Downtown Expansion: Transcend Jasper Avenue

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

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

Entering the café.

Looking down from the second level.

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

The boardroom upstairs.

The basement space.

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

Yum, Transcend-roasted coffee beans!

Putting up the sign outside!

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

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

Welcome Home: Queen of Tarts

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

Queen of Tarts

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

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

This is the space after:

Isn’t it gorgeous?

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

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

After:

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

Desserts

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

La Fourchette silverware

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

Savoury case

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

Cheddar shorties and chocolate biscotti

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

Stunning

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

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

Cozy Birthday Brunch: Cafe Haven

In thinking about brunch places where we could take Grandma Male to celebrate her birthday, my mind drifted to Café Haven. I first noticed Café Haven on Twitter, active in announcing their daily specials and musical acts. However, we didn’t often visit Sherwood Park, and as with most restaurants outside of the core, usually need a geographic excuse to stop by. Mack’s Grandma, always game to try new establishments herself, happens to live on the southeast edge of Edmonton.

Mack and Grandma Male

We had tweeted Café Haven the night before, asking them if we could make reservations for Sunday brunch. The response we received indicated no, reservations weren’t taken, but that we wouldn’t need them either. Imagine our surprise when we were greeted by a standing room-only crowd at the restaurant! That May morning was a chilly one – we suspected patrons had substituted any planned outdoor activities for relaxing with comfort food. And wouldn’t you know it – Café Haven announced later that it was a record-breaking day for them.

Open kitchen

Anyway, we opted to hover for a while, and thankfully, didn’t have to wait ten minutes before a table opened up on the sunny side of the restaurant. What was immediately apparent from the interior was that diners (at least when Café Haven isn’t entirely full) have a choice of seating areas that would befit any number of moods. In our section, lined with windows and with a full view of the open kitchen, painted a vibrant blue, felt bright and cheery. The rear of the restaurant, with sconce lighting and no natural light, felt intimate and cozy. Finally, an entirely separate room that went almost unseen, decorated with rich, sequined fabrics and painted in bold hues was exotic and private.

Interior

The one-page brunch menu (which changes every weekend) focused on fresh, local ingredients. They do subscribe to Eat Local First, and as indicated on their website, try to source from area farmers as much as possible. I was also happy to see that Café Haven serves Transcend coffee!

Cool, framed menus

I was very happy with my selection – a breakfast crepe with Westphalian ham, spinach and mushroom with a parmesan cream sauce ($10). The sauce was rich and undoubtedly imbued with calories – just the way I like it! And while I usually shy away from salads to start off my day, the balsamic dressing on the greens ensured I did not regret my choice.

Breakfast crepe with ham, spinach and mushroom

Mack and Grandma Male both ordered the free-range ham, scrambled eggs and toast ($10). Mack said the potatoes in particular were his favourite.

Free-range ham, scrambled eggs and toast

With a bustling atmosphere and lovely interior, I can see why Café Haven’s business is picking up. Hopefully I’ll have to pass through Sherwood Park again soon!

Cafe Haven
9 Sioux Road, Sherwood Park
(780) 417-5523

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait: Elm Cafe

Elm Cafe has been a long time coming for Nate Box. After an exhaustive search for a storefront, he was happy to announce in September 2009 that he had landed the space formerly occupied by Hulbert’s in McKernan/Belgravia. It would have allowed him to serve three square meals, in a neighbourhood bereft of good dining options, with ample patio seating. Unfortunately, negotiations fell through, and he was forced to start from scratch, again.

Nine months later, Elm Cafe finally found a home, and after a few weeks of renovations, transformed from an underutilized sandwich shop to a beautiful, modern space. Though it’s barely larger than a generous walk-in closet, it more than makes up for its small size with charm.

Elm Cafe

As the website states, Elm offers “take-away craft sandwiches, light fare, premium coffee and beverages.” With two seats along the bar and (hopefully) some outdoor seating later in the summer, it’s not hard to see that Elm focuses on grab-and-go food (menu here). By the time I reached Elm late in the afternoon, they were all sold out of sandwiches (by 1pm, apparently!), but you can take a look at Kelly’s blog for what to expect. Follow their Twitter account to find out what the daily sandwich and soup will be.

Bar seating

On the coffee front, Nate decided to go with 49th Parallel, a Vancouver-based roaster. He had travelled to #yvr in late May to learn more about the coffees, and for the first two days of Elm’s opening, has the privilege of hosting Sammy Piccolo, who placed second at the 2009 World Barista Championships.

Nate and Sammy

I was heading to Indulgence later that night, so ordered a straight brewed coffee for a light afternoon pick-me-up ($2.25). In all my excitement, I forgot to ask the origin of the beans, but I am happy to report that the coffee was full-bodied and smooth.

49th Parallel beans

Many congratulatory bouquets were on display (including a clever morel bouquet from Thea and Chad), and I think Nate deserves all the accolades for powering through and making Elm happen, even with all of the setbacks. With his passion for good food and community, I think Nate is on to something great.

More(l) well wishes

I can’t wait to go back and try the food.

Elm Cafe
#100, 10140 117 Street
(780) 756-3356
Monday-Wednesday 7am-5pm, Thursday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 8am-4pm, closed Sundays

Transcend’s New Frontier: T2

T2, Transcend’s first full retail café, will finally open to the public on Friday, April 23. Six months in the making, owner Poul Mark and his team have transformed the former pizza parlour in the Garneau Theatre building into a chic, modern space that also highlights its heritage roots.

The sleek leather banquets, minimalist furnishings and clean bar contrast wonderfully with the exposed brick and reclaimed original floor. I also love the pop of lime green amidst the white walls, perhaps a nod to their roasting business. And of course, the art – classy and a link to the origin of coffee, it’s a visual reminder of Transcend’s status as a third-wave café.

Interior

Less than twenty-four hours from opening, Poul was nice enough to take a few minutes out of his busy day to chat about this exciting addition to the Transcend family this afternoon.

Counter

Customers should expect the same great coffee that they have come to love from the original Transcend. Three single-origin varieties, brewed on Clover, plus espresso-based drinks, are proudly listed on the magnetic menu behind the bar. Six loose tea varieties from Metropolitan Tea will also be offered, made using Brewts (similar to the Teavana system that I am familiar with), though Poul indicated that this may change as he learns more about tea.

On the counter

I was offered something to drink during my short stay – I gave the barista free rein (my usual drink at Transcend is black coffee) and was handed a cappuccino complete with latte art. I haven’t had a cappuccino in years, mostly because previous drinks have proven bitter and unsatisfying. I am happy to say that Transcend’s version was smooth, creamy, and without any unpleasant aftertaste. I may be a cappuccino convert now.

Cappuccino

On the food side of things, Poul made it clear that T2 is not a restaurant – their focus is on coffee. That said, they will have some light fare, sourced locally as much as possible – pastries from Fresh Start Bistro, soup from Soul Soup, and vanilla gelato from Chocolate Exquisite to make affogato. The only item they will be making in-house are liege waffles (a smaller cousin of the Belgian variety), which can be topped with everything from chocolate from Kerstin’s Chocolates to Jam Lady preserves to rosemary whipped cream.

Magnetic menu

The high-traffic location also provides Transcend with the opportunity to potentially expose a greater amount of people to their high-quality coffee and brewing techniques. Poul indicated that while cuppings will continue at the retail location, T2 will feature more drop-in sessions to teach patrons how to brew better coffee at home – for example, how to utilize a French press.

Mission

I realize their focus is and will be on T2 for the months to come, but I couldn’t resist asking Poul what might be in Transcend’s future. He didn’t rule out additional cafes (and is still toying with the idea of a wine and pizza bar) but did comment that they could only expand so much without compromising their standards, as it would become difficult to source high quality coffee at the volume necessary to serve multiple locations.

With Three Bananas, Axis Cafe, Credo and now T2, the specialty coffee scene is looking better and better in Edmonton. Congrats to Poul and the rest of the Transcend staff on the beautiful cafe!

T2
8708 109 Street
(780) 756-8882
Monday – Wednesday 7am-7pm, Thursday – Saturday 7am-9pm, Sunday 8am-4pm

Gifts + Cappuccino = Bling

I love the current trend of cafes in retail spaces, marrying the happy pair of caffeine and shopping. As evidenced by the success of places like The Wired Cup and Zocalo (covered by the Journal in a recent story), sipping a cup of coffee amongst charming giftware is a nice alternative to the bustling cafe.

Edmonton can add another such establishment to it’s growing list – the cheekily named Bling just opened up on the ground floor of City Square Tower, across the street from the west side of City Hall. It’s easy to miss, particularly given the awning above it still reads “Universal Hobbies”.

There is no trace of the donair joint that occupied the space prior to Bling. Kloy Parker, formerly of The Butler Did It, has transformed the tiny room into an elegant cafe and shop. In addition to coffee and tea, Bling offers pastries from the Italian Bakery and Handy Bakery, and will soon add panini sandwiches to their menu.

The wares are also noteworthy – Kloy prides himself on sourcing chic, gift-worthy, and best of all, affordable items (everything in the store is priced with the GST already included). He showed me a lovely textured metallic bowl that cost just $8, and a grooved, square pasta bowl priced at $10. I also spied a Dean & Deluca cookbook on my way out.

Kloy inside Bling

Check it out while you’re in the neighbourhood – but don’t blame me if you end up with a few more items for your kitchen!

Bling
10316 100 Street
(780) 421-0000

Edmonton’s Newest Bakery: Duchess Bake Shop

Life is all about the little things. Watching the leaves fall from the trees in autumn. Drinking in the mid-afternoon sun. Savouring that first sip of morning coffee. Or, finding that a new bakery opened up in your neighbourhood.

Thanks to Nate Box (who will be opening his own restaurant, Elm Cafe, soon enough), I found out about Duchess Bake Shop, located in the High Street area within walking distance of Mack’s place, and right along my homeward bound bus route. I stopped in on Monday to check them out, and found that they had only been open a whirlwind three days.

Interior

The shop has a chic, sophisticated feel about it, with hardwood floors and a dominant white interior. A chandelier and a handful of tables and chairs round out the space, helpful for those looking to stay and pair their indulgence with something from the bakery’s cafe menu.

Owners Garner and Giselle Beggs have been thinking about opening a bakery for years. Fresh from a four year sojourn in Tokyo, they decided the time was ripe to return and make their dream a reality. Although Duchess offers many French-inspired treats (croissants, macarons, madelines), Garner says they aren’t restricting themselves to a French repertoire, with apple and banana cream pies also available, among other treats. Everything is made from scratch without preservatives – even the food colouring they use is from natural sources.

Macarons

I picked up two croissants ($1.50 each) for Mack and I to serve as a savoury bridge to dinner. They smelled of butter, and on first bite, had that crispy-crunchy texture I look for in a croissant. Mack didn’t like it as much (he prefers the softer variety), but I’d buy it again.

Croissants

Duchess also serves croissant sandwiches, which would make it an interesting destination for lunch. Or, like the couple who filed into the shop after me – for those looking for something to “make a bad day better”. I will be back.

Duchess Bake Shop
10720 124 Street
(780) 488-4999
Hours as of October 26, 2009: Wednesday 9am-6pm, Thursday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Fine Gelato: Chocolate Exquisite

So much food. So little time. At least when it comes to the places on my “to try” list, anyway.

I was able to strike one off the list last weekend, when Mack and I made a concerted effort to ruin our dinner with gelato (though I’m sure there are worse ways in which dinner can be ruined). After an “independent panel” declared the gelato from Chocolate Exquisite to be the best in the city, I was eager to give their dessert a spin.

Chocolate Exquisite interior

Located in the semi-sprawled Oliver Square complex, Chocolate Exquisite has been producing their own line of chocolates for several years. Owner Dennis Yurkiwsky sampled over 70 varieties of cocoa beans sourced from all over the world, and from that number, picked 18 to make bars of single-origin chocolate. They are all beautifully wrapped, with small squares priced at just 90 cents, meaning a gift box containing some variety could be relatively inexpensive. Yurkiwsky was extremely generous in providing me with samples of the types I expressed an interest in (with many bite-size samples ready to be doled out, the “try before you buy” policy is their common practice). I also tried the 99% cocoa mass, which is described to be for a “connoisseur’s palate”. It wasn’t for me. Yurkiwsky made clear, however, that the value of variety was being able to offer a specific product that would appeal to individuals as opposed to a crowd.

It’s worth noting that Chocolate Exquisite runs tasting workshops for $35, which includes samples of all 18 single-origin varieties, as well as dessert wines and port (the shop is equipped with a few small tables and chairs). It would make a fantastic girls night out. The next one is scheduled for October 20; call for more information.

By the time we worked our way toward the gelato cooler, it was clear that Yurkiwsky prides himself in producing a consistent, high quality product. As expected, Mack and I both tried samples of the gelato of our choice before we were permitted to graduate to a full serving ($3.50/small, $5.50/large). Yurkiwsky described the gelato-making process that he uses, and suffice to say, he has undertaken great expense and pains to ensure his gelato is as authentic as possible.

And the result? The scoop of hazelnut I enjoyed thoroughly brought me back to my time in Italy. Velvety smooth, the balance between the nutty flavour and sweetness was just perfect. Mack’s strawberry gelato was light and fruity, and disappeared immediately under his spoon.

Hazelnut and Strawberry gelati

As Yurkiwsky himself indicated, Chocolate Exquisite is a destination. However, now that I’ve been oriented to their products, I will be sure to keep it in mind for any future gift needs, as well as a place to satiate my gelato cravings.

Chocolate Exquisite
11238 104 Avenue
(780) 488-7852
Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 12-8pm

Day 5 in DC: Tourist Mashup

The muggiest day to greet us in DC was also our tardiest start, indicative of our exhaustion the night before. We finally left the hotel at 10:30, and determined to try an alternative to Starbucks, sought out the nearest location of Caribou Coffee.

With their wooden beams, hardwood floor and stone fireplace, it would have been easy to mistake the interior of Caribou Coffee with that of a Montana’s. There was no line-up (unlike our hotel’s neighbourhood Starbucks), and I liked the cheeky statements printed on the napkins. The coffee itself wasn’t bad, though drowned in milk as it were I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell otherwise.

A cabin or a coffee shop?

Our first planned stop for the day was the last of the major memorials we hadn’t yet seen – the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. At some point after we departed the Metro we must have made a wrong turn, because we ended up not at the memorial, but at a waterfront lined with seafood stalls.

Seafood market

Crabs galore!

The aromas drifting from the area weren’t exactly pleasant – seafood never fares well in open air on hot days. There was some agreeable cookery going on though – with “fresh” (trucked in) fish, crabs, and other shellfish being offered alongside lemonade and ice cream. We were able to sample some fried fish, which satisfied our seafood curiosity.

A man among fish

Across and under a bridge, we finally reached the Jefferson Memorial. Away from the Mall attractions, it was relatively quiet, and free from large school groups. Situated on the Tidal Basin as well, this memorial was in the perfect spot to capture breezes that came off the water. I’m sure cherry blossoms would add a touch of magic to the park, but even without them, the tree-lined area was lovely, and brought me back to the West Wing episode of “Mandatory Minimums” where Toby and Andie take their walk around the basin.

Jefferson Memorial

Jefferson, the primary author of the Constitution, was quite scholarly, making the Greek columns very appropriate for his memorial. Though the statues of Lincoln and Jefferson are apparently the same height, the Lincoln Memorial still trumps all others in grandness and impact.

Jefferson Memorial

We walked across the basin to spend the best $10 we had all trip – on paddleboats! The $10 secured a rental for an hour, which was more than enough time to explore the reachable corners of Tidal Basin, and to access one of the best frontal views of the Jefferson Memorial. And after rushing from place to place for the last few days, it was nice to kick back and relax out on the water.

Jefferson Memorial from Tidal Basin

Mack on the Berry (photo #2 – yes, even on the water)

Marines and POTUS helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the White House a few times, as did numerous domestic flights in and out of Reagan National Airport. The airspace in DC was undoubtedly always busy.

POTUS Helicopter overhead

Off the water, we took a quick ice cream break at one of the strategically-placed tourist-oriented confectionary traps, and hopped on the Metro to get to our lunch destination – Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street.

Our piecemeal day continued with a return to our hotel to change (a nod to our most formal dining experience in DC), then hoofed it to Georgetown. It was absolutely boiling at this point, so our trek was most uncomfortable for Mack, to say the least, dressed in a long-sleeve dress shirt. He was a trooper though, as we made the most of our time by shopping in the district, where I picked up some gifts at the lovely gift and stationary store Paper Source and elsewhere.

I heart Georgetown

A picturesque garden in the middle of Georgetown

A Georgetown shopping centre

We made sure to stop at Dean and Deluca, which in Georgetown was not only a café, but a full-on specialty grocer. We overturned many products to find astronomical prices, and contented ourselves with two rounded D & D mugs, which we had admired from afar in New York.

Dean & Deluca

Not a wine cellar, but hall

Bulk candies are always more expensive when stored in glass jars

On Bruce’s recommendation, we also visited Georgetown Cupcake, where the line-up was out the door. Granted, the tiny storefront could only contain so many, but given the number of large boxes waiting to be picked up, we were sure that walk-in customers formed only a tiny branch of their business.

They had a dozen varieties to choose from, all temptingly displayed on tiered stands at the order counter. After patrons put in their order, they had to pass the funds across to the staff person on the other side of the tiers, creating an awkward exchange for both parties (and a potentially messy one, even though a sign read that ‘cakes on display were indeed for display only).

Cupcakes!

At $2.75 a pop, the cupcakes seemed to be on par or slightly more expensive than the Canadian bakeries I have visited. I decided on a fairly classic flavour – vanilla² – while Mack opted for something a little less run-of-the-mill – carrot cake.

On the corner of Georgetown and cupcake

The vanilla bean cake was pretty tasty – flavoured and flecked nicely, but with sweetness in check. I was saddened to find that the icing was made with cream cheese, however, as I am not a fan. On the other hand, the cream cheese base did mean that the icing didn’t melt as fast as its, say, buttercream counterparts, and as Mack adores cream cheese, he unsurprisingly enjoyed his treat more than I did.

We ended the night at dinner – an upscale restaurant called Hook.

You can read Mack’s Day 5 recap here.

Edmonton’s Coffee Scene is Perking Up: Credo Coffee

Cafes that offer specialty coffees are rapidly gaining ground and market share in Edmonton. Just to name a few – Three Bananas, Leva, daCapo, and of course, Transcend, are elevating what coffee lovers should expect from a cup of joe. More exciting than a consistent, high quality product, however, these cafes employ well-trained baristas, where coffee is not just a job, but a passion.

I’m happy to report that the specialty coffee scene has just gained another member in the city – Credo Coffee opened its doors at the end of June on the ground floor of the Icon Tower, located in the trendy and boutique-lined 104th Street. It is definitely a welcome downtown addition – I’m surprised it took so long for a cafe of this nature to materialize in the core.

Credo Coffee

Geoff Linden, formerly of Three Bananas, and who has also pulled shots at Transcend (he said himself that the specialty coffee scene in Edmonton is a small one), is behind this venture. Credo’s tagline, “coffee to believe in” draws attention to their commitment to fine coffee. While they are not in the business of roasting, they do serve only Intelligensia Direct Trade Coffee: “For a coffee to be considered Intelligensia Direct Trade there is a specific list of criteria that must be met by both Intelligentsia and our grower-partners. In the broadest terms these coffees should be understood as a true collaboration, with both sides investing a great deal of time, energy and ideas to produce something great.”

Kenya Thunguri – one of the two brewed coffees Credo was serving

Not satisfied with simply serving great coffee (menu here), Credo also offers specialty teas, and further distinguishes itself from other cafes with fresh sandwiches and baked goods all made in-house.

The cafe is bright, benefits from a lofty openness afforded by a high ceiling and had a vibe similar to Calgary’s Caffe Artigiano. I think Credo could rearrange their seating area to further maximize their space, but I did appreciate that their table placement did allow for easy movement. In addition, like some other food establishments in the city such as Culina Highlands, Credo exhibits art work created by local artists.

Interior

Mack chose to try their macchiato ($3.25), nicely finished with latte art. I opted for a brewed dark-roast coffee ($2.50, though price could vary depending on origin), which was full-bodied and rich. It was a touch acidic, but as I am used to drinking my coffee with milk, that was expected.

Macchiato

Brewed Coffee

I hope Credo is able to secure external signage soon – with the ongoing construction in the area, it is easy to miss! I encourage you to stop by, and revel in downtown’s first specialty coffee cafe!

Credo Coffee
10134 104 Street
(780) 761-3744
Monday-Friday 7pm-9pm, Saturday 8am-9pm, Sunday 10am-5pm

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