Supporting Black-Owned Food Businesses

In an effort to support the current Black Lives Matters protests, several local food bloggers have used their platforms to showcase local Black-owned food businesses.

Some of the lists have referenced information gathered from Afro Biz and Black Owned YEG. Find links on Linda Hoang, YEG Cravings, and Eat with Sharon’s sites for a window into the variety of cuisines and products available throughout Edmonton. In New York, similar lists have been circulating for the last week, and some businesses have seen an uptick in sales during that period.

On a related note, Calgary-based writer and cookbook author Julie van Rosendaal has offered to consult with aspiring BIPOC writers for free, to help ensure more diverse voices reach the mainstream.

In COVID-19-related News:

• Food businesses continue to announce re-opening for take-out or delivery, as is the case with Lockstock and Hathaway’s Diner.
• Others have chosen to open for limited dine-in services, including Sabor, Partake, RGE RD, Louisiana Purchase, King Noodle House, Cask & Barrel, Kazoku, Guru, and DOSC.
• I continue to be amazed at some of the ingenuity behind the make-at-home options available through restaurants – including Partake’s assembly-ready beef tartare.
• Food trucks are also offering meal kits – Sizzling Stick, for example, is selling heat-and-serve satay packages.
• Canadian Western Bank worked with Blaze Pizza and Five Guys to surprise some essential grocery workers with meals.

Openings

• Culina On the Lake, their Hawrelak Park outpost, officially opened in February, but closed shortly after due to the COVID-19 restrictions. It has since re-opened, and now has a patio to boot!
• It looks like the Downtown location of Wayback Burgers at 10412 Jasper Avenue is still coming soon.

Upcoming Events

• AMA is hosting an Ask Me Anything with Taste Alberta on June 11, 2020 that will focus on how to shop local for barbecue season.
• The Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society have partnered with Get Cooking for their next event on June 11, 2020. Kathryn Joel will be leading a virtual cooking class featuring Alberta’s official 7 ingredients.
• The folks behind the 124 Grand Market are organizing a Food Truck Fest on June 12, 2020 from 4-8pm in the parking lot of Kingsway Mall.

Local News

• Has the buffet come to a permanent end? Both Pampa and Nariyanni’s have had to change their dining models to fit the current restrictions.
• Rogue Wave Coffee’s Ply Pasarj merges his science background with the art of brewing coffee.
• Celtic Kitchen offers different sweet and savoury pies for pick-up, including gluten-free varieties.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The City of Edmonton’s pop-up gardening initiative is moving forward with 350 containers to 29 sites.

What I Ate

• Edgar Farms asparagus is in season! The asparagus arrived late this year, so the season will unfortunately be even shorter than usual. Find them at Old Strathcona, Downtown Edmonton, Bountiful, St. Albert, and Callingwood Farmers’ Markets.

Asparagus pizza

• Coffee Bureau now offers chocolate soft-serve! They were handing out free cones on Friday on a trial basis, and Emily was more than happy to partake.

Emily loves ice cream!

Oliver Neighbourhood Food Exchange Box First in Edmonton

Edmonton has its first food exchange box, located in the Oliver area. Quinn Wade spearheaded the idea, inspired by the Little Free Library movement, which promotes book sharing. The box functions on the generosity of strangers – people contribute what they have to give, and those in need take from the box. Wade shared that people have been considerate of others:

“One of things that COVID has really done is (show) there’s a lot of good in this world and there’s a lot of really good people.”

More boxes to house donations in other neighbourhoods are currently in the works.

COVID-19-related News

• More restaurants continue to open up for dine-in service in June, including Sofra, Green Onion Cake Man’s Downtown location, and the Union Bank Inn.
• Liane featured Rosewood Foods in a story about an example of a restaurant opening up in a pandemic.
• Since restaurants re-opened to dine-in service, patrons have been asked to observe some new rules.
• Looking for a patio that is open Downtown? The Downtown Business Association has you covered.
• Sorrentino’s has re-launched their in-person cooking classes, with limits to 6 people per class, and physical distancing in effect.
• Kudos to DOSC, Japonais Bistro, and Dorinku Osaka who are donating care packages to workers in a hospital unit once a week.
• The Africa Centre is among 10 groups in Edmonton’s African community to assist those in need with food hampers and other support programs.
• Edmonton-based Earth Group is hoping to provide 50,000 meals to families in need, and has partnered with the Italian Centre to extend the money raised.

Openings

• Shack A Patate, serving up burgers and fries, opens in Sherwood Park on June 2, 2020 at #122, 270 Baseline Road.
• The Greenhouse’s second location at the Riverside Golf Course opened last weekend.

Closures

• The Gamers’ Lodge on 124 Street has closed permanently.

Upcoming Events

• The next Food Truck Drive-Thru will be on June 3, 2020 from 4-8pm at the WECA Church parking lot (6315 199 Street), featuring Drift, Casa 12 Doce and Jackie O’s.
• Chef Levi Biddlecombe is the next local contestant on Food Network’s FireMasters. The episode featuring his competition airs on June 11, 2020, and he will be hosting a viewing party at The Provincial Kitchen & Pub to celebrate. Tickets are $21 plus fees, and includes a drink and some food.

Local News

• Sabor is offering a to-go Swine and Dine dinner for two on June 4, 2020. The cost is $70.
• Congratulations to Milk Crate and The Baker’s Son for celebrating their one year anniversaries!
• The Public, a forthcoming food business incubator and market, has launched some pre-set food boxes called Public Offering Boxes that can be picked up from the 124 Market or from The Public each week.
• Sharon tried another new delivery-based food business called Graham’s Jerkhouse.
• The current episode of podcast Don’t Call Me A Guru explores how some local businesses, including Milk Crate and the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market, are using social media during the pandemic.
• The second season of CJSR’s That’s Food podcast kicks off by focusing on some easy to make dishes at home.
• Cathy shares her love of the waffle puck from Old Strathcona and Bountiful Farmers’ Market vendor Cookie Crumbs.
• Avenue interviewed Scott Messenger about his book, Tapping the West: How Alberta’s Craft Beer Industry Bubbled Out of an Economy Gone Flat.
• Peter Keith of Meuwly’s has joined the Board of Directors of the Culinary Federation.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Congratulations to The Organic Box for marking ten years in business!
• Edmonton-based company Future Fields is working on lab-grown meat, aka “cultivated meat”.

What I Ate

• Thanks to The Glass Monkey for gifting me one of their beautiful sourdough loaves this weekend! They recommend pre-ordering for those interested.

Sourdough from Glass Monkey

• Craving pizza, this week’s take-out was from Campio Brewing. Though the toppings were great (I loved their cheekily named “PB & J” – pineapple, bacon, and jalapenos), the Detroit-style crust could have used more time in the oven.

PB & J pizza from Campio Brewing

Filistix the First to Undergo “Permanent Pivot”

There have been many stories about how local restaurants have adapted to the COVID reality out of necessity, offering take-out and delivery, meal kits, and opening up their pantries. And though some food businesses have decided to re-open their dining rooms again, one local restaurant has decided their new model will be here to stay.

Filistix, who was due to celebrate the one year anniversary of their Downtown storefront on May 26, 2020, has chosen to permanently pivot away from full service dining. After two months of positive response to their in-house delivery service, and in light of their need to plan for the future of the restaurant, they will be focusing on delivery, take-out and fast casual dining.

Ariel del Rosario, co-owner of Filistix, wrote,

Are we set up for success? Are we going to come out of this unscathed? Only time will tell.  But I am confident that we are putting ourselves in a good position to weather the storm.  It was already an immensely tough challenge to break an unfamiliar, unpopular cuisine to the Edmonton masses.  We don’t serve pizza, or burgers, or sushi.  We serve Filipino food and the curve is steep to bring it to the level of acceptance as our Asian counterparts.  One thing we learned from our food cart days is that to survive, we had to adapt and evolve.  How we come out of this, we look at it as another chapter in our story, another adventure on our journey.

Find Filistix here.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• Many restaurants continue to join the list of establishments offering dine-in at 50% capacity. These include: Violino, Ono Poke, Tiffin Fresh Indian Kitchen, Upper Crust, Rosso, Bianco, Hap’s Hungry House, and the newly-opened Fox Burger rooftop patio. The Journal covered Earls’ re-opening of their dining rooms last week. Others will be coming online later this week or in early June: Woodwork and Black Pearl. Avenue is also trying to maintain a list.
• Some restaurants have re-opened for take-out only, such as June’s Delicatessen, or next week, Pho Hoan Pasteur.
• Take-home offerings continue to evolve with the season, now incorporating the desire for some to grill. Three Vikings is selling chicken souvlaki bbq kits, XO Bistro has marinated skewers, and RGE RD has been offering dry-aged Nonay beef through The Butchery.
• Need bread? Consider Get Bread, which offers delivery of breads and pastries from Popular Bakery.
• Local food/entertainment venues The Spotlight Cabaret and The Comic Strip were forced to close, but may be permitted to open only as food establishments.
• Restaurants continue to try to help diners recreate the dining out ambiance at home, as was the case with The Next Act, Meat, and Pip partnering with local DJ Thomas Culture to create three unique playlists to pair with the “gastronomic experience.”

Openings

• A new food cart is now open in Edmonton, called Street Tacos.

Upcoming Events

• The next Food Truck Drive Thru will be in the parking lot of the Leduc Recreation Centre on May 30, from 12-7pm.
• Homestead’s Positivity and Innovation for Edmonton’s Reopening (PIER) Speaker Series will be featuring Filistix’s Ariel del Rosario on May 28, 2020.

Local News

• More small, delivery-based food businesses continue to crop up during this pandemic, including Benny’s Bread, offering cinnamon buns and artisanal bread.
• The Globe Diary lists the best coffee shops in Edmonton.
• Why are cans all the rage for beer these days? Jason Foster shares his knowledge about the current trend.
• This Vice writer contributes an ode to Padmanadi.
• This take on the Italian Centre’s premade sandwiches seemed to garner a lot of traction online.
• The Alberta Hospitality Association wants a fee cap placed on third-party delivery services.

Beyond Edmonton

• A Kansas-based pizzeria owner gamed Door Dash and made $75 by ordering his own pizzas.
• Is physical distancing enough to prevent another outbreak? The Atlantic tackles how COVID-proofing restaurants may look like.
• From Restaurant Business: is the buffet dead?

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Open Farm Days continues their partnership with The Organic Box in featuring Alberta products in exclusive boxes.
• With gardening all the rage this year, some Edmontonians have applied permaculture to their front yards.

What I Ate

• Chilly weather last week had me craving bun bo Hue, so take-out from King Noodle House was in order!

Our usual from King Noodle House

Hospitality Businesses Welcome Dine-In Customers

The Government of Alberta lifted restrictions for restaurants, cafes, pubs, and bars on May 14, 2020 to resume dine-in services.

While capacity of these businesses was limited to 50% (among other guidelines), many restaurants in the Edmonton area chose to re-open their dining areas to patrons. Some, including Canadian Brewhouse, Joey’s, and Hudson’s, aren’t surprising, given the space they have in their establishments to spread out.

But many smaller, independent businesses have also resumed eat-in service, such as Pampa, Hart’s Table, Ramen Misoya, Kelly’s Pub, Rocky Mountain Ice House, The Underground, Hanjan, dessert bar Snowy Village, and neighbourhood gem Old Beverly Cafe.

However, other businesses have stated that they aren’t yet ready to open their dining rooms, and will continue offering take-out and delivery for the time being.

Prairie Dog Brewing, a Calgary-based brewpub, posted a thorough account detailing all of the considerations behind a decision to re-open – it is worth a read, and seems to articulates many of the factors stacked against small restaurants at this time.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• Some businesses have re-opened for take-out only, including Coffee Bureau and District.
• The City of Edmonton is relaxing rules that will allow restaurants and bars to set up patios without a development permit or additional costs this summer.
• The regulation that permits restaurants and bars to sell alcohol through take-out or delivery channels has been amended permanently, and will remain even after the pandemic.
• High Dough Pizza and Bagel Bar have been among the businesses to have skyrocketing demand during the pandemic.
• On the flip side, many businesses in Chinatown continue to struggle with the decline in foot traffic.
• Co-owner of Meat, The Next Act, and Pip, Saylish Haas, was interviewed for inResponse, which explores how people are handling the COVID-19 crisis.
• Panini’s Italian Cucina are among five restaurants in Canada that have received the most tips through Skip the Dishes orders.
• Jacek is involved in a partnership called Retail4Good, which is selling gift boxes for frontline workers at a discount.
• Ocean Odyssey has adapted to the current conditions to keep customers safe when shopping in their store.
• Gordon Food Service is now offering grocery delivery and pick-up for household consumers.

Openings

• The location of The Greenhouse based at Victoria Golf Course is now open. It comes from the folks behind Workshop Eatery and Woodshed Burgers.
• While the dining room at Boxer – Alberta Kitchen & Bar (the former Holy Roller space) is not open yet, they have been offering curbside take-out. Find them at 10315 83 Avenue.
• The Colombian now has a coffee truck! Follow The Coffee Mule to find out where they’ll be next.

Closures

• The Funky Buddha in Old Strathcona has closed after 15 years in business.
• Nando’s has closed some of its corporate-owned locations. In the Edmonton area, this appears to impact the Clareview and Sherwood Park branches, while the Oliver Square and Gateway Boulevard shops will remain open.

Upcoming Events

• In support of Canadian potato farmers, Sabor is offering 2 pieces of Piri-Piri chicken with fries and aioli for $14 on May 19, 2020. Pre-ordering is required.
• The Chefs from Milk Crate and Why Not are going head-to-head in a Burger Battle for a second time on May 20, 2020. Diners try two take-out burgers and vote for their favourite. Pre-orders are due at 4pm on May 19; burgers are to be picked up at Milk Crate in the Epcor Tower.
• The Common’s popular Hip Hop Brunch is going virtual on May 24, 2020. Those interested should pre-order; included along with the food are colouring sheets, crayons, and a link to the live brunch stream.

Local News

• Chef Doreen Prei is the next Edmontonian to appear on Food Network Canada’s Firemasters program. Watch for her appearance on May 21, 2020.
• Sharon wrote about some small food-based businesses that have started up during the pandemic, including Malay Bakery, Nai Nai Mie, and The French Creperie. QuaranTeas & Sweets is in the same vein, offerings sweets and drinks through delivery. It’ll be interesting to see if these businesses are able to sustain themselves when and if diners return to eating in restaurants again.
• Sea Change Brewing followed through on their offer to deliver a pallet of beer using a forklift. After Highlands Liquor placed a large order, they made the 10km trip on a small, pink forklift, documented the journey, and have pledged a portion of the beer sales for Edmonton’s Food Bank.
• Local startup Commerce Owl has submitted their recipe app for a Shopify competition in the hopes of snagging a prize.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• While farmers’ markets have been classified as “essential services” and have remained open during the pandemic, their transition to outdoor spaces has come with some restrictions.
• Riverbend Gardens shared that for the first time since 2004, they will not be among the summer vendors at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market. They indicated that “the market made the decision that no vendors with products similar to permanent indoor vendors would be allowed in the outdoor portion of the market.” This is incredibly disappointing, short-sighted, and unfortunate given the market had the wonderful opportunity to fully showcase the possibilities of having both indoor and outdoor components this summer. I look forward to supporting Riverbend Gardens through their other market locations.
• Alberta Open Farm Days has updated their list of farms who offer farmgate sales or delivery options.
• The City of Edmonton is hoping to increase the number of community gardens by creating 350 gardening plots in 30 temporary garden sites. The deadline to submit applications is May 18, 2020.

What I Ate

• We still haven’t exhausted our take-out options within walking distance of our home! Friday’s craving for Thai meant kicking off the weekend with food from Viphalay. The pad Thai and green curry are staples for us, but we tried the drunken noodles for the first time too – I was unprepared for how spicy they were!

Our spread from Viphalay

Some Restaurants Gearing Up to Reopen

The Government of Alberta’s relaunch strategy is set to shift to stage one on May 14, 2020, which will allow some businesses, including restaurants, cafes, pubs, and bars, to resume dine-in services.

Guidance on risk mitigation was released today. The document details include: seating capacity must be limited to 50% (including outdoor patios); 2-meter distances must be maintained between tables; group sizes are capped at 6 patrons; and all dining must be table service only.

So far, only a few restaurants have publicly posted that they will be accommodating eat-in customers as of May 14, such as Pampa’s west end location, and Woodshed Burgers on 124 Street.

Others, like Blue Plate Diner and The Next Act/MEAT/Pip, have shared that they will remain open only for take-out and delivery for the time being, in order to maintain the safety of their staff and guests.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• Many restaurants have reopened for take-out and delivery, including Restaurant Yarrow, which is offering 5-course set meals; Tang Bistro; Baijiu; and River City Revival at the Starlite.
• Let Eat Snow re-opened on May 8, 2020, and in addition to their signature desserts, will also be offering fresh sandwiches under a sub-brand called Sandwich Box. They are also serving up Dalgona Coffee, which is having its moment on social media.
• Liane has started a series featuring restaurants who have pivoted quickly in the face of the pandemic, and are reimagining their food businesses to survive. First up: Rob Filipchuck of Glass Monkey.
• Starting May 11, 2020, T & T will require shoppers to wear masks in the store.
• Here is a list of Asian restaurants in Edmonton offering take-out and delivery.
• The Butternut Tree sold 300 boxes of high tea treats over the weekend; with many restaurants having adapted their high tea wares for take-out purposes, perhaps some may carry over past the pandemic period?
• A recent Restaurants Canada survey noted that 7 out of 10 respondents in Alberta do not have enough funds to pay expenses over the next three months.

Openings

• The Edmonton location of Peter’s Drive-In is now open at 5151 Calgary Trail, though for the time being, only for drive-thru services. Cars have been lining up and blocking traffic on Gateway Boulevard ever since.
• Cup Bap on Rice Howard Way is now open at 101, 10115 100A Street, serving up Korean rice bowls and fried chicken.

Closures

• Both Doan’s locations (in Old Strathcona and Downtown) are permanently closed.
• Il Forno also announced its permanent closure, after 14 years in business.

Local News

• Tiramisu Bistro on 124 Street is open again after some renovations.
• The Local Good continued their week of focusing on local food and hospitality businesses and initiatives, with features on cafes, breweries, and food security resources.
• For a fun distraction, try completing this Donair Championship bracket, put together by Oilers Nation.
• Congratulations to the Grocery Run & Leftovers/Fresh Routes Community Partnership for receiving the 2020 U Alberta Advocate Award.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The 124 Grand Market is set to debut this summer on May 14, 2020, with some precautions, including limiting the number of patrons at any time to 50, no dogs, and encouraging the wearing of masks.
• The Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market is reopening their outdoor portion (adjacent to the building on 103 Avenue) on May 16, 2020.
• The St. Albert Farmers’ Market will reopen on June 6, 2020 in a new location to allow for greater spacing between vendors. They will be located in the parking lot of Servus Credit Union Place at 400 Campbell Road.
• Community gardens are set to re-open this year, with some requirements to facilitate social distancing and sanitation requirements.
• Sturgeon County-based farm 2BK Vegetables will be offering online ordering and curb-side pick-up this summer.
• Angela Santiago, CEO of Edmonton-based The Little Potato Company, shared how her company has stepped up to meet the demand for their product.

What I Ate

• Before the pandemic, we made weekly trips to the Italian Centre as a part of our grocery run. Now, we’ve been using their delivery service (free for orders over $75) over the past month. It’s not only convenient, but amazingly efficient – both times, our orders were processed and delivered the next day. Their ordering system isn’t set up like the big grocers, but if you’re not that picky (or are a frequent shopper like us and know what you want), it’s a great way to shop local.

Our recent Italian Centre grocery order (and Emily’s feet!)

• Our Friday night take-out was courtesy of Rosewood Foods – an amazing chicken katsu sandwich with crispy potatoes, and maple cinnamon crullers. I can’t wait for their restaurant to fully open on Rice Howard Way – it’s a great little spot we can walk to! Currently, they’re open for pick-up orders from Wednesday to Saturday.

Chicken katsu sandwich from Rosewood Foods

• For Mother’s Day, we delivered an order of brisket and pulled pork from MEAT to my Mom (she’d been craving southern barbecue!). For ourselves, we ordered The Next Act’s take on donairs, made using the brisket from MEAT – they were delicious!

MEAT brisket donair from The Next Act

Food Establishments May Re-open Next Week

The Government of Alberta released its Relaunch Strategy last week, and indicated that some restrictions on cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars may be lifted as soon as May 14, 2020.

Dependent on the approval of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, stage one would allow food establishments to re-open for public seating at 50% capacity.

Patrick Saurette of The Marc responded to this possibility in an interview with City TV, and indicated that although it may be permitted, his restaurant may decide not to open because staff and diners may not feel safe.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• Cartago has started selling cocktail kits.
• Vaticano Cucina will be opening for curbside pick-up and delivery starting May 7, 2020.
• Global published a story about Rosewood Foods and Wing Snob, new businesses that have had to pivot from in-person dining because of the pandemic. CBC has a similar story on the same businesses.
• The Tomato wrote about several local businesses that have adjusted their services for curbside pick-up and delivery, including Cibo Bistro, Filistix, Corso 32, and Glass Monkey.
• CBC featured The Grizzlar, Sea Change Brewing, and Kind Ice Cream on how they’ve changed to remain open.
• Food trucks will be permitted to operate this summer, as long as they adhere to certain guidelines to maintain public health.
• Duchess has been able to donate $1000 to the Bissell Centre last week; their drivers are taking donations in lieu of tips for the charity.
• DaVinci Gelato (which started making its own alcohol last year to make alcohol-infused gelato), switched production gears to start producing hand sanitizer last month.
• Pierogerie, a vendor at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, is offering pierogi making kits for home use.
• Press’d has also gone the route of opening up their pantry and is offering flour and yeast for sale at their shops.
• There is another grocery delivery service available in the Edmonton area called Fresh Forward.
• More than half a dozen businesses, including Crave, have banded together to create the YEG Community Box, which offers a collection of “tiny treats, relaxing items, or small activities.”
• Edmonton’s Food Bank continues to adapt to high demand, especially in light of the cancellation of the Heritage Festival, one of its biggest food drives of the year.

Openings

• Sister cafe to Sugarbowl Eleanor & Laurent is now open next door (10926 88 Avenue), and offers French pastry and fresh breads.
• Century Hospitality has expanded their ghost kitchens to include concepts Nooch, offering protein bowls, and Chuck, offering burgers and milkshakes.
• Brew and Bloom is a forthcoming cafe opening this summer. In the meantime, they are offering 25% off their food items for delivery.
• A new food business called Malay Bakery is offering Malaysian curry puffs and rolled pandan for delivery.
• Nico’s Cookie Co., run by a 10 year old boy, is also a relatively new business that offers porch pick-up in Parkland County.

Closures

• Jacek has announced that they’ve closed their 104 Street shop (but will be maintaining their location in Sherwood Park).
• The Table Top Cafe has closed their 124 Street location.

Upcoming Events

• The next #EatWithMeYEG takes place on May 6, 2020 and will feature The Local Good’s current #LocalGoodnessYEG project which highlights small businesses.
• The Food Truck Drive Thru returns with its second edition and six trucks on May 9, 2020 in the parking lot of Southgate Centre.

Local News

• Chef Alexei Boldireff has left Baijiu.
• For those looking to spoil their mamas with a special home-cooked brunch or dinner, there are many restaurants to choose from who have put together meal kits, including RGE RD, Jack’s Burger Shack, Central Social Hall, and Century Hospitality.
• For others seeking something more ready-made, Filistix has Mother’s Day feasts, The Butternut Tree, Reinette Cafe, and Knosh are selling high tea orders, Brio and Sugared and Spiced have Mother’s Day gift boxes, and The Marc has put together picnic baskets.
• Several local businesses have also collaborated for food and flower gift packs, including: Splash Poke, Caramunchies, and Lovella and The Art of Cake and FaBLOOMosity. Get Cooking and Prairie Gardens are offering virtual cooking classes, with an accompanying basket of greens and vegetables (and the potential to add on flowers).
• The Local Good is featuring ways to support small businesses this month. The first week is all about food and drink, including local bakeries and farmers’ markets.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Northlands, through its Alberta Flavour initiative, is conducting a survey to determine how the current disruptions in the food system can be managed.
• Liane wrote about a number of local community supported agriculture projects that have escalated in popularity in recent weeks, including Sparrow’s Nest, Prairie Gardens, and Riverbend Gardens.
• Local farmers, including Rock Ridge Dairy and potato growers, are feeling the effects of the pandemic on their bottom line.
• “Meat is the new toilet paper” – or so say some Alberta meat producers who have seen their demand increase as meat packing plants have been forced to close, impacting supplies at grocery stores.

What I Ate

• We love having so many restaurants within a five minute walk of our place – many that we’re finally getting to for the first time! Friday night take-out was from Bao Bao – we especially enjoyed the traditional pan-fried bao (with pork bone soup inside) and the sweet and sour pork rib dry noodle. They also accept phone orders to bypass third-party apps for pick-up!

Our order from Bao Bao

• On Saturday, after meeting a friend’s baby for the first time (through a window!), we swung by Jack’s Burger Shack on the way home. It wasn’t planned, but we decided to eat our meal while it was still hot at a nearby park. The hangover burger really hit the spot, and Emily loved the fries!

A quick picnic with Jack’s

Local Restaurants Continue to Innovate During Pandemic

It’s been six weeks since the current social restrictions were put into place, with no end in sight. Restaurants have been forced to get even more creative as the length of the pandemic grows, with no choice but to meet the need for diners to eat at home.

Several food businesses have started creating kits for people to build dishes at home – Nomiya is offering tonkotsu ramen kits, El Beso is selling margarita and taco kits, and Meuwly’s makes it easy to bake your own flatbread (with a side of dessert). New businesses have also sprung up to cater to this demand, including Nai Nai Mie’s Indonesian-style tossed noodles.

Others are combining food with (socially distant) events. Chefs from Milk Crate and Why Not are collaborating on a take-out burger battle on April 29, 2020, while Colleen’s Chocolates is leading a virtual chocolate tasting on May 1, 2020. Even food trucks are getting into the mix, with a food truck “drive through” being organized for May 2, 2020.

In other COVID-19 related-news:

• Several restaurants that have been closed for some weeks are returning for limited take-out, including Bundok, Baijiu, and Campio Brewing.
• Zwick’s has partnered with SYC Brewing for craft beer and pretzel delivery.
• Indian Chef, a restaurant in Chapelle, has been offering free meals to anyone in need since April 1. Dil-E-Punjab, a restaurant in Mill Woods, has been serving 25 to 50 meals per day.
• Blue Plate Diner has started selling their supplier’s eggs for pick-up at the restaurant.
• Liane provides some background on how Steve and Dan’s expanded into the grocery delivery business.
• K-Days, Taste of Edmonton, and Heritage Days announced last week that their 2020 events are cancelled.
• Sysco has joined the household grocery market, with their new Sysco@Home service.

Upcoming Events

• The next #EatWithMeEdmonton will be taking place on April 29, 2020, and focuses on businesses in the 124 Street area.
• The Edmonton Resilience Festival has moved online for this year’s iteration; most workshops commence on May 2, 2020, but more are still being added.
• Knifewear is streaming online classes on their social media channels, which include knife skills and cooking classes.
• NAIT is hosting a webinar on the future of plant-based foods on May 21, 2020.

Reviews

• Linda and her husband Mike celebrated his birthday by eating pizzas for a week! She shared his five favourites, but his top pick was Stony Plain’s Atomic Pizza.
• Sharon reviewed Korean-Chinese restaurant Rae Mi Hyang.

Local News

• The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is offering their afternoon tea to go for pick-up over the Mother’s Day weekend, while Workshop Eatery has put together some timely gift baskets for the occasion.
• A car crashed into Pind Punjab Restaurants and Sweets today; although no one was hurt, the business owner does not know when they might re-open.
• Foodora has announced that they will be closing operations in Canada in May.

Beyond Edmonton

• Restaurants across Canada are uncertain the reliance on third-party delivery apps are tenable to their bottom lines at this time.
• This NYT Magazine feature by Gabrielle Hamilton is a must-read – synthesizing her twenty years in the restaurant business and why her restaurant may not return after the pandemic.
• As some states in the US are permitting restaurants and bars to re-open, the NYT explores how post-pandemic dining might look.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Organic Box is partnering with participants in Open Farm Days to deliver three locally-sourced boxes for a limited time this week, in support of Alberta producers.
• Given all of the uncertainty in supply chains, it’s great timing that Sundog Organic will be offering farm box subscriptions this year!
• Supplies of meat across the country are being impacted by meat processing plant shut downs, while there is a glut of some agricultural products, such as milk and potatoes.

What I Ate

• Friday night dinner was take-out from Dynasty Century Palace – they’re offering 30% off all pick-up orders. It was a great excuse to visit a #yegchinatown mainstay and get a walk in as well!

Our order from Dynasty Century Palace

Restaurants Shift to Become Alternative Grocery Stores

To offer diners the convenience of take-out meals and groceries in a single pick-up or delivery, several restaurants have shifted to open up their pantries to customers.

Earls pivoted back in March, offering grocery packs and home essentials. Local Public Eatery has also opened up their shelves and liquor cabinets, calling it The Local Corner Store. OEB has done the same, offering breakfast essentials at their locations.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• The trio of restaurants – The Next Act, Meat, and Pip – have now re-opened for limited take-out and in Pip’s case, oven-ready dinners.
• Dorinku Osaka and Dorinku Tokyo are offering frozen ramen for diners to heat and eat at home.
• Many local breweries have started doing home deliveries to keep their businesses going.
• The Downtown Edmonton Farmers’ Market and Reclaim Farm were featured on Serena Mah’s latest podcast on how they’ve pivoted during the pandemic.
• Edmonton’s only Jollibee location has been forced to close due to issues related to social distancing.
• Kitchen staff laid off from local restaurants have bolstered the volunteer ranks at Meals on Wheels.
• The Cargill meat-processing plant south of Calgary has been temporarily closed after a worker dies.
• Pork producers are concerned about the effects of the pandemic on their bottom line.

Openings

• Wishbone is currently the home of Grey Mare, serving up Chef David Leeder’s burgers and sides.

Upcoming Events

• The next #EatWithMeYEG focuses on the North Edge, and will take place April 22, 2020.
• Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is going virtual on April 22 and 29, 2020. They encourage diners to purchase take-out on those days to support restaurants, then tune in to concerts to be livestreamed.

Reviews

• Both Lydia and Sharon showed much love to Sepp’s Pizza.

Local News 

• The Spring 2020 issue of Eat Local is out, and available to read online. It’s the first issue edited by Twyla Campbell. Among the pieces, they feature the family behind Nature’s Green Acres, and profile longstanding restaurant Bistro Praha.
• Speaking of Twyla, she shared an experience tasting various cheeses from Lakeside Farmstead. Cheesemaker Ian Treuer (formerly of Winding Road) has been experimenting with the milk from Jeff and Coralee Nonay’s cows. The cheeses aren’t commercially available yet.
• The Prairie Dinner Series, an annual fall event, released a mini documentary featuring participating chef Lindsay Porter.
• Maps like this one try to help keep consumers up to date with waiting times at grocery stores and pharmacies.
• If you need some inspiration to bake your own bread at home, consider listening to this podcast featuring home baker Emily Hoven.
• Locally-based app ClickDishes, which allows diners to pre-order and pre-pay for food, has expanded to Japan.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Good news has been in short supply, so it was great to hear that community gardens have been permitted to operate this summer.
• The St. Albert Farmers’ Market is among the nominees in this year’s Alberta Business Awards of Distinction under the category of Community Attraction.

What I Ate

• We’ve been doing our best to support small businesses in other ways – this week, we ordered from Good Goods Co., which offers an assortment of locally-made foods and beverages. Our box included bread and sourdough starter from Laneway Bakery, coffee beans from Alternate Route and Roasti Coffee, and oats from Strathcona Stoneground Organics.

Our haul from Good Goods Co.

• I’d been craving ramen for a while, so thought this weekend would be an opportune time to (finally!) try Dorinku Osaka. Everything was well packaged to keep the noodles springy, and our pick-up order was 10% off. The tonkotsu was tasty, and Mack enjoyed the shoyu. We’ll be ordering again!

Ramen and sides from Dorinku Osaka

Government of Alberta Allocates $5 Million to Food Supply Efforts

Recognizing the challenges an increasing number of Albertans have with meeting basic needs, on April 10, 2020 the Government of Alberta announced a provision of $5 million to “support Alberta food bank locations, charities, not-for-profits and civil society organizations with their food supply efforts.”

Many local organizations have also been doing their part to support Edmonton’s Food Bank. #YEGTechCares has pulled together 20 companies so far whose salaried staff have pledged the equivalent of one hour of their monthly salary to donate to the Food Bank over the next three months, and a group of Dynalife employees donated $10,000 from their April pay for the Food Bank.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• Smokey Bear has created a take-out/delivery taqueria called Pedro’s. Their first menu featured a collaboration with Biera’s Christine Sanford.
• I’m late to the party, but it’s great to see HanJan and Izakaya Tomo teaming up to offer “mix and match” items from both menus for pick-up and delivery orders.
• In an effort to recreate some of the ambiance of dining out, some restaurants like Blue Plate Diner and Tzin have offered music alongside their take-out, in the form of streamed concert or a playlist.
• It looks like OEB has gone the route of Earls in setting up a marketplace to those interested in picking up some essentials.

Upcoming Events

• Get Cooking continues to deliver virtual cooking workshops, including several free classes this April, such as how to make Asian-inspired pork stock and Asian-braised pork.
• Local author Jennifer Cockrall-King will be leading two upcoming workshops as a part of the Pandemic University School of Writing; 50% of the proceeds will go towards the Canadian Writers’ Emergency Relief Fund. The first, on April 20, 2020, will cover food writing fundamentals, while Cookbook Confidential on May 11, 2020 is intended for aspiring cookbook writers.

Reviews

• Sharon shared her pre-pandemic experience at Shojo Izakaya.

Local News

• Congratulations to all of the breweries recognized in the 2020 Alberta Beer Awards, including Odd Company Brewing, who won gold in the category of New Brewery of the Year, and Campio Brewing Co. who won silver in the Brewery of the Year category. Jason Foster breaks down the trends based on the winners.
• Many people seem to be clamoring for sourdough starter – through Good Goods Co., Laneway Bakery is selling some of their 13 year-old starter.

Beyond Edmonton

• Top Chef Canada debuts its eighth season on April 13. While there are no Edmonton-based competitors, two chefs from Calgary made the cut.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• With so many people thinking and planning for “victory gardens” this year, some may be interested in this free introductory online webinar about permaculture, scheduled for April 14 at 4pm.

What I Ate

• My Chicago-based sister Felicia sent us an Amore Pasta care package last week, featuring fresh pasta, sauces, and bread (the cream sauce was perfectly indulgent, especially when doctored up with some pesto). The whole box has been enough for several meals!

Amore Pasta care package

• We finally gave into the hype and tried Sepp’s Pizza, offering New York-style pies. I appreciated that the crust was thin but sturdy, and the pepperoni is something special. Emily gave it two thumbs up!

Pepperoni and mushroom pizza from Sepp’s

Local Restaurants Launch “Save Hospitality” Campaign

On the heels of the national Save Hospitality campaign launched back in March, local entrepreneurs Katy Ingraham (of Cartago) and Kris Harvey (of Chvrch of John) have spearheaded Save Edmonton Hospitality, under the banner of the Edmonton Independent Hospitality Community.

There is no question that the hospitality industry has taken a massive hit; a recently released Restaurants Canada report states that 95,000 food service jobs were lost in Alberta. Signatories so far represent nearly 60 businesses in the Edmonton area, and their asks include suspension of payments, rent, and one-time cash payments to provide financial stability.

A few of the same signatories also supported the Restaurant Realities campaign launched by Restaurants Canada in February 2019, which called for, among other things, a rollback of benefits to workers, and a reduction of the minimum wage for youth workers.

In other COVID-19-related news:

• While many restaurants that remain open have pivoted to serve comfort food, others have chosen to continue offering refined dishes. These include The Marc, Nineteen XIX, Sabor, Sofra, Tzin, all offering curb-side pick-up.
• On that note, those restaurants, in addition to many others, have chosen to refrain from listing with third-party delivery apps like Skip the Dishes or Uber Eats. Chef Paul Shufelt of Workshop Eatery and Woodshed Burgers took to social media last week to provide information about the significant cost for restaurants to use the apps.
• Lists continue to circulate to provide diners with accessible information about local restaurants to support, including one featuring establishments in and around Chinatown, another focused on Latino restaurants, a list put together by The Tomato, and a list compiled by Avenue of brewers and distilleries that deliver.
• Unfortunately, Woodwork and Bar Clementine had to cease selling their cocktails via pick-up and delivery. They’re hoping AGLC may reconsider. Perhaps to get around their requirements, DOSC has opted to sell cocktail kits instead for people to create drinks at home.
• Many local restaurants are selling #HereForGood t-shirts that will help them during these hard times, including the High Level Diner and Northern Chicken.
• Steve and Dan’s, a familiar BC fruit vendor at many local markets, has launched a grocery delivery service available in the Edmonton area. In addition to offering their own products, they will also deliver items from Lacombe Fresh Vegetables and Effing Seafoods, among others.
• Shojo Izakaya is the latest to offer a 25% discount to Alberta Health Services workers, while Tiffin’s southside locations are offering free food to long-haul truck drivers until April 15.
• Many more companies have pivoted to provide seniors and immunocompromised individuals with free grocery delivery services during the pandemic, including Men with Kilts and the Wolfe Automotive Group.

Openings

• High Dough, Detroit-style pizza from the kitchen of Three Boars, is now available through pick-up.
• Next week, Chef Daniel Costa will be offering “classic New Jersey/Italian cuisine” through his new initiative Zios on Uber Eats.

Upcoming Events

• Events have started to come back online, so to speak – #EatWithMeYEG is a virtual lunch club that has hosted three online gatherings so far to connect people and support local businesses at the same time. They have focused on Chinatown, Old Strathcona, and Downtown in previous events, while their upcoming event on April 8, 2020 will highlight many different communities.
• Green Drinks will be hosting their Food and Climate Change panel online on April 8, 2020. The event is free.
• Campio will be hosting their beer club virtually on April 9, 2020, leading a tasting of 5 different Alberta beers.

Reviews

• Graham Hicks caused a firestorm online last week with his negative review of Saigon Cuisine, with some feeling that the current struggle of the hospitality industry wasn’t appreciated. The review was subsequently taken down that same day.
• Avenue paid a visit to Dorinku Osaka, pre-pandemic, of course. Though the in-person experience is indefinitely suspended, Dorinku, along with DOSC, Japonais, and Seoul Fried Chicken will be offering curated combinations that can be pre-ordered from all of the restaurants. The menus will be launching on April 9 for delivery starting April 12.

Local News

• People looking for take-out Easter dinners have a lot of choices: Smokehouse BBQ is serving up Easter with a Southern twist, more traditional options from Central Social Hall, High Level Diner, Sandy View Farms, Simply Supper, and Woodwork/Bar Clementine. Pre-orders are necessary.
• A 38 year old woman was charged with arson in relation to a fire that destroyed the Chinatown location of the Italian Bakery. Their other location in Beverly had to rebuilt after a fire in 2016; the owners are not certain they can go through that again.
• There seems to be a bread baking renaissance as people embrace the time they have and observe self-isolation protocols. Sourdough starters definitely help with this, and RGE RD has a limited number of breadmakers’ starter kits for sale this week. Alternatively, the chair of the Baking and Pastry Arts program at NAIT provided information on how to make a sourdough starter from scratch.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Chatsworth Farm in Vermillion (two hours east of Edmonton) is offering virtual tours of their farm.

What I Ate

• We’ve been avoiding third-party apps in favour of dealing directly with restaurants, recognizing that as a result, more of the profit goes towards these small business owners to help them during these tough times. It might be a little less seamless for the diner, but I think the outcome and food choices make it worthwhile! One example is our take-out dinner from King Noodle House, one of my favourites in the city for pho. They’re now offering take-out from Wednesday to Sunday. We had to bring out or mixing bowls to accommodate all of the broth for the bun bo Hue we ordered, and Emily devoured the spring rolls!

Our King Noodle House order

• We also ordered from Rosewood Foods over the weekend. I loved their use of spices in their chicken shawarma bowl (it was also big enough for a full lunch portion the next day), and their biscuits are the stuff dreams are made of. Emily couldn’t get enough!

Biscuits from Rosewood Foods with rhubarb jam and honey butter