Tag: notes

Food Notes

  • If you’re in the downtown area at lunch hour on Friday, be sure to check out the Chili Cook-off at Scotia Place. Sample chili and check out the rodeo atmosphere!
  • The Hat opened last week (why restaurants don’t get their websites together prior to the launch is beyond me). Here’s a short primer article about it in the Journal – The Hat’s focus is on burgers.
  • Christopher Thrall wrote a great piece about the family behind New Asian Village this week.
  • I saw a news story recently about Health Fare (10865 23 Avenue), a restaurant that bills itself as a ‘healthy fast food’ outlet. They apparently have a computer that will help you determine the appropriate number of calories to consume per meal, and entrees with total caloric content listed. A little too much work for me, but might be interesting to try.
  • A quick decision at the Kingsway Garden Mall food court yielded me a plate of Butter Chicken from Badass Jack’s. There was a funny colour to the sauce (almost salmon), but had the chicken been even a little bit moist, I would have forgiven the aesthetics of the dish.

 

Badass Jack’s Butter Chicken

  • I had a Panino Veneto at the City Centre location of Caffe Sorrentino last week. It was smokin’ hot, with a generous amount of melted cheese, but the brie pretty much overtook any turkey and cranberry mayo flavours that may have been present.

 

Panino Veneto (the sandwich really wasn’t green…the overhead fluorescent lights makes it appear so)

  • I tried Starbucks’ Perfect Oatmeal the other day (with a coupon), and it reminded me how much I dislike oatmeal (nothing against the Starbucks’ version). The packaging also seemed excessive – a plastic-wrapped spoon, plastic-encased raisins, a packet of brown sugar, and of course, the container of oatmeal itself.

 

Perfect Oatmeal

Food Notes

  • My blog turns two today! You know you’re addicted to the medium when you refer to some things occurring “before blog” and “after blog”, heh. I’m still enjoying the ride, and the slow expansion of my writing borders. Thanks always for reading!
  • Congratulations to Team NAIT, who performed superbly at the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany this weekend. Every member of the team medalled, and two competitors were able to secure gold. I was privileged enough to be invited to one of their practice sessions in September – click here to read.
  • Edmonton’s second Sobeys Urban Fresh, situated in the old location of Planet Organic Roots in the Garneau neighbourhood (8225 – 112 Street), opened last Thursday. As individual stores are designed with the immediate community in mind, this branch features a large floral selection because of the nearby hospital and frozen meals to cater to university students.
  • An interview with Chris Lachance, head of the Century Hospitality Group that just opened Hundred Bar Kitchen, reveals that he has plans for a sushi concept named Stingray tentatively slated for next spring.
  • Kerstin’s Chocolates, my favourite confectioner, will be unveiling a new Chocophilia bar at this weekend’s Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival. They also have a new product that I’ll have to try: Chocolate Melt-aways, made with a mixture of chocolate and cocoa butter.
  • There’s a new Vietnamese place in town: My Tho (9261 – 34 Ave, 780-988-2968). It was reviewed in Vue Weekly this past week.
  • Edmonton’s newest duelling piano bar (who knew there was a market for this?), The Red Piano on Bourbon Street in West Edmonton Mall, will host its grand opening on October 31.
  • There has been some chatter on Connect2Edmonton about Nikita’s (and possibly Le Table de Renoir) having been shut down. Does anyone know anything new?
  • The Journal had a bit piece on Bistecca, the new Sorrentino’s Group outpost, last week.
  • FoodTV is looking for “restaurant scouts”: if you have a notable restaurant in your community, send it in and you’ll be considered for monthly prizes. November’s challenge is your local “hidden gem”.
  • Zagat reports that automated ordering is the way of the future. While I’m not sure I would enjoy interacting with screens beyond the initial novelty of it, I’d definitely try it out.

Food Notes

  • My latest post at FoodTV went live last week – I wrote about a coffee tasting experience I had at Transcend this summer. Mack’s more timely post can be found here.
  • I’m sure everyone who pays attention to the city’s culinary scene knows about the ill-timed closure of Il Portico by now – the building and lot having been purchased by the Alberta Blue Cross for additional staff parking. From how I read the article though, it seems like a deal would have happened sooner or later. It’s just even more unfortunate that the space won’t be filled by a similar establishment.
  • Hundred Bar & Kitchen released their menu online last week. The designers of it – both graphic and culinary – deserve some applause, as I can just see the downtown post-work crowd (myself included) salivating at their creative take on appetizers and share plates. There has been some discussion as to whether or not they are more of a bar or a lounge – to me they are a hybrid of both, in the true resto-pub sense, and the fact that patrons can make reservations on-line seems to speak to Hundred’s alignment with more traditional restaurants. This may be a bad time for any restaurant to be introducing a $100 entree into the market however – I’d be curious to see how many of “The Hundred” (100 gr. Kobe medallion, 100 gr. lobster tail, seared foie gras, caramelized shallot mash, porcini mushroom demi, truffle butter) they sell.
  • The Sorrentino’s Group has stealthily opened up a new “Italian Steakhouse Wine Bar” called Bistecca in the space that formerly occupied one branch of That’s Aroma (2345-111 Street). Wine bars seem to be joining the list of Edmonton’s current culinary trends which include gastropubs and places that serve only tapas/small plates.
  • The Journal reviewed the new-ish Quan’s Cafe this weekend.
  • I took a look at the Edmonton page on Open Table recently, and 20 more restaurants have jumped on the bandwagon since my first look last spring, where a measly 16 establishments were listed. I love the ease of being able to make reservations any time of day (and their snazzy e-mail invitations are pretty cute too).
  • I have been eying Second Cup granola bars ever since I saw them on store shelves.  I finally bit the bullet last week and purchased a box. The bar had an aroma of coffee about it, which was nice, but overall, it tasted very similar to the Quaker yogurt-coated granola bars that I have tried previously. While it didn’t quite quench my thirst for a latte, it made a nice afternoon snack.

 

Second Cup Cafe Delights

  • I had an opportunity to visit Handy Bakery (8660 118 Avenue, 780-477-8842) for lunch the other day. I was curious to see whether or not their fresh, deli-made sandwiches would be better than those found at the Italian Bakery. I was able to build my sandwich with either mayo, mustard, or vegetable spread (I chose the latter), one meat from the case, cheese, and my choice of vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, peppers). Though the bread was remarkably good (and dare I say better than the Italian Bakery’s buns), there was something about the sandwich that wasn’t as satisfying as the Italian Bakery.

 

Small sandwich with turkey breast ($3)

Food Notes

  • It’s your last chance this year to soak up the outdoor market atmosphere at the City Centre Market this Saturday and bid adieu to the wonderful producers that grace 104th Street, at least until May 2009.
  • Hundred Bar & Kitchen, previewed in Bistro last week, is hoping to open this week. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Chris Lachance.
  • Devlin’s has delayed the launch of its fall menu (which was initially slated for September 30). The cocktail lounge hopes to begin offering its seasonal dishes in the next few weeks.
  • The Hat Resto-Pub (the latest incarnation of The Silk Hat), is set to open on October 24.
  • Xtreme Asian Fusion (I still don’t know if this, or Phobulous, wins the award for worst Asian restaurant name in the city) received a favourable review in the Journal this week. Count me surprised, but then again, I was so off-put by the name that I would need prodding to walk through the eatery’s doors.
  • I was wondering about the south side location of Cafe Select, as it seemed to be closed during prime dining periods whenever I passed by. I noticed the other day that the interior has since been gutted, and the location removed from the website. I’m guessing this second branch was losing money for the company?
  • An interesting Q & A with Eugenio Rodrigues, co-owner of the Doggie Style Deli, the only restaurant in the city that literally caters to the dogs.
  • It’s one of my favourite commercial events of the year – when Starbucks releases their red cups and holiday drinks. Expect cups in stores on November 4th, with drinks to follow on November 28th. Details here.
  • The New York Times read my mind: I was just thinking about alternative uses for my rice cooker, and then this great starter article appeared.
  • Mack sent me a link to a convenience product that seems wholly unnecessary: peanut butter slices.
  • Given my terrible track record with finishing novels, it’s a miracle I ever completed reading Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma at all. It was a testament to the book itself – Pollan’s ease of translating some fairly complex processes into layman’s terms and his delicious curiosity into the subject made it an enjoyable read. The chapter about Polyface Farm was my definite favourite, and made me appreciate ecosystems in a way I never thought possible.
  • I tried the new Signature Hot Chocolate at Starbucks, pricey at $3.69 for a tall. It is quite a rich drink, good for those cold winter nights in front of a fire, but definitely not something I’d have every day.

Starbucks’ Signature Hot Chocolate

  • While it probably isn’t the best time to be lurking in dollar store aisles to hunt for cheap food deals (with the breadth of food scares lately), I can’t seem to resist a good bargain. Dollarama had boxes of “Pad Thai” for sale, which I bought for my emergency food cabinet at work. I had it for lunch the other day, and have to say it was quite disappointing, and not at all like the photo. Thankfully, it was only a dollar. What’s the best deal you’ve swiped for $1?

 

Pad Thai

 

Pad Thai prepared

Food Notes

  • I noticed the other day that Essence Organic Tea Bar (10011 102 Ave) has shut down for good; it lasted about a year. I think their somewhat hidden location and no evening hours didn’t help matters.
  • Mack sent me a link about the Art Gallery of Alberta‘s Request for “Expressions of Interest from qualified restauranteurs to create, lease and operate a casual fine dining restaurant/café and provide catering services for the facility.” I hope the restaurant is at least partly situated in the space that juts out and overlooks Churchill Square. And depending on the restaurant that ends up in the gallery, the view may only be one aspect to be excited about.
  • With options like Thai Express and Oodle Noodle that are so much better, I am still left scratching my head at why Edmonton has so lovingly embraced Wok Box. Apparently, we are going to inflict sub-par food on visitors to our fair city too – Mack sent me a link about an upcoming Wok Box opening at the airport in December.
  • I don’t often post about bars or clubs on my blog, but Play Nightclub (10233 103 St), the new queer club to hit the scene, will be offering up their space to non-profit and community groups when not in use. That definitely warrants a mention. The group partly behind Play (who also runs Oil City Roadhouse, The Globe, and Fluid among others), is also behind the upcoming restoration of The Silk Hat.
  • Mark your calendars: Hundred Bar & Kitchen (10136 100 Street, 780-425-0100), the new Century Hospitality venture, will open its doors on October 2.
  • Another one from Mack – local restaurants will be donating their leftover fare to the Edmonton Food Bank to help feed the hungry.
  • Bistro began a new monthly section called “Trade Secrets” last week, where culinary experts will answer pressing reader questions on anything from proper ingredient preparation to dish ideas.
  • Funny how places that are community favourites can so easily fall under the radar. Happy Garden is an example, reviewed in the Journal this weekend.
  • Mack and I wandered around the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market on Saturday. It’s been a while since I’d been there (I prefer open-air markets when possible), and I was surprised at how much larger it was than I remembered. We picked up some produce from Peas on Earth for my Mum and some Catfish Coffee Roasters for us. After the City Centre Market shuts down for the season, I may have to sneak back – for the produce and the atmosphere.

 

Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market

 

Inside

 

Catfish Coffee (thanks, Adam, for the pointer)

 

Fall harvest from Riverbend Gardens

Food Notes

  • Via Chowhound: Bacon, the eatery known for locally-sourcing ingredients and serving up comfort food favourites, closed as of September 9. Their message indicates that the proprietors may move into a different space in the future, but provide no details.
  • Xtreme Asian Fusion (with a name like that, how can they go wrong?) is hosting their grand opening on September 15. Located at 10508 101 Street, phone (780) 413-3338.
  • Whimsical Cupcakes (14910 45 Avenue) will be offering their first-ever Happy Hour on September 27. Samples of “Ruby”, along with “shots” of milk will be free, and cupcakes will be priced at a discounted $1.75 each.
  • Today was the last day to get discounted early bird tickets to the upcoming Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival, running October 22-25 at the Shaw Conference Centre. I think I’ll only end up going if they have coupons for free food and drink tickets in the paper, as per last year.
  • Liane Faulder published her first in a series of many to come about home entertaining. I like the angle (everyday cooks with good ideas), but I hope for two things: that the cooking starts to reflect the change in season around us (this week’s was decidedly summery), and that she features at least one party based in an apartment/condo/similarly small space.
  • Mack told me about two episodes on SmibsTV featuring Poul Mark of Transcend Coffee – worth a look if you want to learn more about the local roaster.
  • For those early risers – McDonald’s is giving away free small cups of coffee for the month of September…between 5 and 7am.
  • Joining Daniel Boulud in Vancouver, Jean-Georges Vongerichten will be opening Market in the new Shangri-La Hotel in January 2009.
  • A related article, about Daniel Boulud’s New York invitation to three of Vancouver’s top chefs – apparently there is more camaraderie between chefs in Vancouver than in Toronto.
  • My friend Caezer introduced Annie and I to the Old Szechuan Restaurant (10703 103 Street) recently. I would never, ever, have wandered into the converted house on my own, and was really surprised to find that it was actually quite busy. We ordered a good cross-section of dishes, all exceptionally spicy, but all prepared quite well. Though I can’t say I’ll be back (even tea couldn’t help alleviate the spice), it was a good reminder to be careful to not always judge a restaurant by its cover.

 

Ma Po Tofu (Echo would be proud that I ordered this)

 

Boiled Lamb (tasted better than it sounds)

 

Diced chicken and peppers (as spicy as it looks)

Food Notes

  • Liane Faulder wrote about a new sushi place called Teriyaki Corner (6290 199 Street NW) and about the forthcoming opening of a second Sobeys Urban Fresh on campus. I still have no idea what the Journal is doing to her (or what she is doing to herself…I still can’t figure it out) – the front page article this past week was a reprint from a Canwest affiliate, and her only contribution was a compilation of little pieces of news. The only article so far that I’ve really enjoyed of hers was a few weeks back, about her crash course at the NAIT School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. Obviously, the market scene still belongs to Judy Schultz, but Liane needs to carve out her identity, pronto.
  • There’s a new cafe in town: Danilo’s is a new caffe bar in Westmount (118 Avenue and St. Albert Trail). It received a mixed review in the Journal a month ago.
  • Devlin’s received an absolutely rocking review in the Journal this weekend. Great for Executive Chef Sebastian Lysz.
  • While I’m sure the September 17 FEASTival of Fine Chefs will be great (sold out a month in advance), it’s hard to imagine paying $105 for a meal. Of course, at this point, I am used to paying upwards of $40 a plate without blinking, so perhaps I just need some time to build up a price tolerance.
  • The New York Times did a piece about Susur Lee’s preparations for his first venture into the city’s dining scene. He seems eerily unfazed by the pressure.
  • Worth a visit for the name alone, New York’s upcoming Permanent Brunch will offer a “bacon list” in place of a typical wine list. The owner’s bacon tasting strategy cracked me up: “We’ll taste four or five things and then do a shot of Lipitor.”
  • I stopped by City Centre Mall last week and came across a makeshift cafe offering free samples of Nescafe coffee. Bright orange and brown signage, funky acrylic furniture, and a tidy coffee bar drew my attention easily, and I was able to get a sample of the caramel latte for free (decent, creamy drink from powder). It turns out the cafe has been making the rounds around shopping malls in Edmonton, and City Centre was their last stop. They will be there until September 9.

 

Nescafe cafe

  • On our way to the City Centre Market this weekend, we passed by the Beaver Hills Park on 105th Street and picked up some free corn, courtesy of the Downtown Edmonton Community League.

 

With corn

  • We stopped by the Sunshine Organics booth for a bit of breakfast at the Market. We each had a Bean North Roasters coffee ($2.15) and a Ham, Egg and Cheese Bun ($6). Made with a spelt bun and topped with a tomato, it felt like the healthiest breakfast either of us had eaten in some time.

 

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bun from Sunshine Organics

  • After picking up a few things, we wandered into 29 Armstrong (10129 104 Street), a design-forward furniture store in the Warehouse District, where we took in a few clever installations. I also learned from City Palate that the store doubles as a cafe, offering Transcend-roasted coffee and Vietnamese subs and desserts from Nhon Hoa.

 

One of 29 Armstrong’s installations

Food Notes

  • Kerstin’s Chocolates has reopened after their summer holiday and will be holding a special event for their “VIPs” on Thursday, September 4 from 5-9pm, with free drinking chocolate, an unveiling of their new products, and launching of a wedding cake service (with samples). Head to The Cocoa Room (10139 112 Street) if you’re interested.
  • For those in the downtown core, the 9th annual 4 Corners BBQ takes place this Friday, September 5th. Head to Abbey Glen Park (102 Street and Jasper Avenue) for a $5 barbecue lunch.
  • The Downtown Edmonton Community League is hosting their annual Corn Fest on September 6 at Beaver Hills Park (105 Street and Jasper Avenue). I’m not sure what’s involved, but I’m assuming corn will be served in some capacity.
  • At my local Panago yesterday, I picked up a copy of “Panago Cucina”, a beautifully put-together magazine featuring recipes using their house line of products including oils and seasoning salts. They’ve really done a great job marketing their brand as one offering “upscale” pizza.
  • Even for those on the waffle side of the fence, the idea of spraying pancake batter from an aerosol can must be an irresistible selling factor of Batter Blaster. I must admit, even from the review on Chow, I’d buy it for the novelty factor alone.
  • Mack and I stopped by the St. Albert Farmers’ Market just before heading off to Goose Lake on Saturday. As I was in the mood for produce and edibles, I was disappointed to see that the majority of the vendors were selling crafts or jewelry that day. After walking through, we went back and picked up some blackberries, tomatoes, basil and homemade cookies.

 

At the market

Food Notes

  • There’s a new restaurant on the block: Twisted Fork (11162 82 Avenue, (780) 761-3675) was reviewed by See Magazine last week.
  • It seems the space that housed the historic Silk Hat is due to be revitalized again. There have been help wanted ads in Vue Weekly for The Hat Resto-Pub. I wonder why they chose the word “resto-pub” instead of the more trendy and current “gastropub”?
  • Sorrentino’s annual and very popular Mushroom Harvest is on September 1-30. Just don’t make the mistake I did last year and call to make sure the location you’re heading to is actually offering the special dishes that day.
  • My sister (a Sobeys employee) let me know that Sobeys is unleashing their own version of a membership card in September called ClubSobeys. Points accumulated can be redeemed as cash discounts towards future purchases or as Aeroplan Miles – score one for Sobeys!
  • I was disappointed to see that Aaron McCargo Jr. won this season of The Next Food Network Star. I was cheering for Lisa Garza, a master of entertaining, but given her panache for fashion and her cooking style, Giada de Laurentiis may have vetoed her win.
  • Mack and I tried a classic sausage and egg Starbucks breakfast sandwich while in Vancouver on the weekend. It was ready in no time and piping hot to boot, but I didn’t get a chance to see how they warmed it. I have to agree with Mack – it is a far cry from the similar sandwiches available at McDonald’s and Tim Horton’s, but as they are available all day, and are cheaper than the $5.95 sandwiches in the cooler, I can see why some people would opt for the eggy treat.

Starbucks Breakfast Sandwich

Food Notes

  • Salisbury Greenhouses recommences their farmer’s market on Saturday, September 4, and from then on, will be Sherwood Park’s first year-round market. The vendor list isn’t up yet, but check their website for updates.
  • I can’t for the life of me remember the name of the small Italian Cafe that was sandwiched between a Sorrentino’s and the Italian Centre in Little Italy, but it the space has been taken over and will reopen as Spinelli’s – the cafe owned and operated by the folks behind the Italian Centre.
  • A coworker of mine said that the Blue Nile (10875 98 Street) is closing due to increasing rent prices. The restaurant has been on my list to try for some time, but I never made it out.
  • The Globe did a piece on the phenomenon of elusive supper clubs in large metropolitan centres. I wonder if any exist in Edmonton?
  • The paper also featured the Forbes list of the top-grossing chefs. Any guesses for who graces the top? It’s the EVOO-queen herself, Rachael Ray, coming in at $18 million. Oprah would be proud.
  • Until Liane Faulder pointed it out, I had no idea that 2008 is the year of the potato. Find out more here.
  • Mack sent me a list to this site, all about the unusual things people eat, and I came across this post about pasta available in interesting shapes. What would TJ Dawe say?
  • Would you pay more money if the menu listings didn’t include a dollar sign? A recent study says yes.
  • Los Angeles has put a moratorium on new fast food restaurants for one year. This New York Times piece briefly explores the question on whether or not cities should legislate personal choice.
  • Mack is nuts about Melona, when he can find it that is. A “South Korean melon-flavoured creamsicle” (or so says Wikipedia), it’s a little expensive, but a unique alternative to the sugar-based popsicles. We found some at the Italian Centre recently (79 cents for one bar), though they’re also sold at T & T at West Edmonton Mall and the Korean Central Market (9271 34 Avenue).

 

Mack thinking someone is going to steal his banana Melona