We’ve been spoiled with two vacations in as many months, but after spending time in Chicago during the election and the immediate aftermath, I am happy (and grateful) to be back in Canada. On to this week’s food notes:

• The next Swine & Dine dinner is taking place on November 23, 2016 at the Red Ox Inn. Tickets for the 4-course meal cost $65.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth for a good cause: the Ronald McDonald House is hosting a chocolate tasting with Jacek on November 30, 2016. Tickets are $40.
• Northern Chicken is now open at 10704 124 Street!
• More bubble tea for everyone: two Chatime locations are now open in Edmonton: Downtown at 10405 Jasper Avenue and in Old Strathcona at 10538 82 Avenue.
• Lux has rebranded their lounge into Bar 94, honouring Ryan Smyth, one of the original partners behind the restaurant.
• Casa Doce is the next food truck transitioning to a brick and mortar shop – congratulations!
• Vue Weekly checks out Dorinku, the newest izakaya in the city.
• Chef Serge Belair has been named Executive Chef of the Shaw Conference Centre after Chef Simon Smotkowicz announced he will be leaving the Shaw after 28 years.
• The latest Community Table Project from Phil features Dutch tacos.
• Chef Cory Rakowski has started an organization called Food for Thoughts, to help create awareness about the mental health challenges faced by those in the hospitality industry.
• Two food-related folks made it onto Avenue Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 list this year: cocoanista Jacqueline Jacek and Localize’s Meghan Dear.
• Congratulations to Jennifer Cockrall-King on being included in Best Food Writing 2016, alongside names such as Pete Wells and Francis Lam.
• Out just in time for the holidays, Earls has released a cookbook featuring restaurant favourites from the 1980s until present.
• It’s disappointing to see absolutely no Prairie content on Enroute’s best new restaurants list for 2016, let alone any Alberta representation.
• Back in town, our first stop was the Italian Centre. We killed two birds with one stone: great thin-crust pizza for lunch and picked up groceries for the week.

Massimo pizza from the Italian Centre west

• I met up with Annie for brunch at Workshop Eatery yesterday. The pastrami hash was great – I loved the crispy potatoes and perfectly soft poached eggs. I’m also happy to report that they also now serve brewed coffee (as opposed to espresso-based drinks).

Pastrami hash from Workshop Eatery

Happy Halloween! We always feel a little far removed from the festivities being downtown, but it seemed warmer than average for trick or treating tonight. A note that there will be no Food Notes next week; Mack and I are heading to Chicago for a short vacation.

• The annual Chili Cook-Off takes place November 4, 2016 in Churchill Square. Sample bowls are just $1, with regular bowls priced at $2.
• Bo and Marrow, who you may be familiar with from their farmers’ market appearances this summer, are popping up at Prairie Noodle on November 6, 2016 with noodles and their broth. The meal will be $18 per person.
• The sixth COMAL Mexican Table Dinner is taking place November 29-30, 2016. Tickets are $85 each.
• Save the date: Northern Lands will be taking place May 2-6, 2017, and it will be bigger and better.
• Su notes that there’s a franchise location of Hong Kong’s Dazzling Cafe to open soon at 10538 82 Avenue, rabbit-eared chairs and all.
• The buzz continues to grow for the brew pub to open in the Richie Market – they just announced Chef Christine Sandford will lead the kitchen.
• The latest local business to launch a crowdfunding initiative is Caramia Caramels, who hope to use Kickstarter to help them purchase commercial equipment to enhance their production.
• Speaking of crowdfunding, big congratulations to Sugared and Spiced, who blew their original $20,000 goal out of the water, raising close to $57,000.
• While the Edmonton and area has its share of meal prep services, The Backyard Basket might be our first Blue Apron-style ready to cook meal service (where pre-portioned ingredients are delivered for time-strapped home cooks). It’s not something that would appeal to me, but it would be more ideal if they supported local producers in the process.
• Prairie Noodle is an example of a business succeeding in overcoming poor quality control in its initial stages.
• Did you attend What the Truck?! this year? Consider filling out this survey to help the organizing committee make decisions for 2017!
• Karlynn is doing a cookbook giveaway on her blog, but you can also pick one up from her in person on November 5, 2016 at Chapters in West Edmonton Mall.
• Phil’s latest Community Table Project features butter chicken risotto.
• The Wood Buffalo Brewing Company is creating a special whisky called the Beast, using some peated malt that remained behind and absorbed some of the smoke from the fire.
• I was sad to see Calgary’s Farm restaurant shut down, but I never expected the subsequent scandal surrounding Janice Beaton to spring up, with past Farm employees accusing Beaton of unpaid wages. She responded to the allegations in a Facebook video.
• November 1, 2016 is the deadline to apply to join Eat Alberta, a committee working on organizing another hands-on food conference next year, in addition to multimedia content promoting local food.
• Signage is already up on two of the Ultima’s retail bays: XO Bistro & Bar and Gong Cha, a small chain of bubble tea cafes based in Toronto.

XO Bistro & Bar and Gong Cha

• Grand Villa Casino’s quick-serve options are now open – joining the Starbucks are Vera’s Burger Shack, Pinkberry, and Sbarro. It was a bit unusual that no seating was available, but I assume patrons are expected to return to the casino to consume their food, or head to the adjacent community rink.

Pinkberry and Starbucks in the Grand Villa Casino

• I also had lunch at Match Eatery and Public House inside the casino on Friday. The food was fine, but the service produced enough minor mistakes to point to a very inexperienced staff (tried to deliver our food to another table, mix-up with a sidedish, topped up a half-full soda glass with water). Hopefully things will improve with time.

Dip your beef sandwich

• I met up with a friend for dinner at Uccellino last week. Most of the week’s ills melted away with a bite of their cacio e pepe and meatballs. If only I could eat like that all the time.

Cacio e pepe

Polpette

• Edmonton City Centre’s new food court, Elevate Food Fare, located on the top level of the mall, opens to the public on November 1, 2016. It will consolidate many of the existing retailers in addition to offering a few new choices, including Burrito Libre and Paramount Fine Foods. The food court will provide another dining choice for those in the area, and will likely be one of the more inexpensive options available within walking distance of Rogers Place. It will be interesting to see if the food court hours are extended to align better with arena events in the coming months. Mack and I received gift certificates in appreciation for mentioning the Food Fare, but want to pass them onto two lucky readers. For your chance to win one of two $50 gift certificates to Edmonton City Centre, leave a comment with a valid e-mail address that answers the following question: which restaurant offers the best value Downtown and why? The contest closes on November 10, 2016 at midnight. Winners will be contacted by e-mail on November 12, 2016.

Elevate Food Fare at Edmonton City Centre Mall

• The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival takes place November 4-5, 2016 at the Shaw Conference Centre. Lillian is giving away 2 tickets if you’re hoping to attend!
• Sandwich & Sons has re-opened on 104 Street with more seating.
• The folks behind Jack’s Burger Shack are currently running a pop-up in MacEwan University, and is working on a third restaurant in St. Albert called Ong, which will serve Hanoi-style fried chicken.
• Gluten Free Diner announced that although the bakery/store will re-open on October 27, they’re still in the process of working with interested parties to take over and re-open the restaurant.
• Everyone seemed to be excited about an article regarding Alberta’s food scene that appeared in Vogue this week.
• The Globe & Mail has a profile of Canova Pasticceria, a bakery that is making panettone using traditional Italian methods.
• Vue Weekly reminds readers about Breadland, a gem in Oliver that produces mostly yeast-free, natural breads.
• Vue Weekly is the latest to turn in a review of Washoku Bistro on 124 Street.
• Bodega Highlands gets top marks from Twyla of CBC Edmonton.
• Graham was more than satisfied with his visit to Sloppy Hoggs, which changed ownership earlier this year.
• Jonny sampled Alberta Hotel Bar & Kitchen’s 3-course prix fixe menu available on Mondays.
• Crystal checks out TapaVino downtown.
• Is it too early to think about Christmas? Jacek’s very popular advent calendar is up for pre-order now, to be shipped on November 18.
• Phil’s Community Table Project features a banana bundt cake this week.
• I’m happy to hear that another season of Top Chef Canada is in the works for 2017!
• The former Joey’s on Jasper Avenue and 112 Street has been taken over by Local Public Eatery.

Local Public Eatery

• Mack and I were invited to dine as guests at the Old Spaghetti Factory, which has been open downtown for more than 45 years. One of the objectives of the gathering was to remind diners that they’re continuing to offer the same value priced meals that they’re known for, in spite of some of the changes in the neighbourhood. They’ve only needed to raise prices about $1 to accommodate the minimum wage hike, but many of their long-standing patrons have not returned to the restaurant since the opening of Rogers Place primarily due to parking increases. Although its early days yet for the Ice District, the Old Spaghetti Factory is hoping it can attract some new guests and retain their regular clientele – I wish them the best of luck in these shifting tides.

Vegetarian lasagna and broccoli with Mizithra cheese from the Old Spaghetti Factory

• We received our last Sugared & Spiced Cake Club delivery for the year, a belated anniversary cake. It was our favourite one yet!

Cake for days

Oh, Jays. Is Cleveland just that good, or have the bats gone ice cold? Let’s hope they have enough in them to put up a fight tomorrow. On to this week’s food notes:

• For those looking for a fun take on a tea party, look no further than Cally’s, who will be hosting a monthly themed party until May.
• In commemoration and celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, the Canadian Hungarian Society of Edmonton and the Wirth Institute at the University of Alberta are hosting a Hungarian Wine and Food Festival October 27 & 28, 2016 at the Chateau Lacombe. The event runs 4-10pm both nights, and tickets are $25 at the door. The evening will include Hungarian wine and cuisine samples.
• Nineteen will be hosting Nineteen’s November Festival of Food, a fundraising event on November 14, 2016 in support of the High School Culinary Challenge. Tickets for the 4-course dinner are $100.
• I’m sorry to have missed the first of Rostizado’s burrito pop-ups (under the name La Mision) on Sunday, but I would have had to get there fast – they sold out in just over an hour! I look forward to future pop-ups (or something more permanent).
• Confetti Sweets is hoping to open a location in Edmonton’s west end before Christmas, and are hoping to crowdfund $20,000 through Alberta Boostr by November 22, 2016.
• Congratulations to Jacek Chocolate Couture, who will be opening a third location in Canmore this November.
• Watch for Miga, a new Korean restaurant to open soon on the south side (11, 9261 34 Avenue).
• Vancouver-based Vera’s Burger Shack is coming to Ice District, inside the Grand Villa Casino.
• Are you excited about the forthcoming Popeye’s location in Edmonton? It’s set to open in November at 3773 17 Street in Tamarack.
• Quick-serve chain Blaze Pizza is opening a second location in the Brewery District.
• Cindy provides you with an idea of what to expect on Rostizado’s new menu, with a tentative start date of October 24.
• Graham had a great experience at Bar Clementine, and expects even greater things from Chef Roger Letourneau.
• Chartier gets a rave review from Jonny.
• Have you heard of a bakery called Canova (formerly DeFazio Gourmet)? Diane provides a run down of all of their pastry selection, including the incredible vanilla cornetti.
• Everyone seems to love lists, so here are two from Narcity: 46 bucket lists restaurants every true Edmontonian needs to try and 14 Edmonton coffee shops you should go to at least once in your life.
• Mel had contributed a review of Edmonton Cooks to Culinaire Magazine, but found that it had been severely edited down. She shared some of her constructive feedback about the book.
• The latest entry in the Community Table Project features a recipe for marinated grilled chicken.
• I’d be remiss if I didn’t link to Chef Paul Shufelt’s column in the Edmonton Sun last week, which called out food bloggers to put their money where their mouth is. There have been a number of responses, from food writers and chefs alike. Food for thought, from Chris and Chef Cory Rakowski.
• Did you catch Attila the Hungry’s Chef Levi Biddlecombe competing on Chopped Canada? 
• You might remember a locally-made product called quick-cook barley that was sold under the name Progressive Foods – well, they’ve rebranded, and it’s a great look! Snappy Grains has a bright and bold new identity, which I saw on the shelves at the Italian Centre on the weekend.

Snappy Grains

• With the grey weekend we had, Mack and I thought we should brighten things up with some punchy bun bo Hue from King Noodle House.

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Bun bo Hue

While Mack and I did have a great time in the Okanagan, it was a bit of a shock to come back to sub-zero temperatures! Thankfully, we’ve had a few days to adjust to the weather before heading back to work. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with loved ones! On to this week’s food notes:

• Celebrate World Food Day with a screening of Seed at the Edmonton Food Bank on October 16, 2016. A Q & A will follow, featuring two local farmers. The event is free, but donations for the food bank are encouraged.
• The second annual YEG Coffee Week runs October 14-22, 2016. Learn home brewing tips, how to create latte art, and enjoy coffee-based cocktails, among other things.
• Speaking of coffee, Earth’s General Store is hosting a home coffee roasting workshop on October 18, 2016.
• If you plan on eating out on October 19, 2016, consider choosing RGE RD or The Common, the two Edmonton establishments participating in Restaurants for Change. Proceeds from their dinner service will be donated to Community Food Centres Canada.
• Just in time for the holidays, Cavern’s next wine and cheese school runs November 6 and 20, 2016 at $75 per person.
• Keep an eye out for Malt & Mortar, a forthcoming bar on Whyte located at 10416 82 Avenue.
• Expect Doughnut Party, Moonshine Doughnut’s storefront location, to open in December at Holland Plaza (109 Avenue & 120 Street).
• McLeod Tavern (the rebranded Hundred Bar & Kitchen at 10009 101A Avenue) is now open.
• Thanks to Su for the tip that Meiningful Fusion Restaurant is also open, at 10338 81 Avenue.
• North 53 is now offering Sunday brunch!
• Twyla doesn’t hold back any punches on her review of Nuovo, the Italian restaurant located in the former Dovetail Deli space.
• On the flip side, the Journal had a near perfect experience at Bar Clementine.
• The Journal also reviewed the Jamaican cuisine served up by Island Grill on the city’s west end.
• Andrea is the latest to check out Cafe Linnea.
• Sharman shares 5 of her favourite Downtown lunch deals.
• I missed linking to the Globe’s piece about Edmonton’s robust pizza scene.
• Vue Weekly takes a tour of two places where you can satisfy your perogy craving.
• Liane profiles Scarf, a website that connects home cooks with those who are looking for home cooked meals. She mentions that Alberta Health Services is looking into Scarf, as cooks wouldn’t qualify for the necessary permits if operating outside of a commercial kitchen.
• Jason Foster wrote a thoughtful piece reflecting on his role in the Prairie beer scene – clarifying why he chooses to write profiles of brewers and shies away from negative reviews.
• Phil’s most recent Community Table Project shares a recipe for sugar pumpkin pie.
• Did you know there is an Edmonton honey co-op made up of small, local beekeepers, from which you can purchase honey produced from particular neighbourhoods?
• Save the date: Eat Alberta will be returning with a full day of workshops next year on April 23, 2017.
• The New York Times discovered that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving, too! The article features regional recipes from each of the provinces and territories.
• The last City Market of the season ended on a snowy note. I’m thankful for all of the vendors who toughed out the conditions! Next week, the City Market moves indoors to City Hall. To celebrate, they’ll be handing out $5 market bucks to the first 200 shoppers on October 15!

The City Market on Saturday

It’s finally time for vacation! Mack and I will be heading to the Okanagan later this week, hoping to put some of Jennifer’s recommendations to good use. A heads up that there won’t be a Food Notes post next week. On to this week’s food notes:

• Alberta Beer Week is on now, and runs until October 1, 2016. They have tastings and dinners coming up later this week.
• A reminder that tickets for the horticultural Dig-In Festival are now available, running in St. Albert from October 12-15, 2016.
• The next Chinatown Food Crawl is taking place on October 20, with tickets going on sale on October 3. Tickets are sure to go like hotcakes!
• Tickets for the November 4-5, 2016 Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival are on sale.
• Italian restaurant Nuovo Bistro has opened in the space formerly occupied by Dovetail Deli (10721 124 Street).
• Iconoclast Coffee has opened up a small second location in the Le Marchand Mansion (11523 100 Avenue).
• Twyla really enjoyed the cocktails and the food at Bar Clementine.
• Jonny was impressed by Dorinku.
• The Journal offered up a glowing review of Bodega’s second location in Highlands.
• Vue Weekly didn’t have a positive experience at One Pot Simmer.
• Liane had a great time on one of the Eats on 118 food tours – hopefully the Alberta Avenue BRZ brings the tours back again in the future!
• Lillian put together a recap of what she tried at the Feastival of Fine Chefs.
• Linda tried out some of the recipes in Edmonton Cooks, and is giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader! On a related note, Liv from the Globe & Mail also covered the release of the cookbook.
• Thanks to everyone who voted for this blog in Vue Weekly’s 2016 Best of Edmonton, and congrats to Stump Kitchen, allwaysangela and Baconhound!
• Coincidentally, Phil’s latest Community Table Project features Stump Kitchen’s vegan hashbrowns.
• Best of luck to Karlynn, who will be representing #yegfood with her cookbook on QVC on September 28!
• Kevin Kossowan will be hosting a pop-up shop at Kent of Inglewood in October, with goods inspired by his From the Wild series of videos.
• I guess there really is a market for everything – Loblaws City Market sells flavoured water.

Would you pay for flavoured water?

• The City Market only has two more outdoor markets to go! Make sure to take it in before the leaves are all gone.

City Market

• Edmonton is getting a second location of South St. Burger in the Brewery District.

South St. Burger

• My sister Felicia and I stopped by Noodle Bar by Nomiya in Oliver Square (11238 104 Avenue) for their soft launch on Saturday. We enjoyed the miso and spicy garlic miso ramen that we tried, but the standout was the sticky chicken, made of lightly fried dark meat coated with a subtly sweet sauce and crushed peanuts. It’s great to finally have a ramen bar within walking distance of home – the location opens to the public on September 27.

Miso ramen from Noodle Bar by Nomiya

Sticky chicken

• After dinner, we stopped by Petit Nuit (a smaller version of the art festival Nuit Blanche), where we each picked up a whimsical lantern from the Northern Lights Mini Mart, an installation by Rhonda Trevor and Weppler Mahovsky. I couldn’t resist the KD!

With our lanterns at Petit Nuit

• It was a beautiful day on Sunday for the last What the Truck?! of the season. I enjoyed La Mar’s fish tacos among the fall leaves.

Fish tacos from La Mar

And just like that, it’s fall. Make sure you enjoy the golden trees while they’re still around to be admired. On to this week’s food notes:

• Little Brick is hosting a Fall Festival on September 21, 2016 from 5-9pm. Check out their seasonal menu featuring mulled wine.
• Lexus South Pointe is hosting a Fall Food Festival on September 22, 2016. Linda previews what you can expect and is also giving out some tickets to the festival.
• The final What the Truck?! event takes place this Sunday, September 25, 2016 at Churchill Square from 2-7pm. Say goodbye to summer with 25 trucks – plan your visit with these menus.
• The Edmonton Oktoberfest runs September 30 – October 1, 2016 at Northlands, with beer and food samples.
• Bar Clementine is now open at 11957 Jasper Avenue.
• Northern Chicken will be moving into the spot vacated by Relish, at 10704 124 Street. They hope to open in mid-October.
• The Journal reviewed Cafe Linnea.
• The Sun and Vue Weekly both enjoyed Have Mercy to varying degrees.
• Jonny put forth a spate of reviews, for LETS Grill, Karlen Cafe & Smokehouse, Soy & Pepper, Quickly, and Afra BBQ & Grill.
• S’wich, one of Edmonton’s longer-standing food trucks, has ceased operations. Lex will be moving on to lead the kitchen at Baijiu.
• The Tomato reports that Chef Nathin Bye has moved on from Ampersand 27.
• Phil’s latest Community Table Project features Inspiration Gnocchi.
• Congratulations to Reclaim Urban Farm founders Ryan Mason and Cathryn Sprague on their Alumni Innovation Awards from the University of Alberta. The two met at the university while studying environmental sociology.
• Though we’re never quite as far along as New York, there is still some truth to Eater’s “What’s Wrong with Restaurants Today”.
• A toast to Tina Faiz and Leanne Brown, the authors of Edmonton Cooks! I attended a lovely book launch this evening at Duchess Provisions (where we were treated to lovely bites from the book, and generous drinks poured by bartenders from North 53 and Baijiu). The public launch of Edmonton Cooks is taking place at Provisions on September 24 at 1pm.

Cognac West cocktail served at tonight’s book launch

It’s wonderful to live in a city where your entertainment choices over the weekend are countless; I hope you were able to make the most of the break too! On to this week’s food notes:

• Tickets for the first Meals on Wheels Beers & Bands fundraiser at Yellowhead Brewery are still available. Chefs from Meals on Wheels will be preparing the food, and brewery tours are on tap. Tickets are $40. As a side note, the organization has served over 1 million meals since 2010.
• Chinatown will be hosting a Moonlight Carnival on September 16, 2016 from 5-11pm as a part of Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. If you ever wanted to learn how to make moon cakes (the traditional baked treat enjoyed during this holiday), consider taking a class at Garden Bakery on September 17. Tickets are $18 for adults.
• The insanely-popular Hip Hop Brunch at The Common will be taking place September 18, 2016, from 11am-3pm. Go early.
• The next Food 4 Good Collective Kitchen will run on September 23, 2016 from 1-3pm. The cost is $5 for 4 servings of food.
• Beercade, located at 10544 82 Avenue, boasts 50 beers on tap and 80 vintage pinball machines and arcade games – they’re hosting their grand opening party on September 16-17, 2016. (Thanks to Su for the heads up!)
• The latest arena-related restaurant announcement is Vivo Ristorante’s expansion into a vacant two-story building at 10505 106 Street.
• There’s also activity in the former Starbucks storefront in Quest (104 Avenue & 105 Street), with signage advertising Montreal Hot Dogs, a franchise of The Montreal Smoked Meat Original.
• The Journal has an overview of what will be available at Rogers Place. Although I visited during the open house on Saturday, most of their specialty items weren’t on display. Basic concession items, including hot dogs ($5.25), cheeseburgers ($9) and water ($5) were being sold.
• Choped Canada winner Chef Shelley Robinson will be heading up the restaurants of the neighbouring Grand Villa Casino.
• Arena-goers shouldn’t forget about Sofra, or its underground sister restaurant The Cellar, which was just reviewed by the Journal.
• Jonny stopped by Little Brick to try some of their lunch dishes.
• Sugared and Spiced just launched their BoostR campaign today, with the hopes of raising $20,000 towards opening a storefront bakery. As I’m typing this, they’ve already raised nearly $15,000 of that goal.
• Although Eats on 118 is already sold out, hopefully the success means even more events in the future! Vue Weekly highlights this initiative to encourage more foot traffic on Alberta Avenue.
• Avenue wrote a retrospective on the last ten years of dining in Edmonton, as a part of their decade in print.
• Congratulations to The Tomato, who just celebrated 20 years in print.
• Will the Whole Foods in Edmonton ever open? Liane investigated but didn’t find any concrete answers.
• In related news, Sherwood Park will be getting a Planet Organic store.
• A belated happy 25 year anniversary to Earth’s General Store!
• Phil’s newest Community Table Project is Parkallen Kitchen Jacquie’s Grand-Maman’s baked beans.
• Elyse tried Chefs Plate meal kits, and found it to be a nice break from meal planning.
• I’m not sure the world really needed Chalet sauce flavoured Lays chips, but to each their own.
• The Chinese Benevolent Association put on a beautiful Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in Churchill Square on Saturday, which ended with a wish boat launch in the City Hall pool. This year, Mack and I were early enough to purchase boats to make wishes too!

Mid-Autumn Festival wishing boat launch

• I neglected to include a photo of the gorgeous Duchess Atelier teaching kitchen last week. It’s separated by a glass wall from Duchess Provisions, so you might be able to spy on some aspiring bakers during your next visit.

Duchess Atelier

• Public announcement: Pho Tau Bay reopened from their annual summer vacation after the September long weekend.

My usual

The weather held out for most of the long weekend – I hoped you managed to make the most if it, too! On to this week’s food notes:

• Sorrentino’s is hosting their annual Mushroom Harvest in the month of September, which features special dishes on their menus, mushroom cooking classes, a mushroom walk, and wine dinner.
• The annual Kaleido Festival takes place on Alberta Avenue from September 9-11, 2016. In addition to 17 venues hosting a variety of artists, dancers and musicians, they’ll also have a full line-up of food vendors!
• The Italian Centre is celebrating ten years of their southside Edmonton location on September 10, 2016 from 11am-3pm. They’ll have food samples and demonstrations and activities for the kids.
• A reminder that the Red Shoe Crawl is taking place on 124 Street on September 10, 2016 from 1-5pm. Adult tickets are $35 and all proceeds go towards the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern Alberta.
• The 7th annual Bacon Day fundraiser, headed by Chef Paul Shufelt, is taking place on September 10, 2016. Tickets are $90 and include food and some drinks. 100% of the ticket price will go to Youth Empowerment and Support Services.
• Nomiya is taking their downtown noodle bar for a spin on September 23 and 24, 2016. Tickets for their soft launch are $20.
• Vignettes Does Dining is a collaboration between restaurants on 104 Street and local designers. They’re creating 4 pop-up restaurants on September 24, 2016. Tickets for the dining experience are $200 each.
• Thanks to Stephanie for the heads up about a new Japanese restaurant in the south side – Me 2 Japanese Sizzling Restaurant at 9314 34 Avenue.
• Little Brick is experimenting with evening hours – check them out on September 21 from 5-9pm for a taste of their fall plates and mulled wine.
• Hundred Bar and Kitchen is currently under renovations and will be rebranded as McLeod’s Tavern.
• The Mongolie Grill at 10104 109 Street has now closed.
• The Journal had a great time at Have Mercy.
• Phil’s latest Community Table Project is a recipe for vegetarian Greek perogies.
• The “ugly food” movement is finally hitting Alberta on a larger scale, with Medicine Hat-based RedHat Cooperative’s The Misfits being introduced into 35 Save-On Foods stores on September 24.
• Mack and I finally had the chance to visit the new location of Duchess Provisions. It’s a beautiful store, as you would expect, and with the increased square footage, they’re able to carry even more products.

Duchess Provisions

• I’m excited Pho Tau Bay is back from vacation tomorrow! A few coworkers and I headed to Pho Hoan Pasteur last week, which is our go-to when Tau Bay is closed.

Pho from Pho Hoan Pasteur

• I met up with a few friends at Rostizado, sharing a platter for two. It meant we had more than enough room to spring for the churros.

Chicken and pork platter for two from Rostizado

• Over the weekend, Mack, Grandma Male and I had lunch at Chutney’s Indian Grill, a new quick serve Indian restaurant at 4316 17 Street. They’re similar to Mucho Burrito or Chipotle that you can build a bowl or burrito, except the flavours and ingredients are Indian-inspired. Which meant our burroti had a base of rice and chutneys, to which you add proteins and sauces. We liked it well enough, and service was stellar – you can sample the sauces and chutneys before deciding. It’s healthier than other nearby fast food options, so it’s worth considering if you’re in the neighbourhood.

Chutney’s Indian Grill

• Next Saturday, September 10 will be a loaded day on the Edmonton calendar, with a ton of activities to choose from. One of them is the fifth annual Strathearn Art Walk, a community league-run event that will feature more than 120 artists, entertainment, and of course, food. Volunteers help develop and prep the menu which features their signature pulled pork sandwich, vegetarian curry, and local beer. Mack and I were invited to taste some of the food options last week – you won’t be disappointed; a lot of love has gone into the food. The Strathearn Art Walk takes place on September 10 from 12-7pm on Strathearn Drive from 89 to 91 Street. Thanks again to Linda for the invitation – you can see her own preview of the Art Walk here.

The signature Strathearn pulled pork sandwich

Mack and I had a great time in Rocky Mountain House over the weekend, trying our best to make the most of this dwindling summer. Enjoy the rest of August while you can! On to this week’s food notes:

• I love this idea of a pop-up fruit and vegetable stand, selling rescued produce. Check it out on August 30, 2016 at 153 Street and 102 Avenue.
• The next Prairie on a Plate dinner takes place at Red Ox Inn on August 31, 2016. The 4-course meal costs $60.
• Meals on Wheels is hosting their inaugural Beers & Bands on September 15, 2016 at Yellowhead Brewery. Tickets are $40.
• Say farewell to summer with Comal Mexican Table Dinners on September 24 and 25, 2016. Tickets for the 3-course menu are $55.
• Wine seems to make learning all the merrier: the Valley Zoo’s series of Wine and Wildlife continues on October 14, 2016. The topic: “awesome invertebrates”. Tickets are $50.
• You can now buy tickets for LitFest, which includes a feature on the Edmonton food scene on October 22, 2016: “For Love or Money: 10 years of food writing in YEG”. Tickets are $25, and includes wine and nibbles.
• There’s a new smokehouse in town: Karlen Smokehouse is located at 14618 118 Avenue.
• L’Azia is rebranding as RIZ Asian Kitchen – they’re hosting a grand opening on September 6, 2016.
• Twyla raved about Cafe Linnea on CBC Radio and her blog.
• Uccellino has another convert in Jonny.
• The Journal reviewed Saffron Indian Cuisine in the south.
• Athena shares her recent pop-up dinner experience at Get Cooking.
• Vue Weekly profiles Edmonton Food Bike Tour and their desire to combine culinary exploration with physical activity.
• Learn more about the new Joey’s Bell Tower location, and see some of the dishes you can expect.
• Phil’s latest Community Table Project features a generational chocolate angel cake.
• We walked over to Chinatown for dinner last week, and ended up at Lee House. We always order the jap chae, and it didn’t disappoint.

Jap chae from Lee House