The Cooking Chronicles: Banana Muffins

Though I rarely eat raw bananas, the fruit, unlike others, are useful even when overripe and nearly black. To use up the four remaining bananas in Mack’s fruit bowl, I hunted for a recipe that required oil and not softened butter (as I didn’t have time to wait for the butter to cool to room temperature), and Giada de Laurentiis’s Banana Muffins (minus the marscapone cream frosting) were perfect, even in the quantity of bananas it needed.

My only substitution was extra cinnamon in place of nutmeg that we didn’t have, but other than that, I followed the instructions to a T. Happily, the muffins turned out great! Aromatic (Mack was loving the smell as they baked up in the kitchen), subtly sweet, and lovingly mingling banana and cinnamon flavours, they made a nice treat after dinner.

A basket of these banana muffins would make a great housewarming gift, or afternoon tea addition.

Banana Muffins

Food Notes

Vue Weekly released the results for their annual Golden Forks awards last week. I agree with some of the choices (Italian Centre as the best deli, Wildflower Grill as the best new restaurant, Hardware Grill as provider of the ultimate dining experience), but some of the choices, that seem to remain the same year after year, still puzzle me (Creperie as the best for lovers, Barb and Ernie’s for breakfast). I wish the paper did some more analysis, however, and compared this year’s winners with those chosen last year (Calgary’s Fast Forward does a cheeky job of that).
See Magazine reviewed a new Indian restaurant on the city’s southeast side, called Rasoi on 50th (4341 50 Street).
The Globe & Mail had a great piece about BC residents going the distance to affirm their 100-mile diet commitment by finding farmers to grow grain when they couldn’t source it otherwise.
The New York Times has a good primer of an article about the ways in which cities are trying to reduce the amount of food that goes to waste.
Andrew had a “going-away” dinner at Kyoto (10128 109 Street) last week before his three week trek across Europe. I’ve only had positive experiences at the restaurant – until that day. Our server was either new, or didn’t care very much, and the bento boxes that Megan and I ordered arrived a clear twenty minutes after the other half of the table received their platters of sushi. Unacceptable. Here are some pictures:

The Boys

Andrew & Amber

Kristen & Joe

Bento Box with all things cooked

Rainy Day Comfort: Hoang Long Restaurant

Though I miss the accessibility of greenspace, my new office building provides many walkable lunch options in Chinatown. And on a day when a power outage pointed to the definite detriment of not having a window in my room, it seemed the perfect opportunity to patronize my restaurant neighbours.

The wait at Thanh Thahn Oriental Noodle House was five parties deep at 12:30pm, so I wandered over instead to my second choice – Hoang Long (10715 98 Street).

This was my first visit to the eight month old location (Hoang Long has three locations in Edmonton). The peripheral tables were occupied, but the dining area was surprisingly quiet and mellow, in stark contrast to the bustle and crash of Thanh Thanh. At that point, I knew I made the right choice – I was craving a quiet space to settle in with my daily paper.

The decor of this Hoang Long was surprisingly similar to Thanh Thanh, actually, minus the fish tank. Clean, with natural light, the furnishing were still fairly new. I liked the sleek black tables with hinged extensions, perfect as a work or, in my case, a reading surface.

I knew from experience not to have the Pad Thai again, so went straight for their Northern Vietnam Noodle Soup with rare beef ($7.95). It was a rainy trek from my office, and next to chicken noodle soup, I find that nothing warms from the inside as well as a hot bowl of beef broth.

Ten minutes later, my order was brought to me with a side of bean sprouts, mint, and various sauces. Though cilantro wasn’t present, I was so aghast at the sheer size of the bowl that I hardly noticed. Between the silky-slick rice noodles, savoury, chewy slices of beef, and rich, from-scratch broth, I left Hoang Long feeling full, warmed-through, and thoroughly satisfied.

With expedient, no-nonsense service and good food, Hoang Long may become a go-to restaurant for me in the future.

Northern Vietnam Noodle Soup with rare beef

The Cooking Chronicles: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookie recipes never seem to jive with me – I usually have issues with the cookies spreading too much, or not rising enough. As such, I was hoping an Anna Olson recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies would end up okay. The recipe called for an unusual ingredient not usually seen – cornstarch. Apparently, it is what gives the cookies their chewy consistency. Strange, but it worked!

Very straightforward and quick, the only issue I had was keeping Mack from eating all of the cookie dough.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Definitely give these a try – and see if you can prevent yourself from eating them all straight out of the oven!

Instantly Gratifying: Little Caesars Pizza

After a lazy Sunday afternoon, Mack and I continued the calling of the day by getting take-out from the nearby Little Caesars in Oliver Square (11588 104 Avenue).

It had been a while since either of us had reached for their Hot-and-Ready deal, but both of us were readily familiar with their inexpensive grab-and-go pizzas. For just $5, a small pepperoni and cheese pizza can be had immediately – no waiting. Like combos at other fast-food joints, however, the Crazy Bread upgrade (for $2.79/package) is difficult to turn down, so tempting are the soft, parmesan-drenched breadsticks.

Quality-wise, this pizza doesn’t compare to their more authentic Italian cousins (see Famoso, Leva, or Da Capo), but where else can you instantly satisfy a craving for a tangy yet savoury pie?

Hot-and-Ready Pepperoni Pizza

Go Only for the Readings: Russian Tea Room

Driven by our desire for new experiences, I met up with Annie, Janice and May at the infamous Russian Tea Room (10312 Jasper Avenue). My coworkers had talked about getting their palms read at the Tea Room, and there have also been a few media spotlights of the stalwart restaurant recently.

Walking in, there was a clear lack of gauzy red curtains and wafting smell of incense – two elements I was expecting. Instead, the dim dining room was lined with large, deli-style coolers showcasing the dessert varieties, and featured chairs and furnishings that likely have never been updated. Two television monitors – one in the bar area and another in the main dining area – were tuned to Entertainment Tonight and Treehouse Television, respectively. The latter set was primed for our waitress’s granddaughter, who had free reign in the room that night.

Interior

The waitress asked if our party would be interested in readings that night, as we said yes. When we were ready, we would be called up to individual tables on the tiered back area of the restaurant. About a half dozen tables were manned by very casual looking psychics (only one bared any resemblance to Professor Trelawny, heh), all looking ready to offer their sage predictions. Two readings were priced at $30, with the choice of tea, numerology, tarot, and palm.

We decided to satisfy our hunger pangs first, and paged through the menu. I hoped to find more European dishes (similar to the offerings at Bistro Praha), but the menu was decidedly skewed to the West. I ended up ordering the Chicken Crepe ($15.95), which was served with a choice of starch and fresh vegetables while Annie chose the Vegetable Quiche, served with a side salad ($7.95) and Borscht ($3.95), May the stuffed chicken breast ($15.95), and Janice the Combination Plate ($10.95), which included perogies, Ukrainian sausage, a cabbage roll, and rice.

The food took a while to come, allowing us to note the stream of patrons who arrived for readings – while there were a few customers of the younger set, most were older, and seemed like regulars. Not necessarily a negative thing, it did make us feel slightly out of place.

By the time our dishes arrived, we were starving. My crepes looked like they had been made using boxed pancake mix, and unfortunately, they tasted like that too. Sadly, the rest of my plate was no better. The chicken was dry (though the "white wine" sauce helped alleviate that somewhat), the home fries tasted more baked than fried, and the vegetables had been steamed from a frozen package. May was similarly unimpressed with her less-than-moist chicken. Janice and Annie found their dishes all right, and in my opinion, Annie’s entree was the most economical of all.

Chicken crepe with vegetables and home fries

Stuffed chicken breast with vegetables and pasta

Vegetable quiche with Caesar salad

Combination plate with perogies, sausage, cabbage roll and rice

Even before we had all finished our meals, the waitress was already on top of us, asking which one of us wanted to get the reading done (I’m assuming she must have been working on some kind of commission deal with the psychics). May was first up, while the rest of us looked on. Janice and Annie headed to their individual tables soon after May returned. All three of them received mixed truths, with some inaccuracies, for example, on their actual career choices. None of them received any overly negative or foreboding predictions though. And what of my reading, you ask? I am ashamed to admit that I chickened out. I wasn’t psychologically prepared for what could have been a potential arsenal of bad news. In hindsight, it would be a better business practice to offer a positive future outlook, as if even a modicum of the prediction were to actually occur, the chance of repeat visits would be more likely.

Janice and Annie compare their palm lines

May getting her palm read

In sum, the Russian Tea Room provides an interesting, off-the-beaten path night out, great for conversation starters and discussions for future hopes. Just go elsewhere for food first.

The Cooking Chronicles: Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara

To break in Mack (and Kimmi)’s new kitchen, we decided to make Giada’s Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara. I’d been meaning to duplicate a carbonara dish since returning from Europe last year, but didn’t get around to it until tonight.

We picked up most of the ingredients this afternoon (being within walking distance of both a Save On and Safeway helps in that regard), and began our cooking trial. Not having a large enough pan meant a little juggling and transferring into smaller pots, but it worked out okay. Mack and I both agreed that the cinnamon quotient could have been increased even more (I probably added about a teaspoon more than recommended, and it still wasn’t a discernable flavour).

This is definitely not a dish for dieters, as mentioned on another food blog, but simple, filling, and different than your run-of-the-mill marinara and spaghetti, it’s worth a try on a pressed weeknight.

Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara

Delivered at your own Expense: Dawat

A combination of three things resulted in our decision to order from Dawat on Saturday: 1) I was feeling particularly lazy; 2) I had been craving Indian food for the last week; and 3) Mack was on a spicy-food streak that he didn’t want to break.

I had read positive things about Dawat (granted, from an eat-in experience), but as the advertisement in the 2007/2008 Yellow Pages restaurants section boasted a promise of free delivery for those in the south side, our decision was made.

We called the Dawat located in Little India (9250 34 Avenue), and ordered Butter Chicken (a must), Beef Vindaloo (always spicy), Mixed Vegetables (for token healthiness), and Garlic Naan (when I asked how big the serving size was, I received a response of “Good enough.”). We had some coconut milk in the house, and though more Thai than Indian, my Mum made us some coconut rice to accompany our dishes.

At the end of our order, I was told the total would be $45.99, including tax. Count me surprised – my estimated total from the prices listed in the Restaurant Pages was closer to $37. It turns out the beef and chicken dishes had increased in cost from $11.95 to $14.95, while the vegetables had gone up from $8.95 to $11.95. Though I don’t regret giving their delivery service a try, it would have been cheaper just to take advantage of their in-house buffet.

At any rate, our order was delivered promptly within the 45 to 60 minute range, with all of our food still fairly hot. The containers were smaller than we expected however, especially given the exorbitant price increase over the last year.

The butter chicken was the definite stand-out of the three – tender meat enveloped in a thick, slightly sweet sauce. It was also the least spicy of the dishes, and the only one I could actually taste; after a few bites of the beef vindaloo and mixed vegetables, I was crying for milk, or anything else that would return the sensation into my mouth.

We had enough food left over for another meal at the end of it, and it did satisfy my craving for Indian cuisine, but because of the expense, I still don’t think it was worth it.

Take-out!

Sylvan Lake Day Trip

On Saturday morning, Jenn and I joined May on a day trip to Sylvan Lake in celebration of her birthday.

The weather was perfect for the drive – sunny but not overly warm. We reached our destination within the estimated two hours, and after parking the car, wandered around town.

Beach

Jenn does her best at channeling rehab-ready starlets (Hoodie? Check. Large sunglasses? Check. Oversized bag? Check.)

Jenn’s bag. Too cute.

Rain had been forecasted for the day, so we were a tad surprised at how sunny it turned out to be. But because none of us had brought swimming gear along, we had to make do with eating and shopping – overall, not a bad way to spend a lazy Saturday.

Marina

We had lunch at the Bayview Cafe (5100 Lakeshore Drive), situated next to the Lake on the ground floor of the Chateau Suites. The food was of the heat-and-serve variety, but for a light lunch, didn’t end up being too bad at all.

My Cannelloni

May’s Rotini

Jenn and her Breakfast Wrap

May and I pose with her Whimsical Cupcakes (which I picked up at the City Centre Market that morning)

For dessert, we couldn’t pass up a visit to The Big Moo (4603 Lakeshore Drive), a retro ice cream parlour on the town’s main strip. With checkered floors, a large yellow menu board, and an ice cream counter that seems to go on forever, it’s a fun way to revive one’s childhood spirit.

My scoop of White Moccachino

Jenn and May enjoy their treats on the water

We were amazed when we looked at our watches to find out that it was already past 5 – time flies, especially during these last days of summer. Happy birthday May!

Another Chain, Another Disappointment: Applebee’s Neighbourhood Grill & Bar

It was a sad Thursday indeed when Bettina and I couldn’t come up with any more inspiring southside eateries than Applebee’s (10390 51 Avenue). But as we both hadn’t been there before, it wasn’t a total loss, as we are always up to try new restaurants.

This particular building has a history of failed establishments attached to it – changing hands from The Cheesecake Cafe to Maxwell Taylor’s to EMW and now to its current tenant. I hadn’t been to EMW, so I’m not sure how much of the interior remains from the previous design, but for a “neighbourhood grill & bar” (a tagline suspiciously similar to Kelsey’s might I add), the decor is quite sleek – dark wood, large vases, spot lighting. I hate to say it, but it’s almost nicer than the menu allows at face value.

Like Kelsey’s and Ricki’s, the casual, family-friendly menu at Applebee’s boasts an unsurprising variety of sandwiches, burgers, and pastas. I had to laugh at our over-eager server (who was probably not more than 13 years old), who introduced, with karate-chop flare, their featured “Irresist-A-Bowls.” Though tempting, I bypassed the specials and chose the Three Cheese Penne (mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheeses top off a rich mix of penne pasta, Italian-seasoned grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, fresh basil and Alfredo sauce), while Bettina ordered a Chicken Sandwich.

The wait wasn’t unbearable, but by the time our food had been delivered, most of the patrons had cleared out – at this rate, I wondered if we would be seeing another “For Lease” sign soon. As for our entrees, the portion sizes were unforgivably small. Perhaps it was my oversight to order pasta, but I couldn’t help but think that for a mere $2 more at Olive Garden, I would have had access to unlimited salad and breadsticks; or at Denny’s, for $4 less, I’d receive twice as much food. Applebee’s might offer “healthy” portion sizes, but somehow that seems like the optimistic point of view.

In my quest to try as many restaurants as possible, I can’t just overlook the chains. That said, these generic, no-concept chains haven’t had a good track record so far.