Steak Frites at The Almanac

Last night’s steak frites. For blogging purposes. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Nov 26, 2017 at 9:13am PST

I was at The Almanac Saturday night for a music show, and figured I may as well have dinner while I was there. It's a small menu and I went with something familiar: steak frites. I ordered my flat iron steak medium well, and it was perfectly done atop a mountain of fries, with a garlic aioli on the side (as well as ketchup). There is a butter that the steak is finished in, but I asked for it not to be used in my case, due to my issues with dairy. There is really no going wrong with this dish, and at $18, it is actually one of the less expensive items on the menu.

Vegging Out: Quinoa Black Bean Soup and Fries at Sailin' On

Quinoa black bean soup #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 24, 2016 at 11:43am PDT

I was performing at the Earth Day Festival over the weekend, with food provided by vegan food truck Sailin' On. The weather was quite damp and chilly, so after my first setI warmed myself up with a bowl of quinoa black bean soup. The quinoa made it very thick and hearty, with a bit of spice and a colourful topping of tomatoes and avocado. It really hit the spot.

Sailin' On fries #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 24, 2016 at 12:41pm PDT

A little later in the afternoon after I played another set, I had an order of plain fries (they come plain or with a couple of different toppings). The freshly cut fries were not too greasy, enhanced with coarse salt, and delicious. I've never had fries from Sailin' On before, and I can see (and taste) why they are so popular.

Tandoori Fried Chicken at Naanolicious

One of my favourite additions to the new menu at Naanolicious is the Tandoori Fried Chicken. Instead of being finished on the grill, the marinated chicken is plunged into the fryer. It is not breaded - the outside spices and skin crisp up while the inside stays moist. Served with masala-seasoned fries, this is a very comforting and filling meal.

Beef Short Rib Poutine at Kids in the Hall Bistro

After a rally at City Hall last week, a group of friends decided to have lunch at the closest restaurant available: Kids in the Hall Bistro conveniently located right inside City Hall. A program of E4C, Kids in the Hall teaches at-risk youth the hospitality business. The food is prepared and served by young people. I had the beef short rib poutine, without the cheese since I have an issue with that. What I got was a generous meal of pulled beef in a rich gravy on top of thin, crispy fries. I actually ran out of fries before I ran out of meat. It was filling comfort food.

Frogburger at Brewsters

An evening function near the Meadowlark location of Brewsters made the restaurant the perfect location for supper last week. I was craving a hamburger, so I tried the "Frogburger" featuring "Frogsauce." The sauce was like a kicked up Thousand Island dressing and definitely added flavour to the perfectly grilled pressed brisket. The red onions were grilled and sweet (normally I hold onions on burgers) and I had some mushrooms instead of cheese. With a side of fries and gravy, overall this was a very satisfying burger.

Brisket Sandwich at MEAT

I finally had the chance to try MEAT over the weekend. The place certainly lives up to its name as the menu features a variety of meat from brisket to chicken to ribs, and even fried chicken and sausage. I went for the brisket sandwich. The fresh baguette was piled high with pulled brisket which was smoked to perfection. It was literally melting in my mouth. However, I did not particularly care for the horseradish dressing and would have much preferred one of the four barbecue sauces made in-house. I liked the cherry the best, while the mustard had a nice kick to it. I skipped the spicy one, knowing it would probably blow the roof of my mouth off. The sandwich came with a side of garlic fries, and next time I would definitely ask for them plain. They are VERY strong after having been tossed in garlic oil. Or, I would try one of the many other sides such as beans, coleslaw, or yam mash. I love the rustic wood that dominates the decor and there is a nice bar area (where I sat). I even tried bourbon for the first time. The bartender was very helpful in my choice and I found that bourbon goes very well with brisket. I will definitely return, but I think next time I will go for one of the orders of meat with a side, rather than a sandwich.

Fried Chicken at Urban Diner

I love comfort food, and few things I find more comforting than fried chicken. Yesterday evening I went to Urban Diner on the south side to have supper before an event, and had the fried chicken dinner. Three large pieces of chicken were presented to me in a crunchy coating that was not to greasy, on top of a mountain of diner fries: thin, crispy, and tasting from pepper, salt, and vinegar. Some of the chicken could have been juicier on the inside, but the large white piece was surprisingly the most juicy. The chicken gravy on the side went well with the fries.

Above Average Pub Grub: Gallagher's

Steak Sandwich, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I have passed by Gallagher's Pub (8937 82 Avenue) countless times when on the east side of Whyte Avenue, but never bothered to step in. The place seemed like a dive. I went there for supper yesterday evening. I was right, but it wasn't a dive in a bad way.

I was impressed with the menu and ordered a steak sandwich with fries. Although my steak was not done perfectly to my order (there was some pink and I had asked for well done), the cut was excellent - soft, with little waste. The fries were hand cut and excellent. I did not need the gravy I ordered on the side, but it was quite thick and beefy tasting. I tried a few onion rings from my dining companion's plate and they were crispy and thick.

Gallagher's certainly does not win points on atmosphere, but the drink and food prices are excellent and the culinary offerings here are way above expectations.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Veggie Shepherd's Pie, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I did not expect to end up at Blue Plate Diner for lunch today, but that is exactly where I was.

My vegetarian shepherd's pie was a warm, comforting dish. The interior was a vegan chili with tomatoes, corn, and beans at its core, topped with Dijon butternut and potato mash. The mash tasted mostly from plain potato, and the inside was not too liquidy so that the pie retained its form throughout the meal.

Even though the portion is quite adequate, the meal came with a choice of side so I had to have Blue Plate Diner's fresh-cut fries.

By the way, the other meal on the table is the grilled veggie sandwich and a side of salad.

A Naanolicious Marathon

Due to various circumstances, I found myself dining at Naanolicious numerous times in the last week or so. Here is a look at some of the dishes I tried.

I have had the butter chicken fries numerous times, so I wanted a different version of the restaurant's take on poutine. Dal, with its creamy lentil base, is one of my favourite Indian dishes, and it was wonderful on the fries. Frankly, I could just go for a bowl of dal with some naan bread, and I believe there is a dish along those lines on the menu.

The next day, I went for a serving of vegetable korma fries. The creamy curry sauce was the base for the vegetables and paneer cheese, which I adore. Very flavourful! And, it went well with the buttered naan I ordered on the side.

I tried one of these stuffed mushroom caps ("Mystical Mushrooms), which was a flavour burst. The crunchy coating was made from lentils, with a garlic and cream cheese filling surrounding the mushroom. More than one would have been a little too rich for me.

The Tandoori chicken was permeated with flavour - I just wish the pieces were a little bigger! I paired with it with the Aloo Tikki, fried potato cakes literally drowned in chutneys and yogurt. The flavour of the cakes themselves, while delicate, still came through, and they also remained crispy.

Craisin Paapri is a cold dish that makes an excellent snack. It is almost like a chickpea salad. The chickpeas are served amongst a flavourful combination of chutneys, yogurt, spices, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, crunchy samosa chips, and finished with a generous portion of craisins (dried cranberries) on top. This would have gone well with a naan, to scoop up all of the goodness.

Veggie Burger at Blue Plate Diner

Veggie burger at Blue Plate Diner #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

A quick lunch was in order on the way to an event on Sunday, so Blue Plate Diner it was. I had a veggie burger with fries - I usually love house made veggie burgers, which differ greatly from the commercially available ones.

The fresh, crunch grain bun was a delight. The condiments and veggies were ice cold, which affected the temperature of the burger. I could also have stood to be cooked longer - it was quite soft and the outside should have been crispier. Flavour wise, the dijon mustard dominated, although I could sense a lot of seasonings going on within the burger too.

The house made fries were wonderful - hot, fresh, and plentiful.

I think with some tweaking and better preparation, Blue Plate's veggie burger could be a lot better than it is, or at least it was when I had it.

Folk Fest Food - Version 2013

I spent most of the weekend at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. In addition to the fantastic music, a major part of my time was spent enjoying some of the food available. There seemed to be more choices than ever, from places that do the round of summer festivals to stands from established restaurants.

For the most part, I like to keep things vegetarian when at the Folk Fest. My Saturday lunch was the vegetarian Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai. The noodles were plentiful and delightfully chewy, but I would have enjoyed more tofu.

There was more than one option for green onion cakes, and I decided to go with one from Hong Kong Bakery. It was just so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside - what a treat!

I grabbed some cactus chips as an afternoon snack - they were crispy and well seasoned. This is a Folk Fest tradition for me.

The Smiling Buddha Bowl from vegan restaurant and yoga studio Noorish was my culinary highlight of the weekend. The green curry was sweet and spicy, while the bed of quinoa was an interesting diversion from a standard bed of rice. The portion was generous, and I felt like there was a symphony in my mouth with every spoonful.

On Sunday, I did not indulge quite as much, partly because the intense heat was diminishing my appetite and also because I was running out of cash. I absolutely had to have fries from Punky Potato though as an afternoon snack, because the fresh cut, slightly greasy slabs of potato really hit the spot - it is another Folk Fest tradition of mine.

For supper, I broke my vegetarian streak and had the chili chicken from New Asian Village. The spicy morsels of chicken went well with the heat rising in Gallagher Park and the saffron rice was quite filling. I skipped the salad, as it has feta on it, but I was quite full just the same.

As far as drinks went, when not in the beer garden (the subject of another post) I mostly had the water I brought with me. After my chili chicken I got some lemonade from the elephant ears vendor, but unfortunately by this time they had run out of ice (and by this time, I was so thirsty and hot I really did not care).

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has something for everyone - not only in terms of the entertainment, but also the menu. From sweet treats to savoury meals, there was no reason to go hungry.

Pub Grub: Chicken Strips at Brewsters

Chicken strips at Brewsters #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Chicken strips (or fingers, if you prefer) are my favourite pub or bar food. Brewsters has an excellent take on the dish, with strips that are extra crispy and solid white meat. $14 may seem a bit steep, but you get five large strips and a mountain of fries.

Another unique aspect of the meal here is the dipping sauce. You can get generic sweet chilli sauce if you prefer, but my choice is the Hammerhead beer dip. There is just no other dip like it. I also like to get gravy for the fries - very rare of me to do so, but I like the gravy at Brewsters a lot.

The fries are not as thick and crispy as they used to be. They are now more along the lines of the shoestring variety.

This is the perfect dish to pair with one of Brewsters original beers.

My Poutine at MyFries

Semi-vegan poutine at My Fries. #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

MyFries is an Edmonton-based fast food/casual restaurant that serves up poutine in many different ways. The fries are baked, not fried, making for a healthier experience. The cheese curds come from Quebec and they make their own gravy. However, customers can top the fries with basically any combination of meat, cheese, sauce, and veggies available, along with being able to choose from some pre-established options like donair, pizza, and pulled pork.

I opted to build my own with fresh guacamole (very fresh and chunky), salsa (medium spiced), sauteed mushrooms (delicious), and homestyle gravy (unique). I did not opt for cheese or a protein. The fries themselves get their flavour from the toppings and taste very bland and starchy on their own - MyFries does offer fries on their own, so I would recommend a dipping sauce. Otherwise, it just felt like I was eating a combination of a lot of different, albeit delicious, ingredients without any real cohesion. The portion is also huge - I could not finish my regular serving.

On the other hand, my dining companion raved about his donair fries, topped with donair meat, sauce, diced tomatoes, and cheese. He had a large and found it very filling - more so than a burger and fries.

MyFries is a really unique concept - the food just did not really "sing" to me. However, people who love poutine should definitely check it out.

Veggie Burger at Highlevel Diner

Veggie burger #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Highlevel Diner has one of the city's best veggie burgers. The crispy patty of grains and seeds is filling and delicious. Served on a large, whole wheat bun with tomatoes, sprouts, mayo, and lettuce, it is almost impossible for one person to finish - especially if you have the hand cut fries on the side. Oh, and the ketchup is also house made and tastes like salsa without the chunks. This is definitely one of Highlevel Diner's signature dishes.

The Act Burger

Act Burger #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I finally made it to The Next Act Pub on a busy Saturday evening for a burger. The basic Act Burger was all I was after - a huge, thick, juicy patty that is grilled to perfection on a brioche bun with mayo and "groceries." It is more than a burger - it is an experience. The burger has a very unique flavour, enhanced with seasonings but never overpowered.

And the fries - oh, the fries. The fresh cut, thin, house-made fries. If I was not so hungry, I would never have made it through the plate.

Naanolicious Butter Chicken Fries and Naan

Butter chicken fries and naan. #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Another Saturday afternoon had me going back to Blues on Whyte to see a band. It also meant another visit to Naanolicious.

I had been wanting to try the Butter Chicken Fries ever since I first saw the item listed on the menu. I was not disappointed - huge chunks of tandoori chicken in a rich butter sauce topped a generous portion of piping hot fries. It was quite decadent and the portion size deceptively large.

I ordered a piece of plain naan for an extra $3 to absorb the rest of the butter sauce. The flat bread was freshly made and buttered, and perfectly chewy and crispy.

Of course, I had some chai to wash everything down. And again, I enjoyed the atmosphere.

Steak Sandwich at Next Act

Steak Sandwich, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

This was my last beefy adventure until I decided to go off beef during the current e coli debacle. The steak sandwich at Next Act is lean and tender. Being a skirt steak, it is very heavily marinated to make it so tender. I love the huge amount of sauteed onions and mushrooms, and the fries are crispy and seasoned well.

Crispy Chicken Croissant at Cafe Du France

Crispy Chicken Croissant, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The cozy eatery in Le Marchand Mansion on 115 Street and 100 Avenue has a small menu for lunch, mostly consisting of sandwiches, soups, salads, appetizers, and a few entrees.

I had one of the croissant sandwiches - a crispy chicken one to be precise. Three chicken tenders were arranged within a freshly baked croissant with tomatoes, mayo, pickles, and lettuce that was almost as crispy as the chicken itself. My side of fries were elegantly served in a dish and were lightly seasoned.

Everything about Cafe Du France defines class, especially the food presentation. Prices are reasonable (my sandwich was $11.95). I will therefore forgive the misuse of French in the restaurant's name (you didn't think that would get by me - did you?).

Folk Fest Food: Fries from Punky Potato

Fries, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is one of my favourite events of the summer. Besides the great music, I always look forward to indulging in a few of my favourite treats, like an order of fresh-cut fries from Punky Potato. There is no beating the greasy goodness.