Category: restaurants

Instantly Gratifying: Little Caesars Pizza

After a lazy Sunday afternoon, Mack and I continued the calling of the day by getting take-out from the nearby Little Caesars in Oliver Square (11588 104 Avenue).

It had been a while since either of us had reached for their Hot-and-Ready deal, but both of us were readily familiar with their inexpensive grab-and-go pizzas. For just $5, a small pepperoni and cheese pizza can be had immediately – no waiting. Like combos at other fast-food joints, however, the Crazy Bread upgrade (for $2.79/package) is difficult to turn down, so tempting are the soft, parmesan-drenched breadsticks.

Quality-wise, this pizza doesn’t compare to their more authentic Italian cousins (see Famoso, Leva, or Da Capo), but where else can you instantly satisfy a craving for a tangy yet savoury pie?

Hot-and-Ready Pepperoni Pizza

Go Only for the Readings: Russian Tea Room

Driven by our desire for new experiences, I met up with Annie, Janice and May at the infamous Russian Tea Room (10312 Jasper Avenue). My coworkers had talked about getting their palms read at the Tea Room, and there have also been a few media spotlights of the stalwart restaurant recently.

Walking in, there was a clear lack of gauzy red curtains and wafting smell of incense – two elements I was expecting. Instead, the dim dining room was lined with large, deli-style coolers showcasing the dessert varieties, and featured chairs and furnishings that likely have never been updated. Two television monitors – one in the bar area and another in the main dining area – were tuned to Entertainment Tonight and Treehouse Television, respectively. The latter set was primed for our waitress’s granddaughter, who had free reign in the room that night.

Interior

Menu

The waitress asked if our party would be interested in readings that night, as we said yes. When we were ready, we would be called up to individual tables on the tiered back area of the restaurant. About a half dozen tables were manned by very casual looking psychics (only one bared any resemblance to Professor Trelawny, heh), all looking ready to offer their sage predictions. Two readings were priced at $30, with the choice of tea, numerology, tarot, and palm.

We decided to satisfy our hunger pangs first, and paged through the menu. I hoped to find more European dishes (similar to the offerings at Bistro Praha), but the menu was decidedly skewed to the West. I ended up ordering the Chicken Crepe ($15.95), which was served with a choice of starch and fresh vegetables while Annie chose the Vegetable Quiche, served with a side salad ($7.95) and Borscht ($3.95), May the stuffed chicken breast ($15.95), and Janice the Combination Plate ($10.95), which included perogies, Ukrainian sausage, a cabbage roll, and rice.

The food took a while to come, allowing us to note the stream of patrons who arrived for readings – while there were a few customers of the younger set, most were older, and seemed like regulars. Not necessarily a negative thing, it did make us feel slightly out of place.

By the time our dishes arrived, we were starving. My crepes looked like they had been made using boxed pancake mix, and unfortunately, they tasted like that too. Sadly, the rest of my plate was no better. The chicken was dry (though the "white wine" sauce helped alleviate that somewhat), the home fries tasted more baked than fried, and the vegetables had been steamed from a frozen package. May was similarly unimpressed with her less-than-moist chicken. Janice and Annie found their dishes all right, and in my opinion, Annie’s entree was the most economical of all.

Chicken crepe with vegetables and home fries

Stuffed chicken breast with vegetables and pasta

Vegetable quiche with Caesar salad

Combination plate with perogies, sausage, cabbage roll and rice

Even before we had all finished our meals, the waitress was already on top of us, asking which one of us wanted to get the reading done (I’m assuming she must have been working on some kind of commission deal with the psychics). May was first up, while the rest of us looked on. Janice and Annie headed to their individual tables soon after May returned. All three of them received mixed truths, with some inaccuracies, for example, on their actual career choices. None of them received any overly negative or foreboding predictions though. And what of my reading, you ask? I am ashamed to admit that I chickened out. I wasn’t psychologically prepared for what could have been a potential arsenal of bad news. In hindsight, it would be a better business practice to offer a positive future outlook, as if even a modicum of the prediction were to actually occur, the chance of repeat visits would be more likely.

Janice and Annie compare their palm lines

 

May getting her palm read

In sum, the Russian Tea Room provides an interesting, off-the-beaten path night out, great for conversation starters and discussions for future hopes. Just go elsewhere for food first.

Culinary Q & A with Diane

Occupation: Career Counselor

What did you eat today?

Cereal, fruit, nutribar, cheerio snacks

What do you never eat?

Cottage cheese, yams, sage, relish, canned orprocessed meat, tofu, chili peppers, meats with fruits

What is your personal specialty?

Omelets, pancakes and scalloped potatoes

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My paring knife

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Asian salad, cauliflower withwhite sauce, smoked ham, garden peas in their pods and tapioca pudding. No wait, the sampler platter at Yianni’s and tiramisu!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Lately, takeout from Fusion Noodle

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Yianni’s on a sunny Saturday afternoon

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

I would be in Greece, easting dolmades, spanokopita, humus with pita, lamb withgarlic, Greek salad with lots of olives and feta, rice, roasted potatoes, fresh calamari with lemon and onions – oh my goodness, my mouth is watering!

Self-serve Stir Fry: Mongolie Grill

Along with the tickets to Puppetry of the Penis, I was also lucky enough to receive a $25 gift certificate to Mongolie Grill from Vue Weekly. I decided to take advantage of it before a chocolate tasting, and met Amanda for dinner at the Jasper & 109 Street location of the restaurant on Friday.

Greeted by what seemed like one of five hostesses on staff, I was quickly led to a table and seated. It was still early evening, so the restaurant wasn’t that busy, but I could see that business would pick up as the night wore on. The dining room was a typical Western interpretation of Asian style – dark wood and dim lighting reminiscent of OPM. As I waited for my sister to arrive, I read over the instructions on the menu on how to build-your-own meal. Provided bowls were to be filled with vegetables, meats and seafood, and sauce(s) of one’s choosing, with each plate including soup, rice, and wraps to complete the meal.

I was a tad weary of the service I might receive, after a warning from Mack that staff weren’t that attentive, but I found our waitress pleasant and quite competent at juggling a few tables. She took our orders for soup, gave us our bowls, then explained that after choosing our ingredients, we would have our creations weighed, stir-fried, then brought to our tables directly.

A plethora of options greeted us at the fresh food bar, all clearly labeled, with a fair number of sauces to choose from as well. To be economical, knowing how heavy comparable ingredients are would help (e.g. mushrooms are fairly light), but overall, I liked the do-it-yourself concept because it does allow for healthy eating and balanced portions. At the same time, if the end result is inedible, one only has him or herself to blame.

I loaded up my bowl with a variety of vegetables, thin slices of AAA beef tenderloin, and ladles of honey garlic, teriyaki and Thai chili sauces (a combination recommended by the attendant). My bowl ended up with a price of $14.65. My sister stacked up her bowl, drizzling it with only teriyaki sauce, and had her portion priced at $21.23.

When we returned to our seats, small bowls of soup and bamboo steamers containing wraps and rice were waiting for us on the table. My hot and sour soup was too spicy for me to discern flavour from it, but Amanda’s corn chowder was quite good and hearty to boot.

We actually weren’t even finished with our soups when our plates arrived. I thought Amanda’s serving looked better than my own, but mine actually tasted better, if not only because I included more sauce than she did. The peanuts and tofu were a definite plus, but the lack of baby corn and onion had me wishing that I had lingered longer at the food bar. Unfortunately, the beef was tough, but this was not unexpected given the fact that the cooks are asked to blindly stir fry whatever is in a bowl at the same time.

Without the gift certificate, I would have considered our dinner a rather pricey one. But still, if your party includes those that are particular about what they eat, Mongolie Grill provides a comfortable and efficient venue for dining.

Interior

Fresh food bar

My bowl before cooking

Amanda’s bowl being weighed

Stir-fry station

Steamers with rice and wraps (I loved how tall the water glasses were)

My plate

Amanda’s plate

More Bakery than Cafe: Breadland Organic Whole Grain Bakery

After reading a backstory about the owners of Breadland Organic Bakery (11642 104 Avenue) in Vue Weekly last fall, I included it on my list of places to hit.

I convinced Cristy to come to Breadland with me for lunch on Wednesday. It took us a while to find the non-descript storefront in the maze of Oliver Square, but we eventually located the bakery next to Second Cup.

Breadland is known for their use of organic ingredients and spelt flour, a whole grain version that is apparently easier to digest. We entered the empty space, greeted by a quaint seating area decorated with care, and racks of fresh-baked loaves behind the counter. Two coolers held various desserts and lunch items. Breadland also sells organic chicken eggs and coffee from St. City Roasters.

I was hoping for more substantial lunch choices (as alluded to in the Vue Weekly article), but all Cristy and I had to choose from was a daily soup (vegetarian chili that day), a pizza, and a quiche. We agreed to split a slice of the sprouted spelt crust vegetarian pizza ($5) and a spelt spinach quiche ($4).

The servings were unfortunately small (or fortuitously small, allowing for consumption of dessert), and cold. We didn’t ask to have our portions heated, so perhaps it can be done, but I would assume that most of Breadland’s nearly year-old business comes from customers interested in takeaway only. In any case, the pizza, topped with an interesting mix of lentils and beans, was as good as a cold slice of pizza could have been. The quiche was the main attraction, however – with a base of buttery crust, the custardy filling was streaked with velvety cheese and spinach.

For dessert, we chose to share a chocolate croissant ($3), and a gluten free coconut cashew ball ($4). The coconut confection wasn’t my favorite, but the croissant was fresh – crisp and buttery, I would have actually preferred no filling, as the chocolate was a tad too sweet and concentrated for my liking.

More expensive than your conventional café and without too many options, Breadland isn’t an ideal place for lunch. That said, I wouldn’t mind stopping by to try out a loaf or two in the future.

Exterior

Interior

Fresh bread!

Dessert case

Lunch

Dessert

Quick as Atalanta: Opa Souvlaki

Looking for a quick pre-show dinner, Mack and I headed to Opa Souvlaki (8209 104 Street). May had good words to say about this chain, so I was excited to see if their food lived up to the expectations.

I’m not sure I’m totally sold on the design of the restaurant – the order counter is right by the door, potentially creating a logjam of patrons on busy days – but I can see how the friendly and engaging employee used it to his advantage, warmly greeting customers immediately as they entered Opa.

Mack and I surveyed the menu board above, and decided to order a Souvlaki Pita each ($4.99, 50cents extra for feta cheese). We had the choice of chicken, lamb pork, gyros, or fava, and we both opted for chicken. Mack also wanted to try their version of calamari ($4.99 for a side order).

Two pitas and two chicken skewers were placed on the grill, and once warmed through, we moved down the assembly line to have our wraps customized with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, and jalepenos. The calamari was freshly fried, tossed with salt and pepper and garnished with diced red onions.

We sat down at one of the handful of tables to savour our supper. The calamari was nice – crispy, light batter adorning rather large pieces of squid, it beat out similar dishes offered at more supposedly “high end” restaurants (Mr. Mike’s comes to mind). Secondly, the pita was great – haunted by memories of too much lemon at parsley, I was pleasantly surprised to find the tzatziki only mildly herby. The sauce complemented the tender chicken well, and supplemented with bites of fresh vegetables, made for a comfortably filling dish.

Inexpensive, efficient, and tasty, Opa Souvlaki provides a solid option for fast food on Whyte.

Menu

Pita assembly station

Calamari

Souvlaki Pita with Chicken

Big Box of Meals: IKEA

I spent an inordinate amount of time at IKEA (1311 102 Street) this weekend.

After an initial furniture-buying spree on Friday, Mack and I ended up returning to the big blue giant on both Saturday and Sunday to pick up odds and ends.

Though the environment wasn’t too happy with our errand-running, this did give us ample opportunity to try out the many food items IKEA has to offer. With cheap, fast, crowd-pleasing eats, the edible fare made the many trips there less of a drag.

Day 1: Supper

A discovery of the coolest little carts made my day. For those ordering multiple plates of food (or having to carry more than one tray back to the seating area), IKEA now ingeniously offers push carts that accommodate up to three trays!

Tray carts

I’ve written about their meatball plates in the past, so I won’t go into any more detail except to say that I am always satisfied with the consistent quality of their food.

Day 2: Breakfast

Trying to make the most of our day, we thought it would be best to start off early and shoot for the economical $1 breakfasts offered in the restaurant until 11am daily.

For one dollar, a small croissant, two sausages, home fries and a scoop of scrambled eggs can be had. Of course, most patrons opt to buy a drink or two as well, helping with the profit end of things. Even for a few extra dollars, there’s nothing like starting off a weekend in the bustling, bright airport-hangar of a cafeteria.

Who doesn’t love a good deal?
Day 3: Brunch

By the time we reached IKEA on Sunday, we had already missed the breakfast window, but I was actually keen on having something sweet anyway. The bistro on the main floor (next to the Swedish food mart) serves takeaway items like hot dogs (only 50cents!), soft drinks, and ice cream.

On that day, I decided upon the $2 cinnamon bun and coffee combo. While the bun could have been warmer, for that price, my complaints wouldn’t go very far.

Cinnamon bun

Probably encouraged by all of the children running around with similar confections, Mack decided to top off his carb treat with a non-fat frozen yogurt cone ($1).

Imitation ice cream makes Mack happy

So whatever you’re looking for – home furnishings or food – IKEA has it.

Edmonton Rediscovered

I feel like most of my pro-Edmonton posts will have a “Yes, but” subtext to them, as it is sometimes difficult to see the silver lining in a city that so pales in comparison with the urban Meccas of London and New York. Still, while it is inevitable to grow accustomed, and in many cases, tired, of one’s place of residence, it doesn’t mean what’s old cannot become new again, or at least rediscovered.

After my visits last year to the immensely walkable cities mentioned above, I have been wracking my brain to think of ways to explore Edmonton’s charm preferably on foot, in a season outside of the various and sundry summer festivals.

So here are a few of my half-day suggestions, either for yourself, or tourists that you hope will venture beyond West Edmonton Mall:

  • Legislature + Garneau: for a taste of history, the Legislature offers free year-round tours, with special mention always paid to the famous acoustic spot in the building. The Interpretive Centre is also worth a quick by for a silly photo-op great for kids (and the kid in all of us, of course). The grounds themselves should be taken in on their own right, and although lush in the warmer months, it’s worth a tranquil stroll or skate across the weather-permitting pond. Stop at Constable Ezio Farone Park across the way if another serene moment is needed. Walk across the historic High Level Bridge (the streetcar begins operation in May) to really appreciate beauty of the river valley, sparkling at dusk. Once across the bridge, a number of independent-minded eateries provide delicious incentives to relax and refuel: DaCapo Café, High Level Diner, Sugar Bowl, and Upper Crust.

    [googlemaps https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=101143178331377502259.00044bfac82491729caa6&s=AARTsJr0OV1rUZ2nuPyRtdpkYI0iUE2ZEw&ll=53.528626,-113.508682&spn=0.017857,0.036478&z=14&output=embed” frameborder=”0″ width=”425″ scrolling=”no” height=”350″>
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  • Royal Alberta Museum + grounds: the very charming Vi’s for Pies can make for a great start to the day, especially when learning is to follow on the menu. On weekends, the Royal Alberta Museum charges half price admission to those entering before 11am, or if preferred, stop by the Government House for a free tour of the building. Like the Legislature, the grounds surrounding the Museum are worth a gander, as well as the swanky residential homes in the area.

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  • High Street + Edmonton Film Society: start off with some art, with a number of galleries that participate in the Gallery Walk, free to peruse. 124 Street, often labelled a “more upscale Whyte Avenue”, the High Street area is also known for its chic boutiques and unique dining options. Check out cute clothing retailers Ginger and Red Ribbon, stationer Notables, kitchen supply haven Call the Kettle Black, and tea shop Acquired Taste. For the foodies, Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut is on the block, as is the most divine gelato in the city in my opinion, Bueno Gelato, and the notable eateries Urban Diner, Violino, and Matahari. To end off the evening (if this happens to be a Monday), consider joining the Edmonton Film Society for a movie. The Royal Alberta Museum Theatre serves as the current screening location, showcasing classic films that should not be forgotten. The showings are bereft of popcorn, but with a loyal audience that bursts into gasps, laughs, and spontaneous applause, it’s definitely more fun than the average apathetic group.

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  • Old Strathcona: start off with brunch or lunch, depending on the day, at Café Mosaics, New York Bagel Café, or Murrieta’s. If it’s a Saturday, head to the always-festive Farmer’s Market for live entertainment, bustling crowds, and organic, locally-produced wares. A pay-what-you-can matinee over at the Varscona Theatre is a possibility on a Saturday, but so is an early screening at the historic Princess Theatre. Afterwards, you may still have a bit of time to do some shopping – affordable jewelry at the Plaid Giraffe, something vintage from the Junque Cellar, or a unique gift item from the Tin Box? To round off the afternoon, why not stop by the giant Stanley Cup in the parking lot of United Cycle and reminisce over what could have been?

Healthy Eats: Cafe Mosaics

I met Amanda for lunch at Cafe Mosaics (10844 82 Avenue) on Friday, just before our intention to browse the shops on Whyte Avenue.

I had only been to the Cafe once before, less than a year ago for dinner. I remembered it to be charming, with decent service and solid entree options. Though our main reason for choosing Cafe Mosaics that day was to use the 2-for-1 coupon I had, I thought it would be a good opportunity to giver their lunch menu a try as well.

Arriving at about a quarter after 1pm was a bad idea – with no tables and no real room to stand by the door, perhaps we should have planned for a later meeting time. At any rate, I waited patiently to no avail for one of the two waiters to acknowledge my existence, and perhaps give me an estimate on the time for a table. I ended up having to approach them at the counter myself. Thankfully, things went a lot better after I sat down.

With vegetarian and vegan takes on sandwiches, soups, and salads, Amanda and I were “forced” to eat healthy. I was impressed that the sandwiches came with a choice of one of five sides, including soup, house/Caesar salad, chips and salsa/hummus, hashbrowns, or rice. She squirmed a bit with her order, but decided to take a risk on the Tofu Clubhouse ($10.95) with its thinly sliced grilled tofu, lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and cheddar, and a Caesar salad. I decided on the Grilled Mozza Pita ($10.95), with tomato, mozza, spinach and onion and a side of their daily soup.

Our plates arrived hot not too long after we ordered – no surprise since the restaurant was emptying out by that time. Amanda said that she barely registered the tofu in her sandwich, but that her salad was a little overdrenched with dressing. My pita was a great combination of fresh vegetables, with a generous amount of cheese binding the filling together, and best of all – would be an easy dish to duplicate at home.

Though we were left wondering if every table except ours was given a complimentary slice of chocolate cake, we couldn’t argue against the value of an $11.50 (excluding tip) lunch for two.

Interior (I love the bread clock!)

Menu

Tofu Clubhouse with Cesar Salad

Grilled Mozza Pita with Vegan French Onion Soup

Culinary Q & A with Gord

Occupation: Retired Student. Couch Tester. Human Garbage Disposal.

What did you eat today?

I had to answer this so early in the morning. Unfortunately it’s exam season, so my dietary habits are about as poor as they can be. I’m back on the Coffee (a food group unto itself) and while I do normally enjoy a muffin at the bus-stop, I’ve been working on emptying the fruit bowl before it goes bad. Therefore, I had a mandarin for breakfast. I can tell you with certainty however, that I’m having Garage Burger for dinner. More on that later.

What do you never eat?

If I were starving, I would eat anything. See occupation. However given the nature of modern western gluttony, I have my pick of what I don’t eat. After hearing a story about Lobster, it is one of the last things I would ever order. I won’t go into detail, because it would ruin Lobster for you as well.

In the interest of being polite, I’ll eat my brussel sprouts or kidney beans. It’s extremely rare for me to leave something on my plate. However I’ve become quite accustom to cutting the gristle off my meat and throwing out the toast which I burn too badly.

I guess to that end if something is cooked poorly, I’ll let you know by leaving it behind.

Overcooked steak is gross. I don’t eat leather.

What is your personal specialty?

In regards to my favourite foods, or what I prefer to cook? If I had to make a meal for a king, it would be my Monolithic French Toast.

Thick sliced raisin bread is the only way to go. Cut the bread in half before you go any further.

Crack your eggs into a square shaped Tupperware container, into which bread naturally fits. A round bowl is not conducive to this exercise.

Adding water or milk to your eggs is a mistake. Adding cinnamon to this step makes more sense than adding it after cooked. Keep in mind that you must strongly whip the eggs and cinnamon, in order for it to mix properly (if at all). Leave the bread pieces in the egg longer than you think you need to. You want the bread permeated all the way through, not just on the surface.

With a single half-piece of bread added to the un-oiled frying pan, slide the second half-piece soft side to crust, such that the pieces smoosh into each other a little. Continue this practice until the pan is filled with 4-5 pieces of bread, all intertwined. Pour some of your egg-batter between any remaining spaces, and wait for it to cook. Once cooked, allow it a little longer. Not burned, but enough that it is nearly dry on top. Once that point is reached, you should have only 1 solid mass to flip.

Because you’ve left it longer on the first side, cooking on the second side is primarily to allow it to brown. Sliding the Monolithic French Toast off the pan onto a plate is your last step. Personally I suggest butter or margarine WITHOUT syrup. If you didn’t leave the bread in the batter long enough, your toast might be dry and still require some syrup.

If you’re feeling too skinny, add Mangoes and Whipped cream for a sugary delight.


As for my specialty to devour, Toad in the Hole with beef Gravy is my favourite. Effectively a massive YorkShire pudding with breakfast sausages dispersed throughout, smothered in delicious gravy. Ok, now I’m making myself hungry.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

I’m a sucker for a sharp knife. Without that, any kitchen is an exercise in frustration. However since I don’t want to steal Andrea’s answer, I’ll select the Banana Peeler. The hardest object in a kitchen to find. Confidently ask someone to fetch if for you. Observe their progress,

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

First and foremost, my plate better be served warm. There are few things worse than food served on a cold plate. Now onto the stuffs.

Prime Rib Roast, rare.
Chunky Mashed Potatoes, gravy.
Large Slice BBQ’ed Vegetables (green beans, red & green peppers, onion) with Sea-salt and Balsamic Vinegar.
Ontario Grown Peaches & Cream Corn on the Cob with a stick of butter for rolling.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.
Yorkshire Pudding, gravy.

All this served on a spaceship bound for somewhere that the world isn’t ending.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

The Garage Burger Bar. Proximity to school as well as the fact that my grandfather bought me $100 in gift certificates for Christmas present an excellent opportunity for a broke student to eat out on a bi-weekly basis.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

It really depends on what you’re looking for. Unfortunately I find as places get popular, their quality of operation declines for pursuit of the almighty buck.

I was a huge fan of Pita Pit’s Chicken Cesar Pita years ago. But as they got popular their quality tanked. Same goes for Funky Pickle’s Hotdog & 3 Cheese Pizza.

Chicago Deep Dish pizza (downtown location) has the GREASIEST thickest Pizza you’ll ever eat. 1-2 pieces is enough to fill ME. That speaks volumes.

Richard’s Donair in Sherwood Park has the best Jumo Donair I’ve ever had. But those are ‘After Bar’ food ideas. If you’re looking for quality dining or a personable dinner experience you have to broaden the scope.

‘A taste of India’ in Sherwood Park has an excellent Indian Buffet. I discovered the restaurant only after my sister worked there as a server. They bring their cooks over on temporary visa’s from India. The recipes are family secrets and their Nan-bread is the best you’ll have.

“Where everybody knows your name” is a typical business practice that keeps me coming back.
Chicken for Lunch and sister restaurant The Lingnan, have had my business for many years for their personal attitude and quality food. The Garage Burger bar is in the same category. The food’s good too (Amy’s Chicken and Cajun Burger are my staples respectively).

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

While I don’t want to sound pompous, we live in a multicultural country where all of the best things on the planet are brought to us directly. I’ve had Pizza in Italy. I’ve eaten french bread in France. I think that Canadians have taken the base idea from these foods, and isolated their strongest points. Alternatively, like with the ‘Taste of India’ example, those international cooks can come to us! While the foreign experience is an interesting change, I do so enjoy my cuisine in Canada. Granted some Canadian is a big place and poutine gets better the further East you move…

However there are international things I’ve always wanted to try. I refuse to drink Guinness until I’m at a bar in Ireland. That’s the only way to know it’s the real experience. Belgian beer also makes Canadian beer look rather silly.

I’ve always wanted to try Rat. I figure there are only a few places in the world where that’ll ever happen. I’ve also heard good things about Kangaroo.

Finally, living in Edmonton it is impossible to come across quality fresh fish. Something about being a land-locked province I guess. Luckily if I want sushi or fish in general, my brother lives in Richmond, walking distance from several fish markets.