Recap: What the Truck?! in Old Strathcona

I can’t tell you how many times I checked the weather forecast in the days leading up to our second What the Truck?! event on Friday. Early on in the week, things weren’t looking good, with showers predicted on the day itself and even on the following days. Thankfully though, as Friday approached, our optimism was rewarded, and save for a few threatening clouds, we were able to stay dry!

McIntyre Park

For a second year in a row, Old Strathcona played a welcoming host to WTT. And like last year’s event at McIntyre Park, we found it again attracted many young families – it was a wonderful sight to see so many children enjoying themselves in the green space.

Dinner time!

In response to the crush of lines at our last event on 104 Street, we increased the number of food trucks to fifteen. This, coupled with a steady crowd over the course of the evening, really helped to minimize the line-ups. I know I was personally able to try several more trucks this time around!

Food truck cul de sac

We made the effort to try some of the vendors new to WTT. I was perhaps most looking forward to the Perogy Princess, as it has been the most talked about truck this season. Their prairie poutine was a fun twist on one of my favourite dishes – perogies drowned in gravy and topped in cheese curds.

Prairie poutine from Perogy Princess

Afterbite Mobile Kitchen’s pizza rolls were an instant hit with the crowd – and after trying them myself, I could see why. How could you say no to deep-fried morsels filled with cheese, and an assortment of pizza toppings?

Pizza rolls from Afterbite

The chicken flautas from Casa Doce were a meal in itself, which I didn’t expect. They came with a generous portion of pico de gallo and a fresh underlay of lettuce.

Chicken flautas from Casa Doce

There was also quite a bit of chatter about the duck tots from Attila the HUNgry. It was definitely enough for two, tater tots topped with Thai-braised duck legs, hoisin aioli, lime sriracha, herbs and peanuts.

Duck tots from Attila the HUNgry

We were fortunate to have great community support for this event. It was wonderful to work with the Old Strathcona Business Association, specifically with Tineke De Jong, who secured sponsorship for the street closure. The Strathcona Community League also stepped up to sponsor our event insurance. In addition, Capital City Cleanup came through with some volunteers and clean-up supplies – the volunteers made sure the site remained spic and span during and after the event!

Capital City Cleanup

A big thanks also to DJs Polyesterday and Chesterfield for the tunes in the park!

DJ Polyesterday’s fans start young!

Keep an eye out on our website for more details about our next two events in July – we’ll be at Baconfest on July 4, and back at the Boyle Street Plaza for a burger-themed Truck Stop on July 10. Hope to see you there!

Recap: 4th Annual Whyte Avenue Red Shoe Crawl

In its fourth year, the Red Shoe Crawl has quickly become a staple way for Edmontonians to explore the culinary delights of a neighbourhood on foot, all while supporting a good cause. Organized by the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Alberta, the event relies on the donations of area businesses so ticket proceeds can go towards providing accommodation to families of children receiving medical treatment in the city. This expression of generosity, coupled with great organization, is what makes the Red Shoe Crawl one of the best food events in Edmonton in my opinion.

And though I have attended an Old Strathcona Shoe Crawl in the past, it did not feel like I was retreading old waters, as the event brought on several different businesses that weren’t on the roster in previous years.

I was fortunate enough to have been given complimentary tickets to attend the event (in addition to participating in a ticket giveaway), and asked Felicia to join me last Sunday afternoon. It’s definitely one of her favourite events.

Felicia with her Red Shoe Crawl passport at The Buckingham

On this occasion, there were twenty businesses on the roster. We made it to a majority of them, but did miss a few. Given how full we were when we called it quits though, I think it was the best we could do!

Our favourites included a few dishes from establishments I’d never been to before. I wouldn’t have considered The Pint for anything other than drinks before, but their chicken tacos were a nice surprise – each bite was full of fresh tomatoes and cilantro.

Chicken tacos from The Pint

The Buckingham, which moved into the former Symposium Greek Cuisine space, was new to us. It’s a great space, with a balcony that overlooks Whyte Avenue, but also a secluded back patio with great sun exposure. The staff were really friendly and attentive during our stay, and the food was good too! The vegan chili packed some heat, but I loved the variety of beans and lentils in the bowl.

Vegan chili from The Buckingham

As in previous Red Shoe Crawls, a food truck was also a part of the action. Attila the HUNgry is new to the Edmonton food truck scene this year, and was offering a taste of their Asian flavours in the form of a Thai PB & J.

Thai PB & J from Attila the HUNgry

It was neat to get a sneak peek into the new Menchie’s location that wouldn’t open until the following Friday (they took over the storefront previously held by Marble Slab). Although the shop wasn’t fully operational yet, the owner pushed their participation through, and handed out pre-portioned cups of red velvet and birthday cake-flavoured frozen yogurt.

Frozen yogurt from Menchie’s

Although most businesses didn’t offer a choice of dishes, Chianti’s did. We were able to order a half-size of any of their appetizers. Between my garlic white wine shrimp and Felicia’s smoked salmon salad, it was a nice taste of what Chianti’s had to offer.

Garlic white wine shrimp

Smoked salmon salad

Planet Organic had a fun giveaway, which involved “shopping” in the store. We were told we could grab any one bulk fruit and one drink from the coolers. As nothing was scanned, I’m not sure how any inventory was performed, but given how much we had already consumed by then, we appreciated the option of taking some goodies home with us for later.

An apple a day…

Thanks again to the organizers for the invitation, and for putting on a wonderful event.

Recap: Mercer Summer Super Party

I love street parties, and the Mercer Warehouse sure knows how to throw one. Though the all-ages Mercer Summer Super Party was technically their second event (the first one having taken place at the tail end of Al Fresco in 2012, but was unfortunately rained out), given the growth of the tenants and businesses in the building since that time, the differences were almost night and day.

104 Street

The weather was chilly, but cooperated enough to keep the rain away. And in that way, the combination of a street fest with the in and out privileges to explore what was taking place inside the Mercer was perfect on that evening. In some ways, the building capacity explained the need for attendees to have tickets, but ultimately, I think the provision of free tickets hindered the overall event attendance. The crowds didn’t seem as big as anticipated, so hopefully the Party organizers work out a different system for future events.

Rapid Fire Theatre

Indoors, On the Spot Pop-Up had a small trunk market in the basement (I loved the Green Window #rethinkjunk as art sprinkled throughout the floors), while many of the businesses on the upper floors had their doors open for curious wanderers.

On the Spot Pop-Up

Guru Digital

The Startup Edmonton space in particular was rockin’, with its own stage, free slushies, and of course, Lego!

Startup Edmonton

Outdoors, the stage hosted a variety of bands, DJs, and variety acts, while the rest of the street was lined with pop-up food vendors and food trucks. Mack and I love food trucks, but we took advantage of this opportunity to try some vendors we’d never encountered before.

Vendors

At the top of our list was the ramen burger, from Vancouver’s Rambu. We had seen this item at Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, but didn’t have the chance to try it there. Here, $10 bought us a pork patty sandwiched with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, and ramen noodle “buns”.

Rambu

Mack remarked at how messy it was to eat, but yes, it was worth it! I love texture in my food, so the crispy-crunchy noodles did enhance the burger for me.

Ramen burger!

La Cantina Negra also offered a new-to-Edmonton item that is so popular elsewhere – the bao as popularized by David Chang. La Cantina’s version featured wagyu beef or soy-pickled wild mushrooms. The former was our favourite, the tender beef tasting almost gamey, complemented by the freshness of the cucumber and carrots. I actually didn’t mind that the bao itself was browned, but I know for some, this would be considered blasphemy.

Bao from La Cantina Negra

Lastly, we dug into a variety of dumplings from Honest Dumplings. They’ve been around at farmers’ markets this season, but we hadn’t yet had the opportunity to try their house-made creations (including the wrappers!). The dumplings were delicate, and with flavours like butter chicken, are definitely not your mother’s dumplings!

Honest Dumplings

We didn’t linger at the party too long (I had an early pancake breakfast start the next morning), but it looked like people were having a great time. Congrats to the organizers for a successful event. I hear another party might be in the works for August – make sure you keep your eyes open for the details.

Food Notes for June 9, 2014

We’re coming up on our second What the Truck?! event this summer, taking place on Friday, June 13, 2014 from 5-9pm at Old Strathcona. Expect 15 trucks, from six new vendors to old favourites. Menus will be posted in a day or two – hope to see you there! On to this week’s food notes:

Shovel & Fork is teaching a class on container gardening on June 14, 2014. The class will be taking place at the Bissell Centre, and proceeds collected will go towards helping the Centre establish their own rooftop garden. Tickets are $70.
A reminder about Hawkers Market on June 14, 2014 from 6-11:30pm at the Mercer Warehouse.
Dishcrawl is back! Their first event after the hiatus is taking place on 124 Street on July 15, 2014. Tickets are $60 and will grant you three meals at three restaurants.
Congrats to Confetti Sweets whose storefront in Sherwood Park is now open.
Looking for Sailin’ On’s massively addictive coconut bacon? It’s now stocked at the Italian Centre!
It’s finally official: Earth’s General Store is moving to 104 Street, taking over the storefront formerly occupied by Pangea.
I was surprised to hear about Chef Nathin Bye’s move to Murietta’s. I wish him all the best in his new endeavours!
Phil’s latest Burger Odyssey post pits Delux against Local. Who comes out on top?
Vue Weekly offers some background on the concept of Bar Bricco.
The Journal had a great piece on Edmonton ex-pat Leanne Brown’s Good and Cheap cookbook, which helps people maximize their food dollar.
Chef, a fictional film about the rise of a food truck, opened last week to positive reviews. I hope to check it out soon!
Say it ain’t so: Top Chef Canada has been cancelled after four seasons. I know there will be other TV outlets for Canadian chefs to be highlighted (Chopped, Masterchef), but I think Top Chef had a tangible impact on raising the profile of the young talent who participated, and allowed Canadians to look inward, instead of only ever appreciating chefs south of the border.
I’ve now stepped down from the board of the Downtown Edmonton Community League, but it was nice to finish off my term with the annual pancake breakfast. It was a little chilly, yes, but the sun made it a pleasant morning. Thanks to those who came out!

Pancake picnic in the street

Sarah and Milap were pancake flipping pros!

All my Mum wanted for her birthday was tacos from Tres Carnales – we made sure she also had a side of celebratory sangria. Delicious!

Dinner at Tres Carnales

The Spuntini Bar Frontier: Bar Bricco

There are many reasons behind Chef Daniel Costa’s success in Edmonton, two of which are his firm vision and an unwillingness to compromise. His obvious pride and passion for Italian cuisine manifests itself in every plate that leaves the kitchen at Corso 32, a restaurant known for its use of quality ingredients, attention to detail and eye on authenticity. As Corso 32 introduced many Edmontonians to the wonders of fresh ricotta and handmade pasta, among other things, with Bar Bricco, Chef Costa seeks to now familiarize the city with the concept of spuntini bars.

Spuntini bars, as he described to the Edmonton Journal, are found in Italy and are known as “small places you go into and you get a snack and have a couple of glasses of wine. It’s not tapas, it’s a little more than that. Small plates, with cured meats, not charcuterie.” The idea isn’t too far removed from the wine bars and tapas-oriented restaurants nearby, including Tzin and Bodega, but does complement the scene particularly with its pasta offerings.

In the last month or so, I’ve been to Bar Bricco twice – once with Mack and a second time with a girlfriend. To say its been well-received is an understatement – both times, soon after arriving, I watched the space fill to standing room only in no time at all. It’s sleek, minimalist, and yes, a little loud, but I didn’t mind.

Post-work wine

The menu is divided into bread, spuntini, meats and cheeses. Over the two occasions, I was able to try several dishes. The pasta dishes were the among the highlights. The the egg yolk raviolo ($13) was a showstopper: thin, handmade pasta enclosing creamy ricotta and a perfectly cooked, luscious yolk. The fonduta agnolotti ($14) was as fun to eat as it was delicious, with bite-sized pasta meant to be dipped in sage butter and rolled in parmesan.

Egg yolk raviolo

Fonduta agnolotti

The eggs moliterno ($12) was explained to us as eggs cooked over a double boiler – but I know it has to be more complicated than that (or at least, I need to use a recipe – my attempt to replicate this failed miserably). The eggs had adopted a spreadable consistency, and spiked with truffle oil, pepper and cheese, they were a revelation in the possibilities of scrambled eggs.

Eggs moliterno

Interestingly enough, the meats and cheeses were secondary to the cooked dishes. The tasting plate ($24) was freshly sliced and featured a good variety, but as a whole, was forgettable. The cheese, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with the truffle and black pepper honey condiment – perhaps it could have been served on the side? That said, the accompanying house grissini, or breadsticks, were notable, and my friend remarked that they tasted exactly like those she has only ever found in Italy.

Tasting plate

Cheese (the name of which escapes me)

Service was better when we sat at the bar than at a table, but I know the waitress on that second occasion had trouble distinguishing our party from the couple seated next to us.

Bar Bricco continues Chef Costa’s vision to expand Edmonton’s appreciation for authentic Italian food and concepts. His consistency makes him one of the city’s most respected chefs, and is definitely one to watch. Next on his radar: an 80-seat urban trattoria/pasta house in the space that housed Transcend.

Bar Bricco
10347 Jasper Avenue
(780) 424-5588
Tuesday-Friday 5pm-late, Saturday 6-late, closed Sunday

Recap: Eat Alberta 2014

On April 26, 2014, Eat Alberta hosted its fourth annual conference at NAIT. It was a day to get your hands dirty, have your palate refreshed, and of course, to learn and be inspired by members of our local food community.

Michelle Peters-Jones leads a session on curry with Alberta pulses

Since 2011, Eat Alberta has carved itself a niche in Edmonton, offering a value-driven one day event that brings together some of the most respected and knowledgeable farmers, chefs and food activists in our city. We’ve always been fortunate these folks have been eager to donate their time to share their passion and skills.

Elyse Chatterton (rockin’ an unexpected hat) demonstrates nose-to-tail butchery

Like last year, we implemented a track system for tickets, which seemed to work reasonably well. Given the range of sessions offered – from basic biscuits to jowl bacon to composting – there really was something for everyone.

Potato tasting with Nigel Webber

MC Jennifer Crosby returned to host Eat Alberta for a second year in a row, and we were grateful for her enthusiasm and deft ability to handle changes to the program we threw at her.

MC Jennifer Crosby

To end the day, participants were invited to mix and mingle over a glass of wine and a tasting board. Created by fellow committee member and chef Allan Suddaby, this was his best board yet. More whitefish salad? Yes, please.

Beautiful presentation

In many ways, this was a bittersweet event for me because it was my last. Along with several others, I’ve chosen to step down from the Eat Alberta organizing committee so that I can focus on other things. It has been nothing short of a wonderful experience to work with a group of people who also believe in furthering food skills and local food appreciation in the city.

Imitation is the best form of flattery

No one said Eat Alberta is always serious

That said, I am confident that the future of Eat Alberta is bright in the capable hands of the committee members carrying on the torch. Best wishes, and I look forward to attending as a participant in 2015!

If you’re interested in learning more about Eat Alberta, sign up for the mailing list here.

Food Notes for June 2, 2014

I hope you enjoyed the absolutely gorgeous weekend! It was easy to forget the rain that preceded it, but did it ever make a difference – it helped flip the switch to green. On to this week’s food notes:

The JLS Night Market has rebranded as Night Market Edmonton and returns this summer in a new location: Beaver Hills House Park (Jasper Avenue & 105 Street). The market will operate every Friday night from June 6 to August 29, 2014 from 7-11pm.
Though I haven’t heard the term “Super Saturday” used this year, Downtown will be one rockin’ place this Saturday with the Pride Parade coming through. But before then, start your day off at the Downtown Edmonton Community League Pancake Breakfast, taking place from 8:30-11am at our new league space (10042 103 Street). Alternatively, Oliver is also hosting a breakfast by Duchess Baker that same morning, a kick-off to their annual Oliver Community Festival.
A reminder that the Red Shoe Crawl is taking place in Old Strathcona on June 8, 2014! They updated the list of businesses you can expect to visit, amounting to nearly two dozen. Tickets are still available.
The Italian Centre is celebrating their 55th birthday with a party on June 14, 2014 at their Little Italy shop (10878 95 Street). I’m looking forward to the outdoor screening of the Italy vs. England World Cup match. Should be a good time!
Also June 14, 2014 is the next Hawker’s Market at the Mercer Warehouse.
Porkapalooza released more details about their first annual festival, running June 13-15, 2014 in Hawrelak Park.
Tickets to Baconfest, taking place on July 4, 2014 at the Arts Barns, will go on sale June 4, 2014. Although tickets are necessary for the indoor component, there will be lots of free/no admission activities outside as well!
Fort Edmonton Park has a cool new feature where you can pick up a pre-packaged lunch basket from the Johnson Café at the Hotel Selkirk – perfect to take and picnic on the grounds outdoors.
The big news this week was the announcement that after a decade, the Wild Tangerine will be closing at the end of June.
Transcend will be anchoring the new Mother’s Market (revised opening date: June 20, 2014) with an in-house café.
Robyn had the chance to check out Popbar’s first Canadian location at West Edmonton Mall.
An interesting piece in the New York Times about food truck associations south of the border.
It looks like Tutti Frutti will have Menchie’s bookending it on (and just off) Whyte. Another Menchie’s is moving into the Marble Slab vacancy.

Menchie’s

Mack and I spent the weekend participating in the third annual Good Hundred Experiment, a gathering of about one hundred people, all involved in projects that somehow better the community. The crowd was diverse, and endeavours ranged from environmental to political to artistic. It was a learning opportunity to hear about some of the wonderful things going on in the city, and to network with people I’d never met before. Kudos to Nadine and Tad for their wonderful facilitation and planning skills – getting strangers to feel comfortable with one another is not an easy task, but I feel that they more than accomplished that by getting conversations to flow and connections made. Bravo!

Good Hundred

I had been craving pho all through our Toronto trip, but was not able to satisfy that craving. So of course, I made a beeline for Pho Tau Bay not long after returning home.

My usual

It’s been too long since our last visit to El Rancho – the Amigos Platter hit the spot!

Three of my favourite things (but don’t worry, I shared them with Mack)

Our What the Truck?! team met up at The Next Act tonight to plan our event coming up on June 13, 2014. It was my first halibut sandwich of the year, but I’m sure – not my last.

Cornmeal-crusted halibut sandwich at The Next Act

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!

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