• Help Otto celebrate their 1 year anniversary on December 12, 2017! They’ll have specials on all night and 10% off gift certificates.
• Rebel Food and Drink, the latest restaurant from the Century Hospitality Group, is now open in the former Picco Lino space at 9112 142 Street.
• District has finally rolled out their pizza menu, served from 4pm-close Monday to Saturday.
• The Moth, a new plant-based restaurant in the Quarters from the family behind Cafe Mosaics, will be opening later this month at 9449 Jasper Avenue.
• Ohana Donuterie, which debuted a food truck earlier this year, is close to opening a storefront location at 10347 80 Avenue.
• Sharon has an early review of a new Korean eatery on the south side, Dookbaeki (2872 Calgary Trail).
• Also from Sharon – she checked out the phoritto at Miss Saigon as well.
• Liane checked out the brick and mortar location of Arno’s Fine French Pastry, which some might be familiar with from their stall at the City Market and Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
• Phil wasn’t impressed with the pizza at Town Square Brewing, and Twyla had a disappointing experience overall.
• Speaking of Town Square, Vue Weekly interviewed the owners for the story behind the brewpub.
• Cindy provides an overview of what you can expect at Ice District’s newest addition, Mayday Dogs.
• The Journal is the latest to review the dinner at Pip.
• With Executive Chef Michael Hassall at the helm, Ernest’s at NAIT hopes to become a year-round food destination for dining and special events.
• Graham was invited to sample a staff lunch served at Sorrentino’s, crafted from leftovers and surplus ingredients.
• Vue Weekly’s Golden Fork Awards ballot is now live – nominate your favourites by January 18, 2018.
• Food4Good has received $75,000 of seed funding from Community Food Centres Canada to consult with the community and search for a space to house a local community food centre.
• I met up with Linda for lunch last week at a spot near my office – I appreciate the consistency at El Fogon; their beef and gouda arepas have been delicious every time!

Beef and gouda arepa from El Fogon

• The weather has been amazing so far this month – who knew it’d be warm enough to still be considered food truck weather! Mack and I happily shared some empanadas from Casa 12 Doce at the Holiday Bazaar this weekend.

Pork and potato empanadas

• We don’t make it out to RGE RD as often as we’d like, but every time we do, we have a great experience. This weekend was no different – the food and service was stellar. Of note was the questionable bits we enjoyed: beef tongue pastrami.

Beef tongue pastrami from RGE RD

• Crash Hotel is hosting Beats n Brunch, a hip hop-themed brunch on December 10, 2017. The $20 ticket includes one brunch item and a cocktail.
• There are lots of festive meal choices available at this time of year, including the Dickens Brunch at the Royal Glenora Club on December 10 & 17, with holiday carolers to help set the mood. The events are open to the public; adult tickets are $39.95.
• The newest donut-focused bakery Destination Doughnuts is now open at 10548 124 Street.
• Brown Butter Cafe, located at 1528 91 Street SW, is in its soft opening phase.
• New Asian Village has added a new restaurant to their roster – Hyderabad Kabab & Biryani House is now open at Mill Woods Town Centre.
• Dogwood Cafe, Culina’s takeover of the restaurant at the Victoria Golf Course, has returned for the winter. They’re open for supper Wednesdays to Saturdays and for brunch on weekends.
• Blakbar Tavern, billing itself as “Edmonton’s newest alternative rock resto/bar” is now open at 10762 82 Avenue.
• I hadn’t heard of Mezos Roastery, a local business specializing in dry roasting nuts and seeds.
• ‘Tis the season for giveaways, but Linda has some amazing gifts that will span 24 days – check them out!
• Nook Cafe allows people to pay it forward by buying a button someone in need can cash in for a coffee and a day-old pastry.
• Ms. Hangry Foodie and YEGCravings both tried the phorrito (a pho burrito) at new Vietnamese restaurant Miss Saigon. It sounds gimmicky to me but there’s something for everyone!
• Graham enjoyed the breadth of offerings at Holy Roller.
• Phil reviews a trio of quick-serve pizza joints.
• Crystal enjoyed the happy hour specials offered at Bar 94.
• Vue Weekly paid Cafe Linnea a visit.
• Congratulations to Karen Anderson, one of the authors of the forthcoming book, Food Artisans of Alberta. It’s now available for pre-order, and will be released in May 2018.
• Eat Alberta announced their conference date for next year – April 29, 2018. Tickets are now available for pre-sale.
• Global featured Camola Bakery, which features sustainable cricket “flour” in their products
• If you’re interested in gardening in a vacant city lot, you’re encouraged to attend a workshop on December 6, 2017 to learn more about a pilot next year that will involve 150 empty lots.
• I really should have made it a point to get to Pho Tau Bay earlier in the cycle of my cold last week – there’s really something about their broth.

My usual

• Mack and I made it to Salz on Friday for some comfort food. I really liked my brat in a bun, alongside some cheesy spätzle and caraway slaw.

Mack with his brat on a plate

• A shopping excursion on 124 Street wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Zwick’s Pretzels, where we found ourselves on the weekend.

A duo of pretzels from Zwick’s

It’s less than a month away to Christmas! We’ve put up our external winter lights, but have yet to deck the halls indoors – I’m looking forward to doing so this weekend! On to this week’s food notes:

• Effing Seafoods is hosting a Movember fundraiser at Northern Chicken on November 29, 2017 from 5-10pm (or until sold out). Menu items include crispy haddock sandwiches and mussels with Mill St. beer broth served alongside fresh baked bread.
• Why Not Cafe & Bar (the new restaurant from Chef Levi Biddlecombe) will be hosting tasting menus on December 1 and 2, 2017. Tickets for the 6 course menu with custom cocktails are available for $95.
• Northern Lands is organizing a Prairie Collective Gourmet Holiday Market in partnership with Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm on December 3, 2017. Expect holiday fare, whiskey tastings, and activities for the kids. Family admission is $10.
• There are a lot of holiday markets to choose from at this time of year – including The Holiday Bazaar, which will be taking place on December 8 and 9, 2017 in the former ReUse Centre space. Organized by the folks behind the 124 Grand Market, expect a beverage garden, local food pop-ups, and vendors.
• A dozen of Edmonton’s chefs are raising funds for the Bissell Centre on December 10, 2017 in a dinner titled Too Many Cooks. Tickets for the 12-course meal are $200.
• Ragazzi Bistro in Bonnie Doon is back open today after being closed for renovations.
• Mercato Foods, a grocery store/deli from the folks behind Edmonton’s popular Italian Bakery, is now open in St. Albert.
• Calgary-based OEB will open in the Kelly Ramsey Building in Spring 2018 – check out a rendering of what to expect.
• Mikado is celebrating 45 years of business, offering 20% off food items December 4-7 and 11-14.
• Linda is the latest to review Avila Arepa in Old Strathcona.
• Also from Linda, she shares her lunch and brunch experiences at Bundok.
• Graham was very impressed with the food at The Butternut Tree.
• Twyla reviewed the set-course meal at Alder Room.
• Jonny was disappointed with the bistro fare at Juniper Cafe.
• Lydia at YEGCravings offers a review of takeout from Tang Bistro.
• Crystal checked out the Brewery District location of Nando’s.
• I hope Calico Bakery bounces back soon after a fire over the weekend damaged their building.
• Will Church Street be the home to more frequent farmers’ markets? A pharmacy owner in the area hopes that will be the case.
• Just in time for the holiday season, the Kitchen Magpie is giving away a “foodie edition” of #YEGBox. Contest closes December 1, 2017.
• How has the provincial government’s changes to Alberta’s beer laws impacted the local brew scene? Jason Foster shares his take.
• Also from Jason – more suggested itineraries for brewery road trips, this time off-the-beaten QEII path.
• A trademark dispute between Calgary food blogger Julie van Rosendaal and Ottawa-based Beaver Tails had a happy ending, resulting in a $3,000 donation to Calgary’s Food Bank.
• I really should sample more of the menu, but I can’t ever pass up the New York Mama on visits to Battista’s Calzones.

My usual at Battista’s Calzones

• There’s just something about the poutine at Route 99 that makes it our go-to comfort food.

Gluttony at its finest

• A reminder that 124 Street’s All is Bright takes place on November 25, 2017, with food trucks and beverage gardens to enjoy amongst entertainment and family-friendly activities.
• Little Italy will help you get into the Christmas spirit – from 11am-3pm on November 26, December 3 and 10, you can tour the neighbourhood on horse-drawn carriages and enjoy roasted chestnuts outside!
• Food4Good will be holding a Winter Market on December 6, featuring a soup mix workshop and sales of affordable produce and turkeys.
• Edmonton Chefs is hosting a five-course collaborative dinner with wine pairings on January 20, 2018, created by four local female chefs. Tickets are $195.
• Silk Bar and Kitchen is a forthcoming restaurant downtown, at 10344 105 Street.
• Tiffin, a fast casual Indian restaurant, will open up a second location in Edmonton on 104 Street in the former Sobey’s space.
• Filipino bakery GoldenBucks Bakeshop (9754 182 Street) just had their grand opening this past weekend.
• It’ All in Chinatown at 10023 107 Avenue has been replaced by a second location of Namaste India.
• Liane has more details about Pip, a brunch-focused third establishment from the folks behind The Next Act and Meat. Sharon offers an early review of the restaurant.
• Edmonton has a new burger joint in town – YEG Burger, located at 15131 121 Street.
• Cindy has one of the first reviews of Salz, serving up beer and brats.
• Vue Weekly was disappointed by a meal at Holy Roller.
• Jonny sampled liberally from the menu at Cartago.
• Also from Jonny – he checks out Chix Shack, the Downtown sister restaurant to Sherwood Park’s Sawaddee.
• The latest to review Old Strathcona’s Avila Arepa is Lydia.
• Linda reviewed the brunch and tapas offerings at Bodega Highlands.
• Graham is satisfied with the menu changes at Parkallen Restaurant.
• The Journal reviews the brunch at the much-loved Mill Creek Cafe.
• Phil shares some of his favourite soups available in the Edmonton area.
• Lea toured Hansen Distillery, one of the two distilleries that opened up in Edmonton last last year.
• Please excuse this terrible picture of the kale and apple salad from District Cafe & Bakery – it was a simple but refreshing accompaniment to the hand-cut pasta that I shared with a friend. Not shown (because I forgot to take a photo before diving in): the decadent salted caramel chocolate cake we also shared.

Kale and apple salad from District

• Jacek Chocolate is celebrating the grand re-opening of their Sherwood Park location on November 18, 2017 from 10am-6pm. The renovated space is equipped with a tasting room and a cacao sorting/roasting room.
• Prairie Noodle Shop is hosting a fundraiser for the Edmonton Food Bank on November 26, 2017. Tickets for the two-course meal are $20.
• Lure cookbook author Chef Ned Bell will be preparing a four-course, wine-paired dinner at NAIT on November 18, 2017. Tickets are $120.
• Meat Street Pies want to help you get into the Christmas spirit with gingerbread house workshops at the City Market! Kits are $25 and are still available for December 2 and 9, 2017.
• Salz, the latest restaurant from the folks behind Elm Cafe, District Cafe, and Little Brick, is now open at 10556 115 Street.
• Greek restaurant Cosmos is back on 124 Street, open in the former Smokehouse BBQ space at 10812 124 Street. Cosmos is joined next door by Passport Resto Bar, who will be hosting their grand opening on November 18, 2017.
• Strathcona Spirits will finally be able to open their doors to the public for tours and sales on November 16, 2017.
• Whisk Dessert Co. will be opening a location in Kingsway Mall.
• American vegan cinnamon bun chain Cinnaholic is expanding to Canada, including Edmonton in Spring 2018.
• Twyla was impressed with the savoury and sweet offerings at Devon’s Frickin’ Delights Donuts.
• Graham sampled ramen from several restaurants in the city, including Tokiwa, Prairie Noodle, and Nudoru.
• Just in time for your holiday planning – High Level Diner is again offering frozen tourtiere.
• Vue Weekly puts together a beer-focused road trip for your consideration – a two and a half hour drive can bring you to eight breweries outside of Edmonton and Calgary, including Alberta’s youngest brewery, Fitzsimmons Brewing in Airdrie.
• Congratulations to Alan and Nicola Irving of Irvings Farm Fresh on the grand opening of their farm store, taking place November 18, 2017 from 10am-4pm.
• Our Servings is an app that hopes to crowdfund $10,000 to connect grocery stores and restaurants with excess food to agencies who could use it to feed the hungry.
• It’s been some time since I’ve had my go-to dish at Blue Plate Diner – the lamb shepherd’s pie with a side of sweet potato fries. Nothing like comfort food to warm up on a cold day!

Lamb shepherd’s pie at Blue Plate Diner

• I tried the instant noodles with minced pork at Gui Lin Noodle House for the first time over the weekend and really enjoyed it! I usually defer to noodle soups, so this was a delicious change of pace.

Fried instant noodles with minced pork at Gui Lin

• Mack and I stopped by London Local for their weekly Sunday roast menu. It’s a great deal – 3 courses for just $30. The desserts really stood out for us: a delectable Eton mess, with warm custard and meringue, and a rich sticky toffee pudding that wasn’t too sweet. We’ll be back on a different day to sample their regular menu!

Eton mess at London Local

Sticky toffee pudding at London Local

Winter’s really digging in it’s heels, isn’t it? I hope you’re staying warm through this first real blast of cold. On to this week’s food notes:

• Want to learn more about permaculture and perennial growing systems? Join Permies at the Pub on November 16, 2017 at Yellowhead Brewery. Early bird tickets are $10 for non-members.
• Save the date for Jacek Chocolate Couture’s grand reopening of their Sherwood Park boutique on November 18, 2017.
• It’ll be interesting to see what other restaurant goes into the Kelly Ramsey building to join Credo and OEB opens.
• Old Town Pub took over the former Elephant & Castle space (10314 82 Avenue) in Old Strathcona earlier this fall.
• Graham was optimistic after his first few visits to Revel.
• The Journal was impressed with the tasting menu offered at the Alder Room.
• Jonny enjoyed his experience at Bottega 104.
• Vue Weekly spends more time musing about the art than the food in a review for Pasta Brioni.
• The Tomato now has a podcast! The latest episode features Doris and Patrick Saurette from The Marc.
• It’s great to see a local home baker, Terri Thompson, featured on The Great Canadian Baking Show – I hope she gets far!
• Just in time for your holiday shopping, Knifewear is holding a fall garage sale in-store and online from November 6-12, 2017.
• There are also two local chocolate advent calendars to choose from this season – pre-orders are now being accepted for calendars from Jacek Chocolate Couture and Violet Chocolate Company.
• Alberta Flavour spotlights Honest Dumplings as a case study in scaling up a small local food business.
• Mack and I combined business with pleasure last week, and snuck in a few good meals while in Calgary. The best meal was at Calcutta Cricket Club, a hip spot from the folks behind Native Tongues Taqueria. We sampled a few dishes, the most unique being their kati rolls (paratha wraps).

Paneer and tandoori spiced chicken kati rolls

• We also enjoyed our visit to Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine, though to be honest, the laksa was a few notches spicier than I could comfortably handle. The kitchen was extremely generous with the meat portions, too.

Curry beef brisket laksa and roti

• Back home, we hit up Farrow’s second location in Ritchie after running errands nearby. It’s been too long, grick middle.

The grick middle from Farrow

In spite of the rain on Vancouver Island, it was nice to be in an area where fall is still very much in full swing. There is a lot to catch up on though – here is a super-sized version of food notes:

• This year’s Chili Cook-Off is shifting to 104 Street on November 3, 2017 from 11:30am-1:30pm.
• Blue Rose Vegan’s latest YEG Snacks is themed around Netflix – pre-order for pick-up on November 3, 2017.
• The Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society has organized Ale-Beer-Ta, a session and tasting to explore the beer brewing heritage of Alberta. The event runs November 7, 2017 and tickets are $20.
• Pip, the third establishment from the folks behind The Next Act and Meat, opens on October 31, 2017 at 10403 83 Avenue.
• Food4Good is hosting a Harvest Market on November 14, 2017. Expect a fruit and veggie sale, energy bite workshop, and learn about their vision for Edmonton’s first Community Food Centre. Food4Good is also looking for new committee members.
• Montreal Hotdogs has announced their revised opening date – November 3, 2017.
• London Local, the new English-inspired restaurant co-owned by Chef Lindsay Porter (formerly of El Cortez and Woodwork), is now open in the former Cured space in south Edmonton (2307 Ellwood Drive). Liane and Graham preview of what to expect.
• Revel, which has taken over the Alberta Hotel restaurant space, opened this month. Liane tried a few dishes during the media preview.
• Mayday Dogs in the Mercer Warehouse is finally open! Check out their menu here.
• It’s great to hear that the Rutherford House (11153 Saskatchewan Drive) is home to another restaurant. Vintage Fork opened in October and serves breakfast and lunch.
• There’s a new mobile coffee vendor in town called Lui-Chi’s Espresso and Fine Treats – Cindy has the lo-down.
• Parkallen Restaurant has refreshed their menu.
• Destination Doughnuts is coming soon to 10548 124 Street.
• Forthcoming is Kanto, a Filipino eatery to open in Chinatown.
• Also in Chinatown, Liuyishou Hotpot has replaced Urban Shabu in Pacific Rim Mall.
• Let’s Grill Sushi & Izakaya will open in place of Arabia at 10709 Jasper Avenue.
• Chris Buyze says Korean food store H-Mart will be moving into the shell that was never Whole Foods on Calgary Trail.
• Chef Levi Biddlecombe has left Packrat Louie and in December will be opening ?!Why Not¡¿ Cafe & Bar in the former Boardr space located at 8534 109 Street.
• Seafood chain The Captain’s Boil will open in South Edmonton Common at 2051 98 Street.
• The big news in October was the fact that three Edmonton restaurants made it into the top 10 of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants list this year – congrats to Clementine, Cafe Linnea, and the Alder Room!
• Also on the list front, Edmonton landed on a Thrillist countdown of “11 underrated world cities you have to visit for the food”, alongside metropolises like Mumbai, Cape Town, and Guadalajara.
• Cindy is among the first to review Kiwado, a welcome ramen addition to central Edmonton.
• Graham immensely enjoyed his meal at The Bedouins, offering North African cuisine.
• Linda has an early review of An Chay, located in the former Pita-ghetti spot on 11203 Jasper Avenue.
• Both the Journal and Twyla reviewed The Butternut Tree (and both had to mention parking – why is the assumption that everyone drives?).
• Jonny is the latest to write about vegetarian Good Stock Restaurant, tried several of the offerings at Let Eat Snow, and also raved about Zwick’s Pretzels.
• Crystal paid a visit to Blaze Pizza.
• Vue Weekly went on a seafood binge, reviewing Takami and Grandin Fish ‘n’ Chips.
• Cathy shares her experience of Sunday brunch at Fort Edmonton Park.
• Sharman recaps the most recent Taste Alberta dinner at Canteen.
• Great story from Edmonton Made about a trio of restaurant groups that are “owning the block”.
• How did Edmonton reach its current culinary stride? Jennifer Cockrall-King seeks to answer that question.
• Another restaurant delivery service has launched in Edmonton – we can now order from Foodora, where 70% of their deliveries are done via bicycle.
• As you would expect, there are pros and cons of running a restaurant near Rogers Place.
• Buco’s Matteo Cesarotto won the Canadian Pizza Show last week, and will compete at the 2018 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas.
• Rebecca Grant of The Violet Chocolate Company made Avenue Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 2017 list.
• Congratulations to Jennifer Cockrall-King who was recognized with a Taste Canada gold award for her excellent Food Artisans of the Okanagan guide.
• Perfect for the season, YEG Cider has some cider and Halloween candy pairing suggestions.
• Already planning for Christmas? Duchess has issued an updated version of their bestselling cookbook, and will be offering their first-ever holiday cookie box to pre-order.
• To ease back into routine, Mack and I headed to Cafe Amore for their daily pasta special.

Pesto alfredo from Cafe Amore

• It was also necessary for a trip to Pho Tau Bay – no other pho hits the spot for me.

Our usuals at Tau Bay

Just a heads up that there won’t be a Food Notes post next week; Mack and I are heading to Vancouver Island for a short break! On to this week’s notes:

• The Edmonton Fall Home Show runs at the Edmonton Expo Centre October 20-22, 2017. Among the attractions is their Cooking Stage, with a number of local chefs who will be presenting, including Bundok’s Ryan Hotchkiss, Mini Kitchen’s Damini Mohen, and Ikki Izakaya’s Ayumi Yuda.
• Baijiu’s Chef Alexei Boldireff will be collaborating with two visiting chefs, Vancouver’s Chef Dilan Draper (Cafe Ca Va) and Yellowknife’s Chef Robin Wasicuna (Twin Pine Diner), on October 25, 2017 on a 5-course dinner. Tickets are $75.
• During Farmfair International, which runs November 8-12, 2017, Northlands will be hosting a number of hands-on Food Lab sessions, including how to make fresh mozzarella, and steak cooking tips. Workshops are free with paid admission.
• Hardware Grill will be hosting a Farm & Guest Dinner in support of the High School Culinary Challenge on November 14, 2017. Tickets are $100.
• The Holy Roller, sister restaurant to El Cortez and Have Mercy, opens on October 20, 2017. Expect an eclectic menu, “from Detroit-style pizza to pintxos (shareable Basque-inspired snacks) to poke salad bowls to chocolate truffles made from Mexican-sourced cacao.”
• Calgary’s popular OEB Breakfast is coming to #yeg – in the Kelly-Ramsay block (10040 101A Avenue).
• If you need your Drift fix in the food truck off-season, you’re in luck – they’ve set up shop in the Shamrock Curling Club!
• Chili’s announced that 9 restaurants in Alberta (excluding the airport locations) will be closing October 31, 2017.
• Megan shared an early review of An Chay, a Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant that replaced the short-lived Pitaghetti at 11203 Jasper Avenue.
• Both Twyla and Vue Weekly had good things to say about vegan pizzeria Die Pie.
• Graham wrote a rave review about Avila Arepa.
• Vue Weekly is the latest to review Tang Bistro.
• Liane tackles the question of what it takes to turn seemingly “cursed” restaurant spaces around.
• Congratulations to the 2017 Gold Medal Plates winners – Chef Shane Chartrand of Sage took home the gold, while Royal Glenora’s Chef Steve Buzak won silver and Chef Ryan Hotchkiss of Bundok was awarded the bronze.
• The AgFood Council’s signature event, Foodovation, will take place at NAIT from November 9-10, 2017. They will be highlighting three areas this year: food safety, innovation and production, and scale-up and international markets.
• The inaugural Festival of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a smashing success this past Friday, even with the chilly temperatures! Mack and I made it down to William McIntyre Park to see some great costumes and lots of enthusiasm for all things Harry Potter. We also tried some delicious butter beer and pumpkin juice crafted by the folks behind Meat Street Pies.

Pumpkin juice and butterbeer!

• Afterwards, we headed to Have Mercy to warm up with some Southern comfort food. Great hospitality, fun atmosphere, and a solid menu!

Mack’s Texas grilled cheese with andouille sausage

• Over the weekend, we took Grandma Male for her first experience of Thai food at Sawaddee in Sherwood Park. I’d definitely go back for the pad thai!

Pad thai from Sawaddee

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a restful weekend full of food, friends, and family. On to this week’s food notes:

• MacEwan is hosting a free lecture titled, “First-Gen Farmers: The Faces of Canada’s Agri-Revolution” on October 10, 2017.
• The Hotel Macdonald, in partnership with Prairie Gardens and Adventure Farm, will be offering a 5-course farm-to-table dinner on October 13, 2017. Tickets are $100.
• The next installment of Taste Alberta’s Prairie on a Plate is taking place at Canteen on October 25, 2017. Tickets are $55 for the 4-course meal.
• Revel Bistro & Bar is now open in the former Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen space (9802 Jasper Avenue).
• Foodora and DoorDash join several other food delivery services now available in Edmonton.
• The city’s first Sugarfina, which wills itself as a “luxury candy boutique” is open at Southgate Centre.
• XO Bistro is offering a pho challenge – earn yourself a free bowl and a spot on their wall of fame by finishing 4 pounds of ingredients and 2.5L of soup in 45 minutes (otherwise, it is $60).
• If you’re looking for a brunch alternative, Fort Edmonton Park’s Johnson’s Cafe (located inside Hotel Selkirk) continues to serve Sunday brunch until the end of the year.
• Jonny was disappointed with his experience at Die Pie.
• The Journal is the latest to review Loft Thai Eatery.
• Ben Freeland is one of the first to review new-ish Vietnamese restaurant PhoEver.
• Crystal found the service lacking at The Stone & Wheel Pizza.
• Also from Crystal – she visited Chartier during one of their weekly Tuesday burger nights.
• Jonny checked out The Art of Cake for the first time.
• Graham lists Edmonton restaurants that have been open for 30+ years, with his opinion on which are still at the top of their game.
• Great feature on Sugared & Spiced in the Journal over the weekend.
• Sharman enjoyed one of the last 104 Street Feast Tours run by Edmonton Food Tours before the end of the outdoor market season.
• Only bars that sell Molson products can openly associate with the Oilers, including mentioning the screening of Oilers games.
• We bid adieu to the 2017 outdoor City Market season on Saturday, but not before having a taste of Bench Creek Brewing – it’s so great to have sanctioned sampling stations as a part of our farmers’ markets now.

Mack enjoying the Naked Woodman Pale Ale

• A forgotten lunch last week wasn’t so bad when it meant I had an excuse to indulge in a New York Mama from Battista’s Calzones.

New York Mama from Battista’s Calzones

• We’re trying to soak up as much of those glorious fall rays as possible before they’re gone – this meant a picnic in the park over the weekend with a spread from Little Village.

Our take out from Little Village

• This is the last call for outdoor farmers’ markets: I’m partial to the 124 Grand Market and the City Market, but head to your favourite this week before they wrap up for the year!
• It’s always great to see local chefs collaborating with one another! The latest: XIX Nineteen’s Chef Andrew Fung will be in the kitchen at Baijiu on October 3, 2017 for their Tuesday Bao Night.
• There’s still time to source out your Thanksgiving supper – Sorrentino’s turkey-to-go starts at $195 without sides (order by October 3, 2017), while the Shaw Conference Centre is offering a turkey feast for 10-12 for $225 (order by October 6, 2017).
• Transcend is hosting this year’s Canadian National Barista Championship on October 14-15, 2017, and they’re looking for judges and volunteers.
• Sazon (from the folks behind Comal Taco Therapy Nights) is offering Nixtamal Taco kits to take home. Reserve your kit for 2 ($40) or 4 ($80) in advance for pick up on October 17, 2017.
• Leftovers YEG is hosting an event to help bring awareness to food waste. They’re partnering with Ernest’s at NAIT on October 21, 2017 to showcase a meal made entirely from excess food. Tickets are $40 and include a tour of the kitchens.
• It was announced this week that Chef Ben Staley’s Alta has closed.
• Unfortunately, Mayday Dogs will not be open this Wednesday, October 4, 2017 due to electrical issues.
• Cafe Vancia is now open on the main floor of the Ledgeview at 9707 110 Street.
• Pizza lovers take note: Royal Pizza is opening up a location in the Hys Centre at 11010 101 Street.
• PhoEver Noodles & Grill opened in Griesbach back in the spring at #102, 9934 137 Avenue.
• Phil has more details about what you can expect from Chef Lindsay Porter’s new restaurant, London Local, opening later this month.
• Also from Phil, a round-up of some of his best kept “foodie secrets”.
• Vue Weekly had an overall great meal at Loft Thai Eatery.
• Cindy recommends the Spanish brunch offered at Bodega Highlands.
• Graham asks “where’s the soul?” of Bottega 104.
• Lydia at YEG Cravings reviewed Miga, one of the several Korean restaurants on 34th Avenue.
• Jonny is the latest to visit Nara Chicken & Tonkatsu.
• Sharman recapped the latest Taste Alberta Prairie on a Plate dinner that took place last week at Northern Chicken.
• Congratulations to Sweet Lollapalooza and The Violet Chocolate Company for their medals gained at the International Chocolate Awards.
• The moral of the CBC Marketplace story exposing some duplicitous vendors at Toronto-area farmers’ markets is to make sure you get to know the vendors, or at least ask some questions.
• It was neat to see photos of a farmers’ market taking place on the Legislature grounds last week, but unfortunate it was only a one-time pop-up.
• I didn’t know pea milk was a thing – it apparently has more calcium than cow’s milk.
• Mack and I finally made it out to Sugared & Spiced’s storefront location at 10334 82 Avenue. It’s a beautiful space, tucked in an alley within view of the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. We picked up some treats to accompany dinner, but certainly plan to visit again when we’re in the neighbourhood!

Sugared & Spiced

• We were in the area, so stopped by Kiwado last week for a late lunch. We didn’t realize the restaurant closes between lunch and dinner service, but were grateful they stayed open for us! We enjoyed our usual options (tonkatsu for me, shoyu for Mack), and particularly appreciated that they offer half orders of chicken karaage on their menu!

Tonkotsu ramen from Kiwado

• We also celebrated our anniversary over the weekend at Bundok. We had a lovely meal, but the kohlrabi salad and gnocchi were our favourite dishes of the night.

Bundok’s gnocchi

• Some of our errands took us to Ritchie on Sunday, so it was a great opportunity to finally explore the Ritchie Market, which we had yet to visit. We sampled some of the bar snacks on offer at Biera, along with a flight of Blind Enthusiasm’s beer. We loved the lofty ceilings and windowed room; we’ll be back some time for diner.

Mack with his flight of beer at Biera