main street moxie
The classic cocktail at luxurious Mimi
Chef Daniel Costa’s trio of main floor restaurants at the Citizen on Jasper is now complete. Mimi opens at 6pm for cocktails and sophisticated bar snacks in a sultry and luxurious atmosphere, with a jazz combo Sunday nights (chef Daniel Costa occasionally spins vinyl on Thursdays). New at Va is Pizza Night on Friday and Saturday: pre-order a large format pizza until 9pm (for now). Olia opened with a bang last fall and continues to surprise and delight with its effortless service and inspired cooking.
Meanwhile, downtown: Bar Henry’s excellent aperitivi/happy hour has a new menu and an expanded selection of wines by the glass. The intimate space in the Ice District now opens at 3pm. Renovations continue at Uccellino, next door to Bar Bricco on Jasper and 103 Street. Expect a rotation of house-made pastas, simpler dishes with bright flavours and a quicker service style in the new restaurant. “It will be pasta-centric, but more the pasta Italians eat every day, simpler, less decadent, something families can enjoy,” says Daniel. Less butter and truffle, same integrity and precision that the Corso 32 Group is known for. The name and who helms the kitchen are TBA, opening early spring. And, expect another TOC TOC, the party at Bar Bricco, in February.
we just wanted to make a good bagel
Lindon (L) and Luke of Beb’s Bagels.
Beb’s Bagels started during the Pandemic. “We were sitting on our butts not playing music. I had always wanted to start a bagel shop and it seemed like the right time,” says Lindon Carter, one half of Beb’s Bagels; the other half is Luke Breiteneder. The bagels took off; and last summer they moved production to Mother Bakery in Nisku. What’s next? “We’re still two working musicians who make bagels, but we want Beb’s to be an appetizing company, like Russ & Daughters (NYC), making foods that go with a really good bagel,” says Lindon, “smoked and cured fish, different flavours of cream cheese.” Pre-order for pick-up: bebsbagels.ca.
barbacoa opens barbaretta
Ellen Elton of Barbacoa
Barbacoa, everybody’s fave steak house in Spruce Grove, is opening a new spot called Barbaretta. “It will be a moody, speakeasy-style bar, with small plates and a few entrée-sized dishes,” says exec chef Benjamin Perez who oversees both kitchens. General manager is Kayla Boyer, cocktails are by Ashley Sorochan. It will be the second spot by Tyler and Ashley Sorochan, who opened Barbacoa in April 2021. The steak house is lauded for its grass-fed, grain-finished Angus (and Wagyu cross) beef from North Country Meats. Most popular? The shareable whole rib loin and tomahawk cuts as well as the best-selling strip loin. Ellen Elton manages the busy 74 seats with a 28-seat patio in the summer. The wine list, with consultant Lindsay Sievewright’s help, is outstanding.
coffee and cocktails in chinatown at boa & hare
Chinatown’s new Boa & Hare
Chef Winnie Chen is opening a new spot in Chinatown, Boa & Hare, along with her brother William and his best friend Wilson Wong. The chef is their uncle Tommy Chung. The menu is modern with Chinese, Japanese and European influences. “Tommy’s experience is in Japanese cuisine. Everyone associates me with Chinese food, but my training is more European,” says Winnie, exec chef and partner at Fu’s Repair Shop. Curious about the name? William and Wilson’s zodiac signs. We love these signs of renewal in Chinatown—Little Bon Bon, now Boa & Hare. May it continue. Boa & Hare (Coffee and Cocktails), 10520 97 Street, open 9am-3pm and 5pm-11pm. Opening moved to late January due to permitting issues.
filistix says so long to downtown
“It’s been a somber few months,” says Ariel del Rosario, of the excellent downtown restaurant Filistix, which closed at the end of 2024. (The campus locations of Filistix remain open.) “We chose that spot because of all those office workers. Pre-pandemic we had lines out the door at lunch; 10 months later that was completely on its head. We hear there’s a push to get people back to the office, but the reality is much different.”
Instead, Ariel and co-owner Roel Canafranca plan a catering kitchen and pop-up and event spot. “Yes, we are doing yet another pivot. The catering arm is called The Flavour Agency: Purveyor of all Things Delicious and we are relaunching in-house delivery. Roel and Ariel are best known for exceptional Filipino and South Asian dishes, but they will offer a broader menu for catering and events. “We had built something that’s unique, an elevated Filipino dining experience and we kept the lights on during the pandemic with an in-house delivery service. Now we will expand our offerings.” These are two accomplished and super resourceful chefs who specialize in flavour—if anyone can do it, they can. Expect the new website to be fully operational mid-January, flavouragency.ca.
new wine shop in the deep south
Gurjeet Khaira has combined his love of wine and expertise in cocktails to create Mixtale Liquor, a new boutique wine shop in the south end. Gurjeet, who was with Guru restaurants for over a decade, offers expert service and a wide assortment of quality wines and spirits. And maybe a cocktail recipe or two. Coming soon: tastings and special events. Mixtale, 914 Parsons Road SW, 780-399-8210.
olive me celebrates 25 years
Isabella Ana Brezden, Dilara Taviesh, Max Brezden, Isabelle Fontaine Ortiz Martinez, Jacob Ortiz Martinez (youngest son), Sascha Fontaine, (oldest son), Yosberti Ortiz Martinez (husband)
Isabelle Ortiz Martinez, owner of Olive Me and producer of those delicious stuffed olives, celebrates 25 years in business. In honour of that accomplishment, her 84-year old mother, Adele Fontaine, wrote a poem.
In 1999
Our daughter came up with a plan
Normand and I lent a helping hand
A few months later
Her small business began
In the kitchen
On 101Street and 113 Avenue
We put on our aprons
And rolled up our sleeves
With almonds, feta cheese and garlic
We began stuffing hundreds of olives
Adding spices and balsamic vinegar
She brought them in colourful bowls
To the Old Strathcona Market
Sold out within an hour
She was on to something
So, she kept on going
Today Isabelle is serving birthday cake
Celebrating twenty-five years
Of Da Vinci, Full Monty and Great Mistake
In spite of the cold
Family, friends and loyal customers
Came to honour her success -Adele Fontaine
Find the Olive Me stuffed olives at Bibo, Community Natural Foods, Euro Deli (Bountiful Market) all Italian Centre Shops, Mercato, the Old Strathcona and St Albert Farmers Markets, all Ribeye Butchers and Tesoro.
mark your calendars for chocofest
Why a chocolate festival? “Chocolate always means pleasure, our first memories are of chocolate—Easter eggs, Smarties. Remember ‘when you eat your smarties do you eat the red ones last’?” says festival founder and director J’Anne Monteleone. “There was no event specifically for chocolate anywhere in Western Canada. I thought I’d start one.
“Expect a carnival atmosphere,” says J’Anne. “There will be live entertainment, live music, lots of things for kids. It’s going to be fun, but we are serious about chocolate.” ChocoFest is April 25-26, at Millennium Place