Kitchen Sink

Restaurant Ramblings

We are more than sad to see Tavern 1903 shuttered. The owners (Larry and Melinda Stewart) were abruptly locked out of their restaurant and presented with a cancellation of their lease by the sub-landlord December 5, in the thick of the holiday season. (Is that even legal?) Besides depriving dozens of people of their livelihood, the action inconvenienced hundreds of customers who had to scramble to rebook holiday lunch and dinner plans, let alone events in the new year. On a personal note, The Tomato has had a business relationship with the Stewarts for almost two decades, and they have always worked with us in a straightforward, upstanding way. The action taken by the sub-landlord was foul ball and a lousy way to treat members of the community.

The Glass Monkey (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) celebrates their first year anniversary with a reserve wine list with gems from Italy, Spain, Australia and France. Pair with their daily specials or the delish grilled flat iron steak with chimichurri, duck confit with chili and palm sugar glaze, and Moroccan-style braised lamb shank.

There will be beer and sausage, tart flambé and Gewürztraminer during The Marc Restaurant’s (9940- 106 Street, 100 Sterling Place, 780-429-2828, themarc.ca) annual Alsace Week, January 16-24. Bring your lederhosen and your beret. It’s great to see the Marc back on track after a damaging flood last year.

Blue Chair Cafe (9624 76 Avenue, 780-989-2861, bluechair.ca) is ideally suited to become Ritchie’s neigbourhood café, especially with news of breakfast and lunch service starting mid-January — coffee and baked goods at breakfast, and what owner Harold Wollin is calling simple home-cooked comfort lunch specials, meatloaf and the like.

Cibo Bistro (11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426, cibobistro.com) It’s not too soon to be thinking Valentine’s Dinner at Cibo Bistro. Order off the northern Italian-inspired winter menu or indulge with savoury osso bucco for two.

Cavern (#2, 10169-104 Street, 780-455-1336, thecavern.ca) offers a Valentine’s four-course set menu on Saturday, February 14, two seatings: 5:30-8:30pm and 9pm-close. Reservations are required.

Think Madison’s Grill (10053 Jasper Avenue, 780- 401-2222 unionbankinn.com/site/madisons_grill) for a romantic Valentine’s evening. Visit their website for up to the minute Valentine’s menus; the six-course dinner for two is $190, add wine pairings, $310.

Bronze Gold Medal Plates medalist Lindsay Porter has signed on to run the kitchen at the still new El Cortez Tequila Bar and Kitchen (8230 Gateway Blvd, 780-760-0200, elcortezcantina.com). We’re supremely curious and look forward to new menus in late January.

Joe Rockwood is the new general manager of the Wildflower Grill (10009 107 Street, 780-990-1938, wildfloweredmonton.com). It’s a homecoming of sorts, Joe opened the restaurant back in 2008. “I have renewed fervour for Wildflower,” he says about the flagship of the Lazia Group. “Richard (our owner) has dined all over the world and knows what he wants.”We want to create some warmth in the dining room and are working toward a five diamond standard of service.”

Exit stage right. Andrew and Rachel Borley along with several front of house personnel are no longer part of Woodwork (10132 100 Street, 780-757-4100, woodworkyeg.com). Mike Scorgie is now the sole proprietor of the popular restaurant.

One of our favourite chefs, Filliep Lament, now runs the kitchen at the revamped North 53 (10240 124 Street, 587-524-5353, north53.com) owned by Kevin Cam. Check it out, the food is great, the atmosphere is playful, and it’s open late!

Enjoy the best value lunch in town at Cibo Bistro (11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426, cibobistro.com). They reopen for lunch January 6, Tuesday-Friday, 11:30am-2pm. And look out for their new winter menu with dishes inspired by a new year’s trip to San Francisco.

wine tastings, happenings and events

It’s not too late to enter your concoction in the Second Annual Winter Signature Drink Competition. Here’s the deal: craft a unique beverage (hot or cold, alcoholic or not) that signifies winter to you. It’s all part of the WinterCity Edmonton initiative encouraging us to embrace winter. See what’s entered already at facebook.com/WinterCityEdmonton. Contest wraps up January 28, so get measuring.

Kitchen by Brad (#101, 10130 105 Street, 780-757- 7704, kitchenbybrad.ca) offers a special evening with Andreas Bender, the youthfull and exciting German winemaker, February 5. Details weren’t confirmed by our press time, visit kitchenbybrad.ca for all the deets.

Here’s a liquid way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Winefest Edmonton, Friday, February 13, 7-10pm and Saturday, February 14, 2-5pm and 7-10pm. Attendees can even take advantage of the Sobeys Liquor store onsite to pick up their favourite libations. Included in the ticket price: all tastings and samples, hors d’oeuvres, a festival guide and a complimentary wine glass. Tickets: celebratewinefest.com

Seasoned Solutions Culinary Tour of New York, May 14 -18. Gail Hall’s fourth tour to the Big Apple includes Broadway, a cooking class, signature food experiences and accommodations at the Waldorf. Can’t beat that. Visit seasonedsolutions.ca to book.

Taste hundreds of wines, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and enjoy live jazz by Sandro Dominelli at Kid’s Kottage’s elegant Valentine fundraiser, For the Love of Wine, Friday, February 6, 7-10pm at the Delta Edmonton South. Tickets: $100/person, 780-448-1752. Sponsors include Color de Vino and Global Edmonton.

The Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop, Food Bloggers of Canada and Tourism Kelowna have teamed up for Blog Your Way to Kelowna. The winner receives travel, accommodation and workshop registration fees for the 2015 Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop. Competition closes January 31.

Want to learn lots more about your favourite cheeses? Check out the Cavern’s (#2, 10169-104 Street, 780-455- 1336, thecavern.ca) Cheese School, Sunday January 25, from 2-4pm. The theme is Canadian Artisanal Cheese Meets Old World Wine.

Aligra Wine & Spirits (1423, 8882 170 Street Entrance 58, West Edmonton Mall, 780-483-1083, aligrawineandspirits.com) tasting classes: Tuesday, January 13, Wine 101 & More, $45; Tuesday, January 27, A Winter Scotch Tasting, $45. Register online aligrawineandspirits.com/events.

product news

The Cavern (#2, 10169-104 Street, 780-455-1336, thecavern.ca) offers delightful Valentine’s gift boxes with artisanal cheese and Jacek chocolate pairings.

Amaranth Whole Foods Market (101 Riel Drive, St. Albert) in the Enjoy Centre, 780-651-7367 amaranthfoods.ca) stocks PB2, a peanut butter powder with all the flavour and texture of peanut butter with 85 per cent less fat. It’s ideal for traveling; also perfect for smoothies; two sizes, $6 and $11. A staff favourite is the Splendour Garden Cultural giftpack by the Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Company, containing six organically grown spice blends — 5 spice, garam masala, Italian seasoning, Jerk seasoning, Mexican blend, and curry powder, $30. Check out the other gift packs as well, high quality and well-priced.

cooking classes

Kitchen by Brad (#101, 10130 105 Street, 780-757-7707, kitchenbybrad.ca) Cooking Classes:

  • January  27, Baba’s Cooking
  • January 8 and 10, Icelandic Fish
  • January 13, 17 and 29, Soup, Stew and Comfort Foods.

All classes are $135/person. Love to cook and hang out with your friends? Think of creating a custom class with chef Brad Smoliak for a minimum of eight people, max 12, $135/person.

Barb’s Kitchen Centre (9766-51 Avenue, 780-437-3134, barbskitchen.com) cooking classes and product demo lineup.

  • January 15 and February 26, Hearty Soups and Chowders
  • January 22, Rustic Whole Grain Breads
  • January 29, One Pot Meals
  • February 5, Cakes, Cookies and Muffins
  • February 12, Specialty Breads
  • February 19, Breadmaking

Classes are $10/person, start at 6:30pm, and must be prepaid.

Seasoned Solutions (780-437-0761, seasonedsolutions.ca) now offers two hour demonstration classes:

  • January 28, Comfort Food
  • February 10, Foods from the Heart

$49.95/person. To register, gail@seasonedsolutions.ca

The Pan Tree (220 Lakeland Drive, Sherwood Park, 780-464-4631, thepantree.ca) class line up:

  • January 21, Knife Skills with chef Richard Toll
  • January 23, Robbie Burns Dinner with chef Richard Toll
  • February 10, Cooking for Your Love with chef Richard Toll
  • February 11, Gluten Free Breads with Natalie Pepin.

Register by phone 780-464-4631.

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