let’s eat out safely
Restaurants continue to operate within the new restrictions. Most restaurants, wine shops and food markets have adopted the Restrictions Exemption Program. You must be vaccinated or have valid proof of a negative test in order to dine in. Remember to treat the people asking for this info kindly–it’s not personal but it is their job. Find your vaccine record here and check the establishment’s website before you go to discover the exact set-up for any particular business. Otherwise, food businesses are offering take-away menu, delivery, online ordering and curbside pick-up. To our beleaguered health care workers, we salute you!
awn kitchen in lansdowne expands menu
Awn Kitchen (104 5124 122 Street, 587-469-4955, awnkitchen.com) is sporting new breakfast and lunch dishes. Pictured is the house-made ashuri cereal (puffed wheat with nuts and seeds), loads of fresh berries and Vital Greens yogurt. So good. Or, try the sausage rolls, the delish little feta pastry popovers or classic bircher muesli. For lunch—a trio of salads and a tasty soup. There is still a few seats left in some AWN cooking classes (the Irish table, four Christmas-themed classes, sourdough basics). Check the web site for details.
a monsoon of flavour
Check out the new Monsoon Bistro for delicious cocktails and food. Highlights: the sharable vegetarian flight of toothsome corn fritters, roasted cauliflower, potato cakes and paneer yogurt croquettes; lal mass (lamb); the naan (dill or garlic, both tender and airy) and dal quereshi. No room for sweets but loved the Sharabi and Singh is King cocktails, as well as the attentive service and extensive tea service. Check it out! Monsoon Bistro & Bar, 4485 Gateway Boulevard, 587-882-6130, monsoonbistro.ca.
tomato top100: bodega’s piri piri prawns
Turn up the heat at La Bodega Tapas Bar. Along with the delish piri-piri prawns on the Tomato Top100, find grilled piri-piri chicken and piri-piri dusted fried calamari on the menu now. Giddy up! Enjoy at La Bodega Downtown, on 124 street, in the Highlands, St Albert and Sherwood Park, bodegayeg.ca.
apple pudding cake for the win
Awn Kitchen’s Kaelin Whittaker’s apple pudding cake is an easy way to use up the tsumani of apples you may have, from your own tree or the farmers’ markets, and the Italian Centre Shops have a bountiful selection of Okanagan apples in stock. No time like now to attack a crisp Macintosh, but for cooking, a Honey Crisp or Pink Lady might be your best bet. Find the recipe here.