Undercover Gourmet

Food, service, price, atmosphere. These are the typical deciding factors for your average diner. Some factors are more important than others, while some are more of a preference. It varies per person. I personally rank food as #1. If it’s delicious I don’t’ care who serves it to me, how much it costs, or whether I had to eat it standing in a crowded room. Taste always prevails. I seldom let a negative service experience dictate my choice of restaurant. The exact same server who provided top notch service one night can quickly turn foul the following shift. Sometimes though, exceptions can be made.

It’s a slow and snowy Sunday morning when we enter Local Public Eatery. The interior is dark and rugged, quite the opposite to its predecessor OPM. After a quick glance through the menu, I am ready to order. My only mission here is the banana pancakes with toffee syrup and truffled yam fries. Half an hour after we order, our table still sits empty, stomachs growling, hands starting to shake from the volume of consumed coffee. When our plates finally arrive, we dig in furiously, only stopping for a moment to notice the toffee syrup was missing. We ask the waitress about the missing condiment. “We don’t have any today”, she replied. Not a big deal we thought, although it would have been nice to be informed when we ordered. The pancakes were decent, but nothing amazing. Sliced bananas scattered on top a stack of 4 cakes, some with mashed bananas mixed into the batter. I was hoping there would have been more caramelization involved. Maybe the toffee syrup would have been the icing on the cake? Several bites in, the manager stops to ask if it was ok that they didn’t have toffee syrup. “Sure” we reply awkwardly, not much can be done even if it wasn’t ok. A couple more bites. We comment on how the berry smoothie presented in a shot glass made a nice touch. Then, another manager stops by our table, again to apologize for the syrup. “We don’t get it in very often, when we get it, it comes in a huge order, and then some days we don’t get any at all.”

… We sat there dumbfounded. That was the last straw. What started as a miniscule set back ended up being an irritating experience. If you don’t have an item readily stocked, don’t put it on your menu, and especially don’t tell your guests’ that! Better yet, put a sticker over-top the item with “sorry not available” OR communicate to your servers so they can inform the guests when they place their order. The fact we were approached by so many people just added insult to injury. I also forgot to mention the server who retorted “I’ll tell your server to get it” when we asked for more aioli. This is an example of when bad service would prevent me from returning. When this happens with one staff member it’s an isolated incident, but when it happens with many, it’s a problem.

The only thing that remotely saved the day was the yam fries. Crispy all around, piping hot, freshly fried, cut to the perfect size and paired with a mouth watering truffle aioli. After a little customer service 101, I may consider returning for those.

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Last weekend I had a very epiphanic trip in Calgary. It all started when I finally watched Food Inc., and was absolutely blown away. The film brought about anger and disgust, but it also sparked determination to make a difference. I was enlightened by what I saw. This is not to say I was completely ignorant of what went on in certain sectors of the food industry, but I was in a state of denial. Prior to being forced to watch the movie (well almost forced, someone clicked play even though I detested against watching it), I knew what took place at factory farms, and I knew processed foods and snacks were coated with preservatives and chemicals, I just never gathered up courage to face the truth. Food Inc has changed my life. From this day forward I vow to focus on organic foods and support local farms more than ever. I will frequent the Farmer’s Market more than stopping at Costco, and will even grow my own fruits and vegetables come spring. Now, let’s be honest here, I’m not going to completely cut junk food out of my life. I will still eat that Big Mac once in awhile and enjoy a Blizzard on a blistering summer’s day. I believe in balance and consumption in moderation and that applies to the good and yes to an extent, even the bad – this is being realistic. I will however, read the labels more carefully, lean towards organic, sustainable, eco-friendly products, and consider the repercussions when I purchase items from large corporations who weigh profitability over the working conditions of their staff. (I apologize for the rant… when I turned a lunch conversation into a passionate spiel of opinions and beliefs I got a “oh oh, here we go again!”).

Ironically that same night we had reservations at Farm. What a perfect way to kick start my focus on eating local. I must start by praising the house brewed iced tea. It is phenomenal, possibly the best and most unique brew I’ve tasted. It had a lightly sweetened, citrusy note, with an enticing floral scent. I had to ask the waitress what the secret was: orange oolong, (can’t remember what kind of) black tea, vanilla, apple juice. We start off with The Cutting Board – a mix and match selection from a list of cheeses and cold meats. The cheese was wonderful, and the way it was plated was ingenious yet so simple. The charcaturie and/or cheese is lined up in columns with its proper pairing condiment. Logical and straightforward, there was no need for trial and error to find the optimum combination. Although the selection we chose was not local, except for the Copa which is from Alberta, it was fabulous.

There was a section called “sharing” but it was a unanimous decision from the group that everything would be shared that evening. First up was the beef carpaccio. Supplied by Pura Vida, this flavorful plate of paper thin sliced beef was decorated with cubed potatoes and garlic aioli. Delicious. Then came a warm roasted beet salad, also picked from a local farm, served with arugula and candied walnuts. Also delicious. Third was Janice’s Mac and Cheese. This beautifully golden baked pasta was a bit spicier than expected (not that I’m complaining, but one guest mentioned the inconsistency). Spiciness aside, it was absolutely scrumptious. Last came the corned beef, which sadly was less fabulous compared to the other dishes. The taste was there, but the texture was not as flakey as I preferred it to be.

Dessert was different. 2 menus were presented, one the chocolate selection, the other the standard dessert menu. While the chocolate choices were decent, we went with pomogranante with white chocolate, and caramel with dark chocolate, the one chocolate with the least consensus was bacon. Bacon and chocolate, I’ve heard of it many times, but never tasted it until now. I’ve been told you either love it or hate it, but I think I’ll just say that I don’t care for it. We finished everything off with a goat cheese panna cotta, which was nothing astounding and definitely needed more honey.

Was it slightly overpriced? Yes and no. When compared quantity wise – yes, by the end I was satisfied by not overly full. For the amount spent I would have hoped to me more stuffed. In terms of supporting local produce grown in sustainable environments – no, I accepted the cost of spending more on food that was chemical free and good for the body. With a cozy atmosphere and warm service, either way I had an enjoyable evening. What better way to support our local farms and businesses.

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As the winter months seem never ending in Alberta, one sure fire way to keep warm and cozy is to hot pot. A very popular form of Chinese style eating, hot pot is the Eastern version of fondue. Perfect for group gatherings, a hot pot can serve 6 people, or more, comfortably with very minimal labor involved for the host, because your guests cook for themselves! Here are some useful hot pot essentials including equipment and simple tips:

1)      Purchase a butane burner. Sold at most Asian grocery markets around Edmonton, such as Lucky 97 and T&T, a butane burner will keep a much more stable rolling boil for your pot of soup versus an electrical stove top. You also prevent accidents with loose cords. Keep a back-up butane gas cartridge just in case dinner lasts longer than expected.

2)      Proper utensils and sanitation is important here. Make sure each guest has 2 sets of everything – one for cooking and one for eating. I don’t want to sound like a sanitation freak, but by preventing cross contamination of raw and cook foods, you of course will minimize the accusations for food poisoning. Chopsticks and wire spoons are most effective. If you don’t want to spend money on wire spoons, slotted spoons will suffice.

3)      Be familiar with doneness and cooking times. Use common sense when cooking your foods. Chicken takes longer to cook than pork or beef. If you’re worried about something being underdone, it’s better to be safe than sorry, and cook it a couple minutes more. Avoid adding too many items into the pot at once. The large volume of food will naturally lower the temperature of your broth, thus causing wait time for the soup to return to a boil. The enjoyment of hot pot is to eat slowly and take in the company!

4)      If possible, offer a spicy and non-spicy broth base. Diluted chicken or fish stock easily does the trick. To spice things up you can purchase soup base with a kick, or tweak your own using chilli powder or chilli oils. Divided pots are available.

5)      Condiments. If you’re worried about a bland soup base, a variety of sauces will cover that right up. Here are some typical ones:

1. Soy Sauce – a staple in Chinese cuisine
2. Sambal Chili Paste – one of the best chilli sauces around. The hotness level is moderate with a slight tang, and has texture from the chilli seeds
3. Hoisin Sauce – great for beef balls or sliced meat
4. Raw Egg – this may be for your more advanced hot pot guests. It’s common to scramble up a raw egg with some soy and Sambal sauce. By placing the steaming hot food into the dipping bowl, you begin to cook some of the egg, but understandably, is not for everyone

6)      Pre-sliced meat. T&T offers a nice selection of meats from beef, to pork, to chicken, to lamb. No work required except for removing the plastic wrapper. Make sure to defrost if purchased frozen.

7)      Fish balls and cakes are another flavourful choice. Typically found in the frozen section of your Chinese grocer, they cook relatively quick and are ready when they float to the surface.

8)      Veggies such as lettuce or bok choy and/or vermicelli noodles. Save these for last because after all the meats are cooked, either of these will soak up all the flavours from the broth. They are also lighter so your guests don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of food.

You can make a hot pot dinner as plentiful or as scarce as you desire. These tips are to cover all grounds, but there are no set rules to the kinds of meats and condiments you offer. The beauty of this style of meal is you can cater to your guests with minimal work. Create a vegetarian dinner by simply changing the type of stock, or focus on beef by purchasing a variety of cuts. The possibilities are endless. If you’ve never hot potted before, I’m most certain you will be the talk of town once you’ve introducing this to your friends and family. Enjoy and stay warm this winter!

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Poutine for dinner? Why the heck not! No, I’m not talking about New York Fries or some other sad version of food court poutine (alright, I will retract the statement about NYF, which I actually enjoy after a productive shopping trip). I’m talking about Duck Confit Poutine from Laurier Lounge  – real Quebecois cuisine. In a restaurant that is as beautiful as the food it serves, scattering shredded bits of confit duck on a mound of crispy fries, mozzarella curds, dried cranberries, mouth watering gravy, and fresh sprigs of thyme seems fitting. You haven’t tasted real poutine until you’ve tried this version. At first glance you may feel regret for not ordering the poutine as an appetizer, but as you devour into the crispy, tender, salty, sweet melting pot of textures and flavors, the richness of the gravy and duck begins to kick in. A bottle of Don de Dieu beer, also brewed in Quebec, boasting a 9% alcohol content will wash everything down perfectly, and you will still have room for dessert.

The restaurant is dark and intimnate, perfect for a romantic night out, with a hint of brassserie style. A second floor opens up more seating space within this historical building. The single family dwelling built in 1908 was home to George Stanley, historian, author, soldier, teacher, and designer of the current Canadian flag. This historic ambiance can be felt instantanously by the creak of the floors, maturity of the walls, and slight hint of musk in the air. Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve before you head out.

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by Jason Fong

We have all had a good steak. Face it, the “I love Alberta Beef” rings true in all of us, but what sets apart a good steak from a great steak? Ladies and gentlemen I give you the Bronzed Rib Eye Steak at Rigoletto’s Café. Rigoletto’s steps outside the norm by thinking outside the box, and stepping into a bigger box filled with flavor. There is no teriyaki sauce, sage butter, or garlic butter here my friends. Most places give you the same generic tastes governed slightly different from where the cow was born, raised, or fed. This is all cancelled out when the steak is rubbed down with Montreal steak spice and grilled to your liking. But wait, it gets even better! The marinated rib eye steak that is seared on the grill to your liking is coated with an amazing honey jalapeño butter sauce. The sauce is not overly spicy as the jalapeños are balanced by the honey to mellow the heat. While grilling, the sugars in the marinade caramelize into a sweet glaze enveloping the rib eye as the fat renders all around and crisps around the edges nicely. Add pan-fried potato gnocchi and tender crisp veggies and you have yourself a real steak dinner. The gnocchi, I would recommend an extra side order of to dip the sauce your steak leaves behind. As you cut into your first bite of steak it is tender to the touch. As this bite makes contact with your tongue the fat and sugars sizzle and melt into a delicious blend of happiness that evolves with every chew. As the tender bits of morsel pass, you are left with a bit of heat from the sauce which sets off the brain to repeat this process. When you awake from this temporary food stupor you realize the steak is gone, the vegetables are gone, and all that remain of your gnocchi are bits of parmesan cheese and chives.

If you must make a steak your last, make it this one. Pair it with the Italian Chianti and enjoy thoroughly.

This post is written by Jason Fong, and edited by Evonne Li

Jason Fong is a former co-worker and long time friend. He is a real pork aficionado, particularly devoted to bacon and pork belly. A day hardly goes by without him suggesting new ways and methods to add bacon into every meal.

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Yesterday, the Edmonton Journal introduced a new series in the  Bistro section, Taste Alberta. This is the first of many articles celebrating Alberta food. Their website aims to share the foundations of our local cuisine from where they are produced and processed, to where to purchase. I think the idea is fabulous. Alberta produce is underappreciated, and unheard of to most. There are too many big named franchise restaurants in Edmonton, and not enough small eateries that show off ingredients for what they are. If you ask anybody what local foods Alberta is known for, chances are the answer you will get, is beef. But we are a province of more than just beef. We grow delicious berries, produce great cheese, and farm wonderful chicken and pork.

Turducken is the opening Bistro article for this new focal point. An ingenious conglomeration of duck, chicken, turkey, all deboned and stuffed neatly inside of each other. I once tried a Turducken many moons ago. It all started when I was, of course, watching Food Network (I cannot remember if it was Top 5 for Unwrapped), and there was an episode on holiday favorites. I jumped at the opportunity to wow my guests and ordered a Turducken online, costing me about $150. While it saved me a lot of cooking, and it was a great conversational piece, I did not find as moist as plain turkey. But seeing as it was many years ago, I am willing to give it another shot.

Back to the debut of Taste Alberta. What better way to celebrate local food, than to taste local food. The reception takes place at the Shaw Conference Center’s beautiful Riverview Room. There, very proud local producers such as Sunterra Meats, Irvings Farm Fresh, Lola Canola Honey, Sylvan Star Cheese Farm and many others showcased what great Alberta food tastes like. I am a fan of Sylvan Star Cheese (the stuffed French Toast with Gruyere from Dairy Lane Café in Calgary is AMAZING), and I’ve purchased mushrooms from Mo-Na Food at City Market Downtown. There are 2 dishes in particular that deserved a second helping:

1)      Big Rock Braised Sunterra Bison Short Rib: very tender and sweet bison, the glacé coating it equally as mouthwatering (although not the main focus of the dish, the truffled mashed potatoes is worth noting!)

2)      Miniature Lola Canola Honey Crème Brulee with Berry Ridge Orchard Saskatoon Compote: an incredible custard of smooth honey with a full flavored berry sauce

Overall, it was an excellent evening with good food, a gorgeous view of the city, in the company of some very talented and passionate Albertans. Thank you Kerry, Liane, and Edmonton Journal for the invite and for a wonderful evening!

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These guys make a damn good bagel. And you’d better, if that is the focus of your restaurant. To start off your day, you can order a bagel as a “eggs benedict creation”. Their menu has a noticeably European theme: Polish sausage and smoked cheese, blood sausage, Iberico Spanish salami, Chorizo, Lox. The White Sausage and Roasted Garlic Benny on multigrain bagel is amongst some of the most popular benny’s suggested by the waitress. The bagel is crisp, fresh, and daintier than your average sized bagel. Although I didn’t get to choose the doneness of my egg, it came out a beautiful medium yolk with a delicous hollandaise sauce. With that you also get a side of potato hash and a very elaborate arrangement of exotic fruit including kiwi, mandarin orange, melon, a couple berries and (most surprisingly) dragon fruit.

The house coffee is a must to order. Espresso sets the base, served with steamed milk on the side. The result is very light, frothy, strong coffee. The atmosphere is also very European, with hardwood boards on the floors and ceilings, cozy tight corners, and eclectic trinkets hanging on the walls. The only downside is breakfast for two cost $52 (including tip). Would I return? I’m still curious to see how fois gras and truffle taste in benedict form, but it will depend on who’s paying the bill…

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The food – fabulous

The concept – phenomenal

If there’s one thing that worries me when I eat out, its the possibility of diner’s remorse. Decisions, decisions. Dining out should be satisfying, not stressful. Making that single choice on what to eat for that one meal is not as easy a choice as it seems. If you’ve travelled far to try a restaurant for the very first time, it could be your one and only shot to make a connection. Everybody has their comfort food, comfort being the type of food you are automatically drawn to. Beef, chicken, pasta… it’s something you love to eat, and will more than likely choose the majority of the time. Occasionally you become adventurous and try the lamb, the bison, maybe even go vegetarian for the evening. But what happens if it’s not good? Then you’ve wasted a meal! Then you reminisce and say to yourself “I should always stick with what I know”.

Zinc Restaurant has the solution to all your problems. Their fall menu debuts a new concept called “by the bite” or “by the plate”. Similar to ordering wine by the glass or by the bottle, everything on Zinc’s menu can be ordered… well, in bite sized servings! The days of making that hesitant risk is over. Try everything on the menu for approximately $140, or select a handful of dishes to satisfy your strongest cravings. Everything on the menu flows very well, but there are several dishes that stand out during the tasting launch:

  (from top to bottom: cucumber & tomato salad,

-          “lobster latte” are the words used to describe this soup. The strong flavors of Sherry are imbedded in a frothy texture providing a light, yet rich bisque. Who would think the two concepts can co-exist!

-          Saltimbocca, our guest at the table shared its literal translation as “jumps in the mouth”, is traditionally veal lined with prosciutto and sage. This dish definitely stimulates the taste buds. The chicken, carefully wrapped in prosciutto, is moist and incredibly fresh, garnished with a dollop of tangy red pepper butter. Papperdelle pasta noodles carefully rolled lie patiently at the bottom, ready to balance out the strong flavors. An excellent composition of layered flavors.

Connected to the Art Gallery of Alberta, the setting is, as you would expect, modern and geometrical, yet relaxed. Boasting a clear street view of Churchill square through its floor to mid ceiling windows, there is a distinct feeling being surrounded by talent. The bar is trendy, experimenting with infused vodkas such as bubble gum and bruschetta. Needless to say, the tasting of all 19 plates was impressive. The presentation was methodical, and the atmosphere was great. Thank you Chef Omar and the hospitable team at Zinc for a lovely evening!

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The holiday season is just around the corner, and for those who still need to slave away at a full-time job, take the kids school, clean the house, feed the dogs, go to yoga etc. when it comes to entertaining, the easier the better. Even though we look for easy solutions, we don’t want our guests to think they have been served pre-made foods from M&M Meat Shops! Here are a few tips that add a gourmet touch without the gourmet techniques:

1)      Flavored Oils – an excellent way to add subtle flavors to the simplest dishes. Costco has a beautiful, but very poorly designed, package by an Australian brand called Gourmet Lovers. For $19.49 you get 4 bottles of extra virgin olive oil infused with Lemon & Orange, Rosemary & Oregano, Chili, and Garlic. Throw together a simple salad of mesclun greens, red onions, tomatoes, fresh bocconcini with a drizzle of rosemary and oregano flavored oil. Or brush the oil onto slices of French baguette or pita bread before toasting it in the oven. It will add an enticing fragrance to otherwise plain bread.

2)     Phyllo Dough– I used to be scared of phyllo dough. Yes it’s fragile, yes it tears easy, and yes you have to work quickly with it, but in the end all these paranoid miniscule mistakes are covered up by each successive layer of dough. I love that almost anything, from savory to sweet, can be wrapped in phyllo and baked in the oven, but my favorite (and easiest) hors d’œuvre is Brie wrapped in phyllo. Buy a wheel of Brie, wrap it in about 4-6 sheets of phyllo (depending on how much pastry you prefer) brushed with melted butter, place in the oven and when the dough turns golden brown you have an elegant looking appetizer. Serve with sliced baguette, jalapeño jelly and voila! For dessert, place a dollop of jam or pie filling with chopped chocolate, toasted nuts or shredded coconut, wrap in triangles and bake. Frozen phyllo dough can be found at most grocery stores.

3)      Dips– a must-have condiment at any dinner party. Try to offer a variety such as hot, cold, creamy or chutney (salsa, tapenade). Avoid dips from large grocery stores like M&M Meat Shop and Sobeys, and head towards the Farmers Market. Not only can you taste what you are purchasing, but it has a homemade touch to it. I recommend The Happy Camel and Dip-Sea Chicks, both are located at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market.

4)      Charcuterie– there is nothing wrong with serving sausages, pâtés, cured meats and head cheese, as long as it is good quality. The Italian Centre is an excellent starting point where they even offer party platters at the deli counter. If you have a local butcher, that’s even better.

Entertaining can be stressful, and not many of us see it as therapeutic relief. Remember that sometimes simplicity is bliss, and not everything has to be incredibly fancy or over-the-top. Beware of any food allergies your guests may have, and never bite off more than you can chew. Your friends and family will appreciate whatever you put on the table, and the last thing they want to see is a stressed out host or hostess. Happy entertaining!

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Ginseng Sushi and BBQ is a meat lover’s heaven. For $29 per person, you can indulge yourself in an all-you-can-eat feast of tantalizingly marinated Korean meats. The only catch is, you have to cook it yourself.

Korean BBQ is a very popular style of  restaurant seen all throughout Asia. Some restaurants have a buffet like set up, while others offer a la carte style. Either way, at the center of the table sits a gas grill (which the waitress will operate for you), where you cook your own food, at your own pace, to whatever doneness you prefer. Just think of it similar to the Asian version of fondue…

At Ginseng, the selection of food is more than decent. From the marinated meats, you can choose from the classic bulgogi (bbq beef), galbi gui (bbq beef short ribs), dahk galbi (spicy chicken), daeji bulgogi (spicy pork), and jumulleok (beef in sesame oil). For unmarinated, there is samgyeopsal (pork belly – an unsalted and non smoked version of bacon with larger amounts of fat), baby squid, mussels, and vegetables. Kim chi, sukju namul (bean sprout salad), California rolls, soup, fried rice, deep-fried dumplings, and Shanghai noodles (yes, I’m not really sure either how that ended up there) will help change things up when you need a rest from all the meat. Service is great. We were offered additional condiments, aside from the soy sauce and hot sauce, of bean paste, sliced jalapenos and garlic, and lettuce to eat the “Korean way” by wrapping it together with rice, kimchi and meat. Our grill top was also changed a couple times when the sugar from the marinade started to burn and char. The only thing missing to make it a perfect meal is dessert.

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