Tag: restaurants

Fresh Inspiration: Eatery at the ARTery

After some leisurely window shopping at City Centre Mall, I wandered over to the Eatery at the ARTery (9535 Jasper Avenue) for lunch. As it was an absolutely gorgeous day, the stroll to the ARTery provided an opportune moment to take in our scenic river valley.

Edmonton in bloom

I had heard about the Eatery at the ARTery  in early May before the City Centre Market opened for business. Julianna Mimande, formerly of Bacon, was heading up this new weekly endeavour, which would serve lunch from 12-4pm every Saturday, using fresh ingredients picked up from the farmers’ market that morning. It’s the kind of thing locovores should embrace, and I applaud Julianna’s initiative that not only celebrates Alberta’s bounty, but also practices the idea of inspiration and creativity inherent in fresh ingredients. My only doubt was about the timing of the lunch – it is almost set up best for those who don’t make a trip through the market, unless they either lived close enough to drop off the goods afterwards (as I did), have a car to store their purchases in, or don’t mind going later in the day when popular goods may already be sold out.

The ARTery

Through the bright red door, I encountered a blackboard menu that listed the day’s creation: an omelette made with Arnold’s Eggs, Edgar Farms asparagus, and Sylvan Star aged gouda, accompanied by a Greens Eggs and Ham salad and baby potatoes ($12) – a pretty great lunch, if you ask me. Two types of dessert were also available – Portuguese egg tarts ($2) and chocolate mousse ($5). Coffee was $2, with (wait for it) a shot of Baileys for an additional $3 – you have to love a place that serves coffee with Baileys at noon.

Menu board

I paid for my order, passed it off to Julianna, and was told that my lunch would be brought to me. I wondered how the kitchen managed when it was busy, as it looked like it could barely accommodate two. I headed into the seating area, where I found a guitarist performing on stage, surrounded by artwork and just a handful of tables.

Afternoon entertainment – Mo Lefever

Artwork at the ARTery

This was my first time at the ARTery, though I knew that the space hosted craft fairs and musical performances, among other things. I took a seat at the bar along the side wall, grateful for the breeze passing through the slightly ajar emergency exit, and settled in with my magazine.

I didn’t even get through an article when my food was brought to me, accompanied by two slices of toast. I remember Liane’s comment that the meal that she had was rather light – perhaps Julianna took that into consideration this week, as I was quite satisfied with the portion size. The omelette was a dense yellow colour, wrapped around still-crisp stalks of asparagus. The kitchen was a little light-handed with the cheese, but the richness of the eggs helped offset that deficiency somewhat. The toast was also notable – I found out later the bread was from the Italian Centre.

Asparagus and gouda omelette with salad and potatoes

It was a relaxing, pleasing lunch, and the thought of a menu that reflects the season will keep me coming back.

The Eatery at the ARTery
9535 Jasper Avenue
(780) 441-6966
Lunch served every Saturday, 12-4pm

Food and Wine Fit for Royalty: Indulgence 2009

I don’t think I’ve ever been more filled with pride about our local food scene than on this night. I just returned from the 8th annual Indulgence 2009 at the Delta Edmonton South, an event organized by Slow Food Edmonton to benefit the Junior League of Edmonton.

Tickets

Billed as “a Canadian epic of food and wine”, I thought the phrase was a bit ambitious, but I really shouldn’t have underestimated the local food community, who banded together for the most amazing tasting event I’ve ever had the privilege to attend. Working closely with a local producer, seventeen restaurants created menus utilizing the best ingredients Alberta had to offer. Each dish was then paired with a VQA wine. And though tickets were on the pricey end of things – $60 each – we recouped more than our share in the experience.

We arrived just before the 7 o’clock start time, and were forced to head to the roof of the parkade for empty spaces. That should have alerted us to expect the enormous crowd to expect that we found lined up in the lobby, a crowd that snaked through and around the entire first floor. Though my Mum and I wished for more systematic line control, as the hallway was narrow to begin with, I don’t know what they could have done anyway.

Thankfully, most of the initial chaos dissipated as soon as the doors opened, and once our ticket stubs had been collected, we were given an Indulgence booklet (which would supply our “eat passes” for the night), a wine glass and reusable bamboo fork. These last two items were a nice environmentally-friendly nod – something I hope other tasting events take note of.

Food and wine pairing stations were set up throughout the Grand Ballroom, with round cocktail stands placed at random intervals in between and along the periphery of the room. These tables were our saving graces – even though a wine glass and plate attachment were provided to us, there was no way we could have juggled eating and drinking without half of the menu ending up on our wardrobe.

Grand Ballroom (about half empty)

Entertainment

The atmosphere was jovial and light, and with jazz floating through the air, the only difficulty was deciding which dish to tackle first. Now in its eighth instalment, the organizers have the format down to a science – for each pairing, we were to simply rip the numbered corner associated with that station from our books, preventing overeager patrons from seconds.

There were definitely a few stand outs for my Mum and I – the Carmen Creek bison slider with red onion confit and gorgonzola cheese was on the top of our list (prepared by Botanica), while my Mum also adored the Irving Farms Berkshire pork belly with truffled apple salad (prepared by the Bothy Wine and Whiskey Bar).

Carmen Creek Bison Slider with Red Onion Confit and Gorgonzola Cheese

Irving Farm Berkshire Pork Belly with Truffled Apple Salad (one of the few non-micro green vegetables served)

We also raved about some of the sides that came along with a main player – the polenta served with the Waskwei Venison Cassoulet (prepared by the Red Ox Inn – I will have dreams about the creamy polenta, perfectly seared on the outside), and the bed of beluga lentils underneath lamb and butternut squash (prepared by Characters).

Waskwei Venison Cassoulet

Lamb Skewer with Beluga Lentils and Butternut Squash

A few unique dishes also satisfied our palate. The braised alpaca with Chimichurri (prepared by Suede Lounge) surprised me with its tenderness and strong flavour. The fresh petal sorbet, made by Leva Cafe using flowers from Inspired Market Gardens, was a welcome palate cleanser, particularly because of the meat-centric dishes at the event. As a result, d’Lish’s Mo Na wild mushroom shot also supplied needed variety.

Braised Alpaca with Chimichurri

Fresh Petal Sorbet with Black Pansy Syrup

Mo Na Wild Mushroom Soup Shot

We did enjoy several of the other meat dishes, though I can say if they they would probably make a stronger impression if presented on their own. These included Mexico Lindo’s Chicken Pibil, Spring Creek Ranch natural beef flank steak (prepared by Madison’s Grill) and Amberlane Farm Elk Tartines (prepared by Flavours Modern Bistro).

Chicken Pibil

Spring Creek Ranch Natural Beef Flank Steak with a Blistered Gull Valley Tomato and Olive Relish, Heritage Greens in a Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese Vinaigrette on a Corn Tuile

Amberlane Farm Elk Tartines

There were a few dishes that I was expecting more from, though for reasons not relating at all to quality. The chocolate base in the mousse tart from Kerstin’s Chocolates was divine, but the jam contained within was too sweet for me. The Harvest Room-prepared Greens Eggs and Ham duck confit served with almond waffle potatoes was delicious (the crispiness of both the duck and the crisps was lovely), but we wished for a larger serving size. The shepherd’s pie from Lux, made with Latago Cattle Company Wagyu Beef, had great imagination, incorporating edamame beans and onion crisps, but the texture didn’t hold well for a mass event like this one. Lastly, neither of us being a fan of goat cheese, I think it would have been virtually impossible for us to enjoy the Fairwinds Farm goat cheese tart prepared by Cafe de Ville.

Kerstin’s Chocolates Mousse Tart

Greens Eggs and Ham Duck Leg Confit served with Baby White Almond Waffle Potatoes on Micro Sprouts in a Basil Aioli

Shepherd’s Pie made with Braised Latago Cattle Company Wagyu Beef, Edamame Beans, Celeriac Puree, Saffron Onion Crisps

Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese, Lobster Mushroom and Leek Tart with a Riesling Reduction

Though the above may seem to be an exhaustive list of dishes, we actually failed to sample two courses, as they had run out by the time we had made our rounds.

You may have noticed by now that I haven’t really made mention of the wine. To be honest, though my Mum and I indulged in some of the wine (and one beer) pairings, we were so overwhelmed with the food choices that we were hard pressed to get through even one pour. The one wine I sampled that I would like to return to was the 2008 Gewurtraminer by the Cedar Creek Estate Winery – the wine was as clear as water, with a clean, crisp flavour.

It was great to see many familiar faces again – both in the crowd and behind the stations. A special mention goes out to Chris from Eating is the Hart Part, Marianne and Zed from Loosen Your Belt and Eat Around Edmonton, and Jon, who ensured I was on top of this year’s Indulgence details.

Thanks to Slow Food Edmonton for organizing such a memorable event that showcases and truly celebrates what we have to offer in Alberta. I am looking forward to Indulgence 2010 already.

Finis!

You can see my photo set here.

Food Notes for June 8, 2009

  • A reminder about the upcoming Al Fresco on 104th Street, taking place this Saturday. In addition to an open door wine tasting, a handful of all-day vendors and a fashion show, the organizers will be screening Big Night outdoors at 10pm, with Sobeys supplying popcorn. I’m looking forward to it! Remember to bring a donation for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
  • To celebrate Portugal Day, deVines will be hosting a Portuguese Olive Oil Tasting on June 10 from 5-7pm. Admission is free, but those interested are being asked to bring a donation for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
  • I remember growing up thumbing through my Mum’s worn copy of Company’s Coming: Muffins & More, so the Company’s Coming Inventory Clearance couldn’t have been timed better, as I’m looking to expand my cookbook collection: “Stop by our Edmonton warehouse at 2311-96 Street on Friday, June 12 from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 13 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. for incredible savings on out-of-print and overstocked Company’s Coming titles.” You’ll even have the opportunity to meet Jean Pare and get your cookbook signed!
  • A few new-ish openings: Original Joe’s Whyte Avenue outpost (8404 109 Street), Karma the Indian Bistro (10523 99 Avenue, 780-498-2992), and an upcoming “Friends and Neighbours Delight”, which will take over the space formerly occupied by Nokomis (10838 82 Avenue).
  • Anyone know what’s up with the Cargo & James tea chain in Edmonton? Several months ago, before the one in Edmonton Centre shut down for good, appeared a sign that said the store was “temporarily closed”. That same sign is now on the door of the Old Strathcona location.
  • Speaking of tea, City Palate Calgary writes that Good Earth Coffee House and Bakery is pioneering something called “red tea espresso”. The “espresso” is made from ground rooibos tea to be used in espresso machines. I hope their Edmonton locations have it too – would be interesting to try.
  • Liane wrote about the Eatery at the ARTery last week in Bistro. I love the fact that each meal is centered around a theme. However, someone else also made a similar comment about how expensive the lunch was (relative to the amount of food obtained), but I’d like to see for myself how large a dish is.
  • Pretty please with icing on top – can Edmonton have a cupcake truck?
  • Before an evening meeting last week, I stopped by Ah Chin’s Kitchen (6224 99 Street, 780- 438-8218), a favourite of my parents, for dinner. It was a bit awkward dining there, as I was the only one in the restaurant the entire night, but the staff were courteous, and didn’t mind me too much. I have to say, it was one of the most economical meals I’ve ever had in the city – my bowl of won ton soup was chock full of noodles, gai lan, the pork dumplings, and best of all – only cost $4.95! Unreal.

 

Won Ton Soup from Ah Chin’s Kitchen

Almost Al Fresco: Cosmos Greek Taverna

Greek cuisine is one of Mack’s favourites, so for his last dinner before his trip to London, I took him to Cosmos Greek Taverna on High Street.

Upon walking up to the restaurant, I was glad the venue allowed us to take advantage of a semi-summer day. Cosmos had removed the windows from the hinges, creating a patio feel in the front dining area, and between the murals on the walls and the cool breeze, the setting transported us to a locale far from Edmonton. The only downside to dining almost al-fresco was, of course, the layer of dirt on the table and plates (but nothing a quick dusting couldn’t fix).

Mack at Cosmos

The entree selections were fairly brief, though we could have built a meal out of tapas (and in hindsight, we probably should have). We opted to share an appetizer of homus and pita ($6.50), while Mack ordered the gyros with pita ($17.50) and I the chicken souvlaki ($21.50).

I should make mention, however brief, of the bread course – a small loaf of bread, warmed! Mack and I both love warm bread, and think it really should be a restaurant standard.

Happy Camel supplies our favourite hummus in the city, so we were eager to see how Cosmos’ version would measure up. Mack liked the consistency, but we both thought there was something lacking – perhaps they could have kicked up the garlic flavour a notch? I did like the fact that the pitas had been warmed and slightly toasted though – it made the dish seem more like a treat.

Homus and Pita

As expected, our entrees were enormous. Had my plate not been served with a side of potatoes and vegetables, I likely still would not have been able to finish my dinner. Mack enjoyed the gyros, but also found the portion size overwhelming. As for the souvlaki, again, the toasted pita underneath the chicken kabobs was a nice touch, but I didn’t care much for the potatoes or the overcooked and greasy vegetable medley.

Gyros

 

Chicken Souvlaki

Service as a whole was all right, but nothing exceptional. Mack noted at the end of the night that while he does enjoy Greek food, he always finds the prices in restaurants a tad expensive and the portion sizes too large. He suggested that Greek establishments should consider offering smaller versions of their popular dishes – not a bad idea, particularly in the current climate.

Cosmos Greek Taverna
10810 124 Street (2 other locations)
(780) 455-7474
4pm-12am daily

Piece-meal: Proof

When the trend of “small plates” began appearing in Edmonton, I was a little sceptical. Like many, I was used to the standard appetizer/entree/dessert meal (at least at restaurants serving Western fare), and I was resistant to any change deviating from that. After my experience at Proof, however, I can tell you that I have wholeheartedly embraced this new way of eating out.

My discovery of Proof came by way of DC Foodies, a website covering local restaurants, food events, and farmers’ markets, among other things. Proof was listed as one of the blog authors’ favourites, and as soon as I read that the restaurant had charcuterie on the menu, I slotted it into our plan, making a reservation using Open Table (a website subscribed to by most non-fast food DC eateries, it seemed).

When we arrived at 6:30, there were  only a few tables free of patrons. We learned very quickly that the dress code (though listed as “casual” on their Open Table profile), was elevated by the naturally dressy after work crowd, most of which were wearing suits and standard business wear.

The interior was elegant but understated – rich woods, metallic accent mirrors, dangling incandescent light bulbs, a beautiful glass wine case, and directly in my sight line, a charcuterie prep station. I wasn’t a fan of the woven chairs, though they did serve the purpose of ensuring the decor wasn’t too formal.

Interior

The name of the restaurant is derived from a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “Wine is proof that God loves us.” So although the food was our initial draw, we were more than happy to sample Proof’s wine program, with 2, 4, and 8oz. pours of over 40 types of wine available, and a novel of selections by the bottle. Mack and I also agreed that we should keep better track of the wines we liked, in an effort to be more systematic about our vino exploration (of course, our favourites are noted in Mack’s moleskine and not mine…).

To put together our cheese and charcuterie platter, we asked our server for guidance, who was great at explaining the virtues of the various meats and cheeses. And while he and the rest of the service at Proof was assembly-line efficient (wines would instantaneously appear), the service was almost too formal for us to loosen up and enjoy ourselves – my only (admittedly minor) complaint about our experience.

We ended up with two meats – speck ($9), similar to a smoked prosciutto, and saucisson de paris ($8), a sausage – and three cheeses – la serena, a sheep’s milk cheese from spain, mt. tam from California, and cabot clothbound cheddar from Vermont ($13).

The bread course was a welcome change from the standard bread and butter rolls – baked pita-like strips were served with a mixture of sour cream, olive oil and chives. I can’t say I cared for the concoction, but I appreciated the fact that they wanted to do something different.

Bread service at Proof

Our starter was best described by Mack, who called it “adult cheese and crackers”. Heightened finger food or not, it was a lovely sight to behold – the cheeses were rustic in presentation, on a wooden platter served with fig and nut bread, honey, applesauce and dried figs, while the shaved meats were accompanied by toasted baguettes (and not an olive in sight!). We had a wonderful time experimenting with flavours – one of my favourite combinations was the subtly sweet fig bread with the creamy sheep’s cheese, salty prosciutto, and a dollop of honey for balance. Mack really enjoyed the cheddar, aged to the point where it had the texture and sharpness of parmesan. I think the best thing about the platter, however, was having to slow down and take time to eat it (during that time, we ran through about 3 2 oz. pours of wine each) – something that helped elevate our meal to an experience.

Cheese Platter

 

Charcuterie

The menu directly encouraged patrons to share small plates, and since we had grazed over the platter to start anyway, we figured we might as well carry the sentiment over into the rest of our dinner as well. We decided to split three dishes: crispy pork confit ($13), spicy little meatballs ($10),and sauteed potato gnocchi with ramps and asparagus ($14).

Though service had been brisk thus far, we both weren’t prepared at the speed at which the dishes appeared all at the same time– the chef must have been right on top of his kitchen staff. I was also happy to see that the plating was appealing without being over-the-top.

I expected more from the pork confit, though it arrived exactly as billed – a soy-glazed slice of pork, skin crisp above a layer of fat, its crunch mirrored somewhat in the bed of jicima salad underneath. The level of spice to enhance the sweetness was perfect, but we both agreed there was something missing.

Crispy Pork Confit

Mack loved the meatballs (cooked so the meat was still a touch pink), and paired with goat cheese agnolotti, the dish was a bit like a gourmet edition of pasta and meatballs.

Spicy Little Meatballs

The gnocchi was by far my favourite – not the gummy dumplings I’ve found in my dining past, the gnocchi virtually melted in my mouth. Though the vegetables were appreciated, I probably could have done without them in favour of more gnocchi.

Sauteed Gnocchi with Ramps and Asparagus

If I ever came back to DC, I’d make a beeline back to Proof.

Proof
775 G St NW
Washington, DC
(202) 737-7663

A Business Lunch Favourite: Teaism

Teaism is a DC chain known primarily for its tea, but also its economical yet tasty Japanese food. I can tell you it was the small expense that attracted me to it and made me note it down after seeing a brief write-up in Fodor’s. A sticker on the door noted its inclusion in Rachael Ray’s 40 Dollars a Day program on the Food Network, so I knew we had come to the right place.

Our visit was timed perfectly – we hit the restaurant just before the midday crowd arrived (the line inched out the door soon after we sat down), but were still privy to witness the bustling business they experience at lunch. The interior was warm – medium-tone wood counters wrapped around one side of the room, which displayed Asian-inspired art and calligraphy. The restaurant also benefited from a generous amount of natural light, much of it also being enjoyed by windowsill plants.

Iced Tea (Mack found it all right – refreshing, and not overly sweet)

The menu actually waivered more from their Japanese billing than I expected, offering some pan-Asian favourites such as Thai chicken curry, as well as some Western dishes, like sandwiches and burgers. Most entrees were $8-9, which we thought was fairly reasonable given its proximity to high traffic attractions (a guide called eat. shop. washington dc also mentioned their exceptional salty-sweet cookies – the site is worth taking a look for solid recommendations for DC and other major American cities). Orders were taken and picked up at the counter, which although worked out all right, caused some bottlenecking at the front of the restaurant.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the chicken udon soup ($8.50), primarily because of a recipe I read on the plane. The broth was a touch salty, but the consistency of the udon was perfect. I was also satisfied with the amount of chicken and vegetables included, which rounded out the meal nicely.

Chicken Udon Soup

Mack ordered a chicken bento box ($8.75), which contained fried chicken, rice, sweet potatoes and cucumber-ginger salad. He remarked that the meat was on the dry side, although the creamy potatoes made up for it somewhat.

Chicken Bento Box

While I’m not sure Teaism is unique enough to recommend to travellers (at least not this non-teahouse outpost we visited), it was a sleek restaurant that provided the needed reprieve from the sun and schoolchildren outside.

Teaism
400 8th Street (and other locations)
Washington, DC
(202) 638-6010

DC Dive: Five Guys

I took it as a positive sign when I overheard our pilot and a airport worker discussing their craving for a burger from Five Guys. A Fodor’s recommendation, I singled out the DC area chain primarily because they were open until 11pm – and without guarantee that our flight would be punctual, I figured it was best to seek out late night options within walking distance of our hotel.

I had to laugh at the sign posted on the door, which although deals with a serious subject, seemed a little over the top.

Perhaps they should have had a radioactive icon below the text?

Five Guys would best be described as a dive, but the best kind of dive. Inside, we found a mixed crowd of young, old, and well-suited, and felt right at home with their well-worn wooden floors, dimly lit booths, and walk-up order counter, where kudos to the cashier – she had the “single/double, regular/cajun” questions down to a mechanized pat. I also loved the white board on the wall that let customers know where the day’s potatoes came from (Rexburg, Idaho, in our case).

Order counter

Free peanuts!

Like Harveys, burgers could be customized with any number of free toppings, including lettuce, pickles, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, green peppers, and a variety of condiments. Our order, a bacon cheeseburger ($4.59), cheeseburger ($3.89) and cajun fries ($2.59) was nothing fancy, but hit the spot. I loved the pillowy bun, and the fries were crisp with just the right amount of kick.

Cheeseburger

Mack with a well-balanced meal

It was a great first meal in DC, but it would only get better from there.

Five Guys
1335 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC
(202) 337-0400
Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-4pm

Day 1 in DC: Greenery and Georgetown

Day 1 in DC began with an early wakeup call– 5am to be exact. Early flights are my nemesis, but I suppose red eye flights (of which I have never had the pleasure of experiencing), would be worse.

Much needed wake-up coffee (speaking of which, I didn’t know there is now a Starbucks just a stone’s throw after security)

With no direct flights to Washington, we had a brief layover in Toronto, then were on our way to DC. The terminus at Washington Dulles Airport was a bit strange, as the boarding gates were not located in the same facility as the luggage belts and connection to ground transportation. We had to take a shuttle vehicle that carried us between buildings – it seemed like a terribly inefficient system, and though a metro line is in the works, it made us wonder why the terminal was designed that way to begin with.

We eventually made out way to the taxi stand, and driving into the city, what shocked us most was how green it was. Lining the beltways were trees in full bloom, while wildflowers and long grasses were monopolizing roadside spaces. I suppose it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but as it was snowing back in Edmonton that day, the full force of spring was difficult to imagine until we were able to immerse ourselves in it.

Our taxi ride into Foggy Bottom cost us a pretty penny ($60!), but had the benefit of a convenient and stress-free commute to our hotel. We had chosen the George Washington University Inn partly on price, and though it wasn’t the most economical accommodation we found, its proximity to a Metro stop was too attractive to overlook.

George Washington University Inn

We found it to be situated on a quaint street, just a few minutes away from the infamous Watergate complex (which, in addition to being a tourist attraction, also housed a Safeway), as well as the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. The colourful walkups that lined the street helped establish a feeling of home in the area.

Our neighbours for the week

Upon checking in, we found that we had been upgraded to a suite. This entitled us to a room with more space than we knew how to deal with – a large sitting room with a television and desk, kitchenette with stovetop, sink and fridge, and a separate bedroom and bathroom. Our only complaints about the room was the poorly designed bathroom that was significantly lacking in counter space, and hard-lined internet.

Bedroom

After a quick nap, we took advantage of our still-nimble feet (this would change in a hurry) and walked to adjacent Georgetown for dinner. Not connected by Metro, there was shuttle bus service available from two different stops, but at about 15 minutes away, we couldn’t justify waiting for a bus.

Georgetown was a happening place, even on a Monday evening – likely a mix of tourists, locals, and college students gearing up for graduation that week. We didn’t do much deliberate shopping, as we were fairly hungry at this point, but I did take note of shops such as Paper Source that I wanted to return to on a different evening.

Mack in Georgetown

Over the course of our wanderings, we stopped at IceBerry. I had read on a Chowhound thread that the frozen yogurt craze that hit LA and New York a few years back had finally reached DC. I couldn’t resist a cool treat that would hopefully tide us to something more substantial, as I wasn’t sure exactly how far our dining destination was located. Open until 11pm, it seemed to be a nice alternative to a coffee shop or an ice cream parlour, and based on the number of people inside, many agreed.

We ordered just one treat to share – a small strawberry (plain and chocolate were the other options) topped with blackberries. It totalled over $4, and at 95 cents a topping, each blackberry cost us over 20 cents.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt from IceBerry

Though it was good to try, I have to say I prefer the pureed “real” fruit yogurt offered by Yogen Fruz– nothing ever replaces the textured crunch from strawberry seeds. That said, I wouldn’t mind such a yogurt parlour trend picking up in Edmonton – more late night options are a good thing.

Just as it was getting dark, we reached our desired location – Five Guys.

You can read Mack’s recap of day 1 here.

Food Notes for June 1, 2009

  • A few people have been asking me about the date of the next Edmonton Foodie Meetup. I don’t know, as it’s up to those interested to decide, but I’ve put up some suggestions on the wiki for the end of June (trying to avoid summer vacation conflicts, as well as long weekend plans). Leave a comment with your preference, and any venue suggestions! You can read about our previous meetup here, here, and here.
  • Last chance to get tickets to Junior League/Slow Food Edmonton’s Indulgence on June 8 at the Delta Hotel South. $60 will get you into this fundraising event where local food intersects with local talent. A sampling of the menu: Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese, Lobster Mushroom and Leek Tart with a Riesling Reduction; Carmen Creek Bison Sliders with Red Onion Confit and Gorgonzola Cheese. Hope to see you there!
  • Flirt Cupcakes introduced a happy hour – 10% off (plus no GST) of half dozen and one dozen cupcakes from 5-6pm. I have to agree with Chris’s recent assessment of the “cupcake wars” though – with more competitive hours that mesh better with Whyte Avenue pub crawlers, I can’t help but think Fuss has the upper hand.
  • Maybe I just never noticed it before, but I had no idea outdoor pig roasts were so common – Packrat Louie is hosting one on June 17, while Brewsters at Century Park is hosting one late June (lost the flyer, and their website gets a fail on lack of information).
  • When I saw Richard Helm’s byline underneath the review of Cactus Club this weekend, I braced myself for another sexist comment about the servers (remember how his review of Kai began?). He did not disappoint: “Cactus Club has flown in several leggy front-of-house pros from their Vancouver restaurants and put them up at the Fantasyland Hotel to help in the training”. How the Journal lets him get away with it is beyond me.
  • An article in this month’s Avenue Magazine discusses the “raw food” trend in Edmonton. I don’t think the author should have included this quote, reducing the scope of the movement to barely a blip: “Margaret Marean, [raw food] potluck organizer, says she personally knows of about 12 committed raw food-ists in our city.”
  • And the giveaways just keep on coming: Chris at Eating is the Hard Part linked to an Orange Julius coupon which can be redeemed on June 19 for a free smoothie.
  • I read an article in the National Post this weekend about restaurants in Vancouver and Calgary slashing their corkage fees. I have to say I’ve never brought my own bottle of wine to a restaurant – anyone know if Edmonton restaurants are following suit?
  • The NYT had a good story covering a range of perspectives on the issue of texting at the dinner table. I had to laugh with some recognition at Ms. Mintz’s story: ‘“If there’s one second of spare time, and if you look away from him and lose eye contact, he immediately whips [his blackberry] out and starts looking at it.’” Where do you stand?
  • Jay Leno was talking about a Swiss-made “cheeseburger in a can” all last week, and I had to search it out – the wonders of processed food amaze me sometimes.

No Hand-Tossed Dough: Tony’s Pizza Palace

After visiting the new Alberta Avenue farmers’ market, and prior to the artsScene Edmonton launch party, we stopped in at Tony’s Pizza Palace for dinner. One of my coworkers raved about Tony’s after lunch there some time ago, primarily because she could see the chefs hand-toss the dough like in the movies. As a result, I was most looking forward to this aspect of our dining experience.

Based on our initial assessment of the older stucco building, Tony’s seemed to be a family-friendly, neighbourhood pizza place. When we walked in, the décor seemed to match our judgment – dated, but comfortable, with wooden fixtures, clunky chairs and at the back, an open window into the kitchen, where we saw six busy hands and a huge oven behind them.

With the laid-back interior, we were surprised to find that the servers were dressed to the nines. The waiters all had crisp white shirts, black vests, and ties – a major disconnect with their surroundings and the patrons, who for the most part were rocking jeans or casual slacks. Though their service was friendly and efficient, I had to wonder if management confused the desired atmosphere of Tony’s with that of an upscale French bistro.

Interior

At any rate, once settled with our drinks, we perused the menu. We ignored the entrees and pasta dishes and headed straight for their namesake dishes. The “specials” (topping combinations pre-selected without room for substitution) were quite expensive (ranging from $14.25-$21.50), at least when compared with the price to customize our own pizza.

We asked our server how large the medium was, and at 12’’, decided that Mack was hungry enough to warrant ordering two of them, knowing that any leftovers would make a welcome brown bag lunch. I decided on the classic margherita pizza ($14.25 for medium), though tomatoes were absent, while Mack customized a medium pizza with Italian sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms ($15.25 for three toppings). Unfortunately, basil wasn’t a topping option, so I could not have customized my own margherita.

While awaiting our meal, I anxiously watched the kitchen window and waited for the dough-tossing to begin. Unfortunately, my patience went unrewarded, and we did not see a single toss over the course of our evening. We should have asked if they had changed their policy, but our food was delivered shortly and I neglected to do so.

The pizzas were indeed generously-sized, molded perfectly to fit circular pan underneath. Mack noted the crust – not at all greasy and thin but sturdy – he was able to pick up a slice to be eaten without utensils. He much preferred this to its Neapolitan sibling – the chewy, and airy type propagated by Famoso, while I disagreed. The margherita, with its very basic cheese and basil topping, let the crust shine. Mack’s custom pizza, on the other hand, was loaded with meat and mushrooms, and despite the less-than-crispy pepperoni, he enjoyed it. I should also note that the sauce was not overpowering – sometimes a heavy hand is used to distribute the base, but these pizzas had just the right amount of sauce.

Margherita Pizza

Three-topping PIzza with Sausage, Pepperoni and Mushrooms

The isolated location of Tony’s would prevent it from becoming a regular haunt for me, particularly when the downtown location of Famoso, with their lovely charred and chewy crust, is so much more central. But I was happy to have tried it, even without the free pizza tossing entertainment.

Tony’s Pizza Palace
9605 111 Avenue NW
(780) 424-8777
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm; Dinner: Monday-Thursday 4:30-10pm, Friday 4:30pm-midnight, Saturday 2:30pm-midnight, Sunday 4:30-10:30pm