restaurant buzz
Kin, chef Ben Staley’s new project, is open for cocktails and small bites from Tuesday-Saturday from 6pm on. It’s in the brewery district, formerly Shōjō Izakaya (10425 121 Street, kinbar.ca).
The Butternut Tree (9707 110 Street, 780-760-2271, thebutternuttree.ca) will be closed until April 1 for upgrades to the HVAC system. Reservations can be made for April and beyond; don’t forget about Easter Sunday’s popular Beef Wellington for two.
Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen (12153 Fort Rod, 877-807-2198, donyaukraine.ca) has moved to a larger location (almost next door to their previous spot) with a larger café, and lunch is from 11am-4:30pm, Monday-Saturday. Come hungry, the portions are generous. The sampler plate starts with a cup of borscht, followed by pyrohy with a heap of caramelized onions, kubasa, cabbage rolls and a delicious dilly coleslaw. Pick up a bag of frozen pyrohy or those delicious mushroom cabbage rolls to take home with you.
So many spots have delayed opening due to slow permitting. Chinatown’s Boa & Hare (10520 97 Street) expected to be open in January. The café is open now, 9am-3pm, not yet for cocktails. The newest Bodega (10314 82 Avenue) was delayed, opening soon? And Coco’s, the new cocktail spot in the basement at 10132 105 Street should be opening later this spring.
Cloverdale Coffee is now open in Riverdale (9407 98 Avenue, 780-244-5423, cloverdalecoffee.ca) serving Roasti coffee, panini and baked goods to-go every day from 8am to 3pm. It’s part of the Little Brick group of businesses who are bringing cool things to the river valley one business at a time.
Now open: Lady Bea’s Tea House (10109 125 Street, 825-777-2327, ladybeas.ca formerly Brasserie Bardot and The Manor Cafe). Book weekday afternoon tea and weekend tea brunch in this beautifully reimagined space.
Riverbank Bistro (8 Mission Avenue, St. Albert) offers a two-course snowbird menu with some great choices for dinner on Tuesday-Thursday nights. You can’t miss it, the big red house by the river on the west side of St. Albert Trail. Later this spring owners Daniel and Nicole Ducharme unveil the new look and new menu for the lounge space. Woo hoo!
Downtown Dining Week is happening March 12-23. Visit edmontondowntown.com/diningweek for all the participating restaurants and menus. The Marc (9940 106 Street, themarc.ca) offers a two course Downtown Dining menu at lunch ($25) and dinner, ($50) created by exec chef Eric Hanson.
Campio is taking over the Biera space in the Ritchie Market and will open Relish Bar & Market (9570 76 Avenue) later this spring. Yaay!
Chef Chris Hrynyk is now at Café Bloom, the charming café at the Muttart (9626 96a Street, 587-498-9752, cafebloom.ca). Something new is dome dining, available Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday brunch.
Chef Liana Robberecht is the incoming creative director at Brew + Bloom (brewandbloom.ca), primarily responsible for the Calgary expansion and overall planning for the growing local café and event space.
Lauren Kyle McDavid is opening Trove Bar and Trove Living in the Canada Permanent Building (10126 100 Street, the Japanese Village was there). The lovely three-story stone, brick and reinforced concrete building, designed by Roland Lines, and opened in 1910, was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1985 and a municipal one in 2022, followed by a full retrofit to historical specifications with some grant help from the city. We have so few iconic historical buildings in the city—it’s great to see this one put to good use.
product news
Heart of the Home (12539 102 Avenue, 780-705-4928, heartofthehomeyeg.ca) is having a March Madness Sale, with 15 per cent off in-stock bakeware and baking accessories. Check out new stock, including kitchen linens in a pattern called Geometry. The annual Easter Egg Hunt is Saturday, April 19 from 11am-3pm. Open Good Friday, noon-4pm, closed Easter Sunday. The Earth Day Special is April 22 with discounts on sustainable products all month long.
Salties (salties.io) is introducing scampi tails in several sizes, for both wholesale and retail customers. Scampi, (also called langoustine) is praised for its delicate sweetness, tender texture and exceptional quality. Need more info? Email hello@salties.io.
One of the best lunches in town is Fridays at Fuge Sausage (6736 99 Street, 587-523 1329, fugesausage.ca) from 11am-1pm. Different every week, but always delicious and under $10. Call ahead if you want a large order or think they will sell out before you get there.
MJ’s Korean Kitchen and Catering has expanded into the Food Hall at the Bountiful Farmers’ Market. Now that they have an actual kitchen we can’t wait to taste what’s new on the menu, Korean specialties such as bibimbap and Korean fried chicken, as well as their delish yubu bites.
wine tasting happenings and events
Toc Toc, Bar Bricco’s energetic wine party is happening Sunday, March 9. Expect a clever custom wine list and menu along with some great music and a dynamic scene.
Jola’s, the Polish pop-up by chef Fillie Lament, inspired by his grandmother’s cooking, is happening at Rosewood Foods (10150 100 Street) on Sunday, March 9. Doors open at 5pm ’til 10 or until they sell out of dill pickle fried chicken and zurek kinkali.
Café Bicyclette’s (8627 91 Street) Sugar Shack Dinners are back! These five-course, maple-infused long table dinners celebrate a Québécois tradition, when the sap starts running and people visit les cabanes à sucre for meals and frivolity, March 21 and 22; 28 and 29; April 4 and 5. Tix: $85/p all in.
The Art Gallery of Alberta is celebrating women in style and sophistication with High Tea followed by a panel called Festival City and the Women that Make Them, on International Women’s Day, 11 am, Saturday, March 8. Tix: $54/p+, $60/p+; register here.
The Made with Love Banff Food and Cocktail Experience is a 13-day celebration, April 22-May 4. Over 16 local restaurants, bar and distilleries are participating including Banff Ave Brew Co., Park Distillery, Banff Social and the Fat Ox. Details at madewithlovebanff.com.
Lots happening at Three Vikings this spring: the Dead Vinyl record swap happens from 3pm-6pm. Sunday, March 2. St. Patrick’s Day Weekend is Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 with fun Irish food and drinks specials. Stay tuned for news on the Frokost with Longroof Brewing (Danish open-faced sandwich and beer pairing) and remember, Three Vikings plays all the Oilers playoff games. April 19 is pick-up day for Easter turkey dinners!
Wing Wednesday, the hot fundraiser for Meals on Wheels, happens Wednesday, April 2, from 4-7 pm at Halley’s Club in the Starlight Casino. Back by popular demand is the Hot Ones panel, hosted by Rob Christie, where guests sample spicy wings and answer questions, as well as a DJ, food and drink, raffle and silent auctions and of course, wings! Funds raised support Meals on Wheels essential services and programs which provide hundreds of vulnerable Edmontonians with nutritious, ready-to-eat meals that support their well-being.
Mark your calendars for the newest festival, ChocoFest, April 25 and 26 at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. Enjoy live entertainment, chocolate demonstrations and endless indulgence as you immerse yourself and your family in everything chocolate. Tomato readers enjoy a 15 per cent discount on tickets, use code tomato. Tix: $15/p. See you there!
The Marc’s next Sunday Supper Club is Sunday, April 27, with Misun Bu of Dream Wines. Visit here for info and reservations.
The food community mourns the loss of chef Richard Toll, father of six, lover of mead and all-round good guy. His company Celtic Kitchen prepared high-quality, unique Celtic foods found all over Alberta. He leaves behind his wife Angela, children Collin, Jacob, Rory, Isla, Una, Iona. A Go Fund Me has been set up to help his family.