Category: restaurants

Culinary Q & A with Violet

Occupation: Assistant Coordinator and Instructor, but secretly wishing I was a Madonna impersonator

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Toast with peanut butter and a banana
Lunch: Buffet at Khazana with fresh fruit for dessert
Dinner: Rice, eggplant, fish and tofu
Snack: Couple of Pringles

What do you never eat?

Chicken feet

What is your personal specialty?

Chinese style spaghetti as my mum used to make

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Cleaver, I use it to cut just about everything and Tupperware peeler that has lasted forever

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Tofu with broccoli and chicken, anything with seafood, and sushi

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Usually somewhere serving Asian food

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Vietnamese- La Pagode (cheap and good portion size) and Doans (good portion sizes but slow service)
Japanese- Banzai (always have coupons) and Ichiban (bento boxes are always reliable)
Malaysian- Tropika (look for coupons, mango dessert is yummy)
Chinese- Sai Woo Garden (good calamari and cheap but don’t show me the kitchen)
Greek- It’s All Greek to Me (love the potatoes)
Indian- Khazana (can’t go wrong with the buffet)
Everything else- Moxies west end (go for Margarita Tuesdays and a white chocolate brownie in this newly renovated hot spot)
Madison’s Grill (good place for business lunches)

The Entertainment book has lots of 2 for 1 coupons for some great places. I’m a frugal diner 🙂

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

The best seafood I’ve ever had was while cruising (and Vegas) so I’d love to be on deck watching waves in the middle of the ocean enjoying scallops, shrimp,clams, and mussels with pasta and a fresh fruit tart dessert.

Warm and Inviting: Free Press Bistro

Dickson and I met up after work today for a quick bite to eat. He insisted on something “warm” (what can I say? He’s an articulate one), and I suggested the Free Press Bistro (10014-104 Street).

Until recently, the restaurant belonged to the Original Fare collective, a group of independently-owned eateries in the city. The following is an excerpt from an interview with Natasha Shekhter-Chapman, one of the proprietors of Free Press, distributed in the November 2006 Original Fare newsletter:

“Our concept is to do non-processed panini’s. What I found with panini’s is that most of them are processed, generic food. Whereas here the chicken is roasted, the pork is pulled. Everything down to our desserts we make here. For us it is about non-processed, unique, healthy, incorporating all different aspects of the world. You look at our menu and we’ve got Thai and Vietnamese, and then we have the French, the Cajun, kind of all over the world but combining them all into a very basic thing. Everybody loves sandwiches.”

I’d been there once prior, almost a year ago, on a similarly blustery day, but wasn’t too impressed with the food at that time, however. Just a stone’s throw (okay, maybe more like a punt) away from Bay Station, it’s in quite a convenient downtown location.

The restaurant was cozy and inviting, and even more so as the dimmed lighting brought out the warmth in the earth toned walls. Non-obtrusive vintage newspapers accented the dining room, a theme continued on their colorful menus. While I wasn’t a huge fan of their furniture (clunky metal and tacky pink), the calming ambiance somewhat made up for it.

To start, we ordered the intriguing Chip Butty, an apparent spin on a British pub classic, with fries and mozza grilled between Ciabatta bread. For our main plates, I went with the Chicken Parmesan (breaded chicken, tomato sauce, mozzarella), while Dickson chose the Free Press Club (chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon).

The Chip Butty came soon enough, and my, it may be my new favorite sandwich. The combination of french fries and melted cheese encased in crisp Ciabatta tasted heavenly and had it been served with gravy instead of a lemon dill aioli, it could have been considered a ‘poutine sandwich.’ Come to think of it, perhaps I should add a panini grill to my kitchen wish list.

As for our entrees – the chicken in mine was a tad on the dry side, but using ketchup for dipping, it wasn’t too noticeable. The star of the sandwich was indeed the bread. Dickson wondered if they baked it on-site. Based on their interview excerpt above, I’d hope so. Lastly, the fries were of the shoestring variety (which I normally dislike), but I didn’t mind them on this occasion.

While I’m happy to say I had a good experience this time around, I may have to return to see if they can remain consistent with both the service and the food.

Restaurant interior

Cool menu

Chip Butty with Lemon Dill Aioli

Club Sandwich (with a dollop of ketchup because Dickson couldn’t wait to dig in)

Chicken Parmesan

Culinary Q & A with Dickson

Occupation:

Day: Evil Overlord
Night: Math Tutor

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
Lunch: Sticky rice.
Dinner: Instant Noodles.
Late night snack: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes

What do you never eat?

Raw meat – especially fish

What is your personal specialty?

Beefy Cheesy Pasta – now with tomatoes!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Oven/Microwave

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Appetizer: I’ve never cared too much about appetizers so I’m just going to say Chicken Salad and today’s soup!
Main course: A 12 oz kobe beef steak, lobster dipped in melted butter, mash potatoes with greens smothered in gravy. Extra salt.
Dessert: Creme Brulee and Apple Pie from Joey’s

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I like to give equal patronage to the various restaurants around town so every few weeks I rotate. My rotation so far:

Tokyo Express
Pagolac
Denny’s
Garden Bakery
All Happy
Denny’s

Current Rotation: Sam Wok

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

My two favorite dishes are steak and pho. So I’m going to have to vote for KEG and Doan’s (though I’ve just been told King Noodle House has the best pho in town so my vote may change).

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

International House of Pancakes. What can I say? I’m an expensive eater 🙂

But really, I don’t think I’ve travelled enough to give this question a thoughtful answer.

Dickson cooking up his specialty
(it also happens to be his birthday today – Happy Birthday!)

Quietly Authentic: Sushi Wasabi

Following the play, Annie and I went to Sushi Wasabi (5714-111 Street) for dinner.

Tucked away in the Lendrum strip mall, I was somewhat surprised that such a nondescript eatery could draw the constant patronage that it did that night. And this led to one of the downsides of the restaurant – because of the table demand (and limited seating), we weren’t able to dawdle and chat as long as we would have liked.

Annie assured me that their food was very authentic, which explained to some degree their higher-than-average prices. Thankfully, I managed to find something on the menu that didn’t involve raw food or fish – the Shichmiyaki Chicken (chicken marinated in Teriyaki sauce served with bean sprouts). I also ordered a side of Miso Soup. Annie opted for the Bento Box, which also came with Miso Soup.

Before our food came, the waitress brought hot towels for us. I felt like I was on a Singapore Airlines flight! It was nicely refreshing. Our soups arrived shortly after, which I found less salty than Kyoto’s version. As for the chicken – it was definitely better than Mikado’s beef equivalent. Lightly fried, then cooked with Teriyaki sauce, the morsels were delightfully crispy and delicately flavored. And though the portion size was fair, on hungrier nights, I’d likely order an appetizer for good measure.

With great service and good food, I can see why Sushi Wasabi is so popular and in such high regard.

Restaurant interior

Miso Soup

Bento Box

Shichmiyaki Chicken

Sub-par Pho: King Noodle House

Dickson had been referred to King Noodle House (10613-97 Street) by a friend who claimed it boasted the best pho in the city. Emboldened by such a high recommendation, we sought to put it to the test on Friday.

The furniture was clearly from another era, seemingly having been transplanted from an 80s bar. The variations of pho offered were numerous, taking up at least eighty percent of their menu. Clipped inside the plastic jackets as well were copies of two favorable reviews from the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun. I ended up selecting pho with beef balls and flank, while Dickson chose the special #2 (containing a number of things I can’t recall).

The food came lightning quick, perhaps only two minutes behind the record set by Pho Hoa. My dish arrived with plenty of cilantro (hurrah), but all of it had already been submerged in the soup (boo). I found the meat portion small, but worst of all, the soup base was sub-par – oily and lacking flavor, it was rather disappointing. It definitely left me unsatisfied and in longing for a replacement bowl from either Pagolac or Doan’s.

Next up for pho firsts: V’s (#111, 4990-92 Avenue).

Restaurant interior

In place of an actual fish tank

Special #2

Pho with Beef Balls and Flank

Culinary Q & A with Annie

Occupation: Teacher, President of the Professional Procrastinators’ Club, sexy Paramagnus intern, ex-fanfic writer, and sane-person-wannabe.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Warm cranberry crumble with ice cream (at 9:30 in the morning…that is what my Dept Head decided to bring to school for our PD…it was delicious but I’ve NEVER eaten ice cream at such an hour. I am a strong believer that you don’t eat junk food at least until 10:30 a.m.).

Lunch: SwissChalet’s rotisserie chicken with a Caesar salad and sautéed mushrooms and an iced tea. And may I comment that SwissChalet’s gravy ALWAYS taste like DOG FOOD. It was so gross I ended up using trusty salt and pepper.

Snack: A baby container of Silhouette yoghurt. And a leftover cup of organic coffee that nobody wanted after the PD meeting. It was from the pot and I couldn’t bear to dump it.

Dinner: A nutritious breakfast: 1 cup of Kellogg’s Special Flakes (Vanilla Almond), a toasted sesame bagel with garlic & herb cream cheese, and an orange juice.

Snack: Bowl of apples and strawberries.

What do you never eat?

Donkeys, dogs, and cats.

What is your personal specialty?

Chewy, crystal-like spicy Korean instant noodles. You really have to be an expert microwave/electric water kettle user to tackle this feat.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

I was going to say spatula…but I think I’ll go with chopsticks. You can beat eggs with them, panfry your fish or whatever with them…eat with them…use them as skewers/toothpicks…and oh, they are great for drumming and hitting your dog with.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Appetizer: Chinese cold dish of jellyfish in sesame oil and my Dad’s famous shrimp salad (he always puts in tiny cubes of celery and apples for texture…works VERY well with the shrimpies)
Main course: A bento of sushi (especially tamago, avacado/tempura, and inari ~ you know, that one with the sweet tofu wrap! ) & sashimi (tuna, salmon, and beef).

My Grandma or Grandpa’s ginger fried rice…the story here is that this is what I survived on while on a train trip to Mainland China…I couldn’t eat anything else until we got to our destination. Whenever there was a stop, there would be vendors on the train platform, trying to sell us rice bentos…the problem was…I think they made the bentos on the street…every bite I took, there was SAND…and I remember my Mom finding tiny pebbles in it. YUM. This is how they made their living; I think they did their best for what they have.

A lotus seed bun. This is one of the most vivid memories I have of my Grandpa…when I was really little, he used to take me to DimSum in Hong Kong and I always loved lotus seed buns. When the waiter drops the bamboo steamer of lotus seed buns at our table, my Grandpa would immediately grab one, take the paper on the bottom off, carefully break the bun in half, and then blow on it to cool it down…and then he’d smile and give it to me. You have no idea how I can feel so loved from such a simple gesture. And he laughed when I told him this when he was visiting us in 2005…a good 20 years later.

Some BBQ pork & rice. When I was in kindergarten, my Principal/headmaster used to babysit me for my Grandma while she worked…she loved me and always took me out for lunch and BBQ pork with rice was my favourite. My headmaster also bought me my first plastic baby grand piano with its own stool! They lubbed me!

Dessert: A Japanese rice green tea. Some matcha (green tea) ice cream. Thai Sticky Rice with Mangoes. Bailey’s cheesecake. Fresh fruit. Clearly, all this stuff should be in the main course anyway.I’d probably die from eating all this food …no need to wait for the end of the world…but I digress…

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I want to firstly say ‘ew’ to Mackenzie Male who put down “Denny’s”. Hehe.
I’d say “Tokyo Express”.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Marco Polo in Chinatown! HAHAHA. Yes, if I want to eat cockroach bits.

Actually, I’d say the La Ronde with their beautiful, well-stocked brunch buffet. Omelettes made to order…woohoo! And the scenery. Nothing beats a rotating restaurant. Worth my 28 bucks or whatever.

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

I suppose I will have to eat all the fresh sashimi in Japan. Spicy rice cakes in Korea. And last but not least, go to Spain and try this scary sounding Hake fish thing. I’d like the gigantic cooked eyeballs…very chewy.

My God…it’s all seafood! Um, how about breadfruit? Never tried that.

BON APPETIT!

Culinary Q & A with Amanda

Occupation: University student

What did you eat today?

I ate leftover taco for lunch and for dinner i had cauliflower and mushrooms

What do you never eat?

I never eat aspargus or brussel sprouts (ew)

What is your personal specialty?

I can’t cook but a can make a killer big breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, toast and hashbrowns

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Probably a butter spreader or your bread will taste like shit

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

All you can eat buffet ( pizza, club sandwiches, tomatos, bacon, californian rolls)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

McDonalds

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Banzai (with a 2 for 1 coupon)

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

There’s nothing I want to eat that I can’t get here

Annie’s Birthday: Joey’s Global Grill and Dirty Minds

Last night, Mack, Dickson and I helped Annie celebrate her birthday, starting with dinner at Joey’s Global Grill & Lounge (9911-19 Avenue).

A restaurant I have been to numerous times since it opened a few years ago, it defines the “casual upscale” movement, and appears not to hire waitresses a day over 25. It was a typical Saturday night, where the wait time for a table was between forty five and sixty minutes. Luckily, Mack and Dickson arrived early enough to counter the fashionably late females.

My order was sadly predictable – the Wild Mushroom Soup and Caesar Salad. Unfortunately, not much else on their menu appeals to me (it is actually remarkably similar to the offerings found at Earl’s, but slightly better). Still, the soup is consistently excellent, so I can’t complain – creamy, sweet, and served with just enough mushrooms – it is the perfect choice to temper a cold winter’s night.

Ginger beef appetizer

Bellini (it has been much too long since my last Bellini)

Wild Mushroom Soup & Caesar Salad

Mack’s Lobster Ravioli

Dickson’s Quarter Chicken

Annie’s Chicken & Ribs

Present time!

Us

After dinner, we headed back to my house for dessert, movies, and a trial run of Dirty Minds. Dickson and Mack thought they’d try to bypass a quick trip to the grocery store by heading straight to my house, betting that my family would welcome them inside with open arms. A quick phone call to my Dad ensured that didn’t happen, and is one of the many reasons I love my family – they actually let the boys wait outside on the porch until Annie and I returned. Sure, I felt a teeny bit guilty, but it was a good opportunity for them to test out the warmth of their winter jackets.

No dice!

Before watching Scary Movie 4 (crap) and The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (incredible stunt driving), we played More Dirty Minds. It was pretty fun, with Dickson even coming up with a teaser of his own! Annie and I ended up beating them through the luck of the cards we drew.

Dickson engrossed in his clues

Annie’s D-i-r-t-y

It was a nice night overall. Happy birthday, Annie!

Culinary Q & A with Mack

Occupation: Among other things, I’m a geek, a programmer, a blogger, a podcaster, a businessman and a student.

What did you eat today?

Nothing yet, unless you count a Grande Starbucks House Blend. (It is currently 7:29 PM). I intend to go home and eat fish and rice, however.

What do you never eat?

Peanuts…sadly, I am allergic. Though I suppose I can’t say I “never” eat them. My friends have been known to “accidentally” include them in a dish.

What is your personal specialty?

I’m pretty good at making grilled cheese :).

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Wooden spoon. It’s a versatile item for cooking, and can easily be used as a weapon as well.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Lobster stuffed with tacos! Haha…I guess I’d like a really good steak, Keg classic style, medium, with sautéed mushrooms, rice, and a side of lobster tail for good measure. Followed with carrot cake and cream cheese icing for dessert.

Or, if I had to choose something from a restaurant, I’d pick the Royal Red Robin Burger. You can read the description at http://www.canadarobin.com/Menu-GourmetBurgers.html.

And of course, whatever I eat would be served with Coca-Cola Classic.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Denny’s or perhaps McDonald’s. Or Starbucks if you count coffee as eating out.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I’m sure it’s not the “best”, but I rather like the Old Spaghetti Factory downtown. The food is always pretty good, and the service is usually excellent. It’s in a decent location, and the decor is friendly and inviting.

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

Some sort of “fast food” Chinese, on Sydney harbor.

Mack learning how not to break egg yolks

Surprisingly Efficient: Boston Pizza

Mack and I needed a quick dinner fix yesterday evening before our 8pm play, and passing up on several shady-looking neighborhood haunts, resigned to the nearby Boston Pizza (10543-124 Street).

I am ashamed that my food adventures in high school were limited to the downtown BPs on Jasper Avenue. It was our favorite eating establishment out of general laziness and naiveté to what the culinary scene had to offer. As such, I am now very reluctant to retread my adolescent dining roots and avoid the chain whenever possible. But on this night, our hands were tied, so between the Mr. Sub on the corner and the Oilers game beaming from the lounge inside, Boston Pizza was a welcome option.

As our time was limited, we made sure to check the prep time on our food, and on the server’s promise that our medium pepperoni and mushroom pizza would be done in ten minutes, we watched the clock and waited.

And arrive it did(!) – hot, and on time – count me as both surprised and extremely pleased. Nor was it badly made (though I would have called for a tad more mushrooms).

Topped off with a friendly and cheerful waitress, I would highly recommend this off-the-beaten track Boston Pizza…who knew it could be a dining destination for the theatrically-inclined?

Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza