05/9/13

Smokin’ Good Q at Smokehouse BBQ, Edmonton

Smokehouse BBQ re-opened on 124 Street much to the salivating delight of Edmonton barbecue fans. The restaurant shut its doors for a few months after a fire broke out in November 2012.

Well, they’re back, and they’re bad – in a good way – with beer, blues and barbecue: the Holy Trinity of the southern lifestyle

Terry and Sherry Sept do barbecue right using Okanagan Apple Wood, homemade rubs and patience as the cuts of pork, chicken and beef slow-cook for up to 12 hours in their Southern Pride beast of a smoker. With a variety of victuals sure to please your inner carnivore, you’ll have a hard time choosing what you want.

We shared a plate of “Piggy Tails” (smoked rib tips with a salt and pepper coating) because what better way to start a meat-fest than with a basket of meat?

Piggy Tails

Those rib tips got the juices flowing, right in time for the next course: The Big Daddy Combo. You can choose two meats from the list of pulled pork, chicken, beef brisket, Andouille sausage, ribs or the bacon bomb. Two people ordering meant four meats a’comin’. YEAH MEAT. Continue reading →

05/9/13

OOOysterfest 2013 – Celebrating Oysters and Wine in the Okanagan

Old Man Winter arrived in November and by April he was still hanging on like an unwanted guest. After six months of living in thermal underwear, I needed a sunny deck – preferably one with a bottle of wine on it, not one covered with snow.

Alberta – April 2013

What I was really looking for was an excuse to run away to the Okanagan. As luck would have it, that excuse arrived in the form of an email media release about OOOysterfest, a wine and oyster festival about to take place in Oliver and Osoyoos, BC. I watched the snowflakes fall, and hit the reply button.

I’ve been visiting the Okanagan since I was a wee tyke, but I’m embarrassed to say I have never ventured further south than Penticton. Osoyoos, in my mind, has always meant desert and sagebrush and the last resort before the American border – a world away from the bustle and familiarity of Kelowna I had become comfortable with. I had no idea of what I might be missing in this beautiful area less than an hour’s drive from Penticton.

There’s desert, alright – the most northerly tip of the Sonoma dessert, in fact. There’s even rattle snakes (not that I saw any). There’s a lake (Canada’s warmest), but you won’t find oysters in those waters, and the south Okanagan is a 600+ kilometre stone’s throw away from the ocean. What, pray tell, is an oyster festival doing in the desert? Continue reading →

05/6/13

Massimo’s Cucina Italiana – The Greatest?

Massimo: in Italian, the word means “the greatest”, so when a restaurant hoists that name above its door, expectations run a little high. Massimo’s Cucina Italiana opened in December adjacent to the south side Italian Centre Shop (50 ave/104A St.) and, like the Centre Shop, is owned by Theresa Spinelli. The chef at the helm is Guiseppe Mazzochhi (my apologies for pronouncing it “Mazzocchio” on CBC Radio). Chef Mazzochhi is internationally known as “The Tuscan Cook”. His credentials include teaching cooking classes in Italy and abroad, leading culinary and wine tours, and operating a bed and breakfast in Nievole, Italy. Chef Mazzocchi is also a member of the Italian Chef’s Federation, the Italian Sommelier’s Association, SlowFood, and the Accademia Italiana dell Cucina. Pretty impressive credentials. Continue reading →

05/2/13

Cherry Blossom $17.95
Chopped scallops, tobiko & mayo topped with red tuna and salmon

Review of Japonais Bistro – Sushi with Creme Brûlée?

Fans of Japanese food in Edmonton have a new place to get their sushi on at Japonais Bistro, located at 11806 Jasper Avenue. The bistro opened in the space vacated by the short-lived One One Eight, previously home to Suede Lounge.

At first glance, one might be confused at the name of the restaurant which suggests a French influence on the foods offered. Japonais after all is the French spelling of Japanese, and bistro by definition is a small Parisienne restaurant. Their signage states ”modern Japanese cuisine & sake bar”, so confusion aside, we entered hoping the food would give us a clearer understanding of the establishment.

What we found were typical Japanese offerings such as sushi, tempura, tataki, and sashimi with unique and curious creations in these categories like garlic ebi shooter, tuna nachos and spicy tuna pizza. The menu also features an enticing array of Makimono (rolls), but as far as the French influence went, I still wasn’t getting it. Continue reading →

04/11/13

Putting and End to Winter with Moroccan Ragout

We have snow. Still. April is almost half over, and the snow clings like a skeletal hand at the edge of a cliff. A tad dramatic perhaps, but this never-ending winter brings out the Poe in me. As I type, a raven is cawing in the birch tree.

I need heat – not only of the meteorological type, but a culinary heat to melt these snowy doldrums and kick me into spring mode.

With merguez sausage (courtesy of Corey, the butcher, from Acme Meat Market in Edmonton) waiting to be toyed with, a tube of fiery Tunisian harissa, and a jar of ras el hanout (a blend of Moroccan spices) hanging around in the pantry, I had the makings of something Moroccan – that much I knew. I just needed a recipe. When I typed in “merguez sausage recipe” in Google, Food52′s Moroccan Ragout caught my attention. The picture alone convinced me this was exactly what I needed.

Picture courtesy of Food52.com

Put a soft egg on anything and I’ll eat it. I have even contemplated flying to Portland, Oregon just to satisfy my craving for food from Tasty n Sons: the Burmese Red Pork Stew, and John’s Breakfast, two dishes served atop short grain rice and crowned with soft eggs. Seriously, no joke. I have actually looked into the cost of airfare. Continue reading →

04/9/13

Bistro Saisons: Local, seasonal food? Mais bien sûr!

Fine food establishments The Elm Cafe and Cibo Bistro in Edmonton’s Oliver neighbourhood have been joined by another like-minded establishment, Bistro Saisons. And by like-minded, I mean headed by chef-owners who care about supporting local producers by sourcing the finest, freshest ingredients for their dishes. Them’s my kind of folks.

I stopped in on a snowy, blustery day and had the restaurant almost to myself. It gave me time to talk to Scott Ards, the owner and chef. He happily answered my barrage of questions: where do their proteins come from? Why did they open this restaurant? What’s this I hear about using organic ingredients? His answers were music to my hungry ears: Proteins were from Alberta (with one or two being from British Columbia); ninety percent of the produce was organic, and after honeymooning in France, Scott (who used to chef at The Marc) and his wife, Sandra, knew they had to share that joie de vivre – that feeling that comes by experiencing good food - with Edmontonians.

Dinner Menu

So, when the Ards returned to Edmonton, they brought back a little of France with them: the concept of cooking and sharing food made from locally sourced food. Food raised from the local terroir, food that is fresh, seasonal, and grown and raised by people who respect life, nature and all it has to offer. Continue reading →

03/11/13

Rockin’ Robyn’s Diner – Restaurant Review

I’m always on the hunt for a good diner – that hidden gem, that little hole-in-the-wall like something you’d find on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. With a population of over 1.2 million, the metro area of Edmonton is sadly lacking in the diner department, so when I spotted Rockin’ Robyn’s Diner in the city’s west end, hope flickered anew.

Rockin’ Robyn’s opened June 2012 when they took over the space formerly occupied by Mexico Lindo to the north of the Mayfield Inn. The space underwent a complete transformation. Gone is the island décor, and instead of posters of tranquil beach scenes, pictures of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe hang on the walls. You can sit on stools at a long counter, at 1950s chrome-accented tables and chairs, or in one of the flashy red vinyl booths – and yes there is a jukebox in the corner, albeit one with Eminem’s CDs in it. Continue reading →

03/7/13

Won Jung Gak – Downtown Edmonton

Before this Won Jung Gak opened at 10023-107th, making your way to the original location in the concrete bowels of a south side industrial area required the combined forces of a homing pigeon and a Sherpa guide – or at the very least, a GPS. And even when you found yourself on its doorstep, you still wondered if you had indeed arrived. Finding the second location is a bit easier although the sign above the door says Basil Leaf and has been that way since Won Jung Gak opened last fall (not a few weeks ago as I stated on CBC Radio). The posters on the door let you know you’ve arrived.

For those familiar with Won Jung Gak, you won’t find much in the way of surprises; the menu is more or less the same as the 62 Avenue location. The interior, however, is most definitely different. Continue reading →

02/17/13

Izakaya Tomo – Restaurant Review

Edmonton’s food scene is diverse, if anything. Whatever your palate desires, you can find it here in Alberta’s capital—from Chinese to Portuguese; from Ukrainian to Iranian, and everything in between—including Japanese fare, hit and miss as it is.

Izakaya Tomo

The latest Japanese eatery to open its doors is Izakaya Tomo, a few blocks south of the Whitemud on 99 Street near 37 Ave. This isn’t a typical Japanese restaurant though: an izakaya is a Japanese drinking establishment that serves food. At Izakaya Tomo (the Tomo is for “Tomoya”, the owner) you have the chance to sample several types of sake, beer, and a distilled liquor called shochu. You also have the opportunity to feast on some small—and some not so small—plates prepared by Chef Tomoya. Continue reading →

01/26/13

Chew On This: Where to Eat in Central Oregon

Central Oregon has a lot going for it: unparalleled beauty, fresh air, lakes, desserts, mountains, endless outdoor activities, and really good food. I’m talking stellar stuff, folks.

Cascade Mountains west of Powell Butte

Because of its population (80,000 +/-) the city of Bend is where a lot of good nosh is found but there are several small, unheralded joints that need mentioning, like Sisters Bakery in the quaint town of Sisters, and Giovanni’s Mountain Pizza located near Mill City on Highway 22. Continue reading →

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