Monday, October 24, 2016

Pad Thai at Kaeng Thai Bistro

Pad Thai for lunch. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

I was on Whyte Avenue this past Saturday and needed a quick and inexpensive place to have lunch. I stopped in to Kaeng Thai Bistro (10152 82 Avenue), as I have passed it dozens of times and was curious to finally try it. It's set up so you order off of a board, pay first, then sit down and wait for your food to be served. I went with the safe choice of a Pad Thai, choosing tofu as a protein. Pad Thai is already made with tofu, but it is minced up into small pieces. My additional tofu were large and firm, and went well with the huge portion of noodles and bits of fried egg - the latter of which I could actually taste. It wasn't super cheap, but it wasn't expensive either, and most of the people I know who have been here have had good experiences. I will likely come again.

Brisket Platter at Fired Up BBQ

Trying out some BBQ #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

Everyone knows I loves me some barbecue. A friend of mine has raved about Fired Up BBQ several times. I finally had the chance to check it out, and loved the cozy place with Blues music playing overhead. The menu basically consists of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken, with a variety of side dishes. I had the brisket platter, which had about a quarter pound on it, probably more, and I chose corn bread, coleslaw, and potato salad as my three sides. All three were house made and very fresh. The meat was lean and juicy, with a sauce that was not overpowering. Prices are reasonable, if not slightly lower than other BBQ places in town. I was impressed.

Breakfast for Lunch: Breakfast Burrito at Culina Muttart

Breakfast burrito #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

I hadn't been to the Muttart Conservatory or to Culina Muttart in ages, so when the opportunity arose to do both, I grabbed it! For Saturday brunch, I had the Breakfast Burrito (without cheese). The gigantic wrap was filled with scrambled egg, black beans, and sauteed vegetables, while the bed of mole sauce provided some richness and heat. If you like heuvos rancheros, you will probably love this.

The Pho Files: Yellow Curry Vegetable Pho at Friends and Neighbours

Yellow curry tofu noodle soup. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

I often enjoy the vegetarian pho at Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue), but decided to try something different. The yellow curry veggie pho was not listed on the menu as spicy, so I went for it. It was a huge bowl of rich curry broth, with tofu and many vegetables. However, if this was not considered spicy, I would definitely suggest avoiding anything on the menu that actually says it is spicy, if you don't like heat. I found it delicious but quite spicy for my taste. It was definitely worth trying, though.

Building My Own at Urbano Pizza

I headed into the downtown location of Urbano Pizza on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It was my first time. The cheerful server walked me through how to build my own pizza creation, which was on a thin crust and included smoked salmon, capers, mushrooms, sundried tomato, zucchini, an egg, and more things I probably don't remember. At about $12 it was large, fresh, and delicious. The crust did not get too soggy despite all of those toppings. Very nice little place too.

Avocado Combo at Maki Maki

Lunch at Maki Maki (I'm having the avocado combo) #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

I usually have pho at Maki Maki, but decided to have one of the specials. The avocado special came with an avocado roll, several fried soy croquettes, a salad, and a bubble tea (I picked avocado, of course). Wow - this was a huge amount of food. My favourite part was actually the croquettes, which were in a light breading with a rich, dense filling. I took the bubble tea to go as I could not finish it. Even the miso soup at the beginning was very ample. Great value.

Beef Vermicelli at Saigon Taste

Grilled beef vermicelli #yegfood

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When I first had pho at Saigon Taste, I was underwhelmed because I found the broth to be bland. So, when I ended up there again a short while later, I went for a vermicelli bowl instead. What a difference! The meat was tender and flavourful and the portion was quite large. I added a couple of veggie spring rolls for two delicious colours in my bowl.