Openings

• Jinya Ramen Bar, with over 60 locations in the US and Canada, is now open in Edmonton, at 10037 109 Street.
• New bakery Rachael King Bakery is open at 9754 182 Street. The bakery offers a signature African sweet bread that looks tempting!
• Barbecue restaurant The Backyard Smokehouse is opening its first location outside of Toronto in Edmonton. It will be located at 13503 St. Albert Trail NW.

Closures

• Longstanding Beverly donut shop Take 5 closed on September 22. The owners talked to CBC Radioactive.
• Good Goods closed its retail location Downtown.

Upcoming Events

• Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is hosting a Harvest Festival, September 28-29, with live music, food trucks, family activities, and of course vendors.
• The Great Canadian Finals Rodeo Chili Cook-Off will take place October 2 at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Admission is free, but registration is required.
• Stony Plain Road will be hosting its first Dining Week from October 3-12, in an effort to draw attention to the businesses struggling due to LRT construction.

Local News

• Vagabond Pop-ups is finishing up its summer stint with a close-out party on September 29. I went last week and it was fantastic.
• It’s interesting that a number of restaurants have pivoted or expanded all-you-can-eat buffets recently, with Oceania Grill being the latest to do so. They are extending their seafood buffet to Sundays as well.
• Edify checked out Superior Fish & Chips in Devon.
• Lil’ Wolf chef and owner Shaun Hicks talked to Edmonton AM about his restaurant landing on the long list of of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants.
• Taproot Edmonton highlighted Eating Edmonton, a 10-episode docuseries that will air on Telus Optik and YouTube starting this week. The series showcases restaurants, the people behind them, and the connection the filmmakers have with those communities.
• Earlier in the week, Earth’s General Store announced that they would close on September 22. Since that post, the current owners shared that, “we have made successful developments with funders. While those conversations remain ongoing, EGS feels we are now in a secure position to accept small individual donations.” The resulting crowdfunding campaign has so far raised almost $24,000 towards the $150,000 needed to keep the store open.
• Sherwood Park businesses Manual Labour Beer Co. partnered with Kobachi to launch a special Japanese lager.
• It’s great to see that Earthware has expanded to Edmonton, offering reusable containers for take-out that can be returned for the deposit through local bottle depots. At present, six restaurants in Edmonton are participating, including Benaras Restaurant, Die Pie, and Vivo.
• MacEwan has produced a new podcast called The Ground Up?, focusing on “alternative food networks” like foraging and community gardens.

Beyond Edmonton

• It is so great to see that the Jasper Park Lodge is re-opening on October 1.

What I Ate

• I had a work lunch at Best Kebab last week and it was great! I’ve mentioned my gap in knowledge of eateries on the north side, so it is not a surprise that I hadn’t yet been, but I will definitely have to go back. The chicken shawarma was fantastic, and I appreciated that pita, and Turkish tea was included in the meal.

Chicken shawarma plate from Best Kebab

• We celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival last week with my parents at Dagu. It is already such a value-driven restaurant, but even more so during their special Mid-Autumn promotion – our meal came up at just over $50 pre-tip for four adults. My kids love the rice noodles (which are bottomless if you dine in), and I find such comfort in their broth.

Crossing the bridge noodles from Dagu

• Mack and I took the kids to one of our favourite haunts, Route 99, last week. It has been some time since we’ve been, but the food and down-to-earth hospitality haven’t changed. We had our usual order of poutine and pizza, and Emily and Ellie loved the idea of having pancakes for dinner.

Our Route 99 staples

Openings

• Whyte Avenue restaurant Top One has fully rebranded and reopened as Mr. Bun, offering handmade xiaolong bao, or soup dumplings. Find them at 10828 82 Avenue.
• Slap Shot at 10184 104 Street was short-lived, and has made way for The Tap Room.

Closures

• Take 5, the longstanding doughnut shop in Beverly, is closing on September 22 as the owner is retiring after more than 40 years in business. The shop was listed for sale back in 2020, but unfortunately it looks like there was no uptake.

Local News

• Three Edmonton restaurants made the long list for Air Canada’s 2024 Best New Restaurants: Bar Henry, Bernadette’s, and Little Wolf. In an interview with the list’s “eater-in-chief” Tara O’Brady about her journey across Canada, she confesses that she had never before been to Edmonton: “I’d never been to Edmonton before, and I was really taken by the diversity there. I visited Bar Henry, Bernadette’s and Little Wolf, and each restaurant felt very individual. I’d never confuse one for the other. I am eager to explore more of the food scene.”
• Edify checked out the newly-reopened Atlas Steak + Fish in Ice District, as well as Caspian Kebabs off Whyte Avenue.
• Also from Edify, sober bar co-owner JoAnn Pearce was this week’s guest on the Unfiltered podcast.
• Mother by Chartier will now be the dedicated baker producing Beb’s Bagels.
• Happy seventh birthday to Sugared and Spiced!
• CTV put together a disappointing list of mostly non-local places to find pumpkin spice-inspired goods. A plug for locally-owned Obj3cts Downtown: Mack recently had their pumpkin spice latte and was impressed with their fresh house-made pumpkin syrup.
• Home baker Elora Khanom is representing Edmonton on the latest season of CBC’s The Great Canadian Baking Show.

What I Ate

• I finally made my way to Vagabond Pop-ups (which I wrote about earlier in the summer). The rain on Saturday meant we couldn’t sit on the irresistibly cute back patio, but the food sang regardless. My friend and I loved everything we ate, including the potato rosettes, pizetta, salmon aguachile, and Berkshire pork. There were such a great range of flavours and textures, we were only sad that the pop-up ends in two weeks at the end of September. Get there before it closes!

Potato rosettes

Openings

• Crumb Bar, the city’s newest dessert bar, is opening on September 15 at 17024 95 Avenue.
• Chipotle’s first Edmonton location is opening on September 19 at 4715 Calgary Trail.
• Japanese restaurant It’s Sumo opened on Alberta Avenue in the space that formerly housed El Fogon (8026 118 Avenue).
• Everest Spice and Wok opened this month, offering Asian fusion cuisine. Find the restaurant at 4436 Calgary Trail.
• The new strip mall along Gateway Boulevard is home to several new food businesses, including Indian restaurant Towne Chef, which opened in August. It is located at 3719 Gateway Blvd.

Closures

• Board N Brew Café closed on September 1.

Upcoming Events

• Celebrity chef David Rocco will be in Edmonton on September 22 at the Little Italy location of the Italian Centre, signing cookbooks and sampling his brand of pasta and sauces.
• League of Extraordinary Lagers offers the chance to fill up a “passport and embark on a month-long lager journey across Edmonton and area sampling the best from local breweries. Collect stamps, raise your glasses, and discover extraordinary lagers.” The passport is valid from September 9-October 9.

Local News

• Shane Chartrand is the latest Edmonton-based chef to compete on Top Chef Canada, on season 11 of the show set to start airing on October 14. The 10th season saw Edmonton chef Lindsay Porter compete, but unfortunately she was eliminated in the first episode.
• Lee House has changed ownership and now offers an all-you-can-eat
  Korean buffet. It costs $25.99 per person.
• Atlas Steak and Fish in Ice District is
  re-opening on September 12.
• Edify
  tried Crave Appetite, a Wetaskiwin staple offering comfort food that
  opened a second location in Devon earlier this year.
• Also from Edify, they highlighted Rogue
  Wave Coffee.
• Happy 15th birthday to The Common!
• Filistix shared that they experienced a couple of dine and dash scenarios, which are especially challenging in these current times.
• The owners of Die Pie posted that they are struggling with increased food costs and would appreciate support: “We thought we would reach out, before we need to do a “we’re closing” post again.”
• The Pandemic Planting Project, which grows and harvests potatoes for Edmonton’s Food Bank, is recruiting volunteers to help over the next couple of weeks.

What I Ate

• We picked up some take-out from Vish last week – their chicken shawarma is delicious, and their hummus and fresh pita is my favourite in the city. They announced their closure effective September 30, so get in a visit before they’re gone.

Emily couldn’t resist our meal from Vish

Openings

• Hathaway’s Diner has opened a second location in St. Albert (140 Bellerose Drive).
• Indian lounge Junoon is now open at 16430 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Italian restaurant Acero opened in Sherwood Park in July, located at 270 Baseline Road.
• Caspian Kebabs, serving up Iranian cuisine, opened in July at 10380 78 Avenue.
• Calgary-based bubble tea shop Thé Moon will be opening up a location in Edmonton at 3559 Gateway Blvd.

Closures

• Nongbu has announced their closure after 10 years in business. Their last day of operation will be September 7.
• Malt & Mortar, also located in Old Strathcona, has closed after eight years.
• Tsujiri’s sole remaining Edmonton location downtown has closed.

Upcoming Events

• Cocktails & Jerk returns to Wilbert McIntyre Park on September 6-7. Online tickets are priced at $30.80 and include $10 voucher for food and drinks.
• NAIT has launched an Alumni Series, featuring a rotating guest alumni chef. The series kicks off with Peter Keith on September 20. Tickets are $104.77 and include 4-courses and paired wines.

Local News

• Edify interviewed the new owners of The Marc, Jillian Fonteyne and Scott Downey, also owners of The Butternut Tree.
• Edify featured the story behind Honi Honi Tiki Lounge.
• Edify’s latest Fav Eats highlights Cafe Amore, and they also paid a visit to Lawson’s British Fish and Chips.
• The Journal covered Epic Market and Vagabond Pop-ups.
• Happy first birthday to Dolly’s Cocktails!
• Edify also highlighted OnOurTable’s Geof Lilge.
• Sunworks Farm has moved their Edmonton meat shop out of Blush Lane. It is now located at 7520 Gateway Boulevard and opened on August 23.

What I Ate

• My friend Su invited me to my very first cooking class at The Kitchen (those tickets sell out like hotcakes!). We deboned a chicken together and made enough soup with the meat for days. We are very fortunate to have such a beautiful facility based at a public library – I hope to join another class in the future!

In The Kitchen!

• Linda and I met for lunch at PlayWright in the Citadel Theatre last week. We had a very enjoyable meal – the burger was solid, and I loved the mac and cheese. Both dishes were $13 and $12 respectively, incredibly value-oriented for Downtown. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Our lunch at PlayWright

• Our family took in the Disney in Concert/Symphony on the Square performance on Friday. There’s nothing like listening to great music with 12,000 other people outside! It was also a great excuse to visit one of my favourite food trucks, Filistix. Their chori burger always hits the spot.

Chori burger on the Square

• We also had to support Chinatown After Dark on Saturday. Since I attended the event last, they’ve transitioned to more of a “food crawl” model, with participating restaurants serving up their featured items from their establishments, as opposed to the main alleyway. It was a great way to visit some old favourites (Xu Hue) and some new-to-me places (Li Dong). It’s always great to see folks coming together for Chinatown.

My favourite rare beef salad from Xu Hue

• It was a hot weekend, and in many ways, felt like one last gasp of summer. We cooled down with some ice cream from Made by Marcus.

Ice cream!

Openings

• MSSM (Masaki Saito Sushi Master), offering omakase experienced curated by 2-star Michelin Chef Masaki Saito, opened this weekend in Edmonton at 10111 104 Avenue, #118 (previously occupied by Cacao 70 in the Edmonton Tower). The 14-course menu cost is $98 per person.
• Labo, Edmonton’s newest cafe, is now open at 10546 82 Avenue (which formerly housed Sorellina Coffee).
• Speaking of Sorellina, which closed its Old Strathcona cafe back in January, they will be re-opening a tasting room and roastery this November in the Mercer Warehouse.
• Another ramen franchise is opening in Edmonton, this time Toronto-based, called Midori Ramen.
• Offering a “taste of India”, Sankalp Restaurant is now open at 3727 99 Street.
• Rangoli Kitchen and Bar opened in mid-August at 1011 Keswick Drive SW.
• BeaverTails has opened its second Edmonton location in West Edmonton Mall.

Closures

• Tryst in St. Albert announced their closure: “It’s become too hard to maintain our focus and our standards with many many other things happening in our lives.” Their last day of service will be September 15. In 2022, Tryst was named one of Edify’s Best New Restaurants that year, and co-owner Zach Eaton said that while the magazine helped drive in some traffic, the work was in bringing them back again.

Local News

• Katy Ingraham shared some thoughts about the closure of her restaurant Fleisch Delikatessen, which shut its doors in the spring.
• The latest Fav Eats feature in Edify spotlights a relative newcomer – Flat Boy Burgers served at Shiddy’s.
• Also from Edify, more about Epic Market’s concept.
• I talked to Edmonton AM last week about American chains like Chick-fil-A that have opened recently in the city, and mentioned a couple of local alternatives for fried chicken sandwiches.
• CTV talked to local forager Kevin Kossowan about how to prepare invasive crayfish available to harvest from the North Saskatchewan River.

What I Ate

• I have been wanting to support a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for years, but without pickup points Downtown, it wouldn’t have been convenient for us to do so. Riverbend Gardens introduced a couple of different Downtown pick-up options this year, so we decided to split a smaller CSA share with friends of ours that live down the block. It’s been great so far! It is always a surprise as to what vegetables we will be receiving, but we knew we would be happy with the quality of the produce given we’ve been buying from Riverbend Gardens for a long time. They offer a late season CSA for those interested that starts in October.

One week’s smaller CSA share from Riverbend Gardens

• It’s become tradition for us to have a Jack’s Burger Shack picnic every summer. It may not be proven, but I think food tastes better when eaten outside.

Burger picnic

• Our family hosted our first Simply Supper Lemonade Stand in support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital on Saturday. We set up on our front porch, and had the benefit of foot traffic from the farmers’ market. Thanks to those market-goers, neighbours, friends, and family, we were able to raise $675. Emily had such a great experience she has already asked to do it again next year!

The Century Squeeze (our Lemonade Stand!)

• Ellie and I had a great time at the Summer Festival in Chinatown on Sunday, and enjoyed a sweet treat at Little Bon Bon to cap off our afternoon. I especially loved the vanilla cookie crumbs.

Ellie is an ice cream fiend

Openings

• American-based chain Chick-fil-A opened its first Alberta location in West Edmonton Mall, with another to open in South Edmonton Common.
• Edmonton’s newest bubble tea shop, Tora Boba, is now open at 11340 105 Avenue.
• Montreal-based Indian fast food chain Spice Bros will be opening a location in Edmonton.

Upcoming Events

• The Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society (FRAMS) is partnering with Feed the Soul YEG to offer a new event called Dining with Artists on August 28. The event will feature an artist-led mural walking tour and a meal at Mesob Habesha Fusion. Tickets are $65.
• The next Prairie on a Plate will be hosted at PlayWright. Tickets are $68 and will include two family-style courses.
• Asiafest 2024 returns to the Currents of Windermere September 13-15 with food vendors, merchandisers, and entertainment.
• Barrel Fest returns, a “one day festival of barrel-fermented and barrel-aged beer (and a lil’ cider)” at Blind Enthusiasm on September 14. Admission with drinks is $43.98.

Local News

• Ryan Brodziak, the former owner and operator of The Local Omnivore, Gravy, and Pink Gorilla, was seriously injured along with his 11-month old son after being hit by the driver of a vehicle last week. A crowdfunding campaign was set up and is near its goal of raising $275,000 for the family.
• Staff from the Epic Market chatted about what to expect from the new food hall.
• Edify checked out Oakberry Acai.
• The current issue of Modern Luxuria highlights Dolly’s.
• Edmonton Oiler Evander Kane has partnered with a Calgary-based company to launch his own brand of wine called Dovetail.

What I Ate

• My family and I shared a feast from Seoul Fried Chicken over the weekend. We finally tried some of the newer items on the menu, including the fried chicken sandwich and chicken tenders. I liked the sweet gojuchang butter sauce on the sandwich.

Our SFC spread

• I spent a day in Red Deer for work last week and had lunch at Jumble Eats. The service was great, though I will say their concept of several restaurants in one was a bit overwhelming. I enjoyed the ramen well enough, but it was the first time I had a non-dipping ramen served with a separate bowl of soup.

Tonkotsu from Jumble Eats in Red Deer

• Earlier in August, I had the honour of being awarded a King Charles III Coronation Medal from Senator Paula Simons. It was humbling to be recognized along with 19 very deserving recipients from the areas of arts and cultures, multiculturalism, and agriculture (“all the ‘cultures’”, as the Senator put it). I am thankful to be recognized for my work in #yegchinatown, #yegfood, and settlement. It was lovely to connect with so many passionate people.

With Mack and Senator Simons

Openings

• Ralph’s Fried Chicken has opened a second location at 11244 109 Avenue.
• The folks behind Hanjan are opening Sam’s on Whyte in the former Teapsy Lab’s space at 10538 38 Avenue. Sam’s will offer inari sushi, desserts, and drinks.
• Lawson’s is a new spot to grab fish and chips, located at 10183 186 Street on the west end.
• KuTea Banh Mi is a new restaurant offering Vietnamese street food, located in South Edmonton Common at 1915 98 Street.
• Edmonton does not have a shortage of pizza places – Puffiza is the newest, at 1035 Parsons Road SW. They promise pizzza with a “puff crust”.

Closures

• After five months of operation, On the Edge Coffee has closed their Downtown location in City Centre Mall, as of August 9. They have chosen to focus on the market business instead.

Upcoming Events

• The Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts is hosting their second annual Perogy Palooza on August 17 at their gallery at 10554 110 Street. It is a one-day extravaganza dedicated to the perogy, with vendors selling $6 tickets for a plate of 3 perogies and $3 tickets for kubasa. VEndors include Baba’s Own, Baltyk Bakery, and Dobra Kubasa. Admission is free.

Local News

• Uccellino announced they will close in its current location on September 17 and re-open next to Va with a new name, Olia, in the Citizen building. The Uccellino space will reveal a new concept in early 2025.
• PlayWright, a new restaurant from Chef Steve Brochu in the Citadel Theatre, has added lunch service! Brochu also shared in a recent video the ups and downs of PlayWright since opening.
• Edify checked out Va, and their latest edition of Fav Eats highlights fellow Wîhkwêntôwin neighbour Bua Thai.
• Happy first birthday to Bloom’s Gold Bar location.
• Ever wanted to replicate Made by Marcus’ ice cream flavours at home? Now you can with their Made by Marcus Cookbook, available now for pre-order.

What I Ate

• We always love what we order from Buok, but it never ends up top of mind for us so we don’t go as often as we should. Last week, we grabbed some take-out to enjoy along with Mack’s parents who were here visiting. They had nothing but positive reviews!

Our order from Buok

Openings

• Calgary-based Deville Coffee opened a second Edmonton location at West Edmonton Mall in early July near the Santa Maria.
• Oak Berry is a Canadian chain specializing in acai bowls. They just opened a location in Edmonton in Old Strathcona at 10406 82 Avenue.
• Also coming soon to Old Strathcona – a Smoke’s Poutinerie franchise. It’s been years since I was introduced to Smoke’s in Toronto, but I do remember enjoying their poutines (and eventually, their offshoot burrito chain, too).

Upcoming Events

• Serengeti BBQ on Alberta Avenue is hosting the Savannah Twilight Serenade, a celebration of East African food, music, arts, and culture on August 9.
• Workshop Eatery is hosting their 7th annual Garden Party on August 15. Tickets are $115.23.
• Leduc Rib Fest is taking place August 23-25 at the Leduc Recreation Centre.

Local News

• Congratulations to the Heritage Festival pavilions recognized for best drink (Iran) and best dessert (Spain)!
• The Heritage Festival was forced to cancel the third day of the event due to infrastructure damage sustained after the storm. As a result, Edmonton’s Food Bank may suffer from a lack of donations this year, given it is their largest annual fundraiser.
• A reminder that August 6 is the last day to order St. Viateur Bagels for Breakfast, a fundraiser for the B’Nai Brith Youth Organization.
• Taproot highlighted how Korean restaurant JMT used social media to keep things light about their delayed opening.
• The Italian Centre Shop will be celebrating their 65th anniversary on August 18 at their flagship Little Italy location.
• Edify shared more Fav Eats from notable Edmontonians, including Happy and Olive, Steel Wheels, and Travelling Dishes. 

What I Ate

• Dalla’s patio is one of my favourites when dining with kids. We love that it fronts onto a plaza (a useful place for young ones to play while waiting for food) but still offers great people watching opportunities. Service is always great, and the $10 kids portion of pasta is very generous.

On the Dalla patio

• It’s become a family tradition for us to visit Rosy Farms in the summer for haskap picking. I grew up going to u-pick farms in the Edmonton area, and am so happy I can continue this with my own children. Ellie did great picking her own berries, and definitely had her fill of them that afternoon.

At Rosy Farms

Openings

• Epic’s Station Yards food hall opened this past weekend, offering five concepts over two floors, including Italian, French Canadian, Mexican, Asian fusion, and chop house options. It is located at 8115 Gateway Blvd.
• Seoul Fried Chicken’s third Edmonton location is now open in North Town, 9314 137 Avenue.
• The Colombian will soon be opening their fifth location, in the storefront formerly occupied by Fleisch in Forest Heights.
• Edmonton will soon have another gelato spot to visit, called Crafted Gelato. Until the storefront is open, their gelato will be served from their gelato cart.
• Tipsy Moose Pub is now open at 6464 Cartmell Place SW.
• Another restaurant serving Chonqing cuisine opened a couple of months back, called Mahjong Noodle Spot, at 10415 80 Avenue.
• I missed the opening of Le Tramway back in April, in the former Red Ox Inn space at 9420 91 Street. It offers French and Balkan specialities.
• Tesoro, the “newest member of the Italian Bakery and The Canadian Brewhouse family” will be opening in Windermere this fall.

Closures

• Vish on 124 Street announced that due to a “political boycott”, they will be forced to close as of September 30, 2024.
• After opening in May, Diced announced their forthcoming closure in August: “we have found it challenging to generate consistent business at this new location. With other projects on the horizon, we’ve decided to let go of Diced so we can regroup and focus on the amazing ways we can support the amazing boardgame community in our city.” Diced is a project from the folks behind Waffle Bird, which closed their previous location on July 14 as they will be relocating to a sit-down restaurant in Old Stratcona. They also opened Dining Car Cafe earlier this year downtown.
• Mandolin Books and Coffee Company in Highlands has announced their closure, after 21 years. The building was sold and they were served with notice to vacate the building by September 30.

Upcoming Events

• I missed sharing about this year’s YEG Food Fiesta, which highlights restaurants in the North Edge. This year’s event has 8 participating businesses, and runs July 5-31.
• It’s one of my favourite times of year – the return of Sabor/Bodega’s Fish & Chip Fridays, taking place on Fridays at their downtown location in August. Proceeds support Santa’s Anonymous and the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta. Make sure to head down early, as they will sell out!
• The Edmonton Heritage Festival returns to Borden Park/Edmonton Exhibition Lands for a second year, running August 3-5.
• Leduc County has organized Food & Farm Trail tours that showcase 4 area businesses, including Chartier, Righand Distillery, Beau Bella Winery, and Old Station Honey and Mead. Tours will run August 3, 24, and September 7 and 14. Tickets are $79 per person.
• I’m a little surprised it’s returning, but Diner in Blanc will again be hosted in Edmonton on September 7. The picnic events have taken place in cities all over the world; attendees dress in white and are led to a location kept secret until that evening.
• Eats on 118 returns September 19, 26, and October 3. Tickets are $50 and will include bites at 3 neighbourhood restaurants.

Local News

• The images of devastation from the fire in Jasper have been hard to absorb – and I am only an avid visitor and not someone who lives and earns my livelihood in that community. Many Edmonton restaurants, including Meuwly’s, Greta, and Fu’s Repair Shop, are offering free meals for evacuees, with many others offering discounted food. There are also several options to support those displaced, including the Jasper Hospitality Fund, and the Roasti coffee sold for the Jasper Barista Fund.
• KDays experienced an increase in attendance this year compared to last year, while Taste of Edmonton saw a 20% decline from 2023.
• Alberta and BC reached a one-year deal to allow wineries to ship directly to consumers.

What I Ate

• It was great to be back in Toronto after many years! I live for the energy in the city, and love the urbanism and character apparent in individual neighbourhoods and streets. And while we couldn’t hit up as many places with two young kids in tow, we still managed our share of good eats, including at institutions Sugo and OddSeoul. But my favourite bites were closer to our home base, including pie from Pizzeria Badiali, and smash burgers from Burger Drops.

Cacio e pepe pizza from Badiali

The best burger I’ve had in some time from Burger Drops

• Back in Edmonton, I bid adieu to my favourite arepa in the city from Alberta Ave gem El Fogon. The restaurant closed July 28.

One last arepa from El Fogon

Returning chefs launch Vagabond pop-up

Chefs Christine Sandford and Roger Letourneau have returned to Edmonton from Europe to share a taste of their travels through their pop-up venture, Vagabond.

Vagabond will take over Take Care Café at 9621 82 Avenue NW in Ritchie from Fridays to Sundays, starting July 21 and running until the end of September. It will offer 40 indoor and outdoor seats. “It is a pretty small space, like a backyard barbecue,” Sandford said. “That’s our vibe.”

Sandford and Letourneau, who are also life partners, initially met in Edmonton 13 years ago through a chef-driven pop-up called Staff Meal. Vagabond is a way for them to continue to collaborate while gaining the skills necessary for their next endeavour.

“Our big plan is to open something together, more of a tourism-driven food experience rather than a restaurant, probably in the Okanagan,” Sandford said. “I love hospitality, but I don’t want to open a restaurant. For example, we’ve stayed in cool places where the food is important, like a winery, and when you wake up, a beautiful basket of food comes to your door.”

Vagabond is “taking a step that is manageable, learning more business stuff and exploring those collaborations. It’s a stepping stool,” Letourneau added.

Ritchie is familiar ground for both. Sandford helped open Biera inside Ritchie Market in 2017 and led the kitchen to much acclaim for seven years before leaving in 2023. Letourneau, who worked at Bar Clementine and Woodwork in the past, previously rented space at Biera for his condiment company, Lessig Ferments.

“We’re excited to be neighbours (with Biera), as well as with Darling (opened by another former Biera employee, Justin Jones),” Sandford said. “Way back when, Whyte Avenue was a hub, and I feel like it’s going back to that. I want to be part of it again.”

Vagabond will offer a happy hour with snacks from 3pm to 6pm, and a full menu with larger plates from 6pm to 11pm. Vagabond will have an outdoor charcoal grill and a wood-burning oven, in order to prepare hot items alongside smaller nibbles. Drinks will include curated wines, cocktails, and local beers. “We want people to come and try some dishes, and enjoy the summer while we have it,” Sandford said.

Roger Letourneau and Christine Sandford (supplied)

The menu as a whole takes some inspiration from their travels in Europe over the last year. “We lived on the border of France and Spain,” Sandford said. “Gilda, a Catalonian tapa (a snack or appetizer) we loved, typically has anchovy and pickled pepper. But we don’t want to do it with those ingredients. We want to mimic those flavours with ingredients from Alberta.”

The pair said they feel strongly about adapting ideas from abroad to the local context. “I really appreciate when people do a specific cuisine with local ingredients. You take those dishes and really think about it,” Sandford said.

“If you keep importing stuff, Canadian cuisine isn’t moving forward. We are not building our own identity,” Letourneau added.

Sandford teased that some items may remind diners of similar plates she served at Biera. “There are definitely some dishes I worked on that will make their way on the menu,” Sandford said. “Familiar with a new twist.”

The pair said they are excited to work with Alberta farmers, including Reclaim Organics, Prairie Gardens, Fifth Gen Gardens, and Vital Green Farm. The menu will be continuously revised to highlight the changing seasonal bounty, and vegetables will comprise at least half the menu.

“Rather than having an idea of dishes, we go to our local supplier and see what’s available,” Sandford said. “That’s how my brain works. If there’s a specific green tomato, how can I make a dish mostly out of green tomato and maybe two other ingredients? We like to use three to four ingredients.”

Sandford acknowledged that pushing local food can be challenging, especially at a time when food prices have increased significantly. “Sometimes it’s tough to provide a meal using local ingredients,” Sandford said. “You have to be careful as it can come across as pretentious or intimidating. But really, you’re just using carrots that came from the ground. Sometimes the way our society is set up is that it can cost more, where local food is more expensive than imports. It’s backward here. But it is starting to change.”

After the pop-up wraps, the pair said they plan to travel, this time within Canada. Sandford and Letourneau will return to Edmonton eventually, for family, business (Lessig Ferments will continue to be based out of Edmonton), and palpable customer loyalty.

“That is the one part of working in Edmonton that’s drawn us back,” Sandford said. “We have this great community and following here. It feels special to see some people who have come to our original pop-ups and to the restaurants where we’ve been cooking for 16 years. It feels pretty special to have people support you the whole time.”

Openings

• Daniel Costa’s newest concept, Va, is now open in the Citizen on Jasper, 12024 Jasper Avenue. Va serves coffee, focaccia panini, and pizza.
• Argos Bar Bistro is now open in St. Albert at 150 Bellerose Drive. It is the latest restaurant from the Sorrentino’s Group, offering “Northern Mediterranean cuisine”.
• Obj3cts, one of the recipients of the Downtown Retail Attraction Program Grant, opened earlier in July at 10356 Jasper Avenue. The store is the brainchild of the folks behind Wild Rose Cakes. Obj3cts offers coffee, baked goods, and sandwiches.
• JMT’s relocated storefront on Whyte Avenue (they moved from Downtown) opened earlier in July. Find JMT at 10463 82 Avenue.
• Station Park hosted a soft opening during Art Walk this weekend, with their French, Mexican, and pizza concepts available to try (the Asian fusion concept was not yet ready). They will announce more general soft opening details soon.
• Zillionaires Lounge, located at 6256 99 Street will be soft opening on July 18 for industry professionals.

Upcoming Events

• I missed sharing this last week, but Sabor is hosting a Swine & Dine event, celebrating Alberta pork products, on July 16. Tickets are $75 per person and include appetizers and three courses.

Local News

• Red Star’s new underground patio looks beautiful.
• More than two dozen items are competing for the KDays New Foods Competition, including a long john donut grilled cheese, dill pickle cotton candy, and a fried Oreo ice cream sandwich.
• Taproot connected with Kind Ice Cream to discuss their expansion, made possible with the Edmonton Edge Fund.
• Edify checked out Argos and Little Bonbon Ice Cream.
• Edify also provided a preview of what to expect at the 40th anniversary of Taste of Edmonton, which runs July 18-28.
• Langano Skies is celebrating 20 years in business. They are currently operating a ghost kitchen at Barb & Ernie’s, along with monthly dine-in events.
• Happy first birthday to Lloyd’s Patty Distro!
• CBC Radioactive shared the story behind Pink Shack, located on The Lot on 124 Street.
• Honest Dumplings put out a call for support because of supply chain issues and slower sales.

What I Ate

No Food Notes next week as we are on vacation. Enjoy the warm weather!

• Linda and I checked out new Alberta Avenue restaurant La Morenita. They offer all-day brunch, as well as a pastry case, in addition to a regular lunch and dinner menu. Of the items we tried, the chilaquiles were my favourite (I enjoyed both the red and green sauces).

Our spread from La Morenita

• I met up with a friend for lunch on the glorious patio at Pal’s – I love how they’ve incorporated the mature trees and the great vantage for people watching. Their beef dip is my go-to, and the chips are crispy and addictive.

Beef dip from Pal’s