I had a great time in Montreal and Toronto, but was overwhelmed with a nasty flu when I returned to Edmonton. Though I feel like I’m still recovering, it’s time to get back into routine. On to this week’s food notes:

• Food4Good is screening That Sugar Film on April 7, 2017. Tickets are free and a panel discussion will follow the movie.
• Prairie Pigeon’s next pop-up is scheduled for April 8, 2017 at Evoolution Downtown.
• The next Swine and Dine will take place on April 10, 2017 at Chartier.
• Tickets for this year’s April 22, 2017 Resilience Festival are now on sale. Workshops include an introduction to beekeeping, cheesemaking, and (cheekily), praise the lard!
• Tickets for this year’s Eat Alberta are still available. The event takes place at NAIT on April 23, 2017.
• Eats on 118 is back with tours this spring – their first is on April 26, 2017. Tickets are $42 and include visits to three restaurants.
• It’s all about the pizza lately – Ripe Tomato is the latest chain to invade Edmonton.
• Congratulations to Mayday Dogs on their brick and mortar announcement! You will be able to find them in the former Transcend Coffee space in the Mercer Warehouse. If you can’t wait, their B-52 pizza is available at Love Pizza until April 9, 2017.
• The Art of Cake is now open in the Brewery District at 11807C 105 Avenue.
• Cindy alludes to a second KB & Company location – more taco salad for everyone!
• Lillian is among the first to share her visit to Acme Meat Market’s new home inside Richie Market.
• Cafe Linnea is now open for dinner – check their website for the menu and expanded hours.
• 104 Street continues to welcome new restaurants – here’s a sneak peek into Bottega.
• Jonny is the first to review St. Albert’s Ong Hanoi Style Fried Chicken.
• Andrea sampled a variety of fare from Little Village’s storefront location.
• Twyla offered a mixed review of Grandin Fish and Chips, while Cindy was more positive.
• Also from Twyla, she enjoyed her experience at Bundok.
• Graham wasn’t completely impressed by Baijiu.
• Vue Weekly gave two thumbs up to Tapavino and new Vietnamese restaurant Thiên An in Capilano.
• Clementine snags the latest Globe & Mail review.
• Cindy recapped her latest experience of Comal Taco Therapy.
• With an increase in new bake shops over the past six months, bakery lovers can rejoice, including those who enjoy the “humble” donut, or are seeking out hidden gems.
• Speaking of bakeries, Treats Baked by Stephanie is the latest to seek out crowdfunding.
• I was sorry to hear about the closure of Riz (the final incarnation of L’Azia). Back in high school, L’Azia was one of the first Downtown restaurants that I frequented.
• It was great to hear that Edmonton Food Tours is expanding their offerings to include new Old Strathcona and Downtown tours starting in May! My friend Su recommends signing up for their newsletter for early access and potential deals.
• This is an oldie but a goodie – YEG People’s recommendations for 15 meals under $15.
• Follow along on Valerie’s latest food adventures – she’s cooking with passionate people who are willing to share their secrets!
• I’m excited to see Top Chef Canada back on the air, especially with an All Star cast! New episodes started airing on April 2, but it’s still early enough to hedge your bets.
• The Callingwood Farmers’ Market is launching new hours this spring – Sundays will remain 10am-3pm, but Wednesdays will run from 12-5pm. The season launches on May 7, 2017.
• There are so many reasons to mourn Lucky Peach – pick up the final issue when you can.
• Wandering on foot in Old Strathcona over the weekend, we spotted Snowy Dessert, a Korean cafe, next to Dorinku.

Snowy Dessert

• Mack and I finally made it to La Boule over the weekend. It’s a lovely little spot for something sweet, though the croissants we tried were some of the best in the city.

Pretty pastries at La Boule

I’m heading to Montreal for a conference soon, so a heads up that there will be no Food Notes next week. I’m looking forward to some poutine and smoked meat sandwiches! On to this week’s food notes:

• A reminder that Seedy Sunday takes place on March 19, 2017, at the Central Lions Seniors Centre. Expect demonstrations, presentations, and garden-related exhibitors.
• It’s time for another Honest Dumplings pop-up at Prairie Noodle Shop on March 21, 2017! Tickets are $15.
• The free Second Season Street Party will take over Rice Howard Way on April 1, 2017 with extended patios, wagon rides, and activities for the kids.
• The next Green Drinks is themed around the topic of farm to fork – tickets are now available to the April 2, 2017 event.
• Edmonton Economic Development is organizing a Culinary Lab series, where chefs will experiment with food and flavours as they create custom menus for each event. The first takes place at Rostizado on April 9, 2017. Tickets are $100.
• St. Albert’s Dig In horticultural festival has expanded to include a spring session running April 29-30, 2017. Many of the workshops are free to attend!
• Acme Meats will be opening up in their new home (alongside a brew pub and a new Transcend Coffee location) the week of March 21, 2017 at 9570 76 Avenue.
• Liane applauds the creativity inherent in Nineteen’s new brunch menu – it sounds delicious!
• Linda is the latest to review Takami Sushi.
• Andrea offers her opinion on Grandin Fish & Chips.
• Crystal offers some honest feedback about her experience at Doughnut Party.
• Also from Crystal, she gave south Edmonton’s Wing Chix a try.
• The Journal paid a visit to local institution Coliseum Steaks & Pizza. The review was a reminder of how vehicular transportation is always considered the “norm”, so it’s up to us to include active forms of transportation in the #yegfood conversation.
• Vue Weekly reminds us that Savoy is still offering solid South Indian eats.
• Jonny checked out local favourite Elm Cafe.
• Speaking of Elm Cafe, Alan Suddaby (Executive Chef of Elm Cafe Catering) offers the Ten Sandwich Commandments.
• Meal prep business Simply Supper is hoping to raise $25,000 through Alberta Boostr to open a second location in north Edmonton.
• It’s always interesting to see an outside perspective of Edmonton – in this case, here’s the take on our city from two UK-based travel bloggers.
• Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) is looking for people to cook with!
• Speaking of Valerie, one of her recipes is in the new cookbook Feast, by Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller, which recently launched at a local bookstore. Learn more about the cross-Canada trip that inspired the collection.
• Summer seems so far away, but it’s closer than you think – daydream away with tickets to the next RGE RD supper at Nature’s Green Acres on August 19, 2017. Tickets are already half sold.
• Thanks to the Downtown Business Association and to the Art Gallery of Alberta for hosting the kick-off to Downtown Dining Week on Thursday! I’ve already visited two of the thirty-three participating restaurants this weekend. The event runs until March 19, 2017.

Delicious bite of steak from Atlas Steak + Fish

Don’t let the cold weather get you down! There are plenty of new restaurants to try, and ever festival city, lots of events to get you out of the house! On to this week’s food notes:

• The menus from this year’s Downtown Dining Week, which runs March 10 – 19, 2017, are now up, and features prix fixe lunches for $15 and dinner for $28 and $45. I’m looking forward to trying the two newcomers to the list – Atlas Steak + Fish and Crash Lobby Bar.
• Prairie Pigeon’s next pop-up is at Love Pizza from 11am-2pm. What’s better than pizza and pastries?
• Fort Edmonton Park is playing host to a Maple Sugar Carnaval on March 11, 2017, from 12-4pm. Admission is just $5 that will allow you the opportunity to purchase maple sugar taffy and a French Canadian meal.
• The next Comal pop-up event is all about Taco Therapy! It takes place on March 14 and 15, 2017 at Cafe Linnea. Check out the menu here.
• The Yards Spring Salon on March 23, 2017 is all about urban agriculture: balcony gardening, urban beekeeping, and foraging. Tickets are $10 in advance.
• Little Brick is turning two – help them celebrate on March 23, 2017 with a 4-course birthday meal inspired by the 1900s. Tickets are $80.
• Cafe Bicyclette is hosting a Sugar Shack on March 24, 25, 31 and April 1, 7, and 8. Tickets are $75. Call the restaurant for reservations.
• Save the date: the Edmonton Resilience Festival is scheduled for April 22, 2017.
• Eat Alberta is back! The next hands-on conference is taking place on April 23, 2017 at NAIT. Tickets go on sale at 10am on March 7, 2017.
• Board N Brew Cafe brings the trend of board game coffee shops to Downtown – it’s opening on March 15, 2017 at 9929 103 Street.
• The sister restaurant to Three Boars now has a name! Wishbone (taking over the former Market space at 10542 Jasper Avenue) is set to open this spring.
• The Art of Cake will be relocating to the Brewery District in March, at 11807C 105 Avenue. The new space will seat up to 35.
• Cindy spotted a forthcoming restaurant in the Mayfair that will serve Chinese crepes.
• The Downtown renaissance continues with the opening of Alta, Chef Ben Staley’s new 10328 Jasper Avenue outpost. It’ll be interesting to see how people respond to a small menu with cold and room temperature dishes.
• Avenue Edmonton’s 2017 Best Restaurants list is a good place to start if you’re looking for new and exciting restaurants. Congratulations in particular to Chartier, who was named the best new restaurant, and RGE RD, who was named best overall.
• ‘Tis the season for lists, as The Tomato’s fifth annual Top 100 Best Things to Eat or Drink in Edmonton has also been released.
• Lastly, the national Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants ranking came out last week – RGE Rd, Corso 32, Uccellino, Clementine, Bar Bricco and Rostizado were the local entries.
• Phil shares what you can expect from Ong in St. Albert (#110, 15 Perron Street), which will offer the Capital Region’s first taste of Hanoi-style fried chicken.
• Also from Phil – he offers some background for the Brewery District’s Tokiwa Ramen, coming soon to 11978 104 Avenue. It turns out it’s the newest venture from Tatsuo Asai, the man who started Japanese Village and Banzai.
• Cindy is the first to have a review of Takami Sushi up, a restaurant distinguished by a weekly delivery of fresh seafood from Japan.
• Cindy also checked out the savoury and sweet pretzels from Zwick’s.
• Ms. Hangry Foodie satisfies her sweet tooth at Doughnut Party.
• Twyla raves about her visit to Baijiu.
• Elm Cafe has a fan in Athena, who appreciated the personal touches, and of course, the sandwiches.
• Graham revisits some establishments that could have been frozen in time – Billy Budd’s, Flamingo and Saratoga.
• It looks like Stage 104 is the most recent business to shut down in the same space.
• Olds hosted a dinner that brought a diverse number of people together at the beautiful Willow Lane Barn – Mack recapped his experience.
• Fin’s Select Meats & Seafood, which supplies many local restaurants, hosted an event tonight at The Common. They were showcasing some of the new products they now offer, including seafood from Haida Gwaii, wagyu from Brant Lake, and Paradise Valley free range pork. Our favourite bite of the evening was the simmered beef brisket with fermented pineapple served in a potato sope by Chef Edgar Gutierrez of Tres Carnales and Rostizado. Thanks to Fin’s and The Common for having us!

Braised Beef Sope

• Hops & Whisky, a craft beer and whisky tasting, is an event that will be raising funds for The Pride Centre on March 2, 2017. Tickets are $80 and up.
• NAIT is hosting a dinner paired with different Blindman Beers on March 4, 2017. The five course dinner costs for $95 per person.
• Voting for the 2017 Golden Fork Awards is now open! Nominate your favourite eats before March 30, 2017.
• Vivo’s Downtown location, featuring a pizzeria and taverna, is now open at 10505 106 Street!
• Little Village’s storefront location opened last week at 14816 Stony Plain Road. Phil has an overview of what you can expect.
• Alta was delayed a few days, but they will officially open February 28, 2017.
• Sugared & Spiced shared the news of their new location at 10330 Whyte Ave! Expect an opening this spring.
• Phil shares that Chicken on the Way is on its way back to Edmonton, with a franchise to open at 10070 163 Street.
• Grandin Fish & Chips (from the same folks behind The Common) is now open at 9902 109 Street, and Sandy enjoyed their fresh and fried seafood.
• Ms. Hangry Foodie enjoyed the savoury pretzels and pretzel-wiches at Zwick’s Pretzels.
• If you’re looking for a sweet treat, look no further than Doughnut Party – Andrea sampled a half dozen of their flavours.
• The Journal dined out at Saviour, an Ethiopian and Italian restaurant in St. Albert.
• Johnny offers an early review of Pho Boy.
• Linda recommends the food at suburban Grain of Rice.
• Cindy tempts us with photos of the eye-catching dishes at Izakaya Dorinku.
• Have you heard of Seorak Teppan & Bar? Crystal checked it out and had a really great experience.
• Are you looking to start a food truck in Edmonton? Check out Drift’s story for some inspiration.
• This is an interesting thread on bootleg pizza delivery companies operating in Calgary, piggybacking on another local Chicago deep dish business.
• McDonald’s rolled out their all-day breakfast menu in Canada on February 21, 2017.

It sure was nice to have an extra day off from work this weekend – I hope you made the most of it too! On to this week’s food notes:

• FEAST: Recipes & Stories from a Canadian Road Trip is a new book by Lindsay Anderson and Dana Vanveller that spawned from an epic five month journey across the country. The book features over 100 diverse Canadian recipes. The authors are launching their book at Audrey’s on February 27, 2017 from 6-8pm.
• Chef Allan Suddaby (who is the Executive Chef of Elm Catering) will be teaching a series of classes at Metro Continuing Education from March to May 2017 on topics ranging from deep-frying without a deep-fryer, Irish food for St. Patrick’s Day, and the perfect burger. He’s a great instructor, so the sessions are worth considering if you’re wanting to learn a new kitchen skill!
• Chef Travis Petersen (based in Vancouver) is hoping to host a dozen pop-ups across the country. He’ll be making a stop in Edmonton at Northern Chicken on March 8, 2017. Tickets for the local pop-up are $110.
• Barrel Chicken Co. is hosting a pop-up at Solstice Seasonal Cuisine on March 12, 2017. Tickets are $50 for the 5-course meal.
• Alta, one half of Chef Ben Staley’s duo of new restaurants (the other half being The Alder Room) will open on February 24, 2017. Alta is located at 10328 Jasper Avenue.
• A new Thai restaurant, Songkran Thai, is now open in St. Albert at 20 St. Anne Street.
• Takami Sushi opened recently at 10430 61 Avenue.
• Amore Pasta, a pasta bar concept launched by the family behind Cafe Amore and Black Pearl, offers the same quality that we have come to expect at Cafe Amore, writes Jonny.
• Cindy shares her favourite dishes and cocktails off the menu at Baijiu.
• Twyla enjoyed her dinner of comfort food classics at Dogwood Cafe (located at the Victoria Golf Course).
• Rebecca paid a visit to the expanded location of Calle Mexico on 107 Avenue.
• Crystal checked out Old Strathcona’s NongBu.
• Why have so many bakeries opened in Edmonton recently? Vue Weekly looks into the answer.
• It’s always great to hear about the successes that may have started off small, such as Alberta-based food companies that have grown in size in our expanding agri-food industry.
• There seem to be subscription services for all types of food, so I shouldn’t be surprised that a Fudge Club exists with Phil’s Fudge Factory – 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions are available.
• I was so sorry to read about the burglary that left Sambol Sri Lankan kitchen in shambles – I hope they’re able to re-open soon.
• Wildcard applications for the Canadian Food Championships (held in Edmonton this year July 21-23, 2017) are now open.
• Lillian tried ChocoVine (which blends wine with chocolate) in a recipe for pot de creme. She’s also giving away two bottles to one lucky reader.
• Planet Organic released an ad today apologizing to their customers and promising to do better. It was probably meant to be amusing, but I just found the tone and production values slightly off.
• The Winter Shake-Up Fest coincided with one of the warmest weekends this year, but we still enjoyed ourselves. Stilt-walking is harder than it looks, but it was fun to give it a go – thanks to Lincoln for the photo!

Stilt-walking at the Winter Shake-Up Fest

• Mack and I also wandered over to Hawrelak Park for the Silver Skate Festival. Rain boots were definitely more appropriate than snow boots, but people were making the most of it!

Bannock making at the Silver Skate Festival

• The warm weather means street food may have another prolonged season (as was the case in 2016). It was definitely nice enough for a hot dog from Fat Franks on Saturday in Old Strathcona!

Fat Franks

• When Love Pizza announced their next feature would combine two of our favourite things: pizza and mac and cheese, we knew we had to try it. The mac & cheeza, topped with Irvings Farm Fresh bacon, was everything we hoped it would be.

Mac & cheeza at Love Pizza

• Who doesn’t love a good deal? Look no further than to UberEats, who is offering some great dollar deals from February 13-19, 2017.
• If you’re still looking for a Valentine’s Day reservation – tickets for the Honest Dumplings and Prairie Pigeon pop-up at the Chvrch of John are still available.
• Food4Good is hosting a fruit and veggie sale from 3-8pm February 16, 2017 at the Glenwood Community League.
• Save the date: the 6th annual Culinary Cook-off at Mount Royal School will take place on April 22, 2017.
• Coming soon: Vaticano Cucina, opening at 10310 45 Avenue in March.
• Andrea’s among the first to share her experience at 104 Street addition Bundok.
• Jonny checked out much of the menu at Baijiu.
• One of Old Strathcona’s newest pubs, Malt and Mortar, was reviewed in the Journal over the weekend.
• Graham really enjoyed the sausage and beer at Otto.
• If you haven’t heard of Zwick’s Pretzels, head on over for sweet or savoury pretzels!
• CBC commissioned a “poutine panel” to evaluate the poutine from My Fries and Dixie Lee.
• Highlands Golf Course is getting into the take-out game – they’re offering a take-out option every Friday for orders placed before Thursday at noon.
• Learn the story behind Hansen Distillery, one of Edmonton’s newest distilleries.
• Liane reveals the thought process behind how some restaurants chose their tableware.
• Chef Paul Shufelt is proud of the talented up and coming chefs that call Edmonton/Alberta home!
• Speaking of talented chefs – Chef Eric Hanson shared his bronze medal winning experience at the Gold Medal Plates on Global.
• Vesta Gardens opened up their community supported agriculture for 2017 – the 10-week share is $350.
• Cathy tried her hand at making her mother’s perogies.
• A new study shows that people may perceive healthy foods to be more expensive.
• Merriam-Webster added more than two dozen food-related words to the dictionary this year – check them out (they include EVOO, food truck, and food insecure).
• I had my first experience of Bar Clementine last week. Loved the drinks (the Provence was delicious) and my friend and I enjoyed our share plates.

Bar Clementine

• Custom treats by Donut Pals will be available at Malt and Mortar from 10am-4pm for your sweetheart on February 14, 2017.
• Missed the Honest Dumplings and Prairie Pigeon pop-up at The Chvrch of John last week? Well you’re in luck – the pair are joining forces again for Valentine’s Day! 2 seatings of dumplings and desserts for your valentine on February 14, 2017.
• The next Second Line pop-up is taking place on February 28, 2017 at The Lingnan. Tickets for the seafood boil are $60.
• Congratulations to Darren and Maria of Zwick’s Pretzels, who are finally satisfying the city’s craving for fresh pretzels. They just launched the storefront last week at 12415 107 Avenue.
• Doughnut Party (from the folks behind Moonshine Doughnuts) also had their soft opening last week, and sold out several times over. They’ll be re-opening again on February 9, 2017 at 10938 119 Street.
• I wouldn’t be surprised if the students at the U of A are jealous of their peers at MacEwan – with the addition of Prairie Noodle’s udon-serving Prairie Outpost that opened today, their food options just keep getting better and better.
• Speaking of Prairie Noodle, congratulations to Chef Eric Hanson on capturing bronze in the 2017 Gold Medal Plates competition!
• Baijiu is now open – Twyla previews what you can expect.
• Cindy has one of the first reviews of the restaurant inside the Crash Hotel (formerly the Grand Hotel).
• Jonny visited a new-ish Korean restaurant called Miga on the south side.
• Vue Weekly checked out Wheat Garden Noodle & Dumpling Bazaar.
• Twyla enjoyed her ramen experience at Nudoru.
• Don’t click this if you’re hungry – Cindy presents Cafe Linnea’s new winter menu in pictures.
• It’s so great to hear that the Italian Bakery will not only be fully up and running (after the fire in 2016 that destroyed their bakery), but they’ll still be adding a St. Albert location to their family in July.
• I’m sorry to hear Transcend Coffee wasn’t able to make it work at the Mercer Warehouse – the downtown location will close February 26, 2017.
• The food section in the Edmonton Journal has been whittled down over the past year to a random collection of articles on Wednesdays and small local pieces on Saturdays, so it’s no real surprise that Gastropost is also being eliminated. After 167 missions, this week’s mission will be the last.
• Should you take a chance on higher-end take-out? Avenue explores this question.
• The Toronto Star wrote a nice piece about some of our great local restaurants.
• The latest local business to turn to crowdfunding is Cafe Bel-Air, which is hoping to raise $8,000 towards finishing their popsicle truck in time for summer.
• I missed linking to this last week – congratulations to Fuge Fine Meat, who exceeded their Alberta BoostR campaign goal of $20,000.
• Three Edmontonians are vying to make the Masterchef Canada cut beginning March 2, 2017.
• Will our food one day be prepared by robot chefs?
• I’ve been meaning to visit Macarons and Goodies on my way home, and finally made the time to do so last week. It’s a charming little shop, with a good selection of cakes and pastries, and a very friendly owner.

Macarons and Goodies

• I love seeing local product integrated with other similar products (as opposed to being segregated into a separate “homegrown” section), so it was nice to see a product from Strathcona Spirits Distillery on the shelves (and Eau Claire, too).

At Chateau Louis Liquor Store

• Soup is always my meal of choice, both at home or out and about – so Mack and I stopped at Pho Hoan Pasteur while we were nearby running errands this weekend.

Pho for two

• Food4Good is hosting two events this week: an affordable Fruit & Veggie Market on January 24, 2017 from 11am-4pm (where nothing is priced over $3), and a collective kitchen on January 27, 2017. Both events take place at the Britannia Youngstown Community League.
• Vegan food truck Sailin’ On is popping up at Earth’s General Store downtown for lunch on January 27, 2017 from 11am-2:30pm.
• You can get your Prairie Pigeon fix at downtown’s Evoolution on January 28, 2017 from 11am-2pm and at a pop-up at the Chvrch of John alongside Honest Dumplings on February 2, 2017 at 5pm.
• MacEwan’s Global Awareness Week features a screening of More than Honey, a documentary about bees and beekeepers. The free event takes place on January 30, 2017 from 4-6pm – RSVP here.
• A free event kicks off the Cultivating Connections food conference on February 3, 2017: a moderated panel including Mayors Don Iveson, Lisa Holmes (Morinville) and Tom Flynn (Sturgeon County) will discuss agricultural land preservation, food innovation, and local food production. The reception will feature Alberta ingredients prepared by five local chefs. RSVP here.
• Northern Chicken is partnering with Effing Seafoods on the first Tuesday of every month, starting on February 7pm. On this first occasion you can expect oyster po’ boys and cod and chips.
• The next Swine and Dine dinner takes place at Dogwood Cafe (located at the Victoria Golf Course) on February 8, 2017. The four-course meal is on for $59 per person.
• Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the Wild Heart Brunch Club on February 11, 2017, with sides of burlesque and jazz to accompany a 3-course meal prepared by Sailin’ On. Tickets are $30.
• Learn more about Edmonton’s subscription-based Secret Meat Club from their segment on Global, though it appears all of their subscriptions are currently sold out.
• The South Edmonton Common location of Burger’s Priest opened over the weekend at 2125 98 Street.
• Where Edmonton shared that Oil & Vinegar, located in Commerce Place, is closing at the end of February.
• Cindy is one of the first to review XO Bistro Bar, a modern Vietnamese restaurant located in the Ultima Tower downtown.
• Twyla shared her love for Northern Chicken on CBC last week.
• I wish Cindy luck as she aims to cook her way through Edmonton Cooks!
• If you’re too busy to cook, but want to eat healthy, Careit Urban Deli now offers meal plans that can help you meet those goals.
• Liane sheds some light on the mental health challenges that some in the hospitality industry may face due to working conditions and industry pressures.
• Not your grandmother’s apples: an Okanagan orchard has bred the Arctic apple, a GMO variety that does not brown. While it isn’t yet available in Canada, it will be on store shelves in the US next month.
• I haven’t been to Bonjour Bakery since their renovations last summer – though it’s probably a good thing given I always walk away with too many goodies. The expanded bakery and cheese cases looked great!

Bonjour Bakery

• We checked out the new downtown Local Public Eatery (11228 Jasper Avenue) on Friday, urged on somewhat by a gift card Mack had been provided by the restaurant. With the Oilers game on, the atmosphere was quite lively, but the broadcast volume was on the loud side for us. Food-wise, we most enjoyed the nachos, which, unlike other similar dishes we’ve encountered, seemed to have been layered with care, with the chips actually remaining crispy for the most part.

Nachos from Local Public Eatery

• The Marc hopes to transport you to Alsace with three-course dinners from January 12-21, 2017. The meal costs $49.
• The first Passion for Pork Swine and Dine dinner takes place at The Common on January 17, 2017. The four-course meal is just $30.
• Local Public Eatery’s downtown location opened last week at 11228 Jasper Avenue.
• Burger’s Priest is opening up a second Edmonton location at South Common (2125 98 Street). Thanks to CanelaMaia for the heads up!
• I missed Panini’s Italian, a new-ish restaurant that opened up last year at 8544 Jasper Avenue.
• Lillian confirmed that the Alberta Hotel Bar & Kitchen is now closed.
• Cindy shared a photo log of dishes served at recent popups held by Baijiu, the forthcoming restaurant/bar opening up in the Mercer Warehouse.
• If you’re looking to order from a menu of 67 schnitzels, check out Haus Falkenstein, which reopened a few months ago after a rebuild.
• Andrea, Cindy and the Journal all share early reviews of Otto, the new sausage and beer emporium in Norwood.
• Graham enjoyed his evening at The Almanac on Whyte.
• Vue Weekly joins the chorus of overwhelmingly positive reviews for Northern Chicken.
• Liv at The Globe thinks Bodega is here to stay in Highlands.
• Lacombe’s Blindman Brewing is the latest local business to start a crowdfunding campaign: they’re hoping to raise $20,000 to purchase two giant oak barrels to age beer.
• It’s finally here: Fort Saskatchewan is the location of the first McDonald’s in Alberta offering all-day breakfast.
• Can you believe Deep Freeze celebrated its tenth anniversary this year? Our tradition at Deep Freeze is to share a poutine – and who are we to break with tradition?

Poutine!

• On our walk home from Deep Freeze, we stopped by Hyatt Place. The restaurant/lounge was a lovely open space, but it was unfortunately dead quiet. It was nice to see a couple of local products on the shelves though – Caramia Caramels and Fudgalicious.

Second floor lounge at Hyatt Place

• Mack and I have been meaning to revisit Three Boars for some time – the weather finally cleared up enough so we could walk over to the restaurant this weekend. Mushrooms and toast was as tasty as I remembered, and though I don’t regret the first few bites of dessert, it was definitely meant to be shared by a party larger than two!

Mushrooms and toast

Dark chocolate brownie, fernet ice cream, house-made marshmallow, salted caramel

• Nipsis Cafe, located outside of Edmonton in Maskwacis, hosts a monthly supper club. Their first dinner in 2017 is this Friday, January 13, from 5-9pm. The 3-course meal costs $30.
• The potluck celebration of life for Gail Hall is scheduled for January 14, from 5-9pm; guests should RSVP through Eventbrite. Related, a lovely illustration of Gail graces the January/February issue of The Tomato, and inside, her husband Jon Hall remembers her through the Proust questionnaire.
• The City Market is launching seasonal cooking demos in partnership with Kids in the Hall Bistro. The first event will take place on January 14, 2016 at 12:30pm with Chef Daniel Letourneau. The $30 ticket will include $5 in City Market bucks to spend after the demo.
• The Italian Centre has started the Chef’s Inspiration Dinner Series, a monthly event from February to June 2017 that will showcase local talent and the shop’s ingredients. Tickets for the dinner (including wine pairings) will be $65-75, and sold three weeks before each dinner.
• The Tomato is again compiling their top 100 best things to eat in Edmonton – nominate your favourites until January 27, 2017.
• Where Edmonton named Uccellino Edmonton’s best new restaurant for 2016.
• Three Boars announced they are finally opening up a branch north of the river, taking over the former MRKT space at Jasper Avenue and 105 Street (they faked us out back in 2015).
• It was only a matter of time before the poke trend landed in Edmonton: Splash Poke is set to open at 10079 109 Street some time this spring.
• We’ll also be welcoming another local brewery to town – Town Square Brewing (2919 Ellwood Drive). After all, Alberta’s in the midst of a craft beer boom.
• Casa Doce’s brick and mortar restaurant La Patrona opened on January 4 in Sherwood Park (Unit 8, 2 Athabascan Avenue).
• The Don Wheaton YMCA Downtown (10211 102 Avenue) has a new cafe called Maka Eatery, and Liane enjoyed the food.
• Open less than a month, Otto already has its first review from Twyla.
• Cindy tells you why you should check out the pan-fried dumplings at Golden Dumpling.
• Sharman visited Dogwood Cafe (located inside the Riverside Golf Course) for Sunday brunch.
• The Journal enjoyed their visits to Northern Chicken.
• It’s going to be a great year for bakeries in Edmonton. Liane profiles two of the newest: Old Strathcona’s La Boule and Central McDougall’s Macarons and Goodies.
• I neglected to link to Liane’s great roundup of Edmonton food in 2016.
• Lillian reflected on whether she met her food goals in 2016, and shares what she’s looking forward to in 2017.
• Here’s Julie van Rosendaal’s take on trends in 2017.
• Vue Weekly featured Alexis Hillyard and her great video series Stump Kitchen last week.
• Michael Kalmanovitch, owner of Earth’s General Store, posted an open letter indicating that the Downtown location is on its last legs unless something changes.
• I’m not too heartbroken about Whole Foods not following through with plans to expand to Alberta, but others may be.
• I prefer when grocery stores display local products alongside other similar products (as opposed to being segregated to a “locally sourced” shelf). So it was a nice surprise to see Confetti Sweets cookies available in the bakery at Save-On Foods.

Confetti Sweets

• I rarely forget my lunch, but when I do, it’s handy to have great options just around the corner, like Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House.

Special vermicelli bowl from Thanh Thanh

• Though I actually never need an excuse to indulge in soup, the weekend’s cold snap made bun bo hue from King Noodle House even more comforting.

Bun bo hue from King Noodle House