Date Night: NaanOLicious and Ice on Whyte

I found a great excuse for Mack and I to finally try NaanOLicious on Friday, New Asian Village’s casual establishment that opened in the fall. It is billed as offering Indian fusion dishes in a funky, hip atmosphere, fitting for its Whyte Avenue location – at the very least, it is a different addition to the spectrum of Indian eateries that already exist. I was planning to follow-up the meal with a walk to Ice On Whyte, so NaanOLicious’ proximity was perfect for that warm winter night.

We took the bus over to Old Strathcona (I checked first to see if the streetcar happened to be running in conjunction with the festival, but I think it was just a special feature of last year’s festivities). Taking our chances without a reservation, we found the restaurant about three-quarters full at the dinner hour. We were greeted promptly and led to a table, and from that vantage point, were able to marvel at the seductive interior. I don’t know what led me to expect a more bare-bones décor scheme (maybe it was the “naan bar” connotation of functionality over form), but with stone accents, rouge carpets, and Bollywood dance videos displayed on the screens and piped through the speakers, it felt like a plush lounge. That said, the room is anchored not by a traditional bar, but a long, open kitchen. It was great to see the chefs at work, and especially to listen to the reassuring sound of naan dough being moulded by capable hands.

I wished the menu was as congruous as the interior, however. While it featured brightly-coloured pages, fun word puns and some photographs, not much thought seemed to be given to the organization and flow. Appetizers were scattered throughout the menu, and it wasn’t clear from the description whether certain dishes were meant to be shared or acted as individual entrees. As a result, we took more time with the menu than we usually do (the servers came to take our order three times before we were ready to do so), but we weren’t the only ones –the pair next to us were similarly confused by the layout and dish descriptions. NaanOLicious, at the end of the day, presents fusion flavours – Indian-spiced pizzas, pastas, and other fun interpretations using familiar spice profiles.

Mack ended up with a coconut shrimp shooter ($3) to start, a fun two-bite treat served in a shot glass full of mango chutney. Mack enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it was worth the price, though it is unusual to see such small single-serving items on menus in the city.

Mack with his shrimp shooter

We split two dishes, one being the clear winner. We’ve found butter chicken wraps at Origin India and at Remedy, but NaanOLicious was the first to present us with a panaani ($15) – butter chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes grilled between fresh naan. The naan was perfectly crispy, the heat level just right in the creamy sauce with the vegetables lending additional texture and pop. The panaani was served with potatoes and a salad.

Butter chicken panaani

The server had asked us about the preferred heat level of our entrees, and we requested medium spicy for both. So it was surprising that the Deccan meatloaf ($16) was so much spicier than the panaani. I would have preferred a creamier sauce, and a firmer texture for the meatloaf – it crumbled when cut. The dish was accompanied by a generous serving of vegetables and potatoes.

Deccan meatloaf

Service was disappointing. The ratio of servers to chefs was easily 2:1, but they tended to disappear for long periods of time. The food (understandable given said ratio) also took quite a bit of time. We also anticipated that the shrimp shooter would arrive first, but instead, all three dishes were delivered one after the other.

Without question, we would return to NaanOLicious, especially knowing that a craving for their butter chicken panaani is bound to crop up in the future. But we’d likely call ahead for takeout instead.

After dinner, we walked over to End of Steel Park to take in the 10th edition of Ice on Whyte. I made sure to bring a 2-for-1 coupon with me, which cut down the admission cost for us from $10 to $5. Though it’s great that the funds collected likely contribute to the sustainability of the festival, we wondered if the fee (in the face of free winter festivals like Deep Freeze and Silver Skate) heightens expectations for other patrons, as it did for us.

Hands off my honey!

The temperature extremes that week, swinging thirty odd degrees, did not treat the ice sculptures well. Most were visibly damaged (one ice mammoth was missing a tusk, while an ice gymnast had lost a leg), but lit up after dark, the sculptures were still a sight to behold.

Love the sense of motion

To help commemorate its 10th anniversary, carvers recreated one sculpture from each of the past festivals (though not necessarily on the same scale). It was neat to see some of the familiar sights again!

The dinosaur remained intact

Of course, the ice slide was ever popular. It just seems to grow every year, with six slides built into the main attraction (and even more smaller slides in the children’s area).

Ice slide!

Unfortunately, we had missed the programming (which ended an hour before the gates closed), though we did hear the tail end of the karaoke taking place inside the tent. Though we’re sure more must go on during the day, it was such a stark contrast to the variety of activities offered at Deep Freeze.

Skating

We’ve been to Ice on Whyte every year for a while now, and though the sculptures are consistently stunning, we’ve found there isn’t much more than that to see or do. And not every festival has to grow or be all things to all people, but for us, it won’t be something we continue to return to, year after year.

NaanOLicious
10331 82 Avenue
(780) 705-5570
Monday-Thursday 11:30am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-3am, Sunday 11:30am-9pm

Culinary Q & A with Gail Hall

Occupation: Chef, Educator and Food Writer

What did you eat today?

It’s Saturday and I love sleeping in and going to Credo for an American Misto and one of their fabulous raisin bran muffins. Also had some homemade granola with Greek yogurt (Liberté is one of my standby yogurts) topped with homemade stewed rhubarb. An early dinner of Battista Calzones (pesto chicken and Italian meat and shared with my husband) and accompanied with a homemade Caesar salads. The salad is one of my favourites and uses a dressing that I’ve been making for over 30 years!

What do you never eat?

Head cheese!

What is your personal specialty?

This is a difficult question to answer as I love cooking and baking anything. But I guess my specialty would be developing recipes from dishes I’ve discovered when hosting my International culinary tours to ones back home using local ingredients!

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Lots of condiments (mustards, hot sauces, chutneys, marmalades), local cheeses, local organic eggs, goat milk, organic juices, fresh fruit and vegetables.

What is your weekday meal standby?

An omelette or homemade soup.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Haruyuiki Tsuchime knife from Knifewear.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Oh goodness…it’s going to be a combo of foods I remember from childhood and remarkable dishes discovered on my culinary tours. Here goes:

Crostini using Baguette from Saigon topped with Rocamadour goats cheese from les Causses France (you could twist my arm here and I’d be happy to use Fairwinds goat cheese or The Cheesiry’s Fresco!) with a glass of Prosecco

Arancini stuffed with spinach or ragu and a side of Eleonora Consoli’s Caponata from Sicily with a glass of Pinot Grigio

My mom’s beef knishes

Cassoulet from Carcassonne with a black wine from the Cahors

Dessert would have to be my mom’s chocolate marble cake – it was always the mainstay at our birthdays growing up and it always makes me smile when I think of it (especially when I could lick the icing off the beaters!)

An Americano Misto from Credo

Where do you eat out most frequently?

We don’t eat out a lot, but if I did, it would be Corso 32, Tres Carnales and Sofra.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Ah….for me that would be Corso 32! Check back with me in a few months and I’m sure there will be more added to the list as great local restaurants are popping up everywhere in Edmonton!

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

Italy will always be my favourite country to travel to and it not just about the food – the people are so genuine, kind and so proud of their food. Definitely lots of antipasti like the arancini and caponata mentioned above, prosciutto di Parma with cheeses from the area…some fresh pasta topped with anything you’d find on pasta in Italy…fresh fruit and gelati and a shot of Lemoncello for dessert.

You can find Gail’s cooking class and food tour information on Seasoned Solutions.

Culinary Q & A with Michelle Peters-Jones

Occupation: Sous Chef and Chief Leftover Scrounger at Get Cooking Edmonton.

What did you eat today?

A whole box of Walkers ginger biscuits, leek and pancetta risotto and a moscato zabaglione with moscato poached pears.

What do you never eat?

I eat mostly everything, but I am not a huge fan of kale.

What is your personal specialty?

Home cooked Indian food, especially from South India.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Milk and eggs.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Bulgur wheat or spiced quinoa salads with lots of fresh vegetables.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My battered Le Creuset dutch oven, and my Wusthof chef’s knife.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My grandmother’s festival-special pork and offal curry with steamed rice cakes or sannas.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Kathir on 34 Ave do great dosas.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

The Marc. Love the food and the ambience.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

The streets of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, small hilltop villages in Italy, the back alleys of Old Delhi, the beaches of Bombay and the roadside eateries in Kerala. Oh, and the tearooms on the Wirral near Liverpool.

Michelle blogs at The Tiffin Box.

Small Plates, Japanese-Style: Izakaya Tomo

Some meals are more than just the food on the table and the company you are with – they are experiences. Our dinner at Guu in Toronto, my first taste of an izakaya (a Japanese pub), was one such experience. It was loud and boisterous, with most of the cacophony of voices originating from the staff. The dozen servers and chefs would yell greetings at patrons whenever they entered or exited the restaurant. Though I’m sure it could get trying after a while, for us, it was still novel; for me, Guu was memorable because of the infectious energy and vibrant atmosphere. When I heard Edmonton finally landed its own izakaya, I was excited to see if it could replicate that experience. Mack and I had dinner there last Saturday, before a movie at South Edmonton Common.

Though it would have been nice to see Izakaya Tomo amongst an established hospitality district instead of a vehicle-driven strip, no one can deny the attractive rent differential. And walking in, the interior also made us forget about the location – the earthy tones and wooden fixtures made us feel immediately at ease, on top of, of course, the warm, vocal welcome from staff. With the relatively small size of Izakaya Tomo (nine tables) and corresponding staff size, there was definitely a less frenetic pace than compared with Guu, to the point where a comparison almost couldn’t be warranted.

Interior

Izakaya Tomo does serve sushi (the chef previously worked at Mikado), but we focused our orders on cooked dishes, which ranged in price from $3.95-$11.95). Our server recommended we order 4-5 dishes, so we took her advice (I have to note the obvious but charming directive printed on the menu, which reads “Please order whatever you want”).

The deep fried tofu ($4.95) came out first, a nice starter, though the breading didn’t hold together as well as we would have hoped for.

Deep fried tofu

Next came the dish we were most curious about, a carbonara udon ($11.95), combining Japanese and Italian ingredients in a way we’d never seen before. But we were hooked – the udon noodles seemed right at home in the creamy, peppery sauce, so much so we wondered why we had never encountered the combination before (a friend of ours who we ran into at the restaurant that night commented that the carbonara reminded him of the heavenly pastas he’d sampled in Italy – high praise for a fusion dish from a Japanese establishment!).

Carbonara udon

The tonpei yaki ($8.95) is Izakaya Tomo’s version of an okonomiyaki. Instead of a flat pancake, the dish was made up of a pork and cabbage-filled egg crepe drizzled with Japanese mayo. Though I probably prefer the pancake version, Mack was more than amused at the swaying bonito flakes.

Tonpei yaki

The server must have misheard me, as we intended to order the chicken kara-age ($7.95), and didn’t realize until we received the bill that the dish we actually received was the chicken teriyaki ($10.95). That explained why the chicken wasn’t as crispy as we expected. We really appreciated the side of cabbage and bell peppers, which helped balance out the heavier items.

Chicken teriyaki

The beef shogayaki ($10.95), was a ginger-fried beef, shredded paper thin. It was Mack’s favourite dish, with forward, but not overwhelming ginger flavour.

Beef shogayaki

Service was friendly and attentive, and we were never left wanting anything. The food also came out lightning fast, to the point where we could barely keep up!

With the continued trend of share plate dining, Izakaya Tomo is entering the Edmonton food scene at the right time. And given it is our favourite way to eat out, sampling our way through numerous dishes, we look forward to trying the rest of the menu, and of course, to receiving another warm welcome!

Izakaya Tomo
3739 99 Street
(780) 440-9152

A Warm Welcome: Cafe Amore

Quite a few different sources had been pointing us to Cafe Amore over the last few months – friends, associates, the blogosphere – it seemed everyone was raving about this small Italian eatery’s food and atmosphere. We finally gave it a try ourselves recently, to celebrate Mack’s birthday.

The trickiest thing about Cafe Amore is that reservations aren’t permitted for groups smaller than 6. When I called to confirm this, I also asked about the best time to avoid a long wait, but unfortunately, staff couldn’t commit to any particular time or day. So we took our chances on a Friday after work.

Cafe Amore is a small space to be sure – it resembled more of a small neighbourhood pub than a restaurant. The room was anchored by an 80s style wooden bar (with a glaringly fluorescent soda cooler), with several flat screen televisions adorning the walls. A handful of tables occupied the adjacent space, though as Mack noted, many of them looked to be comfortable four tops to which several more chairs had been added.

Because of the tight space, there wasn’t much room for a lobby. Later on, as more people piled in for the dinner rush, this became more apparent given we felt like the waiting parties were watching us eat. When we entered, there wasn’t a sign directing us to wait, so we weren’t sure if we were to hunt for a space ourselves. After a few minutes, a gregarious staff member greeted us, and told us he could squeeze us in at the bar (and eventually were fortunate enough to be moved to a table; the next couple who walked in wasn’t so lucky, and had to wait about 45 minutes).

As soon as he found out it was our first time at the restaurant, he shook our hands and introduced himself. Mack remarked later that although we weren’t impressed with the initial welcome or the close quarters, these misgivings were negated by the effort staff made to personally connect with diners (later, the patriarch of the restaurant not only made the rounds to check how our meal was going, but also thanked us on our way out).

Happy birthday, Mack!

We were told how the menu worked (no paper menus, just the chalkboard equivalent) – entree options included seven different pastas (with the pasta falling on that particular day offered at a discounted rate), prawns, and several specials. Appetizers changed on an almost daily basis. I settled on one of the pasta dishes ($14, plus $3 for chicken), while Mack opted for the crowning special of pasta pescatore ($25).

Though the server had promised our food would be delivered promptly, the swiftness exceeded both of expectations. The portion sizes also blew our minds – each of our plates could have easily fed two people. My sambucca rose was nothing special, though I enjoyed the slight sweetness of the sauce. In hindsight, I would have added the rapini ($4) for a bit of texture.

Sambucca rose

Mack’s pescatore, however, was the crown jewel at our table. Linguine and a generous amount of king crab, baby clams, mussels, jumbo prawns and baby shrimp had been tossed with a white wine sauce. Light and fresh, with perfectly prepared seafood, Mack could not be happier with his birthday dinner.

Pasta pescatore

Though we did enjoy our food, our dinner really highlighted for us an instance where service can really make a meal. While we will be returning in the future, the lure of Cafe Amore is its staff, and their ability to make you feel welcomed and appreciated.

Before we left, we were told that the owners are hunting for a second location. Given the Delton storefront is bursting at the seams, this couldn’t come at a better time. But with the expansion, we do hope that they can maintain their personal touch, which sets Cafe Amore apart from other restaurants.

Cafe Amore
12118 90 Street
(780) 477-7896
Sunday 12-6pm, Monday-Saturday 11am-12am

Culinary Highlights: 2012 Edition

Though I didn’t necessarily travel far from Edmonton this year (remaining on the North American continent), many of my food memories from 2012 revolved around the trips I took. I was fortunate enough to visit Toronto twice, spent over a week in the Okanagan, and in the fall, explored the food and hipster mecca of Portland (which, of course, I have yet to blog about).

The mac and cheese at Bannock, one of my favourite spots in Toronto

Amanda at the Toronto Underground Market

It was absolutely beautiful by the lake at Quail’s Gate in Kelowna

The farmers’ market at Portland State University was unreal

The best salami I’ve ever had, courtesy of Olympic Provisions in Portland

The YouCanHasCheeseburger (two grilled cheese sandwiches in place of a regular bun) from Brunch Box in Portland was worth every calorie

I also had many memorable meals closer to home, including an incredible multi-course dinner at the Slow Food Canada gala in May, a Canada Day crab boil, a farm to table feast like we’ve never experienced, multiple meals at our favourite new restaurant, Three Boars, and innumerable bowls of beef noodle soup at Pho Tau Bay.

My favourite dish at the Slow Food gala: a celebration of grains and pulses with the most delectable pea puree

The spread at an indulgent Canada Day crab boil

R GE RD 135 farm dinner at Nature’s Green Acres

They may be better known for their creative uses of lesser cuts of meat, but Three Boars’ simple dessert of lemon curd, blueberry compote and granola was one of the best desserts I ate this year

I’m pretty sure I consumed more pho than anything else in 2012

Mack and I were also very lucky to work with some amazing partners on several food events we helped organize, including two pop-up dinners, a food conference and more than ten What the Truck?! events.

We had a blast organizing Blink: Pedway Pop-Up with the Century Hospitality Group, which took place in February in the pedway between Scotia and Commerce Place

Similarly, we loved working with Drift to pull off Pedway: Urban Picnic at Louise McKinney Park in August (photo by Hugh Lee)

Eat Alberta 2.0 doubled in size, and took place inside the kitchens of NAIT

After a series of successful Truck Stops in Old Strathcona, we hosted our first ever Throwdown Edition in August, featuring pulled pork

We ended the What the Truck?! season with our biggest event ever, colonizing Churchill Square in September

Here’s to another year of good food!

After ringing the opening bell at the City Market

A Refined Retreat: The Makk on 124

The 124 Street area in Edmonton is one to watch, given the number of exciting restaurant happenings over the past three months, something that will continue into the new year. The Makk on 124, Chef Simin’s first solo offering, opened in November, injecting life back into the space vacated by D’Lish. Canteen, lovingly known as Red Ox Inn’s “little sister”, opened in mid-December. And of course, the biggest news of all – Chef Blair Lebsack’s Rge Rd is set to open in the spring of 2013 in place of The Blue Pear.

Last week, May and I decided to meet up at The Makk for a pre-Christmas dinner. Neither of us had been to the restaurant yet, so I wasn’t able to gauge how busy it might be, and made a reservation just to be safe. It turned out to be a rather quiet evening, with just a few other tables by the end of our visit, which ended up being a blessing, given the last-minute shopping frenzy I had participated in that morning.

A post-Christmas shopping cocktail

The interior remains similar to D’Lish, with the eye-catching tiled bar anchoring the space, but the palette has changed to a rich grey and red. The room has a very sophisticated feel, suitable for a drink with the girls or date night.

Interior

We perused the menu, which included the selections available at lunch. Many of the daytime items caught my eye (warm tomato tartlet, beef cheek), which I wished were available on the dinner menu. May and I ended up ordering the smoked duck breast ($29) and lamb loin ($30) to share.

I have to commend Chef Simin on his excellent memory. Before our meal he came out of the kitchen to say he remembered cooking for my family two years ago when we had dined at ZINC to celebrate my parents’ anniversary. He had said he was busy in the kitchen, otherwise, would have offered well wishes personally. Particularly because I had never met Chef Simin in person, I was astounded that he remembered our meal!

The duck was our favourite of the two plates. The fat had been rendered out, and though the skin wasn’t crisp, the meat was cooked to a perfect medium, retaining much of its moisture. We also enjoyed the sweet cassis jus.

Smoked duck breast

Although the lamb had been prepared to its promised medium rare, both May and I weren’t fans of its thyme bread casing – the crunchy texture distracted from the lamb, if anything.

Lamb loin

What most impressed us about both dishes were the sides. Instead of the standard mashed potato and roasted vegetables, we found variations on these preparations that rivalled the proteins on the plates. The macaire potatoes served alongside the duck were tasty potato cakes, while the gnocchi accompaniment to the lamb were light and fluffy. Similarly, the ratatouille was a burst of summer next to the lamb, while the braised red cabbage underneath the duck made me rethink a dish I’ve typically avoided – this version was sweet and almost melted away on my tongue.

We were pretty content with our meal (knowing the Christmas indulgence to come), but Chef Simin wanted to end our experience on a sweet note, and generously provided us with a sampling of dessert. I was glad he did, because otherwise, we would have left without trying the chocolate flourless cake. Served with a red coulis and sorbet, it was even more rich and dense than we expected. Packed with chocolate flavour, it was a memorable way to finish the evening.

Chocolate flourless cake

Service was attentive but friendly, professional without being too formal. As a result, I’d feel comfortable returning to The Makk again for dinner, lunch, or brunch. It’s a great addition to the burgeoning neighbourhood, and a welcome one to Edmonton’s food scene overall.

The Makk
10418 124 Street
(780) 705-3710

An Afternoon of Nibbles and Sweets: Cally’s Teas

Cally’s Teas is Grandma Male’s favourite place to purchase tea in the city, but since moving to their expanded digs on Whyte Avenue, they have been able to sell much more than just tea. With a kitchen, Cally’s is now equipped to sell baked goods, and even better, offer a full lunch service, including the option of high tea! Mack, Thom and I took Grandma Male to Cally’s just before Christmas to give their expanded menu a try.

Ready for high tea!

The shop itself is charming, shelves brimming with lovely handmade gifts (we spotted Veekee Workshop’s tea towels, for instance), and of course, their show stopping wall of teas. The dining area takes its place at the rear of the shop, anchored by a counter that resembled a wet bar for tea. Because there isn’t a distinct break between the shop and the dining space, we weren’t sure if it would be a bit awkward holding a conversation while those around us browsed for last-minute Christmas gifts, but it turned out we needn’t have worried. With seating comprised of mismatched vintage furniture, it felt a bit like we were having lunch in a friend’s warm and funky kitchen.

Tea bar

I will say that it was a bit odd that we weren’t actually given a menu to peruse after we were seated, but instead were asked as we were removing our winter gear which of the two afternoon tea options we wanted to choose. Given this was our first time, we would have appreciated some time to acquaint ourselves with the menu, but perhaps the staff were just cognizant of time and wanted to ensure the kitchen was prepared to expedite our order. Based on the recommendation of the server, we opted for the $25/person high tea option, which added a savoury quiche or bread pudding to round out the small bites and scones offered through the $20/person afternoon tea. Though we did enjoy our experience, it is worth noting that we did think it was a bit on the pricey side, given our bill registered over $100.

We started off the meal by each choosing a tea from the aforementioned tea wall. A server was available to provide guidance, helpful given the overwhelming number of choices. Grandma Male decided on Formosa oolong, while I stuck with a traditional earl grey, and Mack and Thom shared a pot of seasonal egg nog tea.

Perusing the “Great Wall of Tea”

As expected, the china at Cally’s is absolutely beautiful, radiant pieces almost too pretty to use. The tiered servers were dainty but functional, a sturdy handle at the top more than capable of supporting the buttery heft at each level.

My gorgeous and festive tea cup

As we nibbled our way through the food, we were reminded of how social high tea is, because of the sharing (and passing) of communal trays of small bites.

The homemade crackers with goat cheese were a hit around the table, the mild spread melding nicely with its buttery base. Mack and I aren’t usual fans of cucumber sandwiches, but Cally’s version featured the inclusion of fragrant lemon zest, which added a zip of freshness to the tea staple. The quiche was meant to be a savoury item, but it could have almost passed for dessert – the onions had been caramelized into submission, while the tomato added another layer of sweetness. The pastry was also very well prepared, crispy and flaky.

Savoury bites

Without a doubt, the scones were the standout. Oh so buttery and slightly sweet, they were consumed as a dessert, served with jam and whipped cream. We were all plum full by this time, but didn’t let the last few bites of scone go to waste. Mack and I agreed that we would be back for these. The dessert tray also featured some tea-studded shortbread cookies. We packed them up for later, and enjoyed them at home. The tea aroma was noticeable on the nose, but less so on the palate.

Sweet bites

Service throughout our meal was quite attentive, though we probably interacted with four different staff/servers that afternoon. In that way it felt a little less formal than high tea services at other establishments in Edmonton, which suited us just fine.

If you’re looking for a different kind of lunch experience, or, just feel like nibbling your way through an afternoon, I’d highly recommend high tea at Cally’s!

Cally’s Teas
10151 Whyte Avenue
(780) 757-8944

Korean Cuisine in Chinatown: Won Jung Gak

When Won Jung Gak took over the storefront vacated by Basil Leaf in August at 10023 107 Avenue, it finally added a Korean option to the panoply of Asian restaurants in Chinatown. Up until then, to satisfy Korean cravings, diners had to head to the south side, where the vast majority of Korean establishments are located in the city. In addition, given Won Jung Gak has quite a popular following already from their industrial site at 9655 62 Avenue (they can count my Mum as a fan), it was great that they chose the area of central Edmonton for expansion. I met Jill there for lunch last week, ready to see if Won Jung Gak lived up to such expectations.

The restaurant was empty when I entered, though a handful of parties joined us by the end of our stay. I had to wonder if their location, just off of the beaten path of 101 Street, had anything to do with that. That said, it is a very pleasant place for lunch – with a large bank of windows, the flood of natural light made it a relaxing midday retreat. The new owners retained the periphery of wooden booths inherited from Basil Leaf, but they replaced the loose furniture with elaborately carved tables and chairs, adding some interesting visuals and intricacies to the space. Jill and I also noticed that each table had access to electronic service buzzers – instead of flagging down a server visually or verbally, diners could simply push a button to notify staff that their attention was needed at the table. This was the first time I had ever encountered such a system, though given the few tables occupied at the restaurant that afternoon, we didn’t need to use it.

Interior

The menu was huge, and on top of familiar (and unfamiliar) Korean dishes, also featured some Chinese items. Jill and I both ordered the dolsot bibimbap ($13.50), which we agreed was our “benchmark” dish – the one that could make or break our opinion of a Korean restaurant. To start, we also ordered steamed kimchi dumplings ($8.99), which intrigued us.

The spread

All of our food arrived simultaneously in a timely fashion, steaming hot. Unfortunately, the dishes were surprisingly bland. For advertising a kimchi filling, we couldn’t detect much heat, and instead, tasted more of the pork inside the dumplings.

Steamed kimchi dumplings

As for the dolsot bibimbap, the stone bowl did help the rice form the crunchy layer of rice the dish is known for, but in terms of flavour, it lacked any discernable pizzazz. Neither the pickled vegetables or seasoned meat stood out from the bed of rice – both Jill and I had to add flavour to our bowls with the supplied chili and vinegar condiments, something I’ve never had to do with bibimbap in my previous experiences.

Dolsot bibimbap

We didn’t have any complaints about service, but based on our benchmark dish, we both could think of several other Korean restaurants that we would likely return to over Won Jung Gak. That said, given the raves I have heard about its other location, I have to wonder if the kitchen was simply having an off day. With the lack of Korean options in this part of the city, I would like to give them another chance, and hope Korean cuisine is here to stay in Chinatown.

Won Jung Gak
10023 107 Avenue
(780) 705-9953
Lunch daily: 11am-3pm; Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11pm

Date Night: The Common and Holiday Lights and the Legislature

When The Common relocated to the larger storefront on 109 Street in the spring, they took advantage of the space by enhancing their food menu. Although it’s unlikely I would frequent The Common in its nightclub incarnation, as a restaurant, I had been wanting to check out the creative dishes put together by Chef Jesse Morrison-Gauthier for some time. Mack and I had dinner there last weekend on a chilly Saturday night.

It wasn’t terribly busy when we arrived, but it did fill up over the course of our meal. The Common is separated into three loosely divided rooms – one anchored with a bar, another with a DJ booth, and the dining space where we were seated. I loved the dining space – well lit, it felt like The Common didn’t have anything to hide. And on the contrary, it illuminated the feminine touches in the crispy black and white room: the wall of gilded frames and leaf-tipped gold light fixtures. It felt intimate, relaxed and sophisticated.

Interior

Similar to Mercer Tavern, we encountered a drinks menu that was split between vintage and modern cocktails. I tried the Negroni, which probably was better suited for Mack, but fared better with the sweeter blackberry cinnamon mojito.

Our happy hour

Looking at the menu rife with comforting dishes, it really was difficult to decide – no doubt, we will have to return at least a few times to try all of the items that caught our eye! We ended up sharing the mac & cheese ($8.50). The panko crust was crispy and well seasoned, and I liked the florets of cauliflower buried between noodles.

Mac & cheese

My chicken & waffles ($17) was a pretty satisfying dish. The chicken was excellent, fried hot, moist, and I loved the sweetness from the blackberry sauce. The waffles could have been a little warmer though, and I thought the goat cheese was unnecessary, and overpowered everything else.

Chicken & waffles

Mack’s lobster pot pie ($17) was deceiving in size, as by the end, he was struggling to finish the serving. There was a fair amount of lobster, and Mack commented on the depth of seafood flavour in the filling. Mack also loved the side of tomato turkey soup, too cute presented in a mason jar.

Lobster pot pie

Service was excellent (with a surprisingly good ratio of servers to tables for a restaurant/nightclub), and we felt well taken care of the entire night. With an interesting menu, good execution, and a laid back atmosphere, The Common is another one of downtown’s dining destinations. We will be back!

Afterwards, we grabbed a hot drink from the nearby Starbucks and wandered over to the Legislature grounds. It’s been a holiday tradition for Mack and I over the past few years to take in the beautifully decorated grounds.

It was a chilly night, so we were grateful that the indoor visitor areas were still open so we could warm up. Mack was a good sport and posted in the Speaker’s chair in the mock government set-up next to the gift shop.

Playing the Speaker

On our way home, we made our way through the bedazzled trees once again, losing ourselves in the Christmas music piped through the outdoor speakers. Although the nightly holiday musical performances wrap up on December 23, the lights will be up until early January. Make sure to check them out if you can!

The Common
9910 109 Street
(780) 452-7333

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