What’s new and notable:
restaurant buzz
Think of the relaxed elegance at XIX Nineteen (5940 Mullen Way, 780-395-1119; 150 Bellerose Drive #104, St. Albert, 780-569-1819, dinenineteen.com) for Valentine’s Day. No menu details at our press time, but you know it will be deliciously romantic, just like Valentines should be.
Juniper Bistro (9514 87 Street, juniperbistro.com) is having their third annual Valentine’s Day Dinner, $75, with two seatings, 5pm and 8pm. The menu is still being determined. “Four courses for sure,” says owner Peggy Adams. For resos call 780-490-6799.
Rooster Café & Kitchen (10732 82 Avenue, 780-413-8045, roosterkitchen.ca) is now open! This casual breakfast joint and café is open seven days a week in the former location of the Artisan Resto-Café. Yaay! The Ave needs a good modern breakfast spot.
Chefs Levi Biddlecombe and Tyson Wright have opened the Why Not Café upstairs at 8534 109 Street (780-297-5757, whynoteat.ca). This is their first independent venture. Levi is best known for the Atilla the Hungry food truck and Duck Tots. Expect small plates intended to share, priced between $14-$25, with a focus on seafood and charcuterie with quality vegan options too. In their first 10 days they donated 10 per cent of sales to the Stollery. Also behind the stoves is Chopped Junior Champion Jonathan Giovannoni. Lunch Tuesday-Friday, 11am-2pm; dinner, Tuesday-Thursday, 4pm-10pm; Friday, Saturday ’til 12am. Congratulations and good luck chefs!
We are loving Pip (10403 83 Avenue, 780-760-4747, pipyeg.com) the newest member of the Next Act family. It’s ideal for a glass of wine and a nosh before or after the Winspear, or for brunch. Compact menu, good choice of wines by the glass, intimate and cosy, nice people; what’s not to like?
Expect some changes at Zenari’s (10180 101 Street, 780-423-5409, zenaris.ca). Chef Shelley Robison has signed on “to help us get our kitchen under control. It’s great to have a professional in here. We call it Zenari’s 2.0!” says co-owner Elisa Zenari. Shelley is a flavour maven — we can’t wait to taste the new menu.
Looking forward to the refresh at Sage with a new name, new look, and new menu. Expect barnwood and a whole lotta local provisioning. Gold Medal Plates champ and exec chef Shane Chartrand didn’t have much more info by our press date, but you know it’s going to be good.
Check out the winter menu at El Cortez (8230 Gateway Boulevard 780-760-0200, elcortezcantina.com) featuring traditional Mexican dishes like the hearty pozole soup, savoury Mexican street corn and luscious pork carnitas tacos. Keep in mind half-price Taco Tuesdays and half-price Tequila Thursdays for entertaining on a January budget.
Sunday night is aperitivi night at Bar Bricco (10347 Jasper Avenue, 780-424-5588, barbricco.com), a relaxed eating and drinking experience with small bites and great tunes. Order a cocktail or glass of wine while servers walk around with platters of spuntini and explain what delightfully delicious little nibble you are eating — sounds like the perfect Sunday evening. And, on Wednesday nights, it’s $8 Negronis!
January holiday breaks: Rge Rd (10643 123 Street 780-447-4577, rgerd.ca) is closed from January 8 until January 15. The Hardware Grill (9698 Jasper Ave, 780-423-0969, hardwaregrill.com) is open Saturday, January 6, then reopens Thursday, January 11.
product news
Cheese lovers will be thrilled with a Cavern (10169-104 Street, 780-455-1336, thecavern.ca) bespoke Valentine’s Day gift box, filled with luscious cheeses and provisions, from $65-$150.
Find your Galette des Rois at FanFan Patisserie (10330 80 Avenue, 587-524-9899, fanfanpatisserie.com). The French cake that celebrates the Epiphany has a feve (favour) hidden within. The person who finds the feve in their slice becomes king or queen of the day. The frangipane-filled cakes are $25, serve 8-10 people and are available from January 2-7 only. As well FanFan will have special St. Valentine boxes available in early February. Yum.
wine tastings, happenings and events
The next Big Bottles in the Butchery at Rge Rd (10643 123 Street 780-447-4577, rgerd.ca) is January 30. Think tapas-style dining and drinking. Come with a group and order a magnum, or enjoy a glass (wine really does taste better from big bottles) as well as growlers from local breweries. No reservations required; expect to make some new friends with their communal seating.
Winter tastings at Aligra Wine & Spirits (Entrance 58, 8882 170 Street): Wednesday, January 24, 6:30pm, Island Hopping One Whisky at a Time, $60/p; Tuesday, February 13; 6:30pm, Around the World with Pinot Noir, $40/p. Register and pay online at aligrawineandspirits.com/events.
Upcoming tastings at Sherbrooke Liquor (11819 St Albert Trail, 780 455-4556, Sherbrookeliquor.com) Roadtrippin’ with Beer Thirst, 7pm Thursdays, January 18, February 15; March 15, $10/p. (Un)Pretentious Pairings, 7pm Fridays, January 26, February 16, March 9, March 23, $10/p; Beerios Breakfast Beer—because milk was a bad idea, 10am Saturday, February 3, $5/p. Visit Sherbookeliquor.com to book any and all tastings.
Love beer? Immerse yourself in the Jasper Beer & Barley Summit, the all-inclusive craft beer and craft spirit festival, February 2-4 at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. During the day, learn from distillers and brewers in Alberta’s burgeoning craft scene and sample their wares in the evening. Register at albertabeerfestivals.com.
Don’t miss the Wine, Women & Song Dinner at NAIT (10701 118 Avenue, 780-471-8676), at 6pm, January 20. Not only will the evening showcase amazingly talented chefs, it raises funds for the Canadian Culinary Federation for professional development, education, and scholarships. Featured chefs are Davina Moraiko (Rge Rd), Kelsey Johnson (Café Linnea), Ashley Broad (Biera) and pastry chef Jennifer Stang (La Boule). Tix: $195/p, twright@nait.ca.
Meet Kristine Kowalchuk, author of Preserving On Paper, at the 17th Century Dinner at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701-118 Avenue), Saturday, January 27. TIX, $105/p includes a copy of the book, twright@nait.ca.
On Thursday, February 8, meet Francesco Ricasoli of the historic Ricasoli Estate in Tuscany at a winemaker dinner at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701-118 Avenue). TIX: $105/p. twright@nait.ca or call 780-471-8685.
On Saturday, February 10, enjoy the Chocolate & Wine Dinner at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701-118 Avenue). TIX: $105/p. twright@nait.ca or call 780-471-8685.
The Glass Monkey’s (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228 theglassmonkey.ca) first Monkey Business of the year is Wednesday, February 21, with five courses and five wines. TIX: $79/p++, call Janine 780-760-2228 to book.
Learn about cheese and wine at Cavern Cheese School at The Cavern (10169 104 Street, 780-455-1336, thecavern.ca) Sunday January 21, 2-4pm is Winter Wine and Sunday, February 11 is Old World Wines. From 2-4pm, $75/p+ for each event. Book at thecavern.ca.
at the cooking schools
Embrace your inner baba (yes, everybody has one) at Kitchen by Brad’s (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704, kitchenbybrad.ca) Baba’s Ukrainian Cooking Class. It’s their most popular class of the year: Tuesday evenings, 6:30, January 9, 23 and 30 or Saturdays, 12:30pm, January 6 and 27. These dates don’t work for you? Gather nine friends and have a custom class. Book all at kitchenbybrad.ca.
The Pan Tree (220 Lakeland Dr #550, Sherwood Park, 780-464-4631, thepantree.ca) has several terrific classes coming up: Enchiladas with chef Israel Alvarez, 6pm, Wednesday, January 24, $95/p+; Robbie Burns Dinner with chef Richard Toll, 6pm, Tuesday, January 30, $65/p+, kilts welcome; Valentines Dinner with chef Richard Toll, 6pm, two nights, Tuesday, February 13 and Wednesday, February 14, $95/p+. To register: register.thepantree.ca.
We love the classes at the Ruby Apron, congenial, effective and fun: Stock, Soup, Stew and Biscuits, 6pm, Thursday, January 25, $95/p+; Fresh Pasta, 6pm, Thursday, February 15, $70/p+; Introduction to Sourdough Workshop, Sunday, 1pm, February 25, $85/p+. Find the full schedule and descriptions at therubyapron.ca.
Barb’s Kitchen Centre (9766-51 Avenue, 780-437-3134, barbskitchen.com, formerly called Bosch Kitchen Centre) offers several product demo/cooking classes every season. Here’s a few that caught our eye: Thursday, January 18, 6:30pm, Hearty Soups and Chowders with the Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker, $10/p+. Thursday, February 15, Deutsches Fest; learn to make spaetzle, onion cake, red cabbage and some traditional desserts, $20/p+. Classes start at 6:30pm. Visit barbskitchen.com for more info.
The ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen (main level, 10035-105 Street, ATCOblueflamekitchen.com) is having three classes dedicated to New Years Resolutions. Each class is $85/p+ and runs from 10-1pm on Saturday; January 13, Planned Overs – Light Healthy Meals; January 20, Healthy Meals using your Pressure Cooker or Insta-Pot and on January 27, Meatless Meals. On Friday, February 9, from 6–8pm, there is Tapas and Wine, $85/p+. On Thursday, February 22, 5-7pm, learn to make popular Indian dishes at Indian Food, $65/p+, 780- 420-7282 to book.
people
Dennis Vriend died late last year after a “short but valiant” fight against cancer. We will remember Dennis for his quiet sense of humour and unwavering commitment to organic growing and stewardship. For several years Dennis and Ruth Vriend’s stand in the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market was the only place to purchase organic vegetables. They introduced many to the wonders of garlic scapes, golden beets and different varieties of potatoes. After retiring, their business was carried on by August Organics (Don and Kristine Vriend) and son James and wife Jenny Berkenbosch operate Sundog Organic Farm in north Edmonton with a stand downtown at the 104 Street Market.
Todd Rutter, A Capella Catering, Ryan Hotchkiss, Bündok; Cindy Lazarenko, Culina; Lindsay Porter, London Local; Clayton Folkers, NAIT Baking; Charles Rothman, Rooster Café; Steve Buzak, Royal Glenora Club; Shane Chartrand, Sage; and Gregg Kenney, vivo, are bringing breakfast and dinner to Peter Burgess as he camps at the Rainbow Valley Campground from January 7 to 12. Peter is the Freezing Father and he is camping there for the second year to raise funds for the Stollery in memory of he and wife Candace’s daughter Elan. Learn more and donate at freezingfather.org, or visit Peter at the campground.