Undercover Gourmet

There’s nothing better than food trucks in the summer, except for food trucks that park right outside your workplace. We have been spoiled by Rapscallions Food Truck three times now, parking so close to the building that I can see it from my desk. And no, I don’t work downtown so this is an extra special treat.

Rapscallions is a green onion cake food truck gone Mexican. They have turned an already delicious, sought out appetizer, into a stroke of genius Asian meat-filled “taco”, using a green onion cake as the shell. There are only a few items on the menu, but that is ok, because when you are craving green onion cakes, you can order them in all different forms. $7.00 will get you a green onion taco-style wrap with a choice of Thai chicken, roasted pork belly, or Korean shredded beef. Make it a meal for a few bucks more and it will come with 2 pork spring rolls and a pop. The “taco” is a modest size, so you may want to consider the meal, or two… Occasionally they have specials such as grilled cheese and spring roll supreme, but it’s not a staple on their menu yet.

The cakes are grilled, not fried, so the texture may disappoint some if expecting a crispy, flaky green onion cake, but it works extremely well when used as a cradling median for your meat. I quite enjoyed the pork belly taco, although I wish there were more than 3 pieces of pork belly. The pork crackling was crisp, and the meat was tender. It was served with a sweet chili slaw of lettuce, cilantro, carrot and daikon, which was a bit runny for my liking, and I ended up squirting on their garlic chili mayo on top. That certainly kicked it up a notch. The truck also offers other additional sauces you can put in a little take-away container such as garlic chili, sweet chili, and chili soy.

Thai chicken was also tasty and came in a peanut sauce with a bit of cucumbers and lettuce. The sauce paired well with the chicken and green onion cake. The pork spring rolls were decent, but not as crispy as I would like (I’m a fan of the small Vietnamese ones). I paid a little extra to substitute Hong Kong style lemon tea for the pop, but was disappointed to find it a on the watered-down side and needed to be colder.

Overall, Rapscallions was good food truck with a distinct and focused theme. They are certainly welcome at my place of work any day.

Rapscallions Food Truck

Edmonton, Alberta

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I’m a born and raised Edmontonian, and I consider myself to be quite in-tune with the city. It’s hard to believe that a restaurant can be open for 12 years, and that I’ve only took notice of them recently. It becomes even harder to believe because this restaurant pumps out incredible potato filled dumplings which must be shared with the entire city, yet, they are quietly idling in the background.

I work and live on the south side of Edmonton. I take the exact same road to work every day, and drive down bumpy, pothole riddled 99 street from 51^st avenue all the way to 34^th avenue 10 times a week. I first noticed the small Wendy’s Perogies sign on my drive home about a year ago, when I started work with a new company, but never really thought much of it. The shop is very modest looking from the outside, and unless you are visiting the lawyer’s office next door, there is no real reason to take note of this sunken in strip mall covered by lawn signage. I always thought Wendy’s Perogies was a store front, and it wasn’t until a month or so ago that a billboard advertising restaurant hours caught my eye. Instantaneously, lightbulbs went off – you can eat in there!

How this little shop looks on the outside, basically carries the same theme onto the inside. It’s a humble little place with dated wooden chairs and cafeteria style tables. The serving area has a lunchroom feel as a small bain marie hides inserts of cooked perogies. From afar it doesn’t look like much, and if you’re the first customer of the day, you may even think the restaurant is closed. Don’t be fooled by the décor or its meekness.

The menu is simple. You get the choice of 8, 6, or 5 perogies, with either 2 meatballs or kubasa, and a dollop of sour cream. The perogy flavors change daily, and yes you can mix and match! Cheddar, and bacon and cheddar are always on the menu, and 2 other flavors rotate so that customers can try a variety each time. The complete list of choices include:

• Bacon and Old Cheddar
• Old Cheddar and Spinach
• Dill and Swiss Cheese
• Feta Cheese and Spinach
• Old Cheddar Cheese
• Sauerkraut and Bacon
• Jalapeno and Old Cheddar
• Cottage Cheese and Dill
• Sheppard’s Pie
• Tex Mex

Dill and Swiss cheese is the favorite of the bunch. I was skeptical at first, but the combination of dill and Swiss made the perfect sweet potato medley. I was even impressed that the dough itself had bits of chopped dill. Bacon and cheddar came in second place boasting a sharp cheddar filling with noticeable pieces of bacon. Tex Mex was very interesting. There were bits of corn inside, and it definitely had an American-Mexican kick to it. The flavor was great, although I don’t think I could eat too many in a row. Cheddar, although it was 4^th in line for favorites, is by no means in last place or inferior. It is a well done, classic perogy, with traditional filling, and I would eat it in a heartbeat. The potato filling was light, there was obvious cheddar flavor, and it was creamy. The perogies are fairly large and tossed in butter, so if you feel that 6 isn’t enough for lunch, you might be shocked to find yourself in a food coma in the afternoon. The dough on all favors are amazing. It was sturdy, yet not too chewy, and each handmade perogy is carefully crimped and closed so that the filling is perfectly encapsulated inside.

Did I forget to mention the kubasa? It was good, but nothing extraordinary. Just a good balance of sausage in between the perogies. The meatballs are smothered in gravy, but I have yet to give them a try.

And lastly, don’t forget to buy a frozen container before heading home. You never know when you need a midnight snack.

Cheddar, Bacon and Cheddar, Dill and Swiss, and Tex Mex perogies

Wendy’s Gourmet Perogies

4532 99 Street NW

780-732-3893

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Who doesn’t love fried chicken? And who doesn’t love fried chicken in 7 different flavors? The answer should be nobody. Seriously. My obsession for Korean fried chicken is no secret, as is my desire, really, for good food in general, but I want to bring to your attention the edgy new direction that Seoul Fried Chicken (SFC) has taken on. This isn’t your traditional Korean fried chicken shop. Yes, it has delicious crispy battered chicken pieces, with or without sauce, but it also has something else – lots of variety and side dishes aside from kimchi and pickled radishes. Don’t get me wrong, the mainstream stuff is great, but when I want Korean fried chicken twice in one week, this is where my taste buds need to be stimulated.

As some of you may have read my equally enthusiastic part-time blogger bud, Jason Fong’s post on Lee House Restaurant, you may also know that this established little family business has been usurped by a modern, more stylish Korean food joint. Seoul Fried Chicken isn’t the kind of place you want to go for a nice romantic meal, or if you want to dine with 6 of your closest friends. It’s more of a casual eat-wherever-you-can, carry out, kind of place. First off, it’s small, and if you go during peak hours you most likely will not be able to find a seat in the maybe 20 seater restaurant. If you’re ok with taking out, call first or be met with a long line that sometimes goes out the door. Whatever you choose, the chicken is worth the trip.

There are 7 flavors you can sink you mouthwatering jaws into: SFC OG (original), SFC BBQ, Onion Lover, Garlic Soy, Cilantro Lime, G.P. Cheese, and Golden Kari. I am always open to ordering different items on the menu, although I must admit, it’s hard especially when I’m craving a certain something, which happens majority of the time. So far I’ve only tried Onion Lover, Garlic Soy and G.P. Cheese, and already I have my 2 favorites. Garlic Soy and G.P. Cheese are neck-and-neck when it comes to top contenders. Garlic Soy because of its rich, deep, flavorful sauce that coats crispy battered moist chicken and leaves the taste lingering in your mouth several hours later, and G.P. Cheese because of the creamy, finely-grated cheese robe of sauce that smothers slightly lighter fried chicken pieces. Both delicious, and both very different. Almost as different as night and day, which makes the best combination when you order half of each. The common theme that both flavors definitely have is moist chicken and crisp batter. The chicken pieces are a little different from what you would expect from other Korean fried chicken places, and although they are indeed portions of whole chicken, there is difficulty distinguishing between what is thigh and breast, and occasionally pieces may include random bones and other joints that you don’t usually have. Negative or not, this may confuse those used to the typical 8 piece carefully sectioned whole chicken.

Onion Lover on the other hand, was a little disappointing. Plain fried chicken is topped with long curly strings of green onion with a side of sweet mustard dipping sauce. It was good, but nothing too special.

The Sesame Potato Slaw also deserves some special attention. This slaw is one of kind. Shredded yam, cabbage, and bits of green onion make up this delicious salad that is topped with black sesame dressing. I have not confirmed, but I suspect the dressing is yogurt based. It is sweet with a slight bite, and pairs perfectly with the slaw. A must try!

So what’s the conclusion with Seoul Fried Chicken? It’s not your atypical fried chicken shop, and you need to go, now, if possible. Bring your appetite, sense of adventure to try different flavors, and plenty of napkins. I know I will (try) next time.

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Each time I walk into the small and cozy confines of Noodle Feast restaurant, I instantaneously feel a wave of nostalgia. This feeling doesn’t stem from own yearning of home, but rather, for the Northern Chinese who have come to settle in Canada. Within the restaurant there is chatter in fast paced mandarin, the lighting is dim and dark, the furniture dated and old, and there is the subtle sound of newspapers flipping by the single diner in the corner, but none of that will matter once you get a taste of what glorious noodles you will experience. Prior to entering the restaurant, you will mentally prepare yourself to eliminate any and all expectations pertaining to service and atmosphere. Do not expect a certain level of service, or service at all for that matter, and I don’t believe the owner has made an ounce of renovation effort since its previous occupant. What you can have high expectations for, is the food. You will notice the clientele is primarily Northern Chinese, you will notice there is very minimal conversation at each table, but what you will experience, is a gastronomic journey like no other, and you will know you have arrived at the right place.

Noodle Feast, as the name suggests, is the hub of authentic hand-made Northern Chinese noodles. The menu is simplistic and requires self-ordering from of a paper checklist. At first glance, the menu may seem overwhelming, but after careful review of the different items, you will find it is merely a permutation of pairings between noodle and sauce. The restaurant offers 3 basic types of noodles: rolling, sliced, and hand-pulled. The difference between them, aside from the obvious method of preparation, is the very specific level of density, texture, and size.

The rolling variety is the lightest and thinnest noodle. The shape and wave is similar to ramen, with a lighter density. Sliced is a heavier style of noodle with irregular widths and most similar in size to that of linguine. The lack of uniformity gives that reassuring aspect of being hand-made, and the increased density requires a little more chewing power. Last comes the pride and joy of the restaurant, the hand-pulled noodles. These flat, wide, and dense noodles are the first to sell out, so late diners beware. These heavy, endlessly long tagliatelle-style noodle will fill any empty stomach in an instant. No noodle is more superior than the other, rather it merely comes down to preference. The one similarity, is that you should prepare for a carb coma.

Sauces range from minimalist chili oil and green onion, to minced pork, to egg and tomato. The majority of noodles come tossed, while only a handful are offered with a soup base. No matter what accompaniment you choose, you will not be disappointed. To maximize your sampling options, I recommend going with some friends and sharing the noodles family style. The portions are big, so unless you’re feeling heroic, one bowl of noodles is more than enough for the average person. The dumplings are also made well, in that the cooked pork juices are retained in the dumpling wrapper so long as delicate chopsticks skills are administered. Do not be foolish and try to bite the dumpling in half. While you may have strong urge to see what lies underneath the thin wrapper, doing so may cause scalding hot cooking liquid to spray everywhere. Remember to eat with caution! If you can take some heat, order the dumplings in the sour and spicy soup. Although the menu may say chive dumplings, carnivorians rejoice as there is actually pork inside.

I believe the simplest things in life are the best. When the bowl of hand-pulled chili oil and green onion noodles arrive at your table, your first impression of it will be that it appears plain. Although the presentation may seem ordinary, once the noodles and sauce are mixed in, and the aromas start to fill your nostrils, as you slurp up your first chopstick full of sauce glazed noodles, you will be pleasantly, and oddly comforted. The flavors are strong and stimulating, the noodles produce a satisfying bite, and as you continue to explore the remains of what seems like a bottomless bowl, you will too feel this sense of nostalgia.

Oh, and do not forget to order a glass of soy milk to wash it all down. After it’s all said and done, and even if you’re lucky enough to take leftovers home, the only thing left to do is sit back and start thinking of what to order the next time you visit this amazing noodle house.

There’s a new kid on the block, the Strathcona County block that is. And what does this new kid do? Offer the best authentic Thai cuisine I’ve ever had outside of Thailand. Honestly. But let us clear up some facts before we get too carried away here.

Tommy is not in fact a kid, but rather an extremely hard-working man who loves food, takes pride in his Thai culture, and wants to share it with everyone. I remember my own youthful days of going to school all day, then working a serving job at night, but there is no way that would happen in this day and age. Absolutely not possible. Which brings me to my first commending point about Tommy – he is one hard-working individual, and his hard work and passion is evident in his food.

Located on the eastern end of Wye Road in Sherwood Park, Sawaddee sits in a quiet strip mall, tucked away out of plain sight. The outside is very modest looking, with photographs of Thai dishes along the windows. Once inside, the bright colors and comfortable Thai decor will leave you pleasantly surprised. Magenta chairs and purple colored walls complement each other, while a gorgeous elephant picture hangs on one of the walls. Thai mats line the tables, and if you’re afraid of missing the basketball game on TV, Tommy has you covered.

What I love most about Sawaddee’s menu is that it doesn’t just serve the regular stuff. Yes there are curries, stir frys, and noodle dishes, but what makes this restaurant stand out from the rest is the appetizers and salads. From homemade curry puffs to Thai sausage, Sawaddee will give you a taste of something you’ve never had before.

Let’s start with the minced pork toasts, kanom pang na moo. These delicious toasts have a layer of minced pork spread on top, which is then gently deep-fried. They are salty and slightly sweet, and comes with a delicious relish crudite mixture of cucumbers, red onions, and a syrupy sauce which reminds me of Japanese mirin. Combine the two and you have a perfect medley of flavors. Don’t let the boring name fool you. These toasts are everything but.

Next comes the cury puffs. Made in-house by Tommy’s mother, these puffs are extremely aromatic with a gentle curry flavor infused into a medley of beef, potatoes, and green peas. The edges of the puff are crimped ever so professionally, making it hard to believe they were made by hand. The puff is light and airy, leaving you hungry for more.

If you love sausage, you will definitely appreciate saikok e-san, North Eastern Thai sausage. Stuffed with minced pork and rice, the texture and taste of this sausage is one of the most unique I’ve ever tried. The flavors are almost indescribable. Savory, with a touch of sweetness and umami, the flavor of this sausage is definitely uncommon.

 

Finally we come to the larp. I loved this salad dish so much I ordered it twice in a row, even after telling myself I would try all new dishes on my next visit. Calling it a salad is also slightly deceiving, even though that’s where it falls on the menu, as I don’t recall salads being majority minced meat. Larp is your choice of meat, we picked pork both times, mixed with toasted rice, red onions, and a combination of Thai spices. If you can’t take too much heat, ask for medium spice level. If you can take it, go nuts as I’ve been told the hot version tastes even better. The mixture sits on whole lettuce leaves whereby you scoop and eat it all together. The toasted rice also adds a neat texture. Just remember not to inhale while swallowing.

The peanut sauce with the satay is creamy and delicious, the curries are yummy, and I have to mention the pad kee mao because it is my husband’s favorite dish of all time. This (very) spicy noodle dish comprises of flat rice noodles, basil, chili, vegetables and your choice of meat. Too spicy for my liking, but if spice floats your boat then you will enjoy this flavorful noodle dish more than I will. My only word of advice is to ask for more napkins because you WILL start sweating profusely.

If you live in Edmonton and am lazy to drive great distances like I am, you will have to suck it up to get a taste of this fantastic food. And if you love Thai food as much as I do, you probably have already tried all the restaurants around town. Make the trek. It’s worth the drive to sample the blood and sweat (not to be taken literally) of this hard-working Thai man and his dream of opening a top-notch authentic Thai restaurant.

 

Sawaddee Thai Cuisine

#190, 664 Wye Road

Sherwood Park

780-570-1999

 

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