Category: food

Office Party at Sutton Place

As per tradition, my colleagues and I gathered at the Sutton Place Hotel downtown for our annual Christmas party.

I remember having fond memories of last year’s luncheon, but that was likely because I didn’t have a hand in it and was allowed to simply enjoy the experience. This year, I volunteered to be on the planning committee, as I thought it would provide me with an opportunity to take a break from day-to-day work life. As it turned out, due to many seemingly last-minute adjustments, the party planning took on a life of its own.

The majority of my stress was associated with the holiday game my workmate Meghan and I were in charge of creating. A hybrid of Jeopardy and Cranium (Jeonium?), we did our best to escape the points model by awarding pieces of a puzzle instead. Thus, “Operation Rudolph” was born, with two groups of winners chosen – the team who could first obtain all twenty pieces, and the team who could most quickly put the puzzle together. While the competition was fierce, it seemed everyone ultimately enjoyed themselves, and our efforts were appreciated.

As for the buffet – the price per head increased to $28.50, but it was still well worth it. The roast beef in particular was very good this year, as was the salmon drenched in saffron butter sauce.

While I am relieved that the party (and the planning) is over, I am sure that in hindsight, I will appreciate the experience as a whole.

My first and only plate

One of the completed Rudolph puzzles

The Cooking Chronicles: Barbecue Duck Salad Rolls

Cooking for potlucks to be held at work always pose a bit of a challenge. Without access to an oven, and the added fun of transporting a dish across town on public transportation, I’ve found that a well thought out choice necessary. Up this time: Barbecue Duck Salad Rolls.

Things I learned:

  • I cannot julienne carrots.
  • Duck is a really, really fatty meat.
  • Softening rice papers works best in super-hot (near boiling) water.
  • Soy paste is a decent substitute for hoisin sauce.

I grossly underestimated the amount of time it would take me to assemble the rolls. If my Mum hadn’t helped me prepare the vegetables and vermicelli beforehand, I would have ended up listening to The Bounce‘s high rotation list a third time.

I kept a wet paper towel over the rolls overnight, and to my surprise, they didn’t crack much by lunch time this afternoon. Most of my coworkers liked the dish (I was down to one by the end!), with one even commenting about the very “refreshing” citrus burst of flavor as provided by the lime juice. I myself liked the inclusion of fresh cilantro – this would be a great appetizer for a summer patio party.

Barbecue Duck Salad Rolls

Food Notes

  • Caffe Sorrentino is now open in Edmonton City Centre. It’s definitely a more open space than the previous Polka Cafe, and I’m sure it’ll be bustling with business every lunch hour.
  • A second T & T Supermarket is coming to town! Dickson said a sign is now up in front of the space in Northgate Mall left vacant by Save on Foods. If Calgary can sustain two of these giant Asian grocery stores, I think we in Edmonton can as well.
  • Sutton Place Hotel‘s annual Christmas buffet will be offered starting next week. I’m not sure how many seats are left, but take a look at the extensive menu, and decide for yourself if it’s worth fighting for.
  • It appears the restaurants of Original Fare will be the the first Canadian group to join the PowerCard Rewards program. Somewhat similar to the points-accumulation system of Open Table, dollars spent at individual merchants are converted into rewards points that can be redeemed for cash. No indication of what “coming soon” actually translates to, date wise.
  • Christopher Thrall, one of the food writers for Vue Weekly (and contributor to Edmonton Dining), started a new column in this week’s issue which answers reader questions about restaurant suggestions. Good idea.
  • Nestle’s coffee machine, aptly named Nespresso, is trying to break into the U.S. market. They just recently opened a second specialty cafe in New York, but the article points out that Americans have a different view of coffee than Europeans – many consider it an “experience” that really cannot be duplicated at home. If I happen to pass by Bloomingdale’s, perhaps I’ll check it out.

A Surprisingly Good Brunch: Moxie’s

After discovering that a chain like Milestone’s could serve a pretty mean brunch, I went hunting for similar restaurants competing for diners on weekend afternoons. While Earls and Joey’s didn’t offer separate brunch menus, I found that Moxie’s did. So after a brief shopping trip this morning, Annie and I headed to Moxie’s on the south side (4790 Calgary Trail NW), hoping their non-reservation policy wouldn’t result in a lengthy wait.

Turns out we didn’t need to worry, as there were more than enough seats to accommodate us in the dining room. The menu was not extensive, with just nine breakfast selections (and their regular lunch features), but I actually preferred it this way – it usually meant faster kitchen prep. I was momentarily swayed by the French Toast, but ultimately decided on the Bacon & Cheddar Omelette ($10.99) – smoky bacon, sauteed onion, aged white and Canadian cheddars in a three egg omelette served with rosti potatoes and twelve-grain toast. Annie chose the more interesting Crab Cake Benedict ($12.99) – Moxie’s classic crab cakes, two poached eggs and hollandaise, with rosti potatoes and fresh fruit.

Plied with coffee, we would have waited patiently for our dishes, but in no time, our plates arrived. My omelette was huge, and I am happy to report that they did not scrimp on the cheese. They could have included more bacon (what meat that was folded in was overpowered by cheesy goodness), but that was a minor nitpick. Between the toast and crab cakes, Annie found her dish unfortunately dry, and would have liked more hollandaise sauce.

With great service throughout (our waitress constantly offered to top up our coffees) and a decent brunch menu, I would consider coming back.

Bacon & Cheddar Omelette

Crab Cake Benedict

Setting the Bar Low: Four Rooms Restaurant

Armed with an Entertainment Book coupon and low expectations, May and I headed to Four Rooms Restaurant (137 Edmonton City Centre) on Friday night.

After an overly negative experience in my high school days (involving rock-hard bread and food not remotely memorable), I was hesitant to return. But with a sweetened incentive of a 2-for-1 meal, and proximity to our second destination that evening, I was willing to give it another try. Lately as well, I had been reading about their popular Cosmopolitan Supper Club, a monthly concept event that offers dishes based around one ingredient or theme. Thus, I was hoping Four Rooms had improved since our last visit.

At around 6:15pm, May and I walked into the restaurant, greeted by four staff members who were standing around in the lobby casually chatting. Not a crime, but certainly not a good sign from a restaurant that, based purely upon location, should have been doing brisk business from the after-work and holiday shopping crowds alone. It turned out we were the third party in the dining room, though I did notice that the back room lounge contained other patrons as well. We were efficiently seated at a table along the wall, a thoughtful choice from the host who noted that the banquet would allow for ample space for our shopping bag.

The menu was more extensive and interesting than I could remember, though again, May and I were hard pressed to recall what we ordered the last time (keeping in mind that the selections had more than likely been overhauled since 2001 anyway). Though there were a few tempting selections, I ended up with the Marsala Bison Kafta ($13.50) – Bison Kaftas & mushrooms in a Marsala cream sauce tossed with linguine pasta – while May ordered the Banana Curry Chicken ($16) – grilled free range chicken in a Madras curry sauce with onions, bell peppers, yams and sweet potatoes.

When our server delivered our two dinner rolls, I couldn’t tell whether or not they were fresh or not. I could, however, nitpick that they were of the 25 cent variety available at your neighbourhood Sobey’s. Slicing into it, they were thankfully fairly soft, albeit a little cool to the touch.

Our dishes arrived fairly quickly, and on first glance, appeared quite small. By the end, however, between the meat and the pasta, I felt like the quantity was just about right. Perhaps due to my underdeveloped palette, the kafta, crafted from ground bison meat, tasted like a pan-fried Ikea meatball. The pasta, on the other hand, was superb. The sauce was creamy and sweet, with the only downside being that there wasn’t more of it to go around. May said her dish was all right, though she would have preferred a more generous serving of chicken, and could have done without the out-of-place bananas.

As meals go, this wasn’t half bad – service was good, and the food was reasonably priced. Of course, it was difficult to be objective given that we had set the bar so incredibly low. I may be back, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for Four Rooms.

Banana Curry Chicken

Marsala Bison Kafta

The Cooking Chronicles: Scotch Shortbread

When my coworker brought homemade shortbread cookies to the office the other day, I was reminded of a recipe I have been wanting to try for some time. So I hauled out my pink Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, and flipped to the page with directions for Scotch Shortbread.

The ingredients couldn’t be more common – butter, confectioner’s sugar, and flour – while the prep was easy and fast. I didn’t quite know how to “crimp” the edges, but as no one but my family would be sampling my cookies, it didn’t matter so much.

This recipe – while lighting quick to put together – just wasn’t good. Much too bland (the cookies are in dire need of sugar), I was not completely without fault, as I was guilty of under baking the batch. Still, this was a surprising first strike to my trusty BHG.

Scotch Shortbread

Food Notes

  • Edmontonians can breathe a sigh of relief – Capital Health has announced that the inspection results of city-wide restaurants will be accessible to the public by July 1.
  • The Matrix Hotel, besides being the home of Edmonton’s newest Starbucks, will also house a new restaurant from the L’Azia Group, called the Wildflower Restaurant. Barring construction delays, it will open in November. The Edmonton City Centre location of L’Azia used to be a favorite pre and post-movie destination for my friends and I during high school. I have found, however, that the food and service has steadily declined over the years, and haven’t been back. I hope the Wildflower is able to meet high expectations, otherwise, the Century Hospitality Group may have been a better choice to fill the space.
  • Here’s a reason, besides the cheap merchandise, to visit Wal-Mart: only available in McDonald’s restaurants situated inside the discount retailer, are cinnamon pullaparts. Rich, warm, and an instant cure for any sweet tooth, these buns are only $1.79, about half the price of those found at Cinnamon City or Cinnabon. Try it. You’ll never pay $4.50 for an icing-topped wonder again.
  • On the topic of McDonald’s, the company announced plans to breach the specialty coffee market by offering lattes, mochas, cappuccinos and espressos. But it may not be so easy – apparently many franchise owners are opposed to the $100,000 needed for initial equipment purchases and renovations. A surprising statistic from the article – about 1 in 5 Americans has an espresso based drink every day.
  • I’ve never really paid attention to either Zagat or Michelin restaurant guides, so I was happy to read a sort of “primer” article on their influences and reputations this week in the Globe. Interesting fact – Michelin stars are awarded purely on the strength of the food, and ignore service and ambiance.
  • To assist area restaurants affected by the Broadway strike, Mayor Bloomberg instigated a “Dining in the District” promotion – over 25 restaurants offering 15% off lunch and dinner menus. It was to end November 25; I wonder if it will be extended as the strike continues?

As Seen on TV: Koutouki Taverna

Ever since The Family Restaurant aired on Food Network Canada, my Mum and I have been itching to visit Koutouki – not for the food necessarily, but in order to see the venue of a television production in person. As I had heard dinners at Koutouki was quite pricey, we decided to swing by for lunch instead.

Our schedules finally aligned, and with a day off on Friday, I made a reservations for my parents and I at the southside Taverna (10310 45 Avenue). Stepping into the low-ceilinged building, I found the space cramped, but in a comfortable, “get to know your neighbour” kind of way, similar to TZiN. I loved the overhanging ivy-like plants, with twinkle lights looped in-between pots – they would, as my Mum commented, be a nightmare to water, but really elicited feelings of romanticism and escapist possibilities. Even more than Blue Willow, pictures of the family behind Koutouki lined every wall (including patriarch Yianni Psalios with Kevin Lowe, and even Muhammad Ali!) and served their function of making diners feel like a part of the establishment’s growing history.

While I can’t claim to be a huge fan of Greek cuisine, I probably haven’t sampled enough of it to really make a fair judgment. It turns out Koutouki doesn’t offer a separate lunch and dinner menu, so my delay was for naught. The waitress spoke of two specials, one of which sounded good to me – a pork donair-esque dish ($15.95) that I can’t remember by name. My parents opted for the second special, a rack of lamb, also priced at $15.95.

While waiting for our entrees, we were offered bread and Greek salad (feta, tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, olives) lightly tossed in olive oil. It was a light, refreshing way to start out our meal, and I didn’t even mind the feta in the dish.

We did get to see Yianni and his wife Kally – Yianni stepped out to survey the dining room at one point, and Kally was busy refilling coffee and water throughout our time there. Everything seemed so normal and commonplace that it was strange to think a full television crew was once stationed here.

Our entrees arrived and I immediately knew I wouldn’t be able to finish the large portion, especially given that this was my first meal of the day. The cubes of pork within my donair tasted tough and overcooked, but I was willing to overlook that if not for the overpowering lemon used in both the sauce and the potato side dish. The citrus was so pervasive that everything actually tasted sour. And though I’m not averse to parsley, overuse of the fresh herb was too much for me in this case. My parents thought the lamb was all right, though they would have happily accepted steak knives instead of the butter knives provided at the tables.

While we were treated to attentive service during our time at Koutouki, I can’t say I’ll be back. The food really played second-string to “celebrity-sighting” this afternoon.

Restaurant interior

Menu

The Psalios family

Yianni with Muhammad Ali

Certificate from Premier Ralph Klein, congratulating Yianni and Kally on their grand Cyprus wedding for daughter Dina

Greek salad

Donair

Rack of lamb

Holiday Vantage Point: Three Bananas Cafe

Needing a quick bite to eat downtown, and not in the mood to jostle with the Friday night food court crowd, I was pulled towards the reliably quiet Three Bananas Cafe on Churchill Square.

Several months have passed since I last stopped by, but not much had changed about the place. As I mentioned in my previous post, however, the cafe is a tad on the dim side in the evenings, with only a few ill-placed spot bulbs overhead. Surveying all available tables, only two were bright enough to allow for comfortable reading. I was lucky to snag one, and thumbed through a free weekly while waiting for my Traditional (pepperoni and mushroom) Pizzette. Not exactly cheap at $8.95, I figured I was paying more for the venue and the view – great for people watching in the summer, the windows are an even better vantage point in the winter, opening up to the BrightNights displays on the east side of Churchill Square.

My pizza required a wait of about fifteen minutes, but arrived hot and very cheesy. It wasn’t as good as I remembered, but considering the last one was consumed as I was moving back to solid foods upon recovery from my wisdom teeth extraction, a less than fantastic second trial was to be expected.

If you’re around the Square to take in the holiday decorations, why not stop by Three Bananas for a warming mug of hot chocolate?

Traditional Pizzette

Eating (in) the Big Apple

Even with the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, the Fifth Avenue shop windows, Central Park, Broadway, and the possibility of catching the filming of Sex and the City, I can’t tell you what I’m more excited about – the sights or food of New York.

As I research the epicurean wonders of the Big Apple, I’m quickly finding that the tourist attractions seem to be exclusive of the city’s great eats. The vast majority of the restaurants I have my eye on are in neighbourhoods we won’t necessarily have a reason to visit – Chelsea, the West Village, the Flatiron district, the Upper East Side, the Lower East Side. An unlimited Metro pass is great, but at what point does it become nonsensical to waste time on a return trip to a personally unproven establishment? Moreover, I’m finding that it is near impossible to make reservations – with the uncertainty caused by the Broadway strike, and tours that may or may not be sold out on the days we planned for on paper, much may be shifted between now and then.

So from my reading/scanning of the Chowhound boards, New York Magazine, food blogs, and the more conventional guidebooks (Frommers is the best at offering pointers for reasonably-priced fare), here is a selection of some of the restaurants I’m interested in (but not necessarily will get to; all the more reason to come back to New York, no?).

  • To make it to one of Bobby Flay’s three Manhattan restaurants is at the top of my list. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’m leaning towards Bar Americain for brunch (the dining room looks spectacular).

  • Babbo, Mario Batali’s crown jewel, is often cited as the most difficult of all places to get into, but I’d actually much prefer Italian from a low-key spot like Becco, which offers an incredible $16.95 prix fixe lunch of all-you-can-eat tableside pasta.

  • Other four-star prix fixe lunch steals include most of Jean Georges’ empire (Perry Street and JoJo look intriguing), and the oft-complimented Eleven Madison Park (run by the same owners of another popular dining destination – Gramercy Tavern).

  • Pizzerias are ubiquitous in New York, but Lombardi’s, the island’s oldest, seems to drum up the most recommendations.

  • Besides Magnolia, who some say raised cupcakes to an iconic status in New York, City Bakery and Clinton Street Bakery (biscuits!) are also on my radar.

  • I’d be more than happy spending a day wandering from restaurant to restaurant in Greenwich Village – home to the very cute Peanut Butter & Co, A Salt and Battery and S’Mac (a diner that only serves variations on macaroni and cheese).

The only given at this point (and if our flight is delayed, then forget it), is the Burger Joint, a greasy spoon located behind a “brown curtain” in the lobby of the ritzy Le Parker Meridien (from the way I’ve seen it described, it honestly sounds like the veil Sirius Black fell through in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). So if all goes well, we should be able to beef up on cheap burgers on our first night in town – sustenance before Mack hits the only sure thing in New York – the 24 hour Apple Store.