Calgary Steak-Out: CHARCUT

In addition to commemorating the Stampede’s 100th Anniversary this year, Calgary also co-holds the title of Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012. As a result, Tourism Calgary is seeking different ways of marketing their city, including how to highlight their burgeoning food scene. So for two days in February, Tourism Calgary invited several food bloggers to join them for “a new take on steak”, showcasing how five local restaurants are interpreting the old standard of meat and potatoes. Mack and I were fortunate enough to be a part of this group (which included Calgary bloggers Julie van Rosendaal, Gwendolyn Richards and Dan Clapson), and took part in a junket that saw our accommodations and meals covered. It was a first for both of us, and while we acknowledge that we no doubt received special treatment (which colours the experience in a way that no average dinner could live up to), the trade-off in access to the chefs and behind-the-scenes exposure made it worthwhile. Thanks to Tourism Calgary for the opportunity!

Like many other Canadians, I was excited when the popular American television franchise Top Chef finally started filming a Canadian version. I think we need to develop our own host of culinary celebrities to celebrate home grown talent, and this platform could help do just that. The results thankfully improved with time, and hopefully with its second season will continue to do so.

In spite of the show’s wavering quality, however, as a Prairie-dweller, it was a no-brainer to cheer for Calgary-based Connie DeSousa, who was also one of the few female competitors. Her drive, obsessive attention to detail and her mad butchery skills made her a fan favourite, qualities that I hoped would take her to the end. Connie ended up placing a respectable third, though in many respects, it was as good as first prize. The exposure to an audience of Food Network devotees was invaluable to Connie’s reputation as a chef, and on a wider level, in developing CHARCUT’s brand. Though we’d been to CHARCUT prior Top Chef Canada’s debut, it almost seems like a different restaurant today, enlivened now with that touch of celebrity. I’m sure it also helps that CHARCUT has since expanded their initiatives to include the unique alley burger, food truck and pop-up series.

Needless to say, Mack and I were really looking forward to our second full CHARCUT experience on the third leg of the YYC Steak tour. You can also imagine our delight when we found out we would not only be eating Connie’s food, but would be treated to a private demo, too.

Our group was whisked upstairs to CHARCUT’s fairly spacious prep kitchen for a lesson on blood sausage. There, Connie and her partner John Jackson showed us how to make the delicacy. They started with a panade of white bread and milk, added ground pork, fat back, apple, then the main ingredient, blood. The splatter-free counter was a testament to Connie and John’s skills, who neatly transferred the mixture to a plastic bag to be hand-piped into sausage casings. It was clear the pair had a wonderful rapport with one another, and this translated wonderfully into a teaching capacity – I could see this translating to a larger stage quite easily.

Straining the blood

In goes the blood

Into the casing

Connie also showed us how to trim a bison heart, which would comprise the steak that evening. For most of us, it would be our first time sampling this type of offal.

Trimming the heart

The entire session felt a bit surreal to both Mack and I. Being the Top Chef junkies that we are, we couldn’t help thinking, “It’s Connie!!!” the entire time. We’re huge dorks, I know.

Our view of the kitchen

At our chef’s table seats

We eventually made our way to the chef’s table at the rear of the restaurant so our dinner could be prepared. While we waited for the mains, we were served CHARCUT’s take on ham and cheese: the most exquisite house made pig’s head mortadella, paired with an oozing baked raclette that was good enough to bathe in. Notable also was the beer pairing – Naramata Nut Brown Ale, which, as a non-beer drinker, I found not only tolerable, but enjoyable.

Mortadella, brassica mustard and baked raclette

Naramata Nut Brown Ale

The blood sausage was first, served up with fried eggs – possibly the most unique sausage and eggs I’d ever had. The sausage resembled ground meat more than anything else, having burst out of its casing. It also tasted very similar, albeit with a tinge of iron. Mack and I both agreed that there was nothing to be afraid of, though we weren’t sure it was something we would necessarily seek out.

Blood sausage and eggs

The finale was the bison heart, rustically presented on a wooden board, liberally garnished with chimichurri and arugula, complete with a “stake” knife. The meat, which had been marinated for eight hours in olive oil and red wine vinegar, was like a cross between a flat iron steak and liver – tender consistency, with again a tinge of iron. Mack went all out for the side of CHARCUT’s signature poutine, with potatoes fried in duck fat and curds topped with a chicken-fat gravy. Heart-stoppingly good.

Bison heart and duck fat poutine

Though each of our experiences on the steak tour were unique, because of our soft spot for Connie, I think our stop at CHARCUT was the most memorable.

Just in time for the season two premiere of Top Chef Canada on March 12, 2012, Chef Connie DeSousa will be in Edmonton presenting a cooking demo at 1pm and 3pm on March 11 at Appliances Unlimited (6553-99th Street).

Filistix Pop-up @ The Common

I love that food trucks, who themselves are already on the forefront of one of Edmonton’s most exciting food trends, are also the ones actively pushing another movement – pop-up dinners.

Though I know others have also put together these fleeting events, Big City Sandwich and Nomad have been consistent in their off-seasons to make sure diners don’t forget their names. It’s the perfect fit too, in a winter city like ours, for these entrepreneurs to seek out revenue opportunities (on top of catering) to sustain their businesses year-round. Besides, these pop-up suppers add some welcome spice to a time of year when gathering around a table is a welcome respite from the cold.

Two weeks ago, Filistix joined this list of food-trucks-turned-restaurant captors, taking over the kitchen at The Common for one night only. For a value-laden $30, guests would be treated to a five-course Filipino meal, inspired by dishes chef Ariel del Rosario and Roel Canafranca grew up eating (they have both been recently named part of the 2012 class of Western Living’s Top 40 Foodies Under 40 – congrats, guys!).

Mack and I secured tickets to the first seating to the sold-out event (to ensure we’d still be able to make it to Latitude 53’s Parka Patio Party afterwards), and found ourselves nearly the last table to arrive.

The upscale lounge fixtures of The Common translated really well into an elegant dining room. The server explained to us that our entrees would be served family-style, which for parties larger than two would seem to make more sense. Still, I appreciated the sentiment behind inviting diners to interact through sharing with one another.

The appetizer was right up Mack’s alley: Pembina pork spring rolls. They were crisp and light, just how they should have been. On the side was a mango and jicama salad dressed with a mirin vinaigrette, fresh and vibrant. I would have preferred a julienned slaw instead of the cubes, but Mack disagreed with me.

Pembina pork spring rolls

Filistix’s mains really shone. The Kare-Kare, braised Spring Creek Ranch brisket, was served in a lovely peanut sauce (meaning more for me, as Mack is allergic to peanuts), and the most incredible shrimp paste that elevated each bite with deep umami notes.

Kare-kare

Pancit Canton, a fried noodle dish with chicken and shrimp, was succulent with the addition of a second ingredient – pork skin, which added texture and a bit of deliciously glorious fat. I would have wanted some more vegetables, but I’m probably just used to my Mum’s version of noodles.

Pancit canton

Our hands down favourite was the Adobung Liempo, a Pembina pork belly that had been marinated then slow roasted for four hours. Garnished with calamansi limes and chillies, the pork was sublime, melt-in-your-mouth tender (we were lucky enough to even score a care package of additional pork to take home!).

Adobung liempo

Dessert was a leche flan, a honey-scented version of crème caramel. It was better than those usually found at restaurants.

Leche flan

Ariel said that The Common (who will be relocating to the former Martini’s space on 109 Street and 99 Avenue in March) has expressed interest in having them return. I definitely think there’s an appetite for these suppers, and based on our experience, I do hope they continue!

Make sure to keep up with the adventures of Filistix on their website.

Calgary Steak-Out: Anju

It was a pleasant surprise to find an Edmonton ex-pat at the helm of Anju, the second stop on our steak tour. Roy Oh moved to Calgary from Edmonton nine years ago after completing his study in visual communications, with the hopes of furthering his career. But he started to find that he was drawn not to the studio, but to the kitchen. While Oh isn’t formally trained in the culinary arts, he grew up learning to cook, and as a proud second generation Korean-Canadian, food was a way to connect with his roots.

Go, Edmonton!

In 2008, Oh and his wife opened Anju in a refurbished house on the western edge of downtown Calgary. Their take on Korean cuisine is fresh and modern, inspired by the fact that he has a foot in two cultures. As a result, he doesn’t view “fusion” in a negative way; in fact, he embraces it as the outcome of living as a hyphenated Korean-Canadian. And Calgary is taking note as well – Anju won the award for “best small plates” from Avenue Calgary last year.

Anju translates to “tapas or a dish eaten with alcohol” – at our tasting, we learned first hand about this philosophy as our group was introduced to soju. Distilled from rice instead of wheat, soju is the Korean equivalent of vodka. It was quite smooth, and much less abrasive than vodka, though we were also provided with Sprite and aloe juice if any of us needed to take the edge off.

To enjoy with the soju, we were served a number of plates to be shared around the table, many highlighting Oh’s fusion philosophy. Malpec oysters were accompanied by a kimchi mignonette, which enhanced each bite with additional texture and a bit of heat. Braised oxtail tortellini were dressed with soy, grana padano and truffle oil – incredibly fragrant, with scallions providing a fresh pop. Anju’s version of crispy tofu was perfectly fried on the outside but silky on the inside, highlighted with sauteed kimchi and a citrus aioli.

Malpec oysters with a kimchi mignonette

Braised oxtail tortellini

Crispy tofu

Then came the chicken wings. Our Calgarian tablemates had been vocal in expressing their hopes that one of Anju’s signature dishes would be served that night, so naturally, a cheer erupted when they appeared at our table. Sunworks chicken had been lightly fried, then tossed with a potent Korean hot sauce. The wings had a nice crunch, and the sauce was definitely uncensored – we joked that it was the culinary equivalent to Botox, a natural way to plumper lips.

Chicken wings

But this was the steak tour after all, so Anju’s grand finale was a rib eye that had been marinated in a simple mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, lime, garlic, ginger and sugar. The result was tender meat that had a slightly sweet finish. And Anju’s twist on potatoes? Roasted fingerling potatoes were accompanied by a tangy sesame aioli.

Marinated rib eye with fingerling potatoes

It was great to experience Anju’s take on steak and Korean-influenced cuisine as a whole – more than any of the other meals that weekend, it felt like the most personal. I loved that Oh has been able to merge Prairie inspirations with culinary traditions that honour his heritage. Perhaps we could convince him to move back to Edmonton one day, too.

Anju
507 – 10 Street SW, Calgary
(403) 532-9419

To T.O.: The Rest

When I look back at our Toronto trip, it seemed like all we did was eat! So though I’ve already recapped some of the best meals during our visit, I wanted to capture all of the other great restaurants and food-related experiences we had that week.

Crown Princess

For whatever reason, I was really intent on having dim sum in Toronto. Though Chinatown or Markham might have been the ideal neighbourhoods to locate a suitable restaurant, because of our activities to follow brunch that day, Amanda and I tried to stick to the downtown area. After some digging on Chowhound, we decided on Crown Princess.

Is this just the lobby?

While we didn’t expect it to be busy on a random Tuesday morning, we didn’t anticipate having the restaurant to ourselves either. It was all the more odd because Crown Princess is perhaps the most sumptuous Asian restaurant I’ve ever dined in – from the plush velvet chairs, chandeliers and marble wall coverings to the embroidered tablecloths and patterned china, it felt like we were in store for a very lavish private tasting.

Interior

Not your typical Chinese teapot

Prices were on the high side ($3-6), but not outrageous. Between the two of us, we decided to share four plates. My favourite was the har gao, easily some of the best dumplings I’ve had in some time – the shrimp was plump, and the wrapper was nice and thick. The rice noodle roll was also quite good – the greens added some dimension to the dish, while the pork inside had been diced with uniform consistency – it was clear that these dishes had been made with care.

Har gao

Rice noodle roll

The barbecue pork buns were great as well, with springy, fresh dough. The final dish was interesting, though the English translation of “fried shrimp” probably needed more detail – we expected battered shrimp, but instead, were presented with shrimp and fruit in a cream sauce wrapped and fried.

BBQ pork buns

Fried shrimp

Service was attentive (difficult not to be for the only table in the restaurant), and it was enjoyable for a light lunch. I’m sure the experience as a whole would have been much different had we been amongst other diners though.

LCBO

Ontario still hasn’t moved to a private liquor retailing system, and I’m sure there are pros and cons about this. Walking through an LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store, however, there seemed to be one big advantage to having a provincially-controlled chain: better marketing of homegrown products.

Go local

It was great to see shelves of Ontario product proudly displayed under a “go local” banner. While many liquor stores in Edmonton do make it easy to locate Canadian wines, this seemed to be one step further.

Local beer

Nathan Phillips Square Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ markets in Edmonton are confined to late afternoon, evening and weekend hours. However, the trend in other large Canadian municipalities seems to be opening up markets during the day, especially in high density areas. Calgary has experimented with their Downtown Green Market on Stephen Avenue, and in Toronto, we encountered a vibrant, well-stocked farmers’ market in front of their City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square.

Nathan Phillips Square

Farmers’ market

In the shadow of City Hall

It wasn’t ideal conditions for a farmers’ market – although tents sheltered the vegetables from the sun, nothing could stop them from wilting in the +40 degree humidity. The heat just radiated from the pavement, and on a day like that, the shade from trees would have been a welcome respite.

Zucchini blossoms

Beans

Berries

Asparagus

Corn

Basil

Meat truck

A hive!

Still, it was great to see so many people out picking up fresh produce on their lunch break, all while enjoying live entertainment.

Fresh Wednesdays

Amanda and I had a lunch reservation that afternoon, but I couldn’t resist buying a basket of raspberries in an effort to cool off. It was definitely handy to have the water truck on-site so we could wash the berries!

Water truck!

Berries

Rosedale Diner and Nadege

While in Toronto, I was able to meet up with Maria for lunch one day. Originally from Sarnia, she had been living in Edmonton for the past few years, but returned to Toronto for a work contract. She steered us to Rosedale Diner, a charming restaurant in Summer Hill.

The menu was made up of comforting dishes, and as soon as I saw the duck confit poutine ($17) on the menu, I knew I would pass up their prix fixe Summerlicious courses. I was disappointed that the Quebec cheese curds didn’t squeak, and that the fries were over-dressed, given they were saturated by the time I started to dig in, but I enjoyed the duck. Maria had ordered the lamb burger and surprisingly, was asked how she wanted it cooked!

Duck confit poutine

Lamb burger

The service was slow (and probably seemed even more so to us because we made the mistake of choosing to sit by the window on the hottest day of the year), but I was glad Maria had chosen Rosedale in part for its location.

After lunch, we wandered over to a quaint row of specialty shops – a high-end grocer, a butcher, a bakery, and a dessert shop. Nadege specializes in the venerable macaron, and though I was beyond full, I had to try one.

Beautiful works of art (love the mini macarons on the Marie Antoinette!)

I bought a salted caramel macaron ($2.10), and while the salty-sweet flavour was spot on, the meringue shell was not – it crumbled almost immediately when I bit into it.

Macarons

Smoke’s Poutinerie

My sampling of poutine in Toronto wasn’t confined only to Summer Hill. After taking in Wishful Drinking at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Mack and I wandered over, hungry, to Smoke’s Poutinerie.

I ordered the Montreal poutine (shaved Montreal smoked meat, dill pickle, mustard, $6.99), to see how it would stack up against my favourite dish at La Poutine. I think Edmonton wins this round – I again encountered cheese curds that didn’t squeak in the least – it had to be more than coincidence at this point, right? I also preferred the meat diced – easier to ensure a bit of the smoky meat in every bite.

Montreal poutine

Mack’s Hogtown poutine ($6.99), with double-smoked bacon, Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms and caramalized onions was much better, consistency-wise.

Hogtown poutine

Le Petit Dejeuner

When travelling, Mack and I always try to seek out a local diner for brunch. On this occasion, it was a little more difficult – because of time constraints, we had to find one within walking distance of our hotel, as we had to depart for the airport in the early afternoon hours.

Le Petit Dejeuner was our destination, and it seemed to be the right choice as a line-up formed outside the restaurant soon after we were seated. The interior was a bit of a mash-up, with warm wall colours that clashed with the aquamarine vinyl booths, but for brunch, the disharmony worked.

Interior

I ordered Gal, two eggs, toast, potato rosti, apple coleslaw and bacon ($9.75). The scrambled eggs were particularly creamy, and I loved the crunchy rosti, which would have been perfect with just a little more salt. Mack also enjoyed his eggs benedict with peameal bacon ($12.95) well enough.

The Hungry Gal

Eggs benedict with peameal bacon

Because we saw it on the menu, we had to try their liege waffle as well, made with red fife wheat. It was served cold, which we weren’t used to (Eva Sweet had made sure of that), but it was dense and crunchy with pearl sugar throughout.

Liege waffle

In all, I had a great time in Toronto. And I’m happy to say, I’ll be back there very soon – next week, in fact, for a work conference. I’m already looking forward to the food!

To T.O.: Summerlicious Adventures

Summerlicious, Toronto’s bi-annual prix fixe dining event and warm weather counterpoint to Winterlicious, puts Edmonton’s Fork Fest and Downtown Dining Week to shame. I realize it’s not exactly fair to compare our mid-size city’s efforts with those of Canada’s largest municipality, but the sheer number of restaurants (150 restaurants, all told), at every price point, in each quadrant of Toronto, that participate in the festival was mind-boggling.

My experience of Summerlicious made me consider planning my future travels around the event; it encouraged us to sample restaurants that I likely would not have otherwise – both in terms of high-end dining and in choosing lesser-known establishments.

In all, I sampled four Summerlicious menus (notably, Lee Lounge did not participate, cheekily naming their menu that week “Susurlicious”). We did have to make reservations in advance, though we did luck out with at least one known cancellation.

Jump

Jump was my entry point into the Oliver & Bonacini empire in Toronto. With the exception of Olive & Bonacini Cafe Grill, all of the O & B establishments are distinct in name and menu, and vary in level of formality and price, from the cafeteria-style O & B Canteen to the casual upscale Bannock to Canoe, their five-star crown jewel.

Nestled in the financial district, Jump was definitely a business lunch paradise – we were among only a few tables not in office attire. That said, we weren’t treated any differently, and after we arrived, were promptly led to a cozy wooden booth in the heart of the restaurant.

Jump

I loved the open concept kitchen, which seemed to give the restaurant a continuous sense of movement, with servers streaming in and out of the space with ease. The dining room also felt very warm, helped by the score of windows and skylights – it would be interesting to see how the atmosphere would change after nightfall.

Interior

The 3-course, $25 prix fixe menu provided quite a few options – our choice of four appetizers, four entrees and three desserts. My wild & tame mushroom soup, with no less than six kinds of mushrooms, had good depth and texture. And though they made do without butter or cream, a dollop would have gone a long way. Amanda’s watermelon and goat’s milk feta salad was gorgeous, summery and fresh.

Wild & tame mushroom soup

Watermelon and goat’s milk feta salad

We both couldn’t pass up the pulled pork for our main. It wasn’t the most elegant dish to eat, but then again, we weren’t on a business lunch! It was damn delicious, with flavourful mesquite barbecue sauce and pork that nearly melted in our mouths. The side of bagged kettle chips cheapened it a bit, however.

Pulled barbecue pork

It’s been a while since I’ve had panna cotta as smooth and silky as Jump’s. Their butterscotch version with salted caramel was just perfect, subtly sweet with a salty finish. Amanda also enjoyed her amaretto chocolate marquise cake – it was her favourite dessert that week, and even now, months later, is something she still thinks about.

Butterscotch panna cotta

Amaretto chocolate marquise cake

Jump was a great introduction to O & B. And it wouldn’t be long before we experienced them again.

Canoe

That same day, we had called Canoe (the most recommended Summerlicious restaurant on Chowhound) on a whim to see if we could get a last-minute reservation, as they were completely booked up on Open Table. Lucky for us, they had a cancellation, and we were able to snag a table early that evening. Sure, it meant we had to eat supper only two hours after completing our lunch, but Amanda and I were up for the challenge.

Located on the fifty-forth floor of the TD Tower, Canoe had an absolutely amazing view – we spent the first few minutes agog at the sights outside the window, including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Billy Bishop Airport and of course, Lake Ontario.

The view

Service was professional and friendly, and matched the sleek but understated room. At first, we thought we’d be in the minority ordering off the $45 prix fixe menu, but seeing the same dishes coming out of the kitchen, we knew others were also taking advantage of the great deal. We had the choice of three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts.

My deconstructed salad featured Ontario bufala mozzarella, and it was a revelation: creamy, with so much inherent richness. It contrasted the fresh pops of peas and celery very well – I didn’t even mind the crab! Amanda wasn’t sure about the cold smoked whitefish and chilled potato puree, but she liked it in the end. It was also her first brush with edible flowers.

Ontario bufala mozzarella salad

Purdy’s smoked whitefish

Although I enjoyed my pan-roasted Great Lakes pickerel, the sides on my plate were the real star of the show – I loved the sweet corn and corn puree underneath. Amanda’s dish had mine beat, however – her slow-cooked Ontario pork loin was so tender, and even better, the Israeli couscous made us rethink that grain. Apparently, it had simply been cooked with mirepoix and stock, but tasted like so much more.

Pan roasted Great Lakes pickerel

Slow-cooked Ontario pork loin

Our dessert was a bittersweet chocolate terrine was made up of vanilla marshmallow, Barrie Hill Farms strawberries and basil crème anglaise. I wasn’t a huge fan of the divergent textures, from the spongy top to the sorbet-like layer underneath.

Chocolate terrine

As a whole, Canoe provided us with a great evening out – the view alone was worth the price of dinner, but at just $45, it was without a doubt our best deal in Toronto that week.

Trevor Bar & Kitchen

Many of my friends have relocated to Toronto in the past few years – I met up with two of them at Trevor Bar & Kitchen to catch up over dinner. Janice’s coworker had recommended this restaurant, though at first glance, it wasn’t the ideal location on a muggy evening, with no air conditioning and too many lit candles to boot. On any other trip, the dinner at Trevor would have been near the top of my list, but because we dined at so many exceptional restaurants that week, it ended up in the middle.

My favourite thing about my mozzarella and tomato risotto were the bits of melty cheese inside. The rice had been cooked well, and I liked the tomato flavour throughout.

Mozzarella and tomato risotto

The second course, a barbecue duck ravioli was a good fusion offering – the sauce, a thin broth, was a welcome, if unexpected, surprise. Presentation-wise, it didn’t seem to have been plated with much care.

Barbeque duck ravioli

I ordered the sorbet for dessert primarily because I wanted something cool, but it turned to a soup almost immediately. It was still refreshing, though less pleasurable to eat.

Sorbet

Though I imagine Trevor Bar & Kitchen would be a great spot to grab a post-work cocktail and a casual nibble, with the breadth of restaurants Toronto has to offer, I doubt I’d return straightaway.

The Drake – “Summer School”

Chef Anthony Rose’s restaurant, located in The Drake Hotel, was my favourite restaurant experience of the entire trip. The Drake, a hipster boutique hotel in West Queen West, had created a lot of buzz about their pop-up restaurant series, which rotated concepts every few months. In many ways, because Rose is the in-house chef, I’m not sure it would really qualify as a pop-up, but I loved the idea that some of the decor would at least change with each incarnation.

Interior

In July, The Drake was transformed into a “Summer School”, complete with kitschy accessories that I was unabashedly giddy over. Everything from the duotang menus, scantrons and Rubik’s cube salt shakers on the table. Offering a menu of 3 courses for $35, a taste of their retro dishes also didn’t break the bank.

Giddy

No matter what though, Mack and I agreed that we had to indulge in their too-cool “juice box cocktails”, which were actually served in tetra paks. Who knew drinking from a straw could be so much fun?

Cheers!

Amanda and I both chose dishes off the prix fixe list, but Mack decided to select from the regular menu, and opted not to order either an appetizer or a dessert. Amanda thoroughly enjoyed her creamy salad, not hard to do when two of her favourite things – shrimp and avocado – were stars of the dish. I also loved my alphabet soup, thicker than I anticipated, but slightly sweet and rife with perfectly cooked pasta.

Salad

Alphabet soup

Amanda and I both ordered the fried chicken for our main – it was the best choice we could have made. The chicken had been de-boned, making it easy to eat (bonus!), but was still moist on the inside with a crispy shell on the outside. It was further enhanced with a dollop of wildflower honey on top. The side of cabbage slaw was light and refreshing, and although Amanda was full, nothing would stop her from finishing the rustic mashed potatoes on the plate, as buttery as they were.

Fried chicken

Mack’s entree was comprised of an absolutely massive lobster roll ($27), which contained one pound of lobster! While the first few bites were good, Mack said it was much too heavy for one person. Besides that, the dish came with four sides. His favourite was the macaroni and cheese, with the pickled cucumbers and red onions a close second.

Conquer that!

All through dinner, I was most looking forward to dessert. Passion Flakie (sold in the same section as Twinkies, I realize), was one of my favourite childhood treats, and I was excited to see how Chef Rose would elevate it. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations – Amanda’s was underbaked, and mine was overdone. I would have also preferred the whipped cream and fruit layers to have been more silky smooth.

Passion Flakie

As a whole though, we had a great time that night. The setting, the service (our waiter seemed to genuinely love his job), and the food helped create something special.

Blink: Edmonton’s Pedway Pop-up

When I first saw pictures of Diner en Blanc, I was absolutely transfixed. Hundreds, if not thousands of people, all dressed in white, dining al fresco with the most gorgeous urban backdrops imaginable – the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the New York harbourfront. The scenes just looked so surreal, so serene, that I immediately started imagining what such an event would look like in our fair city. Would it take place in Churchill Square? The Legislature grounds? The 4th Street Promenade? But with autumn fast approaching and winter not far behind, it wasn’t feasible for the season.

Months later, I still couldn’t let go of the idea. I especially loved the instant community created as diners gathered in underutilized or public spaces, transforming them into unique settings for elegant picnics. It was the same principle behind the locations we chose for the two What the Truck?! festivals Mack and I organized last year, hoping to make use of often overlooked areas of downtown.

This was the germ for Blink, a pedway pop-up restaurant Mack and I have put together, with the help of Chefs Paul Shufelt and Tony Le of Century Hospitality Group, and the support of the Downtown Business Association, GWL Realty Advisors, Morguard and the Downtown Edmonton Community League.

On February 26, 2012, the pedway between Scotia Place and Commerce Place, overlooking 101 Street, will be transformed into a sixty seat restaurant. Diners will be seated at a communal table, and will enjoy a six-course menu highlighting some of the best local ingredients available.

While we know other restaurants in Edmonton have hosted dinners featuring guest chefs in unfamiliar kitchens, we’re really excited about this opportunity to gather around food in an unconventional space.

Tickets for the dinner are $65, and can be purchased online. A cash bar will also be available, separate from the ticket price.

We hope you consider joining us for this dining experiment!

You can read Mack’s take on Blink here.

The No-Line Brunch: Wildflower Grill

When Amanda was in Edmonton for the Chinese New Year weekend, we decided to go for brunch as a family. We limited our options to places that accepted reservations (so we wouldn’t have to wait indefinitely to be seated, especially given our party of six), and ended up at Wildflower Grill.

I had brunch there once (albeit a few years ago), and it is definitely not the bustling Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives atmosphere that some prefer to ramp up the weekend with. Wildflower Grill offers a casually elegant and refined environment, which is relaxing in a different way.

That Sunday, we were led to a table immediately upon arrival. The restaurant was about half-full, with many parties, like us, made up of larger groups. Unfortunately, we had been seated out of the server’s eyesight, which may have contributed to the fact that we weren’t greeted for some time.

Eventually, the server made her way to our table, and we placed our beverage and food orders straightaway (as a precaution, just in case she was again called away for an extended period of time). We hoped to be proven wrong, but again, it took an unusually long time for our coffees to be delivered – a brunch deal breaker. Thankfully, our server was great in refilling the French press, so we were never without a full pot of coffee on the table.

To tide us over until our dishes arrived, we were served a warm-from-the-oven corn bread with some citrus maple butter. Although Wildflower’s brioche bread will always remain one of my favourites, this was a very close second – dense and slightly sweet.

Corn bread

Our dishes arrived in a flurry, and everyone in my family appreciated the plating. My Mum, Felicia and Mack had all ordered the eggs benedict two ways ($15), featuring one red wine poached served with back bacon, and a saffron poached egg over hickory pear glazed chicken. The eggs were cooked inconsistently; most of them were medium and not soft-poached. Mack enjoyed the back bacon version more, as the chicken was overcooked and dry.

Eggs benedict two ways

Amanda liked her Spanish skillet ($13) of scrambled eggs, potato pave and chorizo wrapped inside corn tortillas enough, but had a bit of dish envy, as she didn’t get the same side of cheesy potatoes that the rest of us had (they were a favourite around the table). She did appreciate the fruit cup though.

Spanish skillet

I had chosen the brioche bread pudding French toast ($14), which was crowned with a generous amount of fresh fruit and grand marnier raisins – it was like having dessert for breakfast! Each slice was moist and dense, but I probably could have done with just two slices because of how rich they were.

Brioche bread pudding French toast

We had the option of actually ordering dessert bites (at $4.50 a pop), but all of us were too stuffed for another course – and to answer to that, they actually had a “cookies to go” program, which was a neat idea.

Although the food and service wasn’t consistent with our previous experiences at Wildflower Grill, for a reasonably-priced brunch without the need to rush or jostle with others in line, I would return again.

Wildflower Grill
10009 107 Street
(780) 990-1938
Lunch: Monday – Friday 11am-2pm; Dinner: Sunday – Thursday 4:30-10pm, Friday – Saturday 4:30-11pm; Brunch: Sunday 11am-2pm

To T.O.: District Diversity

One of the things I liked most about Toronto was the diversity of neighbourhoods – it was great to be able to take in such a variety of areas even in the short amount of time I was there. I know there were many neighbourhoods I just didn’t get to – I look forward to exploring them on my next visit!

North York

On my first night in Toronto, Amanda and I stayed in her ‘hood of North York for dinner. What blew me away around Yonge Street was just how dense it was (the 2006 Census recorded a population of 635,370 in North York, only about 100,000 less than the entire population of Edmonton in that year).

High rises

With high rises all around us, it was a reminder of the kind of amenities that can bloom around that sort of density. One great example was a complex with a Loblaws on a ground floor, entertainment and shopping above that, and condo towers on top – and all connected to a subway station across the street.

Amenities galore

Unfortunately, it was clear what was the priority means of commuting in that neighbourhood: given the number of storefronts that lined both sides of Yonge Street, there was a dire need for crosswalks in smaller intervals. Instead, we saw innumerable pedestrians jaywalking across the five lane road.

Inhospitable Yonge Street

West Queen West

Although Amanda currently lives in North York, her dream neighbourhood in Toronto is West Queen West. An eclectic mix of boutiques and lofts, I could easily see why she’d want to move here.

Picturesque walk-ups

The Spice Trader, a great little shop

Cookie from Dufflet – tasted like a Reese peanut butter cup!

Harbourfront

On those hot and humid days, there was nothing better than standing out by the lake, taking in the cool breeze.

Feeling refreshed

I didn’t get to do this as often as we would have liked during that week, but I did really enjoy the stroll on the boardwalk we did get to take that night!

Out on the lake

Chinatown

Our trek through Chinatown was brief, and focused – Amanda and I spent most of our time trying to track down something for our Mum.

Gorgeous murals

Yum!

We also didn’t wander past the tourist-driven shops, a shame because I know it would have been a great area to eat our way through.

Couldn’t resist a picture of sushi-bobbleheads

Kensington

Kensington, with its hippie sensibilities, reminded me of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury (though maybe not as rough around the edges). I loved the colourful homes-turned-shops, with wares spilling into their yards and onto the sidewalk. The area actually closes its streets once a week as well for “pedestrian Sundays”.

Charming

Judith Deutsch Park

One of the most rewarding byproducts of exploring a city on foot is the things you end up stumbling upon. Judith Deutsch Park was a fun example of this, a narrow playground we came across on our way from Chinatown to Kensington.

Amanda loves to exercise!

The playground was made up of sturdy metal versions of popular gym equipment – everything from an elliptical to resistance machines.

Whee!

It just seemed so random, but was such a neat interactive little pocket that definitely livened up a dreary strip of pavement.

Distillery District

Historically, the Distillery District dates back to 1832, and represents the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America. The area was purchased by developers and re-opened in 2003, offering a mix of cultural and retail experiences, as well as residential options.

Distillery District

Without a doubt the neighbourhood itself is picture-perfect: the area is enclosed, bastion-style, with brick and stone walls. Paired with the cobblestone, pedestrian-friendly streets, it was no surprise when we saw a wedding party traipsing through for photo opportunities. The Distillery has also been home to all sorts of interesting events, including food truck festivals and Toronto’s first Diner en Blanc.

Photo op

They had some interesting outdoor sculptures as well, which nicely juxtaposed the historic backdrop.

Arts market

Straight out of War of the Worlds

It was a great area to browse – an outdoor arts market was set-up, in addition to some funky gift and houseware shops. We especially enjoyed the art on display at Cube Works, all constructed entirely out of Rubik’s cubes.

Shopping

KD!

Only limited by their imagination…

We decided to grab a coffee at Balzac’s, which seemed to be a top-rated café in Toronto. We were puzzled, then, to encounter a sign that warned that no photography was permitted inside the shop. We had to wonder about this policy, especially for a third-wave coffee shop – wouldn’t they want the publicity from coffee addicts posting candid photos taken of their drinks?

Balzac’s

Mack defied the signage and snapped a quick photo of the interior, which was quite striking. The coffee, on the other hand, wasn’t a highlight.

For lunch, we stopped inside Mill Street Brewery, a microbrewery known for their organic lager (it can be found in Edmonton). The restaurant side was comfortable, serving up predictable, but comforting pub classics. Amanda liked her turkey club, and Mack’s beer-battered fish and chips were decent. My chicken pot pie was all right, though I could have done without the side of mushy, thawed peas and lead potatoes.

Mill Street beer

Inside the pub

Turkey club

Chicken pot pie

We stuck around for the free tour inside the small on-site brewery, which is now mostly used for R & D purposes (at that time, for example, they were trying out an Italian rice brew). Our guide reinforced how small they were in comparison to some of the big fish in the industry – what Mill Street produces in a year can be replicated by Labatt in eighteen hours.

Cheers!

Although it was a stunning neighbourhood to visit, I was hoping our food and drink experiences would match the grandeur of our surroundings.

Waterfront Night Market

A festival can be considered a temporary neighbourhood, which is how I thought of the Waterfront Night Market. It was such a serendipitous moment when I wondered aloud to Amanda whether or not Toronto hosted any night markets similar to the one found in Richmond, BC – then promptly stumbled across a poster advertising the Waterfront Night Market taking place that weekend.

As we didn’t have a car, we decided to take the free, advertised “fun bus” from City Hall down to the festival site (which happened to be the parking lot of the downtown T & T Supermarket). Apparently organizers didn’t learn from the previous year when similar problems happened – they again only had three buses, resulting in massive wait times. Although we waited an hour for the promised ride, they did avoid a #funbusfail.

The fun bus, living up to its name

When we reached the festival grounds, it was busy, but not quite as packed as I remember the Richmond equivalent to be.

I’m sure the smoke could have been seen for miles

It was clearly a food market, with merchandise vendors outnumbered ten to one. The hawkers in particular were entertaining, and reminded me of some of the Asian markets my family and I had visited long ago.

Meat on a stick

And though we had dinner not long before, we indulged anyway. To do so, Mack did have to get over the overpowering aroma of both stinky tofu and oyster omelettes though.

The bane of Mack’s existence

Thirst-quenching

The strawberry ice drink I ordered (featuring fruit popping pearls) had the consistency of ice cream!

The tornado potato was unfortunately not crispy

In addition to the vendors, there was a live music stage and an NBA tournament going on – the sights and sounds were almost overwhelming!

I’m happy we made our way to the night market – it was definitely something we wouldn’t have been able to experience at home.

Better than a Buffet: Africa Restaurant

A colleague and I met halfway between both of our offices at Africa Restaurant the previous Wednesday for lunch. Last year, the establishment changed hands – Mebrat had been a community mainstay for many years, but the transition to Africa Restaurant seemed rather seamless, and I’d heard that the menu of Eritrean and Ethiopian dishes had been preserved. This was the first time at the restaurant for both of us.

We settled into one of the comfortable black booths just inside the doors. Natural light streamed in from the windows, making it a very pleasant place for lunch, especially on that cold winter day.

Interior

The menu featured the variety of meat and vegetarian dishes we expected, to be eaten with injera. But the random sandwiches and pastas didn’t seem to fit – I wondered if they were remnants of the previous menu that attempted to serve varied community tastes (similar to Pho Huong/Mama Pizza’s split menu of Vietnamese cuisine and pizza). We decided to try a meat and vegetarian combination ($24), which would give us the means to sample a large array of items.

The food arrived in expedient fashion, a colourful platter featuring lamb, chicken, beef, lentils and vegetables. All of the meat dishes were spicy, but they were nicely balanced by the green salad and beans.

Combination platter

The lentils are typically my favourite on such platters, and it was no different on this occasion – they were well-seasoned, creamy and were moderately spiced. The dorho tibsi was the most difficult to eat with the injera, the egg slipping between our inexperienced fingers, but was the most rewarding – creamy with a good kick. The lamb tibsi was probably the weakest link, lacking flavour, overcooked and chewy. Needless to say, with the deceivingly filling injera in our stomachs, we ended up with a large box of leftovers. With this buffet for two priced at just $12 a person, it was a fantastic value.

Service was perhaps a little too hands off, but I can understand how the server thought we wanted to be left alone to converse. In all though, Africa Restaurant is another restaurant I am fortunate to have within a stone’s throw of my office – definitely worth seeking out as an Ethiopian and Eritrean option in the city.

Africa Restaurant
10603 107 Avenue
(780) 756-1515

Good Takeout: Papa John’s

Panago is our go-to pizza take-out joint (we especially love their Italian meatball pizza). The nearest storefront on 104 Avenue is about a twenty minute walk though, so we inevitably end up driving there to pick up our orders.

When Papa John’s moved into a storefront a block away from our condo on 105 Street and Jasper Avenue, we were eager to give them a try – it’s great to have another option within walking distance of our place (Funky Pickle on Jasper Avenue and 102 Street is also close).

Their online ordering function wasn’t yet enabled for the new store, so Mack still had to call to put in our order. When he arrived to pick it up on a Thursday evening, he found the shop not the least bit busy – it will probably take some time for residents to know about their newest neighbour. Mack ordered two specialty pizzas for $25.99 (a price comparable to our usual Panago order): the Sicilian Classic (pepperoni, Italian sausage, Italian salami, ham) and the Canadian Classic (pepperoni, bacon, mushroom).

This was our first experience with Papa John’s, so the garlic dip and banana pepper we found when we opened the boxes were a nice surprise (to eat the garlic dip, however, is not recommended – it smelled like popcorn, and did not taste like garlic at all).

Sicilian Classic

We found the cheese topping to be extremely generous, one of the barometers of takeaway pizza. The crust wasn’t the least bit greasy, which might be ideal for some, but I still preferred Panago’s crunchier crust. The Italian salami added a bit of welcome heat to the Sicilian, but given I’m a sucker for mushrooms on pizza, the Canadian was my favourite of the two.

Canadian Classic

We’d definitely consider Papa John’s in the future if we were craving pizza and pressed for time.

Papa John’s
10540 Jasper Avenue (multiple locations in Edmonton)
(780) 429-7212
Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-2am

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