Tag: food

It’s All About the Box: Oodle Noodle Box

Because Teatro la Quindicina moved their evening start times back half an hour to 7:30pm, we needed a quick spot to pick up a bite to eat before a show Tuesday night. I immediately thought of Oodle Noodle Box (10803 82 Avenue). Though a little further up Whyte Avenue, it was still within brisk walking distance of the Varscona Theatre.

Exterior

Stepping into the narrow eatery, I was taken by how busy it was. There was just one booth left to snag, with some individuals in the lineup ahead of us leaving to take their conveniently-packaged food elsewhere to consume.

Interior

Mack and I scrutinized the huge menu on the wall, describing entrees priced between $6.99-8.50, many with curious names such as “Jungle Curry Cambogee” and “Singapura Box”. I decided to order my Asian take-out benchmark dish, the Bangkok Padthai Classic ($7.99): rice noodles in tamarind sauce with chicken breast, prawn, egg, green onions, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and “whole lot of flavour”. Mack opted for the Combo Box ($8.50), which sounded like a mouthful with vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp stir-fried with chow mein in hoisin sauce.

Massive Menu

The regular price of the food was already less expensive than Wok Box, but after the person at the till gave us not even an ounce of hassle when we handed over the coupon, there was no doubt Oodle Noodle was winning the box war.

As we waited for our food, Mack was able to surf the internet on his beloved iPod Touch on unsecured wireless – a fortunate byproduct of Oodle Noodle’s proximity to a residential area. When our order was announced (by an employee who was clearly having a great time doing his best “Here’s Johnny!” with order numbers) we grabbed our boxes and dug in with our chopsticks.

Cute boxes

The top of my Pad Thai

Mack using chopsticks

The food was undoubtedly better than the fare served at Wok Box (or, at least, Mack’s was), but I still preferred the Pad Thai at Thai Express. My order was lacking in peanuts, meat and sauce, and yet, was still very salty. Mack’s combo was filled to the brim with both vegetables and meat (thus, was the better deal for only 51cents more than mine), but after taking a look at the greasy residue left at the bottom of his box when he was finished, I was glad that I had already finished my meal.

With friendly and efficient service, I wouldn’t hesitate to try Oodle Noodle Box again. But I will be ordering something other than the Pad Thai, and hope for a more generous heaping of sauce and non-noodle ingredients.

Oodle Noodle Box
10803 82 Avenue (2 other locations in Edmonton)
(780) 988-7808
Monday – Thursday & Saturday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, closed Sunday

Trial Run Success: Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar

For my second and final Fork Fest meal, I met up with a few friends at Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar (10309 81 Avenue) a new frontier for all of us.

Von’s

Having passed the building many times over on Gateway Boulevard, I never had the opportunity to notice the nice stone water features by the front doors. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately greeted and promptly directed to the table where two of my friends were already waiting. The particular room we were seated in was “masculine,” as Shermie described it – leather chairs, aged brick walls, smooth stone and dark wood wine cabinets – the type of space calling for a cigar, fireplace, and fine scotch. There are several rooms in the building, but I only managed to see one other en route to the restroom. With high ceilings, a dominant red color scheme and wooden chairs, it had a markedly different, more open and relaxed feel.

After Andrea joined our party (always fashionably late), we all ordered the three-course, $35 Fork Fest menu without hesitation. May’s soup, an interesting salmon cream concoction, actually tasted better than it initially sounded. My Caesar salad starter was not remarkable, but good (as expected, the bacon was real, and the croutons house-made).

Caesar Salad

Shermie’s entrée was the lone steak at the table, which she quite enjoyed. The rest of us opted for the Prime Rib (slow cooked for sixteen hours), which was served with steamed vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and au jus. With nice marbling through the generous cut of meat, it was a filling and satisfying dish.

Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding, Vegetables, Horseradish and Au Jus

For dessert, Andrea, May and I all ordered Ice Cream Crepes, with Shermie again the odd one out with the Pecan Pie. I wasn’t a fan of this last course – the rubbery texture of the crepe and the chilled banana did not appeal to me.

Ice Cream Crepes

All of us were stuffed by the end of our meal, and after an evening of attentive service and good food, we all agreed that Fork Fest accomplished what it was set-up to do – we would all be back at Von’s, ready and willing to pay for a dinner at regular price.

Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar
10309 81 Avenue
(780) 439-0041
Dinner Monday – Sunday from 4:30 p.m.

Food Notes

  • The Edmonton Journal profiled a new pizza place on the south side called RedBrick Pizza (965 James Mowatt Trail, 780-455-8822). The owners have the Canadian rights to the popular US chain, and are planning on opening five more locations in Alberta and BC in the next year and a half.
  • Looks like someone bought the former Chili Hot Hot storefront on 109 Street and Jasper Avenue. According to a sign in the window, it will be transformed into “Tao Asian Bistro”. Western interpretations of Asian food is my guess.
  • The last ticket-driven food event of the summer, Heritage Days, kicks off on Saturday. The menu is available online here. I highly recommend getting your food tickets in advance before arriving on site at Save-On Foods, Servus Credit Union branches, or Tix on the Square.
  • After reading a review about the new Cactus Club Cafe in Vancouver featuring select dishes by Food Concept Architect Rob Feenie, I had to include it on my list of places to try while in Vancouver next month.
  • Perhaps we’ll find this word in the dictionary a few years from now – Catherine Jheon wrote a post about the term “gastrosexual” – men who cook in order to seduce women. She goes on to cite a study where kitchen skills are being considered alongside income and personality as things to consider in a mate. I think the ability to cook, or at least an interest in cooking is important, if not only because it is such a passion for me. Thoughts?
  • Walking through the Save On Foods on 109 Street on the weekend, I came across a square watermelon on sale for $99.99. Any takers?

Square Watermelon

Capital EX 2008

Though I loathe to admit it, I am not immune to the pleasures of Capital EX, even though now most of my enjoyment comes not from amusements, but from immersing myself in the atmosphere.

The midway at dusk

Mack and I started our evening in the cool recesses of the Agricom, specifically at Sip! The event I was most looking forward to, Sip! is set-up to be a showcase of alcohol and food in that order. At the gate, we were handed a small booklet containing a comprehensive list of liquor merchants and the wares they were showcasing, not unlike the pamphlet provided at the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival.

Sip! in the Agricom

We ended up buying 13 tickets (at $1 a pop), and tried Mojo (an “alternative vodka beverage”), wine from EnSante Winery, Alberta’s only organic-fruit cottage winery (too cool, wine made from alfalfa and rhubarb, among other varieties), and Firecracker Shrimp (cayenne-dipped, phyllo-wrapped, tempura-battered, served with a mango habanero sauce). The chefs at each of the food stations we passed were so eager to tell us not only how their products were made, but why the flavours complemented each other – count me impressed.

EnSante Wines

Firecracker Shrimp

We decided to stick around a little longer when we noticed a few people setting up at the CookTop, a stovetop and counter with an angled mirror installed above for easy viewing (like Home Economics class in secondary school). Sebastian Lysz of Devlin’s (10507 82 Avenue) led the session, and prepared Spring Creek Ranch flank steak and sauteed vegetables. Mary Bailey, an ISG certified sommelier and noted local food writer, spoke about appropriate wine pairings. The best part about watching the demonstration was the free food – we received two wine samples each, and a small plate of steak and vegetables. Based on what we paid for the shrimp, we were sure that quantity of food would have easily been $10. It was darn good steak, too.

Sebastian Lysz cooks

Flank steak, vegetables, au jus

After chowing down, we had just enough time to head to the next hall for a performance of the Birdhouse Factory, a show of acrobats in the same vein as Cirque du Soleil. Besides still wondering why the theme of a “birdhouse factory” was necessary at all, the show was great. It was definitely worth staying through the entire forty-five minutes. My favourite acts were the gymnastic tango and the trio of agile trampoline performers. The soundtrack really did enhance the show – made it more exciting and upbeat, or whatever mood the scene required.

The rest of our evening consisted of wandering the grounds, perusing various exhibits, including the ETS Centennial display, ED Fest (where Raine Maida was performing, alongside his wife Chantal Kreviazuk), Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, and the Family Fun Town.

In the driver’s seat (I stole this caption from Mack)

Art walk

E

ED Fest

 

Scary python (thank goodness for the cage)

Too corny (heh)

Like a memory from my childhood

We also tried our hand at skee-ball, but ultimately decided that we belonged at Chuck E. Cheese.

Shoot for 50!

In our quest to find the most unusual food on the midway, we came across deep-fried Oreos (which actually looked quite sad), deep-fried cheesecake, and last year’s sensation, deep-fried Coke. “Taco in a Bag”, essentially Doritos tortilla chips, ground beef, cheese and other taco fixings in a bag to be eaten with a spoon, was around last year as well, but this was the first time I had seen it. Needless to say, we bypassed all of the above in favour of our summer festival standby – mini doughnuts.

Happy with mini doughnuts in hand

To end the evening, we took in the fireworks at the racetrack, finding a comfortable bench to wait out the anticipatory period. In total, the show was six minutes long – respectable, and both of us were quite impressed with the finale (with pops and whizzes louder with the sound bouncing off of the grandstand). To be fair, we were happy there were fireworks at all – they had been cancelled at our last Capital EX outing the year before.

In all, it was a nice way to spend a summer evening in Edmonton. Mack’s pictures are here.

Sweet Potato Goodness: Dadeo

Between my last visit to the Whyte Avenue favourite Dadeo (10548A 82 Avenue) and brunch there on Sunday, it seems the folks behind the diner opened a second location out in Vancouver. Good for them.

Most often recognized for their sweet potato fries, the low-key, relaxed atmosphere, smooth blues soundtrack, and fun decor such as vivid red booths and tabletop jukeboxes are also worth mentioning.

Booth

We were met with a modest gathering outside of the restaurant before the doors opened at noon. We took our time with the Cajun and Creole-inspired menu, and though the Southern fried chicken and gumbo were tempting, we all ended up ordering a Po’Boy (their version of a sandwich, served on a French loaf with coleslaw and a choice of side). Priced between $10-11, it was an easy decision to pay an additional $1 to upgrade our sides to sweet potato fries.

Like the time the bearer of coffee at Nellie’s tortured us with the visual of a full coffee pot, it was a clear half hour of seeing other people’s dishes waltz by our table before our own plates were delivered. A small biscuit topped with jalapeno jelly could only satiate each of us for so long.

Biscuits and jalapeno jelly

Thankfully, the food was ultimately worth the wait. The pulled pork in my po’boy was tender and flavourful, the meat’s juices complimented with a sweet BBQ sauce. Mack’s breakfast po’boy looked and tasted like an egg scramble on bread, which didn’t turn out to be an unsatisfying way to start out the day. The crown jewel of our meal was indeed the sweet potato fries – whatever spicy, salty seasoning they use to finish the golden pieces really elevate them beyond what they are – battered and fried root vegetables.

Our po’boys

Pulled Pork Po’Boy

Breakfast Po’Boy

One of Whyte Avenue’s best deals can be found at Dadeo on Monday and Tuesday. Forget pasta frenzy at Chianti’s – head to the cool diner for po’boys on special for just $8 – and remember to upgrade your fries.

Dadeo
10548A 82 Avenue
780.433.0930
Monday to Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sundays noon-10pm, closed Wednesdays

Food Notes

  • The Premier’s annual pancake breakfast takes place at the Legislature grounds on July 22. Join him and the other MLAs for free food and entertainment between 7-9am.
  • The people behind Merriam-Webster Dictionary recently announced the list of new words to be added, including edamame and prosecco.
  • A great article this week from the NYT about the origin and current popularity of the “slider”. I had no idea the word was originally a derogatory term to describe the ease at which White Castle burgers (the original slider) were eaten.
  • Two shows I find myself watching whenever they’re on are Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, hosted by the tirelessly energetic Guy Fieri (a previous winner of The Next Food Network Star), and Food Safari, where the host introduces a specific cuisine through interviews and demonstrations with locals in Australia.
  • Mack was excited to try the Vivanno, the new smoothie that debuted at Starbucks this week. I had a sip of both the Banana Chocolate and Orange Mango Banana blends (each containing “one whole banana”), and though they weren’t undrinkable, I’m going to stick to my Iced Brewed Coffee.

 

Vivanno (they only come in Grande sizes, in their own special cup)

The Cooking Chronicles: Man-loaf

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.

It all began a fortnight ago when I was hungry for some Grade A Alberta beef.

I decided to consult the 8-ball which told me to check with Sharon. She said she wanted meatloaf. So off we went to the gleaming silver mecca known as “The Superstore”. I wanted to buy Coke but Sharon forced me to buy ground beef instead. We also purchased the other necessary ingredients.

When we got back home, Sharon decided to kill a tree by printing off the recipe. I learned how to chop and onion and was surprised to find out that it didn’t cause me any tears. Sharon did most of the work and I was given the most difficult job of all – mixing everything together in the big bowl with my bare hands (grr).

Next, we got an epic fail for not having a pan to cook the meatloaf in. So we plopped it awkwardly on a tin-foil covered cookie sheet. We spread ketchup on top of the loaf and put it in the oven.

One hour later…(ding!)

We took it out of the oven and it looked pretty bad but it tasted good so I was glad. Like every other meatloaf I’ve had in my entire life, all I could taste was beef. The vegetables inside seemed to disappear. I’m convinced you could cook meatloaf with plutonium and it would still taste like meatloaf.

I still owe Sharon a meal. Maybe I’ll make veal!

Meatloaf with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes

Going Through the Motions: The Blue Pear

I had heard a lot of good things about The Blue Pear (10643 123 Street) – a small boutique restaurant, their creative menu changed on a monthly basis to reflect seasonal ingredients. Of course, given that they only served four-course pre-fixe menus at $85 per person, it wasn’t the type of place I would pick for a spontaneous dinner. With July’s Fork Fest, however, the $35 three-course meal was a great opportunity to give The Blue Pear a try without breaking the bank.

Mack and I had a reservation for 6pm on Thursday. The restaurant offers seatings every half hour, but because it was still relatively early, I was surprised that there were already a few parties in the dining room. The friendly hostess seated us in a dim corner, and left us with the wine list and the food menu, which included the Fork Fest specials at the top. I ordered a Sangria ($7) to start – a blend of red wine, fruit juices, and orange brandy – while Mack opted for a glass of Stella ($6), and we both asked for the Fork Fest meal.

Through the course of the evening, we were served by four different people. This could have made us feel taken care of, but the opposite actually occurred – the service as a whole was less personal and attentive because of the number of hands involved.

At any rate, our appetizer arrived promptly with the verbal promise of bread to come. The layered salad of marinated summer vegetables and fresh mozzarella was finished with a dressing of sundried tomatoes, herbs, and balsamic and mustard oil. The cheese overwhelmed the carrot, eggplant, roasted red pepper and zucchini, but I didn’t mind this as much as Mack did. Our bread didn’t arrive until after we requested it when our entrees were brought to us.

Marinated summer vegetables, mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomato, herbs balsamic and mustard oil

Thankfully, the grilled Alberta pike fillet made us forget temporarily about the need for any carbs. Perfectly seared, the fish was flaky and tender on the inside. Served with a Bobby Flay-esque corn and black bean salsa and a deliciously rich herb butter sauce, the dish showcased well what the chef was capable of.

Grilled Alberta pike fillet with prawn, corn and black bean salsa, horseradish mashed potato and herb butter sauce

Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake topped with whipped cream, fennel and slivers of basil and accompanied by rosewater almond cream, milk chocolate rosemary sauce and basil oil. We both found the shredded basil an interesting garnish, one that Mack would have preferred left off his last course. The cake itself was lovely – sweet and dense as a flourless cake should be, with an intense chocolate flavour.

Flourless chocolate cake, confit of fennel, rosewater almond cream, milk chocolate rosemary sauce and basil oil

At dinner’s end, Mack said it felt like something was missing, as if the staff were just “going through the motions”. I couldn’t disagree – compared with our recent visit to Characters, Blue Pear just didn’t offer us the experience we were looking for. The food was great, but I’m not sure I’d return for an $85 meal.

The Blue Pear
10643 123 Street, 780.482.7178
Dinner only, Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm

The Cooking Chronicles: Coconut-Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips

Dickson gave me a cookbook as a part of my birthday present this year. Titled Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google, Charlie Ayers shares his secrets of harnessing fresh ingredients for healthy, delicious “brain food”.

I tried my first recipe from the book today: Coconut-Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips, meant by Ayers to be a breakfast option on the run. As usual, poor planning on my part meant I rushed the melting/cooling process of the butter to room temperature, and actually ended up warming and cooling the butter several times because I left it so long it solidified again. I’m sure this was the main reason why the mixture ended up with a foamy substance on top as it baked in the oven, but it didn’t seem to affect the final product too much.

I was a little too eager to slice into it, and should have waited longer, as the crumbly triangles attested. Taste-wise, the coconut and oatmeal were the strongest flavours, and though the bar itself appears to be healthy with the addition of the latter ingredient, I’d be more likely to snack on this than have it for breakfast. It’s definitely something I’ll make again though!

Coconut-Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips

Chinatown: Bakery Favourites

Aside from supermarket treats, another stalwart Chinatown tradition from my youth were trips to Chinese bakeries. For just a few dollars, a box of sweet or savoury pastries could be mixed and matched to your heart’s content.

They have fruit cakes too!

While the giant T & T Supermarket (#2580, 8882 170 Street) in West Edmonton Mall makes it convenient by individually wrapping buns, I have to admit my favourite bakery in the city is Garden Bakery (10019 106 Avenue) because of their self-serve set-up. With a tray in one hand and a pair of small tongs in the other, there’s nothing like having to fight the urge to stack just one more filled pastry on top of your already bursting portion.

A few of my family’s picks:

Chopstick Doughnuts, deep fried until they’re crispy on the outside but still soft and chewy on the inside, are great served with congee.

Mini Pork Dumplings, also deep fried, are best eaten on the same day they’re purchased. Felicia’s favourite, they’re also a popular item served at dim sum.

 

Sesame Red Bean Balls are death, if not only because I can never seem to stop after eating one. The creamy, sweet red bean paste in the centre is complimented by the savoury crispness of the exterior.

Amanda’s favourite Swiss Rolls are individually packaged to preserve the fresh sponge cake separating layers of light cream. The cake is also sold in larger rolls.

Mini Cocktail Buns are my Dad’s favourite because of their smooth coconut filling.

Mini Cream Buns, filled with a rich, illustrious pastry cream then dusted with coconut, are always a showstopper.

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, shown here in a cooler and ready to be heated, are a dim sum favourite of mine. But should you not have time to sit down for a meal, are available at the bakery to grab-and-go.

 

Last but certainly not least – Egg Tarts. The creamy custard is worth a trip to the bakery alone.

Given that my office is just a few minutes away from the bakery, it’ll be too tempting not to just pop in now and then for an immediately satisfying treat.