Recap: 4th Street Promenade What the Truck?!

Though we were hoping for a big crowd at our first What the Truck?! of the season, I’m not sure any of us knew just how many people would turn up for the event.

Our front yard!

Last Saturday, we hosted twelve trucks on the 4th Street Promenade. It was the second What the Truck?! to take place on that particular street, following up on our 2012 appearance in conjunction with Al Fresco.

Overhead shot

Thankfully this time around, the weather held up, and those who attended were able to enjoy eats ranging from S’wich’s root beer-braised brisket sandwiches (delicious, may I add) to poutine and fish tacos. It was great having three new trucks on hand: Big City Sandwich, Incredible Edibles and Nhon Hoa.

Big City Sandwich

We heard that many people weren’t able to stay due to the lines, but were happy that area restaurants welcomed patrons with open arms! In recognition that lines seemed longer than usual, we intend on expanding our line-up at the next event. That said, we still always recommend arriving as early as possible to guarantee yourself the best food selection, and to take the opportunity to meet your line neighbours! We always feel that What the Truck?! is as much about socializing as it is about the food.

I loved that Evoolution was out handing out samples to folks in line

A big thank-you to DJs Thomas Culture and Polyesterday, who helped create the party atmosphere that night. And without our sponsors – Capital City Cleanup, the Downtown Edmonton Community League, and in particular, the City Market, the event would not have been possible. A special shout-out also to the Blue Plate Diner, who helped us out that night as well.

If you missed out on the fun, not to worry – our second What the Truck?! of the season is taking place in Old Strathcona on Friday, June 13 from 5-9pm. Stay tuned to the website next week for a list of participating trucks.

Food Notes for May 26, 2014

Mack, Amanda and I had a great time in Toronto. I was happy I could be a part of Janice and Bennett’s special day – it was a beautiful ceremony and a rockin’ reception! And though Mack jokes that he will now need a vacation after his “vacation”, it was great (as always) to explore Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods. On to this week’s food notes:

Elm Café’s next pop-up is another Austrian Sausage Stand on May 30 and 31. As always, the menu is extremely value-oriented, at 3 courses for $35: pancake soup made with smoked pork broth; a choice of sausage: Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage), Leberkäse (Austrian meatloaf), or Debreziner (spicy paprika sausage); and rhubarb strudel.Make sure to call ahead.
The next Art Gallery of Alberta Supper Club is taking place on June 1, 2014. Tickets are $150.
Do you have your tickets for the Mercer Summer Super Party yet? In addition to art displays and an On the Spot Pop Up Market, expect a Hawkers Market offshoot with food trucks! It all goes down on June 6, from 5pm – midnight at the Mercer Warehouse.
The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is coming up, June 6 and 7, 2014 at the Expo Centre.
Next Act’s sister restaurant MEAT is now open! Vue Weekly has a great preview of the restaurant, and Cindy has already stopped by.
A restaurant in Calgary made the news a few weeks ago after offering a family a “well behaved kids” discount on their meal. What do you think?
Mack sent me a link to a piece about the history of ramen.
I’m so happy that the City Market is back outdoors – every Saturday from 9am-3pm on 104 Street north of Jasper Avenue. We were out of town last week so missed the opening week, but I made it out early on Saturday and made sure to snag a few bundles of Edgar Farms asparagus and some tomato plants from Sundog Organics.

Edgar Farms asparagus

Though I shouldn’t be too hard on a first-time event, I think Host Edmonton has a lot of work to do if they decide to repeat the conference in the future. It wasn’t clear who the primary audience was intended to be – industry professionals? Home cooks? Foodies? I was given the complimentary opportunity to attend two sessions on Saturday morning, and though it was only a taste of the range of sessions, the direction wasn’t clear. My favourite of the two was Chef Christine Cushing’s demonstration. Engaging and clearly passionate about food, I couldn’t think of a better speaker to present on stage early in the morning. That said, I found value in it primarily as a home cook – if I was an “industry professional”, I’m not sure it would have suited my needs. In that sense, Bal Arneson’s keynote was likely meant as an inspirational talk – and there’s no doubt her story (transitioning from a small village in India to a Food Network Star) is quite the tale. But I didn’t receive her casual name-dropping as well as others, and would imagine that her storytelling, interwoven through food, would have been more powerful.

Christine Cushing (an overhead mirror would have been helpful)

Roasted eggplant spread with flat bread and bergamot orange blossom panna cotta

Giveaway: Red Shoe Crawl tickets!

Want to explore a neighbourhood by eating and drinking, all while supporting a charitable cause? Look no further than the Red Shoe Crawl.

What: Red Shoe Crawl
When: June 8, 2014
Time: 1-5pm
Where: Old Strathcona
Cost: $45

The fourth annual event seeks to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta, which provides temporary and affordable accommodation for families whose children are being treated in one of Edmonton’s medical facilities. In past years, this event has raised $15,000.

Red Shoe Crawl attendees are given “passports”, which entitle them to food and drink samples at participating businesses in the area. Samples have ranged from glasses of wine, appetizers and cupcakes to full dishes ordered off of menus. Although the line-up for this year’s event have not yet been released, organizers hope to have twenty businesses on board.

Red Shoe Crawl

I attended this event in previous years, and found it to be well-organized and a great way to eat your way through a neighbourhood.

124 Street Red Shoe Crawl

Cool treat to accompany our walk

If you haven’t yet had the chance to attend, the organizers have been nice enough to allow me to give two tickets away! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment with a valid e-mail address that answers the following question:

Why would you like to attend the Red Shoe Crawl?

A winner will be chosen randomly from all responses collected before the deadline. The contest closes on June 1, 2014 at 11:59pm. Good luck!

Toronto 2013

I’m perpetually playing catch-up with my travel posts, and though this is essentially a year late, I thought it best if I at least got past my 2013 Toronto write-up before we leave for another visit there this weekend. Last spring, I was lucky enough to be able to visit Amanda there twice – once in April for a girls trip with my Mum, and the second in June while attending a conference.

I know one of the reasons why I’ve grown to like Toronto is because it is my sister’s adopted home, and I’ve been able to see it through her eyes. But it’s also hard not to love a city with so many possibilities borne out of density, diversity and history.

Airbnb

I’ve only had positive experiences with Airbnb, and have now used the site to book accommodation in Calgary, Toronto and New York. Particularly in the latter two cities, where taxation levels are quite high, I find the Airbnb rates much more reasonable than hotel prices.

While in Toronto with my Mum, we booked a 1 bedroom + 1 den for the three of us, in a condo just off King and Spadina. It was a great location with its proximity to the subway, streetcar, and Chinatown; so much so that Mack and I will be staying there.

Oxley condo

For the conference, I was able to find a cheaper 1 bedroom, much roomier than Amanda and I needed. This unit was notable for having a number of solid independent take-out restaurants just down the street. We felt like residents of the neighbourhood instead of tourists.

King Street condo

Festivals

Amanda and I ended up at the first Dundas West Festival in June, where a section of the road was closed off for a variety of activities.

Dundas West

Feet on the street

It was a rather long stretch, with sporadic concentrations of extended patios, sidewalk sales and food vendors. It’s taking place again in 2014; I am assuming it will continue to grow!

Pulled pork sandwich from La Rivolta

Talk about a makeshift change room

The festival we were both looking forward to was Woofstock! We both love dogs, though our family has never had one for a variety of reasons.

Dogs everywhere!

Proud dog owners came out in droves for the event, offering information, pet-friendly vendors, and of course, a dog agility showcase.

Amanda with an adorable doxie

Odds and Ends

I had heard about Honest Ed’s but couldn’t really tell you about what it actually was. So we went to find out.

Honest Ed’s

It turns out it is a discount store, on par with Army & Navy. It really isn’t worth seeking out, though after seeing photos of The Stop’s Night Market just outside of the building, it turns out Honest Ed’s may have a good use after all.

Amanda’s excited about pants

I had seen Riverdale Farm on Top Chef Canada, and wanted to see how an “urban farm” in the city would look like. Located in Cabbagetown just across the street from an elementary school, the farm is operated by the City of Toronto and is used primarily as a teaching facility. It is open to the public, and does play host to functions as well.

Amanda’s excited about pigs

Goats

So cute

Livestock are definitely the focus of the farm; I can see how it would be a hit with younger children.

I also had the opportunity to hear Michael Pollan speak. He was preaching to the choir, but I did still appreciate his message, and giggled like a fangirl when I had the chance to meet him, too!

With Michael Pollan

Breakfasts

Caplansky’s was great, offering huge portions and friendly service – we even saw the owner, Zane, bussing tables during our visit!

Caplansky’s

Their Montreal smoked meat was wonderful, in either hash or sandwich form. I also loved the option of substituting challah for regular bread.

Montreal smoked meat hash

Montreal smoked meat sandwich

Omelette

Uncle Betty’s was a You’ve Gotta Eat Here! discovery, intriguing because of their use of house-made doughnuts in place of bread or biscuits in their breakfast sandwiches. It was a novel concept, and even though the doughnuts themselves weren’t greasy, I found they didn’t have enough heft to form a savoury sandwich. My Mum’s eggs benedict was a bit better.

Sparse breakfast sandwich plate

Eggs benedict

On the bright side, the small serving allowed us to indulge in dessert (yes, in the morning) – a doughnut ice cream sandwich. This is definitely something I’d recommend.

Doughnut ice cream sandwich

On the other end of the spectrum, Janice and Bennett took me to the nearly empty Hoof Café for an offal brunch (given the line-up across the street at Saving Grace, a more mainstream brunch restaurant, I’d have to say Torontonians probably weren’t as adventurous as I thought).

My tongue benny was overwhelmingly sour, though the meat had been rendered tender, and to a consistency that reminded me of corned beef. Bennett’s breakfast cassoulet with pork belly was the best dish that day, with a great depth of flavour.

Tongue benny

Blood sausage McMuffin

Breakfast cassoulet

My favourite brunch ended up being at Beast.

I loved that they provided a timer with the French press

The Beastwich was an epic fried chicken thigh biscuit sandwich slathered in sausage gravy and pimento cheese. Each component was perfectly executed – there was no weak links in the sandwich.

Beastwich

Suppers

My Mum couldn’t stop talking about the Korean pork bone soup she had been craving, so our stop that first evening was to the Owl of Minerva.

Pork bone soup

It was delicious. The broth had a kick from the kimchi, while the meat itself was full of flavour.

My Mum is satisfied!

The next night, we decided to try out Daisho, David Chang’s mid-priced Toronto restaurant. The space is absolutely gorgeous, a stunning glass-lined dining room that floats over University Avenue. The laid-back vibe from the main floor Noodle Bar continued in this restaurant, with the servers clothed in t-shirts and sneakers. This was in stark contrast to the table next to us, dressed to the nines in Chanel and Prada.

The experience as a whole was mixed. Service waivered, particularly at the start when no explanation of the menu was provided until about ten minutes after seating. The food was inconsistent; the hangar steak lettuce wraps were excellent, made up of succulent, perfectly medium rare meat. The monkfish, on the other hand, was such a small portion that when it arrived my Mum literally laughed out loud. To boot, it was undercooked.

Hangar steak

Monkfish

We shared the famous “crack pie” for dessert, and it actually lived up to expectations, tasting like an intense butter tart. It was sweet, but not cloyingly so.

Crack pie

Playa Cabana Cantina was one of the hottest new taquerias at the time, having just opened up in the Junction. I have no idea what it replaced, but I can only describe it as a dive. In spite of being “new”, it had such a lived-in look I swear I saw a cascade of dust fly when a sign was shifted.

Playa Cabana

But no matter, this place was packed. And though noise doesn’t usually bother me in restaurants, it did here – halfway through our meal, they dimmed the lights and jacked up the music – so much so that it felt like we were eating in the middle of a dance club.

The food was pretty good though. My favourite were the braised short rib tacos, so tender, with added texture from the crispy shells. Amanda loved the fish tacos, while my Mum really enjoyed the spicy tacos al pastor with fruit-finished Berkshire pork.

Braised short rib tacos

Fish tacos

Tacos al pastor

Even on a Monday night, the wait for the popular izakaya Guu was forty minutes. Service wasn’t great compared with our last visit, but the food made up for the neglect for the most part.

Cheers!

A favourite was the meguro tataki, seared BC tuna served with ponzu and garlic chips. I also liked the yakiudon, pan-fried noodles with beef and scallions.

Meguro Tataki

Yakiudon

We also ended up at a few restaurants in neighbouring Chinatown that are apparently frequented by Chef Susur Lee. If it’s good enough for Chef Lee, why not?

The first was Swatow Restaurant, with reviews from 1985 still proudly displayed on the walls (I doubt the restaurant has changed much since then).

At Swatow

The food hit the spot, particularly as we ordered the dishes we were craving – fried rice for Amanda and crispy noodles for me.

Dinner

My Mum’s special noodle soup

Chef Lee’s #2 hangout was King Noodle. This establishment features a kitchen just inside the entrance, tempting diners with aromatic and visual delights as they walk in.

I’m hungry already

We ended up preferring the food at Swatow, but there was no questioning the value at both Chinatown restaurants – our meals were around $30 each time.

Zhaliang

Rice noodles with beef

Amanda and I stumbled upon Hawker Bar after the Dundas West Festival. A thirteen seat restaurant, its “rustic” touches included candleholders made of punctured tin cans and menus hand-written on beer carton cardboard.

Hawker Bar

I appreciated the coconut-laced laksa broth, but the real star was the rendang pork cheek curry. The presentation was a bit too precious for the setting, but the meat just melted away, the heat balanced by a refreshing mandolin-thin cucumber salad.

Laksa

Rendang pork cheek curry

On the upscale casual side was Richmond Station, the restaurant by Top Chef Canada’s season two winner, Carl Henrich. It didn’t disappoint. The mushroom linguine, creamy and incorporating spinach and truffle oil, hit the spot. Amanda’s wild boar orichette, the pasta also scratch-made, was full of textures and just the right hint of sweetness.

Mushroom linguine

The Station chocolate bar, made of mousse, a florentine crust and peanut brittle, was not as rich as we were expecting, but was the perfect way to end the meal.

Station chocolate bar

I know even more culinary delights await us this week – all I can hope is that I write about it this time in less than a year’s time.

Food Notes for May 12, 2014

I hope you’ve all saved the date for our first What the Truck?! of the season! It’s taking place on our home turf (104 Street) on May 24, 2014, from 5-9pm. We’ll be releasing the list of trucks participating tomorrow. Hope to see you there! On to this week’s food notes:

Gail Hall will be hosting two farm tours this summer. The first is around the Kitscoty area, July 19-20, 2014, and will feature visits to The Cheesiry, Ribstone Brewery, buffalo ranch and a honey farm.
The Valley Zoo’s special farmers’ markets last year have turned into a regular event – running June 17 – September 19, 12-6pm.
Popbar opened its first Canadian location of the international chain at West Edmonton Mall on the weekend. It offers gelato bars in a variety of flavors.
Congratulations to the winners of the second annual Yeggies, awarded at the Avenue Theatre on Friday. In particular, kudos to Valerie of A Canadian Foodie for winning Best in Food, and to Phil (@Baconhound) for winning Best Twitter Persona.
Speaking of awards, I realize I forgot to link to Vue Weekly’s 2014 Golden Fork Awards.
Andrea reviewed Hart’s Table last week – it sounds like the menu has undergone quite a bit of change since the restaurant opened.
Duchess has a blog! Check it out for some behind-the-scenes photos of their cookbook photoshoot.
Great to see Reclaim Urban Farm and Lactuca featured in the Edmonton Journal.
Eater took a tour of a sriracha factory in California.
For Mother’s Day, my family had dinner at Café Amore. It was a first for the rest of my family, and as expected, they were all defeated by the massive portion sizes. As usual, their hospitality was great.

Truffle chicken

For dessert, I tried The Guardian’s recipe for tiramisu, which involved an extra step of separating the egg yolks from the whites and beating them separately for volume. I do think it resulted in a lighter cake that seemed much less dense than my previous tiramisu trials. Even my Dad, who isn’t much for sweets, had seconds.

Tiramisu

Cook Like a Chef: In the Kitchens of Hotel Macdonald

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of being invited to cook inside the prestigious kitchens of the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. It seemed too good to be true – an opportunity not only to peek behind-the-scenes, but also to learn from Executive Chef Serge Jost? But believe me, it was all that and much more.

Chef Serge Jost

I was among six food enthusiasts chosen to participate. The Mac organized this evening as one way to demystify its identity as an establishment reserved only for grand occasions. Its chefs want to spread the word that the Mac is simply about good hospitality.

Without a doubt, everyone we encountered that evening was gracious and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. This was not more evident than when we were each greeted with a personalized monogrammed chef’s jacket.

The crew (picture by Hotel MacDonald)

The interactive, hands-on session saw each of us paired off in order to prepare either the appetizer, main, or dessert. I immediately glommed onto Gail Hall, a chef in her own right, and fellow 104 Street resident. We were tasked with the appetizer, a savoury cheese tart, served alongside asparagus, a poached quail egg, and seared foie gras.

Preparing the tart shells

Executive Sous Chef Jiju Paul guided us through the multitude of steps, and was more than patient with me as I struggled to crack the delicate quail eggs without breaking the yolks. This was also my first time working with foie gras – I knew it tasted good, but the smell of them as they caramelized on the stove? Heavenly.

Searing the foie gras

Wouldn’t you know – I didn’t end up taking a single snapshot of the final dish. All I have are shots during the plating process.

What kind of food blogger am I?

Linda and Rebecca were responsible for the main, a complicated duck stuffed chicken cooked sous vide. It was wonderfully cooked, tender and moist.

Linda and Rebecca hard at work

Duck stuffed chicken with green bean mousse, mushroom foam and hazelnut lemon gremolata

Dessert was the purview of Karlynn and Phil, a strawberry gelee with rhubarb compote, sherbet and decorative strawberry tuilles. It was a beautiful plate, and a tart but refreshing way to end the meal.

Phil and Karlynn are serious about dessert

Strawberry gelee with rhubarb compote

Perhaps most generous of all – Chef Jost sat and ate with us, sharing his perspectives about the Hotel and his plans to make the restaurants at the Mac more approachable. For instance, the chefs are all on Twitter, sharing photos of menu planning, plating and interacting with patrons.

Regarding the Mac’s restaurants, particularly of note are the tapas at the Confederation Lounge, best enjoyed in the summer alongside the smashing view on the patio. To help promote this, the Lounge is offering 2-for-1 appetizers in the month of May, as well as drink specials.

I definitely think that’s a start, as perceived prices are definitely something the Mac needs to overcome. As I mentioned in my post last summer after a visit to the patio, another is the menu itself; a trendier, more inventive menu could potentially pique the interest of different diners. To do this without alienating their regular clientele would require a fine balance between the new and the established. I do agree with Chef Jost – the Hotel Macdonald is a living landmark that should be traversed much more by Edmontonians – but how can they do this without what could be seen as devaluing the Fairmont brand? It will be interesting to see what else the Mac develops in the months to come.

Thank you to Chef Jost, Chef Paul and the rest of the staff at the Hotel Macdonald for a memorable evening.

Check out Rebecca and Linda’s posts about the evening as well.

Food Notes for May 5, 2014

Oh, Raptors. Those last six second were heartbreaking, but it sure was a wild ride. Selfishly, I was hoping to partake in Jurassic Park myself when in Toronto next week, but here’s to the possibility next year! On to this week’s food notes:

Outdoor farmers’ markets are back! Salisbury was the first on May 1, then Callingwood on May 4, and this coming weekend, the French Quarter on May 11. The City Market returns to 104 Street on May 17.
The next Tomato Test Kitchen with Brad Smoliak takes place on May 8, 2014, and focuses on the art of grilling.
Food trucks are popping up all over! Make sure to keep up to date with the Street Food App, but also check out Eva’s post about one of the newest, Perogy Princess.
Speaking of food trucks, Liane has some details about Pampa’s forthcoming mobile offering as well, which will feature the same charcoal-grilled meat you know and love.
Host Edmonton, a hospitality conference taking place May 22-24, is looking for volunteers.
The Calgary Stampede released their 2014 food line-up last week. I wonder if the scorpion pizzas will also be making their way to K-Days?
Mack and I attended the Iconoclast Koffeehuis (11807 105 Avenue) opening on Saturday. The event seemed to showcase the space itself as a venue rather than the coffee, but it was a good opportunity for us to get acquainted with the place. While it is walkable, it’s not exactly convenient, so I’m not sure how often we will be frequenting Iconoclast. But at the very least, it seems to be a good addition to the city’s coffee scene! Cindy has much better photos of the evening here.

Iconoclast Koffehuis grand opening

I had a very good food week, starting with this beautiful charcuterie board at Hundred.

Charcuterie board (I had to steal Linda’s photo)

Mack and I ended up at Three Boars on the weekend. It’s been too long since our last visit, so we plowed through several new-to-us menu items. Our favourite were the lamb neck croquettes, served over a delicious bed of curried lentils.

Lamb neck croquettes

It’s been some time since dining at Quan Pho, but at a lunch meeting today, I found their vermicelli bowl to be much superior to the pho I tried during my previous visit. The grilled pork was particularly tasty.

Grilled pork and spring roll vermicelli

It was a cold one this weekend, but we layered up and helped the Downtown Edmonton Community League pick up some trash in the neighbourhood.

Mack with his favourite new toy

Date Night: Mirepoix Trio and the Princess Theatre

Just as food trucks have been a means towards establishing a storefront or brick and mortar restaurant (see: Filistix and Woodwork), I think pop-up restaurants have the same potential. It seems like ages ago now, but before RGE RD moved into their permanent digs, Chef Blair Lebsack hosted pop-up meals in the city and out on the farm (and even now, continues with the latter).

The Mirepoix Trio (made up of Chefs Rylan Krause, Jade Wu and Adam Zarycki) has been organizing special one-off vegan dinners in Edmonton since last summer. The functions not only let them collaborate and cook outside the box, but the meals have also allowed them to build a name for themselves and some money to boot – with the hope of one day establishing their own restaurant.

The Mirepoix Trio

Based on their Easter weekend suppers, I think the Mirepoix Trio is gaining quite the following in this city. They had generously invited Mack and I to dine as their guests as an engagement present (so sweet). Held at Upper Crust on Good Friday, the five course meal would have only set us back a very reasonable $40.

We started off with some refreshing drinks – a Mirepoix soda (Limoncello, vodka, basil, mint agave and soda) and an Orange Blossom (sugar, orange biters, St. Germain and Prosecco).

Drinks

Kudos to the chefs for preceding each course with a personal explanation – it’s always great to see the people behind the food! It was also insightful to hear about their direction for the meal – to make sure each course would flow into the next, each dish would adopt an ingredient from the previous one, ensuring some continuity.

The first course was a straightforward but delicious mushrooms and toast, served with an underlay of fennel pesto. Those two bites packed a punch, and set the tone at the start for a meal all about simple comforts.

Mushrooms and toast

On that blustery, snowy day, nothing was more welcome than the tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons (the cheese in this instance was Daiya). I could have eaten more than a handful of those crispy croutons, but I did particularly appreciate the brightness that the roasted tomato drizzle lent the dish.

Tomato soup with grilled cheese

Mack found the palate-cleansing iced tomato granita a little strange, given the extreme temperature shift from the earlier dish, but being a fan of caprese salad, I enjoyed the combination of tomato, basil and creamy cashew cheese.

Granita

We were both looking forward to the potato gnocchi, to be served with a creamy cheese sauce. The gnocchi themselves lived up to expectation, plump, seasoned well and satisfying. However, the accompanying asparagus seemed out of place texturally; the spears didn’t hold up to roasting at all.

Gnocchi

To end the night was Mirepoix’s take on a classic – strawberry shortcake. Here, the addition of basil tied it into the main, but what really made it sing was the sweet dollop of coconut whipped cream. I didn’t miss the dairy at all!

Strawberry basil shortcake

The meal was a great introduction to what the Mirepoix Trio is trying to do – elevate expectations of vegan cuisine, all within a scope of familiarity for those less accustomed to the possibilities of vegan cooking. It was clear Rylan, Jade and Adam are passionate about what they do – and given the growing niche of vegan establishments in Edmonton, I have no doubt a Mirepoix restaurant would help meet this need. Best of luck to them as they continue to raise their profile with these pop-up dinners! Follow them on Twitter to find out when their next event will be taking place.

After dinner, Mack and I walked over to The Princess Theatre to continue our evening with food on film. I had earmarked The Lunchbox during last year’s Edmonton International Film Festival, but due to time conflicts, I wasn’t able to watch it. Lucky for me, The Princess brought the film back to Edmonton.

It’s been some time since we’ve caught a film at The Princess, but this visit reminded us why we should be back more often – clean, intimate and retro, it was a much different experience than a trip to the typical multiplex. So much so that we indulged in popcorn, something we never do!

Salty snacks

As for The Lunchbox – I highly recommend it, and not just for the food (even though the styling inspired immediate Indian cuisine cravings). My interest in the movie was initially to see the dabbawala food delivery system in action, but it is so much more than that. It’s a lovely story about the connection between two lonely people in bustling Mumbai, subtle and beautifully acted. Though The Lunchbox is no longer playing at The Princess, it’s now moved to Landmark City Centre, so you still have a chance to see it in theatres. Go, now!

Suburban Disappointment: Square One Wye Road

Mack and I always seem to end up in Sherwood Park when we’re having a meal with Grandma Male. Though it’s typically driven by convenience (given she lives on the far east side of Edmonton), it’s also given us an excuse to scour the suburb for independent eateries. Though I wouldn’t say it’s easy to come by, like Edmonton, once you start looking, they’re everywhere.

The most recent addition is Square One Wye Road, which opened back in December. It was immediately intriguing because not many establishments in Sherwood Park have identified themselves as such in their name. The inclusion of “Wye Road” was a loud and proud statement, and if they lived up to their promise of being a unique, “contemporary speakeasy”, it would put the Park on the culinary map in a new way.

Interior

Like nearly everything else in Sherwood Park, Square One is located in a strip mall. On that Sunday evening in April, it was quiet, with only three other tables occupied. With its central oval-shaped bar featuring television screens and banquet-lined room, my first impression was that it very much mirrored a Cactus Club Café lounge. I did appreciate the pressed-tin underlay on the bar, but the sophistication didn’t jive with the random portrait of Darth Vader on the wall. I assume the owners were attempting to be quirky, but it really seemed out of place.

Mack with Vader

I tried an Amelia Earhart cocktail, comprised of gin, June flower liqueur, pineapple juice and sage. Great presentation, and quite refreshing.

Amelia Earthart

The menu was relatively small, which we hoped would mean the kitchen was focusing on their strengths. It was also great to see local producers named on the menu, including Sylvan Star and Irvings. We ended up ordering arrancini ($11) to share, and an entrée each.

We knew it would be hard for Square One’s arancini to live up to Daniel Costa’s version at Corso 32, and unfortunately, we were right. They were lacking in flavour and forgettable.

Arrancini

The mains fared somewhat better. Mack’s enjoyed his grilled Lois Lake salmon ($24) well enough, though noted that the risotto lacked the horseradish punch that had been promised.

Grilled salmon with horseradish risotto, burnt orange butter sauce and jicama slaw

My patty melt ($17) was the equivalent of a diner burger, and it was a bit odd to find it on the same menu as Mack’s decidedly more refined dish. That said, the chopped steak patty had been grilled to a nice medium rare. I did find the pimento cheese to be a bit strong, however, given the beef really should have been the star of the dish.

Patty melt with fries

Grandma Male enjoyed her steak sandwich ($19), commenting that the meat was quite tender. The issue on her plate, as it was on mine, were the fries, which had been egregiously over salted. It was a shame, given how hot and crispy they were. Service had been friendly but timid thus far, but I have to say our server handled the criticism about the salt content very well, thanking us for the feedback in the context of being a new restaurant.

Though I recognize the desire to appeal to the widest cross-section possible, I think Square One needs to refine their menu further to live up to the identity they’ve crafted on their website. To become a destination, or even to attract the locals, it has to rise above the rest of the upscale casual chains and assert a distinguishable identity; the use of Alberta product is a good start, but just one facet. I would also hope that as time passes, the kitchen becomes more consistent. I think there is a lot more room for independents in Sherwood Park – let’s hope Square One (with some improvements) is here to stay.

Square One Wye Road
Unit 32, 993 Fir Street, Sherwood Park
(780) 705-4321
Open daily 11am-2am

Food Notes for April 28, 2014

It was a pretty food-full weekend, with our fourth Eat Alberta taking place on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who took part; I hope to write a full recap soon. On to this week’s food notes:

The oldest greenhouse in the Edmonton area, Wallish Greenhouses in Strathcona County, is throwing a party on May 3, 2014 their 95th anniversary.
Toast Catering in the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is hosting a 3-course Mother’s Day brunch at the Market, with two seatings at 10:30am and 1:30pm. Tickets are $65.
Phil has another YEG Burger Odyssey post up, this time pitting the burgers of a Fort Saskatchewan diner against that of Rockin’ Robyn.
There’s a great piece about the Century Hospitality Group in this month’s TechLife magazine.
Vue Weekly explores the rationale behind restaurant wine prices.
Is it true? Calgary is envious of Edmonton for a change? This Calgary journalist wonders why there are no weekend farmers’ markets in downtown Calgary, when Edmonton will have not one, but two this summer.
The Eat Alberta committee met up at The Manor for a post-event supper. They were able to accommodate us in a private room on a second floor, so we were able to meet (and eat) to our heart’s content. I also quite enjoyed the schnitzel that I ordered.

Schnitzel from The Manor

Mack and I took in the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts tonight. It was one of the best I’ve seen yet – a tight set, and some wonderful performers. Though I will always have a soft spot for Sugar Swing, Ariane Mahryke Lemire took my breath away, even though I couldn’t understand the words to her French song. We ended the night with some tastes from Elm Café – I devoured the vegetarian crostini!

Ariane Mahryke Lemire (loved the animated Jason Blower backdrop, too!)

Tastes from Elm Cafe

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