Category: food

Date Night: Hawkers Market & Parka Patio Party

In spite of how far we’ve come, there’s still a stereotype that nothing happens downtown on evenings and weekends. Well, on a recent weekend, we hopped from a great food event to a happening party, which all took place within a few blocks of one another.

We started out the evening at the second Hawkers Market to take place in Edmonton, again at the Mercer Warehouse. Conceived as an incubator of sorts for new food-related businesses, I think it still has a ways to go before it is able to attract the newer entrepreneurial efforts who really are seeking a platform to road test products.

HWKRS MRKT

Brittney and I at Hawkers Market

That said, Hawkers Market is still a great addition to the food scene in Edmonton, particularly in the winter, when economical events are harder to come by. Although the line-up of vendors was remarkably similar to the previous event, it didn’t deter the crowds. Organizers estimated about 100 more people this time around, and at least one vendor sold out an hour and a half into the evening.

HWKRS MRKT

The Drift team!

Kara of Drift Food Truck made a good point – the provision of seating really changed the experience for attendees. They encouraged people to linger and stay and to perhaps have another drink or dish that they wouldn’t have otherwise indulged in.

HWKRS MRKT

Busy night

As a result, the atmosphere seemed more festive, with friends gathering around tables, facilitating sharing all that much more. Mack and I sampled a handful of dishes, starting with bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers ($5) from Low & Slow Barbecue, a new vendor at the event. Some people might be familiar with them from the 124 Street Grand Market, but this was our first encounter with their food. Mack enjoyed them well enough, though we were told later on that their pulled pork was the standout.

HWKRS MRKT

Jalapeno poppers from Low & Slow Barbecue

Slow Food Edmonton had a booth, offering both sweet and savoury concoctions. I really liked their version of grilled cheese ($3), made up of a base of Bon Ton bread, a crackling crust of The Cheesiry’s pecorino, and a dollop of Mojo JoJo Pickles’ salted caramel pear butter.

HWKRS MRKT

Chad Moss cooks up some sandwiches

HWKRS MRKT

Slow Food Edmonton’s grilled cheese

Their local marshmallow trifecta ($4) was a unique dessert, with my favourite of the three being the honey-scented treat, topped with a honey toffee crumb.

HWKRS MRKT

Marshmallow treats from Slow Food Edmonton

Mack couldn’t resist Bully’s perogies and ham ($8). We anticipated tasty perogies, but what blew us away was the house cured and smoked ham steak, which was so tender it flaked under a fork alone. And you can always hand it to Bully to win the serving size sweepstakes!

HWKRS MRKT

Dean serves a mean ham!

HWKRS MRKT

Bully’s perogies and ham

Our favourite dish of the night was from Parts & Service, a food truck hoping to hit the streets this spring. Their take on chicken and waffles ($5) was ingenious from a street food perspective, as it could easily be eaten standing up with one hand. Not to mention, the house made chicken sausage (wrapped in a waffle cone) was delicious! It was served with maple syrup and an apple hot sauce, but really, the sausage was seasoned so well it didn’t need any accompaniments. I’m even more excited about their truck now!

HWKRS MRKT

Chicken and waffles from Parts & Service

I was most looking forward to dessert from Paper Bag Donuts (cooked up by Red Ox Inn chef Sean O’Connor). I had missed them at the last event, as I mistook their table as an extension of the bar. This time, they had an overhead sign advertising meyer lemon curd donuts ($3)  and honey crullers ($5). We chose the latter, and weren’t disappointed with the warm, freshly fried treats.

HWKRS MRKT

Paper Bag Donuts

We had a great time, and based on that night, I think Hawkers Market has the potential to become a staple event in our community. For those who missed out, mark your calendars – the next event is scheduled for April 12, 2014.

Full, we walked over to Latitude 53, which was hosting their annual Parka Patio Party. Mack and I had attended their first ever winter patio party in 2012, but the weather had been kinder that year. This year, with temperatures hovering around –30 with windchill, we were grateful that the event had an indoor component.

Parka Patio Party

Parka Patio Party

That said, we had dressed for an outdoor function, and like other attendees, had no use for the coat racks set aside.

Parka Patio Party

What coat racks?

Hot tea and soup were served inside, but playing up the Ice Land theme, organizers were offering make-your-own cocktails out on the patio. Not only did this involve an ice luge, but also an array of frozen fruit. Needless to say, we gave it a shot.

Parka Patio Party

Ice luge!

If that wasn’t enough, Pinocchio Ice Cream was also on hand sampling newer product varieties – popcorn and salted caramel ice cream.

Parka Patio Party

Tom from Pinocchio Ice Cream

A DJ kept the spirits up indoors, and in addition to art up for silent auction, there was also a fun “Scandinavian Toy-Scape” installed in the space (I loved the little waving monster!).

Parka Patio Party

Too cute

It was great to catch up with some familiar faces at the party, and to take part in a winter event, that in spite of the cold, played to a packed house.

Parka Patio Party

The cold didn’t keep people away

Thanks again to Latitude 53 for the tickets! Here’s hoping it’s just a few degrees warmer next year.

Food Notes for March 3, 2014

  • This year’s Downtown Dining Week runs March 14-23, 2014. Their menus are already up – priced at $15, $25 and $50.
  • Farrow is the new sandwich spot that is opening up next to Three Boars (8422 109 Street). If you want a sneak peek of their menu, check out their upcoming pop-up at Three Boars on March 16, 2014, from 11am-2pm.
  • Congratulations to Culina Muttart for ten years in the business! To celebrate, they are hosting special family-style wine dinners March 18-20, 2014 at $89 per person.
  • The Red Shoe Society (benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta) is hosting another great fundraiser – this time, their second annual Cookies & Beer, being held at Craft Beer Market on March 25, 2014. Tickets are $50, and will feature both sweet and savoury pairings.
  • The next Tomato Test Kitchen with Mary Bailey and Chef Brad Smoliak is scheduled for March 27, 2014.
  • Elm Café’s new downtown cafe, District Coffee Co., opened March 3, 2014 at #101, 10011 109 Street.
  • There’s a new Latin Market called El Mariachi that opened at 10991A 124 Street.
  • Silk Road (always a stop for us in Calgary) is opening up an Edmonton location next to Knifewear later this summer. The shop will be at 10818  82 Avenue.
  • Liane tweeted that Café deVille has now closed their Sherwood Park location.
  • It’s that time again – Avenue Edmonton released their annual food issue this week, which includes their extensive categorical list of favourites. Congrats to RGE RD, voted best restaurant this year!
  • The Tomato also contributes the glut of food lists this month, with their second annual Top 100 Best Things to Eat in Edmonton. Unfortunately, the list isn’t online, and I’m not sure I agree with an item appearing on the list in the top 10 from a restaurant that just opened in December.
  • Lillian shared her experience at the new southside location of D’Amore’s Mercato (4612 99 Street), offering tasty Italian eats.
  • Both Liv and Eva wrote about their sub-par meal at The Glass Monkey.
  • Phil’s latest Burger Odyssey post is up, with the burger from Daravara drawing the most compliments so far.
  • Cindy wrote about Elm Café’s most recent dining room event, Sausage Stand. Looks like we missed a delicious night!
  • Liane wrote a piece detailing the negative impact of no-shows on independent restaurants.
  • I’ve always liked the idea of underground dining, but perhaps push comes to shove, it’s not my cup of tea: after reading the rules of Table, “an underground monthly 9 course dining experience” in Edmonton, I’m not sure I’d ever want to participate at that price point with so many unknowns.
  • CMT’s Burger Wars was in town this past week filming a burger showdown between The Next Act, Rodeo Burger and Delux Burger Bar. The episode will air later this spring or summer.
  • It’s a little embarrassing that I hadn’t noticed The Wine Room (10525 Jasper Ave) before, given it is just up the street from our condo, but from what I can gather, it opened late last summer. I haven’t heard much about it (good, bad, or ugly), but it looks like they have incorporated iPad menus, something that hasn’t caught on in Edmonton just yet.

The Wine Room

The Wine Room

The New KFC: Coco Deep Fried Chicken

Trying on wedding attire after consuming a fried chicken dinner probably isn’t ideal, but in a way, if not for a full stomach, how could one adequately determine whether or not a dress could comfortably accommodate a reception meal?

I’m lucky my sisters are typically game for anything, so when I suggested dinner at Coco Deep Fried Chicken before a weeknight appointment at a southside bridal salon, they barely put up a fight. It was a good opportunity to give this relatively new Korean joint a try, given I’d read so much about it.

The interior is simple, the extent of the décor being a few chicken and kitchen-related prints on the walls. Given the restaurant only opened late last year however, the deteriorating floors were particularly noticeable. Hopefully that will get looked at soon.

Coco Fried Chicken

Order up!

If the crowd spoke to the authenticity of Coco Deep Fried Chicken, I’d have to say it was a good sign. The two tables already digging into their meals when we walked in that evening looked to be Korean, and nearly every other party that walked into the shop were also of Korean origin. The owner, upon finding out that it was our first visit, assured us that the chicken tasted “just like in Korea” (for the record, none of us have ever been, so we wouldn’t be able to make a first-hand judgment call).

Some might be put off by the fact that Coco Deep Fried Chicken really only offers their namesake dish, but I respect a restaurant that dares to do this (and think there should be more of them!). The extent of their menu variety involves fried chicken and sweet and hot chicken (otherwise known as Korean fried chicken). Eyeing the three of us, the owner recommended the ten piece box. That seemed like too much food, so we toned down the order.

Amanda and I shared a four piece order and and fries ($10.99). We dug into the regular chicken first – we both loved the crunchy breading, just thick enough and freshly fried. The meat underneath was moist and tender, though we did hope for more. We were starting to understand why a larger serving size was recommended to us.

Coco Fried Chicken

Four piece half and half chicken

The sweet and hot chicken was exactly as it sounded, though for our palates, it leaned more towards the latter. It definitely had us reaching for our drinks, but was a spicy flavour contrast to the plain fried chicken. We did wish the restaurant had a supply of wet naps though!

Felicia had ordered the chicken and waffles ($7.99), but really wasn’t expecting what she received – two toasted freezer waffles. I know it’s the trendy dish right now, but the strength of Coco’s main dish is enough to bypass bandwagons.

Coco Fried Chicken

Chicken and waffles

It sounds like Coco also does a mean take out business, so should you be in the area, be advised – there’s a new KFC in town! Just make sure you order more than you think you’ll need –

Coco Deep Fried Chicken
3350 Parsons Road
(780) 990-4304
Monday-Saturday 11:30am-9pm, Sunday 2-8pm

Food Notes for February 24, 2014

Hi everyone, Mack here. Sharon is feeling a little under the weather still, so I’m guest blogging food notes this week!

Delicious Pho
Delicious PHO’

  • Sharon and I went to the second HWKRS MRKT on Saturday night at Vacancy Hall in the basement of the Mercer Warehouse (the next one has already been scheduled for April 12). She’ll write more about that later, but I wanted to highlight the chicken and waffles from Parts & Service, a new food truck slated to open this spring. The verdict? Winner winner chicken dinner!

HWKRS MRKT
Chicken & Waffles

  • Oh how the tables have turned. You’re used to seeing lots of photos of me on this blog, but now I get to post one of Sharon! I snapped this photo at Tavern 1903 a few weeks ago. Her review is forthcoming so stay tuned!

Tavern 1903
Sharon at Tavern 1903

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.

Food Notes for February 17, 2014

It was a lovely weekend to spend outdoors, and there were lots of opportunities to do so! We spent a fair bit of it inside, trying to make a dent in season 2 of House of Cards, but it was an enjoyable way to relax. Hope you had a good weekend as well! On to this week’s food notes:

  • Elm Café’s Dining Room (9132 118 Avenue) is opening up again for a special event. This time, they will be hosting a Sausage Stand at 6pm on February 28, 2014, celebrating all kinds of Austrian sausage. Take a look at the menu here. Reservations can be made by calling (780) 756-1645.
  • It’s that time of year again – Avenue Edmonton will be releasing their new 2014 food issue in March. Help them celebrate who they deem to be Edmonton’s best new restaurants at NAIT on March 3, 2014. Tickets are $10, with proceeds going to the Edmonton Food Bank.
  • You may have heard that there will be a new direct cross-Atlantic flight from Edmonton to Iceland beginning later this year, but did you know they have organized a Taste of Iceland, running March 5-8, 2014 to further promote it? Expect meals from an Icelandic chef and Icelandic musical acts.
  • An event titled Menu of Modern Art 3 is taking place at Latitude 53 on March 8, 2014. It is a reception involving six different chefs, including Chef Nathan Saurette from Three Boars. Advance tickets are $25.
  • Mark your calendars: this year’s Seedy Sunday takes place March 16, 2014 at the Alberta Avenue Community League. Swap or buy seeds, learn about different organizations that can help you get started with gardening and listen to presentations from local experts.
  • More details were released about the participating chefs in the March 29, 2014 fundraiser Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS. Chefs like Nevin Fenske of Drift and Ariel del Rosario of Filistix will be returning, joining event newcomers like Chuck Elves of Three Boars and Edgar Gutierrez of Tres Carnales.
  • NAIT announced that their 2014 Hokanson Chef in Residence will be Chef Lynn Crawford. As usual, the Chef in Residence will be hosting a luncheon, taking place on March 13, 2014. There are two opportunities to win tickets to the lunch – through NAIT and through Valerie’s blog. Good luck!
  • Speaking of NAIT, they have also added to their public food offerings with the addition of a line of cheeses (mozzarella, feta and brie), available for purchase at their meat store.
  • Cindy visited the brand new location of Shanghai 456.
  • Liv posted a Korean fried chicken showdown – between Coco Deep Fried Chicken and Wing Chicx.
  • Liane published her second piece in her deli series, this time focusing on Polish deli Baltyk Meat.
  • Mack and I are slowly chipping away at wedding planning tasks. This weekend, we had a cupcake taste-off with my sisters, in order to choose a bakery for our wedding cupcakes. The contenders: The Sweet Side, Crave and Flirt. We’re pretty confident with our final decision, and it sure was a fun way to come to it!

Cupcake Tasting

Cupcakes!

  • We continued our indulgence by ordering Royal Pizza for dinner. Panago is our typical go-to, but my sister was insistent we had to try the deep-dish deliciousness of Royal Pizza. I have to admit, the crust was pretty tasty, though I’d imagine it would be even better fresh in the restaurant.

Royal Pizza

Fred’s Special and Donair pizzas

The Chain Pub: Fionn MacCool’s

Pubs are a dime a dozen in Edmonton. But given their versatility, the popularity of pubs isn’t difficult to understand. Good for a pint after work, a casual bite to eat, for groups large and small, and of course, for those looking to have an evening out, they transition well from day to night. We have our share of pubs downtown, and I’m sure there are more to come. Last week, Mack and I had supper at the most recent addition to our neighbourhood, Fionn MacCool’s, the decision resulting from my need for a drink at the end of a long day, and the fact that it seemed like we’d exhausted all other restaurants within a two-block radius.

Back in October, Fionn MacCool’s replaced the Elephant & Castle in City Centre Mall opposite the movie theatre. The location was in dire need of a makeover, so the change of ownership was a blessing of sorts, even if MacCool’s is nothing more than a franchise of a Toronto-based chain. The interior has been completely refreshed, and though the dark wood accents have been retained, a new bar has been installed, and the space has been opened up to feature even more large tables. Lastly, a makeshift stage has been constructed to host live musical acts on Thursdays and Saturdays. That particular night, we had the option of Olympic replays or a live acoustic duo play the backdrop to our dinner, though like most in the room, it was just for ambiance.

Fionn MacCool's

Inside Fionn MacCool’s

They had a decent drink special on ($5.50 for selected pints), but neither of us had particularly high expectations for the food (this was our first visit to MacCool’s, though there is another branch on the south side that has been open for quite some time).

Fish & chips ($16 for two pieces) was disappointing. The batter was more like a hard shell than a fork-tender encasement, but at least it was crispy. The fries (which I had made into a poutine) were less than ideal, dense and unsatisfying – it’s really unfortunate when a pub can’t even get fries right.

Fionn MacCool's

Fish & chips with poutine

Mack’s fried haddock sandwich ($15) was advertised on the menu as being topped with lobster – given how much lobster he found (and really, at that price, is it even necessary?), it really was better left off. The fish was thankfully crispy, again, unlike the fries.

Fionn MacCool's

Haddock sandwich

Service was fine, friendly and competent. But as a whole, Fionn MacCool’s really didn’t distinguish itself from any of its competitors. But I suppose it really isn’t striving to do that anyway – instead, Fionn MacCool’s aims to appeal to those looking for a generic pub, with basic food and a casual atmosphere. We certainly won’t be frequenting the location, but I’m certain its convenient location will enable its success.

Fionn MacCool’s
10200 102A Avenue (Edmonton City Centre Mall)
(780) 424-4330
Monday – Wednesday, 11am – 1am; Thursday – Saturday, 11am – 2am; Sunday, 11am – 1am

Redefining Canadian Possibilities: North 53

We do our best to dine at new restaurants only after they’ve had at least four to six weeks under their belt, when they’ve had a chance to enhance systems, tighten up the menu, and refine service. Two weeks ago, we overlooked this practice knowing it would be a good opportunity to spend an entire evening in Westmount and neighbouring Glenora – first at North 53 and then, within walking distance, the Royal Alberta Museum.

North 53 has been the most exciting restaurant to open this year for a variety of reasons. They have thrown down the gauntlet in an attempt to redefine what is possible for northern kitchens by committing to using exclusively Canadian ingredients on their food menu (and in the dead of winter, this is no small feat). If that isn’t bold enough, the head chef Ben Staley is just twenty-one years old.

In many ways, the discourse around Chef Staley reminds me of the early fanfare surrounding Chef Daniel Costa just after he opened Corso 32, leading up to his eventual standing as the darling of the Edmonton food scene (when Bar Bricco opens later this month, expect another frenzy of excitement). In a town with few mainstream culinary rockstars, I’m hopeful that this bodes well for independent chefs who should be more recognizable.

The interior is decidedly modern chic, with a combined bar and dining room that highlights the contrasts of polished metal and untreated wood. Though we were the first to arrive that night, by our meal’s end, the restaurant was full.

North 53

Interior

We were told that the $100 six-course tasting menu would be the best way to sample the kitchen’s range of fare, but on our first visit, we thought it best to order a la carte. Like many of its peers, North 53 encourages sharing of their small plates. On this visit, we managed to try half a dozen.

But first, we opted for a drink, which, we learned quickly, wasn’t held to the same latitude standards shackling the kitchen. My Atwood was a pleasing way for me to ease into the weekend, sweet and citrusy, but Mack’s Smoke + Oak was the showstopper. Our introduction to North 53’s theatricality, his glass arrived topped with a two-inch slice of charred oak. When lifted, it was evident that the smoke had infused itself into the liquid beneath it. Talk about a way to set the stage.

North 53

Drinks

Our starter dish consisted of a variety of carrot preparations (pickled, charred, sous vide and raw) and reminded me very much of Elm Café’s stellar vegetarian course at the Slow Food Canada Gala a few years back. Similarly, it was beautifully presented, a study in textures, and an unexpected way to deliver a typically underwhelming salad course. Our only complaint was that past the impressive layers, there wasn’t much there for $10.

North 53

Carrot

The kale dish ($14) was also a pleasant surprise, stuffed inside handmade pasta and topped with hazelnut foam and pecorino. We were told that The Cheesiry was the source of the pecorino, but like all other local suppliers North 53 patronizes (including Heritage Harvest Gardens), they are left unlisted on the menu – hopefully this changes in the future.

North 53

Kale

Into the meat courses, it became clear the kitchen’s preferred technique was sous vide. Nearly every plate we sampled employed that method of cooking. The twenty-four hour dandelion root-glazed short rib ($17) was one example where we would have chosen an alternative preparation. Its spongy, springy texture was off-putting, and as a result, our least favourite dish. The accompanying romaine, however, grilled and sprinkled with egg yolk and pecorino, was a revelation. It made me long for summer barbecues and sunshine.

North 53

Short rib

The main component of the heritage turkey plate ($20) involved a compound turkey breast that had been cooked sous vide for twelve hours. While the meat was moist, we didn’t find the turkey particularly flavourful. This in contrast to the smoked turkey leg inside the sidelong cabbage roll, which was delicious and had us wanting more.

North 53

Heritage turkey

Theatrics returned with the sockeye salmon ($18). Encased in a glass dome piped with juniper smoke, the act of lifting the cover, perfuming the air with a tantalizing scent will no doubt be one of North 53’s most immediate contributions to Edmonton’s food scene – reinventing the art of presentation. At any rate, the crispy line-caught BC salmon was our favourite dish, paired with a bite of sweetness from the macerated tomatoes and shallots, and the melt-in-your-mouth bed of northern beans (prepared sous vide, of course).

North 53

Sockeye salmon

The apple dessert ($10) offered a taste of the fruit in three ways – a doughnut, curd and ice cream. The latter, refreshingly tart with a texture closer to sorbet, was the star of the bowl.

North 53

Apple

Service was endearing but professional, and for our tastes, perhaps bordered on too formal. Case in point – I recognize the restaurant wanted to keep the dishes independent from one another, but the fact that every tasting plate had to be changed after each course seemed a bit like overkill in a setting that didn’t connote fine dining.

Still, North 53 is a welcome addition to the restaurant scene, ripe with new ideas and enthusiasm about a different approach to sourcing food in Edmonton. I didn’t find myself left wanting for pepper, citrus, or any of the other typical condiments or flavours sourced from warmer climates. It will be interesting to see how their menu develops as the seasons change.

North 53
10240 124 Street
(587) 524-5353
Wednesday-Sunday 5pm-late

Food Notes for February 10, 2014

Do you have Olympic fever? I do! The time zone difference makes it challenging to witness the wins in real time, but it’s still great to relive the moments later on. Go Canada Go! On to this week’s food notes:

  • Still looking for Valentine’s weekend plans? Sailin’ On is hosting a pop-up brunch on February 16, 2014 at the Mercury Room (10575 114 Street).
  • Knifewear is celebrating their grand reopening in Edmonton with beer, hot dogs and a knife sale on February 18, 2014 from 6-10pm. Check out the shop at 10816 82 Avenue.
  • The next Dining with Friends event highlights Szechuan food on February 20, 2014. Limited tickets remaining!
  • ZINC is bringing back art-themed dishes with their Art Gallery of Alberta Supper Club. The first meal pairs Italian cuisine with their current exhibition and a guest speaker on February 23, 2014. Tickets are $150.
  • Maki and Marianne are co-organizing an Edmonton Food & Beverage Blogger Meet-Up, to take place at The Common on March 4, 2014. It’s been a while since the last one I co-organized back in 2010; it’ll be good to catch-up with faces old and new!
  • Mark your calendars: the next Green Drinks: Your Local Food Tools is taking place on March 5, 2014. It’s a great place to meet other people interested in local food.
  • Shovel & Fork is putting together a fundraiser for Slow Food which will see Drift serve up a set menu to pair with Alley Kat beers. Hijacked – a Slow Takeover takes place on March 8, 2014, and tickets are $30.
  • The big news this week was Elm Café’s expansion into downtown, with the opening of District Coffee Co. at #101, 10011 109 Street. They will focus on great coffee (being the first in Edmonton to offer Calgary’s Phil & Sebastian, yay!) and fresh baked goods. Expect District to open on March 3, 2014.
  • The Journal positively reviewed Chic-hog-o’s last week.
  • Who says vending machines have to serve junk food? Chicago is the home to salad-dispensing vending machines!
  • Mack and I took a brisk walk over to the Boyle Street Plaza on Saturday to take in the On the Spot Pop-Up Sale. It was a great use of the building’s gym space, and with the large bank of windows, didn’t feel at all like we were buckled down in the middle of winter. It was also great to see Molly’s Eats out in the off season!

On the Spot Pop Up

On the Spot Pop-Up

On the Spot Pop Up

Susan and Teresa of Molly’s Eats

  • I warmed up today with some good food and great conversation at Tres Carnales. It’s been too long without fish tacos!

Tres Carnales

Our spread at Tres Carnales

Food Notes for February 3, 2014

Hello, winter! We knew we were in for a cold February after an above average January, but it is still a shock to the system. Bundle up! On to this week’s food notes:

  • More details were announced about the second Hawkers Market, taking place on February 22, 2014.
  • Daravara, the newest 124 Street hot spot, opened on February 1, 2014.
  • Liane shared some news about a new coffee shop coming soon to Oliver, called Iconoclast Koffie Huis (first Sloppy Hogs Roed Hus, and now this). Look for it in the coming weeks at 11807B 105 Avenue.
  • Shanghai 456 is now open in their new location (14456 118 Avenue). Time to get your xiao long bao on!
  • North 53 scored a pair of reviews, from both Robyn and Liv. Their new website is also up, if you want a longer look at their menu.
  • Andrea reviewed brunch at Sherwood Park’s Square One Wye Road.
  • Vue Weekly checks out The Parlour.
  • Liane kicked off a bi-weekly series last week which shines a light on the city’s delis. Her first piece focuses on Omonia Foods in Chinatown.
  • This is certainly the first time I’ve seen a restaurant use Kickstarter to fund a campaign to make a Taste of Edmonton booth possible.
  • Did you know NAIT grows microgreens and herbs year-round in their Urban Cultivator?
  • With an intense craving for burek, Mack and I headed to The Cheese Factory on Friday night. It was also a good excuse to indulge in their squeaky cheese poutine.

The Cheese Factory

Meat burek

The Cheese Factory

Traditional poutine

  • We celebrated Chinese New Year over the weekend with friends and family. Nothing like a generous spread to ring in the Year of the Horse!

Prosperity Toss

Prosperity toss!

The Cooking Chronicles: Lunchable Leftovers

Not five years ago, I was perfectly happy with cold lunches. Most days, I would make do with a slice of banana loaf, single-serve yogurt and a juice box. Now, lunch doesn’t seem complete without reheated leftovers! A sandwich just doesn’t cut it for me anymore.

So the name of the game for us most weeknights is to cook up enough food to double as lunches – big batches, here we come!

Shakshuka

Scrolling through 2014 food trend predictions, I came upon one writer’s call that shakshuka would be appearing on menus all over New York. What was shakshuka and why was it so hot?

I eventually came to Smitten Kitchen’s shakshuka recipe, where she explained that it was an Israeli dish made up of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. It was the perfect weekday meal – quick, filling, and would yield leftovers.

I ended up slightly overcooking the eggs, and next time, I’d make sure to have feta on hand. Still, paired with warm pita bread, it was a satisfying supper.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka

Silky Mushroom and Feta Fusilli

I don’t actually mind standing in line at the grocery store, because it usually gives me a few minutes to flip through aisle magazines for recipe ideas. This Canadian Living recipe for silky mushroom and feta fusilli was one such inspiration.

It was incredibly simple, with a light but creamy consistency lent from the addition of milk and pasta cooking water. That said, it was the final touch of lemon juice and zest that made the dish sing.

Silky Mushroom and Feta Fusilli

Silky mushroom and feta fusilli

Happy lunching!