A Modern Addition: Grandin Fish and Chips

It’s been a while since Mack and I have made the effort to visit a new restaurant in its first week of operations, but in early March, Grandin Fish and Chips fit the bill when we didn’t want to wander too far for some fried delights.

Fish and chips-focused joints aren’t new to Edmonton: Joey’s, Back Home, Sir Winston’s, and Brit’s are familiar, and for some, institutional. But Grandin Fish and Chips is a modern addition to the scene, and dares to offer fresh seafood on its menu.

Sister restaurant and block neighbour The Common adopted a patio to enhance the busy vehicular traffic corridor, while Grandin Fish and Chips features full, unvarnished windows that allow passerby visual access into the space. There’s nothing more beckoning on a cold evening than seeing a warmly-lit, bustling dining room from the outside.

Grandin Fish and Chips

When we stopped in that Saturday afternoon around 4pm, we were the only patrons in the restaurant (business soon picked up with the early dinner crowd). We had ample time to marvel at the tasteful and minimalist décor, including the fantastical white and navy wallpaper, wood furniture, Edison bulbs, and a "living" wall designated for customer photos. The soundtrack was light and fun, and mixed upbeat classics from The Beach Boys and the Monkees, among others.

Dining room

We kept our order simple that day – cod and chips ($16 for one piece) for each of us would provide a good representation of their primary offering. While we didn’t sample their other items such as fresh oysters, seafood chowder and salad Nicoise, a few of my fellow bloggers have done so with mostly positive reviews. Grandin sources their seafood from Sysco-owned Fin’s and Effing Seafoods, and prides itself on serving fresh products.

We were on the tail end of order at the counter lunch service (table service begins at 5pm). Our food arrived pretty quickly, served on aluminum pie plates and disposable liners printed with the wallpaper design – a straightforward and elegant presentation.

Cod and chips

The cod was nicely prepared, with a well-seasoned batter that actually adhered to the fish. The accompanying tartar sauce had a nice punch of acidity, and the coleslaw was dressed with a light hand. But we couldn’t stop raving about the crispy and addictive chips; for that reason, Grandin is perhaps too dangerously close to us.

Of course, the cost at Grandin is a consideration – the same price for a one piece meal might garner you two pieces at one of the old standbys. Still, there’s something to be said for quality and a refreshed, modern take on fish and chips. We’ll be back.

Grandin Fish and Chips
9902 109 Street
(780) 250-3474
Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm

Downtown Dining Week 2017: Atlas Steak + Fish and Crash Lobby Bar

Running from March 10-19, 2017 this year, Downtown Dining Week remains the last event offering prix fixe (fixed price) menus in Edmonton. Given the number of restaurants that have opened Downtown over the last few months, it’s a great way to test them out with a lower overhead cost.

I took advantage of the two new additions to the roster – Atlas Steak + Fish (in the Grand Villa Casino) and Crash Lobby Bar (in the renovated Grand Hotel, now known as Crash Hotel). They were both offering deals too good to pass up.

Atlas Steak + Fish

First up, I met up with Linda for lunch on Friday at Atlas. The casino was quiet at noon, but it was obvious the word was out about the Downtown Dining Week specials as the restaurant was half full. Our server was clearly a bit panicked – he was being run off his feet as he shared that they weren’t expecting it to be as busy as it was. I understand that it may be difficult for new Downtown Dining Week participants to predict the potential uptake in business, but given this is likely the introduction for many to the business, I wonder why restaurants would risk leaving a poor first impression.

At any rate, Linda and I were excited about the $15 two-course lunch, particularly because it was our first time at the restaurant. Atlas has the gleam of a modern day steakhouse – the leather and wood banquets that you would expect, but reflective ceiling accents and statement light fixtures that you wouldn’t. I also appreciated that there was a generous amount of space between the tables – something that is becoming more rare with most new establishments.

Atlas Steak + Fish

The bread course we started with was noteworthy – there are few things more comforting than warm bread. Atlas serves their house-made dinner rolls warm in cast iron pans, brushed with blue cheese butter and sprinkled with coarse salt. Thankfully for me (not a blue cheese fan), the flavour wasn’t so pronounced, and I was able to enjoy them.

House made blue cheese butter buns

Linda selected the salad appetizer – the house salad with mixed greens, daikon, beets, carrots, almonds, goat cheese, and white balsamic dressing. It was certainly an aesthetically pleasing plate, but Linda was hoping for more substantial beet flavour, instead of beet curls as a garnish. I ordered the squash soup with spiced oat crumble and cherry balsamic. The squash had been smoked in their special Josper oven (what they use to prepare all of their steaks), and the smoky flavour was definitely notable. It was a very smooth puree, but I did appreciate the added texture from the crumble.

Smoked squash soup

For mains, Linda was swayed by the off-menu prime rib special. I found it to be a tad too fatty for my taste, but she didn’t mind it as much. I opted for the spaghetti carbonara with Josper smoked pork belly, garlic, parsley crumbs, grana padano, and poached egg. The egg was perfectly soft poached (and beautiful in presentation), but as I typically prefer my carbonara creamier, I would have chosen a more traditional preparation of coating the pasta with the egg.

Spaghetti carbonara

Service was spotty; we had to flag down the server on multiple occasions – for a soup spoon, for the bill, to pack up leftovers. Again, I think he did his best in the understaffed circumstances. Based on the food alone, I’d consider returning, but I would hope for better service on future occasions.

Crash Lobby Bar (inside the Crash Hotel)

Downtown’s former Grand Hotel has been undergoing full-scale renovations over the past few years. First came Denizen Hall, which opened in the hotel at the end of 2014, offering relaxed pub fare alongside restored retro arcade games. Then, Crash Hotel, with its initial phase of 25 rooms and refurbished lobby tavern, followed suit two years later. Urban Sparq Hospitality (who also run Knoxville Tavern, The Pint and Beercade) operates both Denizen Hall and the Lobby Bar, but has wisely chosen to distinguish them in feel and food. While Nate Box (of Elm Cafe) had been asked to create the menu at Denizen, Nathin Bye (formerly of Wildflower Grill and Ampersand 27) was brought in for Lobby Bar.

The space of the Lobby Bar (which shares the same entryway as the the hotel front desk) definitely resembles its sister restaurant, with identical wood paneling, leather banquets, and some of the same furniture. However, it is brighter, smaller in size and more open, with a reflective tin ceiling and a focus-pulling bar. And though two screens were tuned to the Oilers broadcast during our visit, the sound was muted in favour of a pop/dance soundtrack.

Crash Lobby Bar

Mack and I stopped by on Sunday night to take advantage of the $28 three-course offering. Two of the three dishes could be selected from their regular menu, so it was a great way to sample several of their dishes in one shot.

As mentioned, the menu is quite a bit different than the comfort food-oriented fare found at Denizen Hall. The dishes at Crash Lobby Bar are more refined, less likely to require a deep fryer, and follow the trend of small plates meant to be shared. We did so with our four dishes.

The pork n’ beans was not something I would have expected to find here – sweet and sour honey scented shoulder, served alongside a trio of beans and kale. Everything was well prepared, and the pork was nicely flavoured.

Pork n’ beans

The meatballs, a mixture of beef and pork, looked promising, were unfortunately on the dry side, even when doused in the tomato sauce bath.

Meatballs

My favourite dish of the evening was the Crash take on beef and broccoli, with a 72 hour braised Alberta beef short rib. I loved the subtly sweet glaze, and the meat was perfectly tender and moist. The smoky, crispy house-made hickory sticks sealed the deal for me.

Alberta beef short rib

Mack’s favourite was the Crash burger, topped with aged cheddar, braised short rib, and a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg – it may have been messy but it was worth it. He also appreciated the deep fried pickle on the side.

Crash burger

Our third course was the dessert of the day, a cookies and cream cheesecake with a house-made berry compote. It was rich and satisfied our sweet tooth, but in some ways felt like an afterthought when compared with the previous courses.

Cheesecake

Service was good – the space was only about half full, but we were well taken care of. I certainly had a better overall experience at Crash Lobby Bar than at Atlas, and wouldn’t hesitate to return again.

Downtown Dining Week runs from March 10 – March 19, 2017 – check out the menus here.

Ramen in the Core: Nomiya Noodle Bar

One of the best things about living Downtown is the variety of restaurants within walking distance. While we’re fortunate to have easy access to a range of casual and higher end establishments, I’ve always been particularly pleased about the number of noodle soup joints we can reach on foot.

For instance, as the neighbourhood is adjacent to Chinatown, pho favourites like Tau Bay and King Noodle House are not far. Other nearby restaurants like Wheat Garden and Tao Garden offer specific Chinese varieties of soup, and upstart Xo Bar and Bistro caters to those seeking fusion tastes. What has been lacking in the area, however, is ramen.

That’s one of the reasons why I was excited about Nomiya’s expansion into Oliver Square with Nomiya Noodle Bar last fall. Their third location (joining branches on Calgary Trail and in Ellerslie), serves up some of the same items, but has added new dishes to the mix. Most of their small plates and appetizers are shareable, bringing in a welcome communal element.

I had the chance to visit Nomiya during their soft opening back in September, and had enjoyed the experience. At that time, I remarked on how much I liked the open kitchen and the bright room. Last Friday, Mack and I walked over on a chilly evening to reward ourselves with ramen.

Dotted with a number of parties when we arrived, the restaurant was nearly full by the time we finished our meal. Gauging by the packed parking lot, however, it looked like their neighbour 1st RND was the busier of the two establishments, likely owing to the Oilers game airing that night.

I didn’t get the chance to try the tonkotsu ($13.75, additional $1.50 for an egg) on my last visit, so I was looking forward to it on this occasion. Mack selected the shio ramen ($12.75), and I convinced him that we needed to share the sticky chicken ($10.50), minus the peanuts.

Although the service was warm and welcoming throughout, I had higher expectations for the food. The sticky chicken wasn’t quite as good as I remembered it to be; the batter was well seasoned but the sweet ginger sauce needed to have a thinner consistency to more easily cling to the meat.

Sticky chicken

The tonkotsu broth was not quite as creamy or as full-bodied as I would have preferred. I did like the meat, tender and not too fatty, but the kitchen could have been more generous as only three paper thin slices were included.

Tonkotsu

Mack didn’t have any major complaints with his broth, but also wasn’t particularly impressed. He still prefers the ramen at Kazoku.

Shio

While I’m glad we have expanded our noodle soup roster in the core, I hope Nomiya Noodle Bar was just having an off day.

Nomiya Noodle Bar
11238 104 Avenue
(780) 250-2600
Monday-Thursday 11:30am-2:30pm, 4:30-9:30pm, Friday-Sunday 11:30am-9:30pm

Brunch with a View: Dogwood Cafe at Victoria Golf Course

We’ve been fortunate that the weather has been so cooperative that it seemed prudent to take advantage of it this long weekend. I’d been wanting to try Dogwood Cafe at the Victoria Golf Course for some time, so Mack and I headed down the valley on foot this morning to build up our appetite and revel in the current state of Edmonton’s winter.

This is the second year the Culina family of restaurants has operated Dogwood Cafe, serving brunch in the winter months out of the Victoria Golf Course. This year, Culina added a second brunch option at the Riverside Golf Course, in addition to dinner service at the Victoria location. It’s a great way to increase traffic to centrally-located city-owned facilities in the off-season, and because they’re situated adjacent to prime parkland, there’s the hope that diners might take the time to explore their surroundings before or after a meal (we walked over to Hawrelak Park after brunch for the Silver Skate Festival).

By the time we arrived at 12:30pm, most of the peak brunch traffic had dissipated. We were able to snag a window seat in the dining room, lit with abundant natural light. Located on the second floor of the clubhouse, Dogwood Cafe overlooks the snowy fields. The blonde wood furnishings are reminiscent of an outdated cafeteria, but small touches in the room – antique lamps, a rustic cabinet showcasing Jam Lady products – added some understated refinement.

Mack at Dogwood Cafe

The menu at the Victoria location, offered on weekends between 9am-3pm, is straightforward, with many brunch favourites to be found, including French toast, eggs benny, and a breakfast sandwich (there were a variety of tempting baked goods available as well). I was swayed by the mushroom-cheese omelette ($12), served with rye toast and tomatoes. Mack selected a dish that could have been served at the now-defunct Culina Highlands restaurant – fried eggs with Fuge Fine Meats kielbasa and potato-cheddar perogies ($15). We added a side of potato hash to share ($4).

We ordered at the counter, and waited less than ten minutes for our dishes to be served. My omelette, crowned with a creamy mushroom sauce, was comforting without being heavy. The tomatoes provided a pop of freshness (and colour) to the plate, and the crispy potatoes rounded out my meal nicely.

Mushroom-cheese omelette and side of potato hash

Mack was initially underwhelmed with the portion size, but commented after that because his dish was fairly rich, it ended up being the right amount of food. He found that the Fuge-made sausage had been cooked to snappy perfection, and really enjoyed the perogies (made at St. Basil’s Church) topped with sour cream and crispy bacon.

Eggs, kielbasa and perogies

While some tables were in and out of the restaurant, Mack and I chose to linger a little longer over our bottomless coffees. Staff didn’t mind at all; the relaxed atmosphere befit the natural setting just beyond the windows. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend brunch at Dogwood Cafe – the great food and efficient service is a welcome addition to Edmonton’s brunch scene.

Dogwood Cafe at Victoria Golf Course
12130 River Valley Road
Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-3pm

Explore BC: Osoyoos and Similkameen Valley

This is the fourth and final post about our trip to BC back in October. You can read about our Kelowna, Penticton and Oliver highlights as well.

We ended our BC trip in Osoyoos, another town that neither Mack or I had visited before. Although there were some points of interest in Osoyoos, the attractions we were most drawn to were actually beyond its borders.

Watermark Beach Resort

We were told by multiple people that the Watermark Beach Resort was the place to stay in Osoyoos. Because we were hoping for a relaxed vacation with a lot of down time, it made sense to for our longest leg to take place here.

Watermark Beach Resort

However, I didn’t realize until we arrived just how small the community is – under 5,000 – so amenities were fewer than expected. That said, while reviews indicated that the Watermark may not be the most serene place during high season, just before Thanksgiving, we felt like we had the place to ourselves. We were upgraded to a two-bedroom, two bathroom suite (the extra bathroom felt like a luxury given Mack and I share one between us at home), and the hot tub and pool area rarely hosted more than a handful of guests at any given time. The weather, unfortunately, prevented us from making use of the beachfront area outside of brisk walks, but it added to the low-key feel of the property. I will say that because we just departed the very personalized service at the bed and breakfast in Penticton, the Watermark felt much more corporate, but I’m not sure how such a large facility would be able to operate otherwise.

Lake Village Bakery

Osoyoos was the home of my favourite bakery of the trip, Lake Village Bakery, which had deliciously flaky sourdough croissants. Located a stone’s throw from Osoyoos Lake, we greedily consumed our treats overlooking the water, trying not to make too much of a mess.

Sourdough croissants from Lake Village Bakery

NK’MIP Cellars

Although most of the area’s wineries are located north of Osoyoos, NK’MIP Cellars has the distinction of being the first (and only) Aboriginal-owned and operated winery in Canada. With a desire to learn about their history, we signed up for a guided tour. NK’MIP was born from an enterprising chief, who wanted to make the most of the land.

NK’MIP (pronounced Inkameep) vines

Although the transformation of reserve land started with an RV park, it eventually grew to include the winery, a hotel and conference centre, and a desert museum. We were surprised to learn Osoyoos Indian Band is actually quite small, made up of only 500 members.

Tasting by the cellar

The winery was perhaps even more visually striking than Covert Farms in Oliver – with the surrounding barren landscape, it’s a small wonder a viable, agricultural-based business can thrive in the area.

The Grist Mill

Initially, I skipped the section in Jennifer’s book about the Similkameen Valley, because I wasn’t sure we’d have the time for a detour. But after looking at the map and realizing the valley’s proximity to Osoyoos, we hived off a day to take our time in the area.

The Grist Mill

The highlight was a visit to The Grist Mill in Keremeos, a museum built around a historic 1877 waterwheel-run flour mill. We spent some time wandering the grounds before spending a full hour with Cuyler Page.

Cuyler Page

He was in the process of rebuilding the leavers and pulleys inside the mill, and spoke at length about the history of wheat and milling (including his involvement, humbly stated, in bringing red fife wheat back to prominence in Canada). As Mack commented that day, it’s likely we only scratched the surface of his knowledge.

Sifted flour

The Grist Mill also features a cafe with a small menu of soups, sandwiches and baked goods. The food was nothing fancy, but tasted homemade and wholesome. It definitely helped to round out our stop.

Twisted Hills Craft Cider

During our trip, we learned that cider houses are up and coming in the Okanagan, with several having opened up in the last few years. Twisted Hills in Cawston is among them, and we stopped in to have a taste of some of their ciders and sparkling juices.

Twisted Hills cider tasting

It’s a small operation that isn’t quite salient yet (the owners planted on family-owned land), but given they were sold out of many of their offerings, it’s a good sign. Though we found the Calville’s Winter a tad on the sweet side, we enjoyed our visit to the farm.

Benja Thai

Apparently Benja Thai is known as "Thai worth the drive" in Keremeos. The fact that a Thai restaurant exists in a town of 1,200 is a feat in itself, but the family who runs it demonstrate their wonderful hospitality during our visit, and we could see how they’ve built up a loyal following. Mack especially enjoyed the green curry, and the pad Thai hit the spot for me.

Green curry

It was a whirlwind week in BC, but I think we made the most of it, and discovered some hidden gems along the way.

Tipping the Scales: Grain of Rice

Edmonton’s second no tipping restaurant just opened quietly in the west end with much less fanfare than the first. When Café Linnea launched this summer, there was much buzz about the imported concept of building gratuity into their prices, with an end goal of providing servers with more predictable wages. In some ways, the adoption of this philosophy is even more revolutionary with Grain of Rice, given Asian restaurants are stereotypically known for extremely competitive pricing, sometimes to their detriment. Mack and I stopped by this past weekend while running errands in the area.

Located on the far west end (in the same complex as the Save On Foods on 215 Street; GPS failed us by several blocks), Grain of Rice is operated by the Phung family. Son Tony Phung decided to help his parents rebuild years after their restaurant was destroyed by fire, but instead of recreating exactly what was lost, introduced some ideas to help make their business distinct.

The menu was trimmed from hundreds of items to a much more manageable size of a dozen or so dishes, with rotating specials to keep things interesting for regulars. Grain of Rice also sources meat from local producers, which, coupled with their no tipping policy, accounts for their higher prices. While some diners will undoubtedly balk at the idea of paying more for similar style dishes in other parts of the city, I think it’s reasonable if higher quality plates and good service are delivered in return.

Grain of Rice occupies the end bay of the strip, the interior benefiting from access to lots of natural light. The dining room is clean and minimalist, with the vibe of a fast casual restaurant. I liked being able to see into the kitchen as well, which seems to continue the restaurant’s theme of transparency.

Interior

The menu features many popular Vietnamese and Chinese dishes, including vermicelli bowls, peaches and shrimp, and wor wonton soup. Mack decided on the classic beef and rice noodles ($17), while I had to try their pho ($15).

Food arrived in good time, steaming hot. Mack was impressed by the portion size of his plate, and noted that they did not skimp on the beef. I would have liked to taste more smokiness in the noodles, but overall Mack enjoyed the dish.

Beef and rice noodles

The pho, on the other hand, could have used more meat (and personal preference, cilantro!). The rare beef was pretty tender, and the meatballs were tasty, but I very quickly ended up with a bowl with broth alone. And though Pho Tau Bay will also reign supreme in the broth department for me, the aromatics in the soup was notable.

Pho

Grain of Rice is still in their "soft opening" phase, so I imagine tweaks will continue to be made in these next few weeks. But I really support the philosophy behind the restaurant, so I wish them all the best.

Grain of Rice
1312 Webber Greens Drive
(780) 306-3338
Monday-Thursday 11am-3pm, 4:30-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm

Flocking for Fried Chicken: Northern Chicken

After All is Bright two weeks ago, Mack and I wandered over to Northern Chicken. The brainchild of Chefs Andrew Cowan and Matt Phillips, Northern Chicken took over the space vacated by Relish Gourmet Burgers on 124 Street.

Much of the interior has been retained, but Andrew and Matt have made some changes – adding accents to the walls, expanding the open kitchen, and transforming the rear seating area into a rumpus room that can be booked for private groups. The space feels comfortable and unpretentious, and coupled with the excellent service staff we encountered that night, is a welcome sight.

Northern Chicken

The fried chicken concept is one that Andrew and Matt have been developing for some time. Both chefs have worked their way through many local kitchens (I met both of them years ago when they were at Century Hospitality properties), but are happy to finally be their own bosses. They’ve tinkered with recipes since their first pop-up back in April, and I think they’ve landed on some great flavours.

We ordered their three-piece fried chicken ($14) and a fried chicken sandwich ($14), both served with baked beans. For sides, we selected the honey thyme cornbread ($5) and the bacon creamed corn ($6).

The full meal deal

The restaurant was nearly full, so we were pleasantly surprised that the food arrived as quickly as it did. It was also incredibly hot – I had to let the fried chicken cool before I was able to handle it. I loved the breading, well seasoned with just a hint of spice. The chicken underneath (soaked for twenty-four hours in buttermilk) was incredibly juicy.

Three piece fried chicken

Mack was similarly delighted with his sandwich, which featured a very generous portion of fried chicken. He was particularly happy to encounter a soft bun more suited to this dish, a change made since that pop-up.

Fried chicken sandwich

Mack is the cornbread junkie between the two of us, and appreciated the thick-cut slice and dense crumb of Northern Chicken’s cornbread. That said, it was just a touch too sweet, with the honey overwhelming the cornbread itself.

Honey thyme cornbread

The bacon creamed corn, on the other hand, was the star of the show. I would have never anticipated this, but the texture and flavours hit all the right comfort food notes – I would look forward to curling up with a bowl on a cold winter’s night.

Bacon creamed corn

Before we left, Matt commented about how foot traffic really slows down after 9pm; it’s a reminder of how the area has changed since the Roxy Theatre burned down nearly two years ago. Given the cluster of establishments that have opened up within several blocks, however, I’m optimistic that diners will continue to flock to this neighbourhood for some great tastes. Congratulations to Andrew and Matt on the opening of Northern Chicken – see you again soon!

Northern Chicken
10704 124 Street
(780) 756-2239
Monday – Tuesday 11am-10pm, Thursday – Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-late, closed Wednesday

Let Your Garden Grow: Workshop Eatery

Given it was far from the growing season during our last visit, Mack and I knew we wanted to return some time to see the gardens outside Workshop Eatery in their full splendor. The occasion came up when Mack’s parents were in town in early August, and we were looking for some place special to take them.

Workshop Eatery

We spent some time wandering the raised beds, admiring the variety and abundance. I’m not sure I would have predicted just how much they could grow outside their front door! There are few restaurants in Edmonton that can say they have access to fresh produce within arm’s reach. Make sure to follow along on Instagram if you’re curious as to the day’s garden haul.

Abundant garden

At any rate, the restaurant was nearly full on a Friday night. Even though the patio was beckoning on that warm summer evening, the floor to ceiling windows made the dining room a very pleasant setting. Equally lovely was our personable and polished server – she ensured all of our needs were taken care of in a warm and professional manner.

We started by sharing the daily arancini ($12 for 3), which on that night was made with ham and peas, and served with a fun sriracha and brown sugar sour cream. The arancini were a hit around the table, crispy and well seasoned.

Ham and pea arancini

My miso glazed ling cod ($28) was prepared well, and I loved the textures of the bok choy, carrot ribbons and baby potatoes. The shiitake broth was a nice base, but if intended to be consumed on its own the salt should have been toned down somewhat.

Miso glazed ling cod

Mack’s main combined two of his favourite things: salmon and risotto ($29). He had no complaints, and dispatched the plate in no time at all. On a side note, it’s unusual to see a restaurant offering three fish options on a regular menu (there was also a halibut). But Mack and I both appreciated this – more often than not, we have to fight over who can order the fish.

Pan roasted salmon

Martin and Patti enjoyed their dishes as well – Martin, swayed by the accompanying gnocchi, had chosen the chicken supreme ($28). Patti ordered the potato and goat cheese perogies ($24), topped with roast tomatoes, asparagus, pickled onions and basil creme fraiche.

Chicken supreme

Potato and goat cheese perogies

Dessert couldn’t have been more photogenic – a cream and berry tart ($10), with a loose lemon curd topped with fresh berries and mint.

Summer berries and cream tart

It was great to see Workshop flourishing as well as their garden. They’re already starting to change up their menu for the fall – so make sure you get there soon if you’re hoping for a taste of our dwindling summer!

Workshop Eatery
2003 91 Street SW
(780) 705-2205
Monday-Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday-Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 10am-3pm and 5-11pm, Sunday 10am-3pm and 5-9pm

2016 Calgary Eats Round-Up

It’s no secret Mack and I choose Calgary as our weekend getaway destination. Though it’s challenging to keep up with the Edmonton food scene sometimes, the distance (and perhaps the perception from afar) makes it even more difficult to know all of what’s changed in Calgary since our last visit.

This spring and summer, Mack and I were able to get down to Calgary several times for both work and play. It wasn’t enough to hit up all of the hot spots (though we do our best to fit in as much food as possible, heh), but we landed on some gems.

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is a takeout-focused joint opened by Top Chef Canada alum Nicole Gomes and her sister, Francine Gomes. Although it is their first partnership, everything about Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is polished. From the bright pink signage and logo to the establishment’s backstory (chef and her chicken farmer sister merge their passions) it feels almost a little too slick. But I want to buy in to a local business that simply wants to do a few things very, very well.

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver

The footprint of Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is small – most of the building’s space is dedicated to the kitchen. A stand-up eat-in counter and grab and go cooler makes up the rest of the storefront. It made me wonder if the economic downturn will naturally promote businesses with postage stamp square footage but high volume.

Although rotisserie chicken is available, we ordered the fried chicken. The breading was thick and crunchy, and encased the moist and juicy meat underneath. The accompanying cilantro corn and bean salad didn’t show much evidence of cilantro, but it was still refreshing. My favourite item was the buttermilk biscuit, flaky and rich.

Winner, winner

I’m sure many Calgarians have flocked to Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver to pick up summer picnic spreads – just make sure to buy an extra biscuit or two – you won’t regret it!

Charbar

Mack and I always flirt with the idea of moving to Calgary, usually as an exercise to fantasize with hypothetical neighbourhoods and real estate, HGTV-style. No doubt, one of the areas at the top of our list is the East Village.

East Village

Located just east of downtown by the Bow River and within walking distance of a C-Train station, its location and natural beauty make it a desirable neighbourhood in our books. However, while a lot of the pedestrian and park infrastructure is complete, other amenities are still in development. A Loblaws offshoot is in the works, and additional retail would promote convenience for residents. Mack’s favourite feature has already been installed – his third place, in the form of a Phil and Sebastian’s Café.

The Simmons Warehouse, a former mattress facility, has been transformed into a thriving partnership between three complementary local businesses: Charbar (the sister restaurant to the smashing success Charcut), Sidewalk Citizen Bakery (who supplies its fine baked goods to a number of cafes in Calgary) and Phil & Sebastian (whose location in the East Village marks café number 5). The cross-promotion is obvious (Charbar serves desserts by Sidewalk Citizen, coffee flows from Phil & Sebastian’s to its partners, etc.), but the square footage has also allowed each business to enhance their operations – roasting space for Phil’s, a new savoury menu for Sidewalk Citizen, and patio space for Charbar.

Simmons Warehouse

The care that was taken in the renovations of the space is evident. The preservation of the wood beams, letting natural light cross into the floors below, and the open flow of one business to another (the café and bar are adjacent to one another) score the partnership as a much deeper one than name only.

Our jaunt to the East Village was too late to catch the bakery during operational hours, but we peeked into the cafe before settling down for a pre-dinner drink at Charbar. They have some great cocktails to choose from, and if we didn’t already have a reservation in the dining room, I would have been fine to enjoy a meal at the very comfortable bar.

We eventually moved into Charbar proper, and seated next to the open kitchen, watched Chef Jessica Pelland expedite dishes all night. The Charbar menu features Argentinian-inspired share plates. The housemade chorizo (served with pickled vegetables and aioli) was fantastic, and our only disappointment was to learn we wouldn’t be able to take any of the chorizo home with us.

Chorizo with pickled vegetables and aioli

The New York steak, served with green chimichurri and aioli was perfectly cooked and appropriately rested. Unadorned, it had a ton of flavour on its own. The beef fat fries were a delightfully indulgent side, but we could have done without the overseasoned broccoli, taken over the top with the addition of grated Grizzly Gouda.

New York steak

It was too cold to enjoy the patio at the time of our visit, something we’ll be sure to rectify in the future.

Shiki Menya

At the time of our visit, Shiki Menya had the distinction of being the only ramen restaurant in Alberta that produced its own noodles (in Edmonton, you can now visit Nudoru for this). Even then, the incredible lure of the restaurant rested primarily with their limited quantity – Shiki Menya produces roughly 150 bowls per day, and shuts down after selling out. As a result, early birds are rewarded, and half an hour before they opened, we added to a line already ten deep.

We were grateful to be among the first group seated in the small restaurant. Though food made its way to the tables fairly quickly (turnover is key for them), the kitchen probably wasn’t yet firing on all cylinders, as our gyoza arrived shortly after our ramen. They had a nice char from the flattop, but they did need the additional flavour of the chili oil.

Gyoza

I was satisfied with the tonkotsu classic – the broth had great body, and I didn’t find my char siu too fatty. Tokotsu was one of the few options Mack could order because of his peanut allergy, and though it’s not his preferred broth, he really liked the springy noodles.

Tonkotsu classic

While I’m not sure our experience matched the hype around Shiki Menya, it’s another great addition to Bridgeland (just down the street from Blue Star Diner, which serves our favourite brunch in Calgary).

Pigeonhole

Several years ago, when Model Milk was all the rage in Calgary, we weren’t blown away by our visit. But Pigeonhole, Model Milk’s sister restaurant, was named Avenue Calgary’s number one new restaurant this year, so we had to give it a try.

Like Charbar, Pigeonhole encourages diners to share small plates. There was a lot of variety to choose from, but the menu as a whole was thoughtful, sophisticated, and refined. While that might leave an impression of pretentiousness, it was perhaps the opposite. Being a game night, some diners were even sporting Flames jerseys.

Service was professional and somewhat distant, but our server did steer us in the right direction. We learned firsthand why their charred cabbage is their runaway bestseller – the char lent a depth that I didn’t know was possible for cabbage, and the addition of some fat (in the form of mimollete cheese and aioli) made it sing. It’s possible this is the dish to be replicated in other forms at competitors – a charred napa cabbage salad can now be found at Charbar, for instance.

Charred cabbage

The airy ricotta dumplings, well seasoned, was ultimately our favourite dish, but Mack in particular was surprised by how much he enjoyed the creamy salt cod, combined with potato and andouille sausage. I also appreciated the smokiness of the pork stock base beneath layers of edamame, potato and egg.

Ricotta dumplings

Salt cod

Dessert was a bit of a miss, as the rice pudding didn’t live up to its name, as it was made up of puffed rice and cream. But it was a small blemish on an otherwise wonderful experience.

Rice pudding

The Beltliner

We’ve had our eye on The Beltliner for some time, a modern diner situated next to Central Memorial Park. We ended up having lunch there, but realized we would need to return again for brunch, as it was the more interesting menu (they do offer all-day brunch, but neither of us felt like eggs a second time that day).

Mack at The Beltliner

The clear sightlines, made possible with low booths and tables, made The Beltliner feel more open than other diners. They also had a takeout counter, which, considering the nearby residential and commercial tenants, makes sense to maximize their income potential (the nearby Boxwood has a similar model, one that doesn’t exist in the same way in Edmonton).

Chicken club

We both enjoyed our meals well enough – Mack had a chicken club, while I chose their grilled cheese and a side of tomato soup. But we’ll be sure to return to try out some of their classic breakfast items next time.

Made by Marcus

Calgary’s independent ice cream game is strong – not only has Village Ice Cream expanded to three locations, but they’ve been joined by Made by Marcus, a vendor who started out a farmers’ markets but has just opened up a storefront shop on 17 Avenue.

The bench seating outside reminded us of Village Ice Cream’s Victoria Park location, but inside, they haven’t quite evolved yet to the same assembly line system, which to us meant more personalized service.

We shared a scoop of cookies and cream; our initial reaction was that the full fat nature of the Vital Greens cream really came through, delicious in all its indulgent glory. We also loved the chewy texture of the brown butter waffle cone.

Cookies and cream

Made by Marcus is a winner! They also sell ice cream in jars, as well as hand-dipped bars.

Himalayan

At first glance, Himalayan, tucked into a non-descript strip mall, seemed like a hidden gem. That is, until we walked inside and realized every table in the small, family-run Nepalese restaurant was booked solid. We would never have stumbled across it without the recommendation of our friends Dickson and Tammy, who suggested it.

Our server was patient and kind, walking us through the menu and recommending his personal and customer favourites. There are definitely similarities to other South Asian cuisines, but I know we didn’t manage to sample enough of the menu to really learn about some of the distinctions.

Fish Tareko

We loved the fish tareko, basa filets fried in a tasty chickpea batter. The Nepalese Takari was also a great dish, bathed in a creamy tomato based sauce with spinach, paneer (listed on the menu as cottage cheese) and potatoes. Our group was worried about the medium spice level, but by the end, found the heat to be just right.

Nepalese Takari

It’s a little off the beaten track, but Himalayan is well worth seeking out.

Native Tongues

I can’t help but think that Native Tongues is Calgary’s response to Edmonton’s wildly popular duo of Tres Carnales and Rostizado. The menu – a hybrid of tacos and family-style dishes – even seems to be a coincidental mash-up of the two.

The eclectic décor set the tone with its lived-in, distressed look and the prominence of the bar. We ended up seated at a large communal table, rubbing elbows with fellow diners in a way that felt very natural.

We shared the chilaquiles, their version of nachos. While we liked the even distribution of the toppings, the dish would have benefited from thicker chips; the deluge of ingredients soaked them through by the end.

Chilaquiles

The tacos were probably the highlight for me (they can be ordered individually for your sampling pleasure) – the chorizo was great.

Tacos

We also split the grilled whole trout, intrigued by the cooking method over charcoal. Unfortunately, the smoky flavour we were hoping for was undetectable, though the fish was cooked very well.

Grilled whole trout

Our food arrived at a good pace throughout the meal, and I can imagine Native Tongues would be a great place to linger with friends over drinks and a continued flow of plates to share. It filled up even on a Monday night, so I can only imagine the line-ups on a weekend.

Ten Foot Henry

Ten Foot Henry might be my new favourite restaurant in Calgary. I managed to visit it twice in the last few months, enticed by their simple but chic decor, attentive service, and interesting share plates.

The name of the restaurant relates to a beloved comic strip character-turned Calgary arts mascot, and yes, you can meet the ten foot replica on your way to the restrooms. Lest you assume the dining room is decked out in comic book fashion – the space flows from the bar to the open kitchen, with subtle touches of greenery and soft lights.

Ten Foot Henry

The salt roasted potatoes were a revelation – seemingly simple, but perfectly executed and extremely addictive.

Salt roasted potatoes

Hangar steak was done equally well, served on a bed of charred romaine, and earlier in the spring, a concoction of whipped feta and fresh tomatoes on grilled toast was simple but delicious.

Hangar steak

It’s only a matter of time until we’re back in YYC – until then, I’ll be sure to keep a running tally of other restaurants we’ll need to hit up!

Generous Portions: Kazoku Ramen

Mack and I had been meaning to visit Kazoku Ramen for some time. The west end eatery opened back in October, adding to the growing inventory of restaurants serving ramen in Edmonton. On a random Wednesday in July, we happily ceded our cooking responsibilities to Kazoku, located in a non-descript strip mall.

Kazoku qualifies as one of the larger ramen establishments in Edmonton. Like Nudoru, a fun mural adorns the dining room, conveying the power of ramen to sway even the toughest of monsters. We were told the owners’ daughter-in-law was the artist behind the painting.

Interior

Besides a handful of appetizers, the menu also offered rice-based dishes and seasonal items in addition to ramen. We typically avoid starters in favour of drinking up every last drop of broth, but we couldn’t pass up the spicy chicken karaage ($9). Based on the price, we thought we could handle a few bites of fried chicken. Imagine our surprise when we were presented with five large pieces of karaage. We liked the crispy batter and sweet chili dipping sauce, but we had to wonder how the portion size was possible given the cost of food.

Spicy chicken karaage

Neither of us were adventurous with our ramen orders – Mack had his usual shoyu ($13) and I selected tonkotsu ($14). The bowls were deceivingly deep (something Linda had mentioned), and both of us enjoyed our respective broths, served piping hot. The egg had also been perfectly prepared, with a deliciously runny yolk. Our only quibble was with our choice of the leaner pork shoulder (instead of the rolled pork belly) – it was severely overcooked and was not only tough but surprisingly fatty.

Shoyu

Tonkotsu

The service was friendly and attentive, and though we were the last table to leave, we never felt rushed. The experience as a whole was pleasant enough to warrant a return visit – give Kazoku a try if you’re hit with a ramen craving in the west end!

Kazoku Ramen
16518 100 Avenue
(780) 483-0448
Sunday-Monday, Wednesday-Saturday 11am-10pm, closed Tuesday

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: