Well-rounded Lunch: Cibo Bistro

Cibo Bistro was the chosen restaurant for an appreciation lunch scheduled two weeks ago. I had recommended it based partly on its central location and attached parking, but also because I had heard their lunch menu was worth trying. Cibo was new to everyone in our group.

Cibo Bistro is located in the former Tesoro storefront in Oliver square. Similar to its predecessor, the space was pleasant, but felt far from warm, something especially evident on that dreary day. The walls looked bleak and grey, and the high ceiling seemed more imposing than grand. Our large group was actually seated in the only bright spot in the dining room – a raised, semi-enclosed area lit by an incandescent fixture. That said, it was quite busy on a random Tuesday, so I’d imagine the food to be the ultimate draw.

Interior

I loved their mobile menu – instead of individual folders, a chalkboard and easel was set up by our table. It speaks to the flexibility of the kitchen and a desire to keep things fresh for regulars. Though the menu was short, the half dozen soup, sandwich, pizza and pasta options were interesting enough to capture the appetites in our group. All full entrees were also priced at $10, a nice round number easy to digest.

Service was steady and consistent, and the servers made sure we were well taken care of throughout our meal. Our food also arrived in good time, and all plates for our party of six were hot. Several of us had ordered the meatball sandwich with tomato basil jam, arugula and prosciutto. It was a bit small for my liking, but I have to say that I thought it was ingenious that the meatballs were halved to make it easier to eat! I enjoyed the springy bread, and the meatballs were moist with enough fat for flavour. The side of roasted red pepper soup was on the sweet side, but I liked the consistency.

Meatball sandwich

The pizza frita with prosciutto, fig, mint and arugula was also very well received, but the bucatini with white wine, asparagus, garlic and tomato was less so, with my colleague commenting that it was very greasy.

Pizza frita with prosciutto, fig, mint and arugula

Bucatini with white wine, asparagus, garlic and tomato

We decided to split a dessert, and on the server’s recommendation, ordered the chocolate trio ($13). It really was a work of art, between the Frangelico and milk chocolate mousse served in the jar, white chocolate gelato topped with hazelnut brittle, and the slice of dark chocolate tart. But I was glad we ended up sharing it six ways, because it would have been much too decadent for one person alone. Though each dessert could have stood on its own, the star of this plate was no doubt the silky smooth chocolate tart.

Chocolate trio

Based on this experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to return again for lunch, though mostly, it makes me want to try out their dinner menu. Until next time!

Cibo Bistro
11244 – 104 Avenue
780-757-2426

City Market Report: Week 5

It was another Saturday perfect for a stroll down the aisles of the City Market!

Busy market square

Mack and I had a blissfully late start to the morning – great for us, not so great for our grocery list. Though we were still able to pick up most things, we were out of luck on a few basics. Early birds are definitely rewarded!

Green onions from Kuhlmann’s

Spinach from Kuhlmann’s

The south end of the market continues to be configured with vendors back-to-back along the centre of the street. At present, the market is looking for feedback from shoppers on this orientation, so make sure you share your opinion with them on Facebook or Twitter, or in person the next time you’re there.

We did make sure to tuck around the alley to check out Bikeology taking place in Beaver Hills Park. I thought the event organizers did a great job of making the space feel warm and inviting.

When we arrived, we found a bike tune-up station, some spin cyclists doing their thing and a stunt performer demonstrating his skills!

What I was most looking forward to was the pedal-powered smoothies. I had read about this several years ago, but never had a chance to try it. Mack and I both gave it a whirl, and enjoyed the blended results!

Mack checks out the progress of his smoothie

Whee!

It was a great Saturday to be out – hope you enjoyed your day as well!

The Cooking Chronicles: Baked Comfort

As far as comfort foods go, baked pastas are pretty high up on my hit list. We definitely have our favourites, but I’m always willing to experiment with other recipes as well. We recently tried two new dishes, and one came out with much better results than the other.

Baked Rigatoni with Béchamel Sauce

With leftover béchamel sauce from a lasagna made earlier in the week, I decided to use it up by making Giada’s baked rigatoni with béchamel sauce.

The recipe was easy – maybe too easy – and just involved mixing prosciutto-and cheese-spiked béchamel with cooked rigatoni, transferring the mixture into a baking dish, then topping it with cheese before baking. The only change I made to the recipe was substituting the mozzarella I had kicking around in the fridge for the fontina.

Baked rigatoni with béchamel sauce

While it wasn’t a complete failure, it just wasn’t all that interesting or tasty. It also had to be consumed right out of the oven, as the pasta became limp and dry without enough béchamel to keep it moist. Even Mack, who came home later that evening, found that the pasta had already passed its prime.

Baked Mac & Cheese with Little White beans

We had much better luck with baked mac & cheese with little white beans, from Spilling the Beans. Similar to the risotto we had tried last month, this recipe sneaks in little white beans, covert in creamy white sauce.

Even without the beans, the recipe would have been a fine rendition of mac and cheese, with just the right amount of cheesy goodness (we used a mixture of old cheddar and gouda), and a crispy, buttery panko crust (I substituted panko for the whole wheat bread). With the beans, some of the guilt of eating such a calorically-high dish was dissipated, especially given the serving size could be reduced with the addition of a filling and healthy protein.

Baked mac & cheese with little white beans

Best of all, we had loads of leftovers that reheated very well. Mack was a happy camper for a few days with this lunch to look forward to! Thanks Julie and Sue for another great recipe for the repertoire.

Patio Party at the Mac

Last Monday, Mack and I headed over to the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald to help celebrate the launch of their patio. It had opened for the season on the previous Friday, but they wanted to offer the media and other writers a formal opportunity to have a chance to try their outdoor barbecue menu. And although the skies threatened rain, it held off long enough for us to enjoy one of Edmonton’s most beautiful river valley vantage points.

Hotel MacDonald

Mack and I started off with a drink. He chose a Quebec beer by Unibroue, which he liked well enough. I had to try their feature cocktail, the Pimms Cup, perfect given the Queen’s Jubilee celebration was taking place that weekend. Made with Pimms, ginger ale, simple syrup, lime juice and a slice of cucumber, it was a refreshing drink to sip while taking in the view.

Pimms

In terms of food, it was hard to resist the dozen different appetizers that floated by on platters (most of the dishes we tried that night are available on the Confederation Lounge BBQ menu). We were tantalized by the aromas coming off the grill all evening – it was a good reminder that Mack and I have yet to fire up our own barbecue yet this season.

My favourite bites included the Moroccan-spiced lamb kofta kebab, served on warmed pita bread with feta and a cucumber yogurt sauce. The lamb was moist and so flavourful; I am certain that those who typically shy away from lamb would see the light with this dish.

Moroccan-spiced lamb kofta

The Alberta beef sliders also caught my attention with their whimsical presentation. The Canadian whisky BBQ sauce had been portioned into individual pipettes that not only held the sliders together, but also allowed guests to garnish their own burgers! Although we were told that these mini syringes were special for the event, I am hoping they will reconsider this given how much of a frenzy they caused!

Alberta beef sliders

Mack liked the spicy chipotle and honey-glazed chicken skewers with roasted mango. Chicken satay are a staple at my parents’ house in the summer, so it was an interesting version lightened up with fruit.

Chicken skewers with roasted mango

Mack also enjoyed the chocolate-dipped cheesecake lollipops. With the rising popularity of cake pops, I could see this dessert being requested in lieu of cupcakes at any weddings hosted at the hotel.

Cheesecake lollipops

The only appetizer that we really didn’t enjoy was the lime and ginger shrimp ceviche. By the time it reached us, it was mottled grey in colour.

Shrimp ceviche with tomato water caesar

We took some time to take in the patio itself. Although it wasn’t quite in full bloom yet, there were many colourful containers to admire, and Chef Andrew Ihasz had planted an herb garden on the deck below the week prior.

In all its glory

Herb garden

Parting shot

Thanks again to the staff of Hotel Macdonald for the invitation, and for their warm hospitality that evening. Although it may not be the patio that is top of mind for most Edmontonians, it should be, with its spectacular views and approachable menu. Make the most of our short patio season and plan to visit this summer!

Confederation Lounge @ Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
10065 100 Street
(780) 424-5181
Monday-Saturday 11am-1am, Sunday 11am-midnight

Ramen In No Man’s Land: Nomiya

After picking up some gardening supplies at Canadian Tire two weekends ago, we thought it might be a good opportunity to finally try Nomiya, which has made mostly positive impressions in the blogosphere.

We headed inside to take a closer look at the menu. Though Mack wasn’t initially in the mood for Japanese, I won him over by pointing out that Nomiya had a teriyaki rice bowl on the menu (ever-present on local Japanese restaurant menus, but for good reason).

Just after we were seated, we found out that we were nearing the last call for lunch, so we quickly scanned the menu and ordered. Nomiya’s focus seemed to be on ramen, but they also had a healthy selection of appetizers, sushi, and a few rice-based bowls. Featuring colour photos, it was also easy for those new to this type of cuisine to choose based on pictures alone. Mack decided on the aforementioned teriyaki chicken donburi ($10.95), which came with either miso soup or salad, while I chose the buta kakuni ($11), a miso-based ramen with marinated Japanese pork belly.

While we waited for our food, we admired the modest but charming interior. I liked the dark wood framing around several of the booths, while the small sushi prep station was aglow in a burst of light, a visual reminder to diners that sushi is also available to them.

Mack at Nomiya

Mack enjoyed his lunch well enough. The chicken, lightly breaded, was tender and tasty, while the vegetables were mostly cooked well. Sweet potato was the one exception, hard and inedible as it was.

Teriyaki chicken bowl

My friend Annie had mentioned that she preferred Nomiya’s ramen to Meguro’s, and for the most part, I agree with her. The soup base was nicely balanced and well-seasoned, while the noodles held their own with a chewy perfection. What I could have done without was the pork belly – with a ratio of fat to meat close to 3:1, I couldn’t bring myself to eat more than one piece. Perhaps this is just personal preference, but the fat layers were an unappetizing shade of grey.

Buta kakuni ramen

On the bright side, the service was polite and attentive, and in spite of the fact that we were the last party in the restaurant before their dinner break, we never felt rushed. And if we were in this no-man’s land of good food options again, we would certainly not hesitate to stop in. I would just know to select a different protein on the next occasion.

Nomiya
646, 3803 Calgary Trail
(780) 462-1300

Food Notes for June 11, 2012

Thanks to everyone who braved the overcast conditions on Saturday and came out to What the Truck?! We were thankful that the rain held out for a solid three hours. If you didn’t make it out, consider coming to Truck Stop this Wednesday at McIntyre Park. On to this week’s food notes:

Help Cally’s Teas (10151 Whyte Avenue) celebrate their grand reopening on June 16 from 10am-6pm. There will be tea samples, specials and treats.
Press’d is holding a Customer Appreciation Day on June 16 from 11am-3pm at its Courtyard location (11214 Jasper Ave). All sandwiches are just $1! Also announced last week – Press’d is expanding with a location at 34 Avenue and Gateway Boulevard and another in Sherwood Park.
Amber’s Brewery is looking for a new home – they will need to relocate as of July 1, 2012, because their rent in their current location will be increasing threefold.
Good luck to Chris Delaney (of the forthcoming food truck Big City Sandwich), in being shortlisted to compete in Ace Bakery’s Canada-wide sandwich competition with his tequila lime chicken sandwich.
Transcend’s Josh Hockin is in Vienna this week to compete in the World Barista Championships. Bring home the gold, Josh!
There was a great piece in the Journal about Chef Nate Box – can you imagine if every neighbourhood in the city had their version of Elm Cafe?
Make sure you check out Liane’s story about some of the up-and-coming eateries on Alberta Avenue.
You still have some time to contribute your ideas to the City of Edmonton’s Food and Agriculture policy by filling out their online survey. The deadline is June 23, 2012.
If St. Albert-based designer’s cutting boards getting picked up by Williams Sonoma isn’t a great local success, I don’t know what is.
It looks like Toronto favourite Smoke’s Poutinerie will be setting up shop in downtown Edmonton some time soon!
I still haven’t made it out to a Calgary food trucks event yet, but until then, I love being able to read about them! Eat Your City wrote about the city’s recent Eat Real YYC event.
In case you missed it: Tourism Richmond announced the winner of their food blogger competition last week. Congratulations to Lindsay Anderson!
In Montreal? Why not try Daniel Boulud’s new Maison Boulud? It’ll be interesting to see if DB will succeed in this market, given the failures in Vancouver.
I know I’m a little behind, because I haven’t walked that way down Jasper in a while, but I noticed that De Dutch put up their signage.

De Dutch

On Wednesday, the first ever outdoor Pecha Kucha in Edmonton was held at the Hawrelak Amphitheatre. It was the perfect opportunity to marry food trucks with the event, and I think it was a great success! It looked like others enjoyed the chance to have dinner outdoors as well.

The Act serves up a hungry crowd (Molly’s Eats was there too)

My pulled pork sandwich from The Act

A great bonus from Pecha Kucha was a coupon good for a free pizza at any Famoso location in the city. On the tail end of some errands on Friday, we decided to have dinner at the South Edmonton Common branch. It was our first time there (we usually stick to the Oliver location), and I have to say, it wasn’t that impressive. The room seemed poorly laid out, and though we only had to wait about twenty minutes, had we known there were bar seats available, we would have snagged them. Their wine glass lampshades were in need of an obvious dusting as well. In the end, the pizza was okay, although it did have a little too much burnt residue on the crust for my liking. I guess we’ll be sticking with our neighbourhood location in the future.

Margherita

Sweet BBQ chicken

Grand Opening: Highlands Farmers’ Market

Though the City Market is our neighbourhood farmers’ market, Mack and I love exploring other markets. Edmonton’s newest market in Highlands debuted tonight, and we wanted to see what it was all about.

Highlands Farmers’ Market

Located in a small parking lot on 112 Avenue and 65 Street, the Highlands Market is a modest, community-based gathering of vendors. It seems to be less ambitious than the 124 Street Grand Market, but is a good size for the neighbourhood. We asked about the time of the market (short in duration, only 7-9pm, and the only market to start at so late an hour), and it turns out the business next door that lends the use of the parking lot agreed to those terms. Though we initially weren’t sure about such a brief time frame, it might work well for customers who desire being the early bird without skipping dinner first, and for vendors who need to get back to the farm.

Small but lots of heart

With just over a dozen vendors, the selection of products isn’t extensive, but there are a number of solid vendors. Sundog Organics and Tree Stone in particular are draws, each cultivating devotees from other parts of the city.

Sundog Organics

Tree Stone (without signage, curiously)

Creole Envie, a new catering business and restaurant (which opens its physical location tomorrow at 15120 Stony Plain Road) offering up Creole and Cajun flavours, will also be a consistent presence, as will Sugared & Spiced a new home-based bakery that specializes in cookies. We tried the blueberry oatmeal cookie (soft with just the right amount of sweetness) and the cinnamon bun (good texture and loved the icing!). I can imagine they will do business like gangbusters for the after-dinner crowd!

Danielle from Creole Envie

Jeff from Sugared & Spiced

The weekly vendor lists (with all dates until the end of September) are online, a great tool for shoppers deciding which of the four Thursday night markets to visit (124 Street, Alberta Avenue and Salisbury are the other three). I imagine with this competition, it will be even more imperative for markets to keep this information up to date. Highlands also steps it up a notch with a “Lovin’ the Market” button, which patrons can purchase for $10. The proceeds support the market, but the button provides shoppers with discounts on specific items from five vendors each week (for example, Tree Stone’s baguette was on special for button holders). It’s an interesting way to reward loyal visitors.

We also took the opportunity to peruse some of the area’s shops (open late as a part of Late Night on the Ave), as I think many market patrons did as well. All in all, it was a great way to spend a beautiful summer evening –I encourage you to check it out in the weeks to come!

Highlands Farmers’ Market, open from June 7 – September 27, 7-9pm, 112 Avenue & 65 Street

The Cooking Chronicles: Classics, Old and New

In recent weeks I made two dishes, both classics in my mind, though one perhaps more recognizably so.

Classic Italian Lasagna

I went back to Giada’s very first cookbook to finally try my hand at lasagna. We’ve made stuffed pastas before, but we’ve never thought to make the layered version.

Giada’s recipe required two separate sauces – a marinara and a béchamel – so I planned ahead and made the marinara the night prior to cut down on the day-of cooking time. We also used fresh pasta (from local company Pasta Time), which meant one less pot as well.

Assembly was straightforward, and in many ways, less labour-intensive than stuffed pastas. After forty-five minutes in the oven, we were greeted with a cheesy, bubbly dish.

Classic Italian Lasagna

Mack’s first critique was that each slice should have been served with an additional ladle of marinara sauce, to which I concurred (sadly, we’re probably much too used to the Americanized version of lasagna). I probably also would have cut down on the amount of spinach (to half) and ricotta (to two-thirds), and used more fresh pasta, given the sheets were actually quite thin. Other than that, it was an indulgent, but comforting dish that yielded a huge amount of leftovers. It’s not something we will make all that often, but I’m happy to have finally tackled!

The New “New Joe’s Special”

In his Food Matters Cookbook, Mark Bittman indicates that every San Francisco restaurant with “Joe” in its name features a dish with the name “Joe’s Special” or “New Joe’s Special” on its menu. As I can’t recall visiting any such restaurant, this hash-type dish was new to me, but it seemed very straightforward in terms of preparation and ingredients, so I marked the recipe for future reference. We tried it for the first time a few weeks ago, and loved it!

Starting with good ground beef (we used Nature’s Green Acres), this hash layers in onions, spinach, mushrooms and some herbs, then incorporates egg and parmesan. And that’s it!

The New “New Joe’s Special”

Served over toast (for us, nothing beats Honey White from Prairie Mill), it was one of the most satisfying recipes we’ve made in recent memory. The key for me was taking the time to cook the mushrooms down – they really are the star of the dish.

Looking forward to trying other classics soon – and with the farmers’ market adding to its fresh inventory every week, there will be inspiration around every corner!

Food Notes for June 4, 2012

I haven’t been following the second season of Top Chef Canada as closely as I did the first, but I did have a favourite going into the finale, and yes, I am happy with the outcome! I loved the wildcard twist, which added some great suspense into the finale. Onto this week’s food notes!

It’s always great news when we hear about a new food truck in the works. It looks like the family behind Koutouki is starting on their very own truck!
Vue Weekly interviewed Chef Corey McGuire, the new Executive Chef at TZiN.
Thanks to Mona who recapped the first Around the World in 80 Bites tour in the Central McDougall neighbourhood. I hope to attend the next one!
It’s a great time for the start of the Journal’s Market Find series – it will be profiling a different arts and craft vendor every week. The first one casts a spotlight on Garden Squirrel.
I’m glad Jacquie wrote about her experience at the Food in the City Conference. Sounds like there was some good discussion in the smaller groups.
Kevin’s latest webisode is all about bees!
The big news in food media this week was Anthony Bourdain’s announcement that he will be leaving the Travel Channel for CNN.
As if America isn’t fat enough – how about pop along with your breakfast? Taco Bell is serving up a morning drink that mixes Mountain Dew with orange juice.
Last Thursday saw more great weather for Truck Stop, and though the lines were long, it looked like people were enjoying themselves. Because of how successful they were, we couldn’t contain them to one month alone – so we’re happy to announce another Truck Stop date! Join us again at McIntyre Park on June 6, from 5-8pm. We moved the day of the week to Wednesday, and shortened the duration by the hour, but other than that, you can expect the same great variety of curbside eats.

Cajun fish sandwich from The Act

Jalapeno mac ‘n’ cheese from The Act

This morning, Mack and I were happy that both Filistix and The Act could join us at Churchill Square for some Al Fresco coverage on Breakfast Television. Filistix cooked up a few batches of sisig (roasted pork belly marinated in soy, garlic, ginger, chili and lemon), which I think people could smell for miles. I have no doubt this will be one of the most popular dishes on Saturday. Hope to see you at What the Truck?! on June 9!

Ariel talks to Bridget about Filistix

Sisig

2012 City Market Report: Week 3

The skies started out as overcast this morning, but weather decided to cooperate at the City Market in the end, with the sun revealing itself for the last half of the day.

Overhead

Today marked the end of the official three week trial period for the back-to-back stalls on the south end of the market. We didn’t hear if moving forward this will be the continued set-up, but it seems like everyone – shoppers and vendors alike – have adjusted well to the change. I for one hope they adopt this orientation for the remainder of the season!

South end

Mack and I aren’t typically early birds on the weekends, but forced ourselves into an early start to make sure we could have the pick of the crop today. We were having my family over for dinner later to celebrate my Mum’s birthday, so I wanted to make sure we could get everything we needed. Also on our list: sweet baby girl tomato plants from Sundog Organic. They thrived on our balcony last year (in spite of the fact that I tend to kill most plants), so we didn’t want to miss out!

Success!

We were also early enough to have our pick of greens from a multitude of vendors!

Radishes from Sundog Organic

Baby lettuce from Green Valley Farm

Bedding plants from Kuhlmann’s

Fiddleheads from Mo-Na

Serben Free Range had their grill cart up and running today (menu here). Given there are now several non-truck vendors, perhaps the market should consider publishing a list of food options available, since the carts are easily missed in and amongst the tents.

Serbens’ Local Eatery

We didn’t stay at the market too long this morning, as we had a few other errands to run before dinner. Still, I’m glad we were able to make it early to fill our fridge! Among the dishes we made – roasted Edgar Farms asparagus, and a caprese salad with a rainbow of Gull Valley Tomatoes.

Roasted asparagus and caprese salad

See you at the market next week!

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