Tag: restaurants

Culinary Q & A with Sarah Clarke

Occupation: Officially I’m the Business Planning Manager for Alberta Justice. Unofficially I bake cakes and cupcakes.

What did you eat today?

French toast and a latte for breakfast, cheese quesadilla for lunch and grilled chicken with spinach/mozzarella ravioli for dinner.

What do you never eat?

Fruit and fresh tomatoes. Seriously, no fruit! I’ll eat raisins but not grapes and I’ll  eat banana bread but not a banana! My mom told me I’d get scurvy not eating fruit but I’ve made it this far so I think I’m in the clear!

What is your personal specialty?

My chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing.

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

Eggs, butter and milk (gotta be ready to bake in a blink of an eye!)

What is your weekday meal standby?

If time is really limited, it’d be grilled cheese and soup otherwise I like making a stir fry or curry over rice.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

I love my Kitchen Aid mixer!

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Tough question. My mom’s breaded chicken, a baked potato with butter and roasted corn on the cob followed by a slice of my chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Basic, clean, but absolutely delicious food!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don’t think I play favourites…I cater to my moods more often than frequent one restaurant. But a few of my favourites are OPM, Mikado, and New Asian Village.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

My favourite dish is at the Cactus Club in WEM. I love their butternut squash ravioli with scallops and fried sage leaves!!! Making myself hungry…

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

I’d like to go to Thailand and try some authentic green curry…and of course ride an elephant (maybe not at the same time though)!

Sarah blogs at Thoughts about Things and Cake Sarah Sera.

My 2010 Wish List for Edmonton’s Food Scene

In January last year, I put together a wish list of things I wanted to see in Edmonton’s food scene. Though not many from that list have actually come to pass (yet), I thought it was time to note down some other culinary delights I would love to see more of in our city:

  • Breakfast joints and diners: Perhaps this point comes from watching one too many episodes of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, but regardless, I think Edmonton has an under-developed breakfast culture. Sure, we have a handful of diners (Route 99, Urban Diner, Blue Plate Diner, and most recently, Cora’s), but every time I visit Calgary, I’m left with diner envy. Calgarians love their Nellie’s (have you seen the line-ups?), and have a plethora of casual weekend brunch options to choose from (Avenue Diner, Dairy Lane, Galaxie Diner, Diner Deluxe, and one of the newest, Over Easy Breakfast, just to name a few). What will it take to inject a more frenzied love (and market) for brunch in Edmonton?
  • Dessert bars: Though I do enjoy multi-course meals at a single restaurant, I’m also a huge fan of dining mobility, and being able to seamlessly relocate elsewhere for drinks, coffee, or dessert. Unfortunately, specialty dessert bars (such as Nectar in Calgary) have not yet landed in Edmonton.
  • Food trucks: A downside of following the New York food scene is having no real local point of reference to understand their amazing culture of food carts (to the point where food trucks are being used to promote a website launch for NBC). Aside from Fat Franks and Filistix, Edmonton is bereft of outdoor food purveyors. Though I recognize our long winters may play a factor, as well as a lack of critical mass of potential customers in the core, isn’t it cool to see food trucks Tweeting their daily location?
  • Rooftop patios and gardens: I realize Edmonton isn’t quite dense enough to have to resort to utilizing rooftop spaces yet, but there’s nothing like sipping a cool drink on a hot summer day on a rooftop patio. The Black Dog, Chili’s on Whyte Avenue, Latitude 53, and now, the Art Gallery of Alberta are all equipped with above-ground terraces, but I’m hoping for more. As for rooftop gardens – yes, it’s complicated to build, but when you see what’s possible (such as rooftop CSAs in the US), I want to dream.
  • Farm to table dinners: What’s better than eating a meal made from seasonal produce sourced from local farmers, expertly prepared to best highlight their clean, fresh flavours? Madison’s Grill is leading the charge on this, but I think there is a market for more intimate, community-oriented dinners. If it’s all about relationships, such experiences do more than simply expose diners to the exquisite products available close to home – they also bring those interested in supporting local farmers together.

What’s on your Edmonton food scene wish list?

Relaxed but Refined: Madison’s Grill

Did somebody say poutine?

That’s what I thought to myself when I saw the lunch menu being offered by Madison’s Grill during Downtown Dining Week. While I don’t normally have enough time to head into the core for a weekday lunch, a combination of some accrued overtime and sheer desire to try Chef Blair Lebsack’s upscale take on poutine drove me to make a reservation.

Though the restaurant was nearly empty when Mack and I arrived, it quickly filled up with diners from nearby office towers, many who seemed eager to partake in the special pre-fixe deals before us. In the elegant dining room, seated at the table clothed in white, the polished hardwood gleaming in the late morning sunlight, it was easy to just relax. And while I do enjoy the quick-serve options of my usual Chinatown lunches, the refined setting provided a nice change of pace.

I knew I had my heart set on the braised Spring Creek Ranch short rib poutine ($15) before I even entered the restaurant, but that’s not to say that the regular lunch menu did not have its own allure. From the Sylvan Star grilled cheese sandwich ($15) to the Irving’s pulled Berkshire pork sandwich ($16) and the grilled scallop and prawn risotto ($19), it was clear to both of us that this wouldn’t be our last daytime visit to Madison’s. Mack had to fight the urge to order a second helping of poutine, but eventually decided upon the prawn orzo ($15).

Before our food arrived, Blair was nice enough to chat with us for a bit. When I said I was surprised to find Sylvan Star cheese curds on the menu, he replied that the award-winning company only makes them a few times a year. For the occasion of Downtown Dining Week, Madison’s put in an order for 10 kg of curds! He also noted that the sauce Robert “gravy” was a reference not only to the French brown mustard sauce, but also to his Chef de Cuisine, Robert.

Our food was promptly delivered, and yes, I am happy to say that the poutine lived up to my high expectations. The squeaky cheese was divine, stringing errant fries together under a delicious gravy bath. And what of the short ribs? Off the bone came the meat, with just the right proportion of luxurious fat to enhance the tender richness of every bite.

Braised Spring Creek Ranch short rib poutine

Mack was equally enthralled with his prawn orzo (though he did slightly regret not ordering the poutine after a small taste). He thought the pasta had been cooked perfectly, and liked the combination of the prawn cream sauce and warm prawn salsa.

Prawn orzo

We were satisfied with our mains, and so declined the offer of a dessert menu from our server. Little did we know, Blair had a sweet surprise in store for us anyway, and brought over a complimentary trio of truffles. Beautifully plated, my favourite was the almond-coated round, with the flavour and texture of the toasted nuts pairing well with the dark chocolate. Mack preferred the orange-flavoured truffle.

Trio of truffles

Our lunch at Madison’s Grill was a breath of fresh air, and left us both relaxed and ready to return to work. It’s a safe bet we will be back soon.

Madison’s Grill (in the Union Bank Inn)
10053 Jasper Avenue
(780) 401-2222

Caterer of Choice: Taste of India

A few weeks ago I started planning a retreat for our team, to take place at the peaceful Strathcona Wilderness Centre, situated just outside of Sherwood Park. As the SWC has an open policy when it comes to food, we had no limitations when it came to catering options. As it made the most geographic sense to choose a company based in Sherwood Park, after some research, we decided on Taste of India. Not only was their per person price reasonable, but before we made the final agreement, the owner of the establishment invited my coworker and I to sample their food – on the house (an $11.50 lunch buffet).

We planned our visit for a Friday afternoon, after viewing and finalizing the booking with the folks at the Wilderness Centre. The restaurant apparently used to be a combination Indian and Mexican eatery, but the latter half has since been divided and will reopen as a comedy club soon. Taste of India was bustling with patrons when we arrived, with a large number of them seeming to be regulars. The owner was a grand hostess, and seemed to be familiar with most of the customers – it made for a very comfortable, jovial atmosphere.

Interior (lovely display of bangles)

The array of dishes on the buffet looked promising, especially when we saw a number of the more popular trays being replenished on a regular basis. All of my favourites were there – butter chicken, mutter paneer, pakoras – and some dishes I was less familiar with – beef kofta being one of them. Though we skipped over the cold dishes for fear of not having enough room, a tossed hot dog salad seemed strangely out of place.

Buffet

Food, glorious food

The butter chicken was necessarily tender, coated with a richly addictive sauce at a spice level agreeable to my palate. The beef kofta, as it turned out, tasted remarkably similar to the Swedish meatballs at IKEA. A surprise turned out to be the mixed vegetables (which were to be included in our catering order), the peas and green beans still retaining their crispness in spite of being tossed with a mildly spicy sauce and forced to languish under heat lamps.

My plate

Service was also good, with our water glasses never reaching empty. And of course, having the meal comped was a nice gesture. Needless to say, the whole experience – the meal and the owner’s generosity – won us over.

Bell located at the exit – it was rung quite a few times during our visit!

The catered food was equally as good. All of the dishes arrived hot, and even with 35 hungry mouths to feed, some of our staff were even able to go back for seconds. The naan, in particular, was stellar, slightly charred in places, but distinctly chewy, perfect for scooping up sauce-drenched butter chicken and channa masala.

To end, just a few photos of the Strathcona Wilderness Centre – we were fortunate to have sunshine on Thursday, and I took advantage of the weather with a short lunch hour stroll. I’d like to return some time in the future to rent their snowshoes or cross country skis – it would be a great excuse to get away to the country again!

Trail

Ski tracks

Peace

Taste of India
6 Blackfoot Rd, Strathcona County
(780) 449-2794

Strathcona Wilderness Centre
52535 Range Road 212, Strathcona County
(780) 922-3939

Generous Portions: Viet Huong Noodle House

I’ve walked past Viet Huong Noodle House on 107 Avenue too many times to count, but never really had the desire to try it. Being just a stone’s throw away from my office, however, meant it was just a matter of time before I did.

I met up with Dickson for lunch there this week. First impressions were not great – between the turquoise linoleum floor and worn, mismatched furniture, it was clear the space needed a complete overhaul. The LCD television screen (streaming a Vietnamese music concert much too loudly) and fish tank full of radiant blood parrots did help brighten the space somewhat, but for the most part, the interior matched the sad state of exterior affairs.

The service was curt and brisk, but the food arrived promptly. Our dishes were ill-timed though, with our bowls of steaming pho arriving just moments after our appetizer was delivered. Also, after making a request for chopsticks, we were a bit taken aback when he grabbed two pairs out of a jar by the ends. Needless to say, some tea-disinfecting ensued.

The green onion cake was a good-sized dish, especially given the $3.95 price. Satisfyingly crispy, they weren’t nearly salty enough for me, but I’m finding that’s typical for my palate.

Green Onion Cakes

The pho, size-wise, reminded me a lot of Ninh Kieu – it seemed like a never-ending bowl! Moreover, both our servings included an extremely generous amount of beef, bucking the standard of exaggerating portion amounts with a thick wicket of rice noodles. The broth was good, not great (and dusted with just a wee bit of cilantro), but was on par with many other such restaurants in the city.

Rice Noodle Soup with Medium Beef and Beef Brisket ($7.50)

Beef Noodle Soup with Combination Beef ($7.95)

Given Viet Huong’s proximity to my office, there’s a good chance I’d return if the weather was a deterrent to the lengthier trek to Chinatown’s Pho Tau Bay. But as spring is just around the corner, I’d have to say brisk lunch hour walks are in my immediate future.

Viet Huong Noodle House
10117 107 Avenue
(780) 424-9910
Tuesday – Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 10am-7pm, closed Mondays

Artful Dining: ZINC

In spite of my criticisms of Downtown Dining Week, I had every intention of partaking in the food festival. While I do think the Downtown Business Association could do much to expand and better promote the event, the pre-fixe menus are still undoubtedly a great way to sample new (and revisit favourite) restaurants.

ZINC, the sparkly new restaurant in the beautiful Art Gallery of Alberta, topped my list of eateries I wanted to try, with their $50, 4-course menu highlighting four of the current exhibits seeming too good to pass up. I wasn’t sure what to expect – most of the chatter has been decidedly negative, though there have been some bright spots for the month-old restaurant. Needless to say, our expectations at the gate leaned to the low side of the spectrum approaching our dinner.

A week prior, I made a reservation online (nope, not on Open Table), noting down a request for a window seat, as well as listing the special occasion we were celebrating. Upon arrival, we were seated one table shy of a window, and at no point was our occasion acknowledged. While I had no issue with either of these things, if the restaurant has no intention of fulfilling seating requests or recognizing the reason for dining, they should simply take those categories off of the reservation system.

The view from our table (the two-top next to us was taken when we arrived)

During our preview tour of the AGA in January, we were privy to a sneak peek of ZINC. At that time, I already knew I loved the soaring ceiling, floor-to-ceiling windows, and the dramatic cobalt-blue bar. Sitting inside the restaurant, however, the echo-chamber effect of the high ceiling wasn’t conducive to an intimate conversation, particularly with an unnecessarily long table. The metallic strip around the edges of the tables and as a menu backing were nice touches though, reminding diners of the restaurant’s namesake.

Interior (the Douglas fir wall is another beautiful feature)

Mack

We were a bit apprehensive about the service we would receive at ZINC, but as it turned out, we needn’t have worried. Our waiter, Nick, was excellent, and though he looked familiar to us, we couldn’t quite place him. We eventually asked if he had worked anywhere else in Edmonton, and he told us the Wildflower Grill had been his previous post (he had served us one of our best meals there). Nick was particularly great at explaining the connection each of the DDW dishes had to the art exhibits – I’d recommend asking to be seated in his section if you are concerned about potential service issues!

ZINC menu

Like Wildflower, ZINC also serves an amuse bouche. Presented on an ice-cold spoon, we were treated to foie gras yogurt topped with a raspberry segment. It was not our cup of tea – the guttural richness was not pleasing to our palates.

Foie Gras Amuse Bouche

The bread course, however, was! Hot (and I mean hot) out of the oven, two beautiful buns were delivered, accompanied by herbed butter. Mack especially appreciates warm bread (always noting the dearth of restaurants that pay attention to this comforting detail).

Gloriously Warm Bread!

My appetizer was a duo of sardines: sardine paté and grilled marinated sardine filet, with sundried tomato, brioche bread, and fresh herb salad. Apparently related to Goya, this dish had the weakest connection to art – Nick explained that during the Peninsular War, Goya’s native country of Spain had an alliance with Portugal. As a result, Chef David Omar drew inspiration from Portuguese cuisine, which includes the use of sardines and sundried tomatoes. I had to applaud Chef Omar for the playful presentation though, with the upright placement of the sardine, and the spin on sardines on toast. It was my favourite aspect of the dish (the paté, like the foie gras, was too strong for me). The greens were light and offered a burst of freshness, dressed with a champagne vinaigrette.

Duo of Sardines

Mack had decided to order off the regular menu, and thoroughly enjoyed his first dish of pan-seared scallops ($18), with sweet potato and maple ginger purée, red radish, organic microgreens, glace viande and citrus foam. The presentation was beautiful, and he noted that the scallops were cooked perfectly.

Pan-Seared Scallops

My entree was a trio of house-made ravioli (inspired by Karsh’s portraits), and was the dish I had been looking forward to the most. Unfortunately, it wasn’t executed quite right. The squid-ink ravioli was supposed to burst with its stuffing of an egg yolk and goat cheese, but unfortunately, had been bathed too long. On the other hand, the oyster mushroom and ricotta ravioli had been undercooked, the pasta still bearing that telltale chewy firmness. Still, I liked the creativity behind each of the pasta rounds, with my favourite being the black ravioli and its salty filling.

Trio of Ravioli

Mack’s Spring Creek Ranch beef tenderloin entree ($42) was similarly uneven. The steak was inconsistently prepared, with only a part of it registering the requested medium rare (the rest was most definitely well done). Mack did like the flavour of the watercress mashed potatoes though.

Spring Creek Ranch Pan-Seared Beef Tenderloin

We shared my dessert, a three part affair of corn pudding, caramelized popcorn and wild boar bacon ice cream. The duo of Cardiff/Miller inspired this plate – with Miller’s birthplace of the farming community of Vegreville leading to the use of corn and bacon. We were also supposed to combine the flavours of the dessert (as the couple work together to complete their art installations). The silky corn pudding was our favourite, and Mack noted its flavour resemblance to rice pudding. The bacon ice cream, aside from the occasional piece of bacon as a reminder, wasn’t as flavourful as I would have liked.

Cardiff/Miller Dessert

The last course was a chocolate little dancer martini, which I let Mack take care of. The Degas connection was in the movement and swirl of the Baileys and Kahlua within the transparent house-infused vanilla vodka. Mack liked the chocolate syrup rim, and finished the drink without complaint.

Chocolate Little Dancer Martini

It seems some of the early issues at the restaurant may have resolved themselves with time, but not all of them. I hope the rest of the kitchen miscues are eliminated soon, as I am optimistic that ZINC could evolve into a great restaurant. I hear that Chef Omar is working closely with area producers to include even more local content on the menu – this, combined with the creativity he demonstrated with the Downtown Dining Week menu, leads me to believe that the best may be yet to come.

ZINC (inside the Art Gallery of Alberta)
2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 11am-2:30pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Wednesday 5-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 5-11pm; Brunch: Sunday 10am-2pm; closed Mondays

Edmonton Foodie Meetup 3: Recap

Sixteen foodies came together tonight for the third Edmonton Foodie Meetup at Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria downtown. It was our largest gathering yet (read about our first and second meetups), which I think is a testament to the growing foodie community in the city.

Foodies!

When I called Famoso last week to make the reservation, and mentioned that the group was largely made up of food bloggers, the manager responded that he thought we were still at the stage of selecting a venue. I was surprised to find out that he knew about our upcoming gathering, but it turns out he is an avid reader of local blogs as well!

At any rate, I figured we would be treated like royalty, and we were. However, our special treatment, including two free platters of their dessert Nutella pizza, wasn’t out of the ordinary for large groups, though our timing helped. “Vino Wednesdays” sees complimentary bruschetta go out with all orders made after 5pm, and free wine samples offered to all patrons between 6 and 8:30pm. Our server did say that they pulled out the “reserve” red wine for our group though.

Complimentary Bruschetta and Wine

The pizzas (as always) were great as well, with that addictively-chewy crust that isn’t duplicated anywhere else in the city (well, besides other Famoso outposts).

Siciliana Pizza with Basil, Prosciutto, Italian Ham and Italian Sausage

Valerie was thoughtful enough to bring homemade truffles for everyone as well, made with decadent Valrhona Manjari and cocoa powder.

Valerie’s Truffles

It was great to put faces to names, and to meet and chat with other local food lovers. Because there have been quite a few recent additions to Edmonton’s blogging repertoire, I thought it might be useful to list those present at this meetup who do have food blogs:

For those who couldn’t make it, we hope to organize another meetup this summer, which will preferably be an outdoor potluck.

Thanks again to Chris for helping me pull this dinner together, and to Famoso for hosting a great evening!

Chinese New Year Dinner: Shanghai Grill

For this Chinese New Year, my family opted to eat out, saving my mom some grief in the kitchen. My parents had tried Shanghai Grill a few months back with friends, and after a positive experience, wanted to take us there.

Mack and I met my family there on New Year’s Eve, but had to call my Dad to locate the restaurant. Tucked away in a warehouse/light industrial strip just off 111 Avenue, Shanghai Grill is easy to miss. However, the immediate benefit of such a building is high, lofty ceilings, which provided the eatery with a semblance of grandness, or at least the impression of breathing room between tables. Though I liked the furnishings (particularly the coated tabletops – a sleeker alternative to glass-topped tables), the wooden beams and columns were out of place for a non-steakhouse.

Interior

The menu at Shanghai Grill includes several Western favourites, but for the most part, skewed more traditional (on a related note, I had to laugh at the take-out menu, which featured only mainstream Western dishes). We were happy to let my parents take care of the ordering, particularly because they are usually able to strike a balance between interesting dishes and dishes that will placate my sisters (who, granted, are both less picky now than in their younger years).

Service was good, and our food arrived, rapid-fire, as tends to happen at Chinese, family-style restaurants. Though our table wasn’t quite as large as some of the others, a lazy Susan would have definitely been beneficial. My favourite of the dishes was the seafood sizzling rice ($13.95) served with puffed-rice squares, the warm gravy softening the textured rice to a satisfyingly chewy quality. The xiaolong bao ($7.95), filled with a hot soup, were also pretty good, but unfortunately, the soup ended up escaping before ending up in my bowl.

Seafood Sizzling Rice

Xiaolong Bao

The sweet and sour pork ($11.95) was cloyingly sweet, and we assured my Mum that hers was indeed better (their use of canned pineapple didn’t help matters either). The Shanghai combination soup, filled with bok choy, pork and bean curd, was filling, but we probably could have done without it – there was nothing memorable about it. The sweet and sour fish filet ($13.95) looked promising, and though I liked the silky filets of fish, the too-subtle flavour resulted in a just okay dish. Mack’s favourite dish was the Szechuan fried noodles ($10.95), with flecks of spicy red chillies throughout.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Shanghai Soup Combination

Sweet and Sour Fish Filet

Szechuan Fried Noodles

In recognition of Chinese New Year, we were offered small bites of nian gao (glutinous rice cake), a nice treat to end the meal. The strawberries (freeze-dried, perhaps?) provided an interesting spin on a traditional offering.

Nian Gao

As a whole, I had no complaints about the dinner. And with a clean and fresh environment with mostly solid offerings, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back.

Shanghai Grill
16336 111 Avenue
(780) 930-1828

Edmonton’s Downtown Dining Week: Stagnant and Uninspired?

Though superhero Daryl Katz has been in the news of late for his plans to singlehandedly revitalize downtown Edmonton, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the city’s core has been on a steady upswing over the past few years. From the Paramount Theatre reclamation by the City Centre Church, to the trendy development of the 104th Street Warehouse District, to the stunning new Art Gallery of Alberta, there have been many positive changes in recent years.

Of course, the annual festivals that roll into Churchill Square during the summer months are a yearly guarantee of crowds, but I think the off-season events are even more important. To convince people that downtown Edmonton is a vibrant year-round destination, arts and cultural institutions, nightlife, and events are vital in the crafting of a core culture apart from warm-weather hot dogs and buskers.

To that effect, I think Downtown Dining Week (this year in its seventh incarnation) should be the jewel in the Downtown Business Association’s crown. Food has an uncanny ability to excite people, and dinner and drinks are often just the start of a night out. If presented well, I don’t see why discounted pre-fixe meals couldn’t be the successful lynchpin of a favourable downtown introduction to those unfamiliar with the district.

I wrote last year about how, in my opinion, the DBA is failing to engage those that don’t already frequent downtown restaurants, and seem to be satisfied with the status quo. There is no doubt that the DBA has to work a little harder – with Original Fare hosting Fork Fest, their own pre-fixe food festival twice a year, Downtown Dining Week doesn’t have the luxury of being the only discount menu event in the city. Still, with a self-proclaimed mission of encouraging people to “live, work, shop, play and learn” in the core, I think the way Downtown Dining Week is currently being organized (and promoted) is a missed opportunity. Sure, the number of restaurants participating in the promotion has increased each year, to a “record” 29 in 2010 (keeping in mind that the total number of restaurants downtown has also increased this year), but the event itself is stagnant.

A quick gander at the Dine Out Calgary site leaves me with a feeling of festival envy – the city-wide 91 participating restaurants notwithstanding, their event includes opportunities to dine with local food critic John Gilchrist, wine and chocolate seminars and cooking classes. I’m left with many questions – why hasn’t the DBA attempted similar events, which no doubt would get people excited about food, chefs, and ultimately, downtown Edmonton? There is no shortage of talent, or ideas – Gail Hall, who herself lives downtown on 104th Avenue, could speak at a luncheon; Kelsey Danyluk and Neil Chamberlain of TZiN could teach a food and wine pairing seminar; Moriarty’s, with their Enomatic wine system could host a wine tasting; and Paul Schufelt of Hundred, always innovative and currently dabbling in sous vide techniques, could lead a cooking class. Even better, the DBA could help celebrate the new AGA  by hosting a “dine out and art” night with a package meal and gallery tour deal.

More than partnerships with non-food establishments, however, I think the best asset of Downtown Dining Week is the proximity of restaurants to one another (especially when compared with Calgary’s version). The variety of both casual and formal eateries and bars is fantastic, and if one of the goals is to encourage people to return after this event, shouldn’t DDW be organized so establishments are given maximum opportunities for exposure? For example, a package deal could include a beer and a share plate at The Hat, followed by entrees at Kai Asian Grill. Or dinner at ZINC, then dessert at the Harvest Room in the Hotel Macdonald.

Unlike last year, I decided to contact the DBA with some questions, given that they were probably not aware of my previous comments. I first e-mailed Victoria Boutilier, Communications Coordinator, on February 16, hoping to meet her for a coffee to chat about DDW.  Eventually, it was determined that my questions would be answered by e-mail, so I sent them to her on Wednesday, and finally received a response this morning. I think the answers speak for themselves.

How were the price points reached? Though some may say the recession has since passed, the high end of a $50 meal, which would be over $100 for two with tax and gratuity (and without beverages), is still pricey. The other route, of course, would be to ask restaurants to offer a tasting menu ($75-$80), which would include 4-5 courses, and could offer a better value.

When the program began 7 years ago, the price points were $15, $25, and $35. Based on the feedback received from restaurants it was determined that most found it challenging to offer a high-quality three course meal for $35. It was then that we decided to increase the last price point to not only accommodate feedback from participating restaurants, but as a way to encourage more restaurants to come on board. As a result, the program has grown to encompass a variety of restaurants, from ethnic and pub-style, to trendy and fine-dining. This approach was quite successful as we have had great feedback from both patrons and restaurants. A tasting menu would be a great idea to incorporate for the future if restaurants are interested in offering this.

Although the number of participating restaurants has increased this year (taking into account that the number of operating restaurants has also increased), Downtown Dining Week as a program has remained the same for the past few years. How has the DBA considered expanding the event? For example, Dine Out Calgary has organized a “lunch with” food critic John Gilchrist in as a part of their festivities, in addition to wine tastings and cooking classes. Has the DBA considered hosting similar events?

In 2008 the Downtown Dining Week program had 17 participating restaurants. Just two years later, there are 29 participating restaurants which is a testament to the growth and development of the program. We have also incorporated a contesting component to the event in partnership with Global Edmonton and the Edmonton Journal. It is definitely part of the plan to continue expansion of Downtown Dining Week and we look forward seeing both the DBA and downtown restaurants establishing new initiatives as the program grows. 

In my opinion, the best asset of Downtown Dining Week is proximity – all of the participants are within walking distance of one another. Has the DBA ever considered asking restaurant to partner up (e.g. dinner at Ruth’s, night cap at Moriarty’s; cocktail and appetizer at TZiN, dinner at Sabor Divino)? It would help with exposure of the area’s variety, which seems to be the goal of DDW.

Downtown Dining Week is a collaborative effort to get people to experience the diverse dining scene downtown. We promote downtown Edmonton as the place to live, work, shop, play and learn so for this particular program our focus is to get people to come downtown for dinner and then stay downtown to catch a movie, a show at the Winspear Centre or Citadel Theatre, to check out the new Art Gallery of Alberta, and the like.

Even though this is the seventh year of Downtown Dining Week, many people in the city still aren’t aware of this food festival. What has the DBA done to try and engage those that don’t live or work in the core? Particularly in light of the social media trends in the city?

The Downtown Dining Week program is the biggest it’s ever been. This year, we have expanded our advertising (through increased sponsorships) to include television, newspaper, and magazine. We have also turned to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook as a means to get the word out to the online community. In addition to these marketing developments, the Downtown Business Association has also enhanced the features on their website to better promote the program and make it easier for our visitors to get the information they need about the program. There has also been an increased focus on the pre-promotion of the program – with extensive and detailed collateral pieces that will be distributed throughout the city and surrounding areas before the event takes place. The Downtown Business Association is confident that with all of our cumulative promotional strategies, Edmontonians will become more aware of the program this year and will look forward to it year after year.

I noticed that Sysco is a partner/sponsor of Downtown Dining Week. What does their sponsorship entail? How does this align with the participating establishments that celebrate local food (Hardware Grill, Madison’s Grill)? How does this align with Edmonton’s recently passed Municipal Development Plan that preserves local farm land (and signals the City’s support of local food)?

This is the first year that Sysco has come on board as a sponsor of the event. They have numerous clients involved in the program and, as the Downtown Business Association promotes all downtown restaurants, we felt this was a great new relationship to build. We are also supportive of local food establishments and encourage people to dine out locally. Organizations such as Keep Edmonton Original and Original Fare are doing a great job in promoting many different local companies and restaurants throughout the city, including several retail and food establishments in the Downtown area.

Although some of Victoria’s answers could lead me to believe that the DBA is heading in the right direction (considering tasting menus, joining the social media fray), the general and vague nature of the responses overall leave me with the feeling that the Downtown Business Association really hasn’t given one of their premiere events much thought on how the festival could really grow and expand to highlight some of Edmonton’s best restaurants in a burgeoning area of the city. More than anything, I am disappointed in their lack of initiative and failure to make the most of a promising concept.

Culinary Q & A with Valerie Rodgers Lugonja

Occupation: Professional Educator (BEd) in my 30th year of teaching with Edmonton Public Schools. I am an Early Childhood Specialist (ECE Diploma), with two other “majors”, or specializations: English Literature, and Fine Art (drawing) I am currently teaching Foods, or cooking to about 200 grade 7-9 students every 2 days, for the second year. It was an invitation I could not refuse after watching my students come to school at 7 am eating chips and drinking Coke.

What did you eat today?

Baby Bocconcini (from the Italian Centre Shop South) with Olive Oil and black salt. It’s Saturday. I’ve been running, and I haven’t had dinner yet, which will probably be soup. Homemade in my Thermomix, of course 🙂 I tend to eat a lot of soup and yogurt.

What do you never eat?

Fried liver. I love liver pate, but not fried liver. I have thought about the latest “taste” sensation in our Edmonton Blogging Community (EatingistheHardPart and TheBruleeBlog): balut. I am drawn to this delicacy as I am so intensely interested in cultural foods. Maybe one day.

What is your personal specialty?

Vanja says “improvising”. Really, I haven’t a clue. I am always trying new things. I think appetizers and desserts. That first bite is so important, and I love that. And, the finale – well, what is a meal without something luscious? And, a little bite of chocolate?

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

half eaten jars of homemade canned goods, homemade yogurt, Gull Valley tomatoes (unless they are on holiday), Sunworks Farm fresh eggs, red peppers, onions, garlic, charcuterie and cheeses from the ICS south, whipping cream, and a jug of orange juice with pulp.

What is your weekday meal standby?

I cook a completely different meal every night for Vanja than I eat myself. A typical standby for him is pasta. I will fry onions, peppers, sausage (casing removed) or ground meat of some sort, add herbs, mushrooms if I have them, lots of fresh chopped garlic, tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes and leave it to simmer on the back of the stove until he gets home. I put on the penne 15 minutes before I expect him home, and that is it.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Thermomix. I never thought it would change my life as it has. It has enabled me to accomplish so much more with so much less effort! After that, my wooden cutting boards and my sharp knives.

I am more into tasting and cooking part except when it comes to chocolate and ice cream! I would love a professional kitchen staffed with really capable sous chefs, and I would have a ball working with them and learning from them to create something from whatever is in the pantry!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

We like change and usually eat out every Friday, or every other Friday, at a different place. I prefer the small independent restaurants in our city: love Zenari’s for lunch, and Duchess Bake Shop for coffee and a treat!

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I guess I would have to say my mom’s! I cannot get enough of her meatloaf!

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

I would eat at a large rustic table with my family, extended family, and friends out in the Alberta countryside sans wind, rain and mosquitoes. A home-cooked potluck meal where everyone has contributed their personal specialty. And, beside the Atlantic Ocean, near Cape Cod, eating shell fish would be a strong second.

Valerie blogs at A Canadian Foodie.