Just Desserts: Vanilla Bean Iced Latte and Fresh Fruit Danish at Block 1912

This is what I do after a rally. Vanilla iced latte and fresh fruit danish. I love how fresh and flaky the pastry is. #yeg #yegfoodie #yegfood #yegeats #nofilter #dessert #block1912

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jun 30, 2018 at 1:23pm PDT

Breakfast for Lunch: Waffles at The Sugarbowl

I had lunch at The Sugarbowl this week and was in the mood for something sweet, so I opted for the Belgian waffles. Three thick, sweet waffles filled the plate, topped with whipped cream and seasonal fruit, which in this case meant only melons and grapes, but they were fresh and plentiful. An absolute must for any sweet tooth.

Breakfast for Lunch: Brunch at CRAFT

On Saturday I had brunch for the second time at CRAFT Beer Market. I had the smoked salmon eggs benedict, sans hollandaise. I also asked if there was cheese on the bennies, and was told no. I ended up with a mouthful of cream cheese with my first bite. Fortunately, I don't mind cream cheese, but it wasn't listed on the menu and obviously the server did not know the menu well. The eggs were done to perfection and the smoked salmon was fresh and delicious. I also enjoyed the homemade biscuit upon which the eggs were served. The hash browns were well cooked and seasoned, while the skewer of fresh fruit made for a nice finish. I had a glass of Liefmans on the rocks, which is a fruit beer that almost tastes like a cranberry mimosa.

Kadhai Paneer at Guru

I visited Guru for the first time in ages, to join a friend for lunch. The lunch menu has a number of pre-plated vegetarian and non-vegetarian options that are served with rice, fruit salad, and naan. I opted for the Kadhai Paneer, which is fresh cubes of cheese in a tomato-based sauce. The paneer was firm and absorbed the flavour of the sauce nicely, which was spicy without being overly hot. The finely diced melons mixed well with the rice and the sauce, adding an element of sweet coolness. And the naan was perfect: hot, buttered, and full of bubbles. At $17 this was not an inexpensive lunch, but it was not overpriced either. To drink we had the masala chai ($5), made to order and very aromatic.

Breakfast for Lunch: Smoked Angus Brisket Bennies at Artisan

I was looking forward to brunch at Artisan today, and intended to order something specific off the menu. For the second time in a row, I ended up being sidetracked by the special. It was eggs benedict made with smoked Angus beef brisket. The brisket was sliced thin, nicely smoked, and topped with my eggs poached to order on an English muffin (I held the hollandaise). It was served with Artisan's standard sides of grilled potatoes and fruit. Another special for the win!

Salad Drink and Tamales at Mamenche's

I had a working lunch at Mamenche's this week and tried a beverage called a salad drink. As soon as it was served to me I knew why it was called that. It was an actual fruit salad floating atop a sea of fresh fruit juice. The fruit was also adorned with cilantro. It was refreshing and felt like summer in a glass.

I have never before had a tamale. I ordered two chicken tamales and was absolutely impressed. Loads of marinated chicken, potatoes, and chickpeas were encased in corn. They were steamed in banana leaves, and fork tender. A couple of these were literally enough for a light lunch on their own.

Breakfast for Lunch: Smoked Salmon Benny at Blue Chair Cafe

Around three years have passed since last I had brunch at Blue Chair Cafe. I had the opportunity to return this past weekend and enjoyed a smoked salmon eggs benedict. The eggs were like heaven: perfectly poached like two small clouds on the plate. The amount of smoked salmon was reasonble and of good quality. I found the Russian rye bread a little strong. The fruit was fresh, and added colour to the plate. I loved the hash browns and wish there were more of them. I counted maybe eight little cubes. At a price of close to $15, and with potatoes being so inexpensive, I thought this was way too small of a serving. That being said, I love the atmosphere of the place and hope to return soon.

Breakfast for Lunch: Back to Tutti Frutti

Waffle with fruit and English cream from Tutti Frutti., a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Sometimes, I just really want fruit. So, breakfast for lunch is inevitable. I headed to Tutti Frutti for my second visit and had the mammoth waffle with fruit and English cream. The waffle was crispy and had a good flavour, enhanced by the mountain of fresh fruit and generous English cream. Very satisfying.

Breakfast For Lunch: Tutti Frutti

Although the name could be confused with the frozen yogurt chain, Tutti Frutti Breakfast and Lunch (169 Street & 107 Avenue) is also a chain. Like Cora's, it originates in Quebec and the menu is very similar in many respects. There is a huge variety of French toast, crepes, egg dishes (which can be served with anything from wieners to fried bologna to baked beans to ham and bacon), and lunch specials, including a basic hamburger. The atmosphere of the restaurant is a lot more mature than Cora's, which is something I appreciated. I went for the VIP Breakfast, which includes a crepe, two pieces of French toast, and a mountain of fresh fruit on top. On the side I ordered the home fries, because they looked so wonderful in the menu pictures, and a fruit cocktail as my drink.

The fruit cocktail was like a smoothie without the dairy. I could just feel the freshness of the fruit, with a texture that was not too thick. Very refreshing. My breakfast plate was huge. The French toast was sweet with just a hint of cardamom or all spice or something to give it a slight kick, in a pastry sort of way. The crepe was thin, plain, and benefited from the syrup on the table. The fruit went perfectly with everything, and I loved how seasonal fruit like plums and nectarines were included, not just grapes and melon.

As for the potatoes: for less than $3 we got a rather substantial plate of pan-fried, seasoned, sliced home fries. Because they were pan fried instead of deep fried, the texture ranged from soft to crunchy, which I quite like. I look forward to having these with an omelette or burger on my next visit.

Light Fare at Zocalo

Zocalo has for years been a treasure in the inner city. Not only is it a home and garden shop selling beautiful plants and housewares, but its espresso bar and desserts make it a destination.

Zocalo has taken its food offerings once step further with the addition of fresh, house-made salads, soups, and sandwiches. There is also a greater variety of desserts.

I had coffee here this afternoon with a colleague and she enjoyed her bagel and lox. It was a good sized portion for only $5 and she ended up taking half of it home for later.

In addition to our coffees, we had the fresh blueberry and pomegranate crisp with vanilla ice cream. We were amongst the first customers to indulge in this treat, which was warm and delicious. The fruity filling was enhanced by the crunchy texture of the pomegranates. Of course, ice cream went so well on the buttery topping. We were both enamoured of this dessert.

Dessert at Block 1912

Dessert at Block 1912 #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The dessert tray at Block 1912 was just too beautiful to resist. The colourful assortment of cakes, tarts, and other delights made by Block 1912's baker drew us in.

I had a vanilla panna cotta with fruit. The panna cotta was delicate in flavour and very cold in the centre - I suspect it had been frozen after it was first made. The selection of fruit that surrounded it was varied and delicious, with the syrup mixing well with the custard.

The chocolate chili square was rich - and spicy. I tried just a corner of it and my mouth was aflame. I do not recommend this for the faint of heart, or taste buds. I suspect the burn would have overwhelmed me had I continued.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate molten lava cake #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

So, after a very ample steak dinner, I decided to give dessert a go. The Chocolate Lava Cake caught my eye, being a lover of chocolate.

The cake was warm and very rich. It did not explode with chocolate sauce as other lava cakes I have had, which was a bit of a surprise, but the accompanying ice cream and fruit sauce kept things moist and added layers of flavour. The fresh fruit pieces were also delicious.

Breakfast for Lunch: Smoked Salmon Omelette

Smoked Salmon Omelette, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I visited Artisan Resto-Cafe (10732 82 Avenue) today for the first time in ages. Of course, I was most interested in breakfast items.

The smoked salmon, green onion, and dill omelette was my choice. I was concerned that the green onion and dill would overshadow the smoked salmon in flavour, but I was happy to discover that the ingredients were well-balanced. The smoked salmon was definitely the dominant flavour, with the green onion and dill adding accents.

The "grilled pan bread" was basically toast made in a press, while the roasted potatoes were seasoned chunks that were a tad on the dry side but tasty. The fruit on the side was a nice touch.

Breakfast for Lunch: Pulled Brisket Eggs Benny

Pulled Brisket Eggs Benny, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

An impromptu visit to Ricky's for lunch led me to order off of their special diner menu.

The pulled beef brisket eggs benny was a feast. Two large slices of a bun (not an English muffin) were piled high with sauteed onions and peppers, fried onion straws, a mountain of pulled brisket in a sweet barbecue sauce, and finally topped with a poached egg. I opted for my chipotle hollandaise sauce to the side and could not finish the minted fruit that came alongside.

The flavours of all of the different elements of the benny came together perfectly. The fruit added some lightness to the dish - hashbrowns would have been impossible to deal with. This meal is a real winner and I hope Ricky's keeps it on the menu.