I can hardly believe the time for Eat Alberta has already come upon us! It’s going to be a great day on April 20! On to this week’s food notes:

• It’s great that the River Cree dreams up festivals of all sorts to try and entice diners to their relatively isolated locale. First it was tomatoes, now, lemons! The Lemon Festival is taking place on April 25, 2013, serving up a 5-course meal for $60.
• Smokehouse BBQ’s Edmonton location on 124 Street is close to re-opening after a fire shut the restaurant down last November.
• RGE RD’s website is up! The restaurant might still be months away, but you can tempt yourself now!
• Zembaba, a new Ethiopian eatery, was reviewed by Vue Weekly.
• Liv reviewed The Cavern’s sandwiches – I can’t wait to try one of their grilled cheeses, too!
• Twyla posted about Bistro Saisons, and was impressed by their commitment to sourcing ingredients locally.
• The Shutter: 104 Street Grill has been sold. Liane reports that you can expect The Burg, a burger bar, to move into the vacant space in June.
• Linda wrote about Chef Andrew Parker’s interactive Couples Cooking Night – it sounded like a lot of fun!
• It will be cheaper for local restaurants to open up a patio this year, though it sounds like the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission won’t be changing rules to permit serving liquor in patios not connected to an establishment.
• It’s amazing the number of successful restaurant chains that got their start in Edmonton: Earls, Booster Juice, and Boston Pizza, just to name a few. The Journal wrote about some of them, in addition to a few up-and-comers.
• I loved Lillian’s comparisons between her U of A chicken eggs bounty with regular supermarket eggs.
• I’m sorry to hear that the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market will not be returning this season. But given the influx of other markets, it isn’t a surprise.
• Montreal has finally opened the gates to food trucks! It may be a pilot only open to existing caterers or restaurant owners, but hopefully, it can grow from there!
• The Globe and Mail had an interesting article about the rise of dining aggression – not from customers, but from chefs directed at customers, including one who tweeted about customers being a “douche”. Too far?
• Golden Orchid will be replaced by a new Vietnamese eatery, Uyen Uong on April 15, 2013.

Uyen Uong

• Just down the street, a new Chinese bakery opened up in Chinatown last Wednesday. Shan Shan Bakery (10552 97 Street, 780-974-7788) has all of the favourites I was looking for in a sparkly, clean space (I appreciated that the tongs and trays were kept in a closed cabinet).

Shan Shan Bakery

• I had no idea there was a Lindt outlet store in South Common (2011 99 Street)! Needless to say, I loaded up on my share of discount chocolate.

Inside the Lindt store

• I returned to Oil Lamp for a work lunch last week. I ordered a pepperoni and mushroom pizza, and though the kitchen was generous with the cheese, it wasn’t nearly as good as the same dish from my beloved Route 99.

Pizza from the Oil Lamp

• After some shopping, May and I headed to Joey’s nearby for lunch on Saturday. The beef dip sandwich itself was tasty, though the accompanying au jus was extremely salty.

Beef dip

• Sustainable Food Edmonton will be hosting its 20th annual Community Garden Potluck on April 20, 2013. Expect permaculture presentations and a seed swap.
• Sailin’ On, the forthcoming vegan food truck, will be taking over the kitchen at Three Boars on April 16, 2013. Sample three of their menu items, including gluten-free soft tacos.
• Staff Meal will be hosting a pop-up five-course dinner at Canteen on April 22, 2013. The menu will be inspired by the chefs’ most “memorable food experiences.” Tickets are $75.
• An event called Sowing Seeds of Possibility: From Food Mapping to Asset Mapping is taking place on April 26, 2013. It sounds like a great opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, and to hear from a representative of FoodShare Toronto. The cost to attend both days is just $30.
• The next Green Drinks on May 1, 2013 is all about local food – get your tickets while they’re still available!
• Liane wrote about The Cavern, the new cheese shop that opens its doors on 104 Street on April 9, 2013.
• Liane also updated the status of Café Amore’s new downtown location – they are aiming to open by April 22, 2013.
• On the hunt for food trucks? Marianne reviewed an early meal from the newest truck to hit the streets – The Local Omnivore, open from 7:30am-1:30pm at 108 Street and 100 Avenue. It looks great, and I also love that you can pick up a packet of bacon to take home for $5!
• Liv posted about Creole Envie’s first back alley po’boy (a take off of Century Hospitality’s alley burger) last week. If you’re sad to have missed it, it looks like you’re in luck – they will be offered again on April 9.
• Liv also previewed Roast Coffee’s new menu, designed by Chef Andrew Parker.
• After 37 years, Java Jive is shutting its doors. I can attest my own coffee drinking started at University, with a daily cup of joe from Java Jive – I wish the owners well!
• Cheryl wrote a “treatise on the principles of customer service” – I appreciated her point of view as both a customer and someone with serving experience.
• Have you checked out Shovel & Fork lately? They’ve just updated their website with new courses and dates!

This Easter long weekend couldn’t have come at a better time! I don’t know if it was because of the wonky temperatures lately or a busy time at work, but it was great to have some time and space to decompress and relax at home. Hope you had a good weekend too! On to this week’s food notes:

• Love Hundred’s Alley Burgers? Creole Envie is putting their own spin on the concept by offering “back alley po’boys”. Look for them on April 2 at 6pm.
• The annual month-long garlic festival kicks off at Sorrentino’s April 8 and runs until May 11, 2013..
• Woodwork, the forthcoming restaurant from Nomad and the Volstead Act, is hosting a pop-up at the Rossdale Brewery on April 13, 2013. They have also announced Sunday Dinner memberships (permitting you to four seasonally-inspired dinners) and their Top Shelf program (where you can keep a bottle of your favourite spirit behind the bar!).
• Gail Hall will be hosting her first Alberta-based Seasoned Solutions tour on June 15 and 16, 2013. Included in the tour will be visits to several Smoky Lake-area farms including Smokey Valley Goat Cheese and Serben Farms. Check back on the website for more details.
• Food trucks and craft beer will be paired at the Urban Craft Beer & Food Festival on April 19, 2013 at the Alberta Aviation Museum. Four food trucks will be participating, with over 100 beer choices (thanks to Su for the heads up!).
• On the heels of their successful nose-to-tail pork dinner, Ousia will be hosting a nose-to-tail lamb dinner on April 29, 2012.
• Best of luck to the Fruits of Sherbrooke on their expansion plans – I love the idea that they will be working with university students as well as low-income individuals.
• The big news last week was Elm Cafe’s impending takeover of the food service operations at the Devonian Gardens on May 1, 2013, to be dubbed The Birch Patio. It looks like Nate has some great ideas up his sleeve – if anyone can transform the Gardens into a food destination, it would be Nate!
• Sad to hear about the fire at Bubba’s Smokehouse. Unfortunately, the article states that nothing was salvageable – I hope Rand chooses to rebuild – he would leave a void in Edmonton food scene.
• The April Fools jokes were rampant on the internets today. Triffids, anyone?
• With the addition of Sloppy Hogs Roed Hus to the city last year, and an Edmonton location of the Memphis Blues franchise (at 50 Street and 23 Avenue), barbecue continues to gain traction here.

Memphis Blues

• Congrats to my friends Annie and Andres who got married this weekend! It was a lovely ceremony.

A champagne toast to the couple!

• A small group of us met up at Wild Tangerine after the ceremony for a casual dinner. The bison shortribs were fantastic, and the shrimp lollipops were as good as we remembered.

Shrimp lollipops

Bison potstickers with a refreshing carrot and daikon salad

Bison shortribs

Mack’s green curry with prawns and tortiglioni

Thanks to everyone who picked up tickets to the third annual Eat Alberta conference – I’m happy to announce that less than two weeks since we released them, they are now sold out! On to this week’s food notes:

• Creole Envie will be hosting a farm-to-fork dinner on April 14, 2013. Tickets are $75.
• Vue Weekly has released their ballots for their annual Golden Forks Awards (I’m hoping the online link will work soon). The deadline to submit your favourite restaurants is April 24, 2013.
• I was sorry to hear that Jack’s Grill closed as of Saturday. The owner Mark Goodwin’s comment regarding competition from newer eateries was heartbreaking, but seems to ring true, “‘We changed the menu six or seven times a year, but trying to get the young people to come here instead of to Corso 32 … it’s hard.’”
• The Greenhouse is expanding downtown! They are moving in next to Bistro Praha on July 1, 2013. It’s been a while since I’ve been, but given it will be located just across from The Chopped Leaf in Commerce, perhaps salad bars are on their way up?
• The Edmonton Pubs group (including Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty’s Bistro) has been sold.
• Liv reviewed Pizzeria Rossi, the new incarnation of da Capo on 109 Street.
• Chef Chris Consentino was in town as the Chef in Residence at NAIT last week. Both Maki and Phil popped by one of his classes. Love to hear that he dined at Corso, Tres Carnales and Three Boars!
• Vue published an article about food bloggers last week, and I was happy to be interviewed for the piece, alongside Liv and Michelle.
• I wasn’t able to make it out to the inaugural 10 Mile Meal this past weekend, but I hope to attend one of their upcoming events this summer! Anyone have tales to share from dinner?
• Great to hear that the Heritage Chickens program at the U of A is already fully subscribed! It’s such an innovative idea to adopt your own heritage chicken, and I love that you can name it too!
• Three organic milk producers in Alberta have called it quits, and are reverting to conventional milk. It makes me thankful that I can source locally-produced Rock Ridge milk next door at Pangea!
• It will be April next week, so it’s the perfect time to think about joining a CSA! Take a look at what Riverbend Gardens is offering. It’s great that they have several options, including a “couple size” package!
• After the Make Something Edmonton launch on Thursday, Mack and I refuelled at our favourite diner, Route 99. There’s nothing like poutine to help get the gears going on a new project!

Poutine

It’s been a great week for Eat Alberta, even though the conference is still over a month away: since releasing tickets last Tuesday, we’ve managed to sell all but 10! Thanks to everyone who has bought tickets so far – and for those of you who haven’t, make sure you act fast! On to this week’s food notes:

• Did you know Chef Chris Cosentino (of Top Chef Masters fame) is in town? Join him online for a Twitter chat on March 19, from 5:30-6:30pm, using the hashtag #naitchefchat.
• Teatotaled, the next High Street Social Club event is taking place on March 24, 2013. Expect unusual teas incorporated into both the dishes and cocktails.
• Staff Meal Edmonton has made it easy to celebrate Easter at home with a basket full of scratch-made goodies, including Easter bread, hot cross bun crackers, charcuterie and earl grey and salted caramel chocolates. Order yours for pick up on March 28, 2013.
• Linda has organized a Dishcrawl event that will highlight four of Downtown Edmonton’s eateries. It takes place on April 9, 2013. Tickets are $50.
• Bannock Burger looks like it is worth checking out – love the idea of a soft, deep-fried bun encasing a beef patty and all the fixins’. See Liane and Liv’s takes on the new restaurant.
• Based on Lillian’s tweets, the wood-fired oven at Pizzeria Rosso (replacing Da Capo at 8738 109 Street) is up and ready!
• State & Main, a Calgary-based “urban-inspired kitchen and bar”, is adding a location to Edmonton at Southgate Centre.
• The Downtown Business Association launched their 10th annual Downtown Dining Week with a tasting event at the Alberta Art Gallery on Thursday. To celebrate, they are offering a chance to win 50 bottles of wine from deVine’s – all you have to do is dine out at one of the thirty participating restaurants. Mack and I have reservations at TZiN on the weekend, something we are definitely looking forward to!

Dining Week launch at the AGA

My favourite dish that night – a pork medallion with a cinnamon maple demi glaze from ZINC

• I met up with Jill for a quick lunch at Oodle Noodle off 104 Street on Friday. This was my first time there during the lunch rush, but boy, was it ever busy! I was a little disappointed with the wor wonton soup ($8.95) though – not only did the broth taste diluted and bland, there were only a few wontons to be found.

Wor wonton soup

• After the Culinary Cook-Off on Saturday, Felicia and I popped by the Mercer Collective in the basement of the Mercer Building. It was our first time at this pop-up craft show, and we found it to be great! The graffiti art on the walls brightened up the space, and the DJ set the tone for the unique shopping experience. I thought it would be a great complement to the City Market. Make sure you check out the next show on April 20!

Mercer Collective

Eat Alberta 2013 is coming! I wrote about it on Friday, but make sure you check the website for ticket information. And yes, we had a bit of fun coming up with the different track names – my personal favourites are “beet route” and “carrot corridor”. On to this week’s food notes:

• A mild winter means food trucks are back out on the streets early. Look for Drift at their usual location of Jasper Avenue and 107 Street starting on March 12!
• Downtown Dining Week starts March 15 and runs until March 24, 2013. The set menus range in price from $15-$50.
• A reminder that the Culinary Arts Cook-off is scheduled for this Saturday, March 16, 2013 at Mount Royal School. Sliders are on the menu this year, and will cost just $2 a pop, with all funds raised going towards arts programming! I missed out last year, so am looking forward to checking it out this time around!
• The annual Seedy Sunday will take place this Sunday, March 17, 2013 at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall (9210 118 Avenue). Jennifer Cockrall-King and Kevin Kossowan are among the speakers.
• Mark your calendar: the second annual Palestinian Bazaar is taking place on March 30, 2013 at the TransAlta Arts Barns.
• Bannock Burger (14020 142 Street) celebrated their grand opening today! I’d be interested in checking out their version of a fast food staple with a bannock twist.
• Amelia tweeted me about the forthcoming Menchies Frozen Yogurt in Garneau at 8705 109 Street.
• Twyla tweeted that a new South Indian restaurant called Roti-N-More (2976 Ellwood Drive SW) has opened.
• The Shutter: The Phat Noodle on Jasper Avenue is now closed.
• An early review of Japonais Bistro from Cindy – it looks like an upscale addition to the city’s existing Japanese restaurant scene.
• Twyla wrote about the newest diner in Edmonton, Rockin’ Robyn’s Diner in Mayfield Common (16604 B 109 Avenue).
• At Cafe Amore in December, we were told the owners were scoping out new locations for expansion, but nothing was finalized yet. Liane reported last week that the restaurant will in fact be relocating downtown to 108070 106 Avenue. Look for it in April.
• Vue Weekly featured Blue Plate Diner Chef Cean Holmes in their Q & A last week.
• Vue also highlighted the art of food photography in the same issue.
• Beer Revolution, a craft beer market/pizza bar operated by Brewster’s, is opening up in the old Kelsey’s in Oliver Square (11736 104 Avenue). Jason Foster blogged about it back in February.

Beer Revolution

• After a meeting a few blocks away, I walked over to Duchess to pick up some goodies. All it takes is a gander at their deliciously arranged baking cases to lift my spirits.

Duchess

• My “soup buddy” at work and I headed over to Pho Tau Bay for our first beef noodle soup this year!

Pho!

• Mack and I kick started our weekend at Three Boars. We found out that they have been busy renovating the rooms on the south side of the building. Watch for a private event space on the second floor, and a pour-over coffee bar on the first floor.

Gin and house-made tonic

Swedish meatball poutine

We had a great time in Calgary, as we always seem to. I’ll get to writing about the trip in more detail at some point, but the highlight was a meal at the new hotspot, Market. On to this week’s food notes:

• Want to try Sailin’ On’s food before their truck hits the streets? Head to the Vegans and Vegetarians of Alberta’s potluck on March 10, 2013. Sailin’ On will be handing out free burritos!
• The Culinary Arts Cookoff is fast approaching! The fundraiser for Mt. Royal Elementary takes place on March 16, 2013. Keep up to date with participant bios and other developments on the website.
• Help a new farm-to-table initiative celebrate their first event this month!. The Ten Mile Meal debuts in Calmar, Alberta on March 23, 2013. Tickets are $50.
• I had no idea 4th and Vine had even closed until I saw a review of Bistro Saisons (11358 104 Avenue), the new restaurant that has taken its place.
• It looks like the Elephant & Castle in Edmonton City Centre is now a Fionn MacCool’s.
• It was the week of lists! First up, Western Living Magazine released their annual round up of Top 40 Foodies Under 40. Congrats to the Edmonton contingent, including the founders of Famoso, Jacob Pelletier of Duchess, Emily and Sean Superkoski of Mighty Trio Organics, the chefs of Staff Meal Edmonton, the men behind Three Boars, and Blair Lebsack of RGE RD.
• To celebrate their 100th issue, The Tomato compiled a list of the Top 100 Best Things to Eat or Drink in Edmonton. #1 on the list was the spaghetti Bolognese from Corso 32.
• Last but not least, Avenue Edmonton published their Best Restaurants list. Corso 32 again topped the list, with The Marc, Wildflower, Three Boars and MRKT rounding out the top 5. Although I really liked MRKT when it first opened, the fact that their menu has remained unchanged after two years hasn’t encouraged many repeat visits. Given Corso was praised for their “balance between consistency and change”, I’m a little surprised MRKT had such a high standing for essentially the opposite.
• Avenue Calgary released their milestone 10th annual food issue this month as well. I love their idea for the “best potluck ever” – with dishes from 33 of the city’s best restaurants. What would be on your ultimate potluck list?
• I would never have guessed that the horse meat scandal in Europe would cause a spike in sales.
• I love this Travel Alberta video, where some of the city’s notable food writers share what they consider to be “Edmonton’s dish”.
• Though it was unfortunately not a surprise, City Council passed the Horse Hills Area Structure Plan on Tuesday.
• I was a little disappointed to find out that Lay’s wouldn’t be selling their Chicken and Waffles flavour chips in Canada, but apparently, there is a reason why (on a side note, I can’t believe the statistic that Canadians consume almost twice as much vegetables as the average American).
• Have you seen the chocolate ad featuring a CGI-recreated Audrey Hepburn? Do you think it is classic or creepy?
• The rumours are true! A cheese shop is opening up on 104 Street in the Phillips Lofts. It turns out The Cavern will also serve up coffee and small plates.

The Cavern

• After a meeting in the area last week, Mack and I headed to The Next Act for dinner. I had been thinking about their Cajun fish sandwich for a while – and it certainly hit the spot!

Cajun fish sandwich

Pulled pork sandwich

It may only be Monday, but I’m already looking forward to the weekend! Mack and I are planning to head down to Calgary to celebrate a special occasion, but it really couldn’t have come at a better time – I think we’re both more than ready for a mini-break! On to this week’s food notes:

• It might be too late to enter, but this Great Chocolate Chip Cookie Bakeoff on February 26, 2013 sounds like it will be a lot of fun (especially for the judges!).
• Mark your calendar: this year’s Downtown Dining Week will run from March 15-24, 2013. Thirty restaurants are participating.
• Da Capo tweeted that their 109 Street location will be re-opening on March 1 as Pizzeria Rosso. Expect wood fired pizza!
• Nearby, Vancouver-based Waves Coffee House is opening an Edmonton location in the old KFC on 109 Street.
• I was sorry to hear about the flood at Colonel Mustard’s last week that has now left the restaurant uncertain whether or not they can recover.
• I missed linking to this post last week, about an upcoming eatery in Belgravia which promises a locally-focused, seasonal menu.
• Great to see Michelle Peters-Jones profiled in the Journal! I had no idea she snapped over 100 shots before settling on *the* photo, but it would make sense given her visuals are consistently stunning.
• NAIT announced that this year’s Hokanson Chef in Residence will be San Francisco-based Chris Consentino. Enter to win tickets to a four-course tasting menu here.
• Apple month is coming to an end, but if you needed a hit of inspiration, check out Valerie’s post which captures the creativity of the NAIT Culinary Arts students who participated in the BC Tree Fruits apple cooking challenge.
• Given the meteoric rise of yogurt (doesn’t there seem to be a new probiotic product available every month?), it’s not surprising that there’s now a type of yogurt targeting men.
• I haven’t been to Roast in a while, but this weekend, noticed their new coffee display. It turns out they are now serving Fratello-roasted coffee (a Calgary-based roaster).

Roast coffee

• I’ve been craving fish and chips for a while, so on Thursday, Mack and I headed to the Kelly’s Pub on 104 Street to satisfy that craving. It was my first time inside the pub, though I’ve passed it enough times to know it is always busy. With its low-key vibe and casual menu, I could see how it has become the post-work spot of choice of many. Mack enjoyed his burger and the fish and chips hit the spot, but Kelly’s might want to re-think their serving dishes. The burger was served on a narrow, flimsy board, while the accompanying fries could not maintain their crispness piled in a bucket. My fish and chips were served in a paper-lined basket, which, grease-soaked, was easy to cut through with my knife and fork. It reminded us a bit of Mercer Tavern’s awkward serving platter for fish and chips – hopefully this doesn’t speak to a trend of form over function.

Bacon cheddar burger

Fish and chips

• Mack’s Dad was in town on the weekend, and with time on Saturday for dinner, we thought it was time to introduce him to Tres Carnales. It was packed, as expected, but the wait wasn’t unmanageable, especially with a sangria in hand. Martin gave two thumbs up to the tacos, and commented that they were better than those he sampled in San Diego recently. We will have to make sure our next visit is sooner rather than later!

Guac & chips

Pescado

Carnitas

• The City Regions Study Centre is hosting a discussion on “The Future of Urban Agriculture in the Alberta Capital Region”, taking place at 7pm on February 12, 2013 at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Pre-register here.
• Still looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day? Yellowhead Brewery is hosting a Love N Laughs Valentine’s Day Comedy Show, complete with dinner!
• Want to learn how to craft your own Southern BBQ? Join pitmaster Rob Reinhardt from Regina-based Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ on February 23, 2013 at Creole Envie and smoke until you drop!
• Chef Andrew Parker is hosting a tweet-up in his new space on March 1, 2013. Attendees can mix, mingle and even make their own sushi! Pre-register here.
• The Common is hosting another themed pop-up on February 26, 2013. This time, you can expect food and word pairings. Sounds like fun!
• Save the date! Eat Alberta 2013 will be taking over the kitchens at NAIT on April 20, 2013. We will be releasing more detailed program information soon, but until then, take a peek at our sparkly new website by the talented Pragati!
• I was shocked, as I’m sure many others were, by the announcement of the forthcoming closure of Transcend’s downtown location this week. Its last day of operation will be February 28, 2013.
• The Journal reviewed Chinatown’s Veggie Garden last week. Have been meaning to get there for some time – hope to do so soon!
• Marlow Moo is in the midst of a fro-down with several other celebrities for their charities of choice! Vote for your favourite fro-yo creation by February 18, 2013 and help one of the charities win $500.
• We may still be in the midst of winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t already be looking forward to spring: a new CSA option is available in Edmonton from Thorhild County-based Heritage Harvest Garden. But you’d better act fast – half their shares have already been spoken for!
• I didn’t watch the Superbowl, but one of the commercials making traction after the fact was this Dodge commercial about farmers. While I agree with The Atlantic about the whitewashing of American farm labour, it was refreshing to see a prime-time spot that pays homage to the sector that grows our food.
• Mack sent me a link to the newest gadget that promises to help you lose weight: the HAPIfork is programmed to vibrate if it detects you are eating too fast. But can it tell what it is you’re eating in the first place?
• Mack and I shopped at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market on Saturday (deviating from our usual City Market habit). We noticed that the Harvest Cafe had been replaced by Toast, serving food (menu here and here) and Transcend Coffee. We had a market sammy ($6) featuring Treestone bread and Irvings back bacon. The egg was nice and runny, and we appreciated the bit of wilted spinach in the bun.

Transcend Coffee served up at OSFM

Market sammy

• Later that afternoon, we headed to West Edmonton Mall. It was the right place for Mack to satisfy his hot dog craving at the Fat Franks kiosk at the food court!

Fat Franks

• The Lunar New Year festivities were also in full swing at the Ice Palace.

Lunar New Year @ WEM

• Our family is celebrating next weekend, but we did have lunch with my parents over the weekend. My Mum made the dish that I asked for! For all those who celebrated, Happy New Year!

Char kway teow!