Rock Sole at New West Restaurant

Rock sole, hash browns, and veggies. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Nov 12, 2017 at 11:30am PST

It's obvious from walking through the doors of New West Restaurant (15025 111 Avenue) that this place has never been renovated - nothing major, anyway. It's like stepping into a time warp. A no-nonsense diner with a menu of classic dishes like hot sandwiches, all-day breakfast, and homemade soups, the menu is extensive and reasonably-priced. I had the rock sole dinner, which came with a choice of soup or salad, as well as dessert. The sole itself was plentiful, pan-fried in a light batter and served alongside freshly-cooked carrots and squash and my choice of potato - which, in this case, was the hash browns. They are great with breakfast and equally so with supper. My cream of cauliflower soup was comforting and thick, while the chocolate pudding for dessert rounded off a good meal on a sweet note. No complaints here.

Dinner at Yianni's Taverna

Appetizers: roasted olives and hummus. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 28, 2017 at 4:26pm PDT

I was treated to a fabulous dinner at Yianni's Taverna a couple of weeks ago. We started with the hummus and pita, as well as the roasted olives. The hummus was rich and thick, and likely the best I have ever had. The olives were hot, marinated in seasonings and oil, and absolutely incredible. I could probably have made a meal out of the appetizers.

Rack of lamb for him and roasted chicken for me. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 28, 2017 at 5:14pm PDT

I had the chicken (top), which was a full breast grilled and seasoned to perfection. The vegetables were just lightly blanched while the lemon potatoes were excellent - cooked fork tender and not overwhelming on the lemon. A dollop of tzatziki on the side complemented the chicken well. I also tried a bite of the rack of lamb. While I am not a lamb fan, this was absolutely succulent, cooked to a perfect medium, and a huge portion.

Prime Rib at Ricky's All Day Grill

Prime rib and trimmings. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 25, 2017 at 4:37pm PST

So, the same friend I went for steak dinner with a few nights ago decided he wanted steak again. However, we needed a lower-cost option, so headed to the 170 Street location of Ricky's All Day Grill. Ricky's has Prime Rib available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so we decided to take advantage of that. You choose the size - I had the six ounce, which was the smallest option. It was cooked to perfection, but was rather underwhelmed by the flavour. It was actually the sides that made this meal, especially the vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. It was good for the price point, and I noticed others were coming in to order the same thing, but I tend to prefer Ricky's steak sandwich or one of their steak dinners.

Steak Dinner and Dessert at The Sawmill

Steak. It's what's for supper. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 22, 2017 at 5:23pm PST

It was an evening to relax, blow off steam, and consume steak. So, I and a friend headed to the west end location of The Sawmill. We took advantage of a 10 ounce New York Steak special, which came with our choice of potato and vegetables. The steak was juicy and delicious. The sides were the perfect complements, especially the vegetables which were cooked to perfection.

Double Dutch chocolate brownie sundae. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 22, 2017 at 5:57pm PST

As if that wasn't enough, we decided to go for dessert. My mocha brownie sundae was huge - I must have been super hungry. I wish the brownie pieces atop the mocha ice cream were softer. They were a bit on the dry, hard side, making it difficult to penetrate them with my spoon. Otherwise, I really enjoyed myself.

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.

Prime Rib at Tony Roma's

I have had a gift card for Tony Roma's for some time now, and decided to use it over the weekend. After the initial sticker shock of the dinner menu wore off, I opted for the $25 prime rib sinner. My thick slab of meat was cooked to perfection and served with two sides (I opted for mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables) which were also excellent. The prime rib in particular was soft and succulent, with the perfect combination of seasonings.

Indian Arrabiatta Pasta at Naanolicious

There is not much I haven't ordered off the menu at Naanolicious, but the Indian Arrabiatta Pasta was one of them - until this past weekend. Tri-colour fusili cooked in an Indian butter sauce, with vegetables. I added chicken for an extra $3 and basically interpreted the meal as butter chicken on pasta with vegetables. You can't really go wrong with that - the sauce worked well with the pasta, which was cooked properly, and it went well with a piece of plain naan. Plus, the portion was huge - it was served in a bowl that was practically as a big as a bucket. If you like butter chicken and want to try a different take on the dish, definitely try this.

Vegging Out: Ginger Beef at Padmanadi

I had lunch today with a co-worker at Padmanadi. There is an extensive lunch menu featuring perfectly proportioned meals of protein, rice, and vegetables, along with two spring rolls. I opted for the ginger beef, which was strips of soy beef in a tangy ginger sauce. There was a good amount of rice, some broccoli to give the dish colour, and the spring rolls were crispy and excellent. We also shared some corn cakes (sweet, crispy, and gluten free) as an appetizer, two of which you can see in the photo.

Pub Grub: Chicken Fingers and Veggie Plate

I enjoyed one of the World Cup matches at the University location of Sherlock Holmes with friends last week, and needed some food to go with my libations. I had the chicken fingers, which was listed under Appetizers but was huge enough for a meal. Five plump fingers with a mountain of fries. I could not finish - a rare happening indeed.

Later on I did find some room to share a veggie plate, with lots of fresh carrots, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and other veggies, along with pita bread, hummus, and tzatziki. The tzatziki had a lot of garlic, and the hummus was very dense - a little of each went a long way. This is a slightly healthier idea for sharing than my first choice!

Vegging Out: Lentil Nut Loaf at Blue Plate Diner

I don't think I have ever had supper at Blue Plate Diner - just brunch and lunch. So, I was glad to finally get the opportunity over the weekend prior to a function. I decided upon the vegan lentil nut loaf. I was surprised by how dense the loaf was. It almost had the consistency of a good meatloaf (something also on the dinner menu), with a thick wine and miso gravy to keep it moist. Besides the exture, I loved the taste: not too nutty, with accents of flax. Combined with roasted vegetables and potatoes, and I had a very full meal. I would recommend this dish to vegans of Edmonton, or anyone who would like to try a vegan dish that will leave you as satisfied as meat.

Ginger Chicken at New Tan Tan

I took a lunch break in between a conference I was attending and a rally this past weekend, and headed to New Tan Tan for some Chinese food (10133 97 Street). I ordered a ginger chicken lunch combo, with chicken fried rice and chicken with vegetables. The ginger chicken was quite good - I knew I was eating chicken and not beef - while the portion of rice and vegetables was enough to keep me going for the rest of the afternoon.

Braised Beef Short Rib

Braised Beef Short Rib, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I haven't been to Brewsters in a while, so when I saw some changes on the menu I was excited - especially when I noticed the braised beef short rib.

The rib was a huge slab of meat (two, actually) in a red wine reduction on top of horseradish mashed potatoes, with fresh roasted vegetables. The meat was perfectly prepared, with the red wine reduction penetrating into the potatoes. Using horseradish as a flavour within the potatoes was a nice break from the garlic mashed potatoes that seem to be on menus these days.

This is a really wonderful dish that I look forward to having again.

Pancit Canton at Panciteria de Manila

Pancit Canton, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I ended up at Panciteria de Manila for supper last night because of its close proximity to Brittany's Lounge, where I was performing in a variety show.

I decided to try pancit, which is the signature Filipino noodle dish. It normally comes with shrimp and/or pork, but the kitchen was kind enough to use chicken in my case.

The noodles and chicken were under a deep layer of raw or slightly steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and lots of cabbage. I did not eat most of that since I was concerned about my, ahem, stomach integrity for my upcoming performance.

However, the noodles and shredded chicken were also plentiful, in a light, slightly salty, soy-based sauce that collected at the bottom of the bowl like a broth. The flavour was not all that robust, but this is a healthy, simple dish.

Deccan Meatloaf at Naanolicious

Deccan Meatloaf, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Naanolicious has a number of East Indian/Western fusion dishes, such as the Deccan meatloaf. Using flavours inspired by South India, the dense chunk of meat is covered in a rich coconut curry sauce. It is served with a pile of curried vegetables and a side of Bombay potatoes, which are basically sliced, seasoned potatoes. I personally found the meat to veggies ratio a little skewed in favour of veggies, although they were delicious. The meat is deceptively dense, and the sauce is so rich I could not even finish it with the naan I ordered on the side. If you are a lover of meatloaf, this one will throw you for a twist.

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.

Sablefish at Murrieta's

Sablefish at Murrieta's, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I love certain kinds of fresh fish, and was excited to hear about the sablefish special at Murrieta's last weekend. It was cooked in a light crumb coating atop a sweet piece of cornbread, surrounded by roasted vegetables with just a bit of a spicy kick to them. The fish was cooked to perfection: hot all the way through, but so moist and fork tender. The coating and corn bread worked really well together, while the vegetables added colour, moisture, and texture to the dish.

Steak Sandwich at Rosie's

Steak sandwich at Rosie's #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Rosie's (10475 80 Avenue) is a Whyte Avenue dive. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It's as close as you are going to come to find greasy spoon diner food near the main drag of Whyte. Prices are also very reasonable.

I had the steak sandwich, which at $12 was one of the most expensive items on the menu. It was cooked almost perfectly to order and was served alongside very crispy fries, a couple of onion rings, and a vegetable medley (frozen veggies, but at least not overcooked). Just plain, basic food, adequate service, and no frills ambiance.

Wor Wonton Soup, Vegan Style

Wor wonton soup, vegan style #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I sometimes get into a groove where I keep going back to the same restaurant within a short span of time. Such has been the case lately with me and Veggie Garden.

I wanted soup, and decided to try to Wor Wonton because I have never had it before. Anywhere. It is usually full of pork and other things I don't eat for cultural reasons. So this was a rare chance to try it.

The flavour of the broth was much more intense than other vegetarian Asian soups I have had, and the abundance of tofu, veggie ham, and veggie shrimp (in addition to a goodly amount of vegetables) made the soup quite substantial. But what made it the most substantial were the wontons, which were laced with ginger and mostly sank to the bottom of the bowl because they were so heavy. I don't know what a pork wonton is supposed to taste like, but I enjoyed these vegan ones.

I have a feeling this will be my soup of choice upon return visits.

Beef Duo at The Common

Beef duo at The Common #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I visited The Common for the first time ever this week, as I was a panelist for an interVivos event (also my first) being held there. I decided to get there early to enjoy some supper before the event and to really check the place out. I have heard so many good things about it.

After spending a while examining the menu and asking my wonderful server many questions, I finally decided on the Beef Duo which had two medallions of steak and a chunk of braised beef rib. The rib was fork tender and full of complex flavours, while the steak was done to perfection. The meat had a gravy giving some needed moisture, but also became gelatinous rather quickly.

The meal was served with roasted vegetables which were fresh and colourful, as well as a large portion of crispy shoestring fries. It was as attractively presented as it was delicious.

I get the impression the place fills up fast, so the next time I visit I will also make sue I get there early once again.

The Pho Files: Vegetable Pho at Pho Rice Pot

Vegetarian pho at Pho Rice Pot #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

After spending over an hour at a rally on a surprisingly chilly April day, a bowl of pho was in order to help me warm up.

We headed to Pho Rice Pot where I had a bowl of vegetable pho. It was a huge portion, like the other bowls of pho here, with many vegetables floating atop the plentiful noodles and vegetable broth.

Unlike other vegetarian phos I have had, there was no protein in this one (such as tofu cubes or fake meat). However, it was still very filling.