restaurant buzz
Every winter The Marc (9940 106 Street, 780-429-2828, themarc.ca) celebrates the food and drink traditions of the Alsace region of France. This year Alsatian week runs January 8-16. Come for the beer, stay for the choucroute.
Rosso Pizzeria (8738 109 Street, 780-433-5382, pizzeriarosso109.com) has a few new items on their already delicious menu; an appetizer of whipped buffalo mozzarella with polenta, fresh thyme and Parmesan cheese with confit tomato, topped with micro arugula for a peppery hit and a dollop of house-made jalepeno jelly. The trick is to get a bit of everything on your fork at the same time for the most sublime marriage of flavours. Another new appetizer is local organic meatballs served in a cast iron pan with tomato sauce, homey and delicious.
The salad is fire-roasted apple with mixed greens with goat cheese and pine nuts in a sesame seed apple cider vinaigrette. Add a piece of chicken to make that a meal on the days you don’t feel like pizza.
Pampa Brazilian Steak House (9929 109 Street, 780-995-0316, pampasteakhouse.com) celebrates their fifth anniversary with a series of dining promos from January 4 to February 29. Always different and fun — look for things like complimentary desserts, merchandise, and percentages off dining. Check the website for the latest promotion.
Daniel Costa’s new restaurant Uccellino, next door to Bar Bricco on Jasper Avenue, should be opening sometime in February. The fabulous Chris Hyde heads up the kitchen.
Something new from The Volstead Act (Andrew Borley, Jordan Clemens, Evan Watson), a cocktail bar/bistro called Clementine in the Pearl Tower (11949 Jasper Avenue) opening late winter. Heading up the kitchen is chef Roger Letourneau (Three Boars, Staff Meal) so we know the food will be as high-quality and terrific as the drinks.
Check out the new Prairie Noodle Shop (10350 124 Street, prairienoodleshop.ca, 587-926-8481). They call it prairie inspired ramen—Sylvan Star’s smoked gouda ends up in a vegetarian miso soup; the roasted barley chicken ramen is made with yakitori chicken sweetened with honey and roasted barley tare sauce in a chicken and dashi broth; the meat and potatoes ramen is ground beef ragu and chile sauce with potato and charred onion soup on the side. The ramen (a traditonal Japanese dish) is rich and hearty but leave room for their delicious pork buns made with either pork belly or pulled pork. Oh, the choices you’ll have to make. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-9pm, no reservations.
Culina’s Dogwood Brunches (Victoria Golf Course Clubhouse, 12130 River Valley Road is now serving winter brunch. “It’s a casual, leave yer ski boots on, ski chalet-esque atmosphere” says Dogwood chef/operator Brad Lazarenko. “I’ll be cooking all the brunch classics, French toast, bennies, heuvos, plus weekly specials.” Brunch runs from 9am to3pm, walk-ins only, no reservations. Dogwood is fully licensed with tons of free parking and there are plans for a firepit out front. Get your touque on and schuss on over.
cooking classes
Embrace your inner baba with a Ukrainian cooking class at Kitchen (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704 kitchenbybrad.ca). There are five classes to choose from in January, so round up a few pyrohy-loving friends and sign up at info@kitchenbybrad.ca, or call 780-757-7704.
Enjoy a Seasoned Solutions Express Demonstration Cooking Class: January 20 is Comfort Food, soups and accompaniments; February 10 is Foods from the Heart with sweet and savoury ideas for Valentine’s. Find all the details and the full schedule at seasonedsolutions.ca.
Take a cooking class with chef Vinod Lothia. The experienced and personable chef offers cooking classes in your own home for just you or for a group up to 12 people. Endlessly customizable, contact to learn how: vlohtia1803@gmail.com
wine tastings, events and happenings
Love pork? Love chef Jesse Morrison-Gauthier’s cooking? Enjoy both at the Swine and Dine Dinner at The Common, (9910 109 Street, 780-452-7333, thecommon.ca) Tuesday, January 19. Easy on the wallet too—four courses, $40/pp featuring Alberta pork from appetizer to dessert. Call to book.
The Marc (9940 106 Street, 780-429-2828, themarc.ca) hosts a winemakers dinner with former geologist Sean Boyd of the small, focused Rotie Cellars of Walla Walla, Washington, Sunday January 31. If you love graceful Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre or Marsanne, Rousanne and Grenache Blanc, this is a don’t miss event, a real treat. Dinner is $140/pp, call to book or email Patrick@themarc. This dinner will kick off The Marc’s Rhone week in February.
The new Workshop Eatery (2003 91 Street SW, 780-705-2205 theworkshopeatery.com) is having a Spanish-themed wine dinner Monday, February 2, $95/pp++ includes a $20 voucher for Uber. Call to book, or email jenni@theworkshopeatery.com
Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits and Ales (#203 Edmonton City Centre, 780-421-0015; #2 512 St. Albert Trail, St. Albert, 780-458-4777, unwined.biz) presents Dinner Pour Deux, wines to pair with that special Valentine dinner, Tuesday, February 9, at the St. Albert store, $35/pp, call to book.
Upcoming events at Aligra Wines & Spirits (Entrance 58 WEM 8882 170 Street, 780-483-1083, aligrawineandspirits.com): January 20, Robbie Burns Scotch Tasting with sommelier Ken Bracke, $65/pp; February 10, Love wines with passion? Bordeaux Without Borders, discover a world of wines made in the Bordeaux style, $40/pp; February 23, Cheap & Cheerful, great wines under $20, $20/pp. Register for all aligrawineandspirits.com/events
Blue Chair (9624 76 Avenue, 780-989-2861, bluechair.ca) is having a Robbie Burns Night, with help from their friends at Unwined Fine Wines Spirits and Ales, Friday, January 22. Enjoy a five-course meal of traditional Scottish delights—haggis, cockaleekie soup, neeps and tatties, roast beef—with paired whiskies. There will be Robbie Burns poetry read by Andrew Campbell Walls and general merriment, all for $99/pp +GST. There is a wine flight for those who prefer that to whisky, $89/pp+ GST. Call to book.
Fine Wines by Liquor Select Annual Robbie Burns Night 2016: A Salute to 25 Year Olds featuring Bowmore, Laphroaig, Bunnahabhain, Highland Park, Tullibardine and Glenfarclas. Twenty-five year old single malts, Nick Lees, a piper, and a haggis, imagine that! Friday January 22, 7pm, tickets $100/pp. Call to book or purchase in store.
Want to know your Chenins from your Chards? Want to know why some wines taste like vanilla and others taste like butter? Take a Wine and Spirit Education Trust course offered in 58 countries. A special one-day WSET Level One Foundation is on January 9. To book, call Angela Landon 604-988-8009, 1-888-988-8009, or email alandon@aii.edu. Classes are held on the second floor of Fine Wines by Liquor Select, 8924 149 Street.
The Official Winter Signature Drink Competition launches January 11 and runs until January 31. This is the third year for the good-natured competition, all part of the city’s plan to help us get outside and enjoy winter. Yes, a cocktail helps. There is both a boozy and a non-alcoholic category and the contest is open to both professional bartenders and amateur mixologists. Enter your original libation at Facebook.com/WinterCityEdmonton. Contestants are encouraged to make and share videos telling the story of their recipe.
Mark your calendars for Winefest at the Shaw Conference Centre Friday, February 12, and Saturday, February 13 from 2pm-5pm and 7pm-10pm each day. The all-inclusive wine only event allows you to sip and savour specialty wines and hors d’oeuvres for one ticket price in a relaxed, casually refined atmosphere. For details and tickets visit celebratewinefest.com.
The 2016 Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna start Friday, February 5 with the Mystery Wine Pairing at the Delta Grand and continue Saturday morning with the Black Box Competition at Okanagan College. Then it’s back to the Delta Grande for the Grand Finale. It’s a spectacular weekend filled with drama, stellar entertainment and great food and drink. Jan Trittenbach of Solstice Seasonal Cuisine is the Edmonton champ gunning to win the national title. With the focus on food it’s easy to forget that Gold Medal Plates has garnered close to 11 million dollars for the Canadian Olympic Foundation in support of Canadian Olympic athletes. Don’t miss it! Purchase tickets at goldmedalplates.com
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry present a webinar series led by sustainability expert Brett Wills of the Green Enterprise Movement Inc. On January 5, Sustainable Strategy Development teaches how to integrate social environmental and economics factors in the strategic planning process. During Sustainable Strategy Execution on February 2, learn the steps and actions required and best practices to lead your organization. Contact Jim Cooper at jim.cooper@gov.ab.ca. For more info visit explorelocal.ca.
product news
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is creating a phone app to make it easier to find all the Alberta Approved Farmers’ Markets quickly on your phone. Expect lots of searchable features and a spring launch of this handy product.
February is the month to buy a new Japanese knife. Knifewear (10816 82 Avenue, 587-521-2034, knifewear.com) offers 15 per cent off the Masakge line for the entire month.
in memoriam
Edmonton hospitality veteran Adrian Francis died December 8 in Calgary after battling cancer. Adrian had a long and successful career in the restaurant business beginning at the Creperie and ending as general manager of Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Calgary. Adrian was funny, kind, always ready with a quip. We will miss him immensely. Ruth’s Chris in Calgary plans An Extraordinary Event in Adrian’s honour January 17, 403-246-3636, calgary@ruthschris.com.
Send new and/or interesting food and drink related news for The Kitchen Sink to hello@thetomato.ca.