Cook Like a Chef: In the Kitchens of Hotel Macdonald

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of being invited to cook inside the prestigious kitchens of the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. It seemed too good to be true – an opportunity not only to peek behind-the-scenes, but also to learn from Executive Chef Serge Jost? But believe me, it was all that and much more.

Chef Serge Jost

I was among six food enthusiasts chosen to participate. The Mac organized this evening as one way to demystify its identity as an establishment reserved only for grand occasions. Its chefs want to spread the word that the Mac is simply about good hospitality.

Without a doubt, everyone we encountered that evening was gracious and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. This was not more evident than when we were each greeted with a personalized monogrammed chef’s jacket.

The crew (picture by Hotel MacDonald)

The interactive, hands-on session saw each of us paired off in order to prepare either the appetizer, main, or dessert. I immediately glommed onto Gail Hall, a chef in her own right, and fellow 104 Street resident. We were tasked with the appetizer, a savoury cheese tart, served alongside asparagus, a poached quail egg, and seared foie gras.

Preparing the tart shells

Executive Sous Chef Jiju Paul guided us through the multitude of steps, and was more than patient with me as I struggled to crack the delicate quail eggs without breaking the yolks. This was also my first time working with foie gras – I knew it tasted good, but the smell of them as they caramelized on the stove? Heavenly.

Searing the foie gras

Wouldn’t you know – I didn’t end up taking a single snapshot of the final dish. All I have are shots during the plating process.

What kind of food blogger am I?

Linda and Rebecca were responsible for the main, a complicated duck stuffed chicken cooked sous vide. It was wonderfully cooked, tender and moist.

Linda and Rebecca hard at work

Duck stuffed chicken with green bean mousse, mushroom foam and hazelnut lemon gremolata

Dessert was the purview of Karlynn and Phil, a strawberry gelee with rhubarb compote, sherbet and decorative strawberry tuilles. It was a beautiful plate, and a tart but refreshing way to end the meal.

Phil and Karlynn are serious about dessert

Strawberry gelee with rhubarb compote

Perhaps most generous of all – Chef Jost sat and ate with us, sharing his perspectives about the Hotel and his plans to make the restaurants at the Mac more approachable. For instance, the chefs are all on Twitter, sharing photos of menu planning, plating and interacting with patrons.

Regarding the Mac’s restaurants, particularly of note are the tapas at the Confederation Lounge, best enjoyed in the summer alongside the smashing view on the patio. To help promote this, the Lounge is offering 2-for-1 appetizers in the month of May, as well as drink specials.

I definitely think that’s a start, as perceived prices are definitely something the Mac needs to overcome. As I mentioned in my post last summer after a visit to the patio, another is the menu itself; a trendier, more inventive menu could potentially pique the interest of different diners. To do this without alienating their regular clientele would require a fine balance between the new and the established. I do agree with Chef Jost – the Hotel Macdonald is a living landmark that should be traversed much more by Edmontonians – but how can they do this without what could be seen as devaluing the Fairmont brand? It will be interesting to see what else the Mac develops in the months to come.

Thank you to Chef Jost, Chef Paul and the rest of the staff at the Hotel Macdonald for a memorable evening.

Check out Rebecca and Linda’s posts about the evening as well.

Food Notes for May 5, 2014

Oh, Raptors. Those last six second were heartbreaking, but it sure was a wild ride. Selfishly, I was hoping to partake in Jurassic Park myself when in Toronto next week, but here’s to the possibility next year! On to this week’s food notes:

Outdoor farmers’ markets are back! Salisbury was the first on May 1, then Callingwood on May 4, and this coming weekend, the French Quarter on May 11. The City Market returns to 104 Street on May 17.
The next Tomato Test Kitchen with Brad Smoliak takes place on May 8, 2014, and focuses on the art of grilling.
Food trucks are popping up all over! Make sure to keep up to date with the Street Food App, but also check out Eva’s post about one of the newest, Perogy Princess.
Speaking of food trucks, Liane has some details about Pampa’s forthcoming mobile offering as well, which will feature the same charcoal-grilled meat you know and love.
Host Edmonton, a hospitality conference taking place May 22-24, is looking for volunteers.
The Calgary Stampede released their 2014 food line-up last week. I wonder if the scorpion pizzas will also be making their way to K-Days?
Mack and I attended the Iconoclast Koffeehuis (11807 105 Avenue) opening on Saturday. The event seemed to showcase the space itself as a venue rather than the coffee, but it was a good opportunity for us to get acquainted with the place. While it is walkable, it’s not exactly convenient, so I’m not sure how often we will be frequenting Iconoclast. But at the very least, it seems to be a good addition to the city’s coffee scene! Cindy has much better photos of the evening here.

Iconoclast Koffehuis grand opening

I had a very good food week, starting with this beautiful charcuterie board at Hundred.

Charcuterie board (I had to steal Linda’s photo)

Mack and I ended up at Three Boars on the weekend. It’s been too long since our last visit, so we plowed through several new-to-us menu items. Our favourite were the lamb neck croquettes, served over a delicious bed of curried lentils.

Lamb neck croquettes

It’s been some time since dining at Quan Pho, but at a lunch meeting today, I found their vermicelli bowl to be much superior to the pho I tried during my previous visit. The grilled pork was particularly tasty.

Grilled pork and spring roll vermicelli

It was a cold one this weekend, but we layered up and helped the Downtown Edmonton Community League pick up some trash in the neighbourhood.

Mack with his favourite new toy

Date Night: Mirepoix Trio and the Princess Theatre

Just as food trucks have been a means towards establishing a storefront or brick and mortar restaurant (see: Filistix and Woodwork), I think pop-up restaurants have the same potential. It seems like ages ago now, but before RGE RD moved into their permanent digs, Chef Blair Lebsack hosted pop-up meals in the city and out on the farm (and even now, continues with the latter).

The Mirepoix Trio (made up of Chefs Rylan Krause, Jade Wu and Adam Zarycki) has been organizing special one-off vegan dinners in Edmonton since last summer. The functions not only let them collaborate and cook outside the box, but the meals have also allowed them to build a name for themselves and some money to boot – with the hope of one day establishing their own restaurant.

The Mirepoix Trio

Based on their Easter weekend suppers, I think the Mirepoix Trio is gaining quite the following in this city. They had generously invited Mack and I to dine as their guests as an engagement present (so sweet). Held at Upper Crust on Good Friday, the five course meal would have only set us back a very reasonable $40.

We started off with some refreshing drinks – a Mirepoix soda (Limoncello, vodka, basil, mint agave and soda) and an Orange Blossom (sugar, orange biters, St. Germain and Prosecco).

Drinks

Kudos to the chefs for preceding each course with a personal explanation – it’s always great to see the people behind the food! It was also insightful to hear about their direction for the meal – to make sure each course would flow into the next, each dish would adopt an ingredient from the previous one, ensuring some continuity.

The first course was a straightforward but delicious mushrooms and toast, served with an underlay of fennel pesto. Those two bites packed a punch, and set the tone at the start for a meal all about simple comforts.

Mushrooms and toast

On that blustery, snowy day, nothing was more welcome than the tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons (the cheese in this instance was Daiya). I could have eaten more than a handful of those crispy croutons, but I did particularly appreciate the brightness that the roasted tomato drizzle lent the dish.

Tomato soup with grilled cheese

Mack found the palate-cleansing iced tomato granita a little strange, given the extreme temperature shift from the earlier dish, but being a fan of caprese salad, I enjoyed the combination of tomato, basil and creamy cashew cheese.

Granita

We were both looking forward to the potato gnocchi, to be served with a creamy cheese sauce. The gnocchi themselves lived up to expectation, plump, seasoned well and satisfying. However, the accompanying asparagus seemed out of place texturally; the spears didn’t hold up to roasting at all.

Gnocchi

To end the night was Mirepoix’s take on a classic – strawberry shortcake. Here, the addition of basil tied it into the main, but what really made it sing was the sweet dollop of coconut whipped cream. I didn’t miss the dairy at all!

Strawberry basil shortcake

The meal was a great introduction to what the Mirepoix Trio is trying to do – elevate expectations of vegan cuisine, all within a scope of familiarity for those less accustomed to the possibilities of vegan cooking. It was clear Rylan, Jade and Adam are passionate about what they do – and given the growing niche of vegan establishments in Edmonton, I have no doubt a Mirepoix restaurant would help meet this need. Best of luck to them as they continue to raise their profile with these pop-up dinners! Follow them on Twitter to find out when their next event will be taking place.

After dinner, Mack and I walked over to The Princess Theatre to continue our evening with food on film. I had earmarked The Lunchbox during last year’s Edmonton International Film Festival, but due to time conflicts, I wasn’t able to watch it. Lucky for me, The Princess brought the film back to Edmonton.

It’s been some time since we’ve caught a film at The Princess, but this visit reminded us why we should be back more often – clean, intimate and retro, it was a much different experience than a trip to the typical multiplex. So much so that we indulged in popcorn, something we never do!

Salty snacks

As for The Lunchbox – I highly recommend it, and not just for the food (even though the styling inspired immediate Indian cuisine cravings). My interest in the movie was initially to see the dabbawala food delivery system in action, but it is so much more than that. It’s a lovely story about the connection between two lonely people in bustling Mumbai, subtle and beautifully acted. Though The Lunchbox is no longer playing at The Princess, it’s now moved to Landmark City Centre, so you still have a chance to see it in theatres. Go, now!

Suburban Disappointment: Square One Wye Road

Mack and I always seem to end up in Sherwood Park when we’re having a meal with Grandma Male. Though it’s typically driven by convenience (given she lives on the far east side of Edmonton), it’s also given us an excuse to scour the suburb for independent eateries. Though I wouldn’t say it’s easy to come by, like Edmonton, once you start looking, they’re everywhere.

The most recent addition is Square One Wye Road, which opened back in December. It was immediately intriguing because not many establishments in Sherwood Park have identified themselves as such in their name. The inclusion of “Wye Road” was a loud and proud statement, and if they lived up to their promise of being a unique, “contemporary speakeasy”, it would put the Park on the culinary map in a new way.

Interior

Like nearly everything else in Sherwood Park, Square One is located in a strip mall. On that Sunday evening in April, it was quiet, with only three other tables occupied. With its central oval-shaped bar featuring television screens and banquet-lined room, my first impression was that it very much mirrored a Cactus Club Café lounge. I did appreciate the pressed-tin underlay on the bar, but the sophistication didn’t jive with the random portrait of Darth Vader on the wall. I assume the owners were attempting to be quirky, but it really seemed out of place.

Mack with Vader

I tried an Amelia Earhart cocktail, comprised of gin, June flower liqueur, pineapple juice and sage. Great presentation, and quite refreshing.

Amelia Earthart

The menu was relatively small, which we hoped would mean the kitchen was focusing on their strengths. It was also great to see local producers named on the menu, including Sylvan Star and Irvings. We ended up ordering arrancini ($11) to share, and an entrée each.

We knew it would be hard for Square One’s arancini to live up to Daniel Costa’s version at Corso 32, and unfortunately, we were right. They were lacking in flavour and forgettable.

Arrancini

The mains fared somewhat better. Mack’s enjoyed his grilled Lois Lake salmon ($24) well enough, though noted that the risotto lacked the horseradish punch that had been promised.

Grilled salmon with horseradish risotto, burnt orange butter sauce and jicama slaw

My patty melt ($17) was the equivalent of a diner burger, and it was a bit odd to find it on the same menu as Mack’s decidedly more refined dish. That said, the chopped steak patty had been grilled to a nice medium rare. I did find the pimento cheese to be a bit strong, however, given the beef really should have been the star of the dish.

Patty melt with fries

Grandma Male enjoyed her steak sandwich ($19), commenting that the meat was quite tender. The issue on her plate, as it was on mine, were the fries, which had been egregiously over salted. It was a shame, given how hot and crispy they were. Service had been friendly but timid thus far, but I have to say our server handled the criticism about the salt content very well, thanking us for the feedback in the context of being a new restaurant.

Though I recognize the desire to appeal to the widest cross-section possible, I think Square One needs to refine their menu further to live up to the identity they’ve crafted on their website. To become a destination, or even to attract the locals, it has to rise above the rest of the upscale casual chains and assert a distinguishable identity; the use of Alberta product is a good start, but just one facet. I would also hope that as time passes, the kitchen becomes more consistent. I think there is a lot more room for independents in Sherwood Park – let’s hope Square One (with some improvements) is here to stay.

Square One Wye Road
Unit 32, 993 Fir Street, Sherwood Park
(780) 705-4321
Open daily 11am-2am

Food Notes for April 28, 2014

It was a pretty food-full weekend, with our fourth Eat Alberta taking place on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who took part; I hope to write a full recap soon. On to this week’s food notes:

The oldest greenhouse in the Edmonton area, Wallish Greenhouses in Strathcona County, is throwing a party on May 3, 2014 their 95th anniversary.
Toast Catering in the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is hosting a 3-course Mother’s Day brunch at the Market, with two seatings at 10:30am and 1:30pm. Tickets are $65.
Phil has another YEG Burger Odyssey post up, this time pitting the burgers of a Fort Saskatchewan diner against that of Rockin’ Robyn.
There’s a great piece about the Century Hospitality Group in this month’s TechLife magazine.
Vue Weekly explores the rationale behind restaurant wine prices.
Is it true? Calgary is envious of Edmonton for a change? This Calgary journalist wonders why there are no weekend farmers’ markets in downtown Calgary, when Edmonton will have not one, but two this summer.
The Eat Alberta committee met up at The Manor for a post-event supper. They were able to accommodate us in a private room on a second floor, so we were able to meet (and eat) to our heart’s content. I also quite enjoyed the schnitzel that I ordered.

Schnitzel from The Manor

Mack and I took in the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts tonight. It was one of the best I’ve seen yet – a tight set, and some wonderful performers. Though I will always have a soft spot for Sugar Swing, Ariane Mahryke Lemire took my breath away, even though I couldn’t understand the words to her French song. We ended the night with some tastes from Elm Café – I devoured the vegetarian crostini!

Ariane Mahryke Lemire (loved the animated Jason Blower backdrop, too!)

Tastes from Elm Cafe

Living Up to its Name: Hap’s Hungry House

Last spring, while Mack and I were taking part in Thom’s bootcamp in the west end, we would drive past Hap’s Hungry House (16060 Stony Plain Road) every Sunday. The parking lot was always packed those mornings, and had us wondering what it was like inside. We finally made time last weekend to try it out for ourselves.

Arriving at 11:30 on Sunday, nearly all of the tables were full. Thankfully, it seemed we had good timing, as not long after we sat down, a small crowd started gathering in the small lobby.

We were told the restaurant has been family owned and operated for thirty-one years, and though I can’t speak to whether or not the interior has changed in that time, I can say that it is clean and well taken care of. The décor is country-esque, with kitschy farm animals and floral art all over the walls. It actually reminded me somewhat of the cartoonish depictions Cora’s deploys, but less over the top.

Interior

If I were to describe Hap’s Hungry House with one word, it would be “efficient.” Though I know much of it has to do with the desire for a timely table turnover, the fact that we were provided with water, coffee, milk in place of cream and even a coffee thermos within two minutes of being seated was very much appreciated. It may have been rote for the servers, but they never made us feel rushed.

The menu is huge, and runs the gamut between omelettes, egg sandwiches, eggs benedicts, French toast, and hotcakes (a term for pancakes I have only ever associated with McDonald’s). And like most diners, the plates promised to be generous in size.

I ordered a large hotcake combo with pork sausage ($11.65). I’m not sure I expected individual pancakes to be the size of dinner plates, but it was a welcome challenge. They were fluffy, the batter just slightly sweet (perfect for dousing in syrup), and did remind me of those served at Hathaway’s Diner. The scrambled eggs were browned and thus overdone, but that was a minor complaint.

Large hotcake combo

Mack’s large egg-cellent order with pork sausage ($9.85) was a steal of a deal, his plate teeming with eggs, toast, home fries and meat. The home fries could have been a touch crispier for my liking, but Mack didn’t mind.

Large egg-cellent with pork sausage

I’d definitely recommend Hap’s for your brunch consideration. Just make sure you go hungry.

Hap’s Hungry House
16060 Stony Plain road
(780) 483-2288
Tuesday-Saturday 7am-3pm,Sunday 8am-3pm, closed Mondays and Holidays

Food Notes for April 22, 2014

I hope you all had a fantastic Easter! On to this week’s food notes:

It’s your last chance to nominate your favourites for Vue Weekly’s annual Golden Fork Awards. Fill out your ballot online before April 28, 2014.
Mark you calendars – Indulgence will start selling tickets this year on May 1, 2014.
Barbecue lovers, rejoice: Porkapalooza will take place June 13-15, 2014 in Hawrelak Park, and will offer demonstrations, barbecue competitions, and of course, lots of food.
The big news this week was the forthcoming launch of a second farmers’ market downtown in the building that formerly housed Mother’s Music (10251 109 Street). They are hoping to launch mid-May, right around the time the City Market returns to 104 Street. Based on the CTV story, it doesn’t sound like the organizer of Mother’s Market will be focusing on locally-sourced products, but I’ll wait and see.
Farrow (8422 109 Street), Three Boars’ new sandwich joint, opened on April 16, 2014.
The Act Out & About won’t be hitting the streets this summer, unfortunately, with The owners of The Next Act focusing on their new restaurant, MEAT, to open this spring. That said, their truck won’t be sitting idle, as Big City Sandwich will be taking it over this season.
Vue Weekly reviews the new Three Amigos location downtown.
Twyla posts one of the first reviews of Hart’s Table, the newest of the Century Hospitality restaurants.
Speaking of Twyla, she had a terrible experience at Craft Beer Market, and unfortunately, the higher ups have failed to rectify it.
Phil’s latest Burger Odyssey post is up, pitting The Burger Joint up against Rodeo Burger.
Curious who will be participating in this year’s Gold Medal Chefs battle in October? Liane has the news.
Valerie’s newest Canadian Food Experience round-up highlights local food heroes across Canada.
There was an interesting piece in Grub Street last week, asking the question – why aren’t more restaurant critics women?
I finally caught Three Chocolate at the City Market this Saturday (Edmonton’s coming up chocolate it seems, with Pinto Chocolates also being a fairly recent addition to the scene, and news of Jacek Chocolate Couture’s expansion with a second storefront). Three sources all of their cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, and their name is derived from the number of ingredients in their dark chocolate – cocoa nibs, cocoa butter and sugar. They will be vending the next two weekends at the City Market, but will not be transitioning to the outdoor location.

Three Chocolate

After a successful trip to a bridal salon in Sherwood Park where my sisters finally agreed on a bridesmaids dress, we headed to the nearby Sumo Sumo for sustenance. It was relatively busy for a Wednesday evening, but if there was anything to be said about our meal, it was that portion sizes were very generous. The udon soup I ordered was just $13, but it really could have fed two people.

Tempura udon from Sumo Sumo Sushi

Mack, Thom and I had a pre-Rush game dinner at The Common over the weekend. Though we enjoyed our initial visit when it first opened, the kitchen has been inconsistent since then. The umami burger I ordered this time was disappointing – both the patty and focaccia bread it was served on were quite dry.

The umami burger from The Common

At District Coffee Co. today, Mack and I noticed bottles of Upson’s Classic Cordials for sale. We didn’t know such a product was being made in Edmonton! The fruit drink concentrate is meant to be mixed with sparkling water or spirits for drinks, making it something to consider especially now as the weather warms up.

Upson’s Classic Cordials

Shattered Expectations: The Glass Monkey

With the number of restaurants that have joined the dining scene in Edmonton over the past six months, it sometimes feels like I’ll never catch up! And because Mack and I don’t typically gravitate towards recently-opened establishments in moments of spontaneity, I find we usually have to plan in advance to make sure we end up at a new spot. That was the case with The Glass Monkey, where Mack and I had dinner on a Saturday night in March.

Located in a Lendrum strip mall, The Glass Monkey replaced Jack’s Grill in December 2013. When it opened, its claim to fame was perhaps that Chef Darcy Radies (formerly of The Blue Pear) was involved in the menu development, which for me elevated my expectations for an innovative and creative menu, under the restaurant’s gastropub concept.

Walking in that evening, we found a fairly packed dining room. I had made a reservation a week prior on Open Table, however, so wasn’t worried. When greeted by the hostess, she first indicated that she needed to grab an “extra chair” for our table. Then, we were led to a windowless corner, seated at a table adjacent to a bar-height four-top, which made our placement even more claustrophobic. I recognize the choice of tables at that time was slim, but needless to say, we weren’t off to a good start.

Unfortunately, the menu choices didn’t remedy things. First off, wines were pricey, averaging at least $15 per glass. It was also somewhat surprising that The Glass Monkey doesn’t offer a cocktail menu. Following the lead of other cities, restaurants in Edmonton have begun to adopt quite quality cocktail programs (Woodwork is perhaps the best example). Though cocktails alone aren’t deal breakers for younger diners, given the comments from the previous owner of Jack’s Grill relating to challenges of attracting younger customers, it does seem like an oversight. The crowd definitely seemed to skew older that night, but that could have been an anomaly.

The Glass Monkey has a fairly large food menu, but it felt scattered and unfocused. It’s rare for us not to be swayed by small plates, but nothing from that section of the menu enticed us. It probably didn’t help that the chefs decided to retain a number of dishes from Jack’s Grill – it would be difficult for any restaurant to develop a new identity when beholden to its previous incarnation. We ended up ordering pub standards – burgers and pizza.

I was given a temperature choice for my sirloin beef patty. Though I requested medium rare, the burger arrived well done, no pink to be seen. Thankfully, it was still quite juicy, and the generous amount of Sylvan Star Cheese was a nice accompaniment. I should note that the fries were a delight, crispy and thicker than the shoestring style so popular these days.

Burger ($15)

Mack’s Hawaiian pizza ($17) featured a crisp crust, and nicely smoked pork. He would have preferred more pineapple, however, as it was shaved very thin.

Hawaiian pizza

Service was fine – our server was courteous and professional, and in spite of the demands of tending to many tables, managed to be present.

While the food itself was fine, overall, our experience at The Glass Monkey was disappointing. With so many other new restaurants still left to visit, I’m sure it will be some time before we consider returning again, especially since the menu didn’t leave us wanting more.

The Glass Monkey
5842 – 111 Street
(780) 760-2228

Food Notes for April 14, 2014

Registration for this summer’s first Edmonton Diner en Blanc is now open!
Looking for Easter dinner plans? The Mirepoix Trio is hosting another pop-up dinner, this time at Upper Crust. Check out the two different menus for the April 18 and 19, 2014 dinners. I’m looking forward to it already!
Iconoclast Coffee is hosting a free grand opening party on May 3, 2014, from 7-11:30pm. If you needed an excuse to check it out, here you go – they promise fine food, prosecco and music. Speaking of the Koffiehuis, Vue Weekly profiled the new shop last week.
Slow Food Edmonton is hosting a 5-course dinner at Lux on May 13, 2014 that will highlight sustainable species of fish. It sounds like it will be an educational and tasty evening. Tickets are $70 for members and $80 for non-members.
Speaking of fish, because of the new direct Icelandic Air flights to Edmonton, Ocean Odyssey will now be offering fresh wild Atlantic fish. Stay in touch with this development on their website.
Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks has expanded beyond the Enjoy Centre, with a location in Terwillegar (14251 23 Avenue). They celebrated their grand opening on April 10, 2014.
Also now open is the Tunki Café Shop (10998 124 Street), a new Peruvian café on 124 Street.
Liv reviewed Bodega Tapas & Wine Bar.
I have to say In & Out Burger was a little underwhelming the first time I tried it in the States, and I wonder if Carl’s Jr will be the same? The American chain just opened their first Edmonton-area location in Spruce Grove (420, 131 Century Crossing), with another on the way in the west end.
As I mentioned last week, it’s great news that Evoolution is expanding, including another storefront in Southgate.

Coming soon: Evoolution

Dinner at Boualouang on Friday was great (their green curry/coconut rice combo is deadly). The Thai-style salad was new to a few of us, but turned out to be a delicious choice as well.

Thai-style salad with papaya, dried shrimp, peanuts, tomatoes and chilies

It was a busy family-filled weekend for us, including participating in a baby gender-revealing party. It was a lot of fun testing out old wives tales and failing miserably at baby-related trivia.

Gorgeous table!

Swiss 2 Go: Hurrah for Pretzel Buns

Mack and I were in the west end running errands over the weekend when hunger pains hit. We ended up right by Swiss 2 Go (17104 90 Avenue), a sandwich shop I had heard a lot about, so took it as an opportunity to finally set foot inside.

Situated right across from West Edmonton Mall, it’s a humble storefront that would be easy to miss. Swiss 2 Go is essentially a takeout counter, with a handful of tables for those seeking to dine in.

Interior

The menu focuses on sandwiches, though soups, salads and homemade desserts are also available. The current menu has fifteen different sandwich varieties to choose from, all an upgrade from those typically found at a deli. Their Italian Bride, with prosciutto, roasted red pepper, sun dried tomatoes, bocconcini and basil was even recognized by Avenue Magazine as one of the Best Things to Eat in 2013.

It was clear that owner Drita Keller cares deeply about the ingredients used in her creations. She shared with us that she continues to import cheeses and meats from Europe because of their consistency and quality, and it was evident that the vegetables used were crisp and fresh.

The sandwiches were made fresh to order, and when they arrived, I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to pack it down to take a bite! My Thanksgiving ($7.99/regular) sandwich, with smoked turkey, brie, romaine and red pepper was loaded with texture, the mild and creamy cheese letting the turkey take the wheel. Mack similarly enjoyed his Matterhorn ($7.99/regular), containing banana peppers, avocado, cilantro and alpine style dried beef.

Matterhorn and Thanksgiving sandwiches

While the combination of ingredients was unique, what set the sandwich apart was the house-made pretzel bun, studded with kosher salt. Given we haven’t yet found a local supplier who offers pretzel buns similar to those found at Calgary’s Rustic Sourdough Bakery, this might be the closest we’ve ever come. During the week, Drita said they run through so much bread that they may be baking up to ten times a day!

If you’re in the area, make it a point to stop by Swiss 2 Go. You won’t be disappointed.

Swiss 2 Go
17104 90 Avenue
(587) 520-9400
Monday 11am-3pm, Tuesday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 11am-5pm

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