City Market: City Hall Edition

The City Market is back, ten weeks early! Last week, it was announced that the downtown farmers’ market would be operating in City Hall from March 12 until May 14, after which the market would return to 104 Street. Mack and I were happy to have a farmers’ market within walking distance again, and were excited to check it out this afternoon.

City Market @ City Hall

Flush with natural light, the City Room was as close as we could get to having an outdoor market indoors. Many of the vendors remarked at how bright and open it felt, and of course, how warm it was – the heated tents were definitely not ideal for our climate. The only thing that seemed to be missing, atmosphere-wise, was music.

There were over two dozen vendors present, a good mix of City Market regulars and new vendors. It was good to see Medicine Man Bison, Nature’s Green Acres, Prairie Mill, Barr Estate Winery, Mighty Trio Organics, Kuhlmann’s and Steve and Dan’s out.

Steve & Dan’s Fresh BC Fruit

Doef’s and MoNa, stalwart vendors during the May to October market season, will also be at City Hall (MoNa will be back April 2, after a short break).

Doef’s

Several vendors who have weekly booths at other markets have also joined the City Market, including Shooting Star Ranch and Gold Forest Grains (regulars at the Alberta Avenue Market) and Bella Dolce Bakery (who also sells at Salisbury).

Bella Dolce Bakery (their biscotti are perfect for dipping, made without shortening or fat, which means they won’t fall apart)

The last winter City Market we attended in the parkade was a bit disappointing – we found a trip to the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market was still necessary to get the rest of our groceries for the week. Now, with the variety of fruit, vegetables, proteins and other products, the winter City Market is now more of a one-stop shop! Kudos to the organizers – we’ll be back next week!

Something to Celebrate: ZINC

My parents were married thirty years ago Monday. As a child, I’m pretty sure I took for granted the fact that Mom and Dad were always there, in solidarity. Now, in an adult relationship of my own, I can truly appreciate and admire their milestone.

To celebrate, my family assembled at ZINC last Saturday. ZINC is one of those restaurants that seems tailor made for occasions. High ceilings, ample natural light, posh azure accents – it’s a room that invites glasses to be clinked and raised.

The restaurant was busy that night – perhaps a confluence of Downtown Dining Week and that evening’s Refinery party – so in some ways, it was fortunate that our reservation was slated just before the rush, as all of our dishes were well-paced.

The amuse bouche was a darling profiterole featuring chicken riette and cumberland sauce. Here, I particularly liked the microgreen garnish, a burst of freshness to balance the salt-forward bite.

Chicken riette

Mack and my sisters ordered starters. Last November, Mack and I had attended a preview dinner at ZINC, where we were invited to try dishes from Chef David Omar’s new menu (a concept that allows diners to choose small or large plates of the same dishes). Mack’s favourite “bite” from that night was the seared scallop ($6), which of course he wanted to have again. It was perfectly cooked, and just the right size to relieve his craving.

Scallop (Mack wishes this was actual size)

My sisters shared the panzanella ($10) with bread, tomatoes, asparagus, prosciutto, lemon garlic preserve and a balsamic reduction. They fought over the last piece of prosciutto.

Panzanella

For entrees, our party size allowed us to try nearly every main on the menu, and just about all of them were well-received.

My Dad cleaned off his herb panko dusted rack of lamb ($41) – literally – there wasn’t a shred of meat to be found on his plate. Served with a couscous and anchovie tapenade, baked apple and pear chutney and eggplant ratatouille involtini – nothing else was left either (it’s of the highest praise, really. It’s tough to impress my Dad).

Lamb

Amanda liked her plate of alpaca and house-made pasta noodles ($26), ZINC’s version of spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were moist (thankfully, as we had found them to be rather dry in my previous encounter).

Alpaca

Mack’s Spring Creek Ranch beef tenderloin ($42) was cooked to a tasty medium rare, though he remarked that he wasn’t asked about specifications upon ordering. It was served with a potato and watercress mash, caramelized onions and baby carrots.

Beef

My pan-seared line caught pickerel ($34) was delicious, coated with a light, dreamy potato foam. The bed of vegetables was as colourful as it was a textural contrast to the flaky fish, consisting of beets, edemame beans and pickled mushrooms.

Fish

The only dish that didn’t enthral was the duck ($32). While well-cooked, with crispy layers of skin atop the tender meat, it was much too salty. My Mom and Felicia did enjoy the accompanying pumpkin and potato purée though.

Duck

Sometimes, the small, seemingly insignificant things about a restaurant help to elevate a meal. One example at ZINC was the brioche bread. It was warmed through, sweet and slightly toasted, and easily lapped up the tomato compote butter it was served with. We asked for seconds!

No pictures of the bread, unfortunately

That said, personal gestures are also a welcome addition to the dining experience. When I made the reservation, I was asked if it was a special occasion. At the end of our meal, Chef Omar came to greet our table, and brought with him two miniature ice cream trees and a great story about how this became the signature special dessert.

Chef Omar and my parents

The trees each held five different house-made ice creams and sorbets – the favourites around the table were the avocado ice cream and the lemon sorbet.

The ice cream tree!

The service was attentive throughout our stay (nary a wine or water glass was left unfilled), and we felt very well taken care of. And between the good food and personal gestures, ZINC really was a great place to celebrate. Congratulations, Mom and Dad: here’s to thirty more years!

ZINC (inside the Art Gallery of Alberta)
2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 11am-2:30pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Wednesday 5-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 5-10pm; Brunch: Sunday 11am-2pm; closed Mondays

The Charcut Alley Burger Experience

Is there anything more appealing than a gourmet burger purchased in a dark alleyway? There must not be, given the resounding success of Charcut’s foray into their version of street food, sold from the side door of their swanky downtown restaurant.

Many people (including Andree and Jerry) have blogged about Charcut’s novel idea, which involves tweeting out the availability of their “alley burgers” on select Fridays and Saturdays. For $5, diners wait in the alley next to Charcut for the chance to buy an individual version of their Share Burger. Of course, it’s never just about the food, as Mack and I discovered first hand.

Thanks to Andree, we found out that Charcut would be offering their alley burger that night at ten (two Saturdays ago). At 9:30, we put on our winter gear and headed downstairs; we happened to be staying at the Le Germain, the building that Charcut is housed in.

The alley

We joined the five people in line ahead of us, but we didn’t have to round out the back for long. In the half hour that followed, more and more people arrived, some in pairs, many in small groups. A truck illegally parked in the alley, its driver jumping out to join the fray. The woman behind us shivered in shoes without socks – her partner didn’t inform her that their bite to eat involved spending some time outdoors first. We also spotted a Mariott employee further back in the line. All in all, we estimated that there were about forty people waiting.

The line

Except for those dragged unknowingly (like the sock-less woman), the crowd – ourselves included – were a bit self-congratulatory – no doubt there were numerous Facebook updates made, tweets sent and photos captured in that alley, everyone wanting to share the fact that they were in line to snag a limited edition burger. But as the clock ticked down, it was difficult not to get caught up in the anticipation, watching the door for any sign of movement – not as individuals, but as a hungry hoard.

I think it’s remarkable that Charcut has built up this amount of buzz in the community, using nothing more than the social media tools available to them – already, the Century Hospitality Group in Edmonton is looking to do something similar in the coming months.

Just after 10pm, a staff person peeked his head out – he commented that there were more people than he was expecting in line. A few minutes later, he returned, flipping up an adorable “open” sign (in the shape of a pig, naturally), and wandered down the line collecting money, remarking that he felt very much like a drug dealer. Unfortunately, he had to cut the line off halfway – apparently, they only had enough burgers for the first twenty people.

No burgers for you!

With a bit too much glee, we took our burgers upstairs to enjoy. The juicy, flavourful patty and the thick slice of melted curd cheese hit the spot (never mind that it was the second burger for each of us that night – hello, gluttony!). We were also not sure if it had to do with the “alley burger” package, but the meat tasted less like sausage and more like a well-formed patty this time, as opposed to our encounter with it in Share Burger-form.

Mmm…burger

Almost regardless of the burger, if you are in Calgary, I’d recommend the alley experience – it was like nothing else we’ve ever done before.

Day 3 in San Francisco: The Land of Queues

Given that tourism is San Francisco’s number one industry, it’s expected that line-ups are rampant at all major attractions. On day three of our trip however, it was also a theme at most of our dining choices – not surprising given the city’s reputation of good food.

The day started off quite overcast, threatening rain. But nothing would stop us from completing our first mission that day: eating a hearty breakfast. Knowing there was no food service at Alcatraz, I thought it would be best to fill up before heading off to the island, and everything pointed to Mama’s on Washington Square.

The plan was to arrive right when the café opened at 8, but though we hoofed it, we found that a line of a half dozen hungry patrons had already formed outside the restaurant at 8:20am (darn those ‘Friscans and their early starts!).

The line-up when we left

The restaurant had an odd set-up that eliminated the need for waiters – it was efficient but cruel. Instead of ordering after being seated, Mama’s is set-up so that diners line up alongside their open kitchen, watching the line cooks at the flat top and the baker at his station. It was hard enough not to salivate, let alone quell hunger pangs.

The baker at work

After about a half hour, we made it to the head of the line, placed our order with the cashier, and were led to a cozy table. In no time, after two sips of the disastrously bad coffee (really, the only poor thing about Mama’s) our food was brought to us, piping hot.

Western Italian omelette

My Western Italian omelette ($10.50) was packed with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and pancetta (which was unfortunately not crispy). The eggs were noticeably fluffy though, and the portion extremely generous. The potatoes were also well-prepared. Mack enjoyed his eggs benedict with roasted tomatoes ($10.50) – difficult not to when it is served with crackly bacon.

Eggs benedict

Service was warm (the servers made sure to wish those leaving with a “thank you”, even as they bustled to clean tables and seat other parties. Be sure to check it out if you’re looking for a good brunch in San Francisco!

Then we were off to Pier 33, to hop on a ferry to cruise to the cursed, storied prison. We had pre-purchased tickets on the website, but it turned out on that gloomy day that advanced planning wasn’t necessary.

Though only five minutes away from Fisherman’s Wharf, it seemed like a world away – instead of a carnival atmosphere, it felt muted and bleak (the miserable weather didn’t help much either). Waiting for our turn on the ferry also felt a bit like herding cats, between the barricades, divided line-ups and stern National Park staff.

Bye, mainland!

After a quick but rocky fifteen minute cruise, we were there. Alcatraz is larger than life, immortalized on the silver screen, and with more myths than you can shake a stick at.

Cell tiers

And yet, Alcatraz held its own during our visit. I think it mostly had to do with the audio tour – voices of former inmates, prison staff and families who lived on the island guiding us through the building, explaining the day-to-day grind, the isolation wards, the insurgent movements. The background noises as each scene was being described – the tinkering in the lunch room, the shouts in the cell blocks – coupled with the physicality of walking through the spaces, really made the history come alive.

Shower area

A single cell

Mack behind bars

Kitchen (with shadows indicating where sharp objects should go so it was easy to know if something was missing)

The only tickets that had been sold out for weeks were for the night tours. After our day trip, I was glad we didn’t have the chance to visit after dark – I’m certain I wouldn’t have been able to handle the chills.

Burned out warden’s residence

Yes, it was that windy

Back on the mainland, Mack was already anticipating our first taste of In-N-Out Burger, the famed west coast fast food chain. There is much to admire about In-N-Out: they pay staff a living wage and they are committed to using only fresh ingredients (never frozen beef, potatoes they peel in-store).

Our order of two combos was speedily prepared (they had separate order and pick-up counters), and cost only moderately more than their quick-serve counterparts ($13). The meal looked appealing, and tasted okay, but I couldn’t see what the hype was about – the burger was on the greasy side, and though Mack liked the fact that you could salt the fries on your own accord, he still preferred McDonald’s fries.

Our meal

Coit Tower was next on our agenda, another tourist destination within walking distance of Pier 39. Another fairly steep hill meant we almost immediately worked off the grease consumed at lunch, but I didn’t mind it – I loved any opportunity to explore the residential neighbourhoods, fascinated by the lack of space between houses, and the steep garage gradients.

Coit Tower

Coit Tower stands 210 feet tall. The price of the elevator ride to the top was $5, operated by a young man who joked that he took the vertical route 1264 times a day. Though not the highest structure in the city, it did provide a panoramic view, and perhaps more interestingly, a peek of some of the rooftop luxuries afforded in a city with a mild climate – pools, gardens, patios and the like.

Downtown SF

Piers and the Bay Bridge

We also discovered just how small the world is – we ran into another Edmonton couple at the top, who were vacationing in SF as a part of their honeymoon.

Thanks to Allison for taking this photo!

At the base of the Tower are beautiful murals, depicting various scenes of life. I liked this one:

Orange picking!

On our way to the Embarcadero, we stumbled across the Filbert Steps. It was one of my favourite discoveries, and to me, more of a must-see than Lombard Street.

More green than your eye can see

Flowers

It was gorgeous – lush, bursting with flora and fauna, it felt like we were taking a tour of someone’s private garden. Similar to Lombard though, residential houses lined the tiered levels – it still strikes me as peculiar to have a tourist attraction on your doorstep.

Tiered garden

People live here!

We made our way down the stairs, and to the Ferry Building. We knew we would be back to this hub of produce, food and drink again, but I had wanted to see it on a sans-farmers’ market day.

Most of the shops were near closing, so we didn’t have much time to browse. After picking up a pound of coffee from Blue Bottle, we swung by Cowgirl Creamery and picked up a $20 tourist pack of cheese. It included three varieties and a cheese knife, which we thought would be perfect to take along with us for lunch during our winery tour the next day.

Cowgirl Creamery

Just before they closed their gates, we ducked into Boccolone for their infamous “meat in a cup” salumi cone ($3.50).

Salumi cone from Boccolone

For dinner, we had decided upon The Slanted Door, a friend’s recommendation – it is a restaurant known for its modern take on Vietnamese food, and sourcing of local products and ecologically-farmed meat. We didn’t have reservations, but given it was a Tuesday, we didn’t think we’d have any problem getting in. We were wrong.

The dining room was full for the evening, and the lounge was packed. Though seats were available in the lounge, we were told only an abbreviated menu would be available to us there – in order to access the full menu, we’d have to snag a seat at the coveted bar (something that was a bit comical to us, since the bar was literally two steps away). The lounge servers were great though – they took pity on us and offered us tips on how to get seats at the bar – and thankfully, after some hovering, we were successful.

Service was excellent – our bartender/server was friendly and easygoing, and was a touchstone of calm in the frenzied restaurant (over the course of the evening, the lounge became standing room only, with a group of patrons immediately behind us trying to have a conversation over the din).

Slanted Door served me the best milk tea I’ve ever had

Our friend had recommended the daikon rice cakes ($12), something I probably wouldn’t have ordered on my own. I’m glad we did – the texture was fantastic, browned and crispy on the outside, with an almost fluffy interior. And I’m not usually a fan of daikon, so props to the chef!

Daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms and shallots

The cellophane noodles with green onion and Dungeness crab meat ($18) was portioned well. The noodles were diner friendly, cut short for easy consumption, and the dish as a whole was perfectly seasoned.

Cellophane noodles with crab and green onion

I had read much online about the shaking beef ($32), a Vietnamese dish made from marinated filet mignon seared at very high heat. The meat, served with watercress, red onions and lime sauce, had a firm crust, but was nice and tender inside. Though we weren’t sure it was the showstopper it was meant to be, we did enjoy it.

Shaking beef

It’s worth noting that the receipt had a handy tip breakdown, listing amounts for 15% and 18% gratuities, based on our cheque total.

While Slanted Door was definitely a made-in-San Francisco experience, I’d recommend a reservation for a more leisurely dining experience.

Goodnight, San Francisco!

After dinner, we retired to our hotel, gearing up for a full day of wine.

Food Notes for March 7, 2011

Thanks to everyone who had kind words about my inclusion on Western Living’s 2011 list of Top 40 Foodies Under 40. I think it’s a great honour, especially to be recognized alongside some of Edmonton’s other representatives on the list: Garner and Giselle Beggs, Nate Box and Daniel Costa. On to this week’s food notes:

The City Market is back: the winter edition of the market starts this Saturday, March 12, and runs until May 14, 2011 at City Hall. After that, it’s back on 104 Street they go!
Live Local Alberta will kick off a series of “farm to fork” dinners on March 27, 2011 at Blue Plate Diner. Tickets are $75. See the menu here, which features elk carpaccio and a chevre cheesecake.
Mark your calendars! Indulgence 2011 will take place on June 13. Tickets will be available after May 2, 2011.
This would make an interesting night out – Fort Edmonton Park/Hotel Selkirk has organized a Girlfriends’ Getaway, featuring a wine tasting, movie night and horse-drawn carriage ride.
Another contest of sorts – Original Joe’s has committed to giving away $100,000 in free wings, and all you have to do is “like” them on Facebook.
Marianne reviewed Niche last week.
Chris reviewed Mini Mango, opened by the folks behind Sweet Mango.
Book A Table announced a new restaurant, Soda Jerks (17520 – 100 Avenue). They also said that Twisted Fork has now closed.
Gail Hall has a blog! Check out her site for tasty recipes.
See Magazine had a feature on veganism – I have to say I didn’t know that vegans had to be careful about how they combined certain foods in order to get maximum nutrients from their meals.
I admit I still don’t know enough about the raw milk issue, but raw milk cheese is in the news in the States as the feds look at repealing the 60 day aging period permitted for raw milk cheeses.
Avenue Calgary also released their annual food issue. For a peek at Calgary’s best restaurants, check out Andree’s blog.
Toronto will be getting a taste of David Chang! He will be opening two restaurants in 2012.
This is a pretty neat idea, from the folks behind TED: Coffee Common, where numerous roasters/baristas will be able to share their passion and knowledge of coffee while having the opportunity to network with one another.
Did you catch the premiere episode of America’s Next Great Restaurant? Mack’s favourite thus far is the grilled cheese sandwich guy.
Mack did a great job at Pecha Kucha 9, speaking on the topic of digital preservation, but there were also a few food-related talks that night. Dr. Kim Rayne discussed food access relating to the health of populations in our city and Kevin Kossowan talked about his family’s food system – if you missed it, you can watch all PK9 presentations online here.

Kevin at Pecha Kucha

Mack attended the City Market AGM tonight, where several new members were elected to the board, including Jennifer Berkenbosch of Sundog Organics, Owen Petersen of Prairie Mill and Pat Batten of Ocean Odyssey Inland. In addition to City Hall, the Market Board has been exploring Enterprise Square and the Mercer Warehouse as year-round possibilities.

City Market AGM

I spotted a new restaurant at 8205105 Street, just north of When Pigs Fly.

Chai Pani

Annie and I met up at Taipan Café for lunch on Friday (a rare treat for a weekday, but made possible by Teacher’s Convention). I’d never been to Taipan before, so their inexpensively priced meals were a welcome surprise. Annie managed to somehow finish both her duck congee and plate of noodles ($7.35), while I was utterly defeated by my bowl of noodles with shrimp wontons and beef brisket ($7.95).

Duck congee and milk tea

Noodles with shrimp wontons and beef brisket

Saturday afternoon called for another visit to Queen of Tarts. Their bread case was bursting (this time, everything had labels), as was their lunch case. Look for a new menu item this week – a duck confit and lentil salad. But if that doesn’t strike your fancy, I know what I’ll be looking forward to trying is their chicken banh mi!

Bread case

Downtown Expansion: Transcend Jasper Avenue

This guest post was written by Mack, an Edmonton-based geek who fancies himself a part-time foodie. You can find him online at his blog, and on Twitter.

Tonight Transcend Coffee held a friends and family soft launch at its new downtown location at 10349 Jasper Avenue. I stopped by to check out the new space, formerly occupied by Axis Café. The space is largely the same, though it did receive a new paint job and some Transcend-specific touches such as the lovely artwork. The new fireplace on the second level is a welcome addition too.

Entering the café.

Looking down from the second level.

The new location offers a similar drinks menu to other Transcend locations, but will also feature “a small selection of remarkable beer and wine” beginning this spring. Transcend Jasper will also introduce an expanded hot food menu at that time, featuring made-in-house South American street food created by Chad Moss, who is a Red Seal chef.

The boardroom upstairs.

The basement space.

The boardroom that was available at Axis remains open for rental at Transcend after receiving some upgrades. It contains a large board table, a high-resolution projector and screen, and flip chart paper and other resources. Rates start at $20 per hour or $100 for the day. Transcend Jasper also has a great space in the basement – they are exploring various concepts for it, including a live-music program. Stay tuned for details on that.

Yum, Transcend-roasted coffee beans!

Putting up the sign outside!

The crew pictured above was putting up the sign as a I left the space tonight around 6pm, so like all good openings Transcend Jasper was down to the wire! It’ll be open for regular business starting tomorrow morning at 7:30am. You can follow the new location on Twitter at @TranscendJasper. You can see a few more photos of the space here.

Join me in welcoming Transcend to Edmonton’s new coffee district!

Welcome Home: Queen of Tarts

It has been a long time coming, but Queen of Tarts has finally opened, just a stone’s throw away from her summer home at the City Market!

Queen of Tarts

It was announced back in September 2010 that Linda Kearney would be opening a permanent storefront on 104 Street in the historic Armstrong building, with an anticipated opening date of November. Construction delays pushed that back four months, but after visiting the shop today, I think it was well worth the wait!

In October, Mack and I popped our heads inside the still bare room, where Linda was kind enough to receive us. This was the space before renovations:

This is the space after:

Isn’t it gorgeous?

It feels bright and airy and just the sort of place that can help you escape from Edmonton – even if just for a moment.

They similarly did a lot of work to create a cozy dining space that takes advantage of the room’s lone window. Before:

After:

The cases were filled to the brim with delectable treats. Among them – pear frangipane tarts, flourless chocolate cakes and brownies, and their signature lemon and lime curd tarts. They even had take-home containers of their ganache-based twist on a chocolate hazelnut spread!

Desserts

The shelves behind the cases were stacked with fresh bread (most still warm out of the oven). Those who had the chance to visit the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market received a preview of some of the levain breads, but now, patrons will be able to buy her breads almost daily (though I love dessert, I’m most thrilled about the fact that we now have access to a great artisan bakery across the street)!

La Fourchette silverware

Queen of Tarts also serves lunch, including soups, salads and quiche. Check out the day’s menu here.

Savoury case

The shop may also become a go-to spot for those looking to pick up small gifts. Besides Mighty Trio Organics oils and Jam Lady spreads, Queen of Tarts also sells packages of biscotti, granola, and their popular cheddar shorties, among other things.

Cheddar shorties and chocolate biscotti

With Credo across the way, Transcend about to open up down the street, and now, the Queen of Tarts on the Promenade, 104 Street and Jasper Avenue is now the go-to place for a coffee break (I even ran into Cathy inside the shop – she wrote about her visit here).

Stunning

I look forward to more trips down the stairs to feed our bread (and sweets) fix!

Queen of Tarts Bakery & Bistro
10129 104 Street
(780) 421-4410
Tuesday-Wednesday 9-6pm, Thursday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 8:30am-6pm, closed Sunday & Monday

The Little Things: Corso 32

Corso 32, like MRKT, is a new breed of restaurant. Led by a young chef with a bold vision, the establishments are stylish without being pretentious, embrace local producers when possible, and have adopted a communal table, signifying the importance of the restaurant’s community of patrons.

Corso 32, notably, is also pushing the terminology envelope, with the following statement on their menu: “A few things to add to your vocabulary: arancini is a crispy rice ball, pappardelle is thick pasta ribbons, poipette are meatballs and tesa is our house-cured pancetta.” I admire their quest to expose diners to what might be unfamiliar words; it simultaneously demands respect and elevates how one thinks of their cuisine.

It is also important to mention the idea of roots, which Corso beautifully shares through its inspired Italian fare as well as with a life size image of Chef Daniel Costa’s family, which looms on one wall (“Corso 32” is the the address of his family’s home in Italy).

For these reasons, my sister and I were really looking forward to our dinner reservations at the restaurant two weeks ago. Unfortunately, a few things prevented our good experience from being great.

The menu was small, but offered a solid range of choices (which, from the looks of it, will change on an ongoing basis). We ordered the arancini ($10) to share (a dish we were familiar with from Lit), and had split opinions. Amanda thought it was much too salty, but I loved them – the perfect bar snack, they were hot and crispy, the breaded shell giving way to a melted cassia cheese centre.

Arancini with mushrooms, pancetta and caccia (apologies for the terrible pictures)

For my main, I ordered the crispy gnocchi ($17), which, in hindsight, was my mistake given our appetizer – something featuring a broth or sauce would have been a nice change up. I did enjoy the interaction between the slightly spicy notes with the bitter black kale however, but I think I prefer my gnocchi enveloped in a creamy sauce, which usually enhances its silky, pillow-y nature.

Crispy gnocci, black kale, pecorino and spicy crumbs

Amanda was happy with her entrée, the rib steak ($25), which had an almost buttery texture. She also liked the dish accompaniments, arugula and shaved celery root (her first encounter with the latter).

Rib steak with shaved celery root & arugula salad

Food aside, two things marred our experience: first, Amanda had to ask for her drink three times before receiving it, all while we watched our server walk past our table delivering drinks to the party seated just behind us. The server did comp her soda, but given our placement near the bar, the misstep was even more puzzling.

Second, although we ordered our entrees immediately following the two top beside us, they received their plates a good fifteen minutes before we did. This wouldn’t have been an issue normally, except that a party of four with a reservation for 9pm was waiting eagerly for our table, hovering in the makeshift lobby beside us. At 9pm, Amanda and I were just finishing our plates, while the couple next to us had already reached their dinner’s end and were preparing to leave. Our server did offer up the dessert menu, but we couldn’t have comfortably dallied any longer.

Corso 32 has received glowing reviews elsewhere (in the Journal and Vue Weekly, as well as from Marianne and Chris) – I hope my next meal there is just as positive, in all aspects.

Corso 32
10345 Jasper Avenue
(780) 421-4622

The Cooking Chronicles: Sweet Treats

I don’t bake sweet treats as often as I want to – most of the products out of the oven are more utilitarian in nature – muffins or scones to be taken for breakfast and the like. So it’s nice to have a reason to do so, and visits and occasions are some of the best excuses!

Muffins that Taste Like Doughnuts

Out of Muffin Mania (the same book that gave us Best Ever Banana Muffins), came a recipe for muffins that taste like doughnuts (the name reminds me of Conan’s “puppies dressed as cats” segment, heh).

I decided to make them just before we were to drop by Grandma Male’s house one afternoon. They were easy to make, and produced six large muffins – just enough for us to taste together, with some leftovers for Grandma Male.

Muffins that taste like doughnuts

The texture reminded us of store-bought cake doughnuts, and with a topping of cinnamon sugar, they did taste a little like doughnuts. Next time, I’d be apt to coat the entire muffin in melted butter before a quick shake in a plastic bag filled with cinnamon sugar (instead of just sprinkling the tops with the topping mixture).

Oatmeal Cookies

Mack loves oatmeal raisin cookies, so it was about time I made some for him. I tried Mark Bittman’s recipe, particularly great because it lists alternative ingredients to easily adapt it to vegetarian and vegan standards.

In place of butter, I used canola oil, and instead of nuts, I added chocolate, but other than that, I stuck pretty close to the traditional cookie recipe.

The results were okay – though chock full of oats, raisins and chocolate chips, the dough itself seemed more crumbly than usual, perhaps a result of the oil vs. butter substitution. There also wasn’t enough hints of spice, so in all, the cookies were a bit bland. I’d definitely play up the cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice next time.

Oatmeal cookies

Mack liked the cookies though, and the recipe made a large enough batch that we were even able to freeze some for a rainy day (as Bittman directs). Once the bag is done, I’ll be able to make an even tastier batch!

Food Notes for February 28, 2011

Mack and I went to Calgary for the weekend for a short getaway. As much as I know that Edmonton is always competing with #yyc, Calgary is a very nice place to visit (even more so when you throw caution to the wind and stay in a fancy hotel). On to this week’s food notes:

A reminder that Downtown Dining Week starts this week and runs March 4-13, 2011. The menus are now up.
In addition to Seedy Sunday on March 20, 2011, Just Food Edmonton and Slow Food Edmonton will be hosting an event called Beyond the Supermarket, which will provide consumers with alternative ways to support local producers.
Avenue Edmonton released their third annual list of the 25 Best Things to Eat. I’m happy to see that Battista’s Calzones made the list. Also in the issue, an interview with the spunky Daniel Costa.
Pampa, with its all-you-can-eat meat menu, is now open. Has anyone been yet?
Marianne reviewed the plush Somerville Wine & Cheese. Looks like a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.
Twyla visited the Five Guys Burgers & Fries location (a U.S.-based chain) – sure to be a bang up success. Mack and I first tried the restaurant in DC.
City and Dale wrote about a recent brunch experience at Culina Muttart.
Niche got a great write-up in the Journal last week.
Liane posted more details about the new Southwest Edmonton Farmers’ Market that is set to open May 19, 2011, to run on Wednesdays from 5-8pm.
Valerie wrote a wonderful tribute to Michael Schmidt, an advocate for raw milk, recapping his visit to Edmonton last week. Schmidt will be back in Edmonton on March 23.
For all you Roll up the Rim to Win junkies, Jon Lin has again started posting about his winning (and losing) streak in his annual results tally.
Food Network announced the competitors for Top Chef Canada (to start airing April 11). It’s unfortunate that no Edmonton chefs made the list (Century Hospitality’s Paul Shufelt was in the running), but there are two Calgary representatives, Rebekah Pearse of Nectar Desserts (now closed) and Connie DeSousa of CharCut.
Speaking of Calgary, Foodie McPoon wrote about her Calgary quest for macarons.
Over in Vancouver, it’s the end of an era: db Bistro Moderne and Lumiere are closing its doors.
Looks like doughnuts are the new cupcake in NY.
Mack’s Dad enjoys scotch, so we thought there would be no better place to take him for dinner than The Bothy. Martin appreciated the extensive selection of scotch, and was able to introduce Mack to his first taste of scotch (I stuck with wine). The chicken and leek pie was also just as delicious as I remembered.

Mack’s first scotch glass!

Charcuterie and cheese selection, featuring O Sol’ Meatos cardamom salami and Jam Lady condiments

Chicken and leek pie with tomato and bacon soup

I met up with my family at Urban China for lunch last week. I haven’t been back there for dim sum since my visit early last year, but from what I hear, they’ve really improved (it is now at the top of my parents’ list of dim sum favourites). The har gao and siu mai seemed particularly tasty.

Pork and shrimp dumplings

Last time, the epic battle featured Mr. Bacon vs. Mr. Tofu, but in another death match with only one winner, who would survive: the corndog or broccoli?

Captain Corndog vs. Baron Von Broccoli (as seen in Livingstone & Cavell Toys in Calgary)

Have a good week!

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