Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House: Brisket and Chicken Lo Noodles

Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House (10626 97 Street) is a Chinatown restaurant specializing in - as its name suggests - noodle dishes. The menu consists of a variety of soups (which include noodles), vermicelli dishes, and house specialty noodles. The proteins in most of the dishes include beef, pork, and chicken, as well as lamb in a few of them.

Since noodles is the Gui Lin speciality, house noodle dishes are what I ordered: a Chicken Lo Noodle and a Brisket Lo Noodle, to be precise. The noodles were flat and almost clear, with a slightly chewy texture. They mixed in well with the protein, peanuts, and bamboo shoots, and parsley that adorned. Each mouthful resonated with notes of sweet, spicy and sour in different levels of intensity. The flavours were balanced, and as someone who has a low spice tolerance threshold, I was not overwhelmed with heat, but felt my taste buds tingling just enough. While the chicken mostly tasted from the hot and sour flavour soundtrack, the brisket was tender and maintained some of its meaty notes, although it also had the same flavour combination underscoring it. The person who ate the rest of the Brisket Lo Noodle raved about the dish's flavour.

I also ordered one of the restaurant's appetizers, the lemongrass chicken. What looked like the equivalent of two thighs were cut up in bite-sized pieces and cooked in the tangy and mildly spicy lemongrass, served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Definitely flavourful and satisfying.

Overall, after finishing my lunch I felt like I had taken a culinary journey, which I hope to explore again.

Brisket Lo Noodle

 

Brisket and Gravy at Sloppy Hogg's

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Brisket and gravy on corn bread with potato salad and coleslaw. I need a nap. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #yegfoodie #yegdt #barbecue #bbq

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@apaulagetics) on May 18, 2019 at 1:43pm PDT

Memphis Blues BBQ

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My first trip to Memphis Blues BBQ yesterday. Huge brisket sandwich. Funny signs too. #yeg #yegfood #millwoods #yegfoodie #yegeats #bbq

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@apaulagetics) on Jun 15, 2019 at 8:47am PDT

Brisket at Sloppy Hogg's

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I ate half a cow for supper. At least, that’s how it felt, in the best possible way. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #yegfoodie #yegdt #edmontonfood #brisket #barbecue

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@apaulagetics) on Dec 12, 2019 at 8:05pm PST

Brisket Sandwich & Hush Puppies at Sloppy Hoggs (9563A 118 Ave.)

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An incredibly hefty brisket sandwich with fries. The meat is really tender. And so plentiful we didn’t need the hush puppies and gravy, although the corn fritters were addictively crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the gravy being one of the best I have ever had (a mix of chicken and beef). #yeg #sloppyhoggs #bbq #brisket #yegfood #yegfoodie #nofilter

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 6, 2018 at 1:59pm PDT

An incredibly hefty brisket sandwich with fries. The meat is really tender. And so plentiful we didn’t need the hush puppies and gravy, although the corn fritters were addictively crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the gravy being one of the best I have ever had (a mix of chicken and beef).

Breakfast for Lunch: Brisket Hash at Rooster (10732 82 Ave.)

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Brisket hash with potatoes, caramelized onions, micro greens, and two eggs added. For me, hash has to have eggs. The brisket is perfectly braised with quite a bit of fat. The greens add some lightness to the flavour. This is supposedly a small plate but the portion is quite hefty. (Not complaining.) #yeg #yegfoodie #brunch #yegfood #therooster #yegeats

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 1, 2018 at 1:04pm PDT

Brisket hash with potatoes, caramelized onions, micro greens, and two eggs added. For me, hash has to have eggs. The brisket is perfectly braised with quite a bit of fat. The greens add some lightness to the flavour. This is supposedly a small plate but the portion is quite hefty. (Not complaining.)

Brisket Pot Pie at Brick and Whiskey

Brisket pot pie with grilled zucchini and garlic mashed potatoes. The crust was divine, with a filing full of shredded brisket - I just wish the filling to crust proportion was a little more even. The potatoes were very garlicky, so if that’s how you like them, you’re in luck. Comfort food, and a huge portion of it. #yeg #yegfood #yegfoodie #yegeats #nofilter #brickandwhiskey #potpie

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jun 24, 2018 at 1:58pm PDT

Brunch, Brisket, and Steak at the Brick and Whiskey

Brisket sandwich, fries, and a highball. #yegfood #yegeats #yeg #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Dec 8, 2017 at 9:22am PST

I have been to this location (8937 82 Avenue) in several previous incarnations, most recently reinvented as the Brick and Whiskey. I am happy to say both the food and ambiance have improved. My first meals was the brisket sandwich, which had the meat piled up thick, with a mountain of fries. The meat was a little fattier than I like, but otherwise it tasted great.

Corned beef hash #yegfood #yeg #yegeats #brunch #foodporn #yegbrunch

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Dec 9, 2017 at 2:09pm PST

From opening until 4 p.m. on weekends, Brick and Whiskey has a longer brunch time window than most other establishments in the area, which stop serving at 2 p.m. I went for the corned beef hash, which was almost like a deconstructed reuben - huge chunks of house-cured meat atop seasoned hash browns and sauerkraut, topped with a poached egg (I held the cheese).

Steak for supper. #yegfood #yeg #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Dec 14, 2017 at 6:41pm PST

On another Thursday evening jam, I tried the steak. At $17 and served with mushrooms, fries, and a grilled tomato, this is an excellent value. My well-done steak was cooked to perfection, still juicy on the inside without being burned on the outside.

Brisket and Vegetable Chow Mein at Garden Bakery

Brisket and vegetable chow mein. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 18, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

A business lunch last week brought me to the Chinatown location of Garden Bakery. The noodles were crispy, but gave way to softness under the tender brisket and bok choy - which was the only vegetable. The amount of food was enormous and my server was amazed at how much I actually ate. Well, I *was* hungry!

Brisket Platter at Fired Up BBQ

Trying out some BBQ #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 21, 2016 at 3:49pm PDT

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.

Smoked Turkey Leg and BBQ in a Bowl from Smokehouse BBQ

Smoked turkey leg #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 3, 2016 at 1:54pm PDT

Summer means festivals, and festivals mean food trucks, and for me, that means I am going to having some meals from the Smokehouse BBQ food truck. At the Blues On Whyte Block Party at the beginning of July, I ate at the Smokehouse BBQ truck not once, but twice! My first item was the smoked turkey leg. This is usually offered as a special and always sells out before I can get one. Well, it was not going to elude me this time! The huge - and I mean, huge! - leg was smoked to perfection, the skin crispy on the outside with the inside remaining moist. Simple and good.

BBQ in a bowl . #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 3, 2016 at 4:31pm PDT

BBQ in a Bowl is a speciality that is a layered dish of French fries, meat, baked beans, and coleslaw. I had the version with the brisket. Lots of tender chunks of brisket was found between the fries, beans, and coleslaw. The slaw was fresh and delicious, and it has been ages since I have had good baked beans (for me, they are hard to find because they are usually laced with pork. Not here.). It was a hearty meal that covered all of the BBQ bases.

Breakfast for Lunch: MEAT Breakfast

MEAT breakfast - eggs, hash browns, and brisket instead of pork. Toast is coming. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jun 11, 2016 at 12:30pm PDT

I ventured into MEAT for brunch a week or so ago, finding that it is still one of the few places along Whyte serving brunch where I can still get a seat. I noticed that the brunch menu has changed a wee bit, and opted for a new item: the MEAT breakfast, consisting of two eggs any style, hash browns, toast, and a choice of bacon or sausage. My eggs over-medium were perfect, and the hash browns have changed from a patty similar to a potato pancake, to a generous portion of fried and seasoned potato chunks (and I think the seasoning may have included parmesan). Instead of the pork products, I substituted with some of the pulled brisket used for MEAT's brisket benny and sandwich. The combination worked really well, and they sure gave me a lot of it. This was a hearty brunch that was well done.

Brisket and Green Beans at MEAT

Sometimes I just need to treat myself, and on Sunday evenign I did by taking myself out for supper at MEAT. I had the brisket, which is my favourite meat there, and for something different chose the green beans as a side. I am not usually a fan of string beans, but when they are fresh they can be wonderful. They were blanched and cooked lightly in butter, not enough to be overpowering, and sprinkled with bread crumbs. It was a light-tasting, comparatively healthy choice (butter aside, green beans are a great source of fibre), and went well with th brisket.

The Pho Files: Brisket Pho at Maki Maki

I had a severe craving for pho over the weekend, and being on Whyte Avenue, my choices were limited. Then, I remembered Maki Maki. I had a bowl of pho with well-done beef brisket. The broth was rich and meaty, the noodles were plentiful, and the meat was so tender it was falling apart in the bowl. And, there was lots of it. Plus, I loved the abundance of cilantro. Piping hot, filling, and totally comforting.

The Pho Files: Steak and Brisket at Co Do Hue

Co Do Hue, a local chain of Vietnamese restaurants, recently opened a new location in the west end at 9524 163 Street. It's a dine-in and take-out place where you order at the counter whether you are staying or not. I tried the pho with rare steak and brisket, and was very impressed with the portion size as well as the richness of the broth. The rare steak was cut in perfectly thin, round slices, while the brisket was tender and slightly too fatty in some spots. All in all though it was a satisfying bowl of pho and I look forward to coming again.

The Pho Files: Vietnamese Beef Stew at Pho Rice Pot

Although I have been to Pho Rice Pot numerous times, I have never had one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes: the brisket stew with carrots and rice noodles. The portion was huge, as is typical for Pho Rice Pot, and the amount of reasonably lean cubes of brisket was quite ample. The broth was flavourful but not too spicy. Perfect comfort food for a cooler day.

Smoked Brisket Donair at The Next Act

An extended bike ride through the river valley had me ultimately end up on Whyte Avenue, where I had supper at The Next Act, one of my favourite pub restaurants but where I can hardly ever find a place to sit! I got lucky this time and enjoyed a beer and a smoked brisket donair, with the brisket from MEAT next door (the two establishments are owned by the same people). I was a bit leery as to how the brisket would stand up flavour-wise with donair sweet sauce, but it really worked. I held the feta as I am not a huge cheese fan, and the side of fries just rounded everything out well. So did the beer.

The Pho Files: Medium Steak and Brisket at Delicious Pho

I grabbed a bowl of pho at Delicious Pho a couple of Saturdays ago after attending an event in the area. I decided to try the order with the medium steak (already tried and enjoyed) and brisket. I think next time I am going to go for the all-brisket option, because this is one of the few places that serves the brisket in the soup the way I really love it: long, lean, thin slices. It is a very comforting and meaty experience.

Breakfast for Lunch: Brisket Bennies at MEAT

I had a day to myself on Whyte Avenue on Saturday, and went to MEAT for brunch. I had the Eggs Benedict with brisket. The brisket was smoked and pulled to fit perfectly on the buttermilk biscuits. I missed the caramelized onions that were listed on the menu. I held the hollandaise, but had my eggs poached soft so the yolk would add a sauce. One of my eggs was slightly underdone (the white was still runny in a few spots). The hash browns stole the show here - they were more like a thick, crispy potato pancake. I would love to eat a couple of them with some sour cream and apple sauce. Very unique.

More Meat at MEAT (A Review in Verse)

Last night I went to MEAT
Had lots of things to eat
Had the brisket again
And had some with a friend
The chicken was divine
Moist and juicy - it was fine!
Rosemary yam mash was sweet
A true delight to eat
With bread and a pickle
Since I am very fickle
Bourbon was my drink
Smooth and clean, I think
I look forward to my next visit at MEAT
Because the place is such a treat!