Between the Fringe, a farm tour and Blink, this weekend just flew by! Hoping to catch up a bit on things this week, including an announcement about the last What the Truck?! of the year. On to this week’s food notes:

• The U of A Campus Community Garden is celebrating a great year by hosting a harvest dinner on August 29, 2012. Everyone is welcome.
• Taste Alberta has planned a harvest lunch and dinner to take place on September 12, 2012 in the Journal’s atrium. Tickets are available here.
• Sounds like Normand’s Bistro in the Citadel will be opening tomorrow, August 28, 2012.
• Filistix officially announced their third campus location – starting September 4, 2012, you can find them at the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy. Congrats!
• Ric’s Grill downtown (10190 104 Street) is undergoing renovations, and is set to reopen on September 6, 2012 as the 104 Street Grill. In preparation for their grand opening, those who join their mailing list will be sent a $30 gift card.
• I missed linking to this last week: Liane reported that two new restaurants will be opening up on 124 Street in late September – The Makk in the space formerly occupied by D’Lish, and Pure Kitchen, in what used to house Bueno Gelato.
• There’s a new truck in town: welcome, Bully Food Truck!
• The Journal reviewed NaanOlicious last week.
• The “big” news this week was that former Bachelorette couple Ashley Hebert and JP Rosenbaum were in Edmonton on the weekend, taking in the Fringe among other sites. The debate of whether or not we should be investing in celebrities with the hopes of attracting media exposure is an interesting one, but I have to say I’m disappointed that Travel Alberta chose Joey’s of all places for their dinner destination. Especially when the same organization is apparently also trying to highlight Edmonton’s burgeoning local food scene.
• Karlynn recapped the Harvest Days event in Bon Accord that took place a few weeks ago. Looked like a great time!
• While at the Old Strathcona Save-On this weekend between Fringe shows, Mack and I noticed this “eat local” shelf located by the check outs. It was neat to see Alberta products being highlighted this way, though we also hoped that they were located with like products on the regular shelves as well.

Shop local

Enjoy your week!

• Fancy an American-style burger? Then check out the Mosh Burger pop-up on August 21, 2012 at Red Star Pub. Yes, you can have pink in your burger!
• There’s lots to do this weekend! The East Meets West Festival takes place on August 25-26, 2012 in McCauley (they really do have to get their act together with a more informative website, though).
• The Greater Edmonton Alliance is offering bus tours to visit some of the farmland in Edmotnon’s north east on August 26, 2012. Tickets are just $10 each. You can read more about the tours at Mack’s blog.
• If that’s not enough, check out Liane’s list of “top 10 summer food experiences”.
• Liane also pointed to some of the new vendors at this year’s Fringe, if you’re wondering what to eat down at the grounds.
• The City of Calgary is currently evaluating their food truck pilot program. Share your thoughts by completing their survey (on a related note – it’s great how they’ve linked to all 33 trucks right on the City page).
• Mack sent me this link to a story in the Atlantic about why Restaurant Week won’t die, “despite the haters”.
• There were a lot of retrospectives about Julia Child this week, who would have turned 100 on Wednesday. Here’s one from Jacques Pepin.
• Jeff’s leaving for Vancouver this weekend to study, so my family got together for a meal to wish him luck. Felicia picked The Moose Factory because she had a gift card. Good thing too, because the meal would not have been worth full price. Mack’s $34 surf and turf was poorly executed all around (the steak was rare, and not the medium he had requested, while the lobster was dry and chewy). My $22 steak pappardelle was supposed to feature filet mignon, which it probably did, but it was so overcooked it could have been a much lesser cut. Given the price of the entrees and the poor quality of the food, it’s really a head scratcher as to how the restaurant was as busy as it was on a Monday night.

Surf and turf

Steak pappardelle

Mack and I were really happy when we were approached to be a part of a University of Alberta alumni magazine New Trail article about bloggers. It’s a great group to be a part of, and it was neat to read about the “origin stories” of the other writers. On to this week’s food notes:

• Remember to come out to our Pulled Pork Throwdown on Wednesday, August 15!
• The Greater Edmonton Alliance has organized an opportunity to tour some of the city’s best farm land in the north east on August 26, 2012. Included on the tour are Kuhlmann’s and Riverbend Gardens.
• Staff Meals (a pop-up dinner collaboration between five Edmonton chefs) is hosting a meal out at Tangle Ridge Ranch on August 26.
• The Bothy’s downtown location (10124 124 Street) is now open! Looking forward to getting our chicken and leek pie fix closer to home.
• The Phat Noodle (10347 Jasper Avenue) is also open – I’m curious to try their pho to see if it’s up to par.
• The Tomato tweeted that Normand’s inside The Citadel complex is set to open on August 15, 2012.
• It sounds like The Junction will be closing its doors next month.
• The Edmonton Journal reviewed Mercer Tavern: apparently, the menu’s a bit of a mixed bag at the moment.
• More signs that point to food trucks going mainstream: Applebees and Taco Bell have embraced the trend, too.
• Curious about what might be on your plate in 20 years? How about an insect burger, or sound-enhanced food?
• Meguro Ramen in Chinatown has been replaced by Golden Orchid (10626 97 Street), a Vietnamese restaurant.

Golden Orchid

• The media were in a bit of a frenzy last week when Eat St. was in town filming Molly’s Eats, Drift and The Act. Mack was on hand for Drift’s turn in the spotlight, while I filmed a short segment for The Act. It was great to see the support for the trucks, with people out in droves. Long live Edmonton food trucks!

Drift filming on Wednesday

The Act’s line on Thursday

Robyn talks about The Act’s salad

• Vue profiled Roast Coffeehouse last week. And though I’d been there for coffee, my coworker and I ducked in for lunch on Wednesday. I picked up a Chopped Leaf salad (loved the evil peanut dressing on the Bangkok salad), and an iced coffee. They looked to be short staffed that afternoon – hope that rectifies itself soon.

Chopped Leaf salad

I hope you all made the most of a beautiful long weekend! I can scarcely believe it’s already approaching mid-August, but it’s really a reminder not to take the summer for granted. I know we’re trying to pack in as much as we can! On to this week’s food notes:

• Don’t forget – Eat St. is in town this week to shoot Molly’s Eats, Drift and The Act! Make sure to head down to support the trucks if you can!
• Sabor Divino is running its first annual Classic Seafood Festival, which runs from August 10 – September 8, 2012.
• Our next Truck Stop event will be taking place on August 15, 2012 at the Edmonton Public School Archives (10425 99 Avenue). And we’re changing up the format – the three trucks will be putting up their best pulled pork sandwiches in an effort to win your vote! Come join us for the first ever Truck Stop: Throwdown Edition!
• The Red Shoe Crawl organized by the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta was so successful they are offering a taste of not one but two neighbourhoods this year (I attended and loved the event last year)! On September 16, 2012, participants will be able to sample the cuisine of up-and-coming 124 Street restaurants. I’m looking forward to it already! Tickets are $40 and available here.
• Vue Weekly published a piece on the art of serving.
• Did you know that Kevin Kossowan is offering his own series of workshops now? You can learn how to forage, butcher and make cider directly from one of Edmonton’s most passionate and knowledgeable local food advocates.
• Looks like there is finally a self-serve yogurt place downtown (well, technically in Oliver). Not sure about the name Yogo Frogurt, as it is both hard to pronounce and remember, but hopefully the quality is similar to Tutti Frutti and Twisted Yogurt! Anyone try it yet?

Yogo Frogurt (11727 Jasper Avenue)

• Mack’s parents were in town this weekend on holidays, and we wanted to show them the Fort Edmonton Footbridge. It doubled as an opportunity for their dogs to stretch their legs!

Walking Traz while Patti walks Bella

Is anyone else equally disappointed in The Newsroom so far? I had such high hopes for Aaron Sorkin’s new HBO drama, but several episodes in (I’m at 1.4 so far), his two female leads are still maddening. It’s actually made me re-watch some of The West Wing just so I can be reminded of how good Sorkin can be. Here’s hoping it gets better! On to this week’s food notes:

• Don’t forget – What the Truck?! @ the Victoria Promenade takes place this Friday, August 3 from 5-9pm.
• Have you started planning your meals yet? The Heritage Festival runs this weekend from August 4-6, 2012. Check out this year’s menu here.
• On the heels of their first successful food crawl in May, the North Edge Business Association will again be offering patrons another chance to tour some of the neighbourhood’s ethnic eateries on August 15, 2012. For just $30, diners will be treated to three meals at Caffe Sorrentino, Acajutla and Africa Restaurant. Purchase tickets here.
• Eat St. is coming to town: the hit series will be in Edmonton from August 7-9 to profile Molly’s Eats, Drift, and The Act. Congrats to the three trucks for helping to put the city’s food trucks on the map!
• Sounds like Little Village Food Truck, Koutouki’s venture into the mobile world (and Edmonton’s first truck serving up Greek eats) will be setting up downtown this week – check them out at 105 Street and Jasper!
• Yellowbird Cafe Truck (to be technical, it is a trailer) also launches this week, serving at the Canadian Little League Championships this weekend at John Fry Park.
• Naan-o-licious is now open at 10331 82 Avenue.
• Tutti Frutti is now open in Southgate.
• Amber’s Brewing Company has found a new brewing home – they have contracted a new St. Albert-based brewery Hog’s Head to produce their beer.
• The Journal reviewed Tumbleweeds last week, a restaurant I will admit that I hadn’t heard about until reading the article.
• Global Edmonton had a great feature last week highlighting a few Edmonton restaurants who choose to source products more locally.
• Want to be on TV? CBC has put a call out to find its next food star.
• A good read about the politics of the Canada Food Guide.
• If you have an abundance of Saskatoons and don’t know what to do with them, Karlynn has five recipes for you.
• Food Secure Canada will be hosting their seventh national assembly in Edmonton from November 1-4, 2012.
• Valerie posted about a special event Calgary’s Knifewear is hosting on August 4, 2012. The shop has invited master blacksmiths who will be hand-hammering knives outside the store.
• Also from Calgary, OliV, a store similar to Edmonton’s Evoolution, looks like it’s worth checking out. Love the idea of tasting vinegars and olive oil together.
• A victim of its own success? Calgary is putting a halt on new food truck permits for the remainder of its pilot project.
• How about this for terroir: a New York artist serves up a five course rat-based meal. Yes, rats.
• It looks like Korean favourite Wong Jung Gak will be moving into the digs formerly held by Basil Leaf (10023 107 Avenue) in Chinatown. I’m excited that good Korean eats will soon be walking distance from both my home and workplace! A sign on the door claims the grand opening will be August 1, 2012.

Forthcoming Wong Jung Gak

• I didn’t know Noodle Maker (9653 102 Avenue) shut down until Mack and I passed by it this weekend. It will be replaced by a Filipino eatery.

Panciteria De Manila

• The best thing about not having my lunch last week was an excuse to indulge in Mama Pizza/Pho Huong’s green onion cakes. Yum.

Green onion cakes

• Mack and I helped organize most of the food vendors at this weekend’s Interstellar Rodeo, and it sounds like they were very well received. But that was nothing compared with the rave reviews the festival received as a whole! Congrats to Shauna and the rest of the organizers for a job well done!

Pork belly sandwich from Drift

Whitehorse performs on Sunday at Interstellar Rodeo

We just announced the second What the Truck?! event – it will be taking place at one of our favourite places in Edmonton, Victoria Promenade, on August 3 from 5-9pm. Check out the line-up of trucks, and stay tuned for menus this week. Hope to see you there! On to this week’s food notes:

• Speaking of food trucks, Edmonton’s newest truck is set to hit the streets this week: welcome to Little Village Food Truck, run by the family behind Koutouki.
• Mercer Tavern finally opened on the weekend. It’s apparently been packed since – anyone been yet?
• Love bacon? Mark your calendars for Lux’s annual Bacon Day Dinner on September 1, 2012.
• Sorry to have missed this pop-up dinner on the High Level Streetcar, offered by Staff Meal Edmonton.
• Liane reports that the space vacated by Bueno Gelato on 123 Street and 102 Avenue will be filled by Cookie Love.
• Caffe Sorrentino joins the burgeoning list of locally-owned options at the Edmonton International Airport, which includes Wok Box and Coney Island Candy.
• The latest Strip Search feature in the Edmonton Journal highlights “Little Lebanon”.
• Looking for an easier way to browse your favourite local food blogs? Mack’s got a solution for you over at ShareEdmonton!
• Vote for your favourite community garden at Sustainable Food Edmonton!
• The Globe shone a spotlight on the city’s growing farmers’ market scene last week.
• Falafel 101 (10159 101 Street) looks about ready to open.

Falafel 101

• Frozen yogurt really is taking Edmonton by storm: Tutti Frutti is set to launch another location in Southgate Mall. Watch for the grand opening on July 29, 2012, when free frozen yogurt will be handed out from noon-3pm.

Tutti Frutti

• Mack and I had a great time at the “bring your own patio” event at Tres Carnales on Friday. Perhaps we took the name a little too literally, as we were the only ones who walked our entire patio set over, but we were thankful for the table – it’d be a challenge to eat tacos on one’s lap! The event organizers are planning for another event in the fall, when the report is brought back to Council.

Makeshift patio (the fish tacos were delish!)

• It was too hot to cook last week, but I had to use the stove to make one of my favourite warm weather meals: Yankee fish cakes. I served it atop Lactuca greens and Gull Valley tomatoes.

Yankee fish cake salad

Have a good week!

This heat wave is a bit unreal! It makes me appreciate the air conditioning at my office much more, heh. Hope you’re finding ways to stay cool! On to this week’s food notes:

• One way to stay cool for free: 7-11 is handing out free slurpees on July 11, 2012 to the first 1,000 guests.
• Get ready frozen yogurt fans: Pinkberry opens in Edmonton at West Edmonton Mall on July 12, 2012. Free samples will be handed out from 6-9pm.
• Gleaned from the July/August 2012 issue of The Tomato: Chef Andrew Fung (most recently of the Blackhawk Golf Course, and 2010 Gold Medal Plate winner) is opening up a restaurant in MacTaggert. Also, Fat Franks will be opening up a diner-style restaurant.
• The Italian Centre is also planning a restaurant to open in the fall called Massimo’s Kitchen, named after Teresa Spinelli’s son.
• Capital Ex has introduced a number of new dishes at this year’s festival, including cricket pizza, flavoured mini doughnuts and a grilled cheese burger – where the bun of a typical burger is replaced by two grilled cheese sandwiches.
• Liane wrote a great story about a trend of local restaurants serving up staff dinners.
• Vue asks, “How does Edmonton stack up as a beer town?” It sounds like we have a long way to go, but it’s interesting to find out that two of Calgary’s successful beer destinations are heading to our fair city.
• Addie’s article on the Next Gen blog about a few restaurants trying to keep it local is worth a read.
• I love lists – Jay Palter, “newish in Edmonton”, made a list of his favourite dishes in the city.
• I was sad to have missed the supertaster sessions offered by Sobeys, but at least I was able to read about the opportunity on Kelly’s blog.
• The community some want to create in Mundare sounds a bit like a local food utopia. One mile diet, anyone?
• Jonathan Waxman, who competed alongside Hubert Keller in our favourite season of Top Chef Masters, was another contestant we were cheering for. Great interview with him in Eater this week discussing seasonality and trendiness.
• Sad news in the food world today: Chef Anthony Sedlak of Food Network Canada’s The Main, was found dead on Friday in his Vancouver home.
• Food competition shows are going mainstream: Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson are hosting The Taste to air on ABC this fall.
• Mack and I were happy to have been asked to participate in Next Gen’s food-focused DIYalogue last week at The Black Dog. It’s always fun to talk food, and there was no shortage of enthusiasm and love for the subject in the room! I mentioned that day that one thing missing in Edmonton’s scene is southern comfort food, but neglected to also say that we could also do with what Grub Street calls “Asian hipster cuisine”.

DIYalogue

Representing What the Truck?!

F

ilistix served up some fine Moroccan tagine

• It’s been a while since we’ve been in the food court at West Edmonton Mall, since I had no idea we had a Freshii in the city. Mack and I tried them for the first time on the weekend. The Asian noodle bowl ($7.29) had a good variety of texture, and more chicken that I was expecting, while Mack thought his chicken club wrap ($8.29) tasted light and fresh.

Asian noodle bowl

Chicken club wrap

• I can’t tell you how much we were craving Route 99’s poutine last week.

Poutine!

• What’s better in +30 degree heat than a hot bowl of pho? I met Mack at Pho Tau Bay today for just that at lunch, and good thing too – they will be closed from July 16 – August 15, 2012. Get there while you can!

Pho

• The Green and Gold Community Garden opens for the season on July 3, 2012. Hours are 7-8:30pm on Tuesdays and 11am-1pm on Saturdays.
• I love the idea of a “pork crawl” – the Passion for Pork folks have organized their first ever Swine and Dine dinner taking place on July 3, 2012 that will introduce eaters to three different interpretations of pork.
• On the heels of Latitude 53’s summer patio parties, the Art Gallery of Alberta has started their own series of al fresco parties – Tuesdays on the Terrace begins on July 3, and runs through to the end of August. From 4-8pm, a complimentary art-inspired cocktail from Zinc will be included with the price of admission.
• Blue Plate Diner is hosting another Farm to Fork dinner on July 8, 2012.
• Jerry Aulenbach, Edmonton’s bacon man about town, is hosting his annual #yeghelp function on July 11, 2012 at Lux. Expect a great meal finished off by a sunset ride on the High Level Bridge streetcar.
• Mark your calendars – Live Local’s Fork Fest runs July 15-19 and 22-26, 2012.
• Did you know there is a Co-op wine store in Edmonton?
• Two food truck reads: one an overview of the current scene in Vue, and a guide in the July issue of Avenue Edmonton.
• Loved the reasoning in this Serious Eats write-up in favour of street eats.
• Mack and I took in an Eskimos game on Saturday with his Dad. It was such a beautiful evening for a football game, and all the better that the Esks won!

Touchdown!

• To celebrate Canada Day, Mack and I trekked down to Mill Woods on the bus for their fireworks show. It’s been a few years since I’ve been down there, and I have missed it – I think it’s a bit more laid-back and community-oriented than the fireworks show downtown. Hope you had a good one too!

Mack was impressed by the crowds and music

Fireworks!

I can’t believe how fast the summer is just flying by – it’s July next week! Hope you’re out enjoying the outdoors when you can! On to this week’s food notes:

• I’m looking forward to participating in next week’s DIYalogue Talks Food, a “cultural mix-and-mingle” with people involved in the local food scene. Join us at the Blackdog Freehouse (10425 Whyte Avenue) on July 4, 2012 from 6:30-8:30pm! Filistix will be providing the catering. Get your tickets here.
• Savour Strathcona County is a good reason as any to head over to Sherwood Park to sample food prepared by local restaurants. Advance tickets to the July 15, 2012 event are available now.
• Drift has won their appeal, and can remain in their spot on 108 Street. In other food truck-related news, Councillor Don Iveson filed an inquiry with administration to look further into what the City can do to further refine the street vending policy. Expect a report in the fall.
• The You Gotta Eat Here segment on Tres Carnales was amazing! I think it showcased so well what Chef Edgar and the restaurant is doing for Mexican cuisine in Edmonton. It sounds like the show will be back for more filming in Edmonton this summer, with The Dish on tap.
• You can now satisfy your sweet tooth before leaving for your destination: Mack sent me a link about Coney Island Candy’s new shop in the Departures wing of the Edmonton International Airport. It’s great to see local businesses infiltrating EIA!
• Although I’m in favour of reducing the amount of bottled water served at restaurants, for a city like Edmonton with such a top notch water filtration system, I think the investment into Q Water by Hardware Grill isn’t necessary. Maybe it isn’t fair to expect Hardware Grill to be the cheerleaders behind our local water system, but wouldn’t it be ideal if one of Edmonton’s most respected restaurants took a stand and told the world that yes, our tap water is as good if not better than the bottled stuff?
• Metro axed its weekly review column, with the last write-up by Christopher Thrall appearing this week.
• Both Valerie and Liane filed great reports about this year’s Okanagan Food and Wine Writers Workshop, put on by Jennifer Cockrall-King. Looks like some great eats!
• Valerie announced that she and several others are putting together a Cheesepalooza Project, a 9 to 10 month Artisan Cheesemaking adventure where they will use Mary Karlin’s Artisan Cheese Making at Home as a guide and all make the same cheeses to a specific schedule. If this is something you’re interested in, leave a comment on Valerie’s post.
• On Friday, Mack and I joined a good crowd on Manasc Issac’s new rooftop patio for an after work drink. We need more of these in Edmonton!

On the roof at Manasc Issac

• Mack and I headed to Calgary this weekend for a bit of a birthday getaway. We were able to hit up quite a few restaurants I had on my list, but they deserve a separate post. A few bits and bobs:

Loved this map of the Calgary Farmers’ Market – I recognize that this is a permanent, year-round market, but it definitely helps customers navigate through the aisles. Could the City Market consider printing copies of their maps housed online?

At the Kingsland Farmers’ Market, we spotted the parked (and sadly, closed) Naaco Truck. We loved its bright colouring, and even more, the edible garden on its roof!

We also had to make an obligatory Phil & Sebastian’s stop – this time at the Chinook Centre location (love that they’re doing an outdoor pop-up cafe this summer).

• Join us for our last Truck Stop in Old Strathcona this Wednesday, June 27, from 5-8pm in McIntyre Park. Check out the menu here.

Nomad’s pulled pork sandwich from the June 20 Truck Stop