It was great to have an extra day off – I hope you were able to enjoy it with your loved ones! On to this week’s food notes:

• Rostizado will be hosting a five-course collaboration dinner with Top Chef Canada winner Rene Rodriguez on February 21, 2016. Tickets are $150 and include wine pairings.
• The Westend Food Hub Alliance, in partnership with The Organic Box and Trinity United Church, are hosting a free screening of Michael Pollan’s documentary “In Defense of Food” on February 26, 2016.
• Prairie Noodle will be hosting a pop-up with Effing Seafoods on February 28, 2016. $50 will get you freshly shucked oysters, a seafood ramen bowl, and drinks.
• Soy and Pepper, billed as a “modern Korean eatery” is now open at 11212 Jasper Avenue.
• The Chvrch of John is also now open with a focus on interesting cocktails.
• Sandwich and Sons is expanding downtown, and will be sharing Sante’s space at 10184 104 Street. They hope to open up by the end of February.
• No Way Jose’s Taqueria opened in Sherwood Park back in early December at #144, 160 Broadway Boulevard.
• Andrea is the latest to visit Love Pizza.
• Twyla was disappointed by her two meals at The Almanac and recommends that patrons stay for drinks and skip the food.
• The newest Off Menu podcast is all about tipping.
• The 2016 Golden Fork Awards ballot is now out – vote for your favourite dishes and restaurants for your chance to win $500 in gift certificates.
• The Journal dives into how grocery stores are trying to vye for your business amidst rising prices.
• Dan shared his scratch ramen noodle recipe on Lillian’s blog – if you’re ever wondered if it’s possible to recreate it at home, Dan has done the legwork for you with his research.
• Grub Street ruminates on the “ridiculous rise of viral food and the great line apocalypse”.
• After too many desk lunches to count, it was nice to get out last week for some warming noodle soup at Tao Garden.

Satay soup with egg noodles, tofu puffs, beef balls and wontons

• Our Chinese New Year celebrations continued over the weekend, including our annual prosperity toss.

Happy Chinese New Year!

• Mack and I also checked out the Lunar New Year festivities in Chinatown – our annual dose of firecrackers and lion dancers. It was a mild one, which I’m sure the performers and audience members were more than happy about!

Dragon dancers from McNally High School

• Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Jacek has joined in on the subscription trend – for your sweetheart with a sweet tooth, Jacek is offering a Valentine’s Chocolate Subscription with a half dozen deliveries over the next 11 months. The cost is $200.
• The next COMAL Mexican Table Dinner is taking place February 24 and 25, 2016, but it looks like tickets are only available for one of the dates. 6 courses for $86.
• The latest Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum dinner celebrates Persian New Year with the Ismaili Council for Edmonton on February 28, 2016. Tickets are $49 and include a feast, music and dance.
• Mark your calendars – the Local Good’s annual Green Drinks centering on local food will be taking place on March 2, 2016 at 7pm.
• NAIT announced today that Vikram Vij is this year’s Chef in Residence. The annual luncheon, prepared by Chef Vij and NAIT Culinary students, is taking place on March 11, 2016. Win one of four pairs of tickets to the luncheon here. Also, this is the eighth year of the Chef in Residence program – relive the past seven years of guest chefs here.
• Most beer and wine tastings rarely focus just on locally-produced labels, so it’s great to see that 7degrees Beer School on March 18, 2016 is choosing to highlight 13 different beers from 13 Alberta breweries.
• I’m so glad to hear that the Edmonton Journal has reversed their decision about Liane Faulder. She’s back in a full time position, but will write about food part-time.
• Cindy has the jump on Seoul Fried Chicken, the newest Korean fried chicken purveyor in Edmonton. It’s located in the former Lee House space in Old Strathcona (7904b 104 Street).
• Thanks to Wendy, I received the news that Bubba’s has since moved from their Osman Auction location to a new temporary shop at 97 Street and 58 Avenue.
• It looks like Coco Deep Fried Chicken has opened a second location on the north side, at 12620E 132 Avenue in Kensington.
• Andrea checked out Washoku Bistro on 124 Street.
• Congratulations to Yvan Chartrand of Bonjour Bakery for winning the Bakers Journal Business Innovation Award. I was also interested to learn that he’ll be launching a line of house-cured charcuterie.
• Rebecca shared the news last week that B’s Diner will be closing down due to the steep rent prices in Old Strathcona. She’s subsequently started a crowdfunding campaign to help owner Brenda Der continue B’s Diner in the form of a food truck.
• Did you know that Press’d, since opening in 2010, has grown to a dozen locations in Alberta through the franchise model? They’re also considering expansion into neighbouring BC.
• The popular Whyte Avenue cafe Block 1912 is closing from February 15 – March 15 for renovations.
• If you’re looking for a local meat supplier, you may want to investigate 12 Acres Farm, which supplies the restaurant of the same name in St. Albert.
• I know I’ll be watching Michael Pollan’s new series, Cooked, when it drops on Netflix February 19, 2016. Check out the trailer here.
• The downtown branch of State & Main located at First & Jasper (10065 Jasper Avenue) will be opening its doors on February 10, 2016.

State & Main

• It was great to see the products of Untamed Feast, an Edmonton-based company, on the shelves of the Italian Centre this weekend! The product line includes an assortment of dried wild mushrooms, as well as risotto and soup mixes.

Untamed Feast

• A few friends and I headed to NongBu for dinner on Friday night. Service was spotty, and though I enjoyed the 3 mushroom japchae, I think I do prefer Lee House’s version.

3 mushroom japchae from NongBu

• We had a weekend of Chinese New Year celebrations, with more to come. Happy Lunar New Year to those celebrating!

Our Chinese New Year Eve dinner

• The YEG Food Crawl is hosting a second crawl in Little Italy on February 18, 2016. Tickets are $40 a person and will be released on February 4, 2016. They sold out in less than a day last time, so be ready if you’re interested in attending!
• MacEwan is hosting a panel on local and sustainable food on February 9, 2016, featuring food writers and an industry professional.
• Little Brick Home School is back in time for Valentine’s Day. Learn to make homemade pasta and taste some champagne with your sweetheart on February 11, 2016. Tickets are $100 each.
• Avenue Edmonton will be celebrating Edmonton’s best restaurants at the launch of their March issue. The event will be held on February 29, 2016 at The Oasis Centre. Tickets are $40 each.
• Love Pizza (10196 109 Street) officially opened its doors on January 29, 2016. It’s already receiving positive reviews, most notably from Cindy. If you’re planning a visit, you might want to join their loyalty program to get $5 off your first pie.
• St. Sophia Parish will be hosting a perogy supper on March 12, 2016 from 4:30-7pm at Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School (4001 Emerald Drive). $15 for adults, and $5 for kids aged 6-12.
• Cindy shares her recent lunch experience at Edmonton’s newest Japanese restaurant Washoku Bistro (10702 124 Street).
• Jonny is the first to file a review on The Almanac, a new gastropub on Whyte Avenue.
• Phil is beginning a new Odyssey this year – a quest to find Edmonton’s best brunch. He starts off with meals at Hart’s Table and Workshop Eatery.
• On the topic of brunch, Cindy checks out Cured’s foray into the brunch scene.
• Cindy also recaps the Anju pop-up at North 53 that took place over the weekend.
• The Journal is the latest to check out Prairie Noodle Shop.
• Jonny puts RGE RD back on the radar with a rave review on their food and service.
• It’s a direction most writers aren’t taking, but Liv will be moving back to print media by contributing to the Globe & Mail, and ceasing her regular blog updates. She published a piece in the Globe last week about the transition from food trucks to brick and mortar shops for some Alberta vendors.
• The Tea Girl has started a crowdfunding campaign to support its expansion into the neighbouring space. They’re hoping to raise $10,000 which will go towards the renovation costs.
• CBC provides a peek into Reclaim Urban Farm’s indoor vertical garden located in the warehouses of Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery Edmonton.
• Edmontonian Rebecca Schellenberg is undertaking a project called Suppers with Strangers, her quest to eat 15 meals with 15 strangers in February and document it all.
• Is it worth it to order a custom burger at McDonalds? Liane dives into the subject on behalf of CBC.
• Applications for the 2016 Canadian Food Championships are now open. The categories include: bacon, burger, dessert, sandwich, seafood and a new category, steak. Winners of the CFC get to represent Canada at the World Food Championships in the US.
• We’ll see how long it takes for the elimination of tipping to trickle to Edmonton, but it’s interesting to see that a public poll in the US shows that a majority of Americans are for tipping.
• I’ve been under the weather lately, so I haven’t had the energy to leave the house, much less venture onto roads less travelled, food wise. And though it may not have been the wisest choice for a recovery meal, we indulged in some Chinese takeout over the weekend. Although Garden Bakery was efficient, the food wasn’t as good as I remembered.

Our Garden Bakery go-to dishes – fried rice, beef chow fun and chow mein

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks at work, so a weekend getaway to Jasper was just what I needed to relax. Though I always look forward to periodic planned vacations, it was a good reminder that even a day or two away can be rejuvenating. On to this week’s food notes:

• The biggest news this week is an unfortunate item – amongst the Postmedia staff laid off on Tuesday was Liane Faulder, the Edmonton Journal’s food writer. To say this is a loss for #yegfood is an understatement, as there are few local writers who profile our food community in the way that Liane has over the last eight years. She will be missed in that role, but I have no doubt she will be on to another exciting chapter.
• North 53 will be opening up a sister restaurant in Mercer Warehouse, and even more exciting, they’ll be trying out a different concept.
• Careit Urban Deli is the first confirmed business for The Fox’s retail level. I’m looking forward to having a deli in the neighbourhood!
• There’s a new tea purveyor in town called Blue Hour Tea, and they’re open in Vacancy Hall (the basement of Mercer Warehouse on 104 Street & 104 Avenue).
• Edmonton will soon be home to another local brewer called Polar Park Brewing! They’ll be opening up in the former Bee Bell Bakery (80 Ave & 104 Street), and though they’ll have a tap room, a full-service restaurant isn’t in the plans.
• There’s also a new distillery based out of Nisku, called Big Rig Craft Distillery.
• Christine shared her Sunday brunch experience at Yellowhead Brewery (where they serve $2 beer mimosas).
• Speaking of brunch buffets, Linda checked out Fort Edmonton Park’s Hotel Selkirk brunch, and is offering the chance to win brunch for two.
• The Journal also featured a brunch review of Café Bicyclette last week.
• I hadn’t heard of Lan Phu Thai until seeing it on Jonny’s blog – it’s about a year old in the former Café du Sol space.
• Also from Jonny – he revisits Mama Lee’s Kitchen and finds some unfortunate changes.
• The Edmonton Food Council is interested in learning about your thoughts and perceptions about the local food system. The survey will be open until February 15, 2016.
• It’s never too early to start thinking about summer: Reclaim Urban Farm just opened up their Community Supported Agriculture shares for 2016.

• Farm to Fork Eatery is a forthcoming restaurant in Sherwood Park (Unit 148, 2755 Broadmoor Blvd), with their first dinner service taking place on January 20, 2016.
• YEG Women in Wine is made up of a group of wine professionals who “empower women to realize the full potential of a career in the wine business through education, networking and mentorship.” They are hosting a Food & Wine Series that kicks off 2016 at Workshop Eatery on January 25, 2016. The cost is $32 for a 3-course meal.
• There will be some sort of collaboration between Calgary’s popular Korean restaurant Anju and North 53 on January 31, 2016. More details to come.
• The first Edmonton Food Fight of 2016 sees Chefs Doreen Prei and Steven Brochu go head to head on February 1, 2016. Tickets are $59 each.
• There’s a lot of discussion about rising vegetable prices (everyone was talking about the price of cauliflower, in particular, it seems), so get ahead of the curve and think about supporting local at the same time with a Community Supported Agriculture share from Riverbend Gardens.
• Liane shared some food news, including a new brunch option at Get Cooking, starting January 23. Chef Dorren Prei will be preparing food in the open, serving up dishes family-style. Prices are $45 for adults and $22.50 for children 7-13.
• Liane also learned about the Westin’s new chef, Chef Geoffrey Caswell-Murphy, who won a bronze in Regina’s Gold Medal Plates competition.
• The new JW Marriott in the arena district will feature a restaurant operated by Toronto-based Oliver and Bonacini.
• I still have yet to visit 1st RND (though I’m holding out hope that Real Sports might one day make it out west), but it sounds like the Journal was satisfied with the experience.
• Linda is the latest to visit Sambol Sri Lankan Kitchen.
• Jonny reviewed Won Jung Gak, a once much-lauded Korean/Chinese restaurant which has probably fallen off the radar for many.
• Vue Weekly explores how some food truck operators keep busy in the off-season.
• Eat North explains the facts behind some Edmonton restaurants’ numbered names.
• Phil’s latest Off Menu podcast is an interview with Yellowknife resident Chef Robin Wasicuna.
• Chefs with Issues is a website that helps bring awareness about the mental health challenges faced by staff in the hospitality industry.
• It was cold out there on the weekend! Mack and I warmed up with some soup at Pho Hoan Pasteur.

Pho with brisket and meatballs from Pho Hoan Pasteur

• We also had hot pot with the family, for the second time in a week. It’s definitely a cold weather dinner!

Hot pot at home

• The third annual Winter Signature Drink Contest is now open! You have until January 31, 2016 to submit your concoction for a warming alcoholic or virgin brew.
• It looks like the demand for food crawls is alive and well – the tickets to the YEG Food Crawl in Little Italy on January 28, 2016 sold out in less than a day. Hopefully there are more events to come!
• Sad food-related news to share: Call the Kettle Black is closing on the eve of their twentieth anniversary, due to changing shopping habits skewing to more online sales and the adjacent bridge closure. They will be open until January 30, 2016 to vacate their remaining stock.
• Both the Journal and CBC paid visits to Workshop Eatery.
• More love for Prairie Noodle Shop from the Andrea and the Edmonton Sun.
• Cheryl visited 97 Hot Pot for lunch, and found a great deal for $13.
• Vue Weekly stopped by South Indian restaurant Kerala on the south side.
• Jonny reviews a hidden gem in Little Italy – Abyssinia Restaurant.
• Lillian made some respectable food resolutions for 2016. I know for us, we will continue to reduce our food waste at home.
• I failed to link to Vue Weekly’s 2015 wrap-up articles last week – on notable restaurants, the year in food, and Edmonton’s year in wine.
• I also haven’t yet linked to Jennifer Cockrall-King’s piece on the trend of modern dining experiences – is good food not enough?
• The U.S. released their 2015 Dietary Guidelines, and it’s full of euphemisms and confusing language, the result of the involvement of lobbyists and political interests.
• A colleague and I needed a quick lunch in the neighbourhood on Friday, and with a jam-packed Prairie Noodle, we opted for Delicious Pho a few doors down. Unfortunately, it did not live up to its namesake, with a broth that is unlikely made from scratch.

Pho with brisket and meatballs from Delicious Pho

• We celebrated Mack’s birthday with a belated dinner at Tzin over the weekend. While we couldn’t pass up their famous bacon, we also enjoyed their paella for two, and the true standout of the evening, grilled bison with a great northern bean puree and a shiitake compote.

Bison with a great northern bean puree and a shiitake compote

• It was a cold one on Saturday when we stopped by the Deep Freeze Festival. So we padded our winter fat by indulging in the poutine.

Guilty pleasure

I was back at work last week, so gave myself a bit more transition time from the holidays with another week away from the blog. I hope your 2016 has started off happy! On to this week’s food notes:

• 12 Acres is hosting a collaborative dinner on January 16, 2016, featuring a 6 course meal prepared by Chefs Cory Rakowski and guest chef Robin Waiscuna from Yellowknife.
• The Tomato is currently compiling its list of 100 Best Things to Eat in Edmonton. Submit your favourites from January 4-29, 2016.
• Phil posted that the new Washoku Japanese Bistro is set to open on January 12, 2016 at the corner of 124 Street and 107 Avenue.
• Eva noticed that the former Wok Box storefront on Jasper Avenue and 112 Street is soon to be a Korean restaurant called Soy & Pepper.
• Driving past it the other day, we just noticed that the New Asian Village location at 10149 Saskatchewan Drive has changed ownership, and is now The Great Indian Factory. Anyone been?
• Linda checked out Walia Ethiopian Restaurant, the newest establishment to join the 124 Street neighbourhood.
• The Journal wished for more consistency from Alberta Hotel Bar & Kitchen.
• Jonny visited another new-ish Korean restaurant called Korean Grill.
• Liane put together a great piece summarizing Edmonton’s food scene in 2015. Looking forward, she also does her best to predict what we might see in 2016.
• CBC shared their round-up of best food establishments in a variety of categories, including best breakfast spot, cheap eats, and best food truck. In my opinion, the category of best ramen should have been saved for another year when there will be more options to choose from, but to each their own.
• Where Edmonton named Workshop Eatery its best new restaurant of 2015. I think it shows a lot of promise, but given it only opened in mid-November, were there no other longer-standing options?
• YEGFoodie shared her 2015 year in review.
• John Gilchrist names Calgary’s best new restaurants of 2015, with Charbar, Pigeonhole and Whitehall tying for the top spot.
• Mack sent me an article about Mast Brothers, and their not-so-secret past passing off Vahlrona-based chocolate as their own bean-to-bar concoctions. To that effect, the NYT did a blind taste test of various bars, where the Mast Brothers did not make their top ten.
• I couldn’t quite catch it while whizzing by, but it looks like the Old Szechuan Restaurant has relocated from their 107 Avenue digs to Old Strathcona. A new restaurant has already put up signage in its place.

Wheat Garden Noodle & Dumpling Bazaar

• This was a notice up at a Superstore branch we stopped at last week. I’m sure it won’t be the last notice of its kind over the next year.

Customer Notice at Superstore

• Though my holiday wasn’t as long as I would have liked, we certainly made up for it in food. There was dim sum at Tasty Noodle (creeping up to be my favourite dim sum restaurant in Edmonton).

Dim sum spread at Tasty Noodle

• We also had brunch with friends at Meat, which continues to be a hidden gem in Edmonton’s weekend scene.

Beef brisket benny at Meat

• And to celebrate Mack’s birthday, we had our first Cake Club delivery of an absolutely stunning (and delicious) carrot cake.

Sugared and Spiced carrot cake for the birthday boy!

It’s been a whirlwind December, so I’m looking forward to Christmas now more than ever. All the best of the season to you and your family! On to this week’s food notes:

• The Hoang Long Fresh Market is hosting a free lunch for the less fortunate on December 30, 2015, from 2-4pm.
• RGE RD’s expansion next door – called The Butchery – is now open, offering terrines, sausages, breads and other savoury treats.
• Board games café Table Top Café is preparing a second location, located at 10235 124 Street. The opening date is tentatively set for January 9, 2016.
• The relocated Planet Organic in Oliver (12230 Jasper Avenue) has signage announcing a January 13, 2016 opening date.
• As expected, Prairie Noodle Shop’s brick and mortar location has been overrun since opening last week. If you can get in, you can expect good things, as reported by Cindy, Linda, Robyn and Twyla. Learn more about Prairie Noodle from Phil’s latest Off the Menu podcast.
• Another new restaurant to our city, The Workshop Eatery, has continued to garner its share of reviews, this week from Andrea.
• Vue Weekly checks out the southside mainstay Al Salam.
• Did you know the Yellowhead Brewery serves up brunch on Sundays? It looks like they’ve also added a side of jazz to the meal as well.
• You’ve been waiting for it: Phil’s final Edmonton Perogy Showdown post crowns its ultimate winner. Sounds like Taste of Ukraine is the place to go!
• Jason Foster predicts some of the craft beer trends to come in 2016.
• If you’re still hunting for a gift for a cookbook lover on your list, Grub Street has a great list of suggestions.
• The downtown location of Da Capo is finally underway at 9888 Jasper Avenue! The original timeline for completion was December or January, but I think we can safely push that back.

Da Capo

• Mack and I met up with Phil and Robyn at Bru last week. It’s a lovely spot in the evening, and I like the fact that both coffee and beer are available.

My mantra in the mornings

• It’s been eight months since I had a Vatican City from The Burger’s Priest, but I just had to go back for a second. Man, did it hit the spot.

Vatican City (aka a double burger with two grilled cheese buns)

Can you believe Christmas is next week? There seems to be so much to do in the meantime, but all I’m hoping for is a few days off of work to enjoy the season! On to this week’s food notes:

• Chef Brad Smoliak is hosting their annual Kitchen Christmas sale on December 19, 2015, from 12-4:30pm. Stock up on their famous Bacon Jam and BBQ Rub, among other pantry goodies.
• Get Cooking is hosting a six-course pop-up Comal Mexican Table Dinner on January 7 and 8, 2016.
• Frosty Fox, which sold its honest ice creams at the City Market this summer, is continuing into the winter with their Ice Cream Squad – a three month subscription is $60, and will give you two pints or four sandwiches per month. E-mail Jennifer to join now!
• The much-anticipated Prairie Noodle Shop had a soft opening this weekend, but they’ll be welcoming diners officially on December 15, 2015.
• Liane shared that The Volstead Act (who were involved in setting up Woodwork), will open a new bar and restaurant in The Pearl.
• Stephanie pointed out a new Vietnamese restaurant, Pholangs, that opened recently at #109, 2920 Calgary Trail.
• Reviews are in for The Workshop Eatery, from Cindy and Linda. I look forward to visiting myself this weekend!
• The Journal published one of its most brutal restaurant reviews last week, about Olio d’Oliva: “The lamb chops had that sickly steam table/pressure cooker pallor, and the sauce meant to be poured over the couscous had all the snap of a tin of generic tomato soup.”
• Linda checked out Yumioca and Shun, for bubble tea and snacks, respectively.
• Andrea offers her thoughts on Alberta Hotel Bar and Kitchen.
• Andrea is also the latest to cover XIX Nineteen’s new St. Albert location.
• Some restaurant closings: The Cheese Factory looks like it is becoming a Dixie Lee Fried Chicken and Seafood Restaurant, and the Whyte Avenue Elephant & Castle will shutter on December 21, 2015.
• It’s list season: The Globe and Mail highlights the 10 best restaurant openings in Alberta. The Edmonton picks: XIX Nineteen, Nongbu, Solstice, Bar Bricco, and Rostizado. As Robyn pointed out – it’s unfortunate that the latter two actually opened in 2014 (Solstice opened right at the end of 2014, so it could be considered for 2015).
• Similarly, Huffington Post rounded up some of 2015’s best restaurant openings as well. The eateries that made the list: Nongbu, Little Brick, 12 Acres, Buco and Prairie Noodle Shop. I’m not sure pop-up events should be considered the same as having a brick and mortar restaurant, so I think the last one should have really been considered for next year.
• The Local Good highlights some of the changes that resulted in North 53’s success this year.
• Liane covered the recent Slow Food Edmonton wild game dinner held at RGE RD last week.
• What is it like for those in the kitchen who have food allergies? Vue Weekly chats with two chefs who have adapted to the challenge.
• I missed linking to Linda’s Seen and Heard podcast last week.
• At Southgate over the weekend, we noticed the garbage disposal area featured a bin for unopened condiments, to be directed to the Edmonton Food Bank. It was empty at the time, but it seems like a good idea to divert additional waste.

Diverting waste at Southgate Centre

• I was lucky enough to attend the Cocktails Perfected launch at the Hotel Macdonald last week with Liane. I found my new favourite, the Right Word, with lime, gin, lillet blanc and St. Germain. Delicious!

Right Word at the Confederation Lounge

• I don’t indulge in buffets very often, so a volunteer appreciation dinner at Khazana on Wednesday was a treat. Paneer FTW!

My (first) plate at Khazana

• Fifendekel launched their month-long Festival of Tarts on December 1, 2015, offering customers the chance to purchase a variety tray of tarts, chosen from twelve different savoury and sweet flavours just in time for the holidays. Cindy gives us a breakdown of the tastes to expect.
• I love the idea of Little Brick’s Home School – several mini sessions led by local experts. Their next series is all about Christmas, on December 10, 2015, and will teach about festive drinks, Christmas shortbread, and holiday arrangements. Tickets are $100.
• Elaine Wilson is hosting a by-donation bake sale on December 13, 2015, in support of the Wings of Providence. Head to the Abby Road Co-op (10950 82 Avenue) from 10am-3pm to partake in the sweet fun!
• The French Quarter Grand Market has transformed for the season into a Holiday Bazaar. Every Sunday until December 20, 2015, in addition to their core vendors, they are offering “an alternative shopping experience to the mall”, with numerous artisans and other festive perks.
• Blue Rose Vegan is offering another snack pack, this time themed for the holidays. The $50 order feeds four, and includes a vegan-friendly tourtiere, stuffing, roasted root vegetables, and dessert. Order for pick-up on December 19, 2015.
• Winefest will be back February 12-13, 2016, and early bird tickets are already on sale. The discounted admission is available until January 8, 2016.
• Congratulations to Sweet Lollapalooza who just opened up their second location in Calgary!
• The hotly-anticipated Prairie Noodle Shop just released their menu for your viewing pleasure.
• The winter issue of The Yards released the winners of their first annual Best in the Core awards last week. Congrats to Coffee Bureau for the recognition as the Best Coffee Shop and Remedy for the Best Late Night Eats.
• Twyla is the first to review Juniper Café & Bistro in Strathearn, and the dishes look delectable. You can listen to her CBC review here.
• Sambol Kitchen posts another rave review, this time from Chris.
• Eva shared her thoughts on XIX Nineteen’s new St. Albert location.
• Chris took in the most recent Swine and Dine at the Hotel Macdonald – looks like it was a great meal!
• Phil has returned with the third round of the Great Edmonton Perogy Showdown, which will lead to the final throwdown between the top contenders of each previous round.
• Also from Phil, his latest Off Menu podcast is now up, and it features the boys behind The Local Omnivore, Mark Bellows and Ryan Brodziak.
• Karlynn Johnson’s forthcoming Fall 2016 Random House cookbook now has a title: Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky!
• Are you a #yegfood chef who wants to showcase your skills on the Edmonton Home and Garden Show stage? The organizers are taking applicants now.
• I meant to share this sooner – Julie Van Rosendaal had a great idea for a reverse advent calendar as a way to give back over the holidays. Instead of emptying a slot, you fill one in with an item needed by the Food Bank.
• Calgary’s Fiasco Gelato has put together some charming hot chocolate/marshmallow gift sets for the holidays. We found these at The Italian Centre.

Drinking chocolate and coffee ‘mallows

• For a lunch at Thanh Thanh with colleagues this week, I tried the Bun Bo Hue. Though I felt like I was cheating on King Noodle House, I enjoyed the prominent lemongrass flavour of the broth. I did wish that they used thicker noodles, however!

Bun Bo Hue from Thanh Thanh