Tag: Edmonton

Edmonton’s Food Bank: Expressions of Hunger Contest

In high school, a few girlfriends and I volunteered for Edmonton’s Food Bank, back when the main warehouse was still located downtown, just off Jasper Avenue. Our weekly task centered around repackaging dry or fresh goods so individual portions could be placed in hampers. I remember marvelling at how well coordinated the Food Bank was – the organization seemed to operate with assembly-line efficiency, with our portions eventually taken to the hamper assembly area, and bagged into hampers to be picked up by clients. There never seemed to be a time when the interview rooms were empty – frontline staff were continuously busy, taking calls or assessing clients in person.

Though the Food Bank’s location may have changed, the need for their service has not. And while there may be a collection box at the exit of every grocery store in the city, donations to the Food Bank are often an afterthought, in spite of their continuous provision of food to Edmonton’s needy on a daily basis.

For that reason, I really admire their current campaign called Expressions of Hunger, an attempt to engage creatives in the city on the subject of hunger. Open until March 31, 2010, the contest encourages photographers and writers to submit photos, poetry and short prose to illustrate one of five categories: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and environmental.

In April, the entries will be posted online where people can vote for the top three photos, poems and prose in the five categories, with winners being notified on May 3. The three winners in each of the five categories will be showcased at City Hall on National Hunger Awareness Day (June 1) and until June 4, at the Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse, from June 7 to June 23 and exhibited during the Works Festival of Art and Design at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts from June 25 to July 7.

I emailed Tamara Stecyk, the person behind Expressions of Hunger, with some questions about the Food Bank, and to find out her inspiration for the contest.

  1. While the necessity to help some Edmontonians meet their basic needs is growing, does the Food Bank foresee any particular areas of heightened need for 2010?
    Edmonton’s Food Bank experienced a 70 per cent increase in use from March 2008 to March 2009 as a result of the economic downturn (from just over 9,000 people per month to almost 15,500 per month). As an organization supporting the community for almost 30 years, this is not the first time we’ve seen challenges like this.  In 1996, we were serving almost 19,000 people per month and it took 12 years to see client numbers fall to the 9,000 people per month. We anticipate that the need for our services will continue throughout 2010 and over the next 5-10 years.

    2.  

  2. What is the biggest misconception about the Food Bank?
    One of the biggest misconceptions is that the Food Bank serves a particular demographic in Edmonton. In reality, anyone is one pay cheque away from using the Food Bank. If you lost your job, your marriage fell apart, became very sick or faced unforeseen expenses, you may need to turn to our organization to help you through that tough time.

    3.  

  3. How did the Food Bank conceive of the Expressions of Hunger contest?
    I work in the Special Events and Community Relations department at Edmonton’s Food Bank, and was struck by photos related to food banks that I came across on the Internet. Active in social media, I was also aware that there is a strong photography community in Edmonton and proposed an online contest that would explore the nature of hunger in our society.

    4.  

  4. What has the response been to the contest so far?
    The response to Expressions of Hunger has been a bit disappointing. We have 4 photo and 10 literary entries. With such creative talent in the Edmonton area, we thought we would receive more response. But there still remains a month left for submissions so perhaps possible participants are procrastinating.

    5.  

  5. If you could encourage every person to recognize National Hunger Awareness Day (June 1) in one way, what would that be?
    We encourage people to recognize National Hunger Awareness Day by organizing a food drive, a fundraiser, a discussion around food insecurity or participate in Expressions of Hunger. For more information about National Hunger Awareness Day, click here.

Thanks to Tamara for answering my questions! Click here if you want to find out more about Expressions of Hunger, and check out the Food Bank’s Twitter account here.

Charity Auction Dinner: Ric’s Grill

Last fall, the Edmonton Sun’s Graham Hicks approached Mack to see if he would like to be a part of the 2009 ATCO and Edmonton Sun Christmas Charity Auction. He would be paired up with a restaurant, and people would bid on the chance to have dinner with him, with proceeds going to charity (coincidentally, my agency is one of the four that benefit from the funds raised).

Ultimately, a bidder paid $140 to have dinner with Mack at Ric’s Grill downtown, and we arranged to meet up with the winning party this past Wednesday.

Though we were expecting a pair of diners, we ended up being joined by four people – it turned out the bidder, Terri Lynn, had actually done this once before, having secured the opportunity to dine with Vinomania’s Gurvinder Bhatia and CBC’s Ron Wilson the year prior. Along with Terri Lynn’s friends Kelly, Sue, and Ginette, the night was filled with good conversation, and of course, wine (a lovely Malbec that my usual sweet palate didn’t mind at all – good choice Ginette!).

Mack didn’t get much choice in the restaurant that he would be paired with, but since each establishment had donated a certificate that would cover most of the costs (in this case, $300), we were thankful that Ric’s Grill stepped up to the plate. My last meal at Ric’s was nearly two years ago, and given the experience I had, I wouldn’t have considered coming back without a push.

Although our server gave us a tad too much time and space (perhaps she was deterred by the amount of laughter emanating from our table), it was a solid evening overall. Mack, the goat cheese lover between the two of us, enjoyed the almond goat cheese crostini ($12) starter, a cheesy, rich cousin of garlic toast.

Our steak dinners were equally agreeable. My six ounce, bacon-wrapped filet mignon ($31) was nicely prepared, perhaps on the medium rare side of medium. My side of celery root and cauliflower soup was the standout part of my meal – creamy and well seasoned. The crispy leeks (reminding me a bit of fried onion straws) added some textural flair.

Celery Root and Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Leeks

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with Chef’s Potatoes

Mack’s sirloin Oscar deluxe ($33) was topped with sautéed prawns, scallops, asparagus and housemade Béarnaise elicited no complaints. He said that the scallops in particular were cooked well.

Sirloin Oscar Deluxe with Rice Pilaf

I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit Ric’s Grill again. And while we don’t usually eat out at steakhouses, I would consider giving them another try in the future. It was good to meet all of you – thank you for a great night!

Ric’s Grill
10190 104 Street (2 other Edmonton locations)
(780) 429-4333

Valentine’s Day in Edmonton: Deal or No Deal?

Mack and I decided to collaborate on this post. Enjoy!

Sharon:

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a holiday where consuming chocolate is the national norm, and for an occasion that is marked with an indulgent feast. And though I realize that Valentine’s Day has been escalating in its commercial nature over the past two decades (and one that that Mack and I embraced wholeheartedly last year), a gander at one too many pre-fixe restaurant menus sent me over the edge this time around.

Of course, restaurants shouldn’t be blamed for feeding a consumer-driven hunger for extravagance, excess, and unbridled expense on February 14. No doubt, some meals, and the ultimate experience of spending time with your sweetheart could be worth every penny. Also, some restaurants do offer embellishments – providing a rose to the lady, employing a musician to set the ambiance, offering a treat at meal’s end – but could it really be worth the heightened price tag? How much more are patrons charged on Valentine’s Day, compared with any other day? With Mack’s penchant for statistics and graphs, we set to find out.

Mack:

Coming up with the data was harder than we thought! Finding the set price of the Valentine’s Day menu was easy, but finding something to compare it to was not. We decided to generate a comparable figure using the closest dishes we could find on the regular menu. Definitely not scientific, but fairly representative.

We started by finding as many restaurants with Valentine’s Day menus as we could, and then narrowed it down to those which also had regular menus online. We ended up with 12 restaurants:

The average Valentine’s Day menu price was $71.08 per person, with prices ranging from $35 per person at The Dish to $160 per person at Red Ox Inn. The average regular menu price was surprisingly similar at $69.65 per person. On average, Valentine’s Day menus featured 4 courses.

So what’s the best deal? By far, Madison’s Grill. Their 6 course Valentine’s Day menu is just $85 per person – the regular menu would cost roughly $116 per person. Of course, we’re not sure about portion sizes, but based on our recent Farmers’ Market Dinner experience, we expect they will not be small. The worst deal? Hardware Grill – you pay $31 more for the Valentine’s Day menu than you would on a regular day.

I wouldn’t cite any of this data in an academic paper, and the numbers don’t take into account ambiance, food quality, freedom of choice and service, but it was fun to generate just the same. I was surprised to discover that the Valentine’s Day menus aren’t that much more expensive after all!

Sharon:

So numbers aside, after scrutinizing more than a dozen pre-fixe menus, I can tell you that considering the menu options only, both Mack and I agree that Hardware Grill wins, hands down. We were salivating as we read through each course (butternut squash-mascarpone tortelloni
with truffle butter cream sauce and fresh chanterelles? Porcini crusted sea bass, lobster-truffled potato crêpes, white corn-arugula & gulf prawns? Where do we sign up?).

While I wouldn’t go so far as to recommend any one restaurant (personal choice being that last intangible), based on our experience, Madison’s Grill and The Dish would top our list. If you’re looking for innovative, creative food that celebrates local producers, there would be no better choice than Blair Lebsack’s dining room in the Union Bank Inn. However, if you desire something more casual and comforting, The Dish is a great choice with its consistent kitchen and friendly service.

Mack:

You could, of course, avoid restaurants altogether and cook that special someone a tasty meal at home! Because as Sharon pointed out, Valentine’s Day is about spending time with your sweetheart, not spending lots of money. If you do go the restaurant route, keep in mind that there are more to choose from than the dozen we mentioned here.

We hope you enjoyed this light-hearted look at “Black Sunday” (a la Eater) in Edmonton, and we wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Culinary Q & A with BruleeBlog

Occupation: I write, edit, do public relations, design websites, and dabble in a little bit of photography.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast, snacks and lunch were made up of oatmeal with soy sauce, leftover Chinese food from a banquet dinner (chicken and yi-mein/e-fu noodles), 2 bananas, and a handful of clementines. Not sure what dinner will be yet. Probably a salad.

What do you never eat?

Durian. I have tried it frozen, in ice cream, as candy, and fresh off the street in Malaysia, and I have given up trying to like that nasty, stinky, worse-than-dirty-gym-socks-washed-in-a-sewer fruit.

What is your personal specialty?

I don’t really think I have one.

Complete this sentence:

In my refrigerator, you will always find: vegetables and fruit, soy milk, a jar of The Jam Lady’s most excellent jam. Oh and processed cheese. I know, I should hang my head in shame.

What is your weekday meal standby?

An egg and cheese sandwich or a grilled cheese sandwich, both made with the aforementioned processed cheese and whole grain bread. If I am feeling guilty I will have a salad instead.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Le Creuset french oven.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Assuming that I would eat until I burst, I would have a big bowl of Penang assam laksa, a plate of roti canai, beef chow fun, har gow, turkey congee with the cooked heart and gizzard, grilled black cod with teriyaki sauce, a plate of salmon sashimi, smoked salmon, prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, lamb with rosemary, roasted beets, a bison cheeseburger, sweet potato/yam fries, a grilled cheese sandwich, a vanilla milkshake, and some chocolate mousse for dessert. (Did you notice the total lack of fruits and non-root vegetables?)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Probably Moxie’s. There’s a location near my home, and I’m a sucker for their steak and goat cheese salad.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I would have to say The Blue Pear. The food isn’t always absolutely perfect, but it is always innovative and interesting.

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

Definitely Georgetown, in Penang, Malaysia. And I would eat my way through all the hawker stalls. In my opinion, street food always trumps fancy food.

Check out BruleeBlog’s website here.

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

Marvellous Meat and Potatoes: Kabsa the Divine Dish

Before the most self-aggrandizing Pecha Kucha to date, Mack and I had dinner at the nearby Kabsa the Divine Dish on Jasper Avenue and 103 Street. I had heard good things about the Middle Eastern restaurant from a co-worker, and though its location makes it a prime spot for post-work dining, I hadn’t made the effort to visit prior to that day.

Walking in, the black and white colour scheme is as stark as it is notable. Save for a few tiny black mirrors and framed monochromatic prints, the interior is bare. This drew attention to the fact that the restaurant is extremely well kept (particularly on a day where salted sidewalks meant tracked-in slush), and matched the establishment’s seemingly no-frills philosophy. I have to say I would have appreciated some background music (even the radio would have helped) as overhearing other conversations didn’t make for a pleasant dining experience.

Kabsa doesn’t have a posted menu – instead, the clerk lifted the lid of each of the trays and named each dish underneath. Our choices included Tandoori chicken, chicken with garlic, roasted lamb and smoked lamb. Each entrée is served with rice and the day’s vegetable (kabsa refers to a meal of meat, rice and vegetables), and runs in price from $10-14 (on a side note, I had to laugh when the clerk, instead of accessing a till, calculated my bill total on her iPod).

The portion sizes were huge! The large meat serving was complemented by an even larger mound of rice, as well as a handful of potatoes. My roasted lamb was fork tender, and fell off the bone with no effort at all. I’m almost certain the flavourful meat would turn those unsure of lamb into stalwart fans.

Roasted Lamb

Mack similarly enjoyed his chicken which was equally tender and moist. In particular, he loved the aroma and consistency of the rice. His cardamom-scented rice actually reminded me a lot of the Somali rice I had not too long ago.

Tandoori Chicken

Our meal, with a can of pop, totalled $28.30. While not the cheapest meal in the area, the quality and serving size blew me away. For these reasons, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Kabsa as a dinner destination downtown.

Kabsa the Divine Dish
10345 Jasper Avenue
(780) 421-1366
Monday-Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday-Sunday 6-10pm

Setting the Decor Standard: Basil Leaf

I met up with Dickson, my stalwart pho companion, earlier this week to give the newest addition to Chinatown’s ever-revolving dining scene a spin. Basil Leaf, dubbed a Vietnamese restaurant and sports bar, opened about two weeks ago in an unfortunate location. Not unfortunate so much for the ghosts of the failed restaurants past, but for its sight-unseen building, tucked just far enough down 107 Avenue to be missed by most passing by.

Interior

Though this was my introduction to any incarnation of the space,  it looks like the new operators gutted the place, with stunning results. The dark wood floor, intimate leather banquets, and Cactus Club-esque artichoke lights elevate interior design expectations of Asian restaurants. Moreover, the dish and flatware were surprisingly modern, with beautifully curved tea cups and soup spoons in place of more traditional pieces. Between Basil Leaf and Urban China, the bar for the design of Edmonton’s Asian restaurants has been set. Though Basil Leaf does support a “sports bar” in theory – a high, granite bar encircles a mounted television screen, an area separated from the main dining space by a partition – it seems to be a footnote, and shouldn’t detract would-be diners from visiting.

Table setting

The menu was fairly standard for a Vietnamese restaurant, stretching several pages with numerous stir-fries, vermicelli bowls and soups. Prices also seemed match those found at similar establishments, though I can only really speak to pho, which is always my dish of choice.

My predictable pho with medium rare beef was $7.75, while Dickson’s usual deluxe pho with all of the fixings rang in at $8.25. The green onion cake starter was $4.50.

As in Paula’s review, the service was borderline too attentive, with the servers at numerous points hovering over our table, and constantly checking to see if we needed a hot water refill for our tea. For some reason, it wasn’t off-putting – perhaps because they appeared to be genuinely interested in our dining experience.

Of course, with food being the focal point of our visit: I liked the green onion cakes well enough, though the batter had not been evenly seasoned. The pho also could have been better – the curved bowl my dish was served in was another plus, but the flavour of the broth was one-note, and could have been enhanced with more aromatics and spices. Dickson and I also agreed that the beef was overdone, becoming tough and unpleasantly chewy too quickly.

Green Onion Cakes

Beef Noodle Soup with Medium Rare Beef

Deluxe Noodle Soup

While Basil Leaf may not become my destination for pho, I would gladly visit them again. Perhaps for dinner when I might be able to take advantage of a booth , and when the lighting will better highlight the space.

Basil Leaf
10023 107 Avenue
(780) 756-8880

February in Edmonton is for Variety!

Remember to check out ShareEdmonton for a more comprehensive list of events – I usually just choose the ones I’m interested in. Mack already has 30 events for Family Day entered into the calendar!

  • Need something to read? Check out the Winter Blues Books 2 Buy book sale at Stanley Milner, February 5-7.
  • Celebrate Chinese New Year early at the Lunar New Year Extravaganza, at WEM’s Ice Palace, February 6-7, 10am-9pm each day. Performances and a marketplace are highlights.
  • The John Humphrey Centre began a Human Rights Cafe series last month, “to explore critical human rights issues and how these are a part of our daily lives.” They take place monthly at Three Bananas Cafe. The next one takes place on February 7.
  • The Winter 2010 Edmonton Film Society series is titled “Having a Heat Wave”, and hopes to warm up audiences with film settings in warmer climes. The first movie screens on February 8.
  • The New Works Festival at the University of Alberta is always a great way to check out the city’s up-and-coming theatre talent, and all for just $5 a ticket! Head to the Timms Centre February 9-14 for the shows.
  • The next Winter Light event, Hearts of Fire, takes place on February 13 at Boyle Street Park. The family-friendly event will have entertainment, hot chocolate, and of course, campfires!
  • I remember a time when I would have been excited for an Edmonton Oilers autograph session. Sigh. If you’re interested, head to West Edmonton Mall on February 13, 1-2:30pm.
  • Nevermore, Catalyst Theatre’s stunning take on the life of Edgar Allan Poe, runs for a second time February 13-21. I went last year, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Get your tickets soon, as it will no doubt sell out!
  • Free Family Day (February 15) events are a dime a dozen this year, and they include a free multicultural concert at the Winspear Centre, free admission to the Royal Alberta Museum, a Global Village outdoor celebration at Churchill Square, and a Chinese New Year party at Enterprise Square.
  • The Edmonton Community Foundation is presenting a speakers series titled “The Future of Community”. First up on February 18 is Zaib Shaikh, star of Little Mosque on the Prairie.
  • The second Hey Ladies! infotainment show takes place on February 19 at the Roxy. If the performance we attended was any indication, it’s sure to be a hoot!
  • I’m looking forward to the Silver Skate Festival, on February 19-21 at Hawrelak Park. Billed as “Edmonton’s longest running winter festival”, there will be skating, snowshoeing, and other cold-weather activities.
  • Big Winter, the last Winter Light event for the month, will happen on February 26-27. Included among snow soccer and sledding activities will be “Bark in the Dark”, a dog-friendly affair!

“You win some, you dim sum”: Urban China

You can thank Mack for the eye-rolling title quote.

It’s always nice to have more options within walking distance of the office, so when signs of a new restaurant where Rosie’s used to be on 106 Avenue and 100 Street appeared, I was excited. Urban China opened up in the fall, and I was eager to give them a try.

Dickson and I met up for a dim sum lunch one afternoon. A handful of tables were occupied, with one or two non-Asian groups seated when I entered. The host immediately greeted me in Chinese, to which I ungracefully replied in English, and was led to a table.

The interior had been completely redone, with fabulous results. Unlike most Chinese restaurants that utilize too many gold accents and fake fauna, Urban China chose the sophisticated route of dark wood, leather chairs, bright aquariums and a single red accent wall. It is a sleek space that seems destined to become popular for special occasions and banquets.

Interior

Of course, that previous statement would only be true if the food matched the expectations set by the décor. At Urban China, dim sum is both a cart and paper affair. For the limited number of tables, it seemed rather silly for the restaurant to offer carts at all, even though I prefer the jostling atmosphere incurred by drive-by hawkers. Because of their limited pre-cooked selection, we ultimately ended up ordering a few dishes directly from the kitchen anyway.

The dim sum litmus test of ha gao and siu mai ($4.25 each) wasn’t overly positive for Urban China – the shrimp dumplings were the better of the two, but for the price and wavering quality, we were better off at a cheaper establishment.

Shrimp Dumplings

Pork Dumplings

The rice crepes with shrimp ($4.75) were probably the best of our dishes that day, which contained a fair amount of shrimp encased in a silky wrap. My BBQ pork buns ($3.75) on the other hand were poor, a congealed meat filling with an almost pasty quality in every bite. Dickson was similarly unimpressed with his steamed egg yolk sauce buns ($3.75), commenting that the frozen versions at T & T were better.

Rice Crepe with Shrimp

BBQ Pork Buns

Egg Buns

Sharing small plates for lunch is always a nice way to go, particularly in a clean and chic environment. But at least for dim sum, Urban China doesn’t provide the best value or quality. I’ll have to come back to try their dinner menu to see if it holds up.

Urban China
10604 101 Street
(780) 758-1888

“Bottom Drops” Wine Tasting at deVine’s

Thom, Mack and I met up at deVine Wines & Spirits on Thursday night for their “Bottom Drops” wine tasting. Though Mack and I enjoy wine, the extent of our knowledge goes as far as recognizing our preferences. Thom, more of a vodka and rum man, wanted to learn more about wine as well – so we thought an informal tasting would make a good Christmas gift, and a nice group outing.

Mack and Thom

We were told the evening had sold out of its standing-room only 80 tickets, but once the crowd had been assembled, we didn’t believe that the room was actually that full. Regardless, each $25 ticket granted us seven wine samples, access to a supply of good cheese and bread, and an option to purchase any of the evening’s wines at a 10% discount.

At deVine’s

The evening was introduced as a counterpoint to their pricey “Top Drops” series ($110 per ticket), where all wines sampled were priced at over $100 a bottle. All “Bottom Drops” wines were under $25, though Nick, who led the night’s activities, had tweaked the price of at least one bottle to make it fit the cost window.

“Bottom Drops” selections

While I’ve been to tasting events like the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival and Sip!, this was my first “guided” tasting. I have to say I enjoyed it very much – the colour Nick lent to the wines, from the history of a particular grape, to the nuances of a growing region, enhanced the experience. I particularly enjoyed his anecdote about the carmenere grape, which he had dubbed the “Jurassic grape”, owing to the fact that many thought the varietal was long extinct.

Wine

My favourite (not surprisingly), was the honey-sweet Roumieu dessert wine, while both Mack and Thom liked the 1999 Crianza best, and subsequently picked up a bottle each. The evening was a lucrative one for deVine’s – it seemed like every attendee bought at least one bottle to take home.

The entire tasting lasted about an hour and a half, which was the perfect length of time for a weeknight – and with the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, I thought  deVine’s was a great venue to learn a little more about wine.

There are ample places to enhance your wine education in Edmonton – here are just a few if you’re looking: