Pan-Friend Sole at Friends and Neighbours

Sole amandine. It's been too long. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 1, 2017 at 6:51pm PST

Sometimes my favourite comfort food comes from surprising places. Friends and Neighbours (10834 Whyte Avenue) has such an extensive menu, that it comes as no surprise that there are a number of reasonably-priced fish dinners. What the surprise was, for me, was how good my choice was. I had the pan-fried sole, which consisted of several delicate pieces of fish that were lightly breaded and garnished with sliced almonds. Basically, it was a take on sole amandine, which I have not had in ages. My baked potato was perfectly cooked and had a light, thin skin. Rounded out with some vegetables, coleslaw, and a huge piece of garlic toast, I remained happy and full for the rest of the evening.

Love Pizza

Trying a build my own pizza #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Mar 8, 2016 at 12:28pm PST

I tried Love Pizza a few weeks ago on the recommendation of a friend who also wanted to try it. My custom pizza included sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, sliced potatoes, and an egg. I thought of it like a breakfast pizza. The ingredients were fresh and mostly local, and I could not believe how well the egg went on the pizza. The pizzas are all one size and one price, and take three minutes to cook. Love Pizza is an experience for all pizza lovers.

Cream of Potato Leek Soup

A light supper at Jeffrey's Cafe a few days ago included a bowl of cream of potato and leek soup. It was indeed hot and creamy, with the flavour of potato dominating over the leek. In fact, I am not sure I would have known there was leek in it if it was not in the name.

Veggie Pakora at Naanolicious

Veggie Pakora, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Veggie pakora has never been my favourite item at East Indian restaurants because I find they tend to be very dense and dry. However, I decided to try Naanolicious' take on them when I was there the other day for supper.

I was pleasantly surprised. The pakoras (which is like a fried dumpling of potato and spinach, dipped in lentil dough) were bite-sized but very flavourful - and moist. Yes, they were a little greasy, but enhanced the flavour, along with the chutney served to the side. This is a really nice dish to share as an appetizer.

Aloo Stuffed Naan

Aloo stuffed naan. #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I headed to Naanolicious on Whyte Avenue and 103 Street yesterday for a snack and decided it was time to try a stuffed naan. I opted for the aloo, with a thin spreading of spiced potatoes in between the layers of the crispy, fresh made flat bread. It was hot, fresh, and delicious, if not a bit dry - I would perhaps order some chutney on the side for dipping next time.

Aloo Gobhi Grilled "Pannaani"

Naanolicious, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I made my first of what I am sure will be several visits to Naanolicious (10331 82 Avenue). Owned by the same group that runs New Asian Village, Naanolicious has lots of different kinds of naan breads as well as fusion dishes (naan pizza type creations, butter chicken fries, and a few items where roast beef is involved).

I had a grilled naan sandwich filled with aloo gobhi (spiced potatoes and cauliflower). Mouth-watering it was - and the naan was fantastic. I did not know cheese would be melted all over it, so I had to have the sandwich re-done (which happened with no problems) and I really did not need the tomato or cucumber - I like my Indian food straight-up. The serving of Bombay potatoes was small - I wanted more!

I will be back - I am curious about those butter chicken fries.

Breakfast for Lunch: Two Eggs and Potato Pancakes

Two Eggs and Potato Pancakes, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

When the place we wanted to go was too crowded, we ended up here, at an old Albert's Family Restaurant on 51 Avenue and 99 Street.

My two eggs were done perfectly to my specifications. Besides toast and hashbrowns, and regular pancakes, potato pancakes were a side option. They were crispy and delicious. At less than $7, the two egg meal (with no meat) is definitely one of the cheapest things on the menu.

Korean Appetizers at Won Jung Gak

Korean Appetizers, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I lament the closure of Basil Leaf, a really great Vietnamese restaurant. Today, I visited the restaurant that has taken its place, the second location of Korean eatery Won Jung Gak (10023 107 Avenue).

Our meal began with a surprise. A short while after we placed our order, our server brought numerous small dishes to our table filled with a number of small appetizers: pickled daikon (like a yellow radish) with soy dipping sauce; a potato salad with peas and carrots; marinated broccoli; some kind of sauteed seaweed; kimchi (a Korean spicy delight of picked vegetables); a mixed green salad with a thick dressing that tasted like strawberry yoghurt; and plain, white rice. The potato salad was quite unique with a sweet taste to it. I loved the dressing on the salad a lot and was thankful my dining partner is not big on greens so I could enjoy it alone. The kimchi was not too spicy and went well with the rice. We were both amazed the the variety of food brought to us, and even though there were only a few bites' worth of each, it was fun trying all of the different flavours.