2016 Calgary Eats Round-Up

It’s no secret Mack and I choose Calgary as our weekend getaway destination. Though it’s challenging to keep up with the Edmonton food scene sometimes, the distance (and perhaps the perception from afar) makes it even more difficult to know all of what’s changed in Calgary since our last visit.

This spring and summer, Mack and I were able to get down to Calgary several times for both work and play. It wasn’t enough to hit up all of the hot spots (though we do our best to fit in as much food as possible, heh), but we landed on some gems.

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is a takeout-focused joint opened by Top Chef Canada alum Nicole Gomes and her sister, Francine Gomes. Although it is their first partnership, everything about Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is polished. From the bright pink signage and logo to the establishment’s backstory (chef and her chicken farmer sister merge their passions) it feels almost a little too slick. But I want to buy in to a local business that simply wants to do a few things very, very well.

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver

The footprint of Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver is small – most of the building’s space is dedicated to the kitchen. A stand-up eat-in counter and grab and go cooler makes up the rest of the storefront. It made me wonder if the economic downturn will naturally promote businesses with postage stamp square footage but high volume.

Although rotisserie chicken is available, we ordered the fried chicken. The breading was thick and crunchy, and encased the moist and juicy meat underneath. The accompanying cilantro corn and bean salad didn’t show much evidence of cilantro, but it was still refreshing. My favourite item was the buttermilk biscuit, flaky and rich.

Winner, winner

I’m sure many Calgarians have flocked to Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver to pick up summer picnic spreads – just make sure to buy an extra biscuit or two – you won’t regret it!

Charbar

Mack and I always flirt with the idea of moving to Calgary, usually as an exercise to fantasize with hypothetical neighbourhoods and real estate, HGTV-style. No doubt, one of the areas at the top of our list is the East Village.

East Village

Located just east of downtown by the Bow River and within walking distance of a C-Train station, its location and natural beauty make it a desirable neighbourhood in our books. However, while a lot of the pedestrian and park infrastructure is complete, other amenities are still in development. A Loblaws offshoot is in the works, and additional retail would promote convenience for residents. Mack’s favourite feature has already been installed – his third place, in the form of a Phil and Sebastian’s Café.

The Simmons Warehouse, a former mattress facility, has been transformed into a thriving partnership between three complementary local businesses: Charbar (the sister restaurant to the smashing success Charcut), Sidewalk Citizen Bakery (who supplies its fine baked goods to a number of cafes in Calgary) and Phil & Sebastian (whose location in the East Village marks café number 5). The cross-promotion is obvious (Charbar serves desserts by Sidewalk Citizen, coffee flows from Phil & Sebastian’s to its partners, etc.), but the square footage has also allowed each business to enhance their operations – roasting space for Phil’s, a new savoury menu for Sidewalk Citizen, and patio space for Charbar.

Simmons Warehouse

The care that was taken in the renovations of the space is evident. The preservation of the wood beams, letting natural light cross into the floors below, and the open flow of one business to another (the café and bar are adjacent to one another) score the partnership as a much deeper one than name only.

Our jaunt to the East Village was too late to catch the bakery during operational hours, but we peeked into the cafe before settling down for a pre-dinner drink at Charbar. They have some great cocktails to choose from, and if we didn’t already have a reservation in the dining room, I would have been fine to enjoy a meal at the very comfortable bar.

We eventually moved into Charbar proper, and seated next to the open kitchen, watched Chef Jessica Pelland expedite dishes all night. The Charbar menu features Argentinian-inspired share plates. The housemade chorizo (served with pickled vegetables and aioli) was fantastic, and our only disappointment was to learn we wouldn’t be able to take any of the chorizo home with us.

Chorizo with pickled vegetables and aioli

The New York steak, served with green chimichurri and aioli was perfectly cooked and appropriately rested. Unadorned, it had a ton of flavour on its own. The beef fat fries were a delightfully indulgent side, but we could have done without the overseasoned broccoli, taken over the top with the addition of grated Grizzly Gouda.

New York steak

It was too cold to enjoy the patio at the time of our visit, something we’ll be sure to rectify in the future.

Shiki Menya

At the time of our visit, Shiki Menya had the distinction of being the only ramen restaurant in Alberta that produced its own noodles (in Edmonton, you can now visit Nudoru for this). Even then, the incredible lure of the restaurant rested primarily with their limited quantity – Shiki Menya produces roughly 150 bowls per day, and shuts down after selling out. As a result, early birds are rewarded, and half an hour before they opened, we added to a line already ten deep.

We were grateful to be among the first group seated in the small restaurant. Though food made its way to the tables fairly quickly (turnover is key for them), the kitchen probably wasn’t yet firing on all cylinders, as our gyoza arrived shortly after our ramen. They had a nice char from the flattop, but they did need the additional flavour of the chili oil.

Gyoza

I was satisfied with the tonkotsu classic – the broth had great body, and I didn’t find my char siu too fatty. Tokotsu was one of the few options Mack could order because of his peanut allergy, and though it’s not his preferred broth, he really liked the springy noodles.

Tonkotsu classic

While I’m not sure our experience matched the hype around Shiki Menya, it’s another great addition to Bridgeland (just down the street from Blue Star Diner, which serves our favourite brunch in Calgary).

Pigeonhole

Several years ago, when Model Milk was all the rage in Calgary, we weren’t blown away by our visit. But Pigeonhole, Model Milk’s sister restaurant, was named Avenue Calgary’s number one new restaurant this year, so we had to give it a try.

Like Charbar, Pigeonhole encourages diners to share small plates. There was a lot of variety to choose from, but the menu as a whole was thoughtful, sophisticated, and refined. While that might leave an impression of pretentiousness, it was perhaps the opposite. Being a game night, some diners were even sporting Flames jerseys.

Service was professional and somewhat distant, but our server did steer us in the right direction. We learned firsthand why their charred cabbage is their runaway bestseller – the char lent a depth that I didn’t know was possible for cabbage, and the addition of some fat (in the form of mimollete cheese and aioli) made it sing. It’s possible this is the dish to be replicated in other forms at competitors – a charred napa cabbage salad can now be found at Charbar, for instance.

Charred cabbage

The airy ricotta dumplings, well seasoned, was ultimately our favourite dish, but Mack in particular was surprised by how much he enjoyed the creamy salt cod, combined with potato and andouille sausage. I also appreciated the smokiness of the pork stock base beneath layers of edamame, potato and egg.

Ricotta dumplings

Salt cod

Dessert was a bit of a miss, as the rice pudding didn’t live up to its name, as it was made up of puffed rice and cream. But it was a small blemish on an otherwise wonderful experience.

Rice pudding

The Beltliner

We’ve had our eye on The Beltliner for some time, a modern diner situated next to Central Memorial Park. We ended up having lunch there, but realized we would need to return again for brunch, as it was the more interesting menu (they do offer all-day brunch, but neither of us felt like eggs a second time that day).

Mack at The Beltliner

The clear sightlines, made possible with low booths and tables, made The Beltliner feel more open than other diners. They also had a takeout counter, which, considering the nearby residential and commercial tenants, makes sense to maximize their income potential (the nearby Boxwood has a similar model, one that doesn’t exist in the same way in Edmonton).

Chicken club

We both enjoyed our meals well enough – Mack had a chicken club, while I chose their grilled cheese and a side of tomato soup. But we’ll be sure to return to try out some of their classic breakfast items next time.

Made by Marcus

Calgary’s independent ice cream game is strong – not only has Village Ice Cream expanded to three locations, but they’ve been joined by Made by Marcus, a vendor who started out a farmers’ markets but has just opened up a storefront shop on 17 Avenue.

The bench seating outside reminded us of Village Ice Cream’s Victoria Park location, but inside, they haven’t quite evolved yet to the same assembly line system, which to us meant more personalized service.

We shared a scoop of cookies and cream; our initial reaction was that the full fat nature of the Vital Greens cream really came through, delicious in all its indulgent glory. We also loved the chewy texture of the brown butter waffle cone.

Cookies and cream

Made by Marcus is a winner! They also sell ice cream in jars, as well as hand-dipped bars.

Himalayan

At first glance, Himalayan, tucked into a non-descript strip mall, seemed like a hidden gem. That is, until we walked inside and realized every table in the small, family-run Nepalese restaurant was booked solid. We would never have stumbled across it without the recommendation of our friends Dickson and Tammy, who suggested it.

Our server was patient and kind, walking us through the menu and recommending his personal and customer favourites. There are definitely similarities to other South Asian cuisines, but I know we didn’t manage to sample enough of the menu to really learn about some of the distinctions.

Fish Tareko

We loved the fish tareko, basa filets fried in a tasty chickpea batter. The Nepalese Takari was also a great dish, bathed in a creamy tomato based sauce with spinach, paneer (listed on the menu as cottage cheese) and potatoes. Our group was worried about the medium spice level, but by the end, found the heat to be just right.

Nepalese Takari

It’s a little off the beaten track, but Himalayan is well worth seeking out.

Native Tongues

I can’t help but think that Native Tongues is Calgary’s response to Edmonton’s wildly popular duo of Tres Carnales and Rostizado. The menu – a hybrid of tacos and family-style dishes – even seems to be a coincidental mash-up of the two.

The eclectic décor set the tone with its lived-in, distressed look and the prominence of the bar. We ended up seated at a large communal table, rubbing elbows with fellow diners in a way that felt very natural.

We shared the chilaquiles, their version of nachos. While we liked the even distribution of the toppings, the dish would have benefited from thicker chips; the deluge of ingredients soaked them through by the end.

Chilaquiles

The tacos were probably the highlight for me (they can be ordered individually for your sampling pleasure) – the chorizo was great.

Tacos

We also split the grilled whole trout, intrigued by the cooking method over charcoal. Unfortunately, the smoky flavour we were hoping for was undetectable, though the fish was cooked very well.

Grilled whole trout

Our food arrived at a good pace throughout the meal, and I can imagine Native Tongues would be a great place to linger with friends over drinks and a continued flow of plates to share. It filled up even on a Monday night, so I can only imagine the line-ups on a weekend.

Ten Foot Henry

Ten Foot Henry might be my new favourite restaurant in Calgary. I managed to visit it twice in the last few months, enticed by their simple but chic decor, attentive service, and interesting share plates.

The name of the restaurant relates to a beloved comic strip character-turned Calgary arts mascot, and yes, you can meet the ten foot replica on your way to the restrooms. Lest you assume the dining room is decked out in comic book fashion – the space flows from the bar to the open kitchen, with subtle touches of greenery and soft lights.

Ten Foot Henry

The salt roasted potatoes were a revelation – seemingly simple, but perfectly executed and extremely addictive.

Salt roasted potatoes

Hangar steak was done equally well, served on a bed of charred romaine, and earlier in the spring, a concoction of whipped feta and fresh tomatoes on grilled toast was simple but delicious.

Hangar steak

It’s only a matter of time until we’re back in YYC – until then, I’ll be sure to keep a running tally of other restaurants we’ll need to hit up!

Iberian Flavours: Sabor Seafood Festival

While Edmonton is still firmly regarded as beef country, there’s been a rise in the profile of seafood in our land-locked city. With better access to airlifted catch, seafood-focused restaurants such as The Black Pearl offer a rotating menu of fresh options, and home cooks can have their pick of Icelandic fish caught two days earlier from Ocean Odyssey. Closer to home, Effing Seafoods made a splash this year with a number of collaborations and pop-ups with local restaurants showcasing their Canadian sourced seafood.

As such, Sabor has been ahead of the curve, as they are onto their third annual Seafood Festival this year. The festival highlights Sabor’s ongoing partnership with Ocean Wise, a conservation program operated by the Vancouver Aquarium that promotes sustainable seafood through education. You may have already encountered their fish head symbol on local menus, which denotes that the seafood used in that dish is considered ocean-friendly (for those who want to learn more about the subject, I’d recommend Taras Grescoe’s Bottomfeeder). Some quick facts:

85% of the world’s assessed fish stocks are currently over-exploited or at full capacity
4 or every 10 fish caught are bycatch
91% of Canadians want their seafood to be sustainable but only 11% buy sustainable seafood every time they shop

This year’s festival runs August 5 – September 3, 2016, and features a wide range of seafood. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to preview the festival menu as a guest.

Unlike previous years, Sabor Chef Lino Oliveira collaborated with Calgary-based Chef Jan Hansen of Hotel Arts for the dinner, and we learned that Chef Jan is originally from Edmonton! The collaboration also took Chef Lino down to Calgary to host a dinner at the Kensington Riverside Inn in early August. It’s always great to see chefs working together, particularly across cities.

The supper was served family style, and over the course of the evening, we sampled a variety of tapas and mains. Through his choice of flavours and cooking techniques, Chef Lino transported us to the Iberian coast.

Though not featuring seafood, I loved the heirloom tomato & queijo fresco montadito, a bruschetta-like serving of fresh market tomatoes and Portuguese cottage cheese atop Chef Jan’s bread.

Tomato and fresh cheese crostini

Another standout was the meaningfully messy gambas al ajillo, featuring BC spot prawns almost comically large in size. Chef Lino delighted in his recommendation to imbibe in the juices inside the head as well.

Shrimp

Even the surf & turf had a Portuguese twist: a charred octopus served alongside a chorizo-stuffed lamb that had been rolled in caul fat and cooked sous vide for three and a half hours.

Portuguese surf & turf

My favourite dish of the elaborate menu was the Caldeirada de peixe, a sablefish (black cod) served in a saffron-lobster broth. The skin had been perfectly crisped, and all I wanted to do was make sure the rest of the broth didn’t go to waste (even if it meant throwing decorum out the window).

Sablefish in saffron-lobster broth

Although the final dishes that ended up on the Seafood Festival menu are slightly different, the ingredients, flavours and combinations are very similar to what we tried that evening.

Thanks again to Sabor for a wonderful evening of food and hospitality! The Seafood Festival runs August 5 – September 3, 2016.

Check out Andrea, Cindy and Linda’s snapshots of the evening.

Generous Portions: Kazoku Ramen

Mack and I had been meaning to visit Kazoku Ramen for some time. The west end eatery opened back in October, adding to the growing inventory of restaurants serving ramen in Edmonton. On a random Wednesday in July, we happily ceded our cooking responsibilities to Kazoku, located in a non-descript strip mall.

Kazoku qualifies as one of the larger ramen establishments in Edmonton. Like Nudoru, a fun mural adorns the dining room, conveying the power of ramen to sway even the toughest of monsters. We were told the owners’ daughter-in-law was the artist behind the painting.

Interior

Besides a handful of appetizers, the menu also offered rice-based dishes and seasonal items in addition to ramen. We typically avoid starters in favour of drinking up every last drop of broth, but we couldn’t pass up the spicy chicken karaage ($9). Based on the price, we thought we could handle a few bites of fried chicken. Imagine our surprise when we were presented with five large pieces of karaage. We liked the crispy batter and sweet chili dipping sauce, but we had to wonder how the portion size was possible given the cost of food.

Spicy chicken karaage

Neither of us were adventurous with our ramen orders – Mack had his usual shoyu ($13) and I selected tonkotsu ($14). The bowls were deceivingly deep (something Linda had mentioned), and both of us enjoyed our respective broths, served piping hot. The egg had also been perfectly prepared, with a deliciously runny yolk. Our only quibble was with our choice of the leaner pork shoulder (instead of the rolled pork belly) – it was severely overcooked and was not only tough but surprisingly fatty.

Shoyu

Tonkotsu

The service was friendly and attentive, and though we were the last table to leave, we never felt rushed. The experience as a whole was pleasant enough to warrant a return visit – give Kazoku a try if you’re hit with a ramen craving in the west end!

Kazoku Ramen
16518 100 Avenue
(780) 483-0448
Sunday-Monday, Wednesday-Saturday 11am-10pm, closed Tuesday

French Canadian Charm in Beaumont: Chartier

A trend on the rise in the Edmonton region is the number of independent restaurants staking their claim in surrounding towns. Nineteen and Sorrentino’s are perhaps the best examples of this, choosing to open up additional locations in St. Albert, but they are among a multitude of others, including Farm to Fork in Sherwood Park and The Downtown Diner in Fort Saskatchewan. In some ways, in order for these establishments to thrive, they must draw upon potential customers outside the immediate community and become a destination in their own right. Chartier, a French Canadian restaurant that opened up in Beaumont back in March, is already working towards that status.

Chartier

Chartier has the distinction of being the most successful restaurant Kickstarter project in Canada, having raised over $100,000 from nearly 600 backers. Many were taken with Darren and Sylvia Cheverie’s passion project to bring a French Canadian restaurant to their hometown. Chartier has captured the community support in the form of a map located on the back wall of the restaurant, charting out the names of friends and strangers alike that helped make the restaurant a reality.

Wall of supporters

It took us a while to make it down to Chartier, but a trio of family birthdays (my dad, mum, and I were all born in the month of June) seemed like a good reason to carpool to Beaumont to celebrate. On that Sunday night in June, the restaurant was not quite half full.

Dining room

Although the building itself is brand new, they’ve done a great job with the interior. The wood beams and mismatched chairs contribute to a warm and cozy atmosphere, and I loved the rustic bar that anchors the open room. We were seated right by an open window that looked out onto the quiet street outside, reminding us again that we weren’t in Downtown Edmonton anymore.

Bar

The menu is focused but has enough variety to satisfy many tastes. We decided to try a couple of appetizer plates, which were large enough to be shared amongst a group. The poutine serving size was very generous, cheese curds and a tasty dark gravy ladled by a heavy hand. We were hoping the triple-fried potatoes would have been a tad crispier, however.

Poutine

The pork torchon was a nice surprise. The bite-sized pork morsels were flavourful and complemented well by the black pepper jam (made with the chef’s secret recipe, we were told).

Pork torchon

As for the mains, my beef bourguignon ($28) was so tender, a knife was unnecessary. The meat was delicious accompanied by the potato puree, though I probably could have done without the sweetness of the poached pear. My dish was also served with an adorably named “bread napkin”.

Beef bourguignon

Felicia and my dad both ordered flank steak ($26). They had requested a medium rare preparation, and unfortunately, their steaks were further along the spectrum than they would have liked. Felicia did really enjoy the underlying potato pave.

Flank steak

Mack couldn’t pass up the roasted hen ($26) when he read that it was served with ratatouille and his favourite dressing: a fried egg. The chicken was well prepared, and served with charred brioche, it was reminiscent of a dish that could be served at brunch.

Roasted hen

The meal was so rich we likely should have opted for lighter starters, as we couldn’t even think about dessert.

It is obvious that Chartier is a labour of love – from the kitchen’s brand of comfort food to the delicate china used for service – a lot of care and attention has been paid to the small things. That said – the trek required outside of the city may make it difficult for Chartier to garner the traffic it needs to be sustainable. To that effect, Chartier now offers brunch on the weekend (which can be more of a destination meal) and lunch on Fridays alongside a “bread window” from Wednesdays to Sundays to attract the local population.

Chartier’s already gained wide acclaim, along with the supportive foundation that helped build the restaurant. With a unique perspective to offer the Edmonton area food scene, I do hope Chartier can make the location work on a long-term basis.

Chartier
5012 50 Street, Beaumont
(780) 737-3633
Tuesday-Thursday 4pm-close, Friday 11am-close, Saturday-Sunday 10am-close, closed Monday

Sri Lankan Comfort Food: Sambol

Sambol is a restaurant I would never have discovered without social media. Tucked away and invisible from the main thoroughfare, Sambol has nonetheless gained a number of fans online. Along with Grandma Male, who is always up for a taste adventure, Mack and I headed to the south side to give this hidden Sri Lankan gem a try back on a Saturday in May.

The interior is modern but cozy, with warm lighting, wood surfaces, and comfortable cushions. When we entered, we were the first party in for an early supper, but were soon joined by a young family and a group of regulars.

Sambol

Champa Pathirana, the proprietor of this family-run restaurant was welcoming, and in some ways, it felt like we were having dinner in her extended kitchen. She explained that they had moved to this space after closing Razzelberries, a restaurant located downtown on 104 Street. She was patient with our menu questions, and we were definitely intrigued by a few dishes that we had never encountered before, including the interestingly named string hoppers (cooked rice pressed into noodle form, then steamed and served with a sauce – see how they’re made here). Their menu offers the best of both dining worlds – small plates perfect for groups to share, and one bowl wonders for those on their own. We decided to sample from all of the above.

Of course we had to try the string hoppers ($5). Even with the apt description we were provided with, I’m not sure I fully expected the noodle "patties" that arrived, slightly pink in colour and accompanied by a coconut gravy. Although the textures were interesting, the flavours weren’t particularly pronounced. They were fun to eat though, dousing the porous hoppers with sauce.

String hoppers

The lentil patties, deep fried and served with a mint sambol, were a nice surprise. I loved the refreshing mint accompaniment, which tamed the heat level and served as an addictive dip on its own.

Lentil patties

Mack couldn’t get enough of the stuffed roti ($8), pan-fried packets of spiced beef and potato. It is the perfect street food – portable, easy to eat, and packed with flavour. They were so good we briefly considered buying another order to freeze at home.

Stuffed roti

We also ordered two bowls to sample – the banana leaf bowl ($18) and the chicken biriyani bowl ($15). No question, the portions are beyond generous; Grandma Male barely made it halfway through before calling it quits and packing the rest for home. Mack and I particularly loved the rice, and ended up shredding the chicken leg and mixing it in to allow for more seamless sharing. We also packed some of this for lunch the next day, and it was still fantastic reheated.

Banana leaf bowl

Chicken Biriyani bowl

I hope Sambol doesn’t remain under the radar – the food is excellent and offers great value. It’s a restaurant worth seeking out – not only for the food, but for their warm hospitality as well. We’ll be back for the roti soon enough.

Sambol
9261 34 Avenue
780-309-3199
Wednesday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 11am-8pm

Back to the 6ix: All About the Food

Even though we were only in Toronto for a week, we managed to cram in many restaurants new to us.

Smoke’s Burritorie

A surprising highlight was Smoke’s Burritorie (how can you not love it based on the name alone?). We stopped there for a pre-Jays game lunch, after we found the wait at Amanda’s neighbourhood brunch place, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, was upwards of 1.5 hours. As it turns out, we were the only customers in the Burritorie.

Smoke’s Burritorie

Their poutine burrito, customized with any number of meats, rang in at just $7.49, but with the crispy grilled exterior, slightly sweet gravy, and delectable chorizo, was one of the best things I ate all trip. Smoke’s most recent offshoot, the Weinerie, will definitely be on our to-go list the next time we’re in town.

Kinton Ramen

I’ve been wanting to try Kinton Ramen for some time, and we finally made it in on this trip. The Queen West location was quiet when we arrived around 4pm, but I imagine service to be efficient anytime in this well-oiled machine. The tonkotsu broth was deliciously creamy, and perfectly seasoned, though Mack’s shoyu broth was on the salty side.

Tonkotsu ramen

The thin noodles had a nice bite to them, while the pork shoulder and belly was torched to order, further enhancing the flavour. With five locations in the Toronto area, we can understand now the quality that has led them to a ramen empire.

Valdez

Amanda had been wanting to try Valdez, a new-ish Latin American restaurant, down the street from her condo. The bumpin’ vibe reminded me of Rostizado, with menus also driven by the ever-popular family-style philosophy. The standout dishes for me included the chaufa, a duck confit fried rice dish, and mofongo, a plantain-based dish that made me entirely rethink plantains (and for Mack, lived up to the SNL David Ortiz joke).

Chaufa

I also liked their take on chips – beyond tortillas, they included fried plantains and root vegetables.

Chips and five layer dip

Figo

Figo was my post-Jays game pick, one of Toronto Life’s best new restaurants this year. It is a simply stunning room (made for Instagram), with marble table tops, soft lighting and a Parisian feel. I’m still not sure the server should have been so enthusiastic about the feature wine that I tried (a clay-aged white from Slovenia that tasted closer to a cider than a wine), but we really enjoyed their signature zucchini fritters – tempura-battered ribbons of zucchini (and at $9 per plate, must be a huge money maker).

Zucchini fritters

Mack’s scallops were well-prepared, while the pasta in my wild boar bucatini should have been cooked further.

Scallops

Figo would be a lovely spot for lunch to take full advantage of the windowed space.

Sweet Jesus

Sweet Jesus, a Milk Bar-style soft serve parlour, seemed to be the hottest thing in Toronto, with line-ups easily 50 deep at any given time. The weather wasn’t even particularly fitting for ice cream during our stay, but we braved the lines and tried it anyway. The soft serve centrepiece was noticeably thick and creamy (meaning in the cold we didn’t need the benefit of the melt guard around the base), and held up well to the ridiculous topping combinations. For Mack and I, it was bits of smashed Christie’s cookies, and for Amanda and Jason, studs of birthday cake, complete with a lit candle to celebrate. Is it worth the wait though? It was probably more satisfying than our New York experience of Milk Bar, if that speaks to our enjoyment of it.

With our Sweet Jesus ridiculousness

DaiLo

DaiLo, a hip Asian fusion restaurant, had an interesting menu. It was packed to the brim even on a Tuesday night, with a noise level that nearly rivalled People’s Eatery. Another establishment that is set-up for family-style sharing, the server started off on the wrong foot by suggesting we "order more dishes than we think we could eat" when asked how many she would recommend for a party of four. Then, when our first two dishes arrived, comically tiny, we thought the small-plate trend had gone to the extreme. By the end, our other plates balanced things out.

Pureed salt cod dip and Chinese doughnuts

Jason couldn’t get enough of a puréed salt cod dip, served with Chinese doughnuts, and Amanda and I appreciated the masterful hands behind the fluffy steamed buns that formed the basis of a build-your-own char siu sandwich.

Char siu with steamed buns

The Korean confit duck legs also had great flavour, with crispy skins and just a hint of gojuchang heat. With the packed Bar Raval next door, it’s a way for out of towners to get a 2-for-1 experience of what’s hot in the T.O.

Saturday Dinnette

Our friends Janice and Bennett suggested a new restaurant in their east Toronto neighbourhood for our dinner out. Saturday Dinnette has a great story – the chef/owner found out she was pregnant soon after opening the restaurant, so had no choice but to raise her child at the restaurant, so to speak.

Saturday Dinnette

When her son Miles was a baby, the crib was parked next to the stove, and servers would take turns bussing tables with Miles on their hip as his mom cooked. Miles is a toddler now, so his crib has since been moved, but it’s a great reminder of the adjustments some working moms have no choice but to make. The diner-inspired menu featured a creamy mac ‘n’ cheese, though our favourite dish was the cornbread, dusted with icing sugar and sweet enough to be a dessert.

Corn bread

Rose and Sons

Four years ago, we checked out The Drake when it was one of the new anchors of West Queen West, and Chef Anthony Rose was an up and coming name. Now, he has an empire of his own, so we were curious to see what one of his standalone restaurants would be like.

Rose and Sons

Rose and Sons at Dupont had some of the most laid back but solid service we had experienced on the trip. It was a bit strange to us that they didn’t have their blue plate special up until an hour into their dinner hour, but I did enjoy the matzo ball soup, with its simple but showstopping smoked chicken and generous whack of dill.

Mac ‘n’ cheese and matzo ball soup

Khao San Road @ Nana

Thai restaurant Khao San Road is known for its epic evening line-ups (my sister had to wait close to two hours once), so we felt fortunate to be able to try their menu as a daytime lunch "pop-up" at their sister restaurant Nana. It felt pricey for the portion size, but that’s typical of Toronto.

Pad Thai

At least Mack’s green curry had a generous amount of chicken, and by the end, I was satisfied with my Bankok-style pad thai.

Green curry

Colette Grand Café

Colette Grand Café was Amanda’s pick, and very much could be the sister restaurant of Figo. It had the same Parisian feel, with natural light, pastels, and marble tabletops, and felt like the sort of restaurant frequented by girlfriends in heels. Our server thankfully removed any pretentiousness we would have otherwise felt. I really enjoyed their version of French onion soup, enhanced with textures of oxtail pieces and crispy fried onions. The roasted carrot salad with flavours of cumin, coriander, creamy sheep’s milk and Aleppo pepper is also something I will try to replicate at home.

French onion soup and roasted carrot salad

Amanda most liked the dessert, a delectable layered raspberry cheesecake fit for Instagram.

Raspberry cheesecake

Old School

Old School, a Blog T.O. recommendation for brunch, was perhaps our most disappointing meal. Everything in the restaurant, from the fake chalkboard wallpaper to the leather apron-wearing servers, seemed manufactured and disingenuous.

Old School

The food was just not good – the fruit was obviously past its prime, and the chive biscuits were several days old. Their "butchers crack" sugared bacon was also unnecessarily chewy.

The Standard plate

White Squirrel and Thor

We also hit up a few coffee shops that were new to us. I’ve been wanting to stop by White Squirrel for a while, and finally made it in. It wasn’t warm enough to order from the take out window facing the sidewalk, but I still got to snap a picture next to a pair of sweet pugs just outside the cafe.

At White Squirrel

Thor was a sanctuary off busy Bathurst, and produced the best Americano I’ve had in some time. In the middle of the afternoon, it was busy, but not at all with sit down patrons – folks rushed in for their shot and were out the door in no time.

Mack’s latte at Thor

I’m glad we found some new favourites in Toronto, and had the chance to get outside of the city too – more on that next week.

Build Your Own Ramen: Nudoru

It was only a matter of time before Edmonton’s ramen game was elevated with a restaurant making its own noodles from scratch. Unfortunately, since Nudoru’s opening in early April, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. The Old Strathcona eatery has fielded numerous lukewarm reviews relating to inconsistent service, incorrect orders and questionable food quality. In some ways, a slow start for new restaurants are inevitable as they try and find their footing. However, with the added pressure of being the first to craft the alkaline noodles in-house, expectations were higher than normal. Mack and I chose Nudoru as a pre-theatre dinner option on Friday before a show at The Backstage Theatre.

Mack had already been to Nudoru once before a few weeks prior, and enjoyed the experience well enough. Friday was probably an even more ideal evening for ramen though, with the drizzly cool temperatures conjuring up the desire for warming soups. It seemed many others had the same inclination, as Nudoru was completely full by the end of our visit.

I liked the clean wood-based interior, and the fun pops of orange throughout the space. The feature mural was definitely eye-catching, with a samurai pictured fighting various elements of a bowl of ramen, all while wearing Nike sneakers. It was also nice to be able to see inside the kitchen, with windows offering diners a peek.

We elected to each try one of their sake-based cocktails. I probably should have known better than to order one named Pretty Princess ($10), with sake, peach schnapps, cranberry juice and calpico, but it was much too sweet and lacked any nuance at all. Similarly, Mack’s Island Hopper ($10), with sake, malibu, lime and cranberry juice was also fairly one-note.

Cocktails

On the food end of things, Nudoru offers several small plates and three pre-assembled ramen bowls. But no doubt, besides the in-house noodles, they are unique because of their build-your-own ramen option ($13 for one meat protein and 3 toppings). Mack and I both chose this route.

Our orders arrived promptly, steaming hot from the kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised with the creaminess of the miso broth, and thought it was well-seasoned. The pork belly (which we had both selected as our protein), was on the fattier side, so I would likely choose the pork shoulder next time. The soft boiled egg was perfectly prepared, with the yolk a creamy yellow. The noodles had a nice chewy consistency, though to be honest – in a blind taste test, I’m not sure I’d be able to distinguish the freshly made variety.

Miso broth with pork belly, egg, bean sprouts and scallions

Mack went with his usual shoyu (soy sauce) broth, and found it fairly consistent with his previous visit. He commented that the serving size seemed fairly generous, and I had to agree that I was very satisfied by the end of our meal.

Shoyu broth with pork belly, egg, bamboo shoots and pickled onion

It’s been great to see the proliferation of more ramen options in Edmonton, from the fusion stylings of Prairie Noodle to concepts like Nudoru’s create your own. My visit to Nudoru was also better than I was expecting, so I will certainly be back. I hope they’ve managed to work through their early kinks and can maintain this level of experience!

Nudoru
10532 82 Avenue
(780) 757-6836
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 12-5pm, closed Mondays

Just Off 124: The Local Omnivore

Mark Bellows and Ryan Brodziak are among a small but growing number of entrepreneurs who’ve successfully transitioned to a brick-and-mortar establishment from a mobile food truck. The Local Omnivore has been open since January, located a few blocks away from the burgeoning 124 Street restaurant district. However, given the impending arrival of Duchess’ long-awaited expansion next door, there is no doubt this area will soon see its own increase in foot traffic. After work on Saturday afternoon, Mack picked me up and we seized the opportunity to finally give this incarnation of The Local Omnivore a try.

The space is much larger than it seems from the outside, accommodating a lengthy open kitchen and bar, 40 seats, and a generous prep kitchen. The interior has a DIY feel to it, with painted walls seemingly unfinished, tools visible, and repurposed wood pallets used as space dividers. As a result, the room seems lived-in and comfortable, even though they are still growing into the space (their liquor license was just granted last month). Lunch and weekend brunches remain their focus, but they will be easing into evening hours at some point in the future.

Interior

The brunch menu is small but interesting, with six dishes on offer, some incorporating the house smoked and cured meat they’re known for. Mack selected the Fraulein sandwich ($12.50), while I couldn’t pass up the brunch pirate poutine ($12.50).

So many brunch purveyors feel the need to tack on a fruit cup, so I appreciated that The Local Omnivore doesn’t mess around with unnecessary garnishes – our plates arrived in their unapologetically indulgent glory. My poutine layered spicy shoestring fries with cheese curds, vegetarian gravy, green onions, two fried eggs and a citrus hollandaise. The hollandaise cut through the spice for me, and the fries stayed remarkably crispy.

Brunch pirate poutine

Mack’s Fraulein sandwich was comprised of a Russian rye grilled Swiss cheese sandwich stuffed with super smoked bacon schnitzel topped with a fried egg and citrus hollandaise. He struggled to finish the generous portion, and really liked the bacon schnitzel.

Fraulein sandwich

Service was relaxed but solid throughout, with just a few other tables during our stay. For those interested, The Local Omnivore also runs a deli counter that sells their bacon, garlic sausage, corned beef and smoked turkey, but I’m keen to return to try their lunch menu.

The Local Omnivore was a great place to kick back and start our weekend off. A belated congratulations to Mark and Ryan on the space, and I look forward to what is still to come.

The Local Omnivore
10933 120 Street
(780) 660-1051
Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 11am-2pm, closed Mondays

Lunch Value in Old Strathcona: Nariyanni’s

While dining out for lunch on weekdays has been a rare occurrence for me as of late, meeting up with my sister Felicia during the work day has never happened. So it was a particularly nice occasion when we could do so to try the lunch buffet at Nariyanni’s for the first time. We were invited as guests of the restaurant.

Just off the busy Whyte Avenue strip, the family-run Nariyanni’s is located a beautifully converted heritage auto body garage. Specializing in South African Indian food, Nariyanni’s offers a lighter type of fare when compared with other mainstream Indian buffets. Their "clean eating" philosophy also extends to accommodating those who are gluten and dairy intolerant, making it an attractive option to those with certain food restrictions.

Last Tuesday, Felicia and I were welcomed into the restaurant. We settled into a comfortable booth, marveling at the warm décor and flow of the space. I liked that the circular buffet station was at the centre of the room, mimicking the place of a kitchen as the heart of a home. And with a sign pronouncing that all food is prepared by "Mama", it did feel like we were among family.

Interior

The $12 buffet (cash only, from Tuesdays to Fridays from 11:30am-1:30pm) is an unbeatable value – salad, soup, rice, three vegetarian selections, one meat option plus dessert, it’s hard to imagine how Nariyanni’s recoups the cost.

Felicia helps herself

Felicia and I happily sampled our way through most of the buffet, heartily enjoying the braised kale and cabbage, dhal and eggplant, sautéed butternut squash and chicken curry. Our favourite dish may have been the kale and cabbage – it was nice to have different textures available on our plates. Warm roti was also offered to us, a lovely, flaky accompaniment to soak up the sauces and soup. Through the course of our meal, the heat level snuck up on us, though diners with a higher tolerance for spice will be just fine.

Our modest spread

It was a leisurely lunch for us, but other parties with less time on their hands were in and out in a half hour. And though we were comfortably full, we didn’t feel as sluggish as we may have exiting a different type of buffet or quick-serve establishment.

Thanks Nariyanni’s for the introduction to a wonderful lunch option in Old Strathcona. I hope to be back with Mack in tow for the dinner buffet soon!

Nariyanni’s
10131 81 Avenue
(780) 756-7112

In View of Rogers Place: Wheat Garden Noodle & Dumpling Bazaar

Central McDougall, the neighbourhood just north of Ice District (it still feels unnatural not to include a "the"), is at a crossroads. It will definitely endure more foot traffic once the arena opens this fall, but I do hope it will be seen as more than just a repository for vehicles.

Restaurants like the newly-opened Wheat Garden Noodle & Dumpling Bazaar have an opportunity to change that perception. Similar to Noodle Feast on the south side, they specialize in Northern Chinese cuisine and handmade noodles. Given Wheat Garden’s average entrée price hovers around $11 (for now), it’ll be interesting to see whether folks will discover these gems like this "on the other side", or if the uptick will only impact the more upscale or pedestrian restaurants south of 104 Avenue.

At any rate, Wheat Garden is already trying to make their presence known on social media, opening up channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in a way most small, family-run businesses don’t have the capacity to do. Even better, to engage customers, they offer some immediate gratification in the form of a free drink or side to diners who mention the restaurant on their own social media channels.

When Su and I stopped by last week for dinner, it was obvious the space had been transformed from its previous tenant (the Old Szechuan Restaurant, which has since relocated to Old Strathcona). The new paint hue lightens the room and further highlights the expanse of windows. The only downside of the cozy and intimate dining area is that save for some quiet televisions in the corner, there is no background noise. Su and I felt like we had to deliberately keep our voices down to prevent from being heard across the space.

Interior

The menu offers rice-based plates in addition to their namesake dishes, but since this was my first visit, I stuck to the latter. Su recommended we share the assorted dumplings ($13.99/18 pieces), made up of six different flavours, and I ordered the ground beef spicy noodle ($10.99) for my entrée. It may be of interest to some that all meats served at Wheat Garden are certified halal (they claim to be the first Chinese halal restaurant in Edmonton).

Everything is made fresh to order, and it’s obvious that the staff take genuine pride in their food and service. The dumplings were a visual delight, though we didn’t inquire about the colour coding, which resulted in a fun round of dumpling roulette. The handmade skins offered a great springy texture, and the fillings were well-seasoned. My favourite flavour of the bunch I tried was the chicken, mushroom and fungus.

Assorted dumplings

My noodle bowl was probably meant to be devoured faster than I could keep up – the handmade noodles had sopped up much of the thick broth by the time I got to it. They did have a nice bite to them though, and I will be eager to try the flat noodles on another occasion. The dish also wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting either.

Spicy ground beef noodles

With good service, tasty food, and reasonable prices, I hope that folks flocking to Rogers Place will consider Wheat Garden or other Central McDougall alternatives. It’d be a shame if they remain under the radar and overshadowed by more mainstream eateries.

Wheat Garden Noodle & Dumpling Bazaar
10703 103 Street
(780) 757-8166
Monday, Wednesday-Thursday 11:30am-8:30pm, Saturday-Sunday 11:30am-9pm, closed Tuesdays

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