What’s up on Edmonton’s food scene in September and October—wine dinners and tastings, new products, new farmers markets, openings, closings, cooking classes
restaurant buzz
Cibo Bistro (11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426, cibobistro.com) has been creating delicious dishes this season with zucchini blossoms—stuffing with oxtail ragu; topping crostini with shaved zucchini and blossom petals; and adorning orecchiette with ragù Calabrese, blossoms and Crotonese cheese. So good.
Christian Mena and Lino Oliveira of Sabor are opening another Bodega Tapas & Wine Bar, their fourth, in St. Albert at 1 Hebert Road sometime in September. Lucky St. Albertans!
Look forward to the second OEB Breakfast Co. opening in early September at 10240 124 Street in the former North 53 space.
Lyon (10335 83 Avenue, 780-433-0123, lyonrestaurant.ca) is now open in the old Pack Rat Louie in Strathcona. The large menu hews to French bistro—duck liver paté, nicoise salad, Lyonnaise potatoes. We can’t wait to try the escargot spaëtzle. The lemon pizza is back, though it’s now called a flatbread. The exec chef is Jan Trittenbach, coming home in a sense—Jan was the chef at Pack Rat for several years. Welcome back to the south side Jan!
Chef Roger Létourneau left Bar Clementine this summer and is helping out behind the stoves at Café Linnea. Can’t wait to hear what he’s up to next.
The Smokey Bear (8223 104 Street) opens sometime this fall. No, it is not a smoked meat joint, but they will cook a lot of things on open fire. More intel in the next issue.
If you haven’t visited Formosa Bistro in Strathcona Square (9314 34 Avenue, 780-503-0110, formosabistro.com) yet, do that right now. The food is terrific. Bold clear flavours, well-executed dishes and the Formosa Sour cocktail is delish. The popcorn chicken is addictive; loved the cold sesame noodle salad and the pork dishes were toothsome and well-balanced. The fried sweet potatoes came with a tantalizing dried plum dust, adding a sweet/sour tang to the dish. Check it out!
Kind Ice Cream (9551 76 Avenue, 587-759-0080, kindicecream.ca). We’re expecting Camping (s’mores-ish) Maple Bourbon Pecan and Salted Caramel to be on the autumn menu at Kind Ice Cream in Ritchie. But, will there be pumpkin spice? Pop in and find out!
Nate Box and Michael Forgie of Black Box Hospitality Group are adding a few more businesses to their stable. The group raised over $100,000 for the Gibbard Block (6427 112 Avenue) in a Kickstarter campaign last year. The Highlands Liquor Store opened in mid- August; June’s Delicatessen (think bagels and pastrami) and Fox Burger (craft beer and burgers) are not far behind. Expect them to be open any day now. The Highlands neighbourhood is developing a very nice food and drink scene with the Gibbard joining Bodega and Mandolin Coffee and Books.
Dinners, tastings, happenings and events
SOLD OUT! Rge Rd (10643 123 Street, 780-447-4577, rgerd.ca) is having a five-course dinner paired with wines from Naramata’s Little Engine Winery (including the highest Decanter World Wine Awards-scored Canadian Chardonnay, 92 points) on Wednesday, September 11, 6:30pm. Tix: $125/p ++, call 780-447-4577 or email hello@rgerd.ca to reserve a spot.
Pop-ups at Kitchen by Brad (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704, kitchenbybrad.ca): Friday Mac and Cheese and Sausages, Friday, September 13, 11:30am-1pm. Tix: $10/p+ and Tracy’s Brunch, Saturday, September 21 with two seatings, 11-11:30am and 1pm-1:30pm. Tix $18/p+. Book pop-ups via the website, kitchenbybrad.ca.
The Butternut Tree (9707 110 Street, 780-760-2271, thebutternuttree.ca) is having a wine dinner Friday, September 13, 6pm, featuring Little Engine Winery with special guest, proprietor Steven French. The menu features the Platinum Pinot Noir, which is exclusive to the Butternut. As well, the Fortified Tawny (which is usually reserved for wine club members only) will be poured with dessert. It promises to be a special night. Tix: $180/p all in, call to reserve.
By the Light of the Harvest Moon, A Celebration of Creativity & Community, is on Saturday, September 14, in the Castor Community Hall. The menu, inspired by the three sisters (squash, corn and beans) is from the Prairie Farm Project (Lady’s Hat, Redtail and Lazy T Farms) with libations from Calgary’s Metrovino and the Balzac Craft Brewery. The dinner is part of the Battle River 2019 Lieutenant Governor Arts Awards of Alberta. Tix: $65/p+, call Kathleen, 403-882-3935 or Eventbrite.ca. For all the events visit battleriverarts.ca/calendar.
The next Monkey Business Dinner at the Glass Monkey (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) is on Wednesday, September 18, 6:30pm featuring Margaret River’s Umamu Winery. Didn’t reserve in time? A second Umamu Dinner will happen Thursday, September 19, if the first night sells out. Tix: $89/p++, call or email janine@theglassmonkey.ca.
There is one more Kitchen by Brad Old Red Barn Dinner this year on Thursday, September 19, 6:30pm. Enjoy a menu focused on Alberta-inspired cuisine with a Ukrainian twist. Also featured are select Canadian wines. Tix: $157.50/p all in, kitchenbybrad.ca.
Also at Rge Rd, on September 24, enjoy a winemaker’s dinner with special guest Stephanie Morton-Small from Finca Decero in Mendoza. Tix: $166.50/p+ available on Eventbrite.
Freson Bros. Fresh Market is having Steak & Lobster Night at both the Fort Saskatchewan (150 Westpark Blvd) and Stony Plain locations (4416 48 Street) on Saturday, September 28 from 4-9pm. Enjoy Alberta beef strip loin and an Atlantic lobster tail with all the fixins’ for $30/p. No reservations required. Alberta craft beer and select wines are available at the Fort Saskatchewan location. Get on down!
Enjoy a delightful dinner with an icon of Argentine wine, Alberto Arizu, proprietor, Luigi Bosca, Saturday, September 28, 6pm, at Nineteen St. Albert, (150 Bellerose Drive, 780-569-1819, dinenineteen.com). Four wines, five courses. Tix: $95/++, call to book.
Love Belgian beer? Sample all your favourite brews while supporting the Joey Moss Literacy Centre for Excellence at the Belgian Beer Dinner, Thursday, October 3, 6:30pm, at Harts Table & Bar (14229 23 Avenue, 780-488-4278, centuryhospitality.com/harts). Tix: $100/p all in, call to book.
Dine with the irrepressible Jane Ferrari of Yalumba Family Winemakers, Tuesday, October 15, 6pm at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701 118 Avenue, 780-471-8676). Five wines with four courses. Tix $99.59/++, Eventbrite.
Warm up your stein muscles for the annual Oktoberfest Fundraiser for the Edmonton Down Syndrome Society, Saturday, Oktober 19, 6pm, at the Woodvale Hall (4540 50 Street). What’s happening? Erdinger beer tasting, dinner, prizes and draws, silent auction, beer pong, a DJ and a barrel full of laughs. Funds raised support developmental programs for individuals with Down syndrome. Tix: $65/p, or tables of 10: $599, edss.ca/oktoberfest-2019.
Check out the YEG Women in Wine Cash Mob at Bianco (#120, 10020 101 Avenue, Rice Howard Way) on Thursday, September 5. Come for drinks and snacks on the patio.
Lots of tasting opportunities at Sherbrooke (11819 St Albert Trail, 780-455-4556, sherbrookeliquor.com) coming up: Brewski/Pohjala Tasting, Thursday, September 12; Bitchin’ Belgians Tasting Saturday, September 14; Undercover Wine, Saturdays, September 21 and October 19; That’s Life Sake Floor Pour, Friday, September 27 and a tasting on Friday, October 11. Alberta Beer Week Tap Takeover is Friday, October 18-Saturday October 26. More info: Eventbrite.
New this fall is the Banff Whisky Experience, two days of classes and one grand tasting event on September 13 and 14. For all the deets and to purchase tix, visit banffwhiskyexperience.com.
Aligra Wine & Spirits (1423, 8882 170 Street, Entrance 58, WEM, 780-483-1083, aligrawineandspirits.com) has partnered with Metro Continuing Education for a series of classes. Tequilas 101, Tuesday, September 17 and Pop the Cork, Thursday, October 17. To register, visit metrocontinuingeducation.ca. The Fall Wine 101 class is September 23, 6:30pm, $35/p. Register at aligrawineandspirits.com.
The Mashing Spirits, Cider, and Beer Festival happens at ReMax Field (10233 96 Avenue), Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. Tix: $20-$50, albertabeerfestivals.com/tickets.
Experience rum drinking in a whole new light at the Edmonton Rum Festival, Friday, November 1, 7pm, at the Delta Edmonton South (4404 Gateway Boulevard). There will be over 75 rums to sample, while enjoying hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds to the MS Society. Tix: $85/p+, Eventbrite.
Chef Shane Chartrand’s debut cook book Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine, will be in the book shops in October. Yaay! There will be a book launch at Audrey’s (tba) and it will be featured at both Calgary’s Wordfest and Edmonton LitFest. We do have a recipe from Tawâw: find it in Chef’s harvest recipes, pg 7.
back to school
Upcoming classes at Kitchen by Brad (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704, kitchenbybrad.ca): Plant-based Cooking with Tracy, Saturdays, September 14 and October 12. Take advantage of what the fall markets have to offer to help create easy-to-make fall dishes. Learn some cooking tips too. Ukrainian Farm House: Saturdays, September 28 and October 19. Brad sticks to the Gido (Ukrainian grandfather) Diet: you can eat whatever you want as long as you make it yourself. Learn to make pickle soup, borsch salt, roasted cabbage roll vegetables, grilled rib with lemon fenugreek vinaigrette and whey roasted chicken. Book via kitchenbybrad.ca.
Are you an agri-food entrepreneur looking for a mentor? Join the AFC Business Mentor Program. The intro session is Thursday, September 26, 6pm at Fifendekel (12028 149 Street). Tix: $50/p+, Eventbrite.
There are spots available in various classes at The Ruby Apron this fall—Farm Tour and Class at Coen Farm, September 29; Autumn Pies, October 6; Short Crust and Choux Pastry, October 8. If you are wanting to take a sourdough class with Kaelin, there are a few spots left in the December 3 Intro to Sourdough. Book at therubyapron.ca and don’t delay!
Nait’s Event Management courses start September 21; Kitchen Skills start October 15. Find all course descriptions via NAIT’s website, under Continuing Education at nait.ca.
Italian wine educator Marcia J. Hamm introduces the VIA Italian Wine Maestro a certification program especially suited to lovers of Italian wine. There are two eight-week sessions this fall, starting September 14 and November 9. For all the info and to register visit joyofwine.org/education.