Food Notes for March 19, 2012

My sister Amanda is telling me that Toronto’s boasting temperatures in the mid-20s this week, but I’m still feeling pretty good about the weather here. It’s hard not to love a March where we’re not trudging through knee-deep snow! On to this week’s food notes:

Liane posted about a pop-up tea house taking place in McCauley on March 24, 2012, organized by the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative, the Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation (E4C) and a team of volunteers. The menu will celebrate a variety of cultures and has been designed by immigrant women. Sounds like a great idea!
Mark your calendar: this year’s Indulgence is taking place on June 11, 2012.
It was a sad week for Edmonton’s food scene: both Kerstin’s Chocolates and D’Lish announced that they would be closing their doors. They will both be missed.
Looks like Tres Carnales has a new neighbour: Crepe Symphony! Check them out at 10115 100A Street.
The Bothy will be opening up a second location on 124 Street! Mack is excited that their chicken and leek pies will be only a hop, skip and jump away from our condo.
Five Guys has announced another Edmonton location in South Common (to join their forthcoming outlet in Windermere). They really are a suburban chain – where’s the love for downtown?
Graham Hicks paid a visit to Murrietta’s, with Chef Shane Chartrand now at the kitchen’s helm. Although the menu hasn’t yet been changed over, he still gives the restaurant a thumbs up.
Kevin’s newest KevinTV episode highlights backyard chickens. Speaking of backyard chickens, the River City Chickens Co-op is meeting on March 24, 2012.
There were many rumours about what would be going into the space on 104 Street vacated by Fiji Tan, but wonder no more: Evoolution, offering olive oils, vinegars and a tasting bar is coming soon.

Evoolution

A new bubble tea and banh mi place just opened up on March 16, 2012 near Kingsway Mall called Fresh Bubble Tea & Sandwich Bar (10611 Kingsway Avenue) Although it’s on a main thoroughfare, with all the construction in the area, it’s easy to miss – but the photos posted on Facebook make it seem worth the effort to find.

Fresh Bubble Tea

Is this space cursed? Sports bars and piano bars have come and gone – maybe The Marquee (10304 111 Street) can make it work?

The Marquee

At the City Market this weekend, we came upon the Fruits of Sherbrooke for the first time. They sound very similar to Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton, in terms of “rescuing fruit”, except they are based in just one neighbourhood. They were selling preserves made from some of the fruit they picked this year. We bought a jar of raspberry rhubarb jam to try.

Fruits of Sherbrooke

Mack and I were at Ikea this weekend to pick up some things, and ended up staying for lunch. Though we typically just grab something at the kiosk on the way out, we decided to visit the cafeteria this time around. It’s been a while since we’ve had a “full” meal there, but perhaps there’s a good reason for that. The dining area was in need of a good cleaning, and Mack used the word “slop” to describe his food. Guess we can’t be picky when we’re choosing to eat at a furniture store, but is it just us or has it gone downhill?

Ikea food

Chef Connie DeSousa at Appliances Unlimited

Just in time to launch the second season of Top Chef Canada, Calgary-based Chef Connie DeSousa of CHARCUT was in Edmonton last Sunday to help promote the kick-off, as well as one of the show’s major sponsors. Appliances Unlimited, one of two vendors in the city that offer the GE Monogram line of appliances, hosted the appearance. The hour-long session saw Connie demo not one, but two dishes.

Chef Connie DeSousa

The Edmonton Journal’s Liane Faulder did a wonderful job of mc-ing the morning, asking Connie a variety of questions spanning her career, time on Top Chef, and home cooking habits.

Liane Faulder on the mic!

Five things I learned about Connie that I didn’t know:

She has a background in ballet.
If she had a choice, she would take on Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America.
Hot chocolate is her vice.
Her favourite home appliance is her immersion blender and stand mixer (plus all of its attachments).
She has dined at both D’Lish and Corso 32 in Edmonton.

Connie demoed two applications of her recipe for homemade goat cheese. The first was a goat cheese-topped roasted beet salad. This dish really showcased CHARCUT’s philosophy of “evolving simple ingredients” – trying to highlight the best of what quality, local ingredients have to offer.

Roasted beet salad with goat cheese and lemon-infused olive oil

I particularly liked her second dish, a no-bake cheesecake that layered preserved cherries and graham crackers between the whipped goat cheese. At CHARCUT, these desserts are served in half-cup mason jars, but whatever the vessel, I could see myself making this at home!

No-bake goat cheese cheesecake with cherry preserves

Edmontonians might be seeing more of Connie in the near future. We asked her about rumours that Charpop (CHARCUT’s wildly successful pop-up restaurant concept that took Calgary by storm) would be setting up shop in Edmonton, and though she wouldn’t confirm (or deny), I’d like to think it’s a safe bet with the number of fans she has in this city.

Connie with two of her fans

Thanks again to the event organizers for the invitation!

You can take a look at my full photoset here. Liane and Chris recapped the demos as well.

Calgary Steak-Out: Raw Bar

In addition to commemorating the Stampede’s 100th Anniversary this year, Calgary also co-holds the title of Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012. As a result, Tourism Calgary is seeking different ways of marketing their city, including how to highlight their burgeoning food scene. So for two days in February, Tourism Calgary invited several food bloggers to join them for “a new take on steak”, showcasing how five local restaurants are interpreting the old standard of meat and potatoes. Mack and I were fortunate enough to be a part of this group (which included Calgary bloggers Julie van Rosendaal, Gwendolyn Richards and Dan Clapson), and took part in a junket that saw our accommodations and meals covered. It was a first for both of us, and while we acknowledge that we no doubt received special treatment (which colours the experience in a way that no average dinner could live up to), the trade-off in access to the chefs and behind-the-scenes exposure made it worthwhile. Thanks to Tourism Calgary for the opportunity!

Three years ago, we stayed at Hotel Arts during a weekend jaunt to Calgary. We had enjoyed our stay for the most part, but didn’t get a chance to try the hotel restaurant Raw Bar. To be honest, from the name, my assumption was that their menu would consist of mainly uncooked items – but on the contrary, although they do offer some items such as sushi and oysters, most of Chef Duncan Ly’s dishes are in fact not raw.

Raw Bar was originally intended to be the last stop on our YYC Steak Tour, but because we had to head back to Edmonton that night, a lunch with Hala from Tourism Calgary was organized for us earlier in the day.

Interior (that peeks into the adjacent pool)

Raw Bar is quite a dramatic space, with futuristic touches and a stark red and black colour scheme. We were told the restaurant is known from their cocktails (with an award-winning mixologist on staff), and it was after noon, so we had to try one round of drinks. The menu, filled with gorgeous shots of the coloured drinks, was enticing to say the least, and I have to say, the drinks we received were exactly as they had appeared in the photos! I ended up with a Searching North, a mildly sweet combination of Mount Gay rum, peach and apricot, Turkish Urfa biber and lemongrass. Mack’s Eclectic Orchard, with rhubarb and strawberry, El Dorado rum, hibiscus flowers, peppery spice and mint foam deviated from something he would typically drink, but turned out to be light and refreshing.

Apple Cart Daisy, Eclectic Orchard, Searching North cocktails

Hala and I continued with the tour’s theme, ordering the day’s steak sandwich and pad thai with beef, respectively. Mack decided to take a break from the bovine, and chose the halibut fish and chips. To start, we couldn’t pass up the bacon and mushroom poutine.

The upmarket poutine was definitely not your down-home diner version, only lightly dressed and not smothered in peppercorn gravy. The twice-cooked fries stayed pretty crispy, but we wished a more generous hand had dealt the cheese curds. It was all right, but not something we’d necessarily order again.

Mushroom and bacon poutine

Hala enjoyed her sandwich, cooked a nice medium rare. My pad thai seemed to be an interpretation of the dish I am used to ordering at Thai restaurants, with a creamy base more reminiscent of a pasta sauce than a stir-fry. I did like the variety and proportion of vegetables included, as well as the plump and toothsome shrimp. But the beef was unfortunately overcooked and chewy.

Steak sandwich

Pad thai

Mack fared better with his fish and chips, served with a jalapeño tartar sauce and a grilled lemon. The gaufrette potato chips were especially crisp and easy to enjoy.

Halibut fish and chips

Raw Bar is also known for their poolside service in warmer weather. I can imagine sipping an inventive, seasonal cocktail by the water with some nibbles wouldn’t be a bad way to pass the time. Thanks again to Hala for hosting us that afternoon – it was great to catch up as it was to finally see what Raw Bar had up its sleeve.

Raw Bar (inside Hotel Arts)
119 – 12 Avenue SW, Calgary
(403) 206-9565

For All Ages: Cafe Tiramisu

Mack and I had popped inside Cafe Tiramisu in early January to check out the modern interior, but didn’t have time that day for a sit down meal. That chance came this past Saturday, when the weather beckoned us to explore the neighbourhood on foot (we also stumbled upon a Coup Boutique/Dote Baby pop-up down the street in the former Duchess space!).

Cafe Tiramisu prides itself on offering a family-friendly space, and includes a separate playroom for children. So as expected, the late afternoon crowd consisted mostly of families with small children, though there were also a few pairs like us. It’s great that Cafe Tiramisu has managed to cultivate a space that is both family and adult-friendly.

Cafe Tiramisu

We sat ourselves and were handed menus. Choices consisted of a few appetizers and paninis, pizzas and pastas. Mack decided to order the panini al bistecca ($10.75), with grilled shaved beef with peppercorn havarti cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato and peppercorn mustard, as well as a blueberry brain boost smoothie ($5.50). I opted for the pasta al pesto ($11.95), with garlic, olive oil, pesto and pine nuts tossed with fresh herbs and cheese, as it’s not often, because of Mack’s allergy, that I get to enjoy pine nuts.

Mack’s smoothie arrived first, a tart and sweet blend with a great consistency. I’d say it was better than the similar concoctions we had at Fresh Healthy Cafe, which is apparently known for their drinks.

Blueberry brain boost smoothie

Our dishes were delivered shortly after. Mack’s salad was disproportionately sized – but then again, perhaps it was meant to be child-friendly (I should say that Mack, ever the greens-hater, found the portion to be just perfect for him). He enjoyed the pressed sandwich (especially the peppercorn mustard) but the beef could have been sliced thinner.

Panini al bistecca

My pasta was served with some garlic bread that was a bit too charred for my liking, but the pasta itself was great. Good flavour, and there was a decent sprinkling of pine nuts – I wasn’t let down.

Pasta al pesto

With the natural light and modern fixtures, the surroundings at Cafe Tiramisu helped make for a very pleasant lunch. The solid menu offerings and good service rounded out the experience, so I wouldn’t hesitate to return – with or without a child in tow.

Cafe Tiramisu
10750 – 124 Street
(780) 452-3393
Monday 9am-3pm, Tuesday-Thursday 8am-9pm, Friday 8am-11pm, Saturday 9am-10pm, closed Sundays

Announcing Eat Alberta 2012: Your Real Food Survival Guide

It feels like our inaugural Eat Alberta conference was only a few months back, but it took place almost a year ago! Based on the response we received the last go around, we knew there was an appetite in the city for more opportunities to learn about local food and to connect with other like-minded individuals, so a second incarnation was definitely something the organizing committee wanted to offer.

We also took the feedback we received from the first event very seriously; the most common response was that future conferences should be held in a professional kitchen. We’re very happy to announce that this year’s conference will be held at NAIT, which features some of the best culinary facilities in Edmonton. Attendees also made suggestions about the type of sessions they would have liked to have seen on the schedule, and as a result, we have done our best to invite chefs and producers to match the requested content.

Kathryn Joel is back again this year with another pasta making session

Valerie took the lead on developing the schedule, and has made sure there are a variety of both hands-on workshops and tastings for participants to choose from. I think there is something for everyone, and more than a few classes that I’d like to slip into if I had the chance! This year’s sessions include:

Keynote from Shannon and Danny Ruzicka from Nature’s Green Acres, who will be sharing their farming story and addressing why grass-fed meats are better;
Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton’s Amy Beaith will be sharing her knowledge on preserving fruits and vegetables;
Patty Milligan (aka Lola Canola) will be returning with her fabulous bee education and honey seminar (it was the only session I had time to partake in last year, and I can say from firsthand experience that it is not to be missed);
ever-energetic Prairie Mill’s Owen Petersen will be showing aspiring bakers how to farm their own yeast; and
Kevin Kent, owner of Knifewear, is travelling from Calgary for sessions on knife skills and sharpening.

You can take a look at all of the session descriptions here.

Tasting honey with Patty Milligan

Tickets were released to the public this morning, and I know some of the sessions are filling up fast! Tickets are $135, and include the keynote and panel, four sessions, breakfast, lunch and a glass of wine.

Allan Suddaby (who is also on the organizing committee) is passionate about sausage!

So to get your first choice of sessions, head over to the registration page soon – we’d love to see you at NAIT for Eat Alberta 2012: Your Real Food Survival Guide, on April 14!

Food Notes for March 12, 2012

I hope to write more about this soon, but I’d like to announce that Eat Alberta 2012 tickets will be on sale on March 13! Our second annual conference that brings producers, chefs, local food advocates, and those interested in learning how to source and prepare local ingredients is taking place on April 14, 2012 at NAIT. Check out the program here! Onto this week’s food notes:

The Palestinian Bazaar is taking place on March 17, 2012 at the TransAlta Arts Barns – it’s a full-day festival celebrating the cultural richness of the Palestianian people, including art, music and of course, food!
The annual Seedy Sunday is taking place at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall on March 18, 2012. Look forward to informative learning opportunities!
Carmen had a great potluck party idea: “around the world with dumplings”. She invited bloggers and foodies to contribute a kind of dumpling so people could learn from and share with one another.
Twyla reviewed Nola – although not perfect, it seemed to be written more fairly than the Journal’s review published a few months back.
Another plus from our mild winter – food trucks are already back on the streets! Pay Drift a visit, several weeks earlier than this time last year would have allowed.
Transcend Downtown introduced The Elevation Room today: “Every Friday and Saturday, starting April 13, 2012, we’ll host some of Edmonton’s (and Alberta’s) best bands. It’s a place to enjoy fine music as well as fine coffee, beer and wine.”
A review of Olive Garden, of all places, went viral this week. Read about one woman’s excitement about the chain arriving in her place of residence to find out why.
I guess in some cities posting photos of food may have jumped the shark, but I don’t feel that’s happened in Edmonton yet. But then again, I’m a little biased, heh.
Starbucks is joining the single cup brew revolution: they will start to sell their new Verismo this fall.
Also from Starbucks: they opened a concept store in Amsterdam which has the look and feel of a “local” cafe. The interior incorporated art from area designers, and the shop even offers in-house baked goods daily. I’m sure this is the wave of the future – chains disguised as independents.
Clever Rabbit (10724 124 Street), a vegetarian/vegan cafe just down from Duchess, opened about two weeks ago. Mack and I popped inside just as they were closing (they open from 9:30-4:30 daily) to take a look inside. Apparently the response from the community had been great so far – it looks like another welcome addition to the strip! Take a peek at the menu here.

Clever Rabbit interior

Mack attended a lunch at the Shaw Conference Centre on Wednesday honouring the winners of the High School Culinary Challenge (congrats to the students from Queen Elizabeth who took home the gold!). Check out Liane’s write up here.

Mack’s favourite course: the absolutely gorgeous dessert

On Wednesday, Yelp celebrated its first anniversary in Edmonton with a prohibition-themed party at Suede! Mack and I stopped by to check out all the well-dressed flappers and had the opportunity to try out some free liquor and sample new items on Suede’s menu. Brittany, Yelp’s Community Manager and party planner extraordinaire, also made sure there was entertainment on hand, including swing and burlesque dancers. It was a good time – thanks again for the invitation!

Appetizers

Cafvino (a coffee-infused wine) was interesting, but the liquor reps on hand sampling it couldn’t answer basic questions like how it was made

Dressed in not-quite period-appropriate wear

A Tour of Malaysian Cuisine: East

Food often tells a story, and this wasn’t more true than at East, one of the newest restaurant offerings in Edmonton. East opened in December, and comes to us courtesy of Richard Lim, whose also owns L’Azia and Wildflower Grill.

East

Richard immigrated to Canada from Malaysia in 1969. Since then, he’s amassed decades of experience in the field of hospitality, but even with three successful establishments under his belt, he still had yet to bring the flavours of his childhood to the city.

In 2005, Richard returned to Malaysia for the first time in thirty-two years. He really enjoyed reconnecting with his roots and exploring old haunts after such a long period of absence, and being a restauranteur, was especially inspired by the food. The seed had been planted.

In 2009, Richard began thinking more seriously about a Malaysian-centred venture. His trip on this occasion was for research purposes – he toured markets and tasted dishes for inspiration – what would he like to serve in Edmonton? Richard said that the final menu actually took a year to finalize.

Interior

Two weeks ago, Mack and I joined a group of food writers for a tasting of some of those dishes, preceding a grand opening that took place at the end of February. I can’t describe the night better than to say it was an assault of food. Dishes arrived rapid-fire from the kitchen, their overwhelming flurry matching Richard’s obvious enthusiasm and pride in East. We sampled more than a dozen of the menu’s appetizers, mains and desserts, and were fortunate to have both Richard and Executive Chef Nathin Bye on hand to explain them.

Nathin Bye and the Lims

Mack’s favourite appetizer, not surprisingly, was the spring rolls, enhanced with five-spice pork and the crunch of jicama. My soft spot for the roti canai and accompanying curry sauce was obvious – I wouldn’t let the servers take the dish away, try as they might. The roti were chewy and pliable, and eaten with the slightly sweet curry sauce, was the perfect way to start the meal.

Spring rolls and curry puffs

Roti Canai

Our entrees began with several modernized Chinese-Malaysian dishes. The crowd favourite this round was the Alor Street chili mussels (Alor being one of the main street food thoroughfares in Kuala Lumpur). The sweet-spicy glaze complemented the mussels well.

Alor Street chili mussels

Another signature was butter prawns, wok fried and topped with egg floss. It was a bit like having dessert for dinner, as the flaky floss reminded me of crushed up egg rolls.

Butter prawns

The fried crispy sweet and sour pork belly was another show stopper, a decadent version of a dish my Mum makes at home for special occasions. Tham’s family tofu was something I’d never had before – pressed spinach tofu paired with a pumpkin sauce. It had great earthy flavours and as with the previous two dishes, it again exemplified Richard’s view that Malaysian cuisine is “slightly sweet.”

Sweet and sour pork belly

Tham’s family tofu

We then moved into some more pure Malaysian dishes that Richard said the surrounding Malaysian community had embraced, telling him that they were reminded of home. One great example was their beef rendang stew, which had a nice front heat, with tender and slightly fatty meat.

Beef rendang

The KL Hokkein noodle was a dish close to Richard’s heart. After a night of drinking, it was his go-to street eat: Chinese wheat noodles stir-fried with pork, squid, prawns, vegetables and a dark soy sauce. Richard admitted it was a drier, leaner version than the one he ate back in KL, as he removed the key ingredient of pork fat. But Mack in particular still enjoyed it, loving the sauce and the variety of textures.

KL Hokkein noodle

All of the dishes we sampled that night were fairly mild, though Mack and I were expecting otherwise. Richard said that is actually how he prefers it, though I can imagine a request could be made to the kitchen to kick it up a few notches.

Dessert was momochacha and a black glutinous rice. The former, made with sweet potato, was very similar to those I’ve had made by Malaysian family friends. The latter had good texture from the grains, and an interesting twist with the inclusion of orange zest.

Momochacha and black glutinous rice

East is very much a family affair. Richard and his wife are not only introducing Edmontonians to a cuisine not widely available in the city, but they are also passing along their knowledge to a new generation of chefs, including Nathin, who himself comes from a Prairie Ukrainian background. I am already looking forward to my next visit out East, with my own family in tow!

East
16049 97 Street
(780) 457-8833
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11am-2pm; Dinner: Monday-Thursday 4:30-11pm, Friday 4:30-midnight; Weekends: Saturday 11am-midnight, Sundays and Holidays 11am-1opm

Food Notes for March 5, 2012

I’ve been in Toronto for most of the last week – though I was in town for a work conference, it has been nice to get away from Edmonton for a while, and spend some time with my sister! There’s also something about being in a larger city that feels so rejuvenating to me. Here are this week’s food notes:

Downtown Dining Week continues until March 11, 2012. The Downtown Business Association website has been updated with pictures videos.
The 5th Annual High School Culinary Challenge, organized by the Canadian Culinary Federation, took place on February 4, 2012, but the winners won’t be announced until March 7, 2012. Tickets to the public luncheon to be held at the Shaw Conference Centre are $30, and funds raised go towards the Canadian Culinary Fund, which contributes to scholarships for talented students to pursue their food careers.
Also from the Canadian Culinary Federation, “Hot Chefs, Cool Beats,” a fundraiser on April 21, 2012, also at the Shaw Conference Centre, that brings together chefs from some of the most popular restaurants and food trucks in Edmonton. Tickets are $150 and support Culinary Team Canada and their quest for gold in Germany in October.
To gear up for the second season of Top Chef Canada, join Connie DeSousa at Appliance Unlimited on March 11, 2012 for cooking demos at 1 and 3pm.
Jennifer Cockrall-King’s much-anticipated book, Food and the City, was published last week. Her main book launch is taking place at Hardware Grill on March 22, 2012, from 4:30-6:30pm.
Local food/urban farmland preservation advocate Michael Walters is running to become the MLA for Edmonton-Rutherford. Join him for a fundraising dinner featuring a meal prepared by Chefs Rose Scavuzzo of Culina and Jackie Ryan of Cooks Corner made with local food.
Need a reason to attend the Slow Food Canada National Conference, being hosted in Edmonton from May 3-6, 2012? Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food himself, will be attending!
Oliver is the home of Edmonton’s newest neighbourhood cafe – Fresh Cafe & Espresso Bar (10038 – 116th Street). They even serve brunch on Sundays!
From the March/April issue of The Tomato: Brad Smoliak’s new venture, Kitchen, is set to open in “mid-March”.
The March issue of Avenue Edmonton is all about food! You can see the list here.
In case you missed it: Western Living released their 2012 list of “Top 40 Foodies Under 40” last week. Congrats to the Edmontonians that made the list: Ariel del Rosario and Roel Canafranca of Filistix; Annie Dam of Cake Couture; Deependra Singh of Guru; and Daniel Braun, Chris Sills, and Edgar Gutierrez, of Tres Carnales.
Maki and Caroline posted about the second Edmonton Dishcrawl that focused on restaurants on 124 Street. For more about Dishcrawl, and some other on-trend events in Edmonton, check out Linda Hoang’s blog.
Marianne shared some thoughts about Public House’s selection of “craft beers”.
I loved this peek into Doef’s Greenhouse, courtesy of Kevin.
Mack sent this to me: do you want to eat for a living? Tourism Richmond can make that happen, as they are hiring a full-time food blogger position. The salary is $50,000 per year, plus a daily dining-out stipend for two.
Mack also attended Avenue Edmonton’s launch of their 2012 list of the “25 Best Things to Eat” at the Appliance Gallery and Lightform on 124 Street tonight. Check out his full photoset here.

Lightform

Laura Rogerson with her bread – look for her at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market this summer

Coxinha from Transcend Coffee

Pistachio macaron from Duchess

Pho in the ‘Park: Taste of Vietnam

On Family Day, Mack and I made plans to have lunch with Grandma Male. We were hoping to find an independent eatery in Sherwood Park so we could stay close to her neighbourhood, but it proved to be more difficult than one would think. Many of the restaurants were either closed on Mondays or on statutory holidays. Although we did end up finding a place that could accommodate us, it’s a reality that Sherwood Park isn’t exactly a diner’s paradise. With the interest in independent restaurants increasing in Edmonton, with some exception (Cafe Haven and Cafe de Ville come to mind), this trend hasn’t quite hit Sherwood Park yet. Given the average income level in the area, I would think there would be plenty of room for more interesting and unique options, but perhaps the appetite there is still quite conservative?

At any rate, we ended up at A Taste of Vietnam. It turned out Grandma Male had already been there once, albeit years ago, and prior to their renovation. Located in a strip mall on Broadmoor Boulevard, it looks like it had been updated recently. It was sleek and modern inside, with brown panelling, tasteful art on the walls and granite tables. It was also fairly busy inside, with a number of pairs and families taking advantage of the holiday.

To start, we shared an order of green onion cakes ($6.95 for 2). Curiously, they weren’t cut in half, even though it was evident there were more than two of us at the table. Although they were crispy, they weren’t seasoned very well – the accompanying sweet chilli sauce was necessary to add flavour.

Green onion cakes

Mack ordered what I think will become his Vietnamese standby, the bun bo hue ($9.95). It definitely wasn’t as visually pleasing as other spicy noodle soups we’ve come across, but Mack appreciated the heat. He also noted that the kitchen was quite generous with the beef and pork provision.

Bun bo hue

I opted for their special beef noodle soup ($9.95), which, unlike at most Chinatown outlets, only contained a pedestrian selection of meat: medium rare beef, well done beef and beef balls. Similar to Mack’s dish, my bowl contained a great deal of meat. The beef balls were tasty, but the medium and rare done beef bordered on dry and chewy. I also wished the broth had been a little more fragrant.

Special beef noodle soup

Mack’s grandma chose the wor wonton soup ($9.95 for small). She liked that the vegetables were still crisp, and enjoyed the broth.

Wor wonton soup

The prices at Taste of Vietnam were much steeper than what I’m used to paying, but then again, we weren’t in Chinatown anymore! Though it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of favourite pho in the city, at least it adds another family-owned option in the ‘Park. It’s one I might return to but only if I were in the neighbourhood to begin with.

A Taste of Vietnam
56, 975 Broadmoor Blvd, Sherwood Park
(780) 416-4436
Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, closed Sundays

Calgary Steak-Out: CHARCUT

Like many other Canadians, I was excited when the popular American television franchise Top Chef finally started filming a Canadian version. I think we need to develop our own host of culinary celebrities to celebrate home grown talent, and this platform could help do just that. The results thankfully improved with time, and hopefully with its second season will continue to do so.

In spite of the show’s wavering quality, however, as a Prairie-dweller, it was a no-brainer to cheer for Calgary-based Connie DeSousa, who was also one of the few female competitors. Her drive, obsessive attention to detail and her mad butchery skills made her a fan favourite, qualities that I hoped would take her to the end. Connie ended up placing a respectable third, though in many respects, it was as good as first prize. The exposure to an audience of Food Network devotees was invaluable to Connie’s reputation as a chef, and on a wider level, in developing CHARCUT’s brand. Though we’d been to CHARCUT prior Top Chef Canada’s debut, it almost seems like a different restaurant today, enlivened now with that touch of celebrity. I’m sure it also helps that CHARCUT has since expanded their initiatives to include the unique alley burger, food truck and pop-up series.

Needless to say, Mack and I were really looking forward to our second full CHARCUT experience on the third leg of the YYC Steak tour. You can also imagine our delight when we found out we would not only be eating Connie’s food, but would be treated to a private demo, too.

Our group was whisked upstairs to CHARCUT’s fairly spacious prep kitchen for a lesson on blood sausage. There, Connie and her partner John Jackson showed us how to make the delicacy. They started with a panade of white bread and milk, added ground pork, fat back, apple, then the main ingredient, blood. The splatter-free counter was a testament to Connie and John’s skills, who neatly transferred the mixture to a plastic bag to be hand-piped into sausage casings. It was clear the pair had a wonderful rapport with one another, and this translated wonderfully into a teaching capacity – I could see this translating to a larger stage quite easily.

Straining the blood

In goes the blood

Into the casing

Connie also showed us how to trim a bison heart, which would comprise the steak that evening. For most of us, it would be our first time sampling this type of offal.

Trimming the heart

The entire session felt a bit surreal to both Mack and I. Being the Top Chef junkies that we are, we couldn’t help thinking, “It’s Connie!!!” the entire time. We’re huge dorks, I know.

Our view of the kitchen

At our chef’s table seats

We eventually made our way to the chef’s table at the rear of the restaurant so our dinner could be prepared. While we waited for the mains, we were served CHARCUT’s take on ham and cheese: the most exquisite house made pig’s head mortadella, paired with an oozing baked raclette that was good enough to bathe in. Notable also was the beer pairing – Naramata Nut Brown Ale, which, as a non-beer drinker, I found not only tolerable, but enjoyable.

Mortadella, brassica mustard and baked raclette

Naramata Nut Brown Ale

The blood sausage was first, served up with fried eggs – possibly the most unique sausage and eggs I’d ever had. The sausage resembled ground meat more than anything else, having burst out of its casing. It also tasted very similar, albeit with a tinge of iron. Mack and I both agreed that there was nothing to be afraid of, though we weren’t sure it was something we would necessarily seek out.

Blood sausage and eggs

The finale was the bison heart, rustically presented on a wooden board, liberally garnished with chimichurri and arugula, complete with a “stake” knife. The meat, which had been marinated for eight hours in olive oil and red wine vinegar, was like a cross between a flat iron steak and liver – tender consistency, with again a tinge of iron. Mack went all out for the side of CHARCUT’s signature poutine, with potatoes fried in duck fat and curds topped with a chicken-fat gravy. Heart-stoppingly good.

Bison heart and duck fat poutine

Though each of our experiences on the steak tour were unique, because of our soft spot for Connie, I think our stop at CHARCUT was the most memorable.

Just in time for the season two premiere of Top Chef Canada on March 12, 2012, Chef Connie DeSousa will be in Edmonton presenting a cooking demo at 1pm and 3pm on March 11 at Appliances Unlimited (6553-99th Street).

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