cupcakes

I took some time this weekend to drop by the second Sobeys Urban Fresh in the Garneau neighbourhood (8225 – 112 Street). It’s definitely not as nice as the flagship store, as the low ceiling and relative lack of windows contribute to its more bunker-like feel. There is a huge prepared food aisle with not only ready-to-heat items, but even packaged food that has already been cooked (seriously, they were selling pre-cooked steak in the cooler). The bakery had a few boxes of vegan cupcakes (4 for $8), likely in an attempt to try and appeal to some of the organic shoppers that may have perused Organic Roots in the past. The Bistro immediately attracted me with their bank of windows and bright design, and I could see students being drawn in with their menu of pizzas, burgers, and pub fare.

Prepared food aisle

Bistro

More Than Just Cocktails: Devlin’s

This guest post was written by Mack, an Edmonton-based geek who fancies himself a part-time foodie. You can find him online at his blog, and on Twitter.

Edmonton’s third tweetup, an event for local Twitter users to get together in person, was held on Thursday evening. The tweetups aren’t terribly hard to organize, all I need to do is pick a date, time and location. I asked Sharon to help me choose the venue this time, and she suggested Devlin’s Cocktail Lounge (10507 82 Avenue). I had enjoyed our visit in August, and agreed that it would be a good choice. I was keen to try the new fall menu that Sharon had written about in her Vue Weekly article. I called a couple of weeks in advance to ensure they could accommodate a group of 15 to 30 people, and they assured me that wouldn’t be a problem. A few days before the event, they called me back to confirm, which I thought was a nice touch.

When I arrived at the restaurant just before 6pm, I found it locked. After a moment of panic, I peered through the window and caught the attention of Executive Chef Sebastian Lysz who came to unlock the door for me. Fortunately, that was the only hiccup of the evening! My fellow Twitterers started streaming in, and soon we filled up the entire right side of the restaurant. We had around 25 people come and go by the time the evening was finished, and although not everyone ordered food, Sebastian was kept sufficiently busy in the kitchen.

Mack & Sharon, photo courtesy Bruce Clarke

I was occupied chatting with people, so I was more than happy to let Sharon order for me. The first dish that arrived was the Wild Mushroom & Chicken flatbread ($9). Though it didn’t look incredibly appetizing being almost completely devoid of color, it tasted very good. The chicken (from a local producer in Ardrossan) was moist and the bread itself was nicely warm and chewy. I found the mushrooms flavorful, but not overpowering.

The second dish we ordered was also the one I was most looking forward to: the Surf & Turf ($15). Reminiscent of the sliders in its presentation, the dish was definitely easy on the eyes. Unfortunately the portion size was also similar to the sliders, and I found myself wanting more when the plate was empty. The tri-tip steak from Spring Creek Ranch was absolutely delicious, and I enjoyed the roasted potatoes too (though Sharon didn’t). We both agreed that the prawns were fairly average.

Usually we’re too full after dinner to have dessert, but that wasn’t a problem thanks to the small size of the dishes at Devlin’s. We decided to give the Dessert Sampler ($15) a try, as it sounded more interesting than the Creme Brulee. Though I couldn’t have the Peanut Butter Bombe (due to my mild peanut allergy), I was able to try the other items. I liked the warm Fruit Crumble in an over-sized shot glass, but my favorite was easily the Bacardi Rum Pumpkin Pie. I love both rum and pumpkin pie, so it was a match made in heaven for me! The Chai Voyant Nitro Ice Cream (with “nutella” powder) was interesting, but it didn’t evoke the familiar flavor of chai.

We received great service all night, and everyone seemed to enjoy the food and ambience. A number of people remarked that they were pleasantly surprised with the lounge, and said they’d probably be back. Devlin’s is not the place to go if you’re starving (or feeling the pinch in your wallet), but if all you’re looking for is something tasty to go along with conversation, I can safely say it’s a great choice for small and large groups alike.

The key thing to know about Twitter is that entries are restricted to 140 characters. With that in mind, here’s my mini-review of Devlin’s:

More than just a cocktail lounge, Devlin’s has unique, tasty food and adds something special to Whyte Avenue. Just don’t arrive too hungry!

Devlin’s Cocktail Lounge
10507 82 Avenue
(780) 437-7489

Calgary Conference Getaway

I was fortunate to attend a conference for work in Calgary this past week at the Radisson Hotel Calgary Airport (2120 16 Avenue NE).

Welcoming pumpkins created by hotel staff

Having never stayed at a Radisson before, this was the first time I have ever encountered a “Sleep Number” bed. I was able to choose the firmness of my mattress with the touch of a button, even though the mechanics that operated the side I chose to sleep on didn’t function properly – I was forever stuck at a “40”. Fun to experiment with, however!

Sleep Number control

Unlike some seminars and conferences I have attended in the past, the Radisson was great with keeping buffet supplies well-stocked. There was never an instance where I found myself peering into an empty serving vessel.

Fruit kabobs

Lunches were all of the build-your-own variety – sandwiches the first day, soft tacos the next, and souvlaki the last. It was unfortunate that chicken was a part of each meal; I know a few of my coworkers were looking for more variety by the end of our stay.

Lunch #2 (I also was hoping for a different kind of salad by Thursday as well – the wild greens and raspberry vinaigrette was over done)

Our only provided dinner consisted of chicken with an apricot and hazelnut glaze, mushroom and asparagus risotto, and a variety of cold salads. The chicken was actually quite well-done, moist and tender, unlike the same meat served at lunch.

My dinner plate

My workmates and I had to fend for ourselves one night, and having asked the hotel staff for a “more local” recommendation than Earls, we were directed to Cattle Baron (3340 – 26 Street NE). Who knew, at 7pm on a random Tuesday that the wait for a party of 9 would be an hour and a half? We ended up at a nearby Joey Tomatoes (3026 23rd Street NE), where the wait for our group (which agreed to be split into two parties) was still forty-five minutes. I had no idea the evening dining market was so ravenous in Calgary.

I had a great time at the conference overall, and I’m sure a large part of that had to do with the fact that we were well-fed throughout. Bravo, Radisson staff!

Polished but Pricey: Origin India

After visiting the new Old Strathcona office of Lift Interactive (where we won the cutest his and hers t-shirts), Mack and I walked over to Origin India (10511 82 Avenue), the new upscale Maurya Palace outpost. I originally reported about the “coming soon” status of Origin India back in April, and seven months later, it finally opened, apparently because they had to get up to code.

At any rate, we walked past the taped-up paper menu outside, through the doors, and were immediately transported into a world away from the hustle and bustle of Whyte. To the right of the entrance was what looked like a take-out counter, but for the moment was sparkling new and unused. We walked down a few stairs into a dimly lit room and joined the three other parties already seated.

Dominated by brown and reds, the space was warm but chic. Dark leather banquets lined both walls, and above the seats was a wooden, compartmentalized wine shelf that spanned the same length. The buffet section and bar was situated at the back of the room, and without a divide of any kind, the room felt open and welcoming. Knowing that the former occupant of this space was a dollar store, I really have to commend the owners for the absolute transformation they have overseen – I can see how additional construction time would have been necessary.

Interior

At the beginning of our visit, the music veered towards the annoying tinkering favoured at Khazana, but thankfully by the end of the night, had switched to an upbeat, Bollywood techno that in my opinion suited the space and the location better.

We were told the buffet was available, but were also provided with menus in case we decided to go the a la carte route. At $19.95 per person, the buffet wasn’t cheap, but we figured it was the best way to sample this new establishment’s fare.

The diamond-shaped plates were an interesting choice, and to some extent, the fact that there was a wide border around it made it easier to grip while we travelled the buffet line. I was disappointed to find, however, that there were only eight hot entrees (plus rice, salad and dessert) to choose from. Along with quality, I figured $20 should also buy variety.

Buffet line-up

We piled our plates high with a sample of everything, and returned to our table where a basket of fresh naan was waiting. The naan was more crisp and not as “doughy” as others I have tried, but the made-to-order factor was a real plus. My favourite dish was the lamb curry – tender, flavourful and just spicy enough, it was a departure from my usual butter chicken preference. Mack, however, enjoyed his serving of butter chicken, though his only complaint was his need to cut the chicken into more manageable, one-bite sizes (he should have also asked for a shovel in place of a fork, heh).

Our plates (they were almost identical)

The service was fabulous throughout – our waiter checked in with us just often enough to make us feel taken care of without intruding. While I am not sure I will be back (at least not for the pricey buffet), along with Devlin’s next door, I really am starting to see the shift in Old Strathcona businesses from those who target the partying set to those that primarily serve working professionals.

Origin India
10511 82 Avenue
(780) 436-0558
Sunday to Thursday 11:30am-11pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30am-2am

Food Notes

If you’re in the downtown area at lunch hour on Friday, be sure to check out the Chili Cook-off at Scotia Place. Sample chili and check out the rodeo atmosphere!
The Hat opened last week (why restaurants don’t get their websites together prior to the launch is beyond me). Here’s a short primer article about it in the Journal – The Hat’s focus is on burgers.
Christopher Thrall wrote a great piece about the family behind New Asian Village this week.
I saw a news story recently about Health Fare (10865 23 Avenue), a restaurant that bills itself as a ‘healthy fast food’ outlet. They apparently have a computer that will help you determine the appropriate number of calories to consume per meal, and entrees with total caloric content listed. A little too much work for me, but might be interesting to try.
A quick decision at the Kingsway Garden Mall food court yielded me a plate of Butter Chicken from Badass Jack’s. There was a funny colour to the sauce (almost salmon), but had the chicken been even a little bit moist, I would have forgiven the aesthetics of the dish.

Badass Jack’s Butter Chicken

I had a Panino Veneto at the City Centre location of Caffe Sorrentino last week. It was smokin’ hot, with a generous amount of melted cheese, but the brie pretty much overtook any turkey and cranberry mayo flavours that may have been present.

Panino Veneto (the sandwich really wasn’t green…the overhead fluorescent lights makes it appear so)

I tried Starbucks’ Perfect Oatmeal the other day (with a coupon), and it reminded me how much I dislike oatmeal (nothing against the Starbucks’ version). The packaging also seemed excessive – a plastic-wrapped spoon, plastic-encased raisins, a packet of brown sugar, and of course, the container of oatmeal itself.

Perfect Oatmeal

Lunch Time Pressure: Viphalay

I’d heard much ado about Viphalay (10724 95 Street NW), from a friend, a newspaper and a chef. Dickson and I agreed on this new-ish Thai and Laotian restaurant for a lunch meet-up last week so I was finally able to experience it firsthand.

With bars on the windows, I really didn’t feel welcome approaching the eatery. Next to a school, with a tiny parking lot shared with a handful of other businesses, the location left much to be desired. But walking into the space, I was immersed in a much different feeling. The interior was modern and elegant – red walls accented the bar at the rear of the restaurant; the inset ceiling, lined with bold red and black paint, brought an unexpected jolt of vibrancy to the mostly white dining area; and lastly, the delicate spotlights that shone on the periphery of the room created a subtle but classy mood.

Interior

The restaurant was less than half full when we walked in just after 12:30pm. We were asked if we had a reservation, and when we responded that we didn’t, were promptly seated anyway at a table along one wall. The place setting included a wine glass, which seemed unnecessarily fancy, but then again, so long as the drinking vessel is clean, I shouldn’t complain.

We took some time to peruse the menu, and despite being momentarily tempted to order the lunch special (which seemed the most economical way to sample their fare), I ended up with my benchmark dish of Pad Thai ($12.99). Dickson opted for the Tamarind Chicken ($11.99) and a side of coconut rice ($2.99/bowl).

I would gather that for most on a noon hour jaunt, time is of the essence. Of course, not choosing a “15 minute guaranteed express lunch” from Kelsey’s or the like means that I was, on some level, making a conscious choice to gamble with an unknown time factor. At the same time, as the restaurant was seated with half of its maximum capacity, Dickson and I expected some expediency with our meal.

It took a good thirty-five minutes to deliver our food, leaving us with about fifteen minutes to eat. I want to press that our waitress was great throughout our meal – attentive and polite to the point of pushing formal (presenting our bill with two hands and a bowed head made me a little uncomfortable), but she couldn’t alleviate the time stress we felt because of the slow kitchen.

As for the food – we thought it was average. The pad thai was more sweet than spicy, and the number of shrimp included were a paltry three – I would choose the same dish at Bua Thai or Syphay any day. Dickson’s tamarind chicken was all right, but with a flavour that was mildly sweet but not wholly distinct, neither of us would recommend it as a standout entrée.

Pad Thai

Tamarind Chicken

I may visit Viphalay again, perhaps for supper or for a weekend lunch date, but I surely won’t be back when an acute awareness of time will impede my enjoyment of the meal.

Viphalay
10724 95 Street NW
(780) 423-3213
Tuesday – Sunday, lunch 11am-2pm, dinner 5-9pm, closed Mondays

The Cooking Chronicles: Fastest Cinnamon Buns

Second to flaky biscuit sandwiches, my favourite thing to wake up to are cinnamon buns, hot out of the oven. I’ve been meaning to try a recipe I cut out of the Journal a while back for no-yeast cinnamon buns, and I finally had the opportunity to make them over the weekend.

The only negative point about this recipe was the need to use a food processor to pulse the cottage cheese (resulting in more dishes to wash in the end), but besides that, everything was pretty straightforward. I eliminated the allspice and ground cloves for ease, and opted to nix the glaze as well – who needs unnecessary steps in the morning?

The final product was quite good, better than the Cinnamon Sticky Biscuits I had tried a while back. The texture was quite a bit different from yeast-made buns (they were more crunchy and similar to biscuit dough), but they were satisfying and great with a cup of coffee.

This recipe will go in the plus pile, though perhaps for afternoon tea or dessert. It seems I have less energy in the mornings to make something other than cereal or eggs for breakfast these days.

Fastest Cinnamon Buns

An Old Favourite: Urban Diner

After opening the fridge and exploring the pantry in Mack’s apartment, I realized we wouldn’t be able to put together a coherent meal beyond Kraft Dinner. We opted instead for a late lunch at the nearby Urban Diner (12427 102 Avenue). I’ve written positively about their brunch and their dinner selections before, but it has been a while since either of us had been to the restaurant.

Though it was cloudy outside, there was still enough natural light floating in to make the space bright and conducive to the mood generated by the groovy 70s music being played. We looked through our options, and both decided on sandwiches – Mack the Monte Cristo (three layers, egg-dipped, turkey, ham, swiss) and I the Club (roasted turkey, bacon, tomatoes, cranberry thyme chutney, roasted garlic aioli and sharp cheddar), both priced at $11.95. Mack opted for fries on the side while the weather made soup the natural selection for me.

Mack with their house-brewed iced tea

Our plates took a bit of time to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. The split pea and ham soup was just what I was looking for – warm and hearty, it satisfied my soft spot for lentils. My club sandwich was visually stunning, a spectrum of colours that tasted just as good as it looked. I loved the multigrain bread, and was surprised with their usage of real turkey meat (instead of deli-sliced turkey), but the cranberry chutney pretty much overpowered all other flavours.

Mack’s sandwich was equally good, though quite different. His creation included a generous amount of cheese and meat, and the side of skinny “diner fries” were the perfect crispy accompaniment.

Club Sandwich with ham and split pea soup

Monte Cristo with fries

After a delectable-looking chocolate cake was delivered to the table behind us, I knew I had to have it as well. So though our waiter recommended the Sour Lemon Pie, we chose the 5-Layer Chocolate Torte instead ($9). It turned out to be a tad expensive, as we didn’t know the price beforehand, but it was a nice way to end our meal. Mack, who doesn’t normally enjoy too-sweet desserts, was even able to finish his half of the cake. My only nitpick was that it would have been better at room temperature.

5-Layer Chocolate Torte

Reliable, relaxed, and friendly, Urban Diner is one of my favourite casual restaurants in the city.

Urban Diner
12427 102 Avenue
(780) 488-7274
Tuesday-Friday 11am-9pm, Saturdays 9am-1:30pm (brunch), 2-5pm (lunch), 5-9pm (dinner), Sundays 9am-3pm (brunch only), closed Mondays

Food Notes

My blog turns two today! You know you’re addicted to the medium when you refer to some things occurring “before blog” and “after blog”, heh. I’m still enjoying the ride, and the slow expansion of my writing borders. Thanks always for reading!
Congratulations to Team NAIT, who performed superbly at the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany this weekend. Every member of the team medalled, and two competitors were able to secure gold. I was privileged enough to be invited to one of their practice sessions in September – click here to read.
Edmonton’s second Sobeys Urban Fresh, situated in the old location of Planet Organic Roots in the Garneau neighbourhood (8225 – 112 Street), opened last Thursday. As individual stores are designed with the immediate community in mind, this branch features a large floral selection because of the nearby hospital and frozen meals to cater to university students.
An interview with Chris Lachance, head of the Century Hospitality Group that just opened Hundred Bar Kitchen, reveals that he has plans for a sushi concept named Stingray tentatively slated for next spring.
Kerstin’s Chocolates, my favourite confectioner, will be unveiling a new Chocophilia bar at this weekend’s Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival. They also have a new product that I’ll have to try: Chocolate Melt-aways, made with a mixture of chocolate and cocoa butter.
There’s a new Vietnamese place in town: My Tho (9261 – 34 Ave, 780-988-2968). It was reviewed in Vue Weekly this past week.
Edmonton’s newest duelling piano bar (who knew there was a market for this?), The Red Piano on Bourbon Street in West Edmonton Mall, will host its grand opening on October 31.
There has been some chatter on Connect2Edmonton about Nikita’s (and possibly Le Table de Renoir) having been shut down. Does anyone know anything new?
The Journal had a bit piece on Bistecca, the new Sorrentino’s Group outpost, last week.
FoodTV is looking for “restaurant scouts”: if you have a notable restaurant in your community, send it in and you’ll be considered for monthly prizes. November’s challenge is your local “hidden gem”.
Zagat reports that automated ordering is the way of the future. While I’m not sure I would enjoy interacting with screens beyond the initial novelty of it, I’d definitely try it out.

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