City Market Report: Week 8

Weekends like this are just glorious, and reminds us that there is no better place to spend the summer than Edmonton. The City Market was a hub of activity today; I wouldn’t be surprised if they reached some of their highest attendance numbers for the season so far.

High traffic area

The Feats Festival of Dance (which runs June 29 – July 14, 2012) was on hand with different demonstrations throughout the day.

Clogging

There was also an abundance of carrots today – almost everyone we passed down the aisles had bunches of cheerful green tops poking out of their market bags.

Kuhlmann’s carrots

Carrots from Jen’s Organic Garden

Of course, there was a ton of other fresh produce this week as well.

First week for peas from Kuhlmann’s

Dill from Kuhlmann’s

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Flowers from Kuhlmann’s

Pak choy from Sundog Organic

Mustard greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Sprouts display at Greens, Eggs and Ham (they currently grow nine different kinds)

I had no idea Doef’s sold strawberries until today

Cherries from Steve and Dan’s

Raspberries from Steve and Dan’s

We also picked up some cookies from Bloom Cookie Co. We met Ashley Benson, owner and baker, at the DIYalogue on Wednesday, and it was about time we tried her cookies (the vegan chocolate chip was delish)!

Bloom Cookie Co.

We ended off our market day with lunch on the balcony – Eva Sweet waffles and cool drinks (a milkshake made with Pinnochio ice cream for Mack and a smoothie made with Bles Wold yogurt for me).

Lunch

Hope you had a great Saturday too!

A Perfectly Pleasant Patio: Viphalay

Resembling more of a house than a restaurant, the second location of Viphalay on 99 Avenue and 105 Street is easy to miss. I never did visit any of its previous occupants, so the building was never familiar to me as an eatery as it was to Mack. But on a lazy Friday, when our kitchen was the last place either of us wanted to be, we wandered over to Viphalay, its patio beckoning.

Viphalay

When we arrived, we were surprised to find the patio empty. Sure, the clouds were looming in the distance, but right then, the evening sun was warm and the air calm – the perfect conditions for al fresco dining (that said, about a half hour later, the patio filled right up). Viphalay’s patio features a number of brightly coloured flower baskets, and though it isn’t on the best street for people watching, the quiet, mostly car-less setting suited us just fine as we unwound after a full week.

Although the McCauley-based Viphalay remains closed (the family shared that they were in need of more kitchen staff), the menu here looked identical. Mack and I didn’t stray too far away from our tried and true favourites, and we weren’t disappointed.

I will say that we think our spring roll ($8) order got mixed up, as we were served the vegetarian version instead of the requested pork. But our pad thai ($15) and green curry ($14) were exactly what we were looking for that night. The noodles were slightly sweet, integrated with a generous amount of chicken, shrimp and tofu, while the curry had just the right amount of heat, dissipated by the creamy coconut rice.

Spring rolls

Pad Thai

Green curry

We had plenty of leftovers for the days ahead, but better yet, Viphalay got us in the right frame of mind for the weekend. We look forward to many happy returns.

Viphalay
10523 99 Avenue
(780) 756-8118

One Last Hurrah: Old Strathcona Truck Stop

Our final Truck Stop in Old Strathcona took place last Wednesday. Mack and I nervously watched the skies all day, as it had started off rainy and overcast, but thankfully, the grey mostly cleared by the time the trucks pulled up at McIntyre Park.

The sun was shining!

The crowds weren’t as robust as those that were seen towards the end of May, but a fair number (including many young families) came out to enjoy a casual picnic in the park. A band, Yikes, were also on hand to lend some music to the event (we were told that music programming will be consistent on Wednesdays throughout the summer).

Lounging in the grass

We recognize that the June series of Truck Stops weren’t as successful as the preceding May dates. Weather played a big factor, and because McIntyre had been booked by another group on June 20, we weren’t able to make it known that “every Wednesday in June” would play host to the event.

Mack’s calzone from Battista’s

That said, as a whole, we think the venture of What the Truck?! across the river had been very well received! Though we suspected the appetite for food trucks in Edmonton wasn’t just confined to downtown, the response to these Truck Stops proved that. It was also wonderful working with Stephen Liley of the Old Strathcona Business Association and Kathy Stanley, the City’s Vending Coordinator, who helped make this series happen.

Great day for food trucks

As for the rest of the summer, we’ll be retiring Truck Stops for at least a month. Many events in Edmonton’s packed festival calendar will feature members of our local brigade (including Curb Your Hunger at Taste of Edmonton), not to mention the outdoor farmers’ markets where trucks have become a staple to feed hungry shoppers (124 Street Grand Market and the City Market, just to name a few). And don’t forget – many trucks are out and about every day – just check their Twitter feeds for details!

Mack and I are in the process of organizing two big What the Truck?! events to take place before the close of summer, however. We will announce the dates and locations when they are confirmed. In the meantime, keep on truckin’!

City Market Report: Week 7

After a late night Friday, Mack and I couldn’t get ourselves out of bed until late this afternoon. That translated into only basic choices of product at the City Market, but enough to get us mostly through the week.

Overhead

On the other side

I had mistakenly noted that the week prior would be the last week for asparagus, when in fact, Edgar Farms was still selling it today. We of course missed out, but will look forward to the return of the snappy green spears next year!

You will be missed, asparagus

Beets from Riverbend Gardens

See you next week!

Culinary Q & A with Foodie McPoon

Occupation: Administration at Alberta Education

What did you eat today?

Banana and a nut bar for breakfast, an apple and Greek yogurt for a mid-morning snack and salad with leftover Singapore noodles from dinner last night for lunch (if you’re wondering where it’s from, it’s from Panda Hut Express).

What do you never eat?

Raisins if I can help it. I hate raisins in muffins, cookies, etc but I eat raisin toast…Weird, I know. I don’t have a good explanation either.

What is your personal specialty?

I don’t really have a specialty dish because I cook many different foods, but I do an awesome cold shrimp salad appetizer, as well as well-seasoned potato wedges.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find: Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, cilantro, green onions, proscuitto and pickled asparagus.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Lemon baked chicken, panko breaded pork chops or noodles & soup.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Cuisinart food processor (next in line is my KitchenAid stand mixer).

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

A large, piping hot bowl of noodle soup, preferably pho with loads of white and green onions thinly sliced with medium-rare beef, also sliced thinly. This is making me hungry!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I try not to eat out too often, but on occasion my default options are pho usually at Pho Hoa on 97 Street (or whatever restaurant is closest), Kyoto for sushi or Double Greeting Wonton House for their wonton and beef brisket noodle soup.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Two places — For dinner, definitely The Dish Bistro. I love their food and their portion sizes are quite substantial considering their prices are very, very decent. The atmosphere is also very cozy and unpretentious! For dessert and coffee, there’s no other than Duchess Bake Shop. I am now truly obsessed with French pastries, especially ‘le macaron’. What did I do without them?!

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

There is this wonderful cafe called The Dunes in Prince Edward Island and I am head over heels for their summer lobster salad. I would also love to eat an authentic bowl of spicy pho in Vietnam, or fresh sashimi/sushi in Japan.

Check out Foodie McPoon’s blog here.

Go for the Samosas: Guru

Every time Mack’s Dad rolls into town solo, usually en route to a conference somewhere, it means we’re in store for dinner at an Indian restaurant. Mack’s Mom lacks an affinity for curries, so Martin takes advantage of any opportunity he can to satisfy his cravings (it is similar to Mack’s love of Greek).

Last Thursday, Mack and I suggested that we give Guru a try. Origin India had been our go-to place for previous occasions, but we’ve been meaning to head over to Chef Deependra Singh’s restaurant for quite some time, and this was the perfect excuse. We were also told Guru had a good gluten-free menu, which was needed for one in our party as well.

Located between 100 Avenue and 170 Street, Guru is highly visible to traffic, but in some ways, this is also a drawback. We were seated by a window, which would normally be ideal for access to natural light and green, but all I had in my line of sight was a constant stream of cars. For that reason, a table in the heart of Guru is more desirable.

The interior is tasteful, with dark wood throughout with some glass accents. A small bar and private room round out the dining area, and the kitchen offers a windowed peek into the work of the naan artist.

Interior

Buffets aren’t offered at Guru, which in some ways was freeing because of our knee-jerk tendency to choose buffets by default. This way, we had to be more selective about what dishes we wanted to try. Mack and I missed the initial spiel from the server, but he apparently recommended that each of us order our own dish. This surprised me a bit, because apart from buffets, I usually correlate Indian food with family-style service.

This wasn’t the first time I would be a little taken aback by the server. Though I wouldn’t consider Guru a fine dining establishment on the same level as Hardware Grill, I would still hold it to a standard higher than casual upscale eateries like Earls or Joey’s. As a result, the informal demeanour of the server was unanticipated – his mention of using the samosas to pick up girls at Moxie’s, or “spending all his money at bars and having nothing to show for it”. Some may have found his candid nature refreshing, but I thought it was out of place, and cheapened the experience somewhat.

That said, we thoroughly enjoyed the food. The butter chicken samosas (4 for $12) were hot and crispy, the flaky shells enhanced by a sweet tamarind sauce. The chicken could have been a touch more moist, but it was impressive just how much meat they packed in each samosa. Mack loved these, and commented that he’d return just for the samosas.

Butter chicken samosas

Entrees ranged in price from $18-24 (rice and naan separate), so I figured the servings would be quite large. When the bowls arrived, it didn’t quite meet those expectations. After struggling to finish the dish, however, I realized it was quite deceiving, especially for such rich, flavour-packed curries.

The paneer butter masala ($18) essentially substituted the dense Indian cheese for chicken, so Mack and I got the best of both worlds – his favourite sauce, my favourite protein. We were told the heat level would be a three on a scale of ten, but for me it was probably closer to a one. The fish moilee ($24) was a nice surprise, tender fish in a coconut-based sauce. This was particularly tasty paired with the saffron rice and coconut naan.

Paneer butter masala

Fish moilee

There were other nods of approval around the table – Martin and Thom ordered the Guru Rajasthani lamb curry ($21), Shane the chicken vindaloo ($19) and Kim the butter chicken ($19).

Chicken vindaloo

At the end of our meal Chef Singh did come to check on us, which was a nice touch. And though we now have two good options where we can gather the next time Martin is in town, I have to say I’d lean towards returning to Origin India. Guru would be a close second on that list, especially if we were craving those butter chicken samosas.

Guru
17021 – 100 Avenue
(780) 484-4300

2012 Taste of Edmonton Launch

I was able to spend my lunch hour at the Taste of Edmonton media launch on Wednesday at the Citadel Theatre, fortuitously scheduled in between meetings I had nearby. Daytime events are always a challenge for me (and I would imagine for other bloggers as well), and though I appreciate that the invitation was extended to us online folk this year, the timing really was aimed at the mainstream media.

Caprese salad from Lit

This was no more evident than when Mack and I arrived around the advertised start time of 11:30, but discovered that the food wouldn’t be served until about forty-five minutes later; by that time, we needed to leave to get back to work.

Giuseppe Albi, General Manager of Events Edmonton

That said, it was a nice opportunity to catch up with some people I hadn’t seen in a while. The mood was light (helped no doubt by pours of Alley Kat), and the weather outside seemed to mirror the optimism organizers had about some of the new elements they have put together for this year’s festival. Those include:

7 new restaurants (including Guru, Share and TZiN )
65% new menu items
a feature food truck area called Curb Your Hunger (which will include Drift, Molly’s Eats, Smokehouse BBQ and The Act)
a return to live cooking demonstrations, which this year will involve a competition between food bloggers
a partnership with Race Week Edmonton to expand family-friendly programming with activities on Centennial Plaza

I have been very critical of Taste of Edmonton in the past, and will not fully pass judgment on their 2012 incarnation until we’ve had a chance to experience it firsthand. That said, the core of any event with “taste” in their name should be good food. Unfortunately, our brief sampling that day didn’t showcase some of the restaurants in the best light –forty-five minutes in an unheated chafing dish ruined many plates that needed to be served hot, notably, the bacon maple poutine from Hudson’s and the butter chicken samosa from Guru.

Poutine from Hudson’s

As expected, Mack and I are most curious about Curb Your Hunger. We are really happy for the vendors that have been permitted to participate, as this will hopefully expose even more Edmontonians to the wonderful fare that trucks can offer. That said, it will be interesting to see how the trucks will manage with the twelve hour service days. Relief staff isn’t a given with trucks, and unlike the restaurant booths with room for plug-in coolers, there is a limit to the amount of food that can be contained in a vehicle. We’ll see whether or not the festival can accommodate the unique challenges faced by food trucks, or if they will be adhering to a one-size-fits-all model for all vendors.

Susan from Molly’s Eats

Thanks again to the Taste of Edmonton staff for the invitation. We look forward to checking out some of the new features this year!

Taste of Edmonton runs July 19-28, 2012. Discounted tickets are on sale at Tix on the Square until July 18, 2012.

Super Saturday: DECL Pancake Breakfast and What the Truck?! at Al Fresco

If you weren’t downtown on June 9, 2012, you missed a heck of a party. Dubbed “Super Saturday”, June 9 saw a convergence of several high-traffic, high energy events in downtown Edmonton, including the DECL Pancake Breakfast, City Market, Pride Parade, TEDx and the Al Fresco Block Party. I am happy to say that I was involved in two of them.

DECL Pancake Breakfast

I took on the lead role this year in planning Downtown Edmonton Community League (DECL)’s annual fundraising Pancake Breakfast. All funds raised are donated directly to Al Fresco’s charity of choice, chosen to be Zebra Child Protection Centre this year.

Zebra Child Protection Centre’s display

It was a great experience working with Sobeys on 104th, our long-standing lead sponsor who donated the pancakes, sausages and coffee that we served, and Affordable Storage on 104th, who secured a large donation of juice boxes for use at the event. Sobeys and Affordable Storage demonstrated to us again that they are community-minded businesses who didn’t hesitate before committing their support.

Scott shows ‘em how it’s done

We were also happy to secure a prominent location to set up our breakfast this year. In 2011, we were relegated to the two lanes of Jasper Avenue, out of the sightline of City Market shoppers. This year, the market and the City were amenable for us to host the event in the intersection of 104 Street and 102 Avenue. As a result of this and the good weather, our lines stretched longer than we had ever seen before.

Around the block!

For a donation of $2, hungry patrons received a plate of pancakes and sausages, served up by enthusiastic DECL board members and volunteers. They were in the weeds for most of the morning as the crowds grew ever larger, but they handled it with grace and smiles to spare!

Love the aprons!

The drawback to our location was having to vacate the intersection by 11:30am, given the Pride Parade was set to charge down the street beginning at noon. As a result, we had no flexibility of extending our breakfast service beyond 11am, and unfortunately, disappointed some who had been waiting in line.

Great morning for an outdoor breakfast

At the end of the day, DECL was able to raise and donate over $1150 to Zebra. Thanks again to the generous donations from those who took part!

What the Truck?! @ Al Fresco

Mack and I were excited to take on a more active role relating to the Al Fresco Block Party this year. We’ve attended the festival every year since its inception in 2008, and as this was our second year as residents on 104 Street, we relished the opportunity to positively contribute to the neighbourhood.

Thanks to Brittney who snapped this photo of us before the madness began!

I mentioned in a previous post that the Planning Committee thought integrating food trucks into this year’s event was an ideal way to offer food, and Mack and I agreed. Servicing street party patrons than with curbside cuisine seemed like the perfect fit. It was also a great opportunity to be a part of something larger, and plug into the expected crowds that would gather downtown to take in one or more events. Rough estimates for that Saturday pegged the numbers at around 30,000.

Al Fresco from above

What the Truck?! @ Al Fresco was our first for 2012, and our largest event to date, with ten vendors in total. We took over both the intersection of 104 Street and 102 Avenue, as well as the street directly north of that. The space afforded us to have a seating area in the intersection, and room for many strategically placed lines.

Smokehouse BBQ had the longest line all night

We have to commend the City Market on an efficient load out (an hour!), which enabled us to load in nearly all trucks in less than forty minutes. Special thanks also goes out to Tri-Line Disposal, who donated not only several large collection bins, but also smaller wheeled bins for organics and recyclables, which greatly helped us control the on-site garbage.

Busy square

With the skies threateningly overcast for most of the afternoon, Mack and I were worried that a downpour would lead to a dip in attendance. But we were very fortunate to have a solid three hours of operation, as the downpour didn’t begin until 8pm. Until then, we had a very strong crowd enjoying the food and music who didn’t seem to mind the grey skies.

Mack and I even had the opportunity to try some food on our own! Battista’s Calzones was on our list, as WTT was the site of the Calzonemobile’s debut. They were the first truck to sell out.

All smiles inside the Calzonemobile

We also tried out the BBQ pork and custard steamed buns from The Lingnan Express. I love that they consistently experiment with items never found on any of their restaurant menus; I know I appreciate it as an eater!

Steamed buns

As we spent most of our time at WTT, we didn’t get a chance to take in the rest of Al Fresco this year. Some of the feedback we received, however, was that the stage set up at the south end of 104 Street divided the festivities, and prevented essential north-south sightlines. As a result, many patrons who visited WTT or the extended patios and Melcor tasting lot had no idea anything else was going on down the road. We wholeheartedly agree, and this is something the Planning Committee will address next year.

Extended patios from above

The weather also was a factor in the TEDx after-party shutting down early. Their flashy stage and screens set up on 104 Street south of 104 Avenue were only functional for about half an hour until the rain forced them to tear down, lest the equipment sustain water damage. Mack and I were too late to see the stage in its full glory, but from our balcony, it was a pretty epic view.

All the way to 104 Avenue

Being a part of Al Fresco, the vendors all agreed to donate proceeds from the evening to Zebra Child Protection Centre. In all, the donations totalled about $4,000!

There were a lot of “sold out” signs that night

Thanks again to everyone who came out and supported What the Truck?! Thanks to our tireless vendors for putting street eats on the map in Edmonton. And thanks to the few unsung heroes who helped us pick up trash and move tables after dark.

We still have plans for a few more events this summer, but until then, don’t forget about the final Truck Stop in Old Strathcona on June 27, 5-8pm. Hope to see you there!

Well-rounded Lunch: Cibo Bistro

Cibo Bistro was the chosen restaurant for an appreciation lunch scheduled two weeks ago. I had recommended it based partly on its central location and attached parking, but also because I had heard their lunch menu was worth trying. Cibo was new to everyone in our group.

Cibo Bistro is located in the former Tesoro storefront in Oliver square. Similar to its predecessor, the space was pleasant, but felt far from warm, something especially evident on that dreary day. The walls looked bleak and grey, and the high ceiling seemed more imposing than grand. Our large group was actually seated in the only bright spot in the dining room – a raised, semi-enclosed area lit by an incandescent fixture. That said, it was quite busy on a random Tuesday, so I’d imagine the food to be the ultimate draw.

Interior

I loved their mobile menu – instead of individual folders, a chalkboard and easel was set up by our table. It speaks to the flexibility of the kitchen and a desire to keep things fresh for regulars. Though the menu was short, the half dozen soup, sandwich, pizza and pasta options were interesting enough to capture the appetites in our group. All full entrees were also priced at $10, a nice round number easy to digest.

Service was steady and consistent, and the servers made sure we were well taken care of throughout our meal. Our food also arrived in good time, and all plates for our party of six were hot. Several of us had ordered the meatball sandwich with tomato basil jam, arugula and prosciutto. It was a bit small for my liking, but I have to say that I thought it was ingenious that the meatballs were halved to make it easier to eat! I enjoyed the springy bread, and the meatballs were moist with enough fat for flavour. The side of roasted red pepper soup was on the sweet side, but I liked the consistency.

Meatball sandwich

The pizza frita with prosciutto, fig, mint and arugula was also very well received, but the bucatini with white wine, asparagus, garlic and tomato was less so, with my colleague commenting that it was very greasy.

Pizza frita with prosciutto, fig, mint and arugula

Bucatini with white wine, asparagus, garlic and tomato

We decided to split a dessert, and on the server’s recommendation, ordered the chocolate trio ($13). It really was a work of art, between the Frangelico and milk chocolate mousse served in the jar, white chocolate gelato topped with hazelnut brittle, and the slice of dark chocolate tart. But I was glad we ended up sharing it six ways, because it would have been much too decadent for one person alone. Though each dessert could have stood on its own, the star of this plate was no doubt the silky smooth chocolate tart.

Chocolate trio

Based on this experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to return again for lunch, though mostly, it makes me want to try out their dinner menu. Until next time!

Cibo Bistro
11244 – 104 Avenue
780-757-2426

City Market Report: Week 5

It was another Saturday perfect for a stroll down the aisles of the City Market!

Busy market square

Mack and I had a blissfully late start to the morning – great for us, not so great for our grocery list. Though we were still able to pick up most things, we were out of luck on a few basics. Early birds are definitely rewarded!

Green onions from Kuhlmann’s

Spinach from Kuhlmann’s

The south end of the market continues to be configured with vendors back-to-back along the centre of the street. At present, the market is looking for feedback from shoppers on this orientation, so make sure you share your opinion with them on Facebook or Twitter, or in person the next time you’re there.

We did make sure to tuck around the alley to check out Bikeology taking place in Beaver Hills Park. I thought the event organizers did a great job of making the space feel warm and inviting.

When we arrived, we found a bike tune-up station, some spin cyclists doing their thing and a stunt performer demonstrating his skills!

What I was most looking forward to was the pedal-powered smoothies. I had read about this several years ago, but never had a chance to try it. Mack and I both gave it a whirl, and enjoyed the blended results!

Mack checks out the progress of his smoothie

Whee!

It was a great Saturday to be out – hope you enjoyed your day as well!

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