Taste of Edmonton 2013

Taste of Edmonton is one of the city's best events if you are a food blogger. Dozens of restaurants set up in Churchill Square to offer small samples of their menus items. This year, several restaurants are new to the festival, while yearly regulars are offering new menu items.

Today was the first day of version 2013, and I headed to Churchill Square for lunch. Myself and a friend pitched in and bought 60 tickets - enough for quite the sampling. And then, the fun began.

I had to start things off with the green onion cake from Hong King Bakery. It's crispy outside, soft inside, and generally wonderful texture makes it my favourite onion cake in the city and I look forward to it every year.

My friend adores the pineapple chicken from Blue Willow, and it is something he returns to every year as well. The large portion did not seem much bigger than the regular one though. That was one of the major changes this year - some menu items had regular and small options for different ticket values.

I did not get a chance to sample this hand crafted orange and tangerine ice cream sandwich from Blue Willow, but my friend said it was worth the awkward effort eating it. I think the crispy sandwich part and cold filling would make a delicious contrast in texture.

The chicken tikka and garlic naan from New Asian Village was full of flavour. I found the regular serving more than adequate, with its plentiful vegetables and chicken chunks.

Padmanadi is one of my favourite restaurants and their menu items this year are excellent choices for people wishing to sample vegan goodness. The chicken drumsticks have a great texture: crisp on the outside and stringy on the inside, with a flavour that does resemble the carnivore version.

The chili chicken also had a realistic texture and a sauce with sweetness and a kick. Definitely a winner when it comes to "fake meat." And, at only three tickets an item, Padmanadi has great value also.

The dry, spicy chicken from Lingnan is another annual favourite and we each had to have our own portion. Another great value at three tickets (but noticeably smaller than last year's portion) the pieces of chicken are breaded and fried to perfection. The hot pepper flakes abound - be sure to have something on hand to drink!

The chicken penne from Old Spaghetti Factory was hands down, my friend's favourite and he ended up having another portion! I took a quick taste. While the penne was a perfect al dente, the chicken felt rubbery to me.

This was on our "must try" list. The s'more fritters from Mercer Tavern are a deep fried, hot, sticky, fun dessert. Very very rich - it was perfect for sharing. I didn't really taste any marshmallow as the chocolate dominated (not a bad thing necessarily).

The avocado roll from Zinc packed a huge flavour punch into one little spring roll. The middle is a puree of avocado, tomatoes, and various seasonings. I was detecting that the avocado was a touch over-ripe. The cilantro honey pesto was the star - sweet with cilantro highlights. At three tickets for only one roll it is a bit on the pricey side, but it was one of the most memorable Taste of Edmonton items I have ever sampled.

I had a few forkfuls of the Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai - one of the dishes I enjoyed last year and my friend requested. Just as I recalled, the noodles were firm and flavourful - and the dish is vegetarian to boot!

I found the steak bites from Canadian Brewhouse a little too chewy for my taste, although my friend loved them and the sesame steak sauce.

The tandoori chicken samosa from Guru was another favourite from last year that I had to try again. Once again, it was packed full of minced tandoori chicken in a coating that was soft enough to manipulate with a fork (without things getting too awkward) but still had some crunch to it.

When you are eating lots of great food in the hot sun, you need something to wash it down with. I decided to sacrifice four tickets for 24 ounces of Lemon Heaven. It got very hot this afternoon and this tasted so good.

Then, I had to jump into the City Hall wading pool to cool off! I had a wonderful afternoon at Taste of Edmonton and still have a few tickets left over. A return visit is planned for next week.

Tarragon and Lime Turkey Wrap

Tarragon and lime turkey wrap #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The need for a mid-afternoon snack led me to Jeffrey's Cafe and Wine Bar (9640 142 Street) today. I ordered the featured wrap, which was turkey, cucumber, tomato, and lettuce with a lime and tarragon aioli (I held the cheese).

The wrap was grilled slightly, giving the outside a pleasant crunch. Lots of smoked turkey and the associated veggies filled it out. However, the shining star of this wrap was the aioli. It did not have a strong taste, but added balance and a unique twist to what otherwise would have been a plain turkey wrap. I hope this aioli will be available for other sandwiches and wraps.

I added a small bowl of cream of turkey soup - thick, hot, and fresh. It almost had the consistency of a chowder.

Steak Sandwich at Rosie's

Steak sandwich at Rosie's #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Rosie's (10475 80 Avenue) is a Whyte Avenue dive. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It's as close as you are going to come to find greasy spoon diner food near the main drag of Whyte. Prices are also very reasonable.

I had the steak sandwich, which at $12 was one of the most expensive items on the menu. It was cooked almost perfectly to order and was served alongside very crispy fries, a couple of onion rings, and a vegetable medley (frozen veggies, but at least not overcooked). Just plain, basic food, adequate service, and no frills ambiance.

Matterhorn Sandwich at Swiss 2 Go

Matador sandwich at Swiss2Go, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Swiss 2 Go is a popular sandwich shop that recently relocated from the east part of the city to the west end. It sells mostly sandwiches, soups, and salads.

The selection of sandwiches is as unique as the ingredients, which include dried roast beef, apple crisp, brie cheese, and many other savoury delights - and one sweet Nutella option! I went for a regular-sized Matterhorn, which has the dried beef, avocado, cilantro, and I held the jalapenos and butter.

First of all, the regular size is enormous. A large sandwich, served on a larger bun, would be nearly impossible. Oh, and the bun - it is a fresh pretzel baguette topped with lots of kosher salt. The roast beef almost had the texture of jerky without being quite as dry. The avocado was fresh and in chunky slices, while the cilatro was also coarse.

The beef was definitely an acquired taste, but the food here is very fresh, and service quite friendly. I would perhaps give another sandwich a go. Speaking of going, this is mostly a take-out place with a few tables and no apparent washrooms.

Celebrating Old Strathcona

On July 7, I stopped by the Old Strathcona block party organized by Blues On Whyte. 103 and 104 Streets were blocked off, two stages were filled with music, vendors sold unique items, and, of course, there were food trucks.

I had lunch while I enjoyed some live music and started with a brisket sandwich from Smokehouse BBQ. The slightly sweet, fresh bun was filled with chunks of brisket. The meat was lean, with just a tiny bit of sweet fat to make things rich. The sauce was not overpowering, and the spoonful of coleslaw on top made me glad I grabbed a fork - things could have gotten messy!

I had a snack later on, and went for a vegetarian samosa from Naanolicious. It was interesting seeing the street food truck right there, when their physical location was right nearby! The samosa could have been a little warmer on teh inside, but the outside was satisfyingly crunchy. I also wanted something sweet, so tried an order of Can-naandians, which are pieces of naan bread in the shape of maple leaves in a maple sauce. They were almost like soft cookies in a sauce.

Although the weather did not fully cooperate when I was there, I had a great time hanging out on Whyte Avenue and celebrating the culture the area has to offer.