Category: food

Taste of Edmonton 2008

After the Taste of Summer in St. Albert, and experiencing firsthand how an ideal Taste of Edmonton could be with less people, excellent food, and a picturesque, green setting, I knew Saturday’s visit to Churchill Square would be lacklustre at best. Perhaps because of this approach with low expectations, I escaped the event with a better impression than I had thought possible.

Entertainment in Churchill Square (thankfully, the grey skies held up)

Mack and I didn’t plan on filling up at Taste of Edmonton – we figured the 30 tickets I pre-purchased at the discount rate would allow us to whet our appetite, and we intended on filling up on a full sit-down meal elsewhere.

I found that the vendors would better spread out this year, with the exception of one congested row pressed up right along the glass display on the east side of the square. It was so well fanned, in fact, that I ended up completely missing the set of vendors directly in front of the City Hall pool!

 

Crowds

If it has happened in past years I haven’t noticed it, but the verbal and quite competitive hawking of dishes was entertaining, as vendors tried to entice the finicky crowd by promoting their fare as a sideshow attendant would. In terms of promotion though, I do think the event should provide a contact sheet like the organizers at the Taste of Summer did, with a full list of names, addresses, phone numbers, and descriptions of participating restaurants – the tasting should be a means to something instead of an end in itself.

Amy’s famous! (the Chicken for Lunch lady)

While I did make a peripheral glance at the menu prior to Saturday, most of our food choices were made after strolling through to see what was being offered. Although organizers trumped this as the year of more participants and better variety, neither Mack or I were that impressed by any one dish.

At the El Rancho booth

The portion of ginger beef from Beijing Beijing was quite large, but as expected, a large proportion of the serving was batter and not meat. Mack enjoyed the bacon wrapped scallops (I enjoyed the bacon) from Firestone, though they were nothing special. Hudson’s Mini Cheddar Burger was a perfectly formed slider, and would be a great party hors douvres. The pad thai from Krua Wilai was a welcome concentrate of carbs coated in a sweet sauce, and my only complaint was for a slightly spicier version. El Rancho’s pupusa, served with cabbage and tomato salsa, was a bit on the soggy side, and sadly enough, the corn-flake rolled-then-fried Mexican deep fried ice cream was as well. Our favourite ended up being butter chicken from Khazana – tender morsels coated in a rich and creamy sauce, with enough kick to make us both happy.

Mack enjoys ginger beef

 

Firestone’s Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Mini Cheddar Burger from Hudson’s

Pad Thai from Krua Wilai

El Rancho’s Pupusa

El Rancho’s Mexican Deep Fried Ice Cream

Last but not least – Butter Chicken from Khazana

Our container experiment, gleaned from Jane, was our effort to minimize the waste produced from an evening of small plates. While it wasn’t enough to bring just one container (we ended up using a plate for the ginger beef, dried burger and dessert ice cream), it was a learning experience – perhaps we’ll bring two reusable vessels with us next year? Props go to attendants of the Krua Wilai and Khazana booths for not blinking an eye when presented with the plastic dish.

Food aside, the relaxed atmosphere, music, and the general ease which comes from being outdoors made for a nice summer evening. My full set of photos are here.

Picnic in the Industrial Heartland: Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli

Besides the usual trinkets one might find in a woman’s purse, I have two other things that can consistently be found in mine. One is “the list,” which I have written about before (a paper square with names and address of restaurants I would like to, but have yet to, try) and a small wallet filled with coupons for restaurants that I probably wouldn’t try without a discount incentive. Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli (6508 75 Street) fell into this latter category.

Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli

Before our coffee tasting at the nearby Transcend, I thought the Deli would make a convenient stopover for dinner. We drove up to the restaurant, a building rather out of place amongst the supply stores and warehouses along 75th Street, and entered. It was empty, but we were quickly greeted by a man at the counter. He patiently waited while we perused the menu. Besides a variety of East Indian favourites, there were also some items that seemed out of place, including Spanakopita and donairs. Though I had to fight the urge to order the butter chicken, I ultimately decided a good Montreal smoked meat sandwich would be harder to come by in Edmonton, and thus thought it deserved the more pressing taste test.

After we both ordered the Smoke Meat Sandwich ($5.66, $1 extra for Swiss cheese), we took a seat outside at one of the plastic patio tables to escape the blistering heat inside the restaurant. Surveying our surroundings, amongst the wafting aroma of paint thinner, we couldn’t help but be reminded of the industrial setting of our dinner.

The sandwich itself looked promising, with what appeared to be the 160g of meat the clerk promised. The bread, however, was cold to the touch (I saw the rye loaf being taken out of the fridge) – a quick warm through in a panini press in this case wouldn’t have been a bad idea. Thankfully, the meat itself was quite nice, spiced with something I couldn’t quite place. The Swiss was also a nice addition.

Smoke Meat Sandwich

Inexpensive and relatively fast, the Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli wouldn’t be a bad option should one be passing by in need of sustenance, but in my opinion, it’s not a dining destination in and of itself.

Tandoori Express & Montreal Deli
6508 75 Street
(780) 465-7088
Monday-Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-10pm

The Cooking Chronicles: Pantry Pasta

I have never been an improviser in the kitchen, and have always had to rely on recipes at least as a guide to make anything edible. Last week, after several days of eating out, I was so desperate for the semblance of a home-cooked meal that I resorted to anything that could be culled from Mack’s pantry and fridge.

We ended up with my “pantry pasta” – penne, tossed with a can of tomato, basil and oregano soup, half a can of water, two cups of frozen peas, a diced chicken breast that had been panned fried, and two handfuls of cheddar cheese. The result wasn’t all that bad. Mack isn’t a huge fan of peas, but I thought the added texture (and the “illusion of health”) made the pasta a tad more interesting.

Turns out it’s not that scary cooking without a recipe. But really, what I think I enjoyed most was the challenge of being able to make a meal from what was on hand and nothing else.

Pantry Pasta

The Sandwich Spot: Colonel Mustard’s Canteen

Dickson’s pick for lunch on Wednesday was Colonel Mustard’s Canteen (12321 107 Ave). Though Hicks on Six named it the “city’s best” sandwiches, I always intended to hit up the Canteen for a pre-show dinner before a play at the nearby Roxy Theatre.

At any rate, we found a parking spot across the street from the restaurant and walked into a hailstorm. The Canteen was larger than I thought it would be, with a deep seating area in the back partitioned off by the cold case, counter and de facto lobby in the front. From what I could see, the walls were bright, the space cheery with natural light, and the area absolutely buzzing with what appeared to be a crowd of regulars.

Interior

As we were pressed for time, we opted for the faster “take out” option to eat our order at one of the tables by the door. We were told a waitress would be right with us, giving us a moment to survey the three large blackboards with a multitude of sandwich and wrap options, all priced around $10. The waitress brought us glasses of water as requested (making it difficult for me to distinguish between the waiting area we were supposedly in from the full-service tables in the back), and I decided on something light – an Italian sandwich with prosciutto, provolone, and vegetable spread on a French loaf – while Dickson ordered the Mustard’s Meatloaf (Italian sausage rolled with Italian meats and cheeses, baked in tomato sauce).

While we waited for our food (keeping our fingers crossed that our plates would be ready as expediently as promised), I had time to marvel at the amazingly efficient hostess. Dealing with a barrage of patrons ready to pay, escorting parties to their tables, and greeting customers stepping through the door, she was always friendly, and did not let the steady stream dampen her courtesy.

Our food arrived in small plastic baskets with a pickle each. What had been described as “meatloaf” on the menu board looked an awful lot like spam when Dickson lifted the Kaiser cover. The diced meat also made it hard to eat his sandwich, short of carving it up with a fork and a knife. Thankfully, I had a better experience with my sandwich– the loaf was fresh, and I loved the combination of mild provolone and salty prosciutto. Even better, I encountered bursts of basil with every bite.

 

Mustard’s Meatloaf

Italian Sandwich with Prosciutto and Provolone

While I wouldn’t describe the sandwich as the best I’ve had in Edmonton, lunch at Colonel Mustard’s convinced me that I’d have to return for dinner one day, even without the pretence of a theatre engagement.

Colonel Mustard’s Canteen
12321 107 Ave
(780) 448-1590
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-9pm

It’s All About the Box: Oodle Noodle Box

Because Teatro la Quindicina moved their evening start times back half an hour to 7:30pm, we needed a quick spot to pick up a bite to eat before a show Tuesday night. I immediately thought of Oodle Noodle Box (10803 82 Avenue). Though a little further up Whyte Avenue, it was still within brisk walking distance of the Varscona Theatre.

Exterior

Stepping into the narrow eatery, I was taken by how busy it was. There was just one booth left to snag, with some individuals in the lineup ahead of us leaving to take their conveniently-packaged food elsewhere to consume.

Interior

Mack and I scrutinized the huge menu on the wall, describing entrees priced between $6.99-8.50, many with curious names such as “Jungle Curry Cambogee” and “Singapura Box”. I decided to order my Asian take-out benchmark dish, the Bangkok Padthai Classic ($7.99): rice noodles in tamarind sauce with chicken breast, prawn, egg, green onions, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and “whole lot of flavour”. Mack opted for the Combo Box ($8.50), which sounded like a mouthful with vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp stir-fried with chow mein in hoisin sauce.

Massive Menu

The regular price of the food was already less expensive than Wok Box, but after the person at the till gave us not even an ounce of hassle when we handed over the coupon, there was no doubt Oodle Noodle was winning the box war.

As we waited for our food, Mack was able to surf the internet on his beloved iPod Touch on unsecured wireless – a fortunate byproduct of Oodle Noodle’s proximity to a residential area. When our order was announced (by an employee who was clearly having a great time doing his best “Here’s Johnny!” with order numbers) we grabbed our boxes and dug in with our chopsticks.

Cute boxes

The top of my Pad Thai

Mack using chopsticks

The food was undoubtedly better than the fare served at Wok Box (or, at least, Mack’s was), but I still preferred the Pad Thai at Thai Express. My order was lacking in peanuts, meat and sauce, and yet, was still very salty. Mack’s combo was filled to the brim with both vegetables and meat (thus, was the better deal for only 51cents more than mine), but after taking a look at the greasy residue left at the bottom of his box when he was finished, I was glad that I had already finished my meal.

With friendly and efficient service, I wouldn’t hesitate to try Oodle Noodle Box again. But I will be ordering something other than the Pad Thai, and hope for a more generous heaping of sauce and non-noodle ingredients.

Oodle Noodle Box
10803 82 Avenue (2 other locations in Edmonton)
(780) 988-7808
Monday – Thursday & Saturday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, closed Sunday

Trial Run Success: Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar

For my second and final Fork Fest meal, I met up with a few friends at Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar (10309 81 Avenue) a new frontier for all of us.

Von’s

Having passed the building many times over on Gateway Boulevard, I never had the opportunity to notice the nice stone water features by the front doors. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately greeted and promptly directed to the table where two of my friends were already waiting. The particular room we were seated in was “masculine,” as Shermie described it – leather chairs, aged brick walls, smooth stone and dark wood wine cabinets – the type of space calling for a cigar, fireplace, and fine scotch. There are several rooms in the building, but I only managed to see one other en route to the restroom. With high ceilings, a dominant red color scheme and wooden chairs, it had a markedly different, more open and relaxed feel.

After Andrea joined our party (always fashionably late), we all ordered the three-course, $35 Fork Fest menu without hesitation. May’s soup, an interesting salmon cream concoction, actually tasted better than it initially sounded. My Caesar salad starter was not remarkable, but good (as expected, the bacon was real, and the croutons house-made).

Caesar Salad

Shermie’s entrée was the lone steak at the table, which she quite enjoyed. The rest of us opted for the Prime Rib (slow cooked for sixteen hours), which was served with steamed vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and au jus. With nice marbling through the generous cut of meat, it was a filling and satisfying dish.

Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding, Vegetables, Horseradish and Au Jus

For dessert, Andrea, May and I all ordered Ice Cream Crepes, with Shermie again the odd one out with the Pecan Pie. I wasn’t a fan of this last course – the rubbery texture of the crepe and the chilled banana did not appeal to me.

Ice Cream Crepes

All of us were stuffed by the end of our meal, and after an evening of attentive service and good food, we all agreed that Fork Fest accomplished what it was set-up to do – we would all be back at Von’s, ready and willing to pay for a dinner at regular price.

Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar
10309 81 Avenue
(780) 439-0041
Dinner Monday – Sunday from 4:30 p.m.

Food Notes

  • The Edmonton Journal profiled a new pizza place on the south side called RedBrick Pizza (965 James Mowatt Trail, 780-455-8822). The owners have the Canadian rights to the popular US chain, and are planning on opening five more locations in Alberta and BC in the next year and a half.
  • Looks like someone bought the former Chili Hot Hot storefront on 109 Street and Jasper Avenue. According to a sign in the window, it will be transformed into “Tao Asian Bistro”. Western interpretations of Asian food is my guess.
  • The last ticket-driven food event of the summer, Heritage Days, kicks off on Saturday. The menu is available online here. I highly recommend getting your food tickets in advance before arriving on site at Save-On Foods, Servus Credit Union branches, or Tix on the Square.
  • After reading a review about the new Cactus Club Cafe in Vancouver featuring select dishes by Food Concept Architect Rob Feenie, I had to include it on my list of places to try while in Vancouver next month.
  • Perhaps we’ll find this word in the dictionary a few years from now – Catherine Jheon wrote a post about the term “gastrosexual” – men who cook in order to seduce women. She goes on to cite a study where kitchen skills are being considered alongside income and personality as things to consider in a mate. I think the ability to cook, or at least an interest in cooking is important, if not only because it is such a passion for me. Thoughts?
  • Walking through the Save On Foods on 109 Street on the weekend, I came across a square watermelon on sale for $99.99. Any takers?

Square Watermelon

Capital EX 2008

Though I loathe to admit it, I am not immune to the pleasures of Capital EX, even though now most of my enjoyment comes not from amusements, but from immersing myself in the atmosphere.

The midway at dusk

Mack and I started our evening in the cool recesses of the Agricom, specifically at Sip! The event I was most looking forward to, Sip! is set-up to be a showcase of alcohol and food in that order. At the gate, we were handed a small booklet containing a comprehensive list of liquor merchants and the wares they were showcasing, not unlike the pamphlet provided at the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival.

Sip! in the Agricom

We ended up buying 13 tickets (at $1 a pop), and tried Mojo (an “alternative vodka beverage”), wine from EnSante Winery, Alberta’s only organic-fruit cottage winery (too cool, wine made from alfalfa and rhubarb, among other varieties), and Firecracker Shrimp (cayenne-dipped, phyllo-wrapped, tempura-battered, served with a mango habanero sauce). The chefs at each of the food stations we passed were so eager to tell us not only how their products were made, but why the flavours complemented each other – count me impressed.

EnSante Wines

Firecracker Shrimp

We decided to stick around a little longer when we noticed a few people setting up at the CookTop, a stovetop and counter with an angled mirror installed above for easy viewing (like Home Economics class in secondary school). Sebastian Lysz of Devlin’s (10507 82 Avenue) led the session, and prepared Spring Creek Ranch flank steak and sauteed vegetables. Mary Bailey, an ISG certified sommelier and noted local food writer, spoke about appropriate wine pairings. The best part about watching the demonstration was the free food – we received two wine samples each, and a small plate of steak and vegetables. Based on what we paid for the shrimp, we were sure that quantity of food would have easily been $10. It was darn good steak, too.

Sebastian Lysz cooks

Flank steak, vegetables, au jus

After chowing down, we had just enough time to head to the next hall for a performance of the Birdhouse Factory, a show of acrobats in the same vein as Cirque du Soleil. Besides still wondering why the theme of a “birdhouse factory” was necessary at all, the show was great. It was definitely worth staying through the entire forty-five minutes. My favourite acts were the gymnastic tango and the trio of agile trampoline performers. The soundtrack really did enhance the show – made it more exciting and upbeat, or whatever mood the scene required.

The rest of our evening consisted of wandering the grounds, perusing various exhibits, including the ETS Centennial display, ED Fest (where Raine Maida was performing, alongside his wife Chantal Kreviazuk), Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, and the Family Fun Town.

In the driver’s seat (I stole this caption from Mack)

Art walk

E

ED Fest

 

Scary python (thank goodness for the cage)

Too corny (heh)

Like a memory from my childhood

We also tried our hand at skee-ball, but ultimately decided that we belonged at Chuck E. Cheese.

Shoot for 50!

In our quest to find the most unusual food on the midway, we came across deep-fried Oreos (which actually looked quite sad), deep-fried cheesecake, and last year’s sensation, deep-fried Coke. “Taco in a Bag”, essentially Doritos tortilla chips, ground beef, cheese and other taco fixings in a bag to be eaten with a spoon, was around last year as well, but this was the first time I had seen it. Needless to say, we bypassed all of the above in favour of our summer festival standby – mini doughnuts.

Happy with mini doughnuts in hand

To end the evening, we took in the fireworks at the racetrack, finding a comfortable bench to wait out the anticipatory period. In total, the show was six minutes long – respectable, and both of us were quite impressed with the finale (with pops and whizzes louder with the sound bouncing off of the grandstand). To be fair, we were happy there were fireworks at all – they had been cancelled at our last Capital EX outing the year before.

In all, it was a nice way to spend a summer evening in Edmonton. Mack’s pictures are here.

Sweet Potato Goodness: Dadeo

Between my last visit to the Whyte Avenue favourite Dadeo (10548A 82 Avenue) and brunch there on Sunday, it seems the folks behind the diner opened a second location out in Vancouver. Good for them.

Most often recognized for their sweet potato fries, the low-key, relaxed atmosphere, smooth blues soundtrack, and fun decor such as vivid red booths and tabletop jukeboxes are also worth mentioning.

Booth

We were met with a modest gathering outside of the restaurant before the doors opened at noon. We took our time with the Cajun and Creole-inspired menu, and though the Southern fried chicken and gumbo were tempting, we all ended up ordering a Po’Boy (their version of a sandwich, served on a French loaf with coleslaw and a choice of side). Priced between $10-11, it was an easy decision to pay an additional $1 to upgrade our sides to sweet potato fries.

Like the time the bearer of coffee at Nellie’s tortured us with the visual of a full coffee pot, it was a clear half hour of seeing other people’s dishes waltz by our table before our own plates were delivered. A small biscuit topped with jalapeno jelly could only satiate each of us for so long.

Biscuits and jalapeno jelly

Thankfully, the food was ultimately worth the wait. The pulled pork in my po’boy was tender and flavourful, the meat’s juices complimented with a sweet BBQ sauce. Mack’s breakfast po’boy looked and tasted like an egg scramble on bread, which didn’t turn out to be an unsatisfying way to start out the day. The crown jewel of our meal was indeed the sweet potato fries – whatever spicy, salty seasoning they use to finish the golden pieces really elevate them beyond what they are – battered and fried root vegetables.

Our po’boys

Pulled Pork Po’Boy

Breakfast Po’Boy

One of Whyte Avenue’s best deals can be found at Dadeo on Monday and Tuesday. Forget pasta frenzy at Chianti’s – head to the cool diner for po’boys on special for just $8 – and remember to upgrade your fries.

Dadeo
10548A 82 Avenue
780.433.0930
Monday to Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sundays noon-10pm, closed Wednesdays

Food Notes

  • The Premier’s annual pancake breakfast takes place at the Legislature grounds on July 22. Join him and the other MLAs for free food and entertainment between 7-9am.
  • The people behind Merriam-Webster Dictionary recently announced the list of new words to be added, including edamame and prosecco.
  • A great article this week from the NYT about the origin and current popularity of the “slider”. I had no idea the word was originally a derogatory term to describe the ease at which White Castle burgers (the original slider) were eaten.
  • Two shows I find myself watching whenever they’re on are Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, hosted by the tirelessly energetic Guy Fieri (a previous winner of The Next Food Network Star), and Food Safari, where the host introduces a specific cuisine through interviews and demonstrations with locals in Australia.
  • Mack was excited to try the Vivanno, the new smoothie that debuted at Starbucks this week. I had a sip of both the Banana Chocolate and Orange Mango Banana blends (each containing “one whole banana”), and though they weren’t undrinkable, I’m going to stick to my Iced Brewed Coffee.

 

Vivanno (they only come in Grande sizes, in their own special cup)