Ramen In No Man’s Land: Nomiya

After picking up some gardening supplies at Canadian Tire two weekends ago, we thought it might be a good opportunity to finally try Nomiya, which has made mostly positive impressions in the blogosphere.

We headed inside to take a closer look at the menu. Though Mack wasn’t initially in the mood for Japanese, I won him over by pointing out that Nomiya had a teriyaki rice bowl on the menu (ever-present on local Japanese restaurant menus, but for good reason).

Just after we were seated, we found out that we were nearing the last call for lunch, so we quickly scanned the menu and ordered. Nomiya’s focus seemed to be on ramen, but they also had a healthy selection of appetizers, sushi, and a few rice-based bowls. Featuring colour photos, it was also easy for those new to this type of cuisine to choose based on pictures alone. Mack decided on the aforementioned teriyaki chicken donburi ($10.95), which came with either miso soup or salad, while I chose the buta kakuni ($11), a miso-based ramen with marinated Japanese pork belly.

While we waited for our food, we admired the modest but charming interior. I liked the dark wood framing around several of the booths, while the small sushi prep station was aglow in a burst of light, a visual reminder to diners that sushi is also available to them.

Mack at Nomiya

Mack enjoyed his lunch well enough. The chicken, lightly breaded, was tender and tasty, while the vegetables were mostly cooked well. Sweet potato was the one exception, hard and inedible as it was.

Teriyaki chicken bowl

My friend Annie had mentioned that she preferred Nomiya’s ramen to Meguro’s, and for the most part, I agree with her. The soup base was nicely balanced and well-seasoned, while the noodles held their own with a chewy perfection. What I could have done without was the pork belly – with a ratio of fat to meat close to 3:1, I couldn’t bring myself to eat more than one piece. Perhaps this is just personal preference, but the fat layers were an unappetizing shade of grey.

Buta kakuni ramen

On the bright side, the service was polite and attentive, and in spite of the fact that we were the last party in the restaurant before their dinner break, we never felt rushed. And if we were in this no-man’s land of good food options again, we would certainly not hesitate to stop in. I would just know to select a different protein on the next occasion.

Nomiya
646, 3803 Calgary Trail
(780) 462-1300

A Reason to Cross the River: Three Boars

Three Boars hasn’t been open for very long, but they’ve already gained quite a loyal following. With a restaurant the size equivalent of a postage stamp, this usually means a lengthy delay for hungry patrons. But after two visits, it’s clear the food is worth the wait and many repeat meals.

Photo bomb!

Three Boars took over what was formerly a small pizza parlour, transforming the tiny main floor into a bar with a stand-up counter, and the equally cozy second floor into seating for thirty (no question, this trend of elbow-to-elbow dining seems to picking up in Edmonton, but at Three Boars, it does complement their philosophy of sharing). We were told the spaces had been designed by the same people behind Tres Carnales, which seemed to hold true – the wood finishing promoted the same kind of comfortable, laid-back vibe. I liked the Edison bulbs as well, though on the two occasions we dined, they weren’t necessary, given the amount of natural light in the room.

The menu at Three Boars changes almost daily – on our first visit, just over two weeks after their opening day, they were already on menu #8. One week later, it was menu #12. Between the two, there were a few items with similar in nature but featuring different proteins, such as meat-topped poutine and banh mi. The constant change reflects the commitment of Three Boars to seasonal ingredients, but also speaks to the flexibility and creativity of the chefs. It’s an approach I like, as there are a few restaurants whose menus I’d be eager to see change more often – as much as I enjoy having a “go-to” dish, it’s exciting to encounter different plates, and thus encourages visits in short succession.

Loved the chalkboard wall

I have also mentioned before that small plates are our favourite way of eating, and in groups, it meant that Mack and I were able to try numerous different dishes on two separate occasions. Here are some of the standouts:

The poutines ($12) were an easy favourite. One, topped with beef brisket and a luscious gravy, didn’t last long at our table. The second, with lamb neck, was similarly in shards, each bite a triumph with accompanying squeaky cheese.

Beef brisket poutine

Lamb neck poutine

Similarly, their take on banh mi ($10), which we tried with chicken fried steak and beef cheek, were excellent. Crusty bread, tender meat, and just the right amount of pickled vegetables, it was another dish that was hard to share.

Chicken fried steak banh mi

Beef cheek banh mi

The mushrooms and egg yolk on toast ($12) was perfection – a runny yolk over crispy toast and earthy wild mushrooms. My recommendation is to order at least two per table, but I’d probably snag one for myself next time.

Mushrooms and egg yolk on toast

The pork neck terrine ($14) was a surprise. I am not usually a fan (especially when the texture veers into pate consistency), but here, there were visible flakes of meat that maintained themselves even after spread on oil rubbed crostini.

One night, the dessert was lemon curd, blueberry compote and granola served in too-cute mason jars. It was so simple, but was one of the best desserts I’ve had in recent memory. Each separate layer was great on its own, but it was even better together.

Lemon curd, blueberry compote, granola

There were a few dishes that I didn’t enjoy as much, but only relative to the raves. The Spring Creek Ranch flat iron steak ($16) was cooked a little too raw for my liking, but the rest of the table disagreed with me. The patatas bravas ($8) with sriracha mayo was well-cooked, but I couldn’t help but compare it to Ox & Angela’s version, which I liked better.

Flat iron steak

Patatas bravas

Service was familiar and low-key, and for me, as a water-guzzler, my glass was always promptly topped up. Dishes also arrived at a comfortable pace.

We elected to walk home after our second visit, just to give us a chance to walk off all of what we’d consumed. Timed at half an hour, I’d wager we’ll be crossing the river again soon for Three Boars.

Three Boars
8424 109 Street
780-757-2600
Monday-Sunday 4pm-late

Recap: Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS

As the date of Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS grew near, I became more and more excited. Although Gurvinder had done his best to explain his vision for the event, I really wanted to see how it would manifest itself in reality. A fundraiser for Culinary Team Canada and the High School Culinary Challenge, a success in its first year would really help boost its profile for future years.

Well, Mack and I were floored by what we encountered in the lobby of the Shaw Conference Centre’s Hall D two weeks ago.

Street fair!

You might think it difficult to transform a carpeted, dimly lit hallway into an outdoor street festival, but they did it. Colourful flag streamers hung from the ceiling, alongside graffiti art and a fenced area meant to replicate a back alley. On this stage, break dancers took to the floor, wowing the crowds with their rhythm and acrobatic moves.

There were even shoes strung up over streamers (though that might be a little too much street for me)

Graffiti artists

Break dancers

Food (and drink) vendors lined the rest of the lobby, serving up different interpretations of street cuisine. To be honest, we actually didn’t sample all of the dishes available – too much chatting, and not enough eating!

We loved Drift’s wooden booth

That said, we particularly enjoyed the Filistix’s sisiq, a roasted pork belly (I’m selfishly hoping Filistix puts it on their What the Truck?! menu in June). Drift’s jerk chicken sandwich had a nice bite to it, and after several meat-heavy offerings, Wild Tangerine’s tofu and vegetable curry was a nice reprieve. And though we’re huge fans of poutine in all its incarnations, Culinary Team Canada’s duck fat fries poutine was a bit too salty for us.

Sisiq from Filistix

Jerk chicken sandwich from Drift

Poutine from Culinary Team Canada

On the drink side, I absolutely loved the St. Germain cocktail made with champagne, lemon and soda water – simple but fantastic. (On a side note, we welcomed the idea of using the wine glass we were provided with upon entry, but most of the beverage purveyors actually handed us their own cups, so it was a bit redundant.)

St. Germain cocktails

The program didn’t include the exact time when festivities would shift to Hall D, and we heard there was some confusion about it, so perhaps for next year the transition between the two parts of the event could be more pre-defined. That said, it was a pretty grand reveal when the hall doors were thrown open.

Hall D

Little India, the French Brasserie and Granville Island/Little Japan each occupied a corner of Hall D, while individual vendors like Elm Café, Duchess and Transcend were sprinkled throughout the rest of the space.

Japanese drummers Kita-No-Taiko started off the entertainment, and because sound easily travelled in the hall, performers traded off with one another. This was quite well organized – there wasn’t a moment when music wasn’t audible.

Allez Ouest

MC Bridget Ryan also provided great commentary on a live Iron Chef-style challenge that saw two Team Canada chefs prepare salmon for a panel of judges selected from the audience. Clearly, there was more than enough to take in that night!

And…go!

The hall easily accommodated three hundred people, and could have held several hundred more. Because of that, it was curious why there wasn’t more seating available. We saw many small parties “reserve” tables for the entire night, and as a result, didn’t get to sit down until the later part of the evening. More cocktail tables also would have been a welcome addition – it was challenging to balance plates and wine glasses.

Ledges helped

Still, we found ways to sample most of the food available at the various stations. Among my favourites was Culinary Team Canada’s take on fish and chips (fried cod with potato foam – I could just see the Top Chef Canada judges frowning), and Duchess Bake Shop’s warm macaron with caramelized chocolate cake and fresh raspberries (I loved that they even brought a tiny chandelier with them to decorate their booth – it’s always the little things).

Fish and chips

Macaron

On the drink side, the novelty of the vodka luge was tough to beat, especially with ice carvers hard at work demonstrating their craft, though a close second was Transcend’s latte.

Cool art

Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Hpnotiq martini

Josh hard at work

At some point, guests were told to make their way to a table in the centre of the hall. This was the only seated portion of the evening, and trays of pre-plated desserts were waiting.

Stage

Dessert

While we satisfied our sweet cravings, we watched a live auction to end the night. Bridget Ryan was a fantastic auctioneer (if she ever loses her Breakfast Television gig, she’ll be fine), but as the numbers for the auction items crept to upwards of $10,000, we couldn’t help but wonder if we were in the wrong place. Was this the same fundraiser that was geared towards the 25-45 crowd? Sure, some in that age group might have the cash to legitimately bid on such items, but I don’t think it was a coincidence that most of the auction winners were 50+. It’ll be interesting to see how this aspect of the event develops, especially if they continue to target patrons in the next gen set.

A sweet takeaway

All in all, Hot Chefs, Cool bEATS lived up to our expectations. It was a great way to spend a Saturday night in Edmonton – dabbling in different food and drinks from some of the city’s most street-savvy chefs, all while benefiting a good cause.

You can see my photoset here.

Culinary Q & A with Carmen Cheng

Occupation: I’m a Corporate Trainer in the area of Leadership & Employee Development. Basically this means on Mondays to Fridays from 8:30am to 5pm I support organizations in developing their culture, employee engagement, corporate communications, and leadership. The rest of my time is spent absorbed in all sorts of food related activities – eating, cooking, watching food related shows, going through food reads, and blogging.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast:

Omelette made with Sunworks farm eggs, pancetta, mozzarella, Gull Valley tomatoes, and Morinville basil
A large cup of DAVIDsTEA Milk Oolong tea

Lunch:

Bowl of frozen yogurt with fruit and mochi balls from Tutti Frutti.

Dinner:

A summery salad of Gull Valley tomatoes, basil, and buffalo mozzarella tossed in a dressing of minced garlic, salt, Volpaia olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon
Homemade tagliatelle tossed with fiddlehead, roasted Irvings Farm pork jowl, and a white wine lemon sauce
Glass of Sassy Saskatoon Berry wine from Birds and Bees Organic Wine Farm

Late Night Snack:

Pears dipped in sea salted caramel sauce

What do you never eat?

I will eat almost anything! However when I was traveling in Asia, I did have to put a caveat to that statement because I can’t bring myself to eating cats or dogs (or rats). But here in North America, very little I won’t eat… ok well maybe not black licorice.

What is your personal specialty?

I like to think it’s tagliatelle al ragu (what the folks from Bologna call Tagliatelle Bolognese). My secret flavour-inducing technique is tossing the rind of Parmigiano Reggiano into the simmering sauce.

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

Cheese, greek yogurt, Sunworks farm eggs, and almond milk

What is your weekday meal standby?

Curry over quinoa – I love the MSG-free New Asian Home curry spice packs. We always keep packs on hand, especially the Thai red or green curries and Singapore yellow curry. It’s so easy to toss in some vegetables, chicken, prawns, and coconut milk.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

Probably my Cuisinart Elite 14-cup food processor. With 1000W of power, there’s not much it can’t do. But our Cuisinart hand held blender is a close second favourite.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My last meal would be a feast with friends and family. I would want the dishes to showcase the places I’ve lived and loved. In terms of dishes from my hometown of Vancouver – There would be sashimi because there always is at Cheng family gatherings (specifically salmon and toro) and xiaolongbao from Wangs (dumplings filled with pork and soup). I would also request some gelato from James at Bella Gelateria (Vancouver), possibly his salted caramel or Tahitian vanilla gelato.

From Edmonton, I would want to have Daniel Costa’s truffled grilled cheese and pappardelle bolognese.

From Calgary where I spent 8 yrs, I would ask for Charcut’s pig’s head mortadella and duck fat fried poutine. I would also want Aviv from Sidewalk Citizen to supply us with his apple dulce de leche brioche. I’d have the truffled oxtail tortellini from Anju.

From home, my Dad’s prime rib and I would want my grandmother’s “cha goh” dumplings made from a rice flour dough, stuffed with ground pork, Chinese sausage, shitaki mushrooms, water chestnuts, and I’m sure I’m missing about 5 other ingredients. Funny enough, I would also want my childhood favourite – Tuna casserole made with cream of mushroom soup.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt on Whyte Ave. Must get my frozen yogurt fix two-three times a week and I’ve yet to find another company with yogurt as good as Tutti Frutti’s. I’m craving it as I type this and I’ve had a bowl earlier.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I’m changing this question to “best placeS in Edmonton” because I can’t choose just one. Corso 32, Tres Carnales, Shanghai 456, and Zaika are probably my favourite food spots in Edmonton. Corso 32 because Daniel and Ben make my favourite pasta dishes in Edmonton and I’m in constant need of their amazing truffled grilled cheese topped with a sunny egg, Tres Carnales because the crew there is so hospitable it always feels like going to over to a good friend’s house. Their tacos are yummy and I never say no to sangria. Chef Wong at Shanghai 456 makes the best xiaolongbao (pork dumplings filled with soup) in Alberta. Not only is Zaika within a 5 minute drive from our house, their fish pakoras, onion naan, butter chicken, bhindi masala, and baingan bharta are absolutely delicious! We always have a great experience at Zaika.

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

I’d go back to Macau and Italy.

Macau is the Vegas of Asia. It’s located within a 1 hour long ferry ride from Hong Kong. From a culinary standpoint, Macau is a really interesting place. Although technically part of China, Macau was colonized by the Portuguese for 100 years. As a result, many Macanese dishes are a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese influences. I would go to Lord Stowe bakery to have some famous butttery and flaky Portuguese egg tarts – a fusion between the Chinese egg tart and the Portuguese pasteis de nata tarts. I would also go to “Tai Lei Loi Kei” cafe to have one of their famous pork chop buns, a marinated bone in pork chop inside a Portuguese bun. Not to mention a big bowl of braised pig’s feet and curried beef brisket over noodles.

In Italy, I would go back to Tuscany for the five course beef dinner at Dario Cecchini’s famous butcher shop in Panzano. While there, I would have breakfast at Poggerino a quaint B&B in Radda Chianti where one of the owner Benedetta makes THE best omelette and quiche. We would also go back to Luccarelli for the to-die-for pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar). And since geography isn’t a limitation I would hop over to Florence for the butter chicken at Trattoria Sostanza. Unlike Indian butter chicken, this one is roasted chicken breast baked in a lake of brown butter. Then hop over to Bologna for some tagliatelle al ragu and Pear and Cinnamon gelato from Sorbetteria Castiglione.

Carmen blogs at Food Karma.

Vegetarian Brunch: The Clever Rabbit

As an omnivore, I will admit that dining at vegetarian and vegan restaurants is partly to satisfy my curiosity. This isn’t to say I’m the kind of person that needs to have meat with every meal – it’s quite the opposite actually, as Mack and I have been actively expanding our non-meat repertoire at home. But in many ways, in order for vegetarian and vegan restaurants not to be pigeonholed into a subcategory of “alternative” or “unconventional” choice for the mainstream population that does eat meat, the food just has to be tasty. And I’m always game to see firsthand if that’s the case.

In Edmonton, Padmanadi, Café Mosaics and Noorish are among the most popular vegetarian establishments, and as I have experienced them, I really didn’t miss the meat. I was hoping to have a similar meal at The Clever Rabbit, a vegetarian/vegan eatery that opened in March in the burgeoning High Street area.

Amanda was back in town last week, so she, Felicia and I decided to meet up for brunch at the restaurant on Sunday. When I had called about reservations (and was told they don’t take them), they warned that they are usually fairly busy in the early afternoon hours. When I arrived just before noon, I was a bit relieved to find that there were only two other parties in the dining room.

There were different rabbit-shaped salt and pepper shakers on each table – too cute!

The baking case was tempting, and I considered ordering a doughnut while I waited for my sisters to arrive. But it didn’t make sense to spoil my meal, so I held off. I did order a coffee to sip while waiting, and was a little surprised when it arrived not in a mug, but in a disposable cup. Perhaps many of their patrons ask to take their remaining coffee with them after their meals?

Baking case

Perusing the menu, it is made up of just three breakfast items and six lunch options – for a small establishment, I think it is great for them to focus on doing a few dishes well. I decided to order the vegan egg and tofu biscuits ($9), while my sisters opted for lunch plates, which each came with a side. Felicia chose the Seitan vegan donair ($12) while Amanda selected the walnut chickpea burger($12).

Service was good – besides an initial blip when our server disappeared when we were ready to order, she was by a few times to refill our coffee and check in on us. Our food also arrived in a reasonable amount of time.

It was easy to see that the kitchen did their best to garnish my mostly empty plate, but the focus was on the biscuit sandwiches. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy them. The vegan egg was the best part, fried up crispy on the outside, but soft and loose on the inside, but its accompaniments overshadowed it. The tofu was hard and chewy, and paired with the dry biscuits, made me long for some sort of sauce or soy cheese to add flavour and moisture.

Vegan egg and tofu biscuits

Amanda also thought her burger could have used some sort of ketchup or other liquid garnish, though as a whole, she enjoyed her dish. She especially liked the fresh salsa side, which really was large enough to share.

Walnut chickpea burger

This was Felicia’s first encounter with Seitan, also known as wheat gluten, a simulated meat product. She wasn’t a fan of the taste of the Seitan, though I didn’t mind it as much (it tasted somewhat like tofu to me). Her side of green salad was also quite generous, and was rife with avocado, tomato and dried cranberries.

Seitan vegan donair

Based on our meal, I’m not sure I’d be rushing back to The Clever Rabbit for breakfast, but I’d be willing to come back to give their lunch menu a try.

The Clever Rabbit
10722 124 Street
(780) 455-4550
Tuesday-Sunday 9am-4:30pm, closed Mondays

Explore the North Edge: Around the World in 80 Bites

I’ve written in the past about how I’ve come to appreciate my daytime neighbourhood of Central McDougall. While those who don’t frequent it often may be a little afraid to venture through the area, as someone who spends quite a bit of time exploring its streets, I’d like to say it’s worth getting to know.

Central McDougall and the adjacent Queen Mary Park are one of the City’s four revitalization projects. As expected, progress is slow, but will hopefully pick up in the next few years given the pending arena project just to the south of Central McDougall. In the meantime, what will also help is more foot traffic through the neighbourhood – and really, what better way to do this than to highlight some of the great, inexpensive eats to be found in the area?

Food crawls have been picking up steam in Edmonton, with Dishcrawl having organized two successful outings so far this year. I would hope they start targeting less “mainstream” neighbourhoods in the future, but in some ways, perhaps their fees would prohibit some restaurants from participating anyway (Dishcrawl restaurants reportedly only receive $4 of $10 charged per diner).

For that reason, I like what the North Edge Business Association (NEBA) has done. Representing businesses in both Central McDougall and Queen Mary Park, they’ve taken it upon themselves to organize a food crawl to showcase several restaurants. NEBA Executive Director Amy Wilson recognizes that one of the neighbourhood’s strengths is its diverse food offerings, from Filipino and Chinese to Somali and Eritrean just in a three block radius.

Pho with brisket from Mama Pizza and Pho Huong (I don’t know if this is what will be served, but I can say that this was delicious!)

So on May 16, 2012, join Amy for a tour “Around the World in 80 Bites” – to start, diners will sample Vietnamese cuisine at Mama Pizza and Pho Huong, Somali delights at African Somali, and end with Filipino specialties at Fat Jakks. Beyond food, it will be an introduction to three vastly different cultures, and at $30 a ticket (not including drinks and gratuity), one laden with value.

Beef suqar from African Somali (again, I’m not sure if this is on the menu, but between the stew and the Somali rice, it was a tasty plate)

Amy acknowledged that the restaurants are struggling enough, so has made sure that each business will be given a full $10 to cover the per person cost of food. NEBA will be picking up any other expenses associated with the event – a model that if successful, should be looked at by other neighbourhoods looking to increase their profile in the food community. Amy has already mentioned that if this is well-received, she will be looking to organize more crawls.

Filipino buffet at Fat Jakks

I’m a little remorseful that I will be out of town that week, otherwise, I’d have picked up my ticket already! But act fast – there are only 30 tickets available. I hope to catch the next one!

Find out more information about Around the World in 80 Bites here.

Toronto Redux: Unique Eats

Having grown up in Edmonton, and having endured years of reading and hearing about how Canada’s largest city is the centre of the universe, I realize I should despise Toronto. But after my sister moved there, and now having spent some time with her there, it’s hard not to admire and respect Toronto, especially for their vibrant and dynamic food scene only possible in a large municipality.

In March, Amanda and I were able to take in and explore some unique food events and places – things I’ve definitely never seen in Edmonton.

Come and Get It

Pop-up restaurants, mostly in the form of kitchen takeovers and guest chefs, have been all the rage over the past six months in Edmonton. But what we’ve never seen is a truly temporary establishment, as Toronto’s Come and Get It exemplifies.

Come and Get It

Set up on the ground floor of a soon-to-be-demolished building on Spadina, entrepreneurs took advantage of the low rent afforded by an indefinite lease and installed a restaurant inside the vacant storefront. Although a condo building is slated for construction soon, no firm dates have been established, so until then, Come and Get It will be in operation.

Interior

The space is clean, if raw, but befits the concept perfectly (including the . Accents are provided by splashes of colour on the walls and kitschy, retro décor, including a neon Mac monitor, Nike shoes, and plastic Barbie lunchboxes. Our favourite item had to be the N64 (on which I pwned Amanda in a brief post-dinner showdown).

Archie comics!

Come and Get It has an ingenious menu that doesn’t overwhelm a small, makeshift kitchen. The same base combination of ingredients can be requested in either a salad, sandwich or poutine form, easily multiplying the total number of dishes offered by the restaurant. Amanda and I were disappointed to find out that they were already sold out of the Granny Smith’s chicken caesar stream of creations, so she ended up ordering a Hawaiian pork belly sandwich while I chose the chipotle beef shortrib ($8 each). We decided to share a Hawaiian pork belly poutine ($7).

Even though the food seemed like it was ideal for take-out, the majority of customers were of the eat-in variety, as we were. The wait for food wasn’t long and arrived in paper boxes. Amanda’s first impression of her sandwich was that it was quite oily, but she liked the hoisin-glazed pork and the springy bread. The short rib in my sandwich was very fatty, to the point where I couldn’t really taste the accompaniments, which included chipotle aioli, ancho chili barbeque sauce, crispy onions and sweet and sour coleslaw.

Hawaiian pork belly sandwich

Chipotle beef short rib

The poutine was enjoyable – the fries were crispy and topped with a slightly sweet beef gravy and crispy cracklins. We would have preferred that the pork belly had been chopped up so we could easily pick up bits of pork with fries and cheese curds, but that was a minor quibble.

Pork belly poutine

The menu at Come and Get It will change often – but since it is a limited engagement, I’m sure that’s enough incentive for folks to return often. It was a neat to finally be able to visit a true pop-up establishment!

Toronto Underground Market

When my sister found out when I would be in Toronto, she jumped at the opportunity to take me to one of the city’s trendiest food events. The Toronto Underground Market is fashioned after similar events that have happened in other large cities including New York. They allow upstart small businesses and passionate home chefs to share their specialities with the public. Tickets sold out almost immediately, but Amanda was able to score a pair from someone on Facebook who didn’t need the number of tickets she bought.

We took the subway to Broadview in order to catch a shuttle bus to Evergreen Brickworks, where the Underground Market would take place. Like our experience with the Fail FunBus last year to reach the Night Market, it seems to me that Toronto always underestimates the number of people who choose public transportation – again, the small bus could not accommodate everyone who was in line (those who choose public transportation shouldn’t be punished, even if inadvertently so). Thankfully, we were near the front of the line, but felt bad for those left behind.

Evergreen Brickworks

Evergreen Brickworks is a not-for-profit space built on the bones of a former brickyard. Although parts of the buildings have been renovated to house a cafe, shop and teaching centre, the majority of the space is beautifully raw and industrial. Between the brick and high ceilings, it was a blank canvas that would be suitable for many different kinds of functions.

Shop

Covered ice rink!

That said, the Underground Market was set up in a covered, but not enclosed, part of the building. As a result, the frigid air seeped into the space, and even though the thermometer read –4, it felt closer to –20, especially after nightfall. But crowds were far from deterred – the space was packed, and proved to me that Torontonians are a hardy bunch! They wouldn’t let a cold night dampen their hunger.

Inside Evergreen Brickworks

Heat lamps helped, but only if you stood right beside them

Some vendors also had great fun in spite of the cold – these vendors would randomly cheer every few minutes, perhaps to keep themselves warm

It seemed to us that most vendors used the event as a platform to connect with foodies searching for the “next big thing”, and perhaps a launching pad towards a brick and mortar storefront. One obvious example was the taqueria that was physically separated from all of the other vendors out of necessity – their line was at least a hundred people deep half an hour into the event.

The line for La Carnita

Amanda and I weren’t very strategic in our choices, and in most cases, just chose vendors with the shortest lines. Some of our spontaneity paid off, while others did not. One vendor that did work out was Babi & Co. Their congee ($3) could have done with more of their delicious sweet soy reduction, but the egg and pork belly also added some needed texture to the soupy rice base. Their pork satays ($5) were freshly off the coals, but even better, the meat was tender and flavourful. The pickled cucumbers were a nice touch as well.

Congee

Pork satays

The Popover Girl had a neat concept – essentially a sandwich made using a popover in place of bread. But it probably wasn’t ideal for such a chilly night because the popovers really should have been enjoyed warm. My savoury popover was the better of the two, with hot chilli on the inside, but Amanda’s, filled with a Nutella mixture, ended up more like a very dry ice cream sandwich.

Savoury chilli popover

Amanda’s happy she scored a chocolate popover!

Our plunge into the crazy lines was at Comida del Pueblo. Amanda really wanted the jalapeno cornbread sandwich ($5), but even she didn’t think any food item would be worth a forty-five minute wait. Still, we couldn’t leave the line once we committed, so we shivered along until we reached the front. By that point, many vendors had already run out of food, so the crowds as a whole had started to thin.

No surprise, the sandwich didn’t live up to the mammoth expectations. The bread had a good crumb, but the cheese wasn’t melted. I also ordered an Ontario water buffalo empanada ($4) for good measure. It was steaming hot and was filled with a good amount of meat. The pastry was also enjoyably flaky.

Jalapeno cornbread sandwich

Water buffalo empanada

As a whole, it was a great experience, and neat to see so many people embracing small-scale vendors. I wondered if something like this would work in Edmonton, but in many ways, our farmers’ markets serve as the incubators in our city.

Longos

Longos is the largest independent grocery store chain in Toronto, but I didn’t get a chance to visit their store until this trip. Our hotel location meant we were about ten minutes away from the Longos located in the basement of Maple Leaf Square, so we were able to pick up some ready-to-eat items for a quick breakfast.

I didn’t do an extensive inventory of the store’s items, but they did carry treats by local favourite Dufflet in their freezer case.

Dufflet products

I was also impressed by how inexpensive some fresh bakery items were, that would be considered “specialty” items in Edmonton, and aren’t readily available at mainstream grocery stores.

Chapatti

Korean wheat pops (they tasted like lighter rice cakes)

My last post about Toronto will be about all of the restaurants we had a chance to try, including a few more Oliver & Bonacini outlets that we couldn’t stay away from!

Calgary Steak-Out: South St. Burger, Kensington Riverside Inn, Knifewear and Telus Spark

Besides exposing us to some of Calgary’s best restaurants, our YYCSteak Tour also inevitably allowed us to explore some of the other things our southerly neighbour has to offer.

South St. Burger

On our way down to Calgary, we decided to stop at Crossiron Mills for lunch. I had spotted South St. Burger the last time we were there, and this seemed like an opportune time to finally give it a try.

South St.

We were initially lured by their use of fresh Spring Creek Ranch beef, though the ability to customize each of our burgers wasn’t overlooked as well (something that seems to be all the rage at present, with chains like Five Guys and Rodeo Burger picking up steam in Edmonton).

The system was very similar to what you would encounter at Harveys – customers order and pay first, then are shuffled through a line to have your burger designed. South St. offers almost thirty different toppings, including several different mayos, relishes, and even a mango chutney.

Toppings

I ended up just choosing their burger combo ($9.29( while Mack upgraded to the cheeseburger combo ($10.29). Although we liked the size of the patty (much thicker than Five Guys), if they hadn’t made the claim of using fresh patties, we wouldn’t have known otherwise – they appeared to us to have been cooked from frozen. On the side, I have to say I enjoyed the onion rings, even if Mack didn’t.

Our meal

Burger

As a whole, South St. wasn’t disappointing, but it also wouldn’t be worth a detour either.

Kensington Riverside Inn

Tourism Calgary arranged for us to stay in the Kensington Riverside Inn, a marked departure from our usual high-rise digs in the core. It was a nice change though, as the charming room featured a semi-private patio area, turndown service, and a coffee tray in the morning.

Kensington Riverside Inn

There were also certain advantages to residing in the Kensington neighbourhood. One was its proximity to one of Calgary’s most bustling cafes, Higher Ground (coincidentally, it turned out one of our fellow YYCSteak companions, Dan Clapson, was the coffee shop’s manager).

Breakfast at Higher Ground

The other was how close we were to the Bow River and its waterside trails. Although the blustery conditions didn’t make it an ideal day for a stroll, we still took some time to explore what the area had to offer.

We took some interest in a pedestrian bridge that was still under construction at that point, called the Peace Bridge. Due to cost overruns and its somewhat avant-garde designs (one local told us that to them, it resembled one of those “Chinese finger traps”). The bridge opened on March 24, 2012 – I can’t wait to cross it the next time we’re in Calgary!

Peace Bridge

On our way back to the hotel, we also stumbled across this incredible bird house tree (dubbed the “Urban Bird Timeshare”) in the Sunnyside neighbourhood. What a unique and lovingly-crafted landmark!

Urban Bird Timeshare

Knifewear

We had intentions to do some window shopping in Inglewood, but it turned out most of the boutiques and culinary shops were closed on Mondays. Thankfully, Knifewear, the store that we really wanted to check out, was open!

Knifewear

Specializing in Japanese knives, we had only heard great things about Knifewear. Mack and I have been meaning to get a “real” knife for some time, but knew we wanted to wait until we could get down to Calgary.

The salesperson that assisted us was knowledgeable, and asked us some probing questions so that she could better recommend us a knife that would suit our needs. The best part of the shopping experience was actually getting to try them out! There were tomatoes and potatoes available on cutting boards so customers could get a firsthand feel of what the knife was like to hold and chop with.

Trial station

We ended up with an American-style factory-made knife – I had wanted some familiarity with what we currently use. And after using it for a number of weeks, I can say I am more than happy with the purchase – and I know where I’ll be heading when we need to further upgrade our collection!

Our knife!

Telus Spark

Tourism Calgary also wanted to provide us with an opportunity to check out one of their newest attractions – the brand new Telus Spark, their rebuilt space and science centre. Located in the same area as the Calgary Zoo, there’s no doubt this will be a high-traffic area for visitors to the city.

Telus Spark

Although the HD digital dome theatre is forthcoming, we were still able to get a good sense of the facility from the permanent galleries that were complete. Without a doubt, the biggest impression it left on us was just how hands on it was.

Erosion at work

There were a countless number of opportunities for patrons to “play”, including the Being Human, Earth & Sky and Energy and Innovation galleries. One example in the latter space that Mack and I particularly enjoyed was a wall where we could learn how much energy common household appliances would use when left plugged in and idle (for example, a coffee maker uses 305 watts per year).

How can you prevent brownouts?

The galleries also featured areas where patrons could leave their mark by commenting on an exhibit or answering a posted question. It was neat to see the collected responses – some very heartfelt and personal.

The wishing tree in the creative kids museum (for children aged eight and under)

The busiest gallery by far during our visit was the Open Studio. It was definitely made with the twenty-first century child in mind, with most of the activities being driven by digital technology. Many of the young patrons we saw were engrossed in animating their own scene – with options to do this digitally, with figurines and on paper.

Painting with sound!

As a building overall, Telus Spark also has some great function space. Theatres aside, the 10,000 square feet atrium is wonderfully open, with high ceilings and built-in projection, sound and lighting systems. We could see it being used for Pecha Kucha nights in Calgary.

Atrium

Telus Spark has also introduced some great events to try and engage unconventional audiences. Their once a month adult-only nights turns the facility into an evening destination, with a DJ, bar, and time and space for adults to get in touch with their childlike curiosity. It’d be neat to see something like this in Edmonton (though I’m not sure the expansion of the Telus World of Science will get us quite there).

In all, it was neat to see what’s possible with a brand new science centre. Check it out the next time you’re in Calgary!

Toronto Redux: Tourist Trappings

I don’t get to travel for work often, so I felt very fortunate that I was able to attend a conference in Toronto in early March, and even better, stay on a few days longer so I could visit with my sister. Though it seems like just yesterday when I was out east (in reality, it was back in July), it was a great opportunity to be able to see the city in a low-tourist season. I’ll do my best to recap the trip in a timelier manner than I have in the past!

Depending on your interests, the number of tourist-driven sites and activities to visit could take up the bulk of any visitor’s itinerary. And though Amanda and I made a valiant effort to clear off some of those highlights last summer, there were still a few boxes I wanted to tick off my list.

Westin Harbour Castle

The conference hotel happened to be the Westin Harbour Castle, and after our experience, I think it will become our accommodation of choice on future visits to Toronto.

Our home for the week

Although the room itself and the service were nice but not exceptional, the location was second to none. Situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, our room had fantastic views of the water and of Billy Bishop Airport, all while being just steps away from Union Station and several major attractions. The waterfront location and directionality of our room sheltered us from the hustle and noise of the nearby freeways, and even better, we were able to easily take advantage of the trails and park adjacent to the hotel.

Our view

Harbourfront in the late winter – still beautiful on a cloudy day

Do not feed the birds

We had crossed through the same area in the summer, but it was more peaceful in the time leading up to spring – smaller crowds and open waters – all the more conducive to relaxing, contemplative strolls.

Even swans love the harbourfront!

Harbourfront Centre

We also made a point this time around to explore the Harbourfront Centre. We had no idea you could watch artists at work in the open studios, or take a look at the art displayed in the galleries.

Studio

Gallery

There were also skate rentals available to make use of the picturesque rink in front of the Centre, but (for me), the lack of railings were a deterrent.

Rink

Steven and Chris and the CBC Museum

After sitting through another taping of a daytime talk show, I think Amanda and I have gotten it out of our system. She booked us tickets to Steven and Chris, a CBC lifestyle show that airs in both Canada and the US.

We couldn’t help but compare this taping to our experience at CityLine last year. It was clear that for Steven and Chris, the audience was somewhat of an afterthought. First of all, it was longer than advertised – about three hours from the expected arrival time to being released from the studio. Second, there was only one monitor where we could follow the action on stage – especially important given the camera and behind the scenes personnel obscured much of what was happening. This monitor was unfortunately also partially blocked by cables. Third, unlike CityLine host Tracy Moore, who spent a lot of time after the show taking photos with all guests who requested one, Steve and Chris, between segments, only managed to pose with about half of the audience, then ran off immediately after the show wrapped. The show assistant and audience wrangler did their best to entertain us during the breaks, with giveaways, but they felt divorced from subjects covered in that episode.

Our view

The topics, which included storage design tips, muscle building exercises, cocktail recipes and children’s snacks, were of marginal interest to us, but we could see the appeal of the show. Chris is undoubtedly the star of the show, playing up a persona of a bumbling but good natured host.

Steven and Chris

We left the show with something in hand – generous samples of a shampoo and conditioner. But if being a part of a Toronto taping is something on your list, unless you are a Steven & Chris devotee, I’d recommend that you sign up instead for CityLine tickets.

That said, one of the bright sides of the Steve & Chris taping was that it got us to the CBC building. We made sure to check out the public museum while there, where we saw artefacts from shows that both my sister and I grew up watching, including Mr. Dressup and The Friendly Giant.

The tickletrunk!

Old friends

Doing her best Don Cherry impersonation

Raptors!

I will always remember my introduction to Canada’s only NBA franchise – they played an exhibition game many years ago in Edmonton, and although I’m sure the team itself should have been more memorable, what I recall instead was their mascot, Raptor. He has two versions: the more accommodating costume allowed Raptor to perform tricks and dunks, while the other (my favourite) was inflatable, and could be expanded and shrunk in the most comical matter. Needless to say, in anticipating our visit to the ACC, I was most looking forward to seeing Raptor again.

Anticipation

Amanda was able to secure tickets to a game versus the Orlando Magic. They were great seats at an amazing discount, courtesy of her friend who works for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Great seats

The game

We weren’t treated to the inflatable Raptor that day, and as a whole, the Raptor entertainment factor was rather low that day – no half-time tricks or anything more than a pre-recorded video of Raptor’s attempts at making it onto the Canadian Olympic team.

Raptor in the spotlight

The closest we got to Raptor was his foray into our section towards the end of the game, patty-caking with spectators a few rows away from us. His energy was certainly infectious, and it was clear that he was a crowd favourite.

Patty-cake!

Unfortunately for the team, a late rally and a strong performance from DeMar DeRozan wasn’t able to push them past the Magic. They lost 88-92 that night.

Real Sports Bar & Grill

Also on the sports theme, Amanda took me to one of her favourite place in Toronto – Real Sports Bar & Grill, a sports bar in Maple Leaf Square. It’s definitely a feast for the senses, to the point where I felt overly stimulated – between the flat screens (including our own personal television in our cozy booth), sports-themed fixtures, spotlights and blaring DJ-mixed music. And though there was nothing overly inappropriate for children, given the amount of alcohol flowing all around us and the tightly-clad waitresses, I was surprised to see the number of families with young children on the restaurant side of the establishment.

That said, it’s the bar side of Real Sports that really wows. A wall of screens entertain two floors of patrons, seated at the bar and a mix of tables and booths, all lit with a stylish blue hue. In addition to this open space, Real Sports also has a variety of smaller seating options as well, including a private area featuring recliners and in-seat service.

This is Real Sports

Amanda was able to make an early 5:45 reservation, but because it was game night for the Leafs and the place had been entirely booked up a week in advance, we were only able to have the table for an hour. Thankfully, they weren’t very rigid in enforcing this, and we didn’t feel rushed at all.

The prices were definitely a little higher than what I was used to paying in a lounge, but given the location and the surroundings, the premium was understandable. I couldn’t resist ordering one of the hot dogs in “Burkie’s Dog House” (I wonder if this section of the menu would be automatically renamed if Brian Burke was no longer the GM). My southwestern BBQ dog ($12.99) came topped with coleslaw and pulled pork – the hot dog itself had a nice snap, but the barbecue sauce was a tad sweet. The fries were perfect, however, hot and crispy and served in a cute mini-fry basket. Amanda’s Real Sports burger ($12.99) arrived pretty charred, but she didn’t mind.

Southwestern BBQ dog

Real Sports burger

Real Sports did a great job in replicating some of the energy that would be found in a sporting venue. There is nothing like it currently in Edmonton, but I have to wonder if something similar (albeit smaller) would work in the proposed Arena District.

Pearl Harbourfront Chinese Cuisine

We decided to take it easy on our last day in Toronto, with the aforementioned trek by the water. At lunch, we could have ventured to other more well-known restaurants, but given our low-key day, opted for the convenience of a restaurant inside the Queens Quay Terminal.

Pearl Harbourfront offered a water view and a relaxed dining atmosphere, just what we were looking for that day. We knew its tourist-centred address would make the food a crapshoot, but we were willing to take the risk. Urban Spoon reviews directed us away from the pricey dim sum menu (even though the majority of diners around us were partaking in the shared approach), but we found the regular menu just as expensive.

Amanda liked the view

We ended up with two dishes we were reasonably happy with (even though we weren’t entirely sure the server, with his limited English, understood what we wanted). Both the broad rice noodles and crispy chow mein ($15 each) hit the spot, and our only qualm was that the broccoli had been woefully overcooked.

Rice noodles

Chow mein

In all, it was a great place to sip tea and enjoy our last few hours together in Toronto, and contemplate when I’d return again.

I’ll be writing more about some of the unique food events and restaurants that we visited in future posts – stay tuned!

Roots on Whyte: Blush Lane Organic Market and Under the High Wheel

Though I really love where we live, I have to say I was envious of Old Strathcona residents this weekend when Mack and I paid a visit to their newest grocery store addition.

Calgary-based Blush Lane Organic Market opened its first Edmonton location two weeks ago in the Roots on Whyte building. Their philosophy places an importance on sourcing local products whenever possible, so I was interested in seeing their actual inventory. As accessibility of local products is one barrier that prevents consumers from making such choices, having a shop open for hours more extensive than a farmers’ market should help matters.

Blush Lane

The store is bright and well-organized, and packs a great variety of products in the relatively small space they occupy. They have a much better selection of local products than the nearby Planet Organic, at better prices. Sunworks supplies a majority of the protein – eggs, chicken, beef, pork – all at the same prices found at their stall at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market (and on the Roots on Whyte website, appears to be a separate business altogether). There was quite a bit of local dairy as well, including Bles-Wold, Vital Greens and Fairwinds Farms. In our quick sweep, we didn’t see much local produce, but we’re eager to see what will have in stock come summer and fall.

Sunworks products

It seems like Blush Lane, unlike other grocery stores, opted against an extensive prepared food aisle, which typically takes up quite a bit of real estate (we’re thinking of our neighbourhood Sobeys on 104 Street in comparison). They do have a deli, however, offering some ready-to-eat items.

Deli

We were already laden with items from the OSFM, but did pick up some Vital Greens milk. Mack and I can only hope that our own neighbourhood market, Pangea, is as well stocked!

Before heading home, we stopped for lunch next door at Jennifer Ogle’s venture, Under the High Wheel. The space is sparsely decorated, but it seemed to match a menu that focused on simple ingredients. We were told that Da Capo was supposed to have opened simultaneously (and prepare their coffee-based drinks), but due to construction delays, would not be ready until the end of April. As a result, they are trying to cope with their drinks menu on their own, with some struggle.

Under the High Wheel

The brunch menu was short, but still replete with options that Mack and I had trouble deciding between. We settled on the grilled panini ($13) and Belgian waffles ($14). I’m hoping for future menus that the names of local producers will be included, though we found out that the bread used for our sandwich was from the Italian Centre.

Two of my favourite things: Mack and pea tendrils!

The panini, with smoked cheddar and tomato, was nicely toasted, and we appreciated the sweetness of the tomato within. The fried egg on top didn’t hurt either, and even Mack, ever the salad hater, finished his greens! They were tossed in a light vinaigrette, with radishes adding a splash of colour and spiciness.

Grilled panini

I think the Belgian waffle, topped with bacon, a poached egg and hollandaise was the winner that morning, however. The waffle walked the sweet and savoury line well, and was perfectly crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside. The bacon really was what made the dish, especially because the egg was closer to medium as opposed to soft poached. But as a whole, this composition will make me dig out our own waffle iron to experiment!

Belgian waffle

Under the High Wheel is a nice addition to the neighbourhood, and would be a draw in and of itself. But coupled with Blush Lane, would make a great weekend outing. I look forward to many returns!

Under the High Wheel (in Roots on Whyte)
8135 102 Street
780-439-4442
Monday-Tuesday 11am-6pm, Wednesday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: