What’s up on Edmonton’s food scene in November and December—wine dinners and tastings, new products, openings, cooking classes and holiday fare.
wine tastings, happenings and events
Enjoy the Port Experience Dinner with Jorge Ramos, Taylor Fladgate at the Glass Monkey (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) 6pm, Tuesday, November 5. Tix: $95/p++, call to book.
The Butternut Tree (9707 110 Street, 780-760-2271, thebutternuttree.ca) is having a five-course wine dinner with Dirty Laundry winemaker Mason Spink, 6pm, Thursday, November 7. Tix: $110/p++, Eventbrite
Lots of tasting opportunities at Sherbrooke (11819 St Albert Trail, 780-455-4556, sherbrookeliquor.com) coming up: Thursday, November 7, Phillips Brewing; Friday, November 22, Untapped Food Pairing; Saturday, November 23, Undercover Blind Wine Tasting; Friday, December 13, Untapped Blind Beer Tasting. Free store tastings every Friday and Saturday until Christmas. Check prices and register online.
Enjoy Filipino food with wine at the Kanto 98 Pop up and Wine Tasting at Color de Vino (9602 82 Avenue, 780- 439-9069, colordevina.ca), 7pm, Friday, November 8. Tix: $25/p+, call to book.
Expect live music, beverage gardens, food trucks, s’mores around the fire, street performers, fire dancers, sleigh rides and a children’s activity area during the free 124 Street All is Bright event. The main event happens at 6pm sharp, Saturday, November 16, 124street.ca.
Help NAIT’s culinary team prep for the 2020 IKA Culinary Olympics, at a lunch at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701 118 Avenue, 780-471-8676) 11:30am-12:30pm, Saturday, November 16. Tix: $21/p++, Eventbrite.
Taste great buys at Bill’s Big Bang for Your Buck Wine Tasting, at Color de Vino (9606 82 Avenue, 780-439-9069, colordevino.ca) 7pm, Wednesday, November 20. Tix: $25/p+, call to book.
The Bothy (5482 Calgary Trail, 780-761-1761, thebothy.ca) is having a Cannonball Winery four-course wine dinner with Chantal Landreville, 6:30pm, Thursday, November 21. Tix: $55/p++, call to book.
Enjoy the Jajan Indonesian Street Food Night at Filistix Downtown (10621 100 Avenue, 780-716-4708, filistix.ca), November 28. There is another Bayanihan Dinner in December, called Pasko. Enjoy all the traditional Filipino dishes for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) with Roel and Ariel (Filistix), Edgar Gutierrez (Kanto 98 St.), Ailynn Santos and Jason Wong (Yelo’d Ice Cream), JP Dublado (Great Kitchen Party top chef), and Earl Briones (Drunken Ox Sober Cat). Visit Eventbrite for ticket info.
Taste the new Glenrothes bottlings and have some nibbles with Jeff Meyers, the Glenrothes brand ambassador at The Bothy (5482 Calgary Trail, 780-761-1761, thebothy.ca) 6:30pm, Thursday, November 28. Tix: $20/p+, call to book.
Don’t miss the 2019 Glow Gardens, from November 28-January 4 at the Edmonton Expo Centre, with a Christmas market, a bar, local food trucks and all those beautiful lights, GlowGardens.ca.
restaurant buzz
Alchemy (JW Marriott, 10344 102 Avenue, 780-784-7950, alchemybar.ca) is a secret. Behind library doors on the fifth floor, it is a sweet spot for a cocktail. The long bar hugs the windows, providing sunset views for days. Comfy leather couches lend a men’s club air. And that patio—can’t wait to check it out next spring. Clever cocktails (loved the crisp and tangy Oh My, with fresh grapefruit juice, Tio Pepe sherry and Aperol, a little less of an alcohol bomb), a fun snack menu and a decent wine list with a glass of Taittinger Brut NV for $19. Check it out!
Love The Art of Cake? Visit their spinoff, The Baker’s Son in the Allin Clinic building (10155 120 Street) for coffee and muffins. It’s a gem of a spot for coffee and a sweet. Bet the staff at the clinic love their new neighbour.
Hospitality guru Charles Rothman is now the regional manager for Food Service Solutions Canada. The company represents manufacturers such as Hestan and Lainox who sell to companies like Russell Hendrix. FSS is unique in its approach to on-the-ground support for professional kitchens. All are former chefs and restaurant people who work consultatively with chefs, foodservicesolutions.ca.
Which Edmonton baristas finished big at the 2020 Canadian National Brewers Cup? Ply Pasarj of Rogue Wave Coffee took first place, Santiago Lopez of The Colombian took third. Ply Pasarj will compete at the 2020 World Brewers Cup Championship in Melbourne, Australia in May. Congrats baristas!
Farmers’ market favourites Mini Kitchen and El Gringo have opened a casual deli-style café at 9729 42 Avenue. Enjoy their tasty, ready-to-eat Indian, Thai, and fusion Mexican food almost daily.
The Bodega Tapas & Wine Bar empire grows with a new location in St. Albert (1 Hebert Road, 587-290-1119, bodegayeg.ca). It is as delightful as their other locations, downtown, on 124 street and in the Highlands. Don’t miss the bacon-wrapped dates.
Some new things at the new OEB Breakfast Co. (10240 124 Street, 780-250-0788, eatoeb.com), brioche French toast that tastes like banana cream pie, Sea Change on tap and there is a chef’s table. As if you needed more reasons to go. Opens at 7am.
Fox Burger (780-250-0369, foxburger.ca) and June’s Delicatessen (780-752-5863, junesdelicatessen.ca) are now open, joining Highlands Liquor in the transformation of the Gibbard Block (6425 112 Avenue) Lucky Highland folks! Expect traditional deli fare at June’s—bagels and cream cheese, matzo ball soup, reuben sandwiches and blitzes in a brightly lit casual atmosphere. At Fox Burger, enjoy the main event eight ways including two vegetable heavy selections, a kid’s menu and, wait for it, milk shakes!
The Blue Plate Diner (12323 Stony Plain Road, 780-429-0740, blueplatediner.ca) has made the transition from 104 Street to join the burgeoning 124 Street restaurant scene. All the Blue Plate faves on the menu in a bigger and brighter space. Open daily.
New hours at the Cave Beastro (6104 104 Street, 780-540-2283, the-cave.ca) Closed Monday, Tuesdays; Wednesday Thursday from 11am-9pm; Friday 11am-10pm; Saturday, 10am-3pm and Sunday Brunch, 10am-2pm.
product news
Popowich Meat Company (6843 170 Street, 587-462-8926, popowichmeatcompany.ca) has just opened in the west end. It’s a full-service butcher shop with locally sourced meats including beautiful lamb from Haywire Farm as well as Thai Sesame chicken, pork schnitzel and pork sausages in flavours like potsticker and apple fennel. Mike Popowich left corporate life, took the butcher course at Olds College and opened up the shop with his wife Treena. Elyse Chatterton, a member of the World Butcher Championship Canadian team, is behind the counter most days. Check it out!
Lots to do at the Italian Centre Shops before the holidays. The Switzerland Cheese Marketing folks are offering samples of Switzerland’s famous Raclette cheese, November 8, 9 and 10. On December 6 and 7 chefs from Aurora Importing will be sampling giant Fiasconaro panettone (traditional Italian Christmas sweet bread) and Alessia Torrone (Italian nougat bars). On December 14 the Thumbs Up! a cappella quartet will be touring each shop performing Christmas carols. They will be joined by Santa Claus, who will be available to visit with kids and take photos. Very festive.
Kind Ice Cream (9551 76 Avenue, 587-759-0080, kindicecream.ca) has new fall/winter flavours, the delicious Goat Cheese Cherry Crumble (made with Crystal Springs goat cheese and a fine Sicilian extra virgin olive oil), Vegan Chai (with The Northern Table’s chai). The pumpkin spice waffle cones (with Herbologie spices) are still available. Chef Chael MacDonald is working on peppermint and gingerbread flavours for Christmas. Winter hours are Sunday-Thursday 12-9pm, Friday and Saturday from 12-10pm.
Bella Casa (9646 142 street, 780-437-4190, bellacasadcl.com) is looking festive with Spode by Portmeirion Old St. Nick and Lastra holiday patterns now available. As well, they have a robust selection of Frasier Fir candles and Thymes room diffusers and such in seasonal fragrances. Don’t miss the Festive Party, Thursday November 14, 1-6pm with door prizes and 10 per cent off all regular merchandise and up to 20 per cent off on selected items. Extended shopping hours from Sunday, November 24 until Christmas; Sundays 1-4pm; open until 7pm from Friday, December 20. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Live outside of Edmonton and love Meuwly’s? Now the delicious Secret Meat Club (SMC) subscription box is available for province-wide delivery. SMC has launched three new packages: two types of artisan sausages each month, $20; sausages and charcuterie, $40. The Gourmet Package, with all the meats, cheeses, pickles and condiments is $65. What a terrific way to have these amazing locally-made products in your kitchen. Meuwly’s (10706 124 Street, 587-786-3560, meuwlys.com) is now stocking some regular grocery items such as milk, cream and butter, free range eggs and over a dozen local and imported cheeses. Holiday specials include their smoked turkey ($94/half bird with gravy and cranberry sauce); the honey hams ($35/sm, $89/lg with honey cider mustard). Charcuterie platters are available in a box or on a board. All are available by pre-order, order in-store or online at secretmeatclub.com.
Violet Chocolate Company’s holiday collection of flavoured bars, chocolate-covered fruits and nuts and of course some delicious hot cocoa launches November 23. They have a fun and beautiful Advent Calendar available too. Find both at the-violet-chocolate-company.myshopify.com.
Heart of the Home (12539 102 Avenue, 780-705-4928, heartofthehomeyeg.ca) has a full lineup of holiday shopping moments. On November 16, enjoy demos and hot chocolate from 3-6pm during All is Bright. November 20 is the Zwillings J.A. Henckles and Miyabi knife sharpening clinic; November 27, Ladies Sip & Shop from 4-8pm, reserve on their Facebook page. November 29 to December 1 is the Black Friday sale. The 12 Days of Christmas starts December 11 and the Christmas Blow out Sale is December 28-31. Christmas hours: Monday, Tuesday and Saturday; 10-5:30pm Wednesday to Friday; 10-8pm, Sundays 11am-4pm. December 24 and 31,10am-3pm.
cooking classes
Upcoming classes at Kitchen by Brad (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704, kitchenbybrad.ca) Preserves and Fall Cooking, 12:30-3:30pm, Saturday, November 16 and Saturday, November 30. There will be a Holiday Do Ahead cooking class in December and a Ukrainian Cooking Class in January. Check kitchenbybrad.ca for dates. All classes are $145/p++, kitchenbybrad.ca.
There are spots available in various classes at The Ruby Apron. Don’t delay! Book at therubyapron.ca.
Send interesting food and drink news for Kitchen Sink to hello@thetomato.ca.