Tag: restaurant reviews

Edmonton Twestival was a success!

Thanks to everyone who came out to Edmonton Twestival tonight! Mack and I were hoping 50 people would come out, and we came pretty close with a final tally of 45. Best of all, we managed to raise a total of $1000 for charity:water – definitely a great showing from the city for a great cause.

Following the #yeg hashtag live

This was actually my first time at Vintage Lounge (formerly Mangiamos), and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Jenn, the Event Coordinator for Vintage was great – accommodating (allowing us to set up a projector and screen at the front of the space), and made sure to check in with us throughout the night to make sure we were well taken care of.

My Passion of Brazil Cocktail

We ended up ordering some small plates to share, as we didn’t get a chance to have dinner before heading out to set up, and I was pretty happy with the food. The Grilled Cheese Bites ($10), made with provolone, havarti and cheddar were fantastic, and paired with the roasted tomato soup was a comforting bite on a cold day. The Duck Spring Rolls ($14) were a little less successful, probably because I”m used to vermicelli in my spring rolls. The house plum sauce was also a tad too spicy for my taste. When we went to pay our bill, however, it turned out that 5-8pm was happy hour, so all of the food and drink we ordered was actually 50% off – a steal!

Grilled Cheese Bites

Duck Spring Rolls

I think Edmonton Twestival was a great success – thanks to Mack for spearheading the Edmonton event! Thanks also to everyone who donated door prizes: @sassycakes, @transcendcoffee, @bruceclarke, @NAIT, @thechadj, @Out_Inc, @cmscritic, and @tonyratcliffe. I’m not sure which was the most coveted prize, but the car starter and cupcakes seemed pretty popular!

We did our best to try and take photos throughout, but they didn’t turn out as nice as @bruceclarke’s (of Moments in Digital)!

Chatting (photo by momentsindigital)

Mack trying to convert Eric and Amanda to Twitter (photo by momentsindigital)

Waiting for the door prizes to be drawn (photo by momentsindigital)

It was good to see some familiar faces, and some new ones as well. Onto the next Tweetup!

Inexpensive Stopover: Kim Tuyet

I’ve mentioned in the past that an unintended benefit of changing office locations is being able to explore a new culinary neighbourhood. In my current case, that neighbourhood is the nearby Chinatown.

I crossed the street from my usual banh mi place, Nhon Hoa 2 on 97th Street and found myself at Kim Tuyet (10645 97 Street NW), another tiny little Vietnamese sub shop. Unlike Nhon Hoa (and really, more ideal for me, particularly in the winter), Kim Tuyet is equipped with two tables for those wanting to eat in. The glass-topped tables and Ikea-like chairs reminded me of the furnishings at The Dawg Father, though slightly less stable. They did serve their purpose though.

I scrutinized their menu for just a second before deciding on the Beef Sub ($4.25), as they did not have the shredded pork version that I typically order at Nhon Hoa. The friendly lady microwaved a bowl of sliced beef, and layered it, along with pickled carrots, cucumber, and cilantro onto a warmed baguette.

The cucumber unfortunately looked like it had been sitting out for quite some time, but other than that, the sliced sub looked perfectly good to eat. The beef, which had been lovingly slow-roasted, was tender and complemented the fixings quite well. The culmination of flavours – the slightly tangy carrots, savoury beef, and fresh punch of cilantro, was, as usual, satisfyingly tasty.

 

Banh mi with beef

Less than a dollar more than my usual sub at Nhon Hoa, I’d be willing to make the switch, particularly on days when take-out is a less desirable option.

Kim Tuyet
10645 97 Street NW
(780) 990-9600
Monday-Saturday 8:30am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm

A Welcome Downtown Additon: Xtreme Asian Fusion

Being the avid diner that I am, when meeting up with friends for lunch, I am usually tasked with choosing the restaurant. Accommodating tastes and budgets are one thing, but the one-hour lunch in particular is always a challenging but fun obstacle to tackle, especially when location, a need for parking, and expediency are factors. Of course, my hunger to try new establishments is also a hurdle, albeit a personal one.

On Thursday, my friend agreed on my pick of Xtreme Asian Fusion (10508 101 Street), which seemed to satisfy all of the criteria. Speed was the only “X” factor (heh), but she and I were willing to take the risk. She picked me up and we parked in a row of free one-hour parking spots, and walked past my old volunteer haunt of the Boyle Street Co-op to reach the front doors of the restaurant. The location might seem a bit intimidating, but it really shouldn’t be a deterrent for anyone thinking about visiting the eatery.

The interior of the restaurant seems to fall in line with so many newly-opened or renovated Asian establishments that toe the line when it comes to minimalist décor and carefully chosen accent pieces. Xtreme’s design touches were light but well-chosen – paper lamps graced the ceiling, while interesting gold and metal wall hangings were attractive without being overbearing.

Interior

While the menu didn’t scream fusion to me, it did have the pan-Asian representation of both Vietnamese and Chinese dishes I’ve come to anticipate from a restaurant trying to appeal to a more Western palate. My friend and I both angled for the exact same Pad Thai dish ($11.95), which contained egg, shrimp, tofu and bean sprouts, among other things.

The service was great throughout – gracious and attentive, though the server who ended up delivering our dishes was definitely a bit of a showboat. As he was an older gentleman, it was actually quite endearing.

In no time at all, our plates arrived, with a smidgen of fanfare by our busperson. I’m not sure why we were floored by this, as there were only two other parties in the restaurant at that time, but we were duly impressed. Our plates were garnished with at least a half cup of chopped peanuts, much to my inner nut lover’s delight, along with quite a generous handful of shrimp. The heat in the dish was nice – contained, but enough spice to elevate the dish above bland. We had more than enough for lunch, and both ended up taking half our portions away with us. Our only complaint was that the noodles were too dry – water ended up being a necessary accompaniment.

Pad Thai

My friend wanted to make the most of our visit and try dessert as well, so we decided to share a plate of deep fried bananas ($4.95). Our final dish arrived, decorated with dollops of whipped cream, a healthy drizzle of chocolate sauce, and bite-sized morsels of the main star. My friend liked it, as it wasn’t overly sweet, and I found the batter nice and light. It did result in a rather sleepy afternoon, but I couldn’t complain.

 

Deep Fried Bananas

I asked our server if they were busy in the evenings, and he said no, something to be expected given the location. At the same time, he was optimistic that with the completion of the Epcor Tower in a few years, business would pick up. I hope Xtreme is able to bridge the tide – their efficiency and solid fare is a welcome sit-down addition to the downtown core.

Xtreme Asian Fusion
10508 101 Street NW
(780) 413-3338
Daily 11am-10pm, except Fridays and Saturdays 11am-11pm

Fork Fest Frenzy: Red Ox Inn

My original plan was to try and snag a Fork Fest reservation at the Red Ox Inn (9420 91 Street NW) for Monday, January 24 (fitting, it seemed, to eat in a restaurant named for this Chinese Zodiac year). But after a particularly maddening day at work on Thursday, I called Mack before entering into a late meeting to see if he could look into what might be available that night. We were lucky enough to obtain the last seating of the day at 8:45pm.

 

Fork Fest!

I had been to Red Ox Inn before, but was hoping that this occasion would bear an entree better suited to my tastes. We entered an absolutely packed restaurant, and were promptly greeted by a server and directed to a table. It turned out we were seated next to the authors of Loosen Your Belt and Eat Around Edmonton, Marriane and Zed – the last in a series of online food writers that have patronized the Red Ox this week (perhaps the restaurant should receive some sort of award for blogger attraction). It’s always nice to meet local culinary counterparts in person – I’m sure it won’t be the last time we run into them!

As I commented in my previous post, the Inn is a tiny, boutique-style restaurant. Space and intimacy are definitely two things they cannot offer though, and between the hardwood floor and tile-like ceiling, the Red Ox ends up having one of the highest sound levels of any restaurant in Edmonton. At the same time, as laughter and conversation echoes through the venue, it’s hard not to loosen up and feel like a part of one large group, dining and enjoying the experience together. Just don’t head to the Red Ox if you’re looking for a quiet evening out.

 

Red Ox Inn interior

We settled in with both the Fork Fest and a la carte menus, though like everyone else in the restaurant, would be ordering from the former only. Mack and I both decided on the puree of wild mushroom with maderia and gruyere-mushroom rye crostini to start, but deviated in choice on the rest of the meal. He chose the fish (seared Arctic char with ratatouille, roast garlic butter sauce and mashed potatoes) as his main, while I opted to stay away from their char and ordered the pork (marinated pork rack chop, Moroccan BBQ sauce, tropical fruit chutney, savoy cabbage and herbed rice) instead.

We aren’t very accustomed to late dinners, so the pacing of the meal didn’t quite match our appetites that evening. Still, we found the service to be attentive and gracious overall, though Mack commented that he could have done without the overemphasized “sir” at the end of seemingly every sentence.

Our first course arrived without a moment to spare, a wide bowl containing a thick grey-brown “paste”, in Mack’s words. My first spoonful of soup was the best, as the flavour somehow seemed to dull over the course of the bowl. The floating crostini was actually the best part, as the puree was made to be eaten with a bread accompaniment, to soak up the savoury goodness. 

 

Puree of Wild Mushroom with Maderia and Gruyere-Mushroom Rye Crostini

Our entrees took a bit longer than we would have liked, though I’m sure being the last table of the night didn’t help. My plate was stacked, my pork chop sitting high atop a bed of rice, vegetables, and garnished with a healthy amount of chutney. The Moroccan BBQ sauce was lovely (even though it tasted slightly like my Mum’s own sweet and sour base), and complimented the juicy, perfectly-cooked pork well. I made sure to soak up the rest of the sauce with my rice!

 

Pork

Mack was also happy with his char, though he said it was a tad over seasoned for his liking. The green beans were well-cooked as well.

 

Arctic Char

Dessert for me that evening was the warm chocolate cake, the same dessert I ordered on my other visit. It was the same as I had remembered – rich and sweet, my only wish was that raspberries were in season to accompany the cake.

 

Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Mack’s blueberry and white chocolate bread pudding turned out to be better than both of us had expected. Not overly sweet, it appealed to Mack and ended his meal nicely.

 

Blueberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

I’m happy I had the opportunity to try a three course meal at the Red Ox for a very reasonable $35 per person. As the server indicated to us that they only had one time slot remaining until next Thursday, we are sure many others will be treated to a great meal as well. Fork Fest runs until January 29, but many of the tables at choice restaurants will likely be booked solid (I would recommend taking a look at availability on Open Table, but calling to see if they have any cancellations if you really are intent on one particular restaurant).

Red Ox Inn
9420 91 Street NW
(780) 465-5727
Tuesday-Sunday 5pm-close, closed Mondays

All-American Hot Dogs: The Dawg Father

I happened to be in the Alberta Avenue area on Thursday for work, and having read Liane’s article about The Dawg Father (8654 118 Avenue), chose that as my lunch destination that day.

Knowing that the joint specialized in hot dogs, I was expecting The Dawg Father to be somewhat similar to Tubby Dog, which serves up unusual condiments on a carnival favourite. In actuality, The Dawg Father reveres traditional toppings like onions, sauerkraut, cheese and relish. When I asked the proprietor Tom Stefura if he would ever experiment with things like wasabi and peanut butter, he said it wasn’t his intention to waver from classic, All-American flavours (partial menu here).

Order counter

The interior of the restaurant reminded me of a cleaner, modified Chicago Deep Dish – meant not for lingering, but to quickly satisfy one’s hunger. There are three new, glass-topped tables to provide those who need a place to stay, but it seems The Dawg Father also does a mean take-out business.

Tom greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. I asked for his recommendation, and after finding out that I wasn’t a fan of spicy foods, he said that the Baltimore Dog ($7.50) would be my best bet – topped with fried onions, cheese, and bacon. All dogs are served with coleslaw, ‘Ruby fries’ and a pickle. He asked if a ten minute wait would be all right, as all meals are made fresh. I had time, but I had to wonder – if several large groups came in all at the same time, the restaurant may not be able to accommodate everyone in a timely fashion.

I wasn’t keeping track, but I’m pretty sure my order took less than ten minutes to reach my table. I’ve never really considered a hot dog as anything beyond a snack, but The Dawg Father made me reconsider this, as my plate was definitely a meal in itself. The dog was drenched with a generous topping of sauteed onions, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and (unfortunately) mustard. Thankfully, the onions and cheese managed to negate the sharpness of my least favourite condiment, and I appreciated the heartiness of the all-beef wiener. The bread was fresh (they use buns from Handy Bakery just a few doors down), which is always a nice touch. The fries were a cut above, and made the overall price of the hot dog easier to reconcile. The potatoes had been freshly prepared with an aromatic mixture of garlic, parsley and salt – I was beyond full by the end, but I couldn’t imagine turning in a half-eaten plate that had obviously been lovingly prepared.

Baltimore Dog with coleslaw and Ruby fries

Before I left, I asked Tom why he had chosen 118th Avenue to open his restaurant, and whether or not the reputation of the area had deterred him at all. He replied that the media helped perpetuate the negative image of Alberta Avenue, and “if people think this is bad, try living in Newark, New Jersey.”

The Dawg Father
8654 118 Avenue
(780) 477-7947
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, closed Sunday & Monday

Starch Overload: Happy Garden

Due to a dumpling craving, Dickson and I ended up at Happy Garden (6525 111 Street NW) for dinner instead of a pre-planned trip to Il Forno. He had heard from a coworker that their servings were quite generous, and after being unsatisfied with Western interpretations of dumplings at Brewster’s, convinced me to come along for the ride.

I remember reading a review of this off-the-beaten-track Chinese restaurant in the Journal last year, and was happy to hear that it hadn’t shut down, which was a possibility hinted at in the article. It took us long enough to find the place, after a few wrong turns and not having the slightest idea what we were looking for to begin with. We finally ended up at a tiny strip mall in the middle of Parkallen, with every storefront dark with the exception of the restaurant.

Wandering in, I spotted a sign near the door that requested patience from patrons – staff turnover meant the kitchen might still be on training wheels. That wasn’t a good sign – we had tickets to a show across the city, and time would be tight as it were. But in spite of my hesitations, we followed the waitress to a table in the back corner.

Happy Garden was surprisingly busy – for a restaurant that I hadn’t heard much about, it was nearly full, and provided the lively ambiance I have always associated with Chinese establishments. The decor was dated, with a few haphazard Chinese “artifacts” added to the interior as seeming afterthoughts – a lantern, a scroll. Twinkle lights hung from the ceiling – had they been on, I’m sure they would have given the space a touch of charm. The pink vinyl tablecloths were a bit off-putting – I know they meant to assist staff in the clean-up phase, but they were sticky and probably should have been replaced.

I let Dickson do the ordering, based on his friend’s recommendations: Pork Dumplings ($7 for 12), Mu Shu Pork ($9 for 6 “thin cakes”), and Steamed Buns ($7 for 10). I wasn’t expecting to find samosas and “Thai wings” on the menu, but as I was about to find out, Happy Garden specializes in plates meant to be shared.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before our first course arrived – the Pork Dumplings were absolutely massive. Their comparison on the menu to perogies were spot on, though quite frankly, they were larger than any perogy I had ever come across before. Pan-fried to a crisp on the outside, the dough contained a flavourful concoction of meat. I managed to work my way through four before crying for mercy, but Dickson likely could have eaten more than the eight he finished.

Pork Dumplings

The Mu Shu Pork was next – warmed crepe-like wraps accompanied a plate of steaming stir-fried pork and vegetables. Assembling the dish was half the fun, which including drizzling hoisin sauce to taste. It was definitely my favourite of the three courses – the texture of the filling and the sweetness of the sauce had me at my first bite.

Mu Shu Pork

We received our Steamed Buns last. A mixture of pork and crab meat awaited us inside, as did quite a bit of oil that pooled along the bottom of the dough. If we hadn’t already gone through the plate of dumplings, I’m sure we would have been more receptive to the buns, but in the end, we felt as if we had exceeded our starch content for the week.

Steamed Buns

My introduction to Happy Garden was brief but positive – I hope to be able to linger (and order seconds of Mu Shu Pork) on future visits.

Happy Garden
6525 111 Street NW
(780) 435-7622

All About Appearances: Kai Asian Grill

After Courtney’s lukewarm review and hearing lacklustre comments from friends about Kai Asian Grill (100, 10909 Jasper Avenue), I was less than eager to pay them a visit. But on an evening when venturing outside was a welcome reprieve from a weekend of self-imposed house arrest, coupled with Mack’s need to scope out Kai as a potential venue for an event he was planning, we hopped on a bus to have dinner at Kai.

Interior

I’m not sure why the owners decided on a name change (signs boasted of “Tao” coming soon), but I doubt substituting another Asian-sounding monosyllable would have made a resounding difference with the patron reception of the restaurant. At any rate, the interior of the former Chili Hot Hot had been gutted and divided into a number of areas – a dining room, a small sushi bar, two elevated, semi-private dining areas, and finally, a gargantuan lounge, which is at least double the size of the dining room. We asked to be seated in the dining room (as is our custom when trying a new restaurant), but had we known of Kai’s lounge-forward stance, we would have made an exception to our rule. Shades of black and grey dominate the dining room, with looming statues reminding patrons of the restaurant’s Asian and East Asian slant. The most striking feature is the ceiling, however, with lights calling attention to the overhead red hue. I was happy that they decided to maintain the large windows looking out onto Jasper Avenue – the bustling intersection outside makes the restaurant seem that much more cosmopolitan, however coincidental. Everything looked great, polished and perfect, but upon closer inspection, it seems some financial shortcuts were taken. For example, the bamboo plants that lined the side were artificial, while the counters were marble-coated. As the overall renovations must have cost a fortune, I’m willing to cut Kai some slack.

I had previewed the menu online, so knew of Kai’s approach to fusion food – one very similar to OPM, and really, any other restaurant that strives to cater to as many people as possible out there (I’m looking at you Earls, Joeys, and Moxie’s). We were handed cocktail and wine lists, but other beverages such as beer and coffee were nowhere to be seen on the page. Mack would have appreciated this, as his Sapporo beer came in at a surprise $7.25, although he rightly could have confirmed the price prior to ordering it.

The one dish that caught my eye online, the Coconut-Crusted Tofu ($22), maintained my gaze in the restaurant, as I was hoping to satisfy my craving for tofu. Mack, on the other hand, zeroed in on the peculiarly categorized Kai Mini Burger Trio ($16) – we thought it sounded more like an appetizer than an entrée (and would likely encourage more spending if coded as the former). Always up for the house calamari ($9), this time dressed with salt and pepper, we ordered that to start as well.

Our appetizer was delivered quite promptly, dressed with green onions and accompanied by a chili and lime aioli. Dotted with black pepper, Mack liked the calamari well enough, while I was easily swayed by the fact that the battered morsels was fried to a fresh crisp.

Salt and Pepper Calamari

We had a little more time to admire the interior than we wanted to while we waited for our entrees, but the calamari tided us over somewhat. When Mack’s Burger Trio arrived, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the bright orange sweet potato fries – not mentioned in the menu description, we now understood why this had been classified as an entrée. While I don’t know how the burgers fit in with the “Asian fusion” mandate of the restaurant (besides the bamboo skewers used, heh), the sliders were great, particularly because of the type of bun used. The White-Castle-like soft bread cushioned and complimented the thin patty well.

Kai Mini Burger Trio

The size of my dish was deceiving at first glance, though as I began to dig through the rice and vegetables, I found that the bowl held more than met the eye. The Thai curry sauce used lovely, and balanced the heat with a hint of sweetness. The tofu, which had been lightly breaded in coconut, then deep fried, was unfortunately dry in the centre, with a texture that reminded me more of chicken than soy. It was an interesting take, and one I might try to recreate at home, but not again try at Kai.

Coconut Crusted Tofu

I had no complaints about our waitress – she did her best to find all of the answers we needed for our numerous and sundry questions, and as it seemed she was covering both the lounge and the dining room, did a bang up job ensuring all tables were cared for. Though my predilection for Kai steadily improved through my visit, it’s lack of real menu focus prevents me from fully embracing it. I would recommend it, but don’t expect fireworks.

Kai Asian Grill
100, 10909 Jasper Avenue
(780) 428-3336
Monday-Thursday 11am-midnight, Friday-Saturday 5pm-2am

Indian Meal Deal: Rasoi on 50th

I caught up with Bettina over dinner at Rasoi on 50th (4341 50 Street) last week, a restaurant near my house I suggested trying when she proposed that we have Indian cuisine.

There has been some confusion in the Edmonton dining scene recently with Indian restaurants with “Rasoi” in the name, as two opened up at around the same time this summer, both located in southside strip malls. Rasoi on 50th happens to reside in a space formerly occupied by a coffee shop, and for that reason is smaller and seemingly more demure, at least from the outset.

While I can’t remember exactly how the interior of Cappuccino Affair used to look, the palette of warm beige and brown seemed familiar. Café seating next to the order counter had been eliminated in favour of a buffet (offered only at lunch at the moment), so we were led to the mezzanine dining area at the rear of the restaurant. The flat screen televisions, while perhaps acceptable at the front take-out counter, were out of place and distracting where we were seated, particularly because the rest of the décor was cozy and conducive to a nice evening out.

Our waitress was a bit abrupt, not even allowing us to take off our coats before asking about our drink order, but her keenness could be excused for the fact that we were the first customers through the door that night. Service improved through our stay, save for the waitress not considering that our lengthy lingering at the end of our meal may have signalled our desire for the bill.

Not having to even consider the buffet was a blessing in disguise, as after my brush with the Origin India owner, I realized I may have been doing a disservice to Indian cuisine by always jumping to the buffet rush. Our server presented us with the option of a fast food-inspired “two can dine” special, which, priced at $24.99, was a bit of a steal. Comprised of naan, rice, raita, green salad, and two entrees of our choice (vegetarian and/or meat), it seemed like an economical way to sample what the restaurant had to offer. For my entrée, I chose the unavoidable Butter Chicken, while Bettina was a bit more adventurous with Lamb Curry. She was also intrigued by their Egg Pakoras ($6), so we added that onto our order as well.

We munched our way through complimentary papadam, and didn’t have to wait long before our appetizer arrived. Bettina was disappointed with them, as she had anticipated something more exciting and unusual than what we received – hard boiled eggs that had been battered then fried. I thought they were all right, though the outer shell didn’t maintain its ideal crispness.

Egg Pakoras

Plates cleared, our meal was delivered in expedient fashion. I was expecting more than five small pieces of chicken in my entrée, but thankfully, they were a tad more generous with Bettina’s lamb. I also should have made it a point to ask them what was contained in their rich sauce – it was unlike any butter chicken dressing I have ever had, almost as if they had tossed in a bottle of barbecue sauce or something else unorthodox into the mix. It was really tasty though, so perhaps it is a well-guarded secret ingredient. Bettina liked her lamb curry, though noted that it was nothing out of the ordinary. The green salad was unexciting (iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumber, carrot), though if anything, did provide a fresh respite from the dense meat entrees. Lastly, the naan was fresh and crisp, with the only downside being that there wasn’t more of it to go around.

Our “two can dine” meal

While not necessarily a destination restaurant, Rasoi on 50th is worth stopping by if you’re in the area, and looking for an a la carte Indian experience that won’t break the bank.

Rasoi on 50th
4341 50 Street NW
(780) 756-5600
Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm; Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 12-9pm

Stunning Interior: The Hat

May and I met up for a pre-Christmas dinner at The Hat (10251 Jasper Avenue NW), the newest incarnation of Edmonton’s beloved diner. As I never set foot in any of its predecessors, I can’t comment on how the interior has changed, but I will say that the décor floored me.

Bar

Ceiling

Pictures really don’t do The Hat justice, particularly because my camera is weak in dim settings. But between the dark wood bar that takes advantage of the long and narrow space (lined with a colorful liquor display and LCD television screens displaying the night’s sports offerings) and the absolutely gorgeous pressed-tin ceiling, the interior wowed me. The rear of the restaurant had a different feel than the front – better lit, with large tables to accommodate groups, those looking for a more restaurant setting could happily settle down there. All in all, the space was dressed for the after-work crowd, enticing for those looking for a stylish but comfortable spot for a drink.

The menu also reflected this, with a crowd-pleasing overtone, featuring share plates common for casual upscale eateries and updated pub favourites. Diner standbys have been eliminated, giving way to a multitude of burgers, including a $20 surf and turf version, coupling a beef patty with a lobster tail.

It turned out that May and I picked a great day of the week to visit, as all burgers were priced at $3 off on Tuesdays. I immediately went for the Canadian ($13.25), an 8oz. patty topped with cheddar, white cheddar, maple bacon, and “all the groceries”. May opted for something lighter that day, and ordered the Portobello Mushroom Burger ($12.25), served with red pepper cream cheese, fresh red peppers and spinach. I was glad that one side was included with the burger; it just feels wrong when fries are priced separately.

Service, particularly because it seemed a single waitress was serving the entire restaurant, was good. And though I’m not sure why we both expected the kitchen to be slow, before we knew it, our dishes appeared in front of us. The generous serving of crispy shoestring fries could barely stay atop the plate, while my burger waited patiently to be dressed with the provided condiments. The menu also didn’t lie about the fixings, as it was absolutely stacked. Though in my opinion, the groceries attacked my burger to the point where I could no longer taste the cheese and bacon, and the patty was a little too charred for my liking. May rated her burger average, but she did enjoy the dressing drizzled on her side salad – a nice roasted red pepper vinaigrette.

Canadian Burger

Portobello Mushroom Burger

Based on our inaugural visit, I’d return not to The Hat for the food, but to drink in the lovely atmosphere and its stunning interior.

The Hat
10251 Jasper Avenue NW
(780) 429-4471
Appetizers $4-15, Entrees $12.25-20, Desserts $4.25

Fast and Filling: Mucho Burrito

A day off from work became my errand day, and I was finally able to finish my Christmas shopping (too late in the year for me, particularly because I am the type to stockpile presents throughout the year). At any rate, the weekday freedom meant I could meet Mack for lunch, so we decided to take the time to try out Mucho Burrito (10124 109 Street NW), a relatively new addition to the 109th Street complex.

I was expecting a similar meal experience to the one I had at Taco del Mar a few months back, a franchised chain that started popping up all over the city in the last two years. On the outset, the two eateries didn’t seem to be too different – a long ordering counter took up half of the space, while basic metal-framed tables meant not for lingering filled up the rest of the area. Mucho Burrito was decidedly less kitschy décor-wise (no tiki-bar or neon signs to be had here), but the playful posters (one featuring an oversized burrito on a forklift) reminded me very much of Famoso’s early wall coverings. Their overhead LCD screens, though notable, were unfortunately out of focus as they cycled through in-house advertisements.

We joined the line – which didn’t let-up through our brief stay, even though it was after 1pm – and were greeted by indifferent but amazingly efficient staff. They had their assembly line roles down pat, and whisked us through the ordering process in minutes.

This new breed of taco stand separates itself from their fast food cousins by offering choice at every turn – from the white or whole-wheat tortilla, to brown or black beans, to chicken, beef, or vegetarian filling, to supplementary sauces and toppings, the price reflects the approach to a custom order. My small burrito, Burrito Pequeno, was priced at $6.99, while Mack’s namesake Mucho Burrito was $10.99 – we were definitely out of value menu territory.

Down the assembly line we went – I chose a white tortilla, brown beans, beef and cilantro to accompany the lime rice, cheese and salsa base. We each ended up with a perfectly wrapped burrito in an aluminium pizza pan, a practical alternative to plastic trays, as Mack’s bottle of pop was better restricted from rolling off onto the floor.

Aluminium tray alternative

We sat down at a table and dug in. The combination of all flavours together – the smoky chipotle sauce, the tang of the lime rice, the juicy, savoury shards of braised beef, and the freshness of the cilantro – really sold the burrito for me. Mack could barely get his mouth around his burrito (easily double the size of mine), but gave it a thumbs up as well – he was full for hours afterwards. Of course, for $11, his hunger should have definitely been addressed.

Mack takes a bite out of his burrito

Mucho Burrito

Burrito Pequeno

In all, Mucho Burrito provided a satisfying lunch, and a meal that was much better than one we had obtained at Taco del Mar. Ideal for take-out or a quick stop, while not inexpensive, Mucho Burrito was both fast and filling.

Mucho Burrito
10124 109 Street NW (2 more locations in Edmonton coming soon)
(780) 429-4220
Daily 11am-9pm