Bagel Bar Opens New Storefront Location

After four years as a pickup-only business, Bagel Bar has opened a storefront in south Edmonton.

Bagel Bar initially operated out of the kitchen at the now-closed DeRose Fine Foods and then moved production into Vienna Bakery. Owner Gemma Davies said she had always wanted to open a storefront, but having launched her business just before the pandemic in 2019, the timing wasn’t quite right.

“When things started to take off, COVID hit, and we were in a contactless world,” said Davies. “The online contactless world worked for us. With the regular shutdowns, the storefront would have been too risky.”

As the world started to open up again, Davies started to look into potential spaces, and one came up at 4823 99 Street NW that she could not refuse.

“It was a connection,” said Davies. “Drift Food Truck was not using the storefront space at their production kitchen. It is 200 square feet, which is perfect because I already have production space at Vienna. We’re not baking at the storefront and will just shift our inventory.”

The storefront opened on July 15 and will operate Wednesdays to Saturdays. The relationship with Drift means Bagel Bar will be selling Drift’s popular pantry items on its behalf, including its sauces and spice mix. In the future, Bagel Bar will be stocking Drift’s frozen products as well.

A self-described home cook and home baker, Davies was attempting to create a great bagel because she couldn’t find one in Edmonton that she enjoyed. But after seeing that her friends and family were “going crazy” over them, she decided to pursue bagels as a business.

“We specialize in a New York-style bagel,” said Davies. “We pride ourselves in authentic preparation. It’s somewhere between 24 and 48 hours to make a bagel. The hugest part is that we hand-roll the bagels, and we boil our bagels to give the crust a lovely chewy texture and keep the crumb nice and soft.”

While direct online ordering and pickup make up the majority of its sales, Bagel Bar’s bagels are also served at seven businesses across the Edmonton region, including cafés in Leduc, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove. On busy days, the kitchen can make upwards of 800 bagels; to support this, the team has grown to six people.

Flavours range from the familiar — plain, sesame, everything — to more experimental ones that are offered for limited periods of time.

“We take inspiration from anything: time of year, something we ate on the weekend,” said Davies. “Two of our craziest flavours — people went insane for them — were Cool Ranch Doritos and Hot Cheetos. But I don’t know if I’m bringing them back. There’s something to be said about the sheer smell of that amount of crushed chips.”

Special flavours will initially be offered only at the shop, alongside up to a dozen other options, and then be released for online pre-ordering in the following weeks, Davies said. On July 15, Davies brought back the toasted coconut bagel, one of Bagel Bar’s most popular flavours over the past couple of years.

In addition to bagels, Bagel Bar also makes its own flavoured cream cheeses and a line of decadent cookies called Chonk that were added to the bakery’s lineup in 2020. In fact, the cookies are so popular that Davies thinks Chonk might one day have its own standalone space, which is why the storefront has been dually branded as Bagel Bar and Chonk.

“Chonk has taken on a life of its own,” said Davies. “I see growth happening there, so there is real potential. So this is the first step to bringing that to life.”

Although the shop is intended as a grab-and-go space, it will be serving locally roasted Sorellina Coffee and cold drinks, and it may also have tables and chairs outdoors. Mostly, Davies is excited to be able to meet customers, old and new.

“After four years of operating online, it will be lovely for people to come check us out in person,” said Davies. “It will be great to finally be face-to-face with our customers.”

Openings

• Bagel Bar’s storefront is now open at 4823 99 Street NW.
• Arbour is now open at 10421 82 Avenue (which formerly housed Famoso). Those looking for pizzas will still find them on the menu!
• CQ Noodle and Bubble Tea is now open downtown at 10140 104 Street. They market themselves as the only authentic Szechuan noodles in Edmonton.
• The Big Squish, specializing in lemonade and bubble tea, has opened a second location at 10524 110 Street (their original location is in Bonnie Doon Mall).
• Juicy Chills, a cold pressed juice cafe, held their grand opening on July 14. They are located at 6868 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Ottawa-based chain Maverick’s Donuts has opened a second location in the Edmonton area in Stony Plain (Unit 502, 4300 South Park Drive).

Upcoming Events

• The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is hosting a night market to celebrate their 40th birthday. On Friday, July 28, the licensed event will feature live music, food, and drinks. Tickets are $15 each.
• This year’s Alberta on the Plate runs August 11-20, 2023. The event “showcases the incredible bounty that is grown and produced across our beautiful province.” A dozen Edmonton-area restaurants are participating with special menus, including Avila Arepa, May, and Three Vikings.

Local News

• Bloom’s final day on 124 Street will be July 22. They will then be moving everything to their new location in Gold Bar.
• Edify checked out new taqueria Carne Asada.
• Also from Edify, the latest Fav Eats is the animal burger at Odd Company Brewing.
• Twyla highlighted some of Edmonton’s culinary gems in the Toronto Star.
• The Journal featured three Alberta-based cookbooks, including Eat Alberta First, Prairie, and Easy Baking in Barb’s Kitchen, written by Barb Lockert, the former owner of Barb’s Kitchen Centre.

What I Ate

• We grabbed take-out from BaoBao last week, and it did not disappoint.

Soup dumplings and noodles from BaoBao

Openings

• Backstairs Burger has opened their standalone location at 11010 51 Avenue (they were previously located at the 5th Street Food Hall downtown).
• Indian street food restaurant Chatkhara by Krishna is now open at 10149 109 Street. They are currently offering 10% off all pick-up and dine-in orders.
• Fans of the fried chicken at the shuttered Ralph’s Handi Mart will be happy to know that the same family is opening up Ralph’s Fried Chicken soon at 10807 Castle Downs Road.

Closures

• Corso 32 had been closed since the summer of 2020 after flood damage. Instead of re-opening, the space will instead accommodate an expansion of Bar Bricco. The space will re-open in mid-August.

Local News

• EPIC (formerly 5th Street Food Hall) is hosting a grand opening to showcase their Chef in Residence concept on July 14.
• Edify’s current issue presents the Fav Eats of a number of prominent Edmontonians. Their choices include BaoBao, Dogpatch, Sauce, Spotlight Cabaret, and Bodega. Rigoletto’s was additionally highlighted as a favourite.
• Also from Edify, they paid a visit to White Rabbit Ice Cream’s new storefront.
• The Heritage Festival announced that the Russian pavilion will not be present at the event this year due to safety concerns.

Beyond Edmonton

• Calgary is getting a location of Chipotle later this year, and Edmonton will follow suit…”in the coming years”.

What I Ate

• My friend and I managed to align our dinner date with the re-opening of King Noodle House after their brief vacation. It was a hot day, but that’s never a deterrent to satisfying a Bun Bo Hue craving!

Bun Bo Hue from King Noodle House

• We hit up Carne Asada, a new taco joint that opened up Downtown two weeks ago, for take-out on the weekend. The service was great (they were very helpful in packing our food in our reusable container), and the steak tacos and choriqueso were our favourite. We will be back!

Assortment of tacos from Carne Asada

• My family is a big fan of Little Bear Gelato, but over the weekend was the first time we tried their ice cream sandwiches. The Dunkaroo sandwich was great, made up of soft cookies with vanilla ice cream.

Dunkaroo sandwich from Little Bear Gelato

Seoul Fried Chicken and Padmanadi Expand to Calgary

Edmonton-based restaurants Seoul Fried Chicken and Padmanadi are hoping for a warm welcome as they expand into Calgary this year.

Seoul Fried Chicken (SFC), which offers Korean fried chicken, held its soft opening in Calgary on June 30. Padmanadi, a vegan restaurant, is aiming for a Sept. 15 grand opening. Both locations have been in the works for some time.

“Ever since opening downtown, we were exploring our next move,” said SFC partner Suzanna Yu. Chef Jake Lee, who started SFC in 2016, has always had a vision to expand the brand throughout Alberta, she said. SFC added its second location in Edmonton last summer. “We considered expanding in Edmonton further but wanted to drive more awareness to the brand. So Calgary came up.”

Yu and SFC partner David Shi spent time in Calgary over the past year and a half surveying the Korean fried chicken competition.

“I think for us our product stands out,” said Yu. “The flavours we offer are unique to the ones we’ve tried, and our price point and the amount of food you get is a big factor that has helped us become successful.”

Padmanadi also has two locations in Edmonton, having added a southside location in 2019. Its expansion to Calgary came as a result of wanting to better serve existing customers in that city.

“There is demand for plant-based food in Calgary,” said Maya Richmond, co-owner of Padmanadi. “We have a lot of clients that come into our Edmonton restaurants asking if we would open in Calgary. People would buy so much food to bring back to Calgary and freeze it.”

Richmond suggested that Padmanadi brings a unique take on vegan food to Calgary. “I don’t think there is an Indonesian-Chinese plant-based restaurant in Calgary. Calgary has a lot of different kinds of plant-based restaurants, but none of them have a dine-in, family restaurant experience like Padmanadi would offer.”

Carmen Cheng, a Calgary-based food writer, predicts that Padmanadi will be well-received in the city.

“I think Padmanadi has a really loyal vegan customer base Alberta-wide,” said Cheng. “There will be Edmonton transplants in Calgary that will be happy. Padmanadi has also been delivered here through Uproot Food Collective for a number of years, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a following through Uproot.”

As for Seoul Fried Chicken, Cheng said the appetite for Korean food is strong in Calgary, crediting chef Roy Oh for making Korean flavours mainstream. In fact, SFC’s Calgary location is down the block from Oh’s current restaurant, Roy’s Korean Kitchen, in the neighbourhood of Mission.

“Calgary has strong Korean fried chicken brands,” said Cheng, citing Yum Yum BBQ Chicken and WOW Chicken, among others. “So SFC will have to get their brand out there.”

Yu said SFC participated in a recent Mission-based event called the Lilac Festival in early June, and was buoyed by the response.

“The people who chatted with us and bought chicken had already heard about us and tried us in Edmonton,” said Yu. “It’s good to know there’s already customers who know about the brand and can help us promote through word of mouth.”

With the area already home to several sit-down restaurants, SFC’s Mission location at 2100 4 Street SW will have minimal seating, mirroring its original storefront in Old Strathcona that focuses more on take-out. The restaurant will offer about 10 seats indoors and a patio that will open later this summer.

Padmanadi’s restaurant at #110, 8835 McLeod Trail will offer 65 seats, and the location was scouted to meet the transportation demands of diners. “We have lots of clients who live in the suburbs, so we found a space with a lot of parking,” said Richmond. “It’s central but not so downtown that you can’t find parking.”

Both restaurants are committed to keeping prices the same across the province, in spite of higher operating expenses in Calgary (Richmond estimates that rent is 20% higher than in Edmonton). SFC will offer a duplicate menu, while Padmanadi will offer a menu that is a hybrid between the two Edmonton locations, promising that the most popular dishes — ginger beef and curry chicken — will be included.

When asked about future plans, SFC isn’t hiding its ambitions, especially given Yu and Shi have both relocated to Calgary for the expansion.

“So for Calgary specifically our goal is to have two to three restaurants in the next two years, pending how this first location does,” said Yu. “For Edmonton, we want to grow and expand even further. In Edmonton the next moves will be more south into Windermere and north into the Northgate area.”

While the family behind Padmanadi isn’t ruling out additional locations, they are taking it one step at a time. Richmond has also relocated to Calgary and said she is “pouring everything” into the expansion.

“I moved my husband and my two-year-old here. When you say to people that you have three restaurants, some people think you’re a big franchise. But we’re local, we live here,” Richmond said. “My family came to Canada 20 years ago and know that building that community is important. It’s something my dad did in Edmonton. I hope I can do it, too.”

Openings

• Carne Asada, a taqueria, opened downtown at 10508 Jasper Avenue last week.
• The Bell in Scona, a sister establishment to Blowers & Grafton, is now open with a brewery, taproom and event space in Old Strathcona (10416 80 Avenue). They took over the former Polar Park Brewing building (the bell that diners can ring just makes me nostalgic for Bee Bell Bakery, which was in that space until 2013 – I still mourn the loss of their banana cream pies).
• Jacek Chocolate announced that they will be opening their second Edmonton-area storefront at Crestwood Centre this fall. Back in May 2020, Jacek had closed its downtown boutique.

Upcoming Events

• The Old Red Barn is hosting a number of Farm Dinners throughout the summer. These include a Farm to Table Dinner with Alberta Pulse Growers on July 27 (featuring 4 courses that highlight the variety of pulses grown in the province) and a Farm to Flame Dinner with Taste Alberta (featuring 3 courses). Tickets are $160 and $175, respectively.

Local News

• The Downtown Farmers’ Market announced that they will not be renewing their lease in the GWG Building due to the costs of operating the building. The market will be seeking to relocate after the fall/winter season. My family has continued to patronize the market because I believe it is important for those in the core to have access to fresh food, but the steady decline in the market’s viability has been unfortunate but obvious. So much of the potential I wrote about when the GWG location was announced back in 2019 has gone unfulfilled. I look forward to seeing where they land, but again, only time will tell if they will be able to capture some of the magic they used to have back on 104 Street.
• Rosewood Foods and Fu’s Repair Shop donated Canada Day proceeds to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and Bent Arrow, respectively.
• Edmonton’s single-use item bylaw came into effect on July 1. Global interviewed Teresa Spinelli of the Italian Centre who said the transition has been “So far, so good.”
• Twyla covered Pitt County BBQ in the latest issue of Modern Luxuria.
• Edify checked out Thai Venue in Spruce Grove, and shared that NorQuest College president Carolyn Campbell loves Rockin’ Robyn’s Diner.
• Karlynn Johnson (aka The Kitchen Magpie) is releasing her latest cookbook in the fall, called A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook. It is available for pre-orders until October 31.

What I Ate

• It’s been ages since I’ve been to An Chay, but I’m happy to say the food is just as good as I remembered. It was a hot day, but nothing will stop me from having noodle soup!

Bun Hue from An Chay

• For a pre-concert dinner last week (Mack and I went to the Amanda Marshall show – be still my 90s heart), we returned to our favourite neighbourhood Tzin. The service is always exceptional, and the food never disappoints. Bacon is a must-order, of course.

The bacon from Tzin

• Emily and I took advantage of Dagu’s buy-one-get-one-free bubble tea offer over the weekend. I’m slowly venturing outside my fruit bubble tea comfort zone.

Hokkaido milk tea from Dagu

Openings

• Backstairs Burger will be re-opening in a standalone location at 11010 51 Avenue (they most recently operated out of the 5th Street Food Hall). They are planning a July 5 grand opening.
• New Japanese restaurant Tansen Izakaya is now open at 11044 82 Avenue. All orders are 20% off until the end of June.
• Moonga Nori, offering “Edmonton’s first hand maki bar” soft opened last week. Find them at 10347 82 Avenue.
• Come Find Me has opened in the courtyard of Take Care Cafe (where Darling Wine Bar operated before moving to their permanent space). Find their small plates and drinks at 9621 82 Avenue.
• It’s great to see that there are still food businesses transitioning from (or adding) brick and mortar shops after operating food trucks. The latest to join this club is White Rabbit Ice Cream, who has opened at 10546 110 Street.
• New bubble tea shop Teaspot is now open at 16761 91 Street, Unit 205.
• Calgary-based Lloyd’s Patty Distro, serving up Jamaican patties, is now open in Edmonton at 10534 111 Street.
• Rollz Ice Cream, an Ontario-based chain of rolled ice cream, opened up a location in Edmonton at 6864 Ellerslie Road SW.
• The Arbour will be opening in the former Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria space on Whyte. They aim for a July 4 opening.
• Also coming soon is La Prosciutteria, which will feature wine, charcuterie, sandwiches, and pastries.

Upcoming Events

• The North Edge is hosting its own dining event called YEG Food Fiesta. It runs from June 9-July 2. There are nine participating restaurants, most offering specials priced at $18. Restaurants include The Lingnan, Mesob Habesha Fusion, Die Pie, Acajutla, and Sarap Sarap.

Local News

• Battista’s Calzone is temporarily closed because they did not renew their business license with the city. They are also facing the need for upgrades to the restaurant, but hope to re-open.
• Taproot featured Old Strathcona restaurant Marlo and the forthcoming bibo Wine Bar in a story about independent restaurants opening in the neighbourhood.
• It’s the end of an era: Christine Sandford departs Biera after a seven year run. During that time, she helped bring much renown to the Ritchie restaurant. Taking over the post of head chef is the very talented Davina Moraiko, formerly of RGE RD.
• Happy fifth birthday to Yelo’d!
• El Mero Mero is celebrating their first birthday on June 30 with live music, a Latin vendor market, and salsa lessons, among other specials and festivities.
• Edify checked out Nowhere Wine Bar and the new digs of Fu’s Repair Shop.
• K-Days has released their new food menu, which features ketchup and mustard ice cream, and Kool-Aid chicken burgers. K-Days runs July 21-30, 2023.
• Polar Park Brewing Company has been resurrected (minus the brewpub). Their first beer, the Championship Pilsner, is available at Edmonton Stingers’ home games.
• Uproot Foods is crowdfunding for additional investment. They have raised $207,000 so far.
• The B’nai Brith Youth Organization held another successful Montreal bagel fundraiser, as 17,280 St. Viateur bagels were shipped to Edmonton two weeks ago.
• Seeds for Seniors is looking for volunteers to help tend to gardens planted at seniors’ residences and some backyard gardens.

What I Ate

• Our family was away last week visiting one of my favourite places – Sooke, BC. It was the perfect holiday of great hikes, good food, and lots of down time. We hit up some of our usual haunts (Shirley Delicious, Wild Mountain, Stoked Pizzeria), but found some new gems as well.

There’s something comforting about being able to order the same dish at Shirley Delicious even after a couple of years away

It’s an understatement to say Emily loved this intense rhubarb and strawberry sorbet from Wild Mountain – it tasted like summer in a scoop

There’s something about enjoying Stoked Pizzeria in the sun

The food truck East Sooke Eats surprised us with the most value-forward but tasty meal we had – the smash burger was perfect, and the ling cod tacos were super fresh

• Back home, it’s been a whirlwind few days, with many surprise birthday festivities. A special dinner at May yielded this tasty pickerel dish, and tempura oyster mushrooms worth returning for.

Cornmeal crusted pickerel from May

Openings

• Nowhere Wine Bar opens on June 13, 2023 at 12315 102 Avenue, led by Chef Filliep Lament, formerly of Cafe Linnea.
• Ukraine’s Kitchen by Free Store, a food business run by Ukrainian newcomers who fled Russia, now has their own location. It is located in Butchers and Packers, 12225 Fort Road.
• Bagel Bar announced that they will be opening a standalone location soon on the south side on 99 Street.

Closures

• The Japanese Village on 104 Street closed at the end of May. They continue to operate three locations in the Edmonton area.
• Von’s has closed its southside location but will be re-opening downtown this summer.

Events

• The popular 5@Circque (Circus Happy Hour) takes place during the Alberta Circus Arts Festival on June 23 at Cafe Bicyclette. Expect performances and your drink might be poured with flair. No registration is required.

Local News

• It’s so great to see when local business band together, as in the case of Hop Pocket, a collection of eight breweries in the 124 Street area (similar to Happy Beer Street on the south side). They will be hosting events and cross-promoting each other.
• Boyle McCauley News reviewed Filipino restaurant RJ Tasty Bites, located in Chinatown.
• Edify checks out Feng Donburi, Sabor los Andes, and Fuzion Donuts.
• Twyla featured Toast Culture and Birch and Bear Pizza in this month’s issue of Modern Luxuria.
• I love this idea from Kind Ice Cream – they offer kids cone tokens that can be redeemed at any of their shops.
• Jacek Chocolate partnered with Sherwood Park’s You Need a BBQ to produce a chocolate BBQ rub, just in time for Father’s Day.
• Crowds turned out for the opening of Alberta’s largest Community Natural Foods last week, located in Old Strathcona.

What I Ate

A heads up that there will be no Food Notes next week as I will be away on vacation – enjoy the summer weather!

• It’s been too long since I enjoyed a coffee on Credo’s streetside patio on 104 Street. Shaded in the afternoon, it’s a lovely spot even during this heat wave.

Credo Coffee

• We celebrated Father’s Day early with my Dad, and he requested a feast from Meat. Their brisket was especially on point.

Take-out from Meat

• We were #hosted at Fu’s Repair Shop’s new location at 10524 Jasper Avenue last week. The space is bigger, with an adjacent event venue called Double Dragon, but manages to retain the speakeasy vibe they created at the first spot. The cocktails sure went down easy (and I do appreciate that most can be made non-alcoholic!). Their XLB soup dumplings were tasty, and I enjoyed the chow ho fun with confit duck. I hope to be back soon!

Lychee martini and butterfly tea sour from Fu’s Repair Shop

Openings

• Fu’s Repair Shop is relocating to the former Station on Jasper space (10524 Jasper Avenue) and will re-open on June 10. The move will allow Fu’s to expand their kitchen. They will share a space with Double Dragon, which opens on June 9.
• Dolly’s Cocktail Bar will be taking over the space vacated by Fu’s at 9902 109 Street in July 2023, and will be operated by the folks behind Fu’s and The Common.
• Japonais’ Windermere location opened on the weekend, located at 6138 Currents Drive.
• MilkCrate has expanded with a second location Downtown, re-opening the Ghostlight coffee kiosk located in the Citadel Theatre. Their hours are currently Monday to Friday, 7am-3:30pm.
• Calgary-based Community Natural Foods, a store that offers organic and locally-sourced grocery items along with body and home care products, will open its first Edmonton location on June 9 at 7917 104 Street.
• Microbrewery Manual Labour Beer Co. is now open in Sherwood Park.
• Spruce Grove-based pizza shop Canadian Pies will be opening a location in Edmonton on 104 Street.
• Krispy Kreme will return to Alberta (they had a previous location in Calgary) in 2024 with a location in Edmonton on Gateway Boulevard and Calgary Trail. This announcement prompted some on social media to remind everyone of the locally-owned doughnut shops to support in the city.

Closures

• Seitans will be focusing on their standalone Die Pie location and as a result, will no longer have an outpost at Dine Epic’s 5th Street Food Hall. Their menu items will be offered at Die Pie, however! On a related note, the 5th Street Food Hall is closed from June 5-9 for maintenance and upgrades.

Upcoming Events

• The Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society’s next Dining with Authors event highlights Karen Anderson’s new cookbook Eat Alberta First. Tickets are $89.27 and include 3 courses prepared by Culina’s Brad and Cindy Lazarenko using recipes from the book. The event will take place at Culina’s new location in McCauley.
• Campio’s second annual Lagerfest features 19 Alberta breweries and will take place on June 8.
• VegFest returns to Borden Park for its third annual festival on June 24, from 11am-7pm. The event will feature plant-based food, speakers, and a marketplace.

Local News

• Transit Smokehouse & BBQ shared on social media that they need more support: “Transit is in a tough place now financially…A few more bad months this year and we may have to close our doors.”
• Bloom Cookie is relocating to Gold Bar (50 Street and 106 Avenue) because their lease on 124 Street is ending. The new space has ample parking, is accessible, and will allow them to expand their menu to include coffee and snacks. They hope for a mid-July opening date.
• In honour of Pride Month, many local businesses are offering special menu items, with some proceeds going to local LGBTQ2S+ organizations. This includes Kind Ice Cream’s Gay OK ice cream, supporting OUTlaw’s Trans ID Clinic, and District Cafe’s rainbow biscotti and cookie that will support the Edmonton Pride Centre.
• Edmonton grocery delivery startup Atadel helps underserved communities access specialty food items.
• The building that housed the Union Bank Inn has been purchased again, and will be renovated over the next year to accommodate hotel suites and a first floor restaurant.
• A full-service grocery called Tesoro will be opening in southwest Edmonton. To be designed by CKDesign, it will be anchored by the Italian Bakery and include a deli, pasta bar, cafe, and produce.
• The winners of the inaugural Edmonton Tourism Awards included the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market for business of the year and Taste of Edmonton for event of the year.
• Speaking of Taste of Edmonton, advance tickets for the festival are available from now until July 20. The festival runs July 20-30 this summer.
• Congratulations to Brio Bakery staff Judy Lan who won the gold medal in baking at the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition in Winnipeg.
• Farmers really are at the mercy of weather, as can be seen in the case of Reclaim Farm, whose crops were heavily damaged by hail and rain last week.
• The Mustard Seed continues to see an increased demand for their meal programs, as inflation makes it difficult for folks to make ends meet.

What I Ate

• Emily, Elizabeth, and I tagged along with Mack to Calgary for most of last week while he was attending a conference. It was our first time back since the pandemic, so we had lots of ground to cover! We hit up some of our old favourites, including Blue Star Diner and ChixEgg Shop, and discovered a new one in JinBar. Until next time, Calgary!

Emily returns to Blue Star Diner

Breakfast at ChixEgg Shop

Amazing Korean fried chicken at JinBar

• We were back in time to check out the Downtown Spark block party over the weekend, and the highlight for me was being able to again enjoy the Fairmont Macdonald’s famous scone (they were absent from the Taste of Edmonton last year, where they usually serve up this dish). I may have also ordered a second one to go…

Fairmont Mac’s scone at Downtown Spark

Openings

• Feng Donburi is a new Japanese restaurant that opened in Windermere, at 16408 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Calgary-based Lloyd’s Patty Distro, offering Jamaican patties, will be opening a location in Edmonton at 10534 111 Street.

Upcoming Events

• There’s still time to check out cat-inspired specials as a part of Edmonton Cat Fest, running from May 20-28. 10 restaurants and food businesses are participating, including PhatBar Bakery’s cat paw cookies and HanJan’s mewngo bingsu. A portion of proceeds from all items will be donated to Cat Fest and local rescue organizations.
• The next Sari Sari Mercado market, featuring 40+ Filipina/o/x businesses, plus 6 Asian food trucks will be taking place on June 17 and 18.

Local News

• Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list for 2023 was released last week, and as usual, the list heavily favours restaurants in Quebec and Ontario. In Alberta, 7 restaurants from Calgary were recognized, while Edmonton has just two that made the list. Congratulations to Biera (#84) and RGE RD (#89) for making the cut.
• Congratulations to Ply Pasarj from Rogue Wave Coffee for placing second at the Canadian National Barista Championships.
• Changes the City of Edmonton have made to patio requirements have led to some challenges for restaurants wanting to open up their patios for the season.
• Van Loc is the latest restaurant to be transparent about having to raise their menu prices.
• Edify checked out the food from Monsoon Bistro & Bar and Banh Mi Day.
• The deadline to order St. Viateur Bagels for the B’nai Brith Youth Organization fundraiser has been extended to May 31. Taproot Edmonton also wrote a story about their efforts.
• Seoul Fried Chicken will be opening up a location in Calgary.

What I Ate

• Freya and I came out of retirement to deliver our first Chinatown walking tour in five years. We reflected on how little has changed in the neighbourhood in that time, unfortunately. After the tour, we accompanied the guests for lunch at 97 Hot Pot. Their lunch menu, featuring a soup base and 6 items, is such a great deal.

My 97 Hot Pot spread

• We hit up Jack’s Burger Shack to satisfy a craving for their hangover burger on Friday. And Emily will never pass up the chance to indulge in a cinnamon toast crunch milkshake!

Our standard Jack’s Burger Shack order

• While in Old Strathcona, we stopped by the expanded Yelo’d. It was hoppin’, as would be expected on a warm summer day. I liked that we could choose between a light and a dark waffle cone.

ChocNut + Choc Cake ice cream from Yelo’d

• Our plot at the Alex Decoteau Community Garden is in for the season! Although Ellie was around for our harvest last year, she will actually be able to partake in the produce this summer – we’re looking forward to introducing her to the beauty of sun-warmed tomatoes and strawberries (if Emily is willing to share)!

Start of garden season!

Openings

• Be Coffee is a new coffee shop now open at Century Park (11025 26 Avenue, #1004).
• Latin American food truck Sabor de Los Andes has opened up a brick and mortar storefront at 10985 127 Street. They celebrated their grand opening on April 28.
• Northsiders, rejoice! There are relatively few independent food and hospitality openings north of Yellowhead Trail, especially when compared with south Edmonton (and in the last year, in the areas of Windermere and Ellerslie). But Boxcar Coffee Shop is one to celebrate, located in Calder (11926 129 Avenue). They are opening this summer.
• Ottawa-based Maverick’s Donut Company has opened an Edmonton outpost at 9732 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Nisku-based Rig Hand Distillery has expanded their location and will be opening a bar, general store, and dining room this spring/summer.

Upcoming Events

• ByBlacks Restaurant Week 2023 Spring Edition runs May 15-21, 2023. It is “a week-long celebration of delicious food, vibrant culture, and community where you’ll get to experience the rich diversity of Black-Canadian cuisine and highlight the exceptional culinary talent of Black chefs across Canada.” Three Edmonton-area restaurants are participating (who were all also a part of the recent Feed the Soul Dining Week): Flava Cafe, Sauce Modern Caribbean Cuisine, and Travelling Dishes.
• Phat Bar is hosting a wine and dessert pairing event on May 26. Tickets are $54.58 and include 5 pairings.
• La Mano, a Calgary-based pasta meal kit service, is hosting a pop-up at Dalla Tavola Zenari on May 28. Tickets for the 7-course dinner are $110 for food only, with wine pairings extra.
• The Leduc Coffee Shop is coordinating a Taste of Leduc, from June 5-11, 2023. Businesses are not yet confirmed.

Local News

• There is one week left to order St. Viateur Bagels as a part of the fundraiser for B’Nai Brith Youth Organization. They’re close to 900 dozen so far, but are hoping to reach 1,440 dozen. The deadline to order is May 22.
• Edify checked out the ramen at Yutaka in Old Strathcona.
• The Journal profiled Modest Meats, the butcher shop opened by Jeff Senger. It’s curious that the article mentions that “Senger isn’t afraid to name names when talking about commodification, and he’s open about calling out outfits that he feels are masquerading as artisanal butcher shops” but the article fails to print those names.
• Also from the Journal, they highlight the permanent location of wine bar Darling, and the rebooted Masters of the Foodiverse black box cooking competition.
• Pei Pei Chei Ow has organized a crowdfunding campaign to cover the money they spent to purchase a new oven. So far, they have raised $3,215 towards their $15,000 goal.
• Outdoor farmers’ market season is back! Check the Alberta Farmers’ Market Association for a full list, but notably, Callingwood’s Sunday market has begun, and the Thursday 124 Street Grand Market kicked off last week.
• Congratulations to Hungry Zine who was honoured with the Best New Magazine Award from Alberta Magazines.
• The Edmonton Food Council is recruiting new members. The application deadline is May 31.

What I Ate

• We took my mom out for dinner at Padmanadi (she absolutely loves their rendang). As always, their food and hospitality was top notch.

Part of our Padmanadi spread

• We finally had the chance to visit Sorellina Coffee. Mack used his Coffee Pass, and for the first time at a cafe he has visited on the pass, the entire value of his drink was comped! I also purchased a lemon iced tea, and it was delicious.

Drinks from Sorellina Coffee

• I had a great Mother’s Day with Mack, Emily, and Elizabeth. We had some relaxing time outdoors, complete with a picnic. Splash Poke really hit the spot, and because we didn’t end up eating it right away, the staff were super accommodating and packed the sauces separately for us.

Splash Poke bowls

New Owners of Van Loc Hope to Breathe New Life into Chinatown

The new owners of Van Loc are hoping to reinvigorate not only the long-standing banh mi restaurant but also the area where it has been in business for years.

“We just want Edmonton to recognize Chinatown as a destination,” said Wilson Wong, who bought Van Loc with his best friend William Chen. “Chinatown is a diamond in the rough, but there is a lot of beauty.”

Chen, 35, and Wong, 33, are the sons of parents who arrived in Edmonton in the 1980s as Chinese-Vietnamese refugees. They grew up eating banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich consisting of a baguette with savoury fillings such as meat, pickled carrots, and mayo. They spent a significant amount of time in Chinatown in their youth, and have seen the area’s decline firsthand.

Wong’s dad owned a restaurant in the now-levelled Mirama complex, which stood at Jasper Avenue and 94 Street. Chen’s family ran a noodle shop in Chinatown (his sister is Winnie Chen, the head chef at Fu’s Repair Shop). Chen also volunteered extensively for the Fukienese Association, one of the clan groups that provide a way for immigrants with similar cultural or language backgrounds to connect with one another.

Chen and Wong met at MacEwan University 15 years ago. While working their day jobs in pensions and sales, respectively, they experimented with several business ventures over the years, including selling T-shirts, BB gun pellets, and batteries.

“It’s fun for us,” laughed Wong. “Some people drink, we start businesses together.”

The duo had hoped to open a coffee shop, but the pandemic halted their progress. They decided to see about acquiring an existing brand and learned the owners of Van Loc, who were also Chen’s family friends, were looking to retire after 25 years in business.

“Our emotional ties to Chinatown and our conviction for the community and the math worked out,” said Wong. “I wanted to take my sales experience and really push the narrative in Chinatown for a more youth-oriented way.”

It also presented an opportunity to “show what we can do to revitalize Chinatown without getting involved in anyone’s politics,” Chen added.

William Chen and Wilson Wong of Van Loc

The deal went through in October 2022, and before officially taking over in January 2023, Chen shadowed the original owners to learn their recipes. For the most part, they have maintained the same ingredients and suppliers, but have mechanized how they julienne carrots and tweaked some flavours.

“Our liver pâté is now made of chicken instead of pork,” said Chen. “So it is smoother and less gritty. And our sate beef and sate chicken is more westernized — we put cheese and chili oil.”

Chen is also excited to cook up non-traditional sandwich combinations. “I like to experiment,” he said. “My creative outlet is cooking. I try random things on my banh mi. I’ve made a roast pork banh mi. I’ve tried a shaking beef banh mi using ribeye. And I’m experimenting with a papaya salad banh mi that one of my customers tried in California.”

Chen and Wong have made some changes to how Van Loc runs. It offers customers the option to pay by credit card without an additional fee, one of the few quick-service restaurants in the area doing so. They invested in thicker rock glass so they can keep their street frontage more welcoming and their windows shutter-free. And they are hosting events to draw a younger crowd, such as a car show, paint nights, and Dungeons and Dragons sessions.

“Because we have young people coming, it’s a much safer Chinatown,” said Wong.

That said, it’s been heartening to see return business from the older generation, too.

“The biggest compliment isn’t the new people coming in after seeing us on Instagram, but the aunties and uncles coming back,” said Wong.

The pair have big dreams about what Chinatown can become and hope one day Van Loc will be joined by Chinatown’s first brewery and speakeasy, among other new businesses. But until then, they hope more people come and discover what the neighbourhood has to offer.

Openings

• May will be re-opening in their new location on 124 Street in the former Canteen space on May 12. Find them at 10522 124 Street.
• While working on their more permanent space in Manulife Place, Ace Coffee Roasters has opened a temporary kiosk in front of it. It is open from 7am-2pm, Monday to Friday.

Upcoming Events

• The Brick Burger experience is coming to Edmonton in December 2023. $47 tickets include a burger served on a brick-shaped bun in a Lego-themed diner.

Local News

• Lots of options for those looking for meal kits for Mother’s Day, including Fin’s, Meuwly’s, The Butchery, and Sunterra.
• The Journal highlighted Honi Honi Tiki Lounge, which opened earlier this year, and the forthcoming Tiki Tiki on Whyte. The article failed to mention any of the issues of cultural appropriation levelled at Tiki bars in this era.
• Edify checked out modern pub The Varsity and bakery and coffee shop Phat Bar.
• Twyla featured Central Social Hall in the latest issue of Modern Luxuria, and how they’ve evolved over the past 12 years in business. I also missed that they opened their third location in the Edmonton area back in March, in Ellerslie (10014 12 Avenue SW).
• Also from Edify, a piece about Aliya’s Foods, the company behind popular frozen South Asian meals, Chef Bombay.
• River Watch Institute of Alberta is hosting Feast & Float Friday Nights, “journey down the river while enjoying a delicious meal from a featured restaurant.” Bookings to live on May 15.
• The St. Albert Gazette previews the Hot Chefs, Cool bEats fundraiser taking place May 11. Tickets are still available.

What I Ate

• I went for an ice cream date with Emily last week. It’s great to have a Kind Ice Cream within walking distance of our place!

Birthday cake ice cream from Kind

• We watched part of the Oilers game at the Churchill Square watch party on the weekend. It was a great chance to try a new-to-us food truck, El Quetzalito Food Truck.

Al pastor tacos from El Quetzalito

Openings

• Darling’s permanent location opened over the weekend, and they offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Find them at 9616 82 Avenue.
• Die Pie’s new location opened last week, at 11817 105 Avenue. Die Pie identifies itself as “Alberta’s first plant-based pizzeria”.
• Kind Ice Cream’s third location is now open in the OEX II Building (12017 102 Avenue), just east of the OEX Building that houses Culina To Go and Brio.

Closures

• Transcend Coffee announced that they have closed their Garneau location, as “the revenue generated from the Garneau location has not been sufficient to cover the costs of operation.” They will continue operations at their Ritchie cafe.

Upcoming Events

• La Pizza Week runs May 1-14. Eight restaurants in the Edmonton area are participating, including Famoso and Pink Gorilla.
• Alberta Food Tours will be resuming their Savoury and Sweet Strathcona food tours on May 28, which includes stops at Meat, Sugared and Spiced, Pact, Remedy Cafe, and Made by Marcus. Tickets are $95 per person.

Local News

• The Rice Howard Place food court will be closing in March 2024 for renovations, and with it, Chicken for Lunch. Make sure to get your fix in before then, Edmonton.
• Awn Kitchen is the latest business to be transparent about the increase in their menu prices, due to inflation: “on May 1 we will be increasing our pricing slightly to reflect this and ensure we can continue to bring you the same quality and experience that you know.”
• Happy first birthday to Felice Cafe!
• Edify checked out The Lunchbox Sandwich Shop and Evario Kitchen & Bar.
• The Journal covered the forthcoming Karen’s Diner pop-up at the Canadian Brewhouse on 109 Street from May 6-14, where sass can be expected for $55 per person, and Strathcona Spirits’ Chaga Mushrum Rye.
• Also from the Journal – they interviewed Omar Mouallem about the premiere of his feature-length movie about Burger Baron, The Lebanese Burger Mafia.
• Feta and Olives in HUB Mall was closed by Alberta Health Services due to health violations.

Beyond Edmonton

• Bon Appetit took a piece out of Crumbl, the US-based bakery who just opened a location in Edmonton. According to the NY Times, they are the fastest-growing dessert shop in the US, but their product is notoriously bad. Of course, I can imagine the owners are laughing all the way to the bank.

What I Ate

• We finally had the chance to try Das Brezel Haus in Manchester Square. We loved their location, next to a multi-use trail, which allows them to have an expansive, sunny patio. I wished the pretzel we tried was warm, but it was soft and well-seasoned. I was eyeing their sausage-wrapped pretzel, but we had just had lunch – so, next time!

Plain pretzel from Das Brezel Haus

• Last weekend, we were #hosted at Prestons, located in the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel Downtown. We had the chance to try their Prime Rib Sundays, which will be offered on Sunday nights for $35 per person. That price includes 10oz prime rib, 2 vegetables, and 1 chef’s choice potato. We also tried the Yorkshire pudding and heritage salad, and would recommend both. It’s such a great value-oriented meal available downtown, and those looking for some nostalgic comfort food will not be disappointed. Reservations for Prime Rib Sunday are required and have to be made no later than 2pm Saturday.

Prime rib spread from Prestons