• More details have emerged for Al Centro, the Roman-style pizza bar from the folks behind Da Capo. Located at 9888 Jasper Avenue, they will be selling pizza by-the-slice and work to develop the aperetivo culture in Edmonton (think Italian happy hour). They’ve launched a crowd-funding campaign with the hopes that the community can help them across the finish line.
• An H-Mart is finally set to open in Edmonton – there were rumours of one opening on Calgary Trail in the space that Whole Foods was to occupy, but that hasn’t come to pass yet. It seems one can now be expected in spring 2019 in the former Sobeys location in College Plaza.
• Hurrah – Bloom Cookie’s brick and mortar location is now open! Find them at 10350 124 Street.
• The Tea Girl will be closing its doors on December 29, 2018, but will continue to sell its teas online.
• Characters has been sold and will close after December 31, 2018.
• Cafe Bicyclette has one of the most picturesque winter patios in the city. They’re kicking off the season with a party and Christmas Bazaar on December 7, 2018.
• The next Northern Bites experience is Italian inspired, which includes a lesson on how to make chicken Parmesan at Pasta Pantry. Tickets to the January 28, 2019 event are $70.
• Vue featured a story about how Lui-Chi’s permanent location came to be after running as a mobile espresso cart for a year.
• The Edmonton AM Snackchecker score tally has been updated. The brownie from Sugared and Spiced still reins supreme.
• Twyla posted a rave review for Formosa Bistro’s Taiwanese cuisine.
• Baijiu is the focus of Scott Lingley’s last review for Vue (the paper announced it was ceasing publication at the end of November).
• Crystal sees some room for improvement at Town Square Brewing.
• Lydia found the food at Loft Thai Eatery to be overly sweet.
• The Journal reviewed the long-standing Ukrainian restaurant Uncle Ed’s in Beverly.
• Linda’s launched her second year of Christmas food giveaways, with some amazing prizes for 24 days in December.
• Perfect for the chocolate-lover in your life, Jacek is offering a chocolate subscription made up of 5 shipments throughout 2019. The $250 gift is only available until December 8, 2018.
• Whimsical Cupcakes provided the set of a Christmas movie about a bakery filmed in Edmonton earlier this year.
• There’s a new farmers’ market in town – the Ottewell Artisan Farmers’ Market started in early November. It operates year-round on Thursdays from 4-7pm.at 7211 96A Avenue.
• The Alberta Government is amending the Occupational Health and Safety Code on January 1, 2019 to ensure servers and bartending staff won’t have to wear unsafe footwear (read: high heels).
• Buffets never photograph well, but I enjoyed the dinner buffet at Namaste India’s Chinatown location. The price also can’t be beat – they’re currently offering a 15% discount on their lunch (regular $15) and dinner (regular $20) prices.

My first helping at Namaste India

• Since having Emily, Mack and I haven’t been to Route 99 as often. So in some ways having a baby has been good for our health.

Our Route 99 usual

• The first ever Winter Whyte Light Up on December 1, 2018 from 4-6pm means that the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market will be open for extended hours.
• Two Sergeants, a brewery that relocated from Fort Saskatchewan to Edmonton, opened over the weekend at 11817 105 Avenue.
• A new Indian restaurant, Coriander Cuisine, is now open in McKernan at 11214 76 Avenue.
• Nut roaster Mezos Roastery has a brand new second location in Edmonton City Centre next to Mr. Pretzel on the second floor.
• Solstice is now offering lunch through Skip the Dishes. With the continued rise of food delivery services, it will be interesting to see if more dinner-only restaurants opt for this.
• A Delicious Pho is coming soon to Oxford Tower (10025 102A Avenue).
• Cacao 70 Eatery’s location on Whyte is hosting a grand opening on December 1, 2018. They’ll be serving up $1 hot chocolates.
• CBC interviewed Sabeeh Farooqui, the man behind YEGHalal, a great #yegfood resource.
• The Dive Bar, an old-style tavern, had an increase in patrons during the Grey Cup Festival.
• Remedy Cafe was in the news this week for posting a “zero tolerance for panhandling” sign on its Downtown location.
• Cibo Bistro co-owner Lisa Caputo writes that Alberta should ban mandatory high heels for servers in restaurants.
• Graham will be reviewing plant-based restaurants over the next three weeks. First up: a positive meal at Die Pie.
• Crystal shared her recent experience at Prairie Noodle Shop.
• Twyla espoused her love for Cibo Bistro.
• Those hoping to stock their freezers with Fuge Meat sausages should head over to Otto on November 27, 2018 for a flash sale.
• Vue covered a local company called Hope Innovations has launched a crowdfunding campaign for their indoor “plug and play” garden.

• Inspired by the fruit and veggie sales hosted by Food4Good in the west end, the All Saints Cathedral located at 10035 103 Street has started its own discounted produce sale (an article about the market’s origins appear in The Messenger). The Manna Market takes place weekly on Wednesdays from 2-5pm – follow them on Twitter for updates.
• Colleen Heidecker of Colleen’s Chocolates will be leading wine and chocolate pairing sessions via Inspire YEG on November 29 and December 12, 2018 at Rebel Food and Drink. Tickets are $100.
• The next Swine & Dine event on November 29, 2018 will be hosted by Drift at their winter location, the Shamrock Curling Club. Tickets for the 4-course menu are $45.
• Meat Street Pies is returning to the City Market at City Hall to lead several gingerbread house workshops before Christmas. Kits are priced at $27 and dates include December 1, 8, and 15, 2018.
• Speaking of gingerbread houses, if building one isn’t up your alley, consider checking out the masterpieces created by the Hotel Macdonald and Duchess (in the shape of Hogwarts).
• The second annual Northern Lands Prairie Collective Holiday Market runs December 2, 2018 at the Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm. In addition to local food vendors (including RGE RD), guests can tour a greenhouse, taste spirits, and enjoy roasted chestnuts.
• Lui-Chi’s Coffee has opened its storefront cafe on the main floor of the Phipps-Mckinnon Building at 10020 101A Avenue. They’re known for their whiskey barrel aged coffee; they also serve up Arno’s French Pastry.
• A second location of nut purveyor Mezos Roastery will be opening at Edmonton City Centre.
• Hopscotch, an Ontario-based chain of Freshii-type quick-serve restaurants, is opening several Edmonton locations, starting with an outlet at West Edmonton Mall.
• Bloom Cookie Company had to delay the opening of their 124 Street bakery – follow them on Twitter for the latest updates.
• The Hotel Macdonald has released their annual festive season brochure, with information about their popular teas and buffets.
• Vue Weekly announced that it will cease operations at the end of November. Like many other local writers, I also previously contributed to Vue, and have fond memories of the Dish section. It’s unfortunate, but hopefully food blogs and other media outlets that cover food can continue in its wake.
• The New York Bagel Cafe had to fend off some bad press this week after a customer posted a receipt that she had been charged $3.50 for lemon water.
• The contestants on The Great Canadian Baking Show shared their favourite local bakeries – all three Edmonton-area bakers chose Duchess.
• Sharon posted about her meal at a new fried chicken joint in the southside, Alberta Fried Chicken (1260 25 Avenue).
• Graham raved about the food served at Blowers & Grafton.
• The Journal reviewed the plant-based offerings of Kanu.
• Crystal wrote a pair of posts about Wilfred’s and Red Star Pub.
• Vue Weekly paid Nudoru a visit.
• Like Love Pizza, Seoul Fried Chicken will be starting its own delivery service after exhausting all other options.
• Linda shared this great piece in Thrillist about the unintended consequences of elevating some small restaurants to regional or national fame.
• It’s a bit dangerous having Rostizado just down the street from us – and their delicious La Mision burritos just a few clicks away for take-out. Packed with meat, beans, and cheese, they’re a great deal at $12.50, via Foodora.

Chicken burritos from Rostizado

• The second annual Too Many Cooks collaboration dinner is scheduled for December 2, 2018. Proceeds will go towards the Bissell Centre’s community kitchen. Tickets for the 12-course drink paired dinner are $200, and features a dozen different chefs from some of the city’s best restaurants, including Baijiu, Biera, RGE RD, and XIX Nineteen.
• Bloom, known for their vegan cookies sold at a number of farmers’ markets in the city, are finally ready to open their storefront bakery! Find them at 10350 124 Street. Although the official opening date is November 20, their soft opening is taking place on November 17, 2018 from 12-5pm. November 15, 2018 update: unfortunately, Bloom has had to delay their opening.
• Liane has more information about the new north side location of Louisiana Purchase that opened up earlier this fall.
• Vue shares the story behind OEB’s first location in Edmonton.
• Twyla enjoyed the steaks at DOSC but expected better from the rest of the menu.
• Graham was hoping for more from Buok Fresh Korean Kitchen.
• Crystal wasn’t wowed by the vegan buns from Cinnaholic.
• Also from Crystal, she recapped the most recent “gourmai dumpling pop-up” hosted by MasterChef Canada finalist Mai Nguyen.
• Congratulations to Russell Bird (from Sherwood Park) who placed third in the ribs category at the World Food Championships!
• Twyla has a list of all of the locations where you can purchase her biography of Gail Hall titled Maps, Markets, and Matzo Ball Soup.
• If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas, Linda has a great one – a do-it-yourself beer advent calendar.
• Aarde, advertising its vegetable-forward cuisine with Dutch influences, opened last week at 10184 104 Street. Leduc previewed what to expect.

Aarde interior

• Mack and I were fortunate to spend part of last week in Kananaskis. On the way down, we stopped for lunch at one of our favourite places – the Simmons Building in Calgary. We grabbed some sandwiches from Sidewalk Citizen, where I am never disappointed.

Roasted chicken salad sandwich from Sidewalk Citizen

• Table Top Cafe is hosting its first Boardgame Brunch, catered by Preserve Food Truck, on November 10, 2018. Tickets start at $40 and include brunch, mimosas, and game play costs.
• The Cacao 70 Eatery is now open in Old Strathcona, at 10430 82 Avenue. It joins the Cacao 70 Sweet House that is already open in Ice District.
• The re-opening of the relocated, expanded Downtown Diner in Fort Saskatchewan has hit a snag – they’ve moved the expected date to spring 2019.
• Hillaby’s, the housewares store located in The Enjoy Centre, is closing by the end of 2018.
• I suppose it was inevitable for cannabis-related food businesses to crop up – one of the first is Much Munch, offering late night sweet and savoury snack deliveries in Edmonton.
• Avenue has a couple of hot dog recommendations just in time for the Grey Cup: from Arcadia, Delux Burger Bar, and Pub 1905.
• The Journal reviewed the supper club Halley’s located in West Edmonton Mall.
• Stephanie shared her two recent brunches at OEB.
• Crystal found the tasting experience at Evoolution to be educational and of good value.
• An Edmonton-area contestant, Megan Stasiewich, has reached the finale of The Great Canadian Baking Show.
• Second Cup held an internal national latte art championship in October, and So Young Min of Edmonton won the top prize. She works at the Second Cup kiosk at the Terwillegar Rec Centre.
• Gyu-Kaku is opening in one of the bays made up by the former Sobey’s on 104 Street and Jasper Avenue. Gyu-Kaku is a Japanese BBQ chain with locations across the U.S. and Canada (including Calgary).

Gyu-Kaku coming soon

• I finally had the chance to visit Meuwly’s on 124 Street. As expected, they had a great selection of cured meats, but they also had a good variety of other artisan products. The most interesting was their house-made hand cream (the key ingredient being pork lard) – stocking stuffer, anyone?

Meuwly’s

• I met up with a friend at Partake. It is an utterly charming space that reminded us both of quaint European bars we’ve visited on our travels. The room was packed when we arrived – the server explained that the restaurant is known for their complimentary bar snacks served up during happy hour (4-6pm and 10pm-late). It was indeed a pretty generous spread: pesto-drizzled popcorn, cheese-stuffed dates, olives, and meatballs. We shared a few small plates, but I’ll definitely be back to try more.

Happy hour spread at Partake

• The next quarterly Dinner with Canada’s Top Chefs at the Shaw Conference Centre takes place on November 2, 2018. Tickets for the 7-course meal (including wine and spirits pairings) are $150.
• The latest culinary experience from Northern Bites on December 1, 2018 features a visit to a Christmas market and cookie baking. Tickets are $70.
• Congratulations to Bundok, which was honoured as one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants on En Route’s prestigious annual list.
• Tiffin Box just announced a third location in Windermere.
• OEB’s first Edmonton location opened today at 10174 100A Street! Lillian shared what she was able to try at the media preview.
• The Harvest Room at the Hotel Macdonald will be offering a 45 minute 3-course express lunch starting November 1, 2018.
• Twyla raved about her experience at vegetarian Vietnamese eatery An Chay.
• Lydia previewed the food at Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle.
• Crystal is a fan of the treats from Destination Doughnuts.
• The latest episode of the Let’s Find Out podcast features Siu To, also known as the “Green Onion Cake Man” in Edmonton. He recently opened a storefront that sells his famous green onion cakes on 118 Avenue.
• Also about Siu To – CBC’s Julie van Rosendaal shares his recipe for green onion cakes in case you’d like to try to recreate them on your own.
• Although more restaurants are considering inclusive tipping models, a study indicates that tipping actually makes diners feel more satisfied.
• In this new era of legal recreational cannabis, Fish muses about why public liquor consumption should be permitted.
• Urban agriculture advocate Dustin Bajer was recognized as one of this year’s Avenue Edmonton Top 40 Under 40.
• The Alberta Local Food Council met this week. They will “provide recommendations on provincial policies, programs, pilot projects or initiatives to support the continued growth and sustainability of Alberta’s local food sector.”
• Mack and I stopped into DOSC last week for breakfast. Although their Sober Cat concept has been well received, their breakfast menu seems to be flying under the radar. The $5 breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg, cheese and tomato was a good deal, and was especially tasty with a house-made brioche bun. Our coffees were on the house that day, with a special offer from YEG Food Deals available until October 31, 2018.

Breakfast sandwiches from DOSC

• Congratulations to Twyla Campbell on the publishing of a biography about the late Gail Hall, titled Maps, Markets and Matzo Ball Soup. The book is available for purchase at Audrey’s Books. To commemorate the launch, Kitchen by Brad is hosting a book signing and cooking demonstrations on November 3, 2018, and Get Cooking will be teaching a class using Gail’s recipes on December 2, 2018.

Twyla Campbell with her labour of love

• The McLuhan House Book Club is hosting Edmonton Eats co-author Tina Faiz and photographer Dong Kim on October 25, 2018. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share.
• Effing Seafoods now has a storefront located at 140, 44 Riel Drive in St. Albert. The grand opening is October 26, 2018.
• Knifewear’s Kevin Kent has authored The Knifenerd Guide to Japanese Knives. He’s launching the book in Edmonton with a party on November 2, 2018.
• Farm Fair returns to Northlands November 7-11, 2018. They’re hosting hands-on kitchen workshops again (free with gate admission) for ricotta and lemon cheese. I took part in a class to make the latter last year and found it to be one of the most value-oriented classes in town.
• The first of OEB’s two Edmonton locations is set to open on October 29, 2018. It is located in the Kelly Ramsey building downtown at 19174 100A Street.
• Congratulations to Chef Davina Moraiko of RGE RD who placed first at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party (formerly known as Gold Medal Plates). Chefs Serge Belair of the Shaw Conference Centre and Scott Downey of The Butternut Tree rounded out the podium.
• Black Box Hospitality was successful in its quest to crowdfund $100,000 towards their Gibbard Block project in Highlands.
• Sharon shared what to expect from the newly-opened Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle.
• Also from Sharon – she has enjoyed her visits to Buono.
• The Journal reviewed one of Alberta Avenue’s hidden gems – Mama Asha Cafe.
• Crystal wrote a post about her visit to Nomiya.
• Jonny sampled some of the beers in the taproom of Analog Brewing Company.
• The Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis has made some further changes to liquor laws, including allowing bars and restaurants to create house-aged liquor products.
• A 12-year old boy from Edmonton will have his recipe for aloo gobi featured in a nationwide cookbook called Kid Food Nation later this fall.
• CBC published an article highlighting some of the challenges small farmers face regarding product distribution.
• Gone Green Farms, located near Pigeon Lake, donated 10,000kg of root vegetables to Edmonton and Calgary Food Banks last week.
• At some point I’ll have to try something other than the beef and gouda arepa at El Fogon, but until then, it’s always my go-to.

Beef and gouda arepa from El Fogon

• Mack and I shared a gluttonous amount of food from the new Cosmic Pizza location downtown. It’s hard to find a deal as good as their $3.50 pizza slices anywhere else in the core, and Mack enjoyed his large donair featuring a very generous serving of meat. We also decided to split a donair poutine, but likely wouldn’t order it again as the fries just weren’t crispy.

Donair poutine from Cosmic Pizza

I took a break from the blog last week for a quick getaway to Vancouver Island – we left Edmonton’s winter for a few days to bask in their fall glory. Thankfully, it seems autumn has also (temporarily) returned here at home! On to this week’s food notes:

• The fifth annual Restaurants for Change fundraiser is planned for October 17, 2018. RGE RD and Otto are participating; proceeds from their dinner service that night will go towards supporting Food4Good in Edmonton.
• Northern Bites has planned an Oktoberfest-themed experience featuring beer, pretzels, and sauerkraut on October 24, 2018. Tickets are $70.
• Audrey’s is hosting the launch of Twyla Campbell’s biography of the late Chef Gail Hall, titled Maps, Markets and Matzo Ball Soup, on October 28, 2018.
• Studio 99, a new sports bar located inside Rogers Place, opens on October 18, 2018. Note that a valid game day ticket is required to access the bar.
• Chef Hung, a BC-based restaurant chain that specializes in Taiwanese noodle soups, is set to open their first location in Edmonton on October 21, 2018 in Old Strathcona. Find them at 10336 81 Avenue.
• Three Vikings, which took over the space formerly occupied by Daravara, is now open at 10713 124 Street.
• I missed the opening of a new cafe in the west end back in the spring called Rise & Root, located at 20020 Lessard Road.
• A couple of new Chinatown restaurant openings: Noodleholic, at 9658 107A Avenue and Tacos Y’amor at 9711 107 Avenue.
• You can now find a cafe serving up coffee and pastries inside the Hotel Macdonald!
• Soy and Pepper at 11212 Jasper Avenue is no more, but in its place, Jang looks to offer similar fusion flavours from Korea, Japan.
• Cafe Linnea now offers two- and three-course prix fixe menus daily, at the cost of $35 and $45, respectively.
• Linda shares just how economical the food is at the Green Onion Cake Man’s Alberta Avenue storefront.
• The Journal is the latest outlet to visit Cartago in Forest Heights.
• Vue Weekly was not impressed by the food at the King of Donair.
• Sharman recapped the most recent Swine & Dine event that took place at Salz.
• Twyla positively reviewed Tang Bistro.
• Speaking of Twyla, she is interviewed for the latest More than Maple Syrup podcast to discuss the current state of Alberta’s food scene.
• Liane spoke to some local restaurant operators to see how the minimum wage hike has affected their operations.
• Chef Daniel Huber wants the practice of “house tipping” to end in restaurants.
• A sponsored post in Bon Appetit lists 8 notable restaurants to visit in Edmonton.
• It looks like a new Edmonton food magazine is on the horizon, called Eat Local Magazine. A digital version of their pilot issue is available, but they’re hoping for their first print copies to be released in December.
• Vegan hot dogs are now available at the IKEA in Edmonton.
• Food4Good is hosting a free screening of a documentary about a community food centre in Dartmouth on November 2, 2018.
• It was my first time at Liuyishou Hot Pot in Chinatown over the weekend. We opted for a communal pot, but they have the option for individual hot pots as well! I’m more familiar with the buffet versions for hot pot, as opposed to ordering individual items off of a menu, but with our large group, we ended up paying just $20 per person. Bonus: we helped ourselves to a ton of the pickled daikon and roasted peanuts to snack on throughout the night.

Hot pot at Liuyishou Hot Pot

• It’s been too long since my last visit to Pho Tau Bay – but finally, I was able to satisfy my craving.

My usual

• Those of you looking for a fully-prepared Thanksgiving meal are in luck: you can purchase a feast from several different vendors in Edmonton, including the Shaw Conference Centre and Sorrentino’s.
• The Downtown Business Association is hosting the first annual Harvest Fest, with 17 restaurants offering menus featuring seasonally inspired ingredients. Harvest Fest runs October 11-14, 2018.
• The next Dinner with Friends meal, hosted by the Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society, is taking place on October 25, 2018 at Tiffin Fresh Kitchen.
• Click Dishes, an app that allows customers to pre-order food, has partnered with West Edmonton Mall to offer in-mall delivery services starting in mid-October.
• Crema Espresso Bar will be opening up in Edmonton City Centre Mall.
• New Neapolitan pizza chain Firecrust opened its first Edmonton-area branch in Sherwood Park this week, located at 210, 410 Baseline Road.
• Congratulations to Little HK who made En Route’s list of Canada’s Best New Bars!
• Great to see Chef Jiju Paul back in Edmonton, now leading the kitchens at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
• The Star Edmonton published a feature on Siu To’s new green onion cake shop on 118 Avenue.
• Have you been to Meuwly’s yet? Sharman provides an overview of what to expect.
• Lydia offers a snapshot of new wine bar Partake.
• The Globe posted a positive review of Kanto.
• Crystal shared her experiences with four Edmonton delivery services – Skip the Dishes, Door Dash, Foodora, and Uber Eats.
• Twyla recapped the second annual Prairie Grid dinner held in Edmonton last week.
• Timothy Fu, the youngest contestant on The Great Canadian Baking Show from Edmonton, is still in the running.
• The Bissell Centre is looking for votes to earn an Aviva grant to start a community kitchen.
• I learned more about the vision behind Black Box Hospitality’s ambitious Gibbard Block project in Highlands. The Kickstarter campaign went live 10 days ago and has already reached 30% of its goal, but Nate Box and his team are hoping to raise $100,000 to help with financing costs. The three concepts include:
• June’s Delicatessen, inspired by the Jewish delis encountered in the team’s travels to Toronto, Montreal, and New York. Scratch-made bagels will be on offer (and in fact, are already being served up at District).
• Fox Burger, which will be helmed by Chef Sean O’Connor (formerly of Red Ox Inn). They will aim to be a family-friendly destination for great burgers of all types (vegetarian included!), and overindulgent, greasy spoon brunch on the weekends. The beer program will highlight great local craft breweries. Watch for “secret menu” items that those in the know can request. Chef O’Connor will be testing out the menu for the first time at a pop-up to be held at Salz on October 15, 2018. Follow their Instagram page for updates on how to snag a reservation!
• Highlands Liquor, will be a fun and approachable liquor shop. As it will be the smallest of the three spaces, expect a highly curated selection.

Gibbard Block project by Black Box Hospitality

• Mack, Emily, and I finally made it to the 124 Grand Market on Thursday! The weather was dreary but poutine from Drift helped to lift our spirits. With the imminent end of food truck season, Drift will be serving up their food at the Shamrock Curling Club in the winter.

Poutine from Drift

• Mack and I celebrated our anniversary this weekend with a meal at The Marc. Everything was on point – the food was superb, and the service exceptional.

Mushrooms on toast from The Marc

• VegFest, a celebration of all things vegetarian and vegan, is scheduled for September 30, 2018 at the Ritchie Community Hall. Admission is free.
• In anticipation of Olde Towne Beverly’s first Dining Week, Wild Heart has organized a preview tour on October 3, 2018 to sample some of the dishes that will be offered. Tickets are $40.
• Kanu has delayed their opening to September 25, 2018.
• The Black Box Hospitality Group (the folks behind Elm Cafe, District, and Little Brick), have announced the details of their exciting new project in Highlands. They’re working towards three concepts in the ground floor of the Gibbard Block (the building that house La Boheme) – a burger bar, a deli, and a liquor store. They’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign in the hopes of raising $100,000 to cover financing costs. They were able to raise over $10,000 in their first day – it would be great to see them succeed!
• Partake, the new wine bar from the folks behind Manor Cafe and Urban Diner, is now open at 12431 102 Avenue.
• It’s great to see that the Green Onion Cake Man has opened a storefront at 118 Avenue and 91 Street!
• Liane wrote a great piece on humble mom and pop shops serving meals in some of the city’s industrial areas.
• DOSC received a positive review from the Journal.
• Crystal found the brunch at Brazilian steakhouse newcomer Fumaca to be of good value.
• Twyla was hoping the lunch and dinner menu at Wilfred’s would live up to their breakfasts.
• Linda highlights a gem in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood, Somali restaurant Mama Asha’s (if you go, make sure to try the coconut cake!).
• Graham’s recent experience at Hardware Grill was less than perfect.
• Congrats to Stump Kitchen, Chrissy Meets World, and Linda for being recognized by Vue Weekly’s Best of Edmonton in the food blog category!
• The second annual Devour Canadian Rockies Food Film Festival will return to Jasper Park Lodge February 22-24, 2019. Sharman shares why she had such a great time at the inaugural event.
• Farmers’ markets really are setting up shop in every corner of the city – the newest is the Airport Community Farmers’ Market, located at the Premium Outlets by EIA. They’re popping up on September 25 and October 2, 2018.
• CBC rounded up some initiatives that are trying to tackle food insecurity in Edmonton, including Veg in YEG, a pay-what-you-can garden in Garneau, and Food4Good in Jasper Place.
• Speaking of Food4Good, they will be hosting a bowling tournament in order to raise funds for the community food centre they have planned. Register your team of 4 for the event on October 21, 2018 at Plaza Bowl.
• The cooler weather makes hot pot an ideal meal! It’s been some time since I’ve dined at 97 Hot Pot, so it was great to see that they’ve maintained the quality from previous visits. Lunch is priced at $14.95, which includes the soup base and six items. It was enough to feel full but not stuffed. I’ll definitely be back sooner than later!

Lunch spread at 97 Hot Pot