Non-Alcoholic Brews from Athletic Brewing

Trying out some non-alcohol brews from Athletic Brewing Co. Canada. The All Out Stout has a dark, molasses flavour while the Upside Dawn Golden Ale is light and crisp, with a hint of citrus. They are both refreshing and under 100 calories. 

Tapas at Holy Roller (8222 Gateway Blvd.)

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Dinner for two at The Holy Roller. Interesting concept of international street food. From "The Asias" we tried the Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps. The grilled short ribs were delicious, but my dining partner was nonplussed by the idea of putting the wraps together himself. My Miami Fish Sandwich (from "The Americas") featured a large piece of fried cod, in a white bun with loads of mango ketchup and diced white onions - different toppings than I am used to on fish, but it worked. The bun though was heavily buttered and I found the flavour distracting. From "The Mediterranean" we shared Patatas Bravas, which was described as crispy potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and mayo. We were faced with a plate of whole, roasted small potatoes that were slightly undercooked. The sauce and mayo saved the dish. I was expecting a take on fries. From the same part of the menu was the Ensalada Espanola with lettuce, green olives, roasted red peppers, almonds, and smoked paprika vinaigrette. This was the star of the meal. The flavour was multilayered with the bitterness of the greens, the punch of the olives, the crunch of the almonds, and the unique dressing. I also enjoyed my mocktail, a take on a mint julep. #yeg #yegfoodie #yegfood #yegeats #whyteave #streetfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 7, 2018 at 8:50am PDT

Dinner for two at The Holy Roller. Interesting concept of international street food. From "The Asias" we tried the Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps. The grilled short ribs were delicious, but my dining partner was nonplussed by the idea of putting the wraps together himself. My Miami Fish Sandwich (from "The Americas") featured a large piece of fried cod, in a white bun with loads of mango ketchup and diced white onions - different toppings than I am used to on fish, but it worked. The bun though was heavily buttered and I found the flavour distracting. From "The Mediterranean" we shared Patatas Bravas, which was described as crispy potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and mayo. We were faced with a plate of whole, roasted small potatoes that were slightly undercooked. The sauce and mayo saved the dish. I was expecting a take on fries. From the same part of the menu was the Ensalada Espanola with lettuce, green olives, roasted red peppers, almonds, and smoked paprika vinaigrette. This was the star of the meal. The flavour was multilayered with the bitterness of the greens, the punch of the olives, the crunch of the almonds, and the unique dressing. I also enjoyed my mocktail, a take on a mint julep.

"Penelope" Pizza and Fish and Chips at Rebel Food and Drink

“The Penelope” pizza. #yegfood #yeg #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Dec 21, 2017 at 6:48pm PST

A restaurant/bar in this location is exactly what the neighbourhood needs. There really aren't any casual dining restaurants within walking distance in the Parkview area. Rebel Food and Drink is casual but upscale (as a previous reviewer mentioned). Likely because it was so new, it was extremely crowded. The tables are rather close together, making walking to and from a bit awkward. As well, the high volume of music combined with the high level of ceiling made for a noisy experience. All of the drinks are on one side of the menu, with food on the other, and the type is small to read in the dark-ish light. That said, the service was great despite it being so busy. During "Anarchy Hour" (what the restaurant called Happy Hour), all shareables and pizzas are $10. This is an excellent value considering most of the entrees run in the $16-$30 range (some even higher). I had The Penelope pizza, with was 12 inches of mozzarella, smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and sprigs of dill. It was a white pizza with excellent flavour.

“Hook, Line, and Chips.” #yegfood #yeg #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Dec 21, 2017 at 6:49pm PST

We also had the fish and chips (it had some sort of cutesy name) which was listed as a shareable. The cod bites were simply adorable and delicious, with a good amount of fries and an aioli infused with malt vinegar. I would like to try the weekend brunch here - it might be a quieter crowd.

Bubble Tea at Gong Cha

Bubble tea on a hot day. #yegfood #eatalberta150

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 2, 2017 at 5:54pm PDT

I love bubble tea - I got hooked on it from hanging out in Chinatown. So, when a bubble tea place opened up on my favourite block on Whyte Avenue, I was very happy. Gong Cha features a variety of bubble teas, coffees, and other drinks in Taiwanese style. Most of the drinks are tea or coffee-based - there isn't the fresh fruit variety found at other places - with a few seasonal or very regional ingredients (red beans, grass jelly, winter melon). The focus here is on the toppings, from the traditional sago balls to pudding to milk foam. You pick your flavour and topping(s), as well as how much ice and sugar you want. Most drinks come in two sizes, and range $5-$6. The drinks are made to order, cold, and refreshing. Hot drinks are also available. I like basic coffee and tea milk, and love that you can choose black tea or Earl Grey. I have a feeling I will work my way through the menu over the summer.

Iced Bevvies at Viphalay

Iced coffee and tea at Viphalay's original location on 95 street! #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I discovered this week that the original location of Viphalay on 107 Avenue and 95 Street is open after a long hiatus. This location is mere block away from my downtown office, so I had supper there with a co-worker on Wednesday.

For drinks, she had the iced coffee and I had the iced tea, Thai style. The coffee was like Vietnamese coffee, but already stirred into the condensed milk. My tea was rich and creamy, but still full of tea flavour. It's a red tea that is used (it gets orange from the cream). So tasty and delicious even on a cold winter's evening.