What’s new and notable
restaurant buzz
The Hardware Grill (9698 Jasper Avenue, 780-423-0969, hardwaregrill.com) will be closed for summer holidays Sunday, July 3, reopening Wednesday, July 13.
Cibo Bistro (11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426, cibobistro.com) will be closed for summer holidays Friday July 1, reopening Wednesday July 20.
Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse (9929 109 Street, 780-756-7030 pampasteakhouse.com) offers a Brazilian summer patio menu with grilled meat skewers from $6; fresh salads from $7; and special happy prices: caipirinhas $8; wines $6 and $5 beer on tap.
Check out the patio at The Glass Monkey (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) in Lendrum. It’s private and secluded, all the better to enjoy their casual mix and match menu, well-priced wine list and Pinocchio ice cream for dessert.
Summer hours at Bistro 76 (11214 76 Avenue, 780-800-1976, bistro76.com) are 11am-10pm Tuesday to Friday; Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10pm. Closed Mondays. Along with their popular pasta dishes expect several honey-themed summer specials.
We’re hearing good things about the Reinette Café and Patisserie (301 Woodvale Road West, 780-577-0974); Paris-trained pastry chef and tasty casual menu. Check it out!
Chef Julia Kundera is back at the Holt’s Café (2nd floor Holt Renfrew, 10180 101 Street, 780-425-5300) Her summer menu features Oceanwise seafood, Gull Valley tomatoes, Four Whistle lamb (for the lamb burger) and burrata and fior di latte from Calgary’s White Gold Cheese Factory. We follow this chef wherever she’s cooking and are thrilled Julia is back downtown.
An inspiring mix of young talent and seasoned competitors have signed on for Edmonton’s 2016 Gold Medal Plates competition: Steven BrochuI, Chartier; Geoffrey Caswell-Murphy, Share at the Westin Edmonton; Shane Chartrand, Sage; Emmanuel Theriault, Pack Rat Louie Kitchen and Bar; Eric Hanson, Prairie Noodle Shop; Tony Krause, Privada Wine+Tapas; Lindsay Porter, El Cortez Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar; Doreen Prei, Get Cooking, Bryan Cruz, The Marc Restaurant and Paul Shufelt, Workshop Eatery. The fundraiser for Canadian Olympic athletes is Thursday, October 20. It’s not too soon to get tickets: goldmedalplates.com.
Cally’s Teas (10151 82 Avenue, 780-757-8944, callysteas.com) offers a fun contest during Art Walk July 9-12, A Spot of Tea Adult Colouring Contest. The winner of the draw wins a cream tea, which is a tender house-made scone served with cream and jam along with a pot of tea. And, from Monday to Friday, July 11-August 11 Cally’s features Happy Hour, half price on cream teas from 3pm-5pm. Their chef Jackie Boudreau (Sunterra, Dauphine) makes amazing pies and scones, all from scratch, natch!
Join Brad and Tracy at Kitchen (10130 – 105 Street, kitchenbybrad.ca) for Meatball Madness every Friday from 11:30am-1pm. Enjoy delicious meatballs, a different flavour every week. Attack with gusto at the community table and make some new friends, or take away, the choice is yours.
Summer and festival season at the Bistro Praha (10117 101 Street, 780-424-4218, bistropraha.com) includes over 15 specially imported beers on the menu, including Pilsner Urquell, Czechvar and Hubertus Lager from the Czech Republic. These beers are ideal with Praha’s European menu. Open late every night.
opening soon
Bündok is opening late summer in the Fox Towers (104 Street and 102 Avenue) Chef Ryan Hotchkiss (Jack’s, Red Star, Central Social) is the owner/operator, a new father and a really good cook. “I’m influenced by the Paris bistros I ate in last summer,” says Ryan. “I want to make a place where people can eat every day.” Matt Girard assists in the kitchen and Joe Rockwood is handling front of house.
Kevin Cam’s new concept Baiju, downtown in the Mercer Building promises innovative drinking/dining with an Asian twist including a speakeasy for late night. October opening.
Mid-summer is Bar Clementine’s debut in the Pearl Tower and, later this fall, Cafe Linnea (Duchess) in the Marv Holland Plaza beside the new Wine Gallery.
product news
The Italian Centre is stocking high-quality, sustainably sourced wild Acadian Sturgeon caviar from New Brunswick, starting at $73 for 30 grams. Pre-orders only. Contact: Carmelo at Little Italy, 780-424-4869; Camilla, Southside, 780-989-4869; Lorie, West-end, 780-454-4869l and Gino in Calgary, 403-238-4869.
cooking classes
The Blue Flame Kitchen (Main level, 10035 105 Street, BlueFlameKitchen.com) Lunchtime Demonstration Classes are a quick and fun way to find cooking inspiration from 11:45am-12:45pm and cost $15 + GST. July 8, It’s Time for Thai; August 5, Light Meals for Hot Days; September 16, Meals in 30 Minutes. The evening hands-on classes are from 5-pm-7-pm, $50 + GST. July 27, Summer Jamming; August 23, Summer Pie; September 22, Cabbage Rolls. Call 780-420-7282 to register.
wine tasting happenings and events
Ready for some lively kitchen competition? Knifewear throws down the knives in a Black Box Competition with the Local Ominvore, July 16, at the Local Omnivore (10933 120 Street, 780-660-1051, thelocalomnivore.com). Ticket details: facebook.com/knifewear. Be there for 7:30 to see who has the chops!
Kinnikinnick Foods will be flipping gluten-free pancakes rain or shine during the Premiere’s Pancake Breakfast at the Legislature Grounds, 7am-9am, July 20, kinnikinnick.com.
Not to be missed: the Country Roots Tour in Flagstaff County, Friday, August 19. It’s a full day celebration of food, farms and history. For tickets call 780-384-4118.
Enjoy a bit of Monkey Business at the Glass Monkey, (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) at a dinner with five courses and five wines, Friday, July 22, 6:30pm, $89 all in. Call Rob or Janine to book, 780-760-2228.
Brad Smoliak of Kitchen by Brad has several Elk Island Dinners on deck for the summer: Saturdays, July 9, July 30, August 20 and September 10. Only 24 seats are available for these spectacular dinners under the prairie sky beside Astotin Lake; $150/pp + GST includes admission to the park, an Elk Island interpretive experience and a family-style dinner paired with local craft beers and wines. Private dinners can be booked with minimum of 12 attendees.
Don’t miss Feast on the Field, a fundraiser for Capital Care Foundation with chefs Brad Smoliak, David Omar and Steve Buzak at Commonwealth Stadium, August 17, feastonthefield.com.
Register for the Bite (thetomato.ca) to get the latest news in food and drink including details on the Culmina Wine Maker’s Dinner in Jasper, August 22 with special guest Sara Triggs.
Savour local food and drinks and connect with producers at Locavore Lacombe on the Lacombe Memorial Centre’s front lawn, 1pm-4pm, Saturday, July 23. “What better way to show off the abundance that Lacombe offers than through the work of some fine cooks,” says Chelsey Gavins, Locavore Lacombe committee chair. Producers include Blindman Brewery, Rangeland Meats, Bison, Rock Ridge Dairy, Billyco Junction, Gull Valley Greenhouse along with talent from the Red Deer College Culinary Program, Leto’s Steakhouse and the Red Boar Smokery. Tickets, $25, lacombedays.ca until July 19.
The Sturgeon County Culinary Cookout celebrating Sturgeon County area farmers, producers and chefs is in Cardiff Park Friday, August 5, 4pm- 9pm. Highlights include chef Andrew Fung’s team from Nineteen Restaurant (St. Albert) as culinary ambassadors, Kids Cooking Workshops with chef Phil Hughes and the Morinville Farmers’ Market. Tickets eventbrite.ca.
For six years Shannon and Danny Ruzicka of Nature’s Green Acres have opened their farm for a spectacular dinner with RGE RD. This year don’t miss the multi-course extravaganza, complete with horseshoeing demo (Danny is a licensed farrier) and tours of the property, starts at 3pm, Saturday August 20, at the farm near Viking. Tickets, $150 all in, naturesgreenacres.com
Alberta Farm Days August 20-21
There are dozens of terrific events, open houses and experiences happening across the province during Alberta Open Farm Days. Highlights: Babas & Borshch Ukrainian Festival celebrates the best of Ukrainian culture: food, music and dance. At the Saturday night Zabava enjoy a full Ukrainian banquet, live choral and dance performances and a dance band, tickets $50. Sunday includes lots of great food, tours, performances and speakers, babasandborshch.ca.
GP Brewing Company Local Brewery Tour & Tasting offers self-guided tours on Saturday and private bus and tasting tours on Sunday, facebook.com/GPBrewingCo.
Vesta Gardens Annual Farmed and Foraged Tea, Sunday, August 21, 4pm-6:30pm, features farm-style finger foods and teas that have been grown or foraged on the farm. Dress is garden party. Tickets, vestagardens.ca.
Prairie Gardens Fire Roasters Longtable Dinner & Stories, Sunday August 21. Enjoy a five-course long- table dinner by Solstice Seasonal Cuisine featuring the farm’s exceptional produce, paired with wines and craft beer. 5pm start. Tickets $149/pp, $278/couple, prairiegardens.org.
Mark the date
Two opportunities to experience Jane Ferrari, Yalumba Family Winery’s ambassador; Wine Maker’s Dinner at Continental Treat on September 21 and at a dinner at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald on September 22. Jane Ferrari is a legendary communicator, funny, a little salty, unforgettable. Spend an hour with Jane and you’ll find out more about the heritage of Yalumba and Australia’s Barossa Valley than most locals learn in a lifetime.
Dig in, St Albert’s Horticulinary Festival, gets underway October 12-15, diginstalbert.ca.
Cally’s Teas (10151 82 Avenue, 780- 757-8944, callysteas.com) begins a series of tea classes, such as Tea with Alice and Tea with Jane Austen, in September.