• Alberta Beer Week runs September 25 – October 3, 2015, with tastings and beer dinners to look forward to. Jason Foster will also be leading another Edmonton Beer History Tour.
• A Bao Bun pop-up dinner will be taking place at Dovetail on September 27, from 4-8pm.
• Sustainable Food Edmonton is hosting an inaugural fundraising dinner on October 3, 2015 at the Arts Barns. Tickets are $52.35, with proceeds supporting their programs including Little Green Thumbs and Community Gardens.
• It looks like a Mediterranean restaurant has moved into the former Creole Envie space called Olio D’oliva (6509 112 Avenue).
• Cindy visits BRU Coffee and Beer House in Oliver, which just celebrated their grand opening over the weekend.
• Twyla was not impressed by Refinery Grill (10406 Mayfield Road), and wonders if that area of the city is the Bermuda Triangle of bad #yegfood.
• Cheryl highly recommends Buco, the pizza-focused restaurant opened by the Sorrentino’s Group in St. Albert. She claims it is better than Famoso, and on par with Rosso.
• Andrea is the latest to review Sambol Sri Lankan Kitchen.
• Chris recapped the latest Swine and Dine event, a delectable brunch at Packrat Louie.
• Speaking of brunch, Linda’s latest “Edmonton A to Z Restaurant Series” features Café Bicyclette.
• The Journal also kicked off a brunch series, with initial reviews of the Highlevel Diner, Culina Muttart and Canteen. This has nothing to do with the food, but will we ever reach a point where we won’t assume that the default mode of transportation is a vehicle?
• Lillian shared her experience of the FEASTival of Fine Chefs dinner last week at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Congratulations to Giselle Courteau and her team behind the Duchess Cookbook for their Taste Canada win of best English single subject cookbook!
• I was really sorry to hear that Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton had their shed broken into last week, and parts for their apple crusher stolen.
• It looks like a My Fries might be coming downtown to Rice Howard Way.

My Fries

• The new Hoang Long Fresh Market is now open at First & Jasper (10065 Jasper Avenue). Lincoln has a closer look at the self-serve set-up inside.

Hoang Long Fresh Market

• Signage for the forthcoming Joey’s in the Bell Tower downtown is now up.

Joey’s

• I love the redesign of the Bles Wold yogurt. It’s something Mack and I buy religiously, so the logo doesn’t really matter to us, but the more modern look might catch the eye of consumers unfamiliar with their product!

Bles Wold yogurt

• I had linked to a new restaurant in San Francisco last week that is almost fully-automated. I didn’t know we had a similar system at some McDonald’s locations in Edmonton. At a Sherwood Park branch, we punched in our order and paid using a touch screen and only interacted with someone to be handed our order. Is this the future?

McDonald’s automated system

• We had our last What the Truck?! team meeting of the season at Cibo Bistro (which has a great nook for groups of up to 8). I had been wanting to return to Cibo for some time. The service was great, and for the most part, I enjoyed the food. The veal agnolotti with summer truffle was well-cooked, but I would have appreciated a touch more sauce.

Veal agnolotti

• Before Pecha Kucha last week, Annie and I met up for dinner at L’Azia. I was curious about their new menu, which, as promised, featured some Asian/fusion fare. I was happy with the misoyaki butterfish ($27), served atop wild rice. Service could have been better, but it seemed they were unusually busy that night.

Misoyaki butterfish at L’Azia

• Mack and I managed to satisfy our Bun Bo Hue craving before King Noodle House closed for holidays (and re-opens on September 30, 2015).

Bun Bo Hue from King Noodle House

• Yes, it’s fall – a time for squash of all kinds!

Squash from Riverbend Gardens at the City Market

• The second annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at Churchill Square is taking place on September 19, 2015, from 1-10pm. There will be food trucks and of course, moon cakes!
• The next Alberta Pork Swine & Dine event is brunch at Packrat Louie on September 20, 2015. A three-course meal is just $30.
• Cook it Raw Alberta is hosting a pop-up dinner at RGE RD on September 21, 2015, featuring Cook it Raw founder Alessandro Porcelli. Tickets are $150 each.
• The second annual Dig In Festival runs October 1-3, 2015 in St. Albert. Workshops include bacon making, coffee tasting, gardening and foraging. Tickets for select workshops are limited – sign up soon to have your pick!
• The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is scheduled for November 6-7, 2015 at the Shaw Conference Centre, but the early bird discount for tickets ends September 25, 2015.
• Chefs Daniel Huber (formerly of the Pourhouse Bier Bistro) and Levi Biddlecombe (of Attila the HUNgry) have partnered together for Buddha Boys. They’re looking into opening a new restaurant in Edmonton and bottling their own line of sodas.
• Hungry for wings? Vue Weekly investigates some of the city’s wing specials for you.
• The return of the automat: a restaurant in San Francisco is testing customers’ appetites for minimal human interaction with almost fully automated operations.
• On the way home on Sunday, we stopped by Bru Coffee and Beer House, located in the Pearl (11965 Jasper Avenue). It’s been open for a few weeks, but is gearing up for its grand opening on September 19, 2015, from 2pm-late. Bru serves Transcend, Phil & Sebastian and Bows + Arrows Coffee, and on tap Alley Kat beers. It’ll be great to have another locally-owned coffee shop with hours after 5pm.

Bru Coffee and Beer House

• We had to make the most of what may be our last blast of summer – first with a visit to the 124 Grand Market on Thursday. The market runs until October 8, 2015.

Buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches and poutine from Drift

• Saturday was also the perfect patio day, and a few friends and I took advantage of it on the lush Manor Café porch.

Mac and cheese with braised beef short rib from Manor Café

Hope you’re gearing up for our final What the Truck?! event of the season! Join us at Churchill Square on September 11, 2015, from 4-8pm and try to eat your way through 35 trucks. On to this week’s food notes:

• I’m looking forward to attending the Red Shoe Crawl on 124 Street on September 13, 2015 from 1-5pm. Tickets are $45 for adults and $20 for children, with all proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House. Some of the participating vendors include new restaurant reLISH Gourmet Burgers, the always decadent Duchess Bake Shop and the family favourite Carol’s Quality Sweets.
• Sorrentino’s has kicked off their 21st annual Mushroom Festival, which runs for the month of September. Linda and Cindy share some of the dishes you can expect.
• Island Café & Bistro opened back in July at 9923 170 Street and serves Malaysian cuisine.
• The Local Omnivore is the latest food truck business to move into a brick and mortar storefront, with their new sandwich shop expected to open in November at 10933 120 Street.
• Liane shares that popular west end establishment Bon Ton Bakery has added a new coffee bar to their existing space.
• Crystal reviewed the often overlooked Café Caribe, located next to Tres Carnales on Rice Howard Way.
• Graham highly recommends the Peruvian food at Azucar Picante.
• L’Azia has revamped their menu again just in time for fall, and both Linda and Crystal have already had the chance to try it.
• Eat Your City visited the revamped Gama Café in Old Strathcona for a taste of Taiwanese desserts and drinks.
• The Local Good recaps the third SalvagED event at the end of August that repurposed food that would have otherwise been discarded. It was hosted by the Alder Society at Earth’s General Store.
• Phil offers a list of is five favourite food trucks in Edmonton.
• Liane tries out the NoWait app at Rostizado, which allows customers to place themselves on an electronic wait list from home.
• I missed linking to this last week – I’m glad to see that Burrow in the Central LRT station is back to its regular operating hours after sorting out security issues with the City.
• International chain Oil & Vinegar will be opening up an Edmonton location in Commerce Place some time this month.

Oil & Vinegar

• I had lunch at Rostizado for the first time, and learned that they had a daily weekday lunch feature. Even still, I couldn’t pass up a rosti pollo sandwich. Delectable.

Rotisserie chicken sandwich at Rostizado

• Mack and I met up with Dave and Jenn and headed to St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Parish (9831 75 Street) for its monthly pyrohy supper. $13 for a plate of a dozen homemade perogies, sausage, salad and dessert. They have two other upcoming dates: October 2 and November 6, from 5-7:30pm.

Pyrohy plate at St. Andrew’s

Although fall isn’t officially ushered in for a few weeks, with the close of August, autumn feels inevitable. Hope you’re making the most of our last long weekend of the summer! On to this week’s food notes:

• Chef Tony Krause (formerly of The Salt Room, at the now defunct Mother’s Market), is hosting a pop-up dinner at Privada on September 7, 2015. Tickets are $60.
• The Edmonton and Area Land Trust is hosting a five-course dinner at Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm to be prepared by Chef Blair Lebsack of RGE RD on September 13, 2015. The funds raised go towards securing and stewarding land in the Edmonton region. Tickets are $250 per person (a tax receipt for $120 will be issued).
• The big news this week is that Tavern 1903 will be empty no more: Chef Spencer Thompson of Toast Fine Catering (based at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market) is taking over the space to open in October under a new name.
• Ramen lovers, rejoice: Kazoku (16518 100 Avenue) is coming soon.
• Vue Weekly published a positive review of reLISH Gourmet Burgers, which has joined the growing ranks of 124 Street restaurants.
• Liv is the latest to visit Rogue Wave Coffee, the newest of Edmonton’s third wave coffee shops.
• El Cortez celebrated its first birthday, but feels like it is just coming into its own.
• Where Edmonton has a round-up of 20 local eateries that are over 20 years old. Some surprises for me: Red Ox Inn and Doan’s.
• While I’m skeptical that Rogers Place will have truly “distinctive tastes of Edmonton” or “local food” with Aramark at the helm, there is some room for optimism. While volume will certainly be a concern, perhaps Rogers can go the route of MacEwan, which has incorporated great establishments like S’wich, Lan’s Asian Grill, Get Cooking and Filistix in and amongst its Aramark-run brands.
• This really is the year of #yegfood crowdfunding projects. Prairie Noodle Shop joins the list, requesting funding to help them.
• Fruits of Sherbrooke has their own Kickstarter campaign called Project Fruit Stars. They hope to raise $17,000 to put towards upgrading their operation to produce 50,000 dehydrated apple snacks for the E4C School Nutrition Program this December.
• Cindy’s feature on farmers’ market vendors continues with a profile on Frosty Fox Ice Cream, who sells at the City Market.
• How might you feel after waiting on the super-rich at a high-end restaurant, day in and day out? This might capture it.
• I used to love the novel chip flavours that rotated through every season, but it barely registers with me now. Have you tried the temporary Lays series?
• Mack and I finally stepped into Sante (10184 104 Street) this week, and found out that they sell Phil & Sebastian beans (dangerous for us). While we haven’t tried any of their food yet, here’s their menu.

Sante

• I made a beeline for Pho Tau Bay on Tuesday, their first day open after their usual summer hiatus. I didn’t realize how much I missed their pho until the steaming bowl of noodles was placed in front of me.

My usual at Pho Tau Bay

• I met up with a friend at Dovetail on Thursday night for a light supper before a stroll through the 124 Grand Market. Their corned beef was delicious!

Corned beef sandwich and samosas from Dovetail

• After a day of canoeing down the North Saskatchewan, Mack and I were in no shape to cook on Saturday. Thankfully, Blue Plate Diner is stumbling distance away from our condo, and their shephard’s pie more than hit the spot.

Shephard’s pie and sweet potato fries from Blue Plate Diner

I was flattered when Karen asked me to be a part of a Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast, her series that highlights local online content creators. We had a great conversation about some of the changes in the food blogging scene since I started nine years ago, among other things. Thanks again for having me, Karen! On to this week’s food notes:

• The third SalvagED lunch at Earth’s General Store Downtown will pop-up on August 25, 2015 from 11am-2pm. The meal is put together using ingredients that would have been otherwise discarded.
• Little Brick is planning an end-of-summer shindig on August 28, 2015, from 6-9pm, with food, drinks, games and music.
• The annual Viva Italia Viva Edmonton event is planned for August 30, 2015, from 12-9pm in Giovanni Caboto Park (95 Street & 109 Avenue).
• The next Staff Meal is taking place on the Senger Farm on August 30, 2015, featuring a supper inspired by Latin American fire cooking. Tickets are $95, and include a return bus trip to the farm.
• I’d be remiss if I didn’t also remind you all to save the date for the finale of our 2015 What the Truck?! season, taking place at Churchill Square on September 11, from 4-8pm. Expect 35 trucks.
• The 4th annual Edmonton Beer Geeks Anonymous’ Real Ale Festival runs September 12, 2015. The $30 tickets will sell out fast, but if you want an idea of what to expect, check out Jason’s recap from last year.
• BRU Coffee + Beer House, located at the Pearl (11965 Jasper Avenue) is now open, though for the time being, is only offering espresso-based drinks and pastries.
• Sante, a café that offers healthful salads, sandwiches and drinks, is now open on 104 Street, in the space formerly occupied by Carbon (10184 104 Street).
• The Journal reviewed Tapavino (11011 Jasper Avenue), a wine bar featuring small plates not unlike Niche, the restaurant it replaced.
• Cathy is the latest to check out Huma Mexican Food on the south side.
• Lots of love for Little Brick this week, courtesy of Andrea and Cathy.
• We heard through the grapevine that Mother’s Market (which announced its temporary closure on July 18, 2015), is permanently closed. They’ve deleted their Facebook and Twitter accounts; no word on what is to happen to the space.
• Congrats to Valerie and Cindy, whose blogs made the Williams Food Equipment list of “Top 25 Must Follow Canadian Food Bloggers”!
• I had no idea maple syrup was controlled by a quota system in Quebec, not unlike the dairy quota closer to home. It sounds like there are proponents on both sides.
• Before Dark Matters last week, Mack and I stopped by King Noodle House to quench our bun bo Hue craving. It worked.

Bun bo Hue from King Noodle House

• The What the Truck?! crew met over charcuterie and flatbread at Ampersand 27 tonight. I returned to the Forest Floor, but Mack’s Salty Pig was a really tasty diversion.

Forest Floor flatbread

Our penultimate What the Truck?! event of the 2015 season takes place on Saturday, August 22, 2015 from 4-8pm at Telus Field. Come join us for some eats on the outfield! On to this week’s food notes:

• Alberta Open Farm Days runs this weekend, August 22-23, 2015, and offer people the chance to visit and learn more about some of the wonderful farms and farmers in this province. Of note, Northlands is showcasing their urban agriculture project close to home, for those who don’t want to venture too far out.
• I remember Liane was one of the first to stoke the rumours about a Whole Foods coming to Edmonton (which turned out to be true), but I have to say I’m pretty skeptical about a Shake Shack expanding to Edmonton as its first Canadian location.
• Let’s hope Rostizado is the latest Edmonton restaurant destined for the prestigious enRoute list of Best New Restaurants. But in the meantime, you can do your part by voting for them in the People’s Choice category.
• Linda checked out an underrated restaurant on Edmonton’s southside called LETS Grill, specializing in cuisine found in northeast China.
• Liv enjoyed her experience at Ikki Izakaya, the second izakaya to open in Edmonton.
• It’s the end of an era for Happy Garden, at least in its current location. They’ve been given 3 months notice to vacate their storefront, and relocation isn’t guaranteed, as the family may not want to start from scratch.
• I was saddened to learn that The Bothy’s 124 Street location will be closed for the foreseeable future, due to declining foot traffic because of the 102 Avenue Bridge closure.
• I’m hoping for more pictures about the inaugural Feast on the Field fundraiser at Commonwealth Stadium – it sounds like it was a very unique evening with great food!
• I missed linking to Phil’s list of top 5 fried chicken in Edmonton last week.
• Let’s hope the sunshine isn’t gone for good – and when it comes back, here are some patio options from Avenue Edmonton to help make the most of those last summer rays.
• Sure, this video is portraying stereotypes of Asian restaurants versus mainstream establishments, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t make us laugh in parts.
• Mack and I took our parents to Café Amore last week to catch up over pasta. I think it was a point of pride for the men to clean their plates, while my Mum, Patti and I were content to take home the leftovers.

My favourite truffle pasta

It feels good to have finally finished up a big project at work over the weekend – so I’ll hopefully get to make the most of what’s left of summer! On to this week’s food notes:

• I’m so excited for the tour of El Mercado’s corn tortilla factory on August 15, 2015, from 10:30am-1:30pm. You may be familiar with their product already, as it is used at Tres Carnales and Rostizado, and available for sale at The Italian Centre and Tienda Latina (among other shops). The public is invited to come see how the tortillas are made, and to taste the products freshly made. El Mercado is located at 4723 101 Street.
• The next Edmonton Food Fight pits two vegan chefs against each other on August 17, 2015.
• Sturgeon County Bounty will be hosting Rostizado for a culinary cookout at Cardiff Park for al fresco tacos on August 21, 2015, from 4-8pm. Food tickets for 2-4 people cost $40.
• If you have a hankering for ice cream in the west end, you can now head over to a new 80 Flavours location by Meadowlark Mall on 87 Ave & 159 Street.
• Massawa Café & Bistro (10153 97 Street) looks like it’s ben open for more than a month. It’s located in the old City Market building.
• Twyla reviewed a new restaurant called Sambol Sri Lankan Kitchen (9261 34 Avenue) on the southside, opened by the family behind Razzelberries downtown that was forced to close due to a rent increase.
• The Journal reviewed Cured Wine Bar, the newest charcuterie/wine bar on Edmonton’s southside.
• Stephanie shared what seemed like a fabulous first pop-up for Crossroads, held at The Mercury Room. The dinner was inspired by “The Three Little Pigs” .
• Eat This Poem is featuring a literary city guide of Edmonton, including many great restaurant recommendations.
• Speaking of recommendations, Linda’s put together a list of her top 10 Chinatown spots (but in my opinion, I’d say the omission of Pho Tau Bay is glaring, though I know Linda still hasn’t been yet!).
• Although the study isn’t conclusive, recently released research is suggesting that spicy food may lower your risk of dying prematurely.
• Here’s another innovative way a company is trying to reduce food waste: taking unsold or ugly fruits and preserving them in freeze-dried form.
• Soylent, the food substitute, has just released its second version, a ready-to-drink bottled variety.
• For a late dinner last week, I finally introduced Mack to the brilliance of the build-your-own-soup at Tao Garden (9642 107 Avenue). Even better, their special noodle was ramen!

Ramen in satay soup with beef balls and tofu puffs

• We also finally checked out The Cone, Edmonton’s cutest soft serve ice cream trailer, parked just north of Wild Earth Bakery on 99 Street. I tried the French vanilla while Mack had the banana. Worth heading back for just to try some of the other flavours!

French vanilla from The Cone

• The What the Truck?! crew is getting ready for our next event at Telus Field on August 22, so we met over pizza at Packrat Louie tonight. Did you know the pizzas there are all $10 on Mondays?

Chorizo pizza from Packrat Louie

• Mack and I also had the pleasure of spending most of the weekend with his family, including a leisurely Sunday out at the guest house where his parents are staying near South Cooking Lake. Among its charming features: an honour-system jam, egg and pottery shed (we picked up a jar of Saskatoon jam).

Jam shed!

• And for dessert after our barbecue supper, Mack’s sister made some awesome apple pies.

Apple pie

It’s been a whirlwind of a long weekend, but a good one. Hope you’ve been enjoying the sun, as we go into our last month of summer (too soon, I know!). On to this week’s food notes:

• The 12th Summer Latin Fest takes place on August 9, 2015, from 10am-5pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish (11310 111 Ave), with 10 outdoor pavilions featuring food and entertainment.
• Sabor Divino’s annual Seafood Festival runs from July 31 – August 30, 2015. Lillian highlights some of the dishes you can expect.
• Northlands will be hosting an outdoor dinner at their Northlands Urban Farm in conjunction with Open Farm Days on August 23, 2015. Tickets are $80, excluding fees.
• The Red Shoe Crawl is hosting its next event on 124 Street on September 13, 2015. They haven’t announced the participating businesses yet, but stay tuned!
• Gail Hall has organized another local tour highlighting several Alberta farms, including Beary Berry Honey and Irvings Farm Fresh. The tour runs September 12-13, 2015.
• Good news for coffee lovers Downtown: Da Capo will be opening a second location at 9888 Jasper Avenue, some time in December or January.
• Great to know that there will be a solid pho option on the south side, with Pho Hoan Pasteur opening up another location in Mil Woods.
• Liv is the latest food blogger to review 12 Acres.
• CBC Radio collected some “hidden gems of Edmonton” from some local personalities, including Brittney who shared her favourite hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and Cindy who shared her secret coffee spots.
• Linda recapped her experience at Knifewear’s Cut Like a Chef knife skills class.
• Sugared & Spiced’s Cake Club is now live: limited to 50 members, the cake subscription lets you pick out 3 special dates in advance and will have a cake ready (and delivered to you, within the city) that day. Such a great idea.
• One of the latest local food-related Kickstarter Projects has been launched by Frickin Delight Donuts, who are seeking support to move into a bigger space. They’re hoping for $55,000 that will go towards increasing their production
• Cindy started a new blog series that will feature different vendors at farmers’ markets. First up: Serben’s Organic Farm.
• Vue Weekly updates the progress of the MacKinnon Ravine, the city’s first food forest, as it celebrates its first birthday.
• Why cry over spilt coffee if it can be turned into art like this?
• Mack and I joined his family to take in the Heritage Festival earlier today. It was a bit surprising that the festival didn’t do more to celebrate its 40th anniversary (there were some placards showcasing some of its history and photos from earlier events), but in a way, it is fitting, seeing as it would rather allow the pavilions and cultures speak for themselves. We did our best to try as many of the new pavilions as possible.

Lebanon was a big disappointment – the chicken shawarma was expensive at 8 tickets, but was small and cold.

The samosa from Rwanda (6 tickets) were hot, and filled to the brim with beef, onions and peas.

The mula beled, mulukhia (3 tickets) from South Sudan wasn’t listed on their signage, but was worth asking for from the program, as it was the best deal. The spinach and beef stew served over fufu could have used a bit of salt, but that was our only critique.

Haiti could have better advertised their pork (8 tickets), which was essentially deep-fried pork belly. It was a healthy serving that was meant to be shared among many.

Hope you enjoyed your Heritage Festival visit, too!

• The Mercury Room is hosting the Crossroads Pop-up Restaurant on August 9, 2015, with a farm-to-table event inspired by the story of “The Three Little Pigs”. Tickets are $55 each.
• Chef Christine Sandford (who just won the most recent Edmonton Food Fight) will be kicking off an interactive Dinner Club series at Get Cooking, with a sit-down, multi-course menu. It takes place August 11, 2015, with tickets at $100 each.
• The sixth incarnation of Jennifer Cockrall-King’s Okanagan Food & Wine Writers’ Workshop runs September 11-13, 2015. The early bird registration deadline has been extended to July 31.
• Sometimes you have to plan far ahead – Jacek has added new chocolate and coffee tasting dates for the fall – October 2 and November 18, 2015 at Credo Coffee on 124 Street.
• Jason shared that a new craft brewery and restaurant is in the works for Old Strathcona, called Situation Brewing.
• Andrea checked out Cured Wine Bar, and was impressed with their house-made charcuterie.
• Phil couldn’t get enough of fried chicken so put together another blind taste test of some of the city’s offerings.
• The Journal reviewed Memphis Blues Barbecue, which now has three locations in the Edmonton area.
• John Gilchrist, the restaurant critic from the Calgary Herald, stopped in Edmonton and named four restaurants worth the drive: Share, RGE RD, Glasshouse Bistro and Ampersand 27.
• It’s not great to hear about the potential closing of Burrow located in the Central LRT station due to security issues. I really hope something can be done to keep it open.
• T & T’s newest southside location (3451 Calgary Trail) is now open, and it’s no surprise the parking has been a gong show.
• Diner en Blanc will be back again on September 3, 2015. I’m happy to say I’ve done it once, and won’t need to do it again.
• Mack has me hooked on John Oliver’s long-form video commentaries on Last Week Tonight. Here are two food-related segments worth watching on food waste and chickens.
• Another State & Main is coming to Edmonton, this time at First & Jasper.

State & Main

• Spotted at the City Market: Reclaim Urban Farm is getting into the “ugly vegetables” movement, with some discounted hail-damaged greens on offer.

#uglyistastytoo from Reclaim Urban Farm

• Mack and I stopped by the start of the Burger Finals of the Canadian Food Championships at Centennial Plaza. I’m not sure what we were expecting, but based on the name “kitchen stadium”, we were anticipating a somewhat more raucous crowd. In some ways, it was too bad the competitors weren’t on a raised platform, or at least in a space with tiered seating so the feeling of a battle arena could be staged. It was just the first year, so hopefully the competitions are highlighted even more publically in the future. Congratulations to the winners!

Burger Finals at the Canadian Food Championships

• We also took in K-Days on the weekend, including our share of gluttonous food. I tried the glazed donut grilled cheese from Vancouver’s Melt Town Grilled Cheese, and was left disappointed. There wasn’t enough sweet-salty contrast for my taste.

Glazed donut grilled cheese

• I’m not the biggest football fan, but it’s an experience to attend a live game now and then. It was great to watch the Eskimos win their third in a row, and perhaps even sweeter that we were able to do it in the comfort and shelter of the President’s Suite (thanks, Mack!).

Go Esks Go!

• The second SalvagED pop-up is scheduled for July 24, 2015, from 11am-2pm at Earth’s General Store downtown. Taste how some of Edmonton’s best chefs transform produce that would otherwise be designated for the rubbish bin!
• The annual Pupusa Festival is taking place on July 25, 2015 from 12-8pm at the Alberta Avenue Community League.
• The Italian Centre invites you to join them for a Picnic in the Park on July 26, 2015 at Kinsmen Park from 11am-2pm. There will be activities and games for young and old, and of course, goodies from the Italian Centre for sale.
• Local author Kathryn Merrett has written a new book called Why Grow Here, about Edmonton’s horticultural history. The book launch is scheduled for July 27, 2015 at 7:30pm at the Central Lions Seniors Centre (11113 113 Street), with a talk about gardening in Edmonton and a reception.
• Cured Wine Bar (2307 Ellwood Drive), “specializing in cured meats, cheeses and locally sourced vegetables” is now open.
• Buco (Boudreau Road & Bellerose Drive), a Neopolitan pizza concept from the Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group, opens on July 27, 2015.
• It looks like HUMA Mexican Comfort, from the chef who brought us Taco Day at Expressionz Café, might be another solid addition to the city’s Mexican cuisine roster.
• A wave of Japanese restaurants has opened recently, starting with Sushi Park in St. Albert – Jonny had a very positive experience.
• Cindy checked out Ikki Izakaya, the newest restaurant in Oliver, on their first weekend.
• Phil organized a blind fried chicken tasting to find his favourite – who came out on top? I won’t spoil it for you.
• Mother’s Market has closed from July 18, 2015 until a to be determined date in September: “At this point we at Mother’s Market are striving to gain a good foundation, put our best foot forward to make the changes necessary, and give the market a clean break between what was and what will be.”
• Diane shared a Kickstarter Project she would back – twentyfour coffee, a Canadian craft coffee advent calendar. Neat idea!
• Chris tried Soylent – the meal replacement system that is engineered so you wouldn’t have to eat anything else ever again. Too good to be true?
• This was an eye-opening article about how California’s drought has changed some practices in home and restaurant kitchens. It is a reminder about how much more cognizant we could all be about our water use.
• We stopped by the Shaw Conference Centre on the weekend to check out Curtis Comeau’s exhibit “Off the Menu”. They were great photos, but we wished all of them had been labeled with the name of the restaurant or kitchen they were taken in. The free exhibit is on until August 16, 2015.

Off the Menu

• Relish Gourmet Burgers, a New Brunswick-based chain, opened its first western Canadian location on Saturday (10704 124 Street). While we didn’t have a chance to try the burgers yet, we took a look at the menu. All restaurants have one signature burger, and theirs is named after their dearly departed neighbour, The Roxy, because the theatre staff had been so supportive of the business.
  

  Relish Gourmet Burgers

• Mack and I spent a leisurely Saturday exploring some of Edmonton’s newest coffee shops on foot. First up was Rogue Wave Coffee (10517A 114 Street) in Queen Mary Park, the newest roasting business in the city. Their beans are still fairly exclusive to the café, but we enjoyed the single origin iced coffees that we tried that day. Cindy has a more in-depth write-up on the two Davids behind the business.

Rogue Wave Coffee

• We walked on to Barking Buffalo Café (10842 124 Street), a business that combines a love of fashion and coffee. The space is the retail front for Salgado Fenwick, but is also the only Edmonton café to serve up Pilot Coffee Beans from Toronto. We’ll be back!

Barking Buffalo Cafe

• Mack’s been picking up a lot of the dinner prep lately because of my late nights at work. It’s nice to come home to a home cooked supper after a long day at the office!

Yankee Fish Cakes (made with cod from Ocean Odyssey, over Sundog Organic greens and Gull Valley tomatoes)

• I stopped in at Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street) for lunch last week. Points for the hustle of their kitchen, as it may have been the quickest vermicelli bowl to appear in front of me! The portion was quite decent as well.

Vermicelli bowl with grilled chicken and spring rolls from Spring Roll Kitchen

• On a rainy day, a few coworkers and I were craving soup. So with Pho Tau Bay closed, we headed to King Noodle House for some Bun Bo Hue. It hit the spot.

Bun Bo Hue from King Noodle House

• We’ve been meaning to go back to Corso 32 for some time (shame on us), so we finally made a reservation (way in advance, of course). We didn’t regret it.

Mack when encountering arancini again