Duchess to open second bakery in Ritchie Market

Ten years after Duchess Bake Shop popularized the macaron in Edmonton, they will be opening a second location south of the river later this fall.

Located in Ritchie Market next to Transcend Coffee, Little Duchess will be offering a condensed menu and selected Duchess Provisions products.

Openings

• If one new bakery wasn’t enough, Doughnut Party will also be opening a second location in Ritchie at 9610 76 Avenue.
• RGE RD will be opening a standalone location of The Butchery next door to their restaurant, offering a new “one-stop-shop featuring whole animal butchery and all things meat”.
• Smokey Bear, a “wood-fired eatery”, is expected in the Old Strathcona space formerly occupied by Accent Lounge at 8223 104 Street.
• A cocktail lounge is slated to open this fall at 10432 Jasper Avenue called Pablo.
• OEB’s second location will be opening over the next few weeks in the former North 53 space (10240 124 Street).

Closures

• Rush Bowls was short-lived; their Edmonton location in Old Strathcona has closed.

Upcoming Events

• Some of Edmonton’s finest Filipino chefs, including Chefs Edgar Gutierrez of Kanto and Ailynn Santos and Jason Wong of Yelo’d, are collaborating on an 8-course dinner at Filistix on September 18, 2019. Tickets are $85.
• Bacon Day, an annual fundraiser hosted by Chef Paul Shufelt, is celebrating its 10th anniversary on September 21, 2019. This year’s event will raise money for In the Weeds, a charity founded to support positive mental health in the hospitality industry. Tickets are $95.
• LitFest has some great food-related events in October, including Food Matters with authors Twyla Campbell and Ann Hui, and a chat with Chef Shane Chartrand, whose cookbook is being released this fall.

Reviews

• Graham published an early review of Lyon Restaurant, helmed by former Packrat Louie alumni Chef Jan Trittenbach and manager Jodh Singh.
• Sharon posted an early review of Country Coco, Edmonton’s newest Korean fried chicken restaurant.
• Also from Sharon, she reviewed her experience at Ramen Misoya, and wasn’t a fan of their broth style.
• Leduc paid a visit to Made by Marcus.

Local News

• Chartier hopes that if you have a poor experience at their restaurant, you will give them the opportunity to make it right.
• Congratulations to The Common, who commemorated their 10 year anniversary!
• This is such a great, of-the-moment idea: two students were offering a $15 per hour service fee to wait in line for people at Jollibee.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The City of Edmonton put together a Local Food Map containing links to one place about community gardens, urban bees and hens, farmers’ markets, edible yards and trees, and urban agriculture development permits.

What I Ate

• I was fighting a cold for most of this week, so it’s always super handy to have T and D Noodle House just down the street from my office for a pick-me-up lunch.

Bun bo Hue from T and D Noodle House

• When I’m craving pastries in the morning, it’s a blessing to be just a block away from Lockstock Coffee. Nothing beats a kouign amann with my coffee to start the day.

Kouign amann and herb and cheddar scone from Lockstock Coffee

• On the weekend, I met up with some friends for lunch at Blowers and Grafton, which offers “Halifax street food”. I had to order their OG Halifax donair to see what the fuss was about (the donair was apparently invented in Halifax). It was pretty tasty, particularly because the meat had been thoroughly topped with their B&G sweet sauce. I’d come back to have it again!

The OG Halifax Donair from Blowers and Grafton

The Edmonton Journal Downgrades Food Coverage

Liane Faulder, who has been reporting on the food beat for The Edmonton Journal since 2008, shared that she will no longer be writing about the food scene. While she will remain with the paper (contributing a weekly city column, theatre reports, and news features), the Journal’s food coverage has been diminished to a food notes column by freelancer Tom Murray to be published every two weeks, and occasional reviews.

Some may recall that back in January 2016, Liane was originally among the staff laid off by Postmedia. This was short-lived, as she was re-hired less than two weeks later, and remained on the food beat.

Openings

• Blue Plate Diner is now open in their new location at 12323 Stony Plain Road. In addition to the restaurant (they’re currently only serving breakfast and lunch until they get their liquor license), they’ve added a cafe section to their space.
• Lyon Restaurant has opened in the former Packrat Louie space in Old Strathcona (10335 83 Avenue), helmed by former Packrat alumni Chef Jan Trittenbach and manager Jodh Singh. And yes, the lemon pizza is back on the menu.
• Richmond-based Chef Tony has opened a restaurant in Edmonton, located at 14821 Stony Plain Road. Thanks to Stephen for the heads up!
• The former Sobeys building continues to pick up new food establishments – the latest is El Beso, a Mexican style restaurant at 10432 Jasper Avenue slated to open in September.

Closures

• The landlords have terminated the lease held by the folks behind Holy Roller, due to outstanding rent.
• Kallin Restaurant at 10534 109 Street has closed.
• It looks like the Red Robin location on 104 Avenue is now closed.

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton VegFest takes place on September 14, 2019 at ReMax Field. Admission is free and features vegan food, beverages, and vendors.
• The Prairie Grid Dinner Series returns to Edmonton on September 21, 2019. The evening features a meal prepared by chefs representing restaurants from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg. Tickets are $145.
• Tickets for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party (formerly known as Gold Medal Plates) to be held at the Edmonton Convention Centre on October 10, 2019 are now available. Individual tickets are $350.
• Formosa Bistro is hosting an event on October 20, 2019 which will provide an overview of Taiwan’s history. The $10 ticket will go towards covering a meal at the restaurant.

Reviews

• Crystal enjoyed her experience at Izakaya O-Tori, which replaced Jang. It turns out the restaurant had been rebranded by the same owners.
• Mel reviewed several food trucks who served at the Fringe, including Nooch, one of the three ghost kitchens in the works by Century Hospitality Group. She was less than impressed with the quality of their bowls.
• Graham unpacks the Jollibee phenomenon with a visit to the restaurant, and Leduc, Lydia, and Stephanie also shared the thoughts of their initial visits.

Local News

• The Downtown Business Association released the winners of their Downtown Patio Contest, and among the winners was the Hotel Macdonald for “best overall patio”.
• Just in time for their 60th anniversary, Adrienne Pan of CBC interviewed Italian Centre President Teresa Spinelli and former employee Daniel Costa about the business.
• The latest webisode of Fast Food features Biera’s Chef Christine Sandford’s recipe for spicy Korean-style cold noodles.
• Sharman recapped the recent long table dinner held at the Hotel Macdonald.
• Restaurant and bar sales in Alberta were up by 2.8% in June, compared to a year earlier.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• CBC paid a visit to Camola’s cricket farm, located about an hour and a half outside of Edmonton.
• Northlands Urban Farm continues to host free agricultural learning sessions on Wednesday evenings into October.

What I Ate

• After a foray at the Fringe, Mack, Emily and I finally made it to Made by Marcus. I love that the shop is accessed through an alley, with lots of outdoor seating. I really enjoyed my double cookies and cream, while Mack sampled the sea salt & goat milk caramel. Emily loved the waffle cone!

Ice creams from Made by Marcus

Jollibee Opens in Edmonton to Much Fanfare

The most anticipated restaurant opening of the year finally took place last week. Jollibee, often referred to as the “McDonald’s of the Philippines”, opened its first location west of Winnipeg on Friday. The storefront is located at 3803 Calgary Trail.

A local man helped break a company record after waiting in line for nearly three days for the restaurant to open; Jollibee’s previous record stood at around 20 hours.

Openings

• Country Coco, offering Korean-style BBQ chicken, will open on August 20, 2019 at Unit 2, 9621 34 Avenue (in K-Mall).
• Sian City BBQ Bar is now open on the south side at 5728 104 Street.
• Highlands Liquor, the first of the Gibbard Block’s hospitality businesses, opened on August 17, 2019. It is located at 6427 112 Avenue.
• Sandwich and Sons opened at the Edmonton Valley Zoo (13315 Buena Vista Road) back in June. Their shop is accessible before the paid admission gates at the zoo.
• The Grand Cafe & Bistro is opening soon on the main floor of the building that replaced the former Colonel Mustard’s space at 10802 124 Street.

Closures

• Noorish is closing after 7 years in business. Their last day of service will be August 21.

Upcoming Events

• Zoobrew, a fundraiser for the Edmonton Valley Zoo, takes place on August 23, 2019. Attendees will be able to purchase beer, spirits, and food to enjoy alongside the animals. Admission is for adults only; tickets are $25.
• St. Albert’s food festival Dig In is in its 6th year, and runs from September 12-18, 2019. Tickets are now available.

Reviews

• The Journal was overwhelmingly positive about La Bodeguita de Cuba.
• Graham’s recent experience at Say Uncle was mixed.
• Lydia reviewed Edmonton’s newest ramen restaurant, Ramen Misoya.
• Crystal tried Vivo’s Windermere location, and found the menu to be more casual than its other two locations.
• Leduc shared his review of Zwick’s Pretzels.

Local News

• I love this idea – Sugared and Spiced is hosting an “unsanctioned Fringe production” which sees them set a 10 minute timer starting at 6pm, which they reset if someone buys something. The shop closes when the timer goes off or they sell out.
• It’s great to hear that some Mojo JoJo Pickles products, including pickled asparagus, carrots, and Caesar Mix are now available at Safeway.
• Pre-orders are being accepted for Giselle Courteau’s second cookbook, Duchess at Home. It will be released on October 16, 2019.
• The Downtown Farmers’ Market, Boyle Street Community League, and the Chinese Benevolent Association hosted a long table dinner for 1000 people in the Quarters on Sunday.

What I Ate

• In anticipation of Alberta Open Farm Days (and the new Alberta On the Plate festival), Mack, Emily and I attended a launch event at the 124 Grand Market on Thursday. Among the food we tried were slider versions of The Woodshed’s signature burger, served up by Chef Paul Shufelt.

The Woodshed’s Chef Paul Shufelt

• We also couldn’t leave the market without a taste of Drift’s poutine (Emily loved the fries!).

Poutine from Drift

• I was eagerly anticipating the end of Tau Bay’s summer break, and finally satisfied my pho craving on the weekend!

My usual at Pho Tau Bay

Edmonton Chef to Battle in Kitchen Stadium

For years, it seemed like Food Network Canada was ignoring the culinary talent based in Edmonton, with casting that seemed instead to favour chefs from Calgary. While our neighbours to the south haven’t disappeared off the map, it’s encouraging to see some local content finally being highlighted.

Chef Shane Chartrand, the Executive Chef of SC at the River Cree Casino, will be competing on Iron Chef Canada this summer. New episodes will air starting August 28, 2019.

Chef Alexei Boldireff of Baijiu was featured earlier this year as a contestant on Top Chef Canada.

Openings

• Get ready to lineup: Jollibee’s first Edmonton location will open at 7am on August 16, 2019. It is located at 3803 Calgary Trail.
• It looks like the Hudson’s downtown will be transitioned to Greta, one of their sister brands in the fall.
• A new Asian dessert bar opened in July called Meet Fresh, located at 11412 Jasper Avenue.
• Jang was replaced by Izakaya O-Tori back in the spring, located at 11212 Jasper Avenue.

Closures

• The YEG Coffee Can announced that they’ll be closing up for the year, due to the damages they experienced after a break-in earlier this summer. They hope to be back next summer.

Upcoming Events

• The Hotel Macdonald is hosting a long table patio dinner on August 20, 2019. Tickets are $69 for the 4-course meal, which includes a glass of wine.
• Festa Italiana (formerly known as Viva Italia Viva Edmonton) is taking place on August 25, 2019 at Giovanni Caboto Park. It will feature food vendors, and cooking demonstrations, including a conversation and Q & A with Chef David Rocco.
• The Chinatown Business Association is hosting their annual Moonlight Carnival on August 25, 2019, which includes mooncake making workshops.

Reviews

• Graham was mightily impressed by JW Marriott’s newcomers Braven and Kindred.
• Stephanie shared her Chef’s Table experience at Central Social Hall.
• Leduc wrote about a media preview evening he attended at Liuyishou Hotpot.

Local News

• En Route Magazine announced their long list of 35 restaurants in contention for their 2019 Best New Restaurants list. Partake is the only Edmonton candidate.
• After 25 years, the founder of Fat Franks has sold the business; the new owners may be more opening up more brick and mortar restaurants.
• Chef Brad Smoliak has just returned to Kitchen by Brad after heart failure and implantation of a Ventricular Assistive Device.
• The Italian Centre is celebrating 60 years in business on August 25, 2019, with samples, product demonstrations, and prizes at all three Edmonton locations.
• Sharman recapped the recent Swine and Dine hosted at Say Uncle.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• If you have surplus fruit in your backyard, consider donating it to Prairie North. They will turn this fruit into craft cider, and donate $1 per every liter sold to the Edmonton Food Bank.

What I Ate

• Part of Sabor’s Seafood Festival this year are their Fish & Chip Fridays, in support of the Bissell Centre and the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta. From 11am-2pm every Friday for the rest of August, $10 cash will get you an amazing 2-piece fish and chip deal. The ingenious packaging makes it the perfect street food, too!

Fish & chips from Sabor

• Meeting up for lunch with Linda was the perfect excuse to revisit El Fogon. I will never get tired of their beef and gouda arepas!

Beef and gouda arepa from El Fogon

• Mack, Emily, and I attended the second Pastor Party at Get Cooking on Friday, hosted by Chef Victor Hugo. While it was a tad chillier than ideal for the patio, the food and atmosphere made up for the weather! Stay tuned for the dates of future Pastor Parties.

Pastor and vegetarian tacos from Get Cooking’s Pastor Party

New Culinary Festival Celebrates Local Food and Drink

Alberta on the Plate is a new culinary festival that is running from August 9-18, 2019. Bringing together chefs and producers from across the province, the festival features special events and fixed price menus highlighting locally grown products at participating restaurants. In Edmonton, 10 restaurants have signed on, including London Local, Lux Steakhouse, The Marc, Three Boars, and Prairie Noodle Shop.

3-course menu prices range from $19, $29, and $39, while a few restaurants are also offering multi-course kids menus.

Openings

• Yoshi Sushi opened earlier this summer at 10009 107 Street in the former Wildflower Grill storefront. It appears to be the second location of the restaurant, joining a more longstanding branch in Sherwood Park.
• Soleilki Japanese Fusion is now open in Old Strathcona, located at 10828 82 Avenue (the former Seorak Teppan Bar).
• Another Korean restaurant will be opening this month in K-Mall called Country Coco, to serve Korean-style chicken and tapas. It is located at 9261 34 Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• Wishbone is hosting a fabulous women-led evening of dinner and drinks called Cook Like a Girl on Augusg 18, 2019. They’ve assembled 24 of Edmonton’s female chefs and bartenders for a WIN House fundraiser. Tickets are $200.

Reviews

• Avenue provides a snapshot of what to expect at the new establishments Braven and Kindred in the JW Marriott.
• Leduc shared his experience enjoying one of Little Brick’s backyard barbecues, available Thursdays and Fridays from 4-8pm and weekends from 2-6pm.
• The Journal ventured out to Rural Routes Brewing Co. in Leduc.
• Avenue paid a visit to La Bodeguita de Cuba on 118 Avenue.

Local News

• Congratulations to the Liberian pavilion at Edmonton Heritage Days for coming in first in the food category for a second year in a row! Scandinavia, Pakistan, and Russia came in second, third, and fourth.
• Graham’s column this week is a list of where to eat in Edmonton.

What I Ate

• What a beautiful weekend for Heritage Days! We ate our way through the festival over the weekend, including this fabulous plate from the Ethiopian pavilion.

Combination plate from the Ethiopian pavilion

• Mack has been craving Lee House for some time now, so we headed into Chinatown for our fix. I am partial to their their jap chae.

Jap chae from Lee House

• It took us long enough, but Mack, Emily, and I made it to Say Uncle. Their patio is a great addition to 104 Street, and I enjoyed the burger, a classic with American cheese, pickles, iceberg lettuce, and thousand island dressing.

Burgers and poutine from Say Uncle

• We also finally stopped in at Kind Ice Cream for a treat (and thankfully, were met with a very short line!). I had my heart set on sampling their (sadly sold out) salted caramel, but made do with their seasonal “camping” flavour (think s’mores). I enjoyed the chocolate, but didn’t enjoy the texture of the disintegrated graham cracker. We’ll be back to try a few other flavours!

“Camping” ice cream from Kind

Taste of Edmonton Considering Festival Location

The Taste of Edmonton, which just wrapped up its 35th festival on Sunday, is considering its site options.

Although the festival had only planned on being at Capital Plaza by the Alberta Legislature for two years (to ride out the construction around Churchill Square), the organizing team and most visitors seem to prefer this location. However, if they do decide to remain at Capital Plaza in 2020, the festival will have to foot the bill for the additional costs to produce the event at this site, such as portable washroom rentals and special cleaning fees, which were covered by the City of Edmonton over the past two years.

Organizers haven’t yet committed to either location, but are still soliciting feedback.

Openings

• Braven, the most formal of the forthcoming restaurants in the new Ice District JW Marriott, opens on August 1. The menus are up now, and if you include “OEG25” on your online reservation under special request, your food for up to a party of 4 will be discounted by 25% in August.

Upcoming Events

• The latest in the Hotel Macdonald’s Classic Series dinners will highlight the cuisine of Greece on August 1, 2019. The multi-course dinner is $75.
• Nigerian-born Blessing Okpala is hosting Savoury Bites and Jazzy Vibes on August 17, 2019 at Cafe Lavi, and will serve a blend of Canadian and African flavours. Tickets for the 4-course meal are $65.

Reviews

• Sharon is among the first to review Bianco, the new-ish sister restaurant to Rosso located Downtown.
• Leduc enjoyed his recent experience at Pink Gorilla Pizza.
• Crystal posted about her visits to Made by Marcus and Meat.

Local News

• Beaumont restaurant Chartier officially introduced their new Executive Chef, Tamara Solon, who has been with the team since the beginning. Chef Tony Krause, who had been announced as the previous successful candidate, was let go after two days (thanks Linda for the heads up!).
• Ritchie is the focus of Liane’s latest food-centric neighbourhood feature, with profiles on new ice cream purveyor Kind and hot dog cart Hans’ Wurst.
• Leduc recapped the ‘Tempt Your Taste Buds’ tour he attended led by Epicurean Adventure Tour in the 124 Street area.
• The latest episode of CBC’s Fast Food web series features a recipe for Hotel Macdonald Chef Mridul Bhatt’s chicken tikka pita taco.
• You can now vote for your favourites in Sustainable Food Edmonton’s annual Golden Wheelbarrow Awards. Categories include favourite “locavore” restaurant and favourite agriculture business.
• The Journal covered a social enterprise called Fresh Routes Calgary that may be launching in Edmonton this fall, bringing fresh produce and groceries to food deserts in the city through mobile markets.
• Every week, Global is again soliciting votes for their “Best of Summer” list. Earlier in July, Julio’s Barrio on Whyte was voted Edmonton’s best patio, and this week, Bully Food Truck was voted Edmonton’s best food truck.
• A nice write-up in travel magazine Fathom about things to eat and drink in Edmonton.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The 6th annual Grand Taste Tour organized by Wild Heart Collective will be taking place on August 17, 2019, with a visit to Stonepost Farms and a dinner prepared by Chef Paul Shufelt of Workshop Eatery and Woodshed Burgers. Tickets for the full tour and meal are $125.

What I Ate

• Mack, Emily, and I returned to Taste of Edmonton over the weekend to use up the rest of our tickets. My favourite plate that day was from Nyonya Malaysian Cuisine, a food truck who vends at the City Market. Their lemongrass rendang chicken in a turmeric pancake was so flavourful, and plated nicely.

Lemongrass rendang chicken in a turmeric pancake from Nyonya

• A friend and I met up for dinner at Tzin, and among the plates we shared, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to indulge in their bacon. It’s also great to see that dish is listed as a Mealshare item – for every plate ordered, a meal is given to a youth in need.

Bacon from Tzin

• Lastly, Mack and I tried the new ramen restaurant on our street, Ramen Misoya. They offer two types of miso – “gold” which is fermented for 6 months and “silver” which is fermented for 3 months. We both chose the silver, after the server told us it’s a bit lighter and creamier in flavour. I ordered the Silver Shiro Chashu ($16.75, plus $1.50 for a miso egg). The bowl was on the pricey side, but I did find the portion size matched my expectations. The kitchen was quick, which I appreciated, and though it wasn’t my favourite ramen in the city it would work in a pinch.

Silver Shiro Chashu

Burgers to Fill 104 Street Vacancy

After Blue Plate Diner vacates their 104 Street location in favour of their new digs on 124 Street, Royale is moving in.

Helmed by Alexei Boldireff (also the chef at Baijiu), they will offer classic burgers with house-made buns. They aim for a fall opening.

Royale comes on the heels of another burger-focused restaurant, Woodshed on 124 Street.

Openings

• It looks like Pampa will be expanding with a new brand: A Bite of Brazil by Pampa is under construction in one of the bays in the former Sobey’s at 10114 104 Street.
• Gangnam Street Food is opening their second location on July 25, 2019 in West Edmonton Mall’s Phase III food court.
• Another forthcoming ghost kitchen: Sepp’s “classic New York pie with a northern twist” will be available as delivery only, from the folks behind Leva.
• Bodega is opening a fourth location in the Edmonton area, this time in St. Albert.

Upcoming Events

• Chartier is hosting a couple of events this summer: a cocktail evening on July 28, 2019 (tickets are $55 each), and a dinner at the Old Red Barn outside Leduc on August 18, 2019 as a part of Alberta Open Farm Days (tickets are $125 each).
• The 16th annual Summer Latin Fest will be hosted at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish on August 11, 2019. There will be 15 Latin American cultures represented through food, drinks, and entertainment.
• A new event for pizza fanatics to consider: Jason Gregor’s Pizza Pigout on October 23, 2019 is a fundraiser for KidSport.

Reviews

• Crystal shared her experience at Cafe Lavi.
• Graham calls the Highlands Golf Club (the dining room is open to the public) a hidden gem.
• Leduc posted a review of the buffet at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre.

Local News

• K-Days announced their New Fair Food Winners: the Harry Potter-inspired Butterbeer Soft Serve took first place. K-Days runs July 19-28, 2019. Lydia, one of the judges this year, shared her opinion on all of the contenders.
• The Taste of Edmonton, which kicked off its 35th year on July 18, 2019, has garnered some criticism for their increase in food prices. The event goes until July 28.
• Iconoclast Coffee in the Oliver Exchange Building is now open later, offering bar snacks and alcohol.
• Just in time for what finally feels like summer, the NAIT Food Guide (which features local establishments who are helmed or were founded by NAIT grads) has been updated to include a section on patios.
• Another list to consider: OpenTable released their 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in Canada; Edmonton restaurants The Butternut Tree, Fumaca Brazilian Steakhouse, and La Ronde at Chateau Lacombe all made the list.
• Diner en Blanc took place in Edmonton again last week after a two year hiatus. Their secret location this time around was Commonwealth Stadium.
• The Downtown Business Association is looking for opinions about the best Downtown patio – vote for your favourite before August 15, 2019.
• Linda shared a sponsored post about easy entertaining with help from the Italian Centre.
• This week, the Mess Hall Podcast interviews Alberta Food Tours’ Karen Anderson.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Camola Foods, a vendor at the Downtown Edmonton Farmers’ Market, has begun raising their own crickets in Wildwood, Alberta, about an hour west of Edmonton.
• Alberta Flavour is a working group hoping to bolster local food purchases by educating large institutions about how they can source more local products.

What I Ate

• I forgot to include this last week – we checked out the 124 Street Grand Market on Sunday, and loved the gruyere and chive bread we picked up from Erica Vliegenthart’s new venture called Laneway Bakery (she used to be the lead baker at District). She’s currently only vending at the Sunday 124 Market, and seems to sell out every week!

Erica of Laneway Bakery

• Mack, Emily, and I stopped at the Hotel Macdonald’s hot dog cart over the weekend and tried their lemonade ($5 for a large cup) and their Loaded BBQ Dog ($6) with hot sauce, house pickles, crispy potato, onions, and mustard. It was a bit of a wait (they make everything to order), but it was great to be able to enjoy the food on their beautiful patio. There were numerous families doing the same – their hot dog and ice cream cart is doing wonders to democratize their patio this summer. It’s open every day from 11am-6pm.

Loaded BBQ Dog from Hotel Macdonald

• We took in K-Days on Sunday, along with what seemed like half of Edmonton! Those Little Donuts are a summer tradition for us; I was glad to see them in town, especially after learning they didn’t make the stop in Calgary for the Stampede.

Those Little Donuts

• Taste of Edmonton returned to the Federal Plaza for a second year – although it is more costly for the festival to rent this space, it will be a hard sell for some to return the event to Churchill Square. The grounds were packed during our visit tonight, though I was sad to see that the fountains were off (hopefully only temporarily!). We tried a handful of items, and really enjoyed the jerk chicken on rice from Irie Foods and the passionfruit and mango sorbet from Little Bear Gelato. We also returned to a few tried and true favourites: the spicy lentils from Langano Skies and the dry spicy chicken from The Lingnan. Speaking of The Lingnan, it was great to learn that Miles Quon will be stepping into the role of Chair after more than ten years of serving on the board.

Dry spicy chicken from The Lingnan

H-Mart Opens to Large Crowds

H-Mart, an American-based Asian grocer specializing in Korean products, opened in Edmonton on July 11, 2019. Located at 570, 3803 Calgary Trail, it took over the space that had been vacant for some time after Whole Foods cancelled their plans for its first store in Edmonton.

South Park Centre is becoming a hub for Asian groceries and food, with the city’s first Jollibee location to open soon, and a T & T Supermarket a few blocks south.

Openings

• Franchise Ramen Misoya’s Edmonton location opened over the weekend at 10148 104 Street.
• Bean Around the World, a BC-based coffee chain, opened its first location outside of BC in Edmonton at 10510 111 Street.
• Golden Cafe (the rebranded Garden Bakery at 10019 106 Avenue) is now open.

Closures

• Salz is now closed; they decided not to renew their lease, but indicate that they are “on the lookout for a bigger, better shop from which to sling bratwurst and pour Alberta craft beer.” (Thanks to Sharman for the heads up!)

Upcoming Events

• The next Food4Good low-cost fruit and vegetable sale is taking place at The Big Picture Block Party on July 25, 2019 at Butler Memorial Park (15715 Stony Plain Road).
• Sabor’s annual Seafood Festival runs August 3-30, 2019. They’ll have a number of special ticketed dinners. including a Food Day Canada collaboration kick-off dinner on August 3, 2019 with Julie Van Rosendaal and Emily Richards.
• Alberta on the Plate is a new culinary festival “celebrating Alberta local food and drink”, and runs August 9-18, 2019. Participating restaurants will be offering multi-course fixed priced menus highlighting local producers.
• Farm open house and culinary experience details are now up on the Alberta Open Farm Days website. The event runs August 17-18, 2019.
• The annual Culinaire Treasure Hunt returns to Edmonton on September 7, 2019. Teams of two can register for $75, and individuals for $47.50.

Reviews

• The Journal had a positive experience at Say Uncle.
• Graham has much praise for Mimi’s.
• YEGventures offers a brief review on Hungry Birds.
• Crystal posted about her recent visit to Malt and Mortar.

Local News

• St. Albert Today has an article about Chef Paul Shufelt commitment to purchasing whole animals from local farmer Jeff Nonay that ultimately developed into an idea for Woodshed Burgers. The pair were also on Global Edmonton promoting their partnership.
• Canada’s Great Kitchen Party has announced the chefs participating in the October 10, 2019 cooking competition.
• Some local food and drink products made it onto the Made in Alberta Awards list of finalists, including Jacek, Hansen and Strathcona Spirits Distilleries, and Gold Forest Grains. You can vote for your favourite until July 31, 2019.
• Sharman wrote a guide to gluten-free restaurants for Explore Edmonton.
• Crystal posted a guide to 124 Street, including places to eat, drink, and play.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• RGE RD’s Chef Blair Lebsack provides insight into four edible weeds intrepid local foragers can harvest and consume.

What I Ate

• Mack, Emily and I had the privilege of attending a media event at Melt Sandwich Co. last week. Located on the pedway level of the Bell Tower, Melt was opened by the folks behind Cookie Love back in February, and serves up breakfast and lunch. We were able to try nearly all of the sandwiches they offer. My favourite was the burger melt (one of their best-sellers, along with the dill fried chicken and the Cubano), while Mack continues to have a soft spot for their mac and cheese sandwich.

Burger melt from Melt Sandwich Co.

• Last week, I had lunch with colleagues at Mama Asha, a Somali restaurant just off 118 Avenue. Their chicken suqaar wrap at $10 is a great value; most of us struggled to finish it. My favourite part was that it was made with sabayad, a delicious flatbread similar to roti.

Chicken suqaar wrap at Mama Asha

• A go-to for work lunches, I was back at T & D Noodle House today. My usual is their 2-colour vermicelli bowl with grilled chicken and spring rolls.

My regular at T & D Noodle House

• Ritual, an app that allows diners to pre-order food at cafes and restaurants, has launched in Edmonton. To celebrate, they are running a $1 Food Fest Downtown, with more than two dozen participating establishments. Mack and I have been eating our way through the deals, but the best one has to be La Mision’s “small” burrito – an incredible steal at just $1. The Food Fest runs until July 19.

Picnic at Alex Decoteau Park with our burritos (Emily is not impressed I interrupted her dinner)

I was away for work and holidays last week, so I took a break from my blog. Those of you who subscribe to Taproot, however, did receive a Food Roundup, written in my absence by my friend Linda! Click here if you’re interested in signing up for the weekly roundup through Taproot. This week’s Food Notes is a two week update.

Blue Plate Diner Announces New Location

The beloved 104 Street restaurant has shared the details of their next home. Forced to relocate from Downtown because of the forthcoming Mackenzie Tower development, Blue Plate Diner will be moving to the 124 Street area.

Relocating to the former Back Home Fish and Chips space at 12323 Stony Plain Road, they hope to be open by August. The 104 Street location will remain open until July 31, 2019.

Openings

• On the heels of Kind Ice Cream’s opening in Ritchie, Made by Marcus has joined the fray with an Edmonton location that opened last weekend.
• The Woodshed, a burger-focused restaurant on 124 Street from Chef Paul Shufelt (of Workshop Eatery) is now open at 10723 124 Street.
• Dorinku finally has signage on their forthcoming Downtown location, at 10328 Jasper Avenue (the former Alder Room and Alta).
• Toronto-based Oliver & Bonacini shared more information about their four forthcoming concepts located in the new Ice District JW Marriott, named Kindred Food + Drink, Braven, Alchemy, and Lobby Bar.
• The owners of Trang Tien (formerly located in The Quarters where The Moth is now) have re-opened a restaurant in Beaumont, at 5009 52 Avenue.
• A new candy shop called Rocket Fizz is now open at 10544B 82 Avenue.

Closures

• Zenari’s has closed their Manulife location as of June 29, 2019. However, fans will be happy to hear they will be re-opening later this year as Dalla Tavola Zenari (translated as “from the Zenari table”) in the Kelly Ramsey building. They have started a Kickstarter campaign and hope to raise $95,000 to help with the transition.

Upcoming Events

• The next Swine and Dine event will be held at Say Uncle on July 16, 2019. Tickets for the 5-course menu are $50.
• Tickets for the Heritage Festival, running August 3-5, 2019 at Hawrelak Park, are now available online.

Reviews

• Graham was expecting more from newcomer La Bodeguita de Cuba.
• Crystal wrote about her experiences at Cosmos Greek Kitchen and Seoul Fried Chicken.
• Leduc shares his thoughts on Lava Rock Grill & Sushi, MishMash Parfait, and Brio Bakery.

Local News

• Congratulations to Chef Shane Chartrand for being named to the Western Living class of 2019 Foodies of the Year!
• Avenue has compiled their list of the 25 Best Things to Eat in Edmonton (and area), contributed by notable locals.
• Learn more about what it took to transform an old service station to Mimi’s, a new restaurant in the community of Greenfield.
• Liane has a great round-up of must-try eateries on 124 Street, and news about Meuwly’s plans for a liquor license and food and history crawls led by the folks behind Barking Buffalo Cafe.
• Linda has you covered with a list of top 10 summer treats to try in Edmonton.
• Sharman recapped the recent Taste Alberta dinner at The Common.
• Lydia and Leduc offer their perspectives on a Sunworks Farm and Three Boars collaboration dinner.
• Now is the time if you wanted to get your hands on fresh mangoes shipped in from South Asia, a special imported treat available from some local grocers.
• One of Liane’s pieces published last fall about blue collar restaurants was recognized by the Society for Features Journalism.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market announced that they’ve undertaken a vendor verification process to ensure the products sold at the market are actually produced by the vendor selling them. It’s an interesting strategy in light of the increased competition in the market scene this year.

Beyond Edmonton

• Those Little Donuts, a Stampede staple for many, is not on the midway this year; it apparently due to a late application to the festival. They’re a K-Days favourite of mine, so I do hope they’re headed to Edmonton later this month!

What I Ate

• I had the pleasure of spending some time in Ottawa for a conference, and met up with fellow foodies Lillian and Dan while there. They introduced me to Rabbit Hole, a cozy joint on Sparks Street.

Chicken, bacon, and tomato pizza from Rabbit Hole

• Mack, Emily, and I hopped over to Toronto for a reunion with my sisters over the Canada Day long weekend. Poutine was in order, and this one from a vendor at the Liberty Village Farmers’ Market was one of the best I’ve had in some time – layers of squeaky curds over crispy fries.

Poutine

• Mildred’s Temple Kitchen has been on my list for some time, and we finally made it for b’lunch during this trip. They’re known for their pancakes, and after trying them myself, I now know why – they’re impressively fluffy.

Blueberry pancakes from Mildred’s Temple Kitchen

• A meal at Otto is becoming a bit of a birthday tradition for me – we had a belated birthday celebration on Friday. I can’t pass up the Otto dog and the fries!

Our spread at Otto

Edmonton’s First Multi-Day Indoor Market is Now Open

It was opening weekend for Bountiful Farmers’ Market, Edmonton’s first multi-day indoor market. With more than 100 vendors, an entertainment stage, and food hall, they attracted upwards of 15,000 people per day from Friday to Sunday.

Many of their vendors can be found at other markets across the city, but they do have some more unique vendors, such as Meuwly’s and Ace Coffee Roasters.

On a related note, Taproot also published their story on the new business of markets in Edmonton, which discusses the shift to multi-day markets and how that may affect some vendors.

Openings

• You can now find Farrow on the north side of the river: their third location is now open at 10240 124 Street.
• Dangerkat Waffles is now open in Old Strathcona, accessible through the alley behind the Cat Cafe (10111 82 Avenue).
• Bleu Flames, a locally-owned fondue restaurant opened in May in Sherwood Park (870, 3880 Sherwood Drive).
• Another microbrewery to add to the list: The Growlery Beer Co. is now open at 40 Airport Road.

Upcoming Events

• We already spend a lot of time at Alex Decoteau Park, but the Downtown Business Association is giving me one more: they have organized a great event series called Beats & Eats, happening over three Wednesday evenings from June 26-July 10, 2019. Attendees are invited to pre-order a boxed dinner from a nearby restaurant, then pick it up on the event day for a picnic in the park. The first restaurant up is Wishbone.
• Kitchen by Brad is hosting another perogy pop-up lunch on June 28, 2019. Advance tickets are required at $18 per person.
• The documentary The Biggest Little Farm, about a small sustainable farm outside of Los Angeles, will be screening at Metro Cinema from July 5-10, 2019.

Reviews

• Graham’s second visit to The Butternut Tree was perfect.
• Sharon posted her photolog of a recent media event at Rush Bowls.
• Stephanie shared her first experience at Indulgence.
• Crystal wrote that the food mostly made up for the poor first impression at Washoku Bistro.
• The Boyle McCauley News visited Liuyishou Hot Pot.

Local News

• The Green Onion Cake Man is getting into the business of meal kits, starting with Shanghai noodles.
• Liane shared the story behind Caramelt, one of the new vendors at the City Market. They sell a variety of chocolate products.
• The latest Fast Food episode features a recipe for Shake and Bake Souvlaki Chicken from Theo Psalios of Little Village.
• Twyla, who is the CBC Food Reviewer, wrote about her breast cancer diagnosis that happened earlier this year.
• The couple behind The Globe Diary will be relocating from Edmonton to Calgary.

What I Ate

• I had to be strategic with my Dine the Ave choice last week, and chose Donair Express at 8523 118 Avenue. I had no idea it had been open for more than 30 years, and that they make their own donair meat to boot. While it may not be the best donair I’ve encountered in Edmonton, it’s a solid option for a quick lunch with one of the most friendly owners I’ve encountered on Alberta Avenue.

$10 Dine the Ave special from Donair Express