The New Kid in Town: Local Public Eatery

While South Edmonton Common isn’t the most hospitable area on the best of days, a new addition to the land of box stores may make your holiday shopping excursions a tad more bearable: the city’s first Local Public Eatery is now here.

Local Public Eatery, a brand of the Joey’s Restaurant Group, has a successful flagship in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver. They decided it was time to bring the concept to Edmonton, so in October, shut down OPM (another Joey’s brand) in order to convert the location into Local. The restaurant opened last Friday.

Interior

Local does have another location in Alberta (in Medicine Hat), but as a franchise, I was told its flavour was decidedly different than corporate-run establishments like those in Vancouver and Edmonton. Based on our visit this afternoon – I’d say the vibe was exactly as they billed it to be: “casual, comfy, neighbourly.”

Open kitchen, and Edison-esque bulbs

They really did a number on the interior – OPM had two distinct rooms separated by a wall – a bar/lounge at the front and a dining room with partitioned booths at the rear . The wall is no longer, and as a result, the space, with a long bar down the centre, an open kitchen, and booths on the periphery, feels refreshing.

What’s better than Conan on the flat screen?

Mack and I happily accepted an invitation to have a complimentary brunch at Local this afternoon. The staff were friendly, in good spirits and excited for the opening. They made sure to let us know that four of OPM’s well-loved dishes were saved from extinction (wok fired squid, gyoza, drunken chicken, seven flavoured beef), and that gluten-free options would still be available (six in total).

Besides the OPM transplants, the differences between the Kitsilano menu and the offerings in Edmonton are minimal – food at Local focuses on pub favourites: starters meant for sharing, entree salads, burgers and sandwiches. My only beef was that the “Oil City” burger, with cheddar and jack cheeses, hot sauce, pickled jalapenos & onions, is the same burger that appears on the Kitsilano menu, but under the moniker, “The Kits Beach” (doesn’t #yeg deserve a little bit more creativity?).

Fun map on the flipside of the menu (close-up of the legend is here; we did alert the staff that there are actually three local breweries in Edmonton – Yellowhead is currently missing)

Where Local Public Brewery really shines, however, is their beer menu. Unlike the Joey’s restaurants, Local has the leeway to include Edmonton-made beers on tap, and even better, price them at the same rate as big domestics and imports. So a pint of Kokanee, Pilsner, Amber’s Mountain Pepper Berry or Alley Kat’s Charlie Flint will all cost you $5.50. It makes choosing local just that much easier (in total, they have five local beers on tap – Amber’s Pepper Berry and Vampire Sap, and Alley Kat’s Charlie Flint, Aprikat and Full Moon).

They also have fun cocktails, such as their Caesar served in a boot-shaped glass. At $8, it is a meal in itself, served with an olive, a green bean and a pepperoni stick. The spicy horseradish gave it a kick Mack wasn’t expecting, but I can imagine this is a signature drink that patrons would return for again and again.

Hail Caesar!

As with the rest of the menu, the brunch options are few, but familiar. Mack really enjoyed his eggs Benedict ($12), with poached free-range eggs, back bacon & hollandaise. Though he would have preferred eggs with a runny yolk, he really liked the not-too-tangy hollandaise. And the side potatoes? We had to find out their secret – it turns out the potatoes are first steamed, smashed, then deep-fried, before tossed in seasoning. Delish.

Eggs Benedict

My order of banana pancakes ($10), served with smoked bacon and Canadian maple syrup, was solid. The pancake batter had a pleasant banana flavour, enhanced by the slices of banana on top. While I didn’t mind the petite stack, I couldn’t help but think of the fruit cum pancakes I had at Clinton Street Baking Company – with blueberries sandwiched in between two larger ‘cakes, it allowed for a better distribution of fruit goodness.

Banana pancakes

I should mention also that both our plates arrived with a shot glass filled with a fruit smoothie. Nice touch, especially before digging into deep-fried potatoes and fatty bacon, heh.

Thanks to the staff at Local Public Eatery for a great experience. Before we left, we purchased a gift card for a friend of ours who we know will love the place – give it a shot some time; you might too.

Local Public Eatery
1820 99 Street
(780) 989-5898

The New Wave? Fulton Market Burger Company

Mack is still teasing me for calling ahead and asking for reservations from a restaurant with the word “burger” in the name, but since we were dining out with Grandma Male, I just wanted to confirm the wait wouldn’t be too burdensome!

Mack and Grandma Male

I stumbled across Fulton Market Burger Company earlier this year when searching for lunch options in the Sherwood Park area for a staff function. We ended up choosing a different caterer, but my curiosity was piqued, especially after reading mostly positive reviews for the restaurant, and finding out it was the sole Alberta location.

Grandma Male is always up for trying new restaurants, and given her proximity to Sherwood Park, it made sense for the three of us to pay Fulton Market a visit.

Cold winter’s night

The decor slants towards a New York homage – photos of the skyline and the famous Lunch atop a Skyscraper. For that reason, we weren’t sure why the floor was partially covered in tile patterned after cow hide…

Interior

The menu itself reminded us of Rodeo Burger – the opportunity to build your own burger (base, bun, 50 toppings), or select one of their pre-designed creations. Perhaps this is the new wave of burger joints?

Grandma Male and Mack decide on their burger combinations

The ordering cards did seem wasteful though – one card per person? I’m glad they are double-sided, but given they utilized the technology of displaying orders on LCD screens in the dining area, one wonders if another step would have been to invest in order kiosks too (or maybe I’m just hankering for a local version of FoodParc).

Order up!

We all decided on the pre-designed burgers – I chose their Signature Burger ($7.45 for 1/3 lb), featuring smoked cheddar, smoked bacon, pickle slaw and Fulton signature sauce. Mack selected the Empire State Burger ($10.95 for 1/3 lb), with two prime rib patties, shiitake mushrooms, jalapeno jack cheese and the signature sauce. Grandma Male decided on the Bronx Burger ($7.47 for 1/3 lb) topped with jerk sauce, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes and Jalapeno jack cheese. Though Grandma Male and I both upsized to a fry and fountain drink combo for $1.99 extra, Mack opted to treat himself to Coke in a glass bottle.

Not too many places serve Coke in bottles any more

The burgers were a tad more expensive than at Rodeo Burger, but given the patties were easily double the size (though they did not claim to use local beef), it was worth the price. The flavour and seasonings were good, not exceptional, but it was a pre-fabricated patty – for whatever reason, I was expecting something better.

My burger

I liked that the standard bread offering was an onion bun, but it was dry – as if it had been left out to air for too long. The onion rings were all right, and though we probably should haven’t have enjoyed the poutine, for all of the salt that was in that murky brown gravy, it hit the spot on that cold night.

Our meal

Like Fatburger, Fulton Market also offers milkshakes, made with Chapman’s ice cream (they even had some not-so-common flavours, like blueberry acai). Anything to help it stand out – if only it had been the food.

Fulton Market Burger Company
160 Broadway Boulevard, Sherwood Park
(780) 467-8388
Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday noon-9pm

Downtown East Diner: Early Bird Cafe

A colleague and I attended an all-day training session at Canada Place today, which, besides being a nice change of pace, also meant we were able to try out a new restaurant! I had been eying the Early Bird Cafe for some time, tucked away in the soon-to-be-revitalized Quarters on 97 Street and 102 Avenue. Though it is getting better, it is still not the best area after dark, which may also explain why the restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch.

Our instructor cut our lunch hour in half, hoping to get a jump on the afternoon material, so I crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t be a mistake for us to opt for a non-food cafeteria meal. It wasn’t.

The restaurant is narrow, with a welcoming long wooden bar at the front, where customers could watch the kitchen in action. Unfortunately, the walkway between the door and the bar isn’t particularly wide, so customers all inevitably drifted to the rear of the space. The room is functional, with a nice refurbished wooden floor, but what passes as decor gave us a bit of a laugh because of its randomness – a poster of mushroom varieties displayed next to a glossy of Marilyn Monroe, for example.

The no-frills menu is filled with comforting diner favourites – baked pastas, burgers and donairs. Due to the time constraints, my coworkers and I both decided on a sandwich with the day’s soup on the side.

My colleague enjoyed her Denver sandwich, with ham, green pepper, onion and egg ($6.95). We both agreed the cream of spinach soup was pretty good – nice flavour, and fresh spinach that had been added just before serving.

Denver sandwich

My Monte Cristo with ham, turkey and Swiss ($8.95) was a bit unusual – where I was expecting crisp egg-dipped bread, I was presented with the equivalent of a sandwich made with French toast. I found out later that this simply is another version, and ultimately, would make a great brunch dish – savoury with hints of sweetness.

Monte Cristo

Staff were great – friendly and attentive; if we didn’t have to promptly return, it would have been a great place to linger a while. It’s really great to see another small business open up in downtown east – give it a try if you’re in the area!

Early Bird Cafe
10221 97 Street
(780) 420-6826
Monday-Friday 10am-3pm

One-Note Wonder: Battista’s Calzones

About two years ago, I wrote that more one-note restaurants in Edmonton would be a welcome sight – Battista’s Calzones is one such place, and is a wonderful addition to the local food scene.

Battista’s Calzones

Situated in a small building on 118 Avenue, Battista’s unavoidable purple hue is both eye-catching and a pleasing pop of colour on the sometimes dreary stretch of road. Stepping inside, it’s almost hard to believe it used to house an autobody shop – though nothing fancy, between the smell of baking bread and the friendly purveyor, the space felt warm and inviting.

Interior

Owner Battista Vecchio is clearly passionate about his new endeavour. When asked why he chose to focus on calzones, he said it was something he grew up with – his mother would make the portable pizzas for him so he would have something to eat after soccer games. Even now, his family is involved in the business – his mother makes the meatballs for one of the calzones, and his father was there assisting with a large catering order.

Battista Vecchio presents one of his calzone creations

Battista makes the dough from scratch, and sources the rest of his ingredients through The Italian Centre, including spicy Italian sausage made by Edmonton-based company Little Italy Foods. Though at the moment he offers only four varieties, Battista knows that the possibilities are endless – chili calzones, BBQ chicken calzones, Nutella dessert calzones, or turkey calzones for Christmas. I remarked that because of its compact nature, it is the ideal street food – calzone food truck, anyone?

Based on the meatball calzone I had (already baked earlier, and kept warm, meaning it was served to me almost immediately), I am glad Battista has chosen to keep his focus, in spite of many people prodding him towards pizza or other menu additions. The meatball was perfectly seasoned, and had just the right texture to be eaten between the folds of the soft and chewy dough. It was the most satisfying lunch I’ve had in a long time.

Meatball calzone

Battista said he’s slowly building up the business – from word of mouth, and those that live in the neighbourhood. But perhaps after the release of Avenue Edmonton’s next food issue – where his calzones will are in the running to be included as one of Gail Hall’s 25 Best Things to Eat, this gem of a restaurant will be a secret no longer. Try one before the crowds gather!

Battista’s Calzones (Twitter: @BattistaCalzone)
118 Avenue & 84 Street
(780) 758-1808
Monday-Saturday 11am-3pm

For Dancing Not Dinner: The Treasury

Though there were some nibbles provided at Avenue Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 shindig at the Art Gallery of Alberta, they definitely weren’t enough to make a meal. So Dave, Kyla, Mack and I decided to get something more substantial to eat as a group, and surveying the immediate area, ended up wandering over to The Treasury Vodka Bar & Eatery.

The Treasury has such a great location – both in terms of visibility on Jasper Avenue, but also with easy access to public transportation. And really, it’s hard not to cheer when an otherwise vacant space downtown is reclaimed by an establishment that would ideally bring further foot traffic to the core. In that context, our lacklustre experience was even more disappointing.

Save one pair of diners, we were the only customers in the entire restaurant. Granted, it was about 8 p.m. that Thursday when we walked in, but we were assured that the kitchen was still open.

Interior

The interior is excessive, bordering on gaudy, with its gold chandeliers and plush red velvet, but I can appreciate that such features would likely complement The Treasury’s other identity as a nightclub much better (up until 9 p.m., minors as permitted in the restaurant). I should note, however, that the volume of the music was surprisingly low, meaning a conversation could be had at a regular volume.

Dance floor

The menu is massive – three pages, with nearly three dozen dishes to choose from (as we were able to order from the lunch menu as well). Still, with no other tables to serve, we weren’t sure why our food took twenty-five minutes to arrive.

Mack enjoyed his Guinness “fish & chips” of the sea, featuring black cod, calamari, shrimp and Cajun-spiced fries, though it was nothing special.

Guinness “fish & chips”

The roast beef in my sandwich ($15) was all right, and was definitely a generous serving. The multigrain bread, however, needed to be sliced thicker, or have been substituted with ciabatta or a similar loaf that could stand up to the moisture from the meat. Also, it was my mistake to order the soup at the end of the day, especially when what was presented was, instead, a puree. Topping it with moisture-drawing puff pastry croutons didn’t help matters either.

Roast beef classic with squash soup

Dave found his steak sandwich okay, while Kyla simply shrugged when I asked about her frittata ($16) – that shrug sort of summed up our meal. Twyla’s review back in September, albeit for their soft opening, wasn’t much better.

Frittata a la carte

Service was perhaps the only redeeming quality – our server hovered a bit, but she was there whenever we needed her, and in particular, was lighting quick with replacing empty glasses of water.

I can’t say I’d be anxious to return to The Treasury – with neither food or atmosphere that would draw me back, I do hope their nightclub scene is more happening. It’d be a shame for the renovated space to return to an empty state.

The Treasury Vodka Bar & Eatery
10004 Jasper Avenue
(780) 990-1255

Baby (Sushi) Steps: Mikado

Ellen was shocked when she found out I had an aversion to Japanese food. Well, at least to “authentic” Japanese food (on the off-chance colleagues or friends choose to dine in a Japanese restaurant, I’m probably happier than I should be with an order of chicken teriyaki and tempura). Ellen had lived in Japan teaching English for a few years, and understandably, grew to love the cuisine. She wanted to share that appreciation with me, and with an able guide, I was willing to experiment.

We agreed to meet at the downtown location of Mikado – one of Ellen’s favourite Japanese restaurants in the city – and fortuitously, within walking distance of where I live. On a Saturday afternoon, it was also much busier than I had expected, but then again, with three successful branches in Edmonton (the newest and most modern in the west end), that shouldn’t have been a surprise.

We were seated in a cozy booth that conveyed a sense of privacy, perfect for catching up, as well as completing the trials at hand that day. Service was pleasant throughout our stay – and though the colourful garments that enrobed some of the servers were visually appealing, I’m not sure they were necessary.

I was most excited about what was essentially Japanese pub food. We asked about okonomiyaki (a Japanese pancake of sorts), but unfortunately, rumours about this location serving it off-menu were unfounded. Still, an order of deep-fried tofu and chicken kara-age was a good introduction to dishes in this category, and we supplemented our meal with several other plates, including (drumroll please) raw fish.

The fried tofu ($5.95) turned out to be my favourite dish, likely because it was the least foreign, and is something I really enjoy regardless of its preparation. The salty, almost umami tempura broth gave it a nice depth, and I loved the shredded seaweed garnish – so pretty.

Deep-fried Tofu

Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for the chicken kara-age ($8.95) – they were comparable to dry ribs, but too dry and without much flavour.

Chicken kara-age

Ellen made fun of how I squealed when certain dishes came out – the plating was certainly a marvel to me. The spinach goma-ae ($5.95) was a good example, particularly as quantity seemed to go by the wayside in favour of presentation. The black sesame dressing underneath each spinach bundle was tasty, but I’m not sure I would order it again; I was just left wanting more.

Spinach goma-ae

Ellen chose an order of “dragon eyes” ($11.95) to ease me into sushi, knowing my squeamishness for raw seafood. Though Mack probably still wouldn’t try it (he despises seaweed), the combination of the cooked salmon, the light coating of batter, and slightly sour sushi rice was enjoyable. But then again – a bath in hot oil will improve the appeal of almost anything.

Dragon eyes (the spicy, rich dressing underneath was delicious)

But the moment of truth – my encounter with the raw. I saved my pieces of sake (salmon) and toro (tuna belly) for last – partly to psych myself up, but partly because of dread. My first bite of sake was comical – without warning Ellen, I sank into half of the roll, without first dipping it into the soy sauce/wasabi mixture (I had no idea eating sushi was so complicated). Granted, it did allow me to experience the marked improvement the condiments had on bringing out the flavour of the fish.

Serious chopstick/sushi fail! (Ellen warned me not to let the rice touch the sauce, which is of course what I promptly did)

Between the two types – toro was definitely my favourite, but only marginally so. Although Ellen tried to convince me of the creaminess of the belly, it was still difficult to overcome my psychological aversion to raw fish. As I chewed, the dialogue between my brain and my taste receptors was more of a one-sided taunt than a conversation: “What are you eating? Why are you eating that? Keep chewing…it’s not like the texture is getting any better…Can you smell it? It tastes like the ocean. You hate the ocean! Say it with me, ‘fish is meant to be cooked’…” and so on.

Sake and toro

Overall, it was a fun afternoon, even if it wasn’t wholly successful – of course it wasn’t realistic to think I would be converted in one instance. The big victory to me, however, is the fact that should I find myself in a Japanese restaurant in the future, I would actually feel comfortable ordering something beyond a bento box – thanks, Ellen!

Mikado
10350 109 Street (2 other locations)
(780)425-8096

Culinary Q & A with Jeff Samsonow

Occupation: Non-profit broadcasting coordinator/Editor-in-Chief of theedmontonian.com

What did you eat today?

For breakfast: Coffee (Some Level Ground Peruvian medium blend)
Some delicious bacon cooked in the oven, and bought at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market from First Nature Farms. A banana.

Lunch: Minestrone and a two-cheese sandwich from Bistro 112. This is my (day-job) work coffee place and I’m grateful to have it so close. A couple of crunchy B.C. apples (forget which kind).

Dinner: At The Hat
Canadian sliders (double-smoked bacon, chedder and monteray jack cheeses, yum)
Caesar salad (with more double-smoked bacon)
Amber’s Brewing’s Australian Mountain Pepper Berry

What do you never eat?

I’m not a fan of artichoke.

What is your personal specialty?

I’m becoming fond of a 3-cheese macaroni and cheese recipe we found in a clean living magazine. I also dig roasted chicken and gravy as per Jamie Oliver’s specs.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Orange Juice. We love orange juice.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Chicken and rice. The chicken cut and preparation may vary, but it seems like we tend to have these two items on hand quite a lot. Bless our steamer.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

The good knife. (We have two cutting/chopping knives and one is better.)

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

It’s going to be an amazing steak, with lots of baked potatoes (and butter), peas and bacon, and a bottle of red wine. (Yes a whole bottle. The world’s ending.)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

It used to be the old Next Act. Now, we’ve been in flux. So, I’m open to people’s ideas. (Since I started writing this e-mail I’ve found we’ve been to The Pour House a handful of times – it’s the old Flavours.)

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Madison’s Grill (I say that even though I haven’t been in some time.)

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’m going to go with New York City. It seems like the kind of place I could actually get a taste of most of the world’s food.

As Jeff mentioned, he is the EIC of The Edmontonian – my go-to website to get a round-up of the day’s headlines.

Location, Location: Viet Huong Noodle House

In September, I noticed that Viet Huong Noodle House would be moving a few blocks east into the Chinatown space that had been vacated by Hoang Long. Knowing a makeover of their restaurant on 107 Avenue was in dire need, it seemed a move into a more modern and frequented street would do them well. After a lunch date with Jill and Swamy at the new Viet Huong last week, I’m happy to say the change was definitely for the better!

The walls, a deep, autumnal yellow, were left untouched from the previous tenants, as was the furniture, and both were a definite improvement over the dated interior of their former location. Both the flat screen television and fish tank of blood parrots migrated here, and the bright tank in particular looked very much at home in a space bathed in natural light.

The restaurant was also notably half-full, but it didn’t drastically affect our wait time. The pho was good – the broth was the same – solid, but not spectacular – and the serving was as generous as I remembered. Of course, food somehow always tastes better with good company, and this instance was no exception!

Beef noodle soup with beef balls

Spicy seafood noodle soup

Chicken with cashews over rice

It’s always nice to have more options in Chinatown, especially because of the unpredictable hours of some restaurants nearby like Pho Tau Bay. I’ll be back!

Date Night: The Dish and Vi’s for Pies

Mack and I don’t normally schedule “date nights” anymore, but during a particularly demanding week, it just seemed right to make sure we had something to look forward to when it was all over. So when Friday evening rolled around, we were more than ready for dinner and a movie.

Though I love being central, and within walking distance to work and (of course), right above the City Market, I do miss Oliver sometimes. Their mature boulevard trees – a canopy that 104 Street doesn’t have – their peaceful streets, and the quiet parks.

Paul Kane Park

Predictably, we aren’t in the Oliver and High Street areas as much any more, but heading for dinner in the neighbourhood was a good excuse to take up our old walking route again.

Oliver School in the fall

I was craving comfort food, and Mack was up for anything, so we ended up at The Dish. They’ve since expanded into what was formerly the Electrum Design Studio (a room that can be booked for private functions), but the additional space thankfully hasn’t made the dining room any less intimate: the cozy wood floors, warm wall colours, and attentive service has remained the same.

We ordered what has to be one of the most inexpensive bottles of wine I’ve ever seen on a menu – the Mad Housewife white zinfandel, priced at just $23. We were first introduced to this label just down the street – at a performance of Hey Ladies! at the Roxy Theatre. Knowing that the bottle itself sells for around $18 at Sherbrooke Liquor Store, we both thought it was quite the deal (and we were able to take what we didn’t finish home with us).

Mad Housewife white zinfandel

It was just before Thanksgiving, so their special was a turkey pot pie with stuffing, an orange-cranberry sauce served with a salad. I was ready to get my turkey on, so was happy with the amount included in the piping hot ramekin. The only ingredient missing in the dish, however, was mashed potatoes – funny how we crave traditional fixings around the holidays.

Turkey pot pie with salad

Mack ordered the day’s flatbread, with ham and pineapple, and enjoyed it, but was hoping for a larger serving.

Flatbread

After dinner, we walked over to Vi’s for Pies (13408 Stony Plain Road), one of my favourite places for dessert in the city.

We probably should have just shared a dessert, but we both have different preferences when it comes to sweets. Mack ordered a slice of pumpkin pie (and apparently, half a carton of whipped cream), while I opted for a chocolatey-rich fudge cake. With a cup of coffee, it was the perfect end to our meal.

Pumpkin pie (I love the cookie topper)

Fudge cake

We caught a bus back downtown, and (finally) went to see a movie at the Empire City Centre theatres. A big perk of living in the core is being able to avoid the long lines and carjams at North and South Common – at least in theory, as we hadn’t taken advantage of our neighbouring theatre since we moved.

We watched the late showing of The Social Network (I loved the opening scene – pure Aaron Sorkin, and Jesse Eisenberg did a fantastic job), and though it was busier than I expected, it was still nothing when compared with the suburban cineplexes.

Thanks for an awesome date night, Mack!

Culinary Q & A with Kevin Kossowan

Occupation: Business Owner/Certified Financial Planner

What did you eat today?

Organic coffee, home-made organic stone-ground whole wheat bread, home-made apricot jam, goat cheese [Holly’s Valencay], vegetable soup [was harvesting veg from the back yard today – leek, beet, carrot, celery, kale, baby cabbage, swiss chard], pickled carrots [from my yard], a chocolate croissant from the Dutch Delicious Bakery, 2008 Chateau Pesquié Terasses.

What do you never eat?

I’d pass on Hakarl next time, but I still ate it, so doesn’t qualify as ‘never’. I may give it another go though over overcooked/burned/dried out processed foods from M&M Meat Shop. I remember going in there years ago thinking ‘cool, a meat shop!’. Not so much.

What is your personal specialty?

Game veal & yard food. I hunt moose and elk calves that are largely milk-fed and just starting to feed on grasses – much like Nature’s Green Acres’ Nouveau Beef which I’m a huge fan of. Yard food because I love to serve menus based on fruit, veg, wild mushrooms, and wines grown & made on my central/downtown city lot.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Butter, rendered pork fat, home-made jams/syrups, eggs, organic cold-pressed canola oil, various yeasts [wine and bread], play dough. There’d also be a meat of some kind, and seasonal veg and fruit. Lately it also contains a diverse collection of artisan goat cheeses.

What is your weekday meal standby?

I don’t have one. Because I work from home, anything is fair game, any day of the week.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

A sharp knife. I avoid kitchen gadgets something fierce.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

I’d start by doing a tasting of every bottle in my wine cellar, then base a menu around the wines. I’d also want to tie into the two large wheels of goat cheese in my cellar. With some good saucisson sec, rustic bread, fresh fruit and simply prepared veg – I’d be pretty happy. Until I got to the heavier reds – in which case I’d likely be motivated to do some herbed-up long-and-slow rotisserie meats over a wood fire. I’d pass on dessert and have more wine instead.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

For the once every month or two that we do, it would roughly be a tie: Leon’s Wonton & Noodle, and the Than Than [on 101st St]. I tend to value DIY, and eating out is rather DNY [Do Nothing Yourself], so eating out and I don’t get along very well most of the time.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

In one’s kitchen.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I used to think geography was a barrier to my culinary happiness – but don’t feel that way anymore. It took me 10 years of traveling and cooking in foreign countries to figure that out.

So I’m going to go with: at home, braised beef shoulder, mashed French fingerling potatoes w lots of chevre and butter, and a nice bottle of right-bank Bordeaux. Yum.

Check out Kevin’s blog here, but in particular, make sure to check out his fantastic From Local Farms series of videos.

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