Epicurious in Edmonton 7

I realized that I have been remiss in recording our exploration of the Edmonton epicurean scene when we made plans to return to Langano Skies tomorrow night, and I had had yet to report on our visit there several weeks ago.

Three weeks ago, my friends Sarah and Kevin organized an outing to try an Ethiopian restaurant down on Whyte Ave., Langano Skies. Now I LOVE Ethiopian food, having had some fantastic dining experiences in DC and NYC, and Ethiopian is fabulous if done well. But I have also had some really bland Ethiopian cuisine, so I realize it can be hit or miss. Langano Skies was a definite hit.

First, let me comment on the service... we were a large group: Sarah and Kevin (sans little Colin, since Grandma was babysitting), Rachel and Piyush, Natasha and Semyon and Anya, and John (sans Julie). But the staff at LS took it all in stride, even the rambunctious toddler Anya exploring the entirety of the restaurant. Perhaps the most exceptional aspect of our service was our waiter. When the first two people ordered, she asked them why they had chosen the particular dishes they had. When they answered, she recommended other dishes. "If you want the curry, I would go with this, and if you were desiring the ginger, then this is a better choice." She said that while all the food was good, the particular dishes they had ordered did not have the rave reviews from previous diners as the ones she had suggested. When it was John's turn to order, he said, "Bring me your best vegetarian dish." Others also followed suit. The recommendations of our server proved to be fantastic. Which brings me to...

The food. It was delicious. The Shiro Wot, her recommended dish, was superb. As was the Atakilt Aletcha Wot. What am I saying, it was all good. The injera was warm and spongy. And the blend of flavours from the various wots was delectable. I only tried the vegetarian dishes, but the omnivores in our group raved about the meat dishes as well. I think I have found a favourite restaurant in Edmonton.

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A few days after Langano Skies, we went out to dinner with Julie (sans John, they had taken turns leaving town). We decided to try a new Indian restaurant that opened within walking distance of both of our homes. The Curry House, Indian Fusion opened in April to good reviews, and as Craig walks by there on his way to work, he has been eager to visit the new establishment. The restaurant is very cozy, only six tables or so, with elaborate decor of lush fabrics. We were the first customers there, arriving for dinner at 6pm, but the place soon filled more. Btu even with other customers, the owner/manager and wait staff were very attentive and offered good suggestions for food and drink. I was impressed that they serve a plain lassi, as most places only have the mango variety (or gasp, strawberry). I adore the plain, and this one was delicious. After our meal, I learned that they also have a savory lassi. Craig hates the savory ones, but I love them. So next time, I will be ordering that. Alas, I do not remember what we ordered (the problem with waiting so long to blog about a meal). But it was tasty. Not the best Indian ever (I have discriminating tastes, having enjoyed many, many delicious meals on Devon St. in Chicago), but yummy and satisfying and some of the better Indian I have had in Edmonton. I am concerned though, as the owner was saying they would soon be offering dishes with "low fat butter" and Splenda to "prove Indian food doesn't have to be unhealthy". If they change their menu to include these "healthy" options, we probably won't return. Even despite the promise of savory lassis. However, if they keep serving the quality of food we had this time, we will definitely walk that way again.

Epicurious in Edmonton 6

Last Friday, I had a stressful meeting, so my Beloved took me out for a romantic dinner to lift my spirits. :) We decided to try out Murrieta's West Coast Grill on Whyte Ave. The place is named for the legendary bandit/hero (depending on one's point of view), Joaquin Murrieta, which led to a stimulating conversation/debate (depending on one's point of view) about how our culture glorifies outlaws, scoundrels, and the like. One thing Craig and I did agree on was that the dark wood paneling, vaulted ceilings, posh decor, extensive wine list, live jazz piano, and eclectic menu were not consistent with the bandito/revolutionary image of Murrieta. They did, however, create a delightful epicurean experience for us.

We started with the the baked brie appetizer, moved on to the grilled vegetable flat bread, followed by the jumbo ravioli, and finished up with the bread pudding. Everything we had was delicious (though the bread pudding is not the very best in Edmonton - see below), and the service was impeccable. Murrieta's is an ideal place for a romantic dinner or night out with a visiting scholar. I expect we'll return.

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Earlier this week, we returned to a favorite place of ours, Da-De-O, with our friends John and Juli, who had never visited the cajun diner before. Tuesday is Po-Boy night, which made it a good excuse to try their po-boys. Usually, we just stick to the vegetarian jambalaya or the BBQ beans and rice. Craig, Juli, and I all decided to break from our vegetarianism and opted for seafood while John held fast to his veggie principles. My calamari po-boy was overflowing with crispy, spicy perfection. I got the potato hash as the side instead of the famous sweet potato fries. But I swiped some of the fries from Craig's plate. I also sampled his blackened catfish - not bad. We finished the night sharing key lime pie and bread pudding. The pie was not so great, especially after last week's excursion to Vi's, but the bread pudding was phenomenal. It could very well be the best we've had in Edmonton, though I think a taste test between Da-De-O and Highlevel Diner might just be in order.

Epicurious in Edmonton 5

It's an unassuming storefront, simply signed "Cafe", so easy to miss as you pass by on Stony Plain Road. But Vi's for Pies is not one to be missed. I had heard about this place from Jodi, a social worker at the hospital, and my friend Lorenza, who lived in Edmonton for a while, confirmed Jodi's recommendation. So on Wednesday, Craig and I went decided to check it out with our friends Juli and John. And wow, are we glad we did!! When we first walked in, we were greeted by the sight of nearly 20 different pies on the counter. They obviously want you to see what's on the menu for the day and to save room for dessert.

Vi's has a decent vegetarian menu, and between the four of us, we were able to order four different vegetarian entrees. I ordered the quiche (remember, I have been on a quiche kick), and it was sublime - light and fluffy, better than my own. Craig got the veggie lasagna which scrumptious, not quite as flavorful as mine, but more saucy (and Craig liking it so much made me realize that he prefers as saucy lasagna; I will have to sauce mine up a bit). It was the spanakopita for John. The spinach was quite tasty, though the crust not as crispy as I would like . It seemed like it was baked earlier and then reheated. Still the flavors were excellent. Juli had soup and salad - fresh and light.

Then we got the pies. After another trip to the front to view the pies, and we settled in for dessert. John's key lime pie was the best I have had outside of Florida. Juli's strawberry shortcake was nice, though the biscuit was hard. Craig's pecan, caramel, banana, and chocolate cheesecake was OH MY GOD delicious. And my raspberry and lemon cream pie was light and tart and absolutely perfect. Yum. We will definitely go back!

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It was hard to follow such a delicious dinner with a lunch out the following day. But our department had decided to take Lindsay out for lunch to celebrate her ministry with us as she prepares to move on the Winnipeg. We headed down the street from the hospital to a new noodle house, Thanh Thanh. I pass Thanh Thanh when I am lazy and/or running late and take the bus instead of walking into work. The place has caught my eye on a number of occasions (I love noodle houses), so I have wanted to check it out.

I would be interested in returning with a smaller group since our preordering and then arriving late during the busy lunch hour seemed to throw the staff off and the service was not ideal. The food was delicious (I had the lemongrass chili tofu), though it did make me a bit gassy. :]

Epicurious in Edmonton 4

Our epicurious adventures this week were rather unintentional in that we had not made plans to go specifically to these restaurants, or even to go out. We just so of happened upon the occasions, and in the case of Pho Hoan Pasteur, we actually wandered into it...

It was Good Friday, and after taking our tire to get repaired, we found ourselves stranded at Canadian Tire, about 3k from home. It was a lovely day, the first lovely day (off) in a very long time, so we decided to walk home. But we were famished. I seemed to recall seeing a noodle house in the Kingsway Centre, down the road, and loving a good bowl of noodles, I suggested walking down that way, even if it was out of the way, to try it out. I seem to have a knack for discovering tiny gems in strip malls or hole-in-the-wall places. Pho Hoan Pasteur was just such a hidden treasure. At first, it was discouraging seeing the menu and finding not one vegetarian item on it. Fortunately, both Craig and I will eat seafood on rare occasions, so we decided to stay. The staff was very accommodating, they allowed us to get one seafood stew and to make a noodle dish without any meat and loaded with veggies. We also ordered avocado bubble tea (my first time to ever actually have bubble tea!) and the Edmontonian specialty, green onion cakes. The latter were the best we have had in E-town (and as Craig said, the most fattening). The bubble tea was delicious. And the entrees, when they arrived, were spectacular. The broth of the soup was delicate, yet packed with flavor. The restaurant has a wide selection of various sauces and condiments, but the soup didn't need them. The noodles were a perfect consistency, and the veggies steamed enough to retain their original crunch and bursts of flavor. We may not go back, since there are not many options for us. But it was certainly worth the single visit. And whenever we shop at the grocer in that strip mall, we may have to grab a bubble tea.

I wish I could offer a strong review of New Asian Village, especially since Edmontonians seem to love the place. But I cannot. We went there after my meeting with some of the leadership of the Edmonton Chapter of Democrats Abroad. The meeting ended late, we had not yet had dinner, and the thought of going home to make dinner (and eating after 9pm) was not appealling. I had heard about NAV, and since we were on that side of the river, I suggested trying it out. First of all, I did not realize it was a buffet. But I was sort of surprised and relieved since that meant we could eat right away. However, nowhere was the price of the buffet listed. The food was okay, but not necessarily good. The texture of the foods was mushy, more so the Indian food normally is. And the flavors reminded me of the prepackaged Indian sauces you can get at the grocery store, a little processed. Which surprised me since this place claims to have a tandoori oven. But it was decent, and I don't mind a so-so meal every once in a while, especially when it's late and I am hungry and too tired to cook. However, I do mind being overcharged for a so-so meal. And when the bill came we were shocked that this craptastic buffet costs a whopping $20 per person!! That was the same price as the really good Indian buffet (Origins India) we had driven past to get to NAV! And the food wasn't half as good as Origins. They did serve the most delicious mango lassi I have ever had. But a $5 mango lassi, no matter how good, does not make up for a $20 bland meal. And Craig was impressed with the selection of 150 beers. But if we go back, it will only be for the beer and lassi. Overall, New Asian Village is overpriced and overrated and not worth your time or money.

Epicurious in Edmonton 3

We've done a lot of hanging out with our friend Juli this past. Which is great, because Juli is amazing. She and her husband John are both the kind of people who are wonderful to be around since they are both brilliant and interesting, well-informed on a variety of subjects, and so comfortable in their own minds. And I am not just saying this because I know that John occasionally reads my blog.

John and Juli moved to Edmonton around the same time we did (from Chicago!). As fellow vegetarians, they have been great friends with whom we have explored the culinary delights of Edmonton's dining scene.

Last Friday, John was out of town. Craig and I were exhausted, having survived intense on-call shifts (me) and the Chandra proposal deadline (Craig). We wanted to go out, but nothing too taxing. So we decided on pizza. Fortunately, the best pizza in town is just a few blocks from our place: Famoso Neopolitan Pizza (apparently, they are a franchise - I just learned this going to get the link - but at this time, the only franchise is the one in our neighborhood. I guess they are seeking to build a franchise). We have been to Famoso before with Juli and John, so it was a known entity, known to be spectacular. However, we had only been to Famoso on a weeknight, never a Friday night. And as someone who prefers lazy, non-taxing Friday evenings, I don't imagien we will go back on a Friday again. At Famoso, you wait to be seated, then you go to the counter and put in your order. As your order is ready, they bring it out to you. On Friday nights, the place is so packed, you can't even see the sign which tells you to please wait to be seated. So upon walking into the restaurant, one cannot tell if people are waiting for tables of waiting at the counter to order. This led to some people inadvertantly cutting in front of a whole line of people and snatching a table as soon as it was vacated. Though I didn't want the role, I became "line enforcer" - ugh! After about 45 minutes, we were seated. We then enjoyed a scrumptious gorgonzola, walnut salad and a gorgeous quattro fromaggi (with roasted mushroom) pizza. The food was fabulous, as it had been previously, but I think I'll stick to weeknights for Famoso.

Yesterday, Juli called and invited us to head to Don Antonio's Mexican Food, Ltd. I called Craig to see if he was up for dinner with our friends, only to learn that he had John, who had returned home from his trip, in his office asking him the same thing. Apparently, they had launched a coordinated, bi-directional invitation. We could hardly refuse. Don Antonio's is another restaurant a few blocks from our place (have I mentioned that we live in a fantastic neighborhood?). As a Texan, I was raised on good Mexican. Being a vegetarian living in Canada, I know good Mexican is hard to come by. And Don Antonio's is actually surprisingly good. Homemade chips, salsa, and guac put it a step above most restaurants in the states. And while the menu is not necessarily vegetarian friendly, the kitchen staff is quite accomodating and they will prepare most dishes without meat upon request. (We didn't want to ask about lard, but I get the impression it is not so common in Canada). The chilis relenos has unique, delicious, sweet flavor, unlike any I have had before. The tamal was quite bland, but the enchilada, while not as spectacular as mine, was tasty. Perhaps someday I will open "Raquelita's Cucina Vegetariana", but until then, I'll return to Don Antonio's when I get a craving for the comfort food of my youth.

So were our epicurian adventures (w/ Juli) this past week.

Epicurious in Edmonton 2

So, another week of yummy eats in our fair city of Edmonton.

On Wednesday, I went out with a bunch of astronomers to a favorite joint of the university crowd, the Highlevel Diner. It's a great place for Craig and I to meet up as it's in Strathcona, close to his work, and I can take the #9 bus door-to-door from my office to the diner. They have a decently wide selection of veggie items from which to choose, though, sadly, Craig and I did not choose so well this time. Craig got the nachos, which both sounded and were fun and yummy. But then he realized that his entire meal consisted of chips. And that didn't sit so well in his tummy. I got the black bean chili, which is delicious, but then my entire meal consisted of beans. And that didn't sit so well with my tummy. I would have preferred it the chili portion was half the size and served with a small side salad. But alas, 'twas not the case. I also ordered the dessert special, rice pudding. Their bread pudding is exquisite, so I had high hopes for the rice pudding. But such hopes were dashed when I got the dry, bitter (as opposed to creamy and rich) rice concoction. I don't imagine that "special" will ever be featured again. I left only having eaten two or three bites. All that said, we will undoubtedly go back to Highlevel. We'll just stick to our standby favorites: the spinach enchilada, the veggie burger, the spinach pie, and the bread pudding.

Friday was an entirely different epicurean experience. We went to my absolute favorite restaurant in Edmonton, Padmanadi. Padmanadi is a chain of vegetarian restaurants. It is the only location of this chain outside of Indonesia. They serve scrumptious faux meats in luxurious and compelling sauces. Once a month, Padmanadi has a buffet. And people will line up outside (in Edmonton winter!) to get a seat at this spectacular feast. On Friday, Craig and I headed to Padmanadi with my friend Lindsay and her friend (another Texan vegetarian up for the weekend) to brave the cold and stand in line for the March buffet. Lucky for us, the staff emerged from the restaurant every 15 minutes or so, bringing yummy appetizers for those still in line. Finally, we had a table and were soon gazing upon (and feasting upon) the magnificent spread. As always, the food was delightful and delicious, especially the barbecue "pork", which I think may be my new favorite dish there (previously, it was the spicy eggplant). However, I realized that having been to the buffet twice, now, I really prefer ordering off the menu.

That's the extent of our epicurian adventures in Edmonton last week.

Epicurious in Edmonton

Thursday was a city-wide fundraiser for the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, participating restaurants gave 30% of their total food sales for the day (the money, not the food) to the hospital. So I ate out. Twice.

Lindsay, Shauna, and I headed to That's Aroma! A Garlic Restaurant for lunch. That's a Piece of Garlic (as Lindsay calls it) is a terrific site for a work day lunch as it is connected via tunnels to our place of work. This means we don't have to get our coats. And it's especially helpful if one or the other of us is on-call. The food is consistently good, though not spectacular, and always a welcomed break from the food court fare, our only other option when buying and not wanting to bundle up. Today, I had the lunch portion of the angel hair pasta with fresh tomato and brie. Tasty, but next time, I intend to go back to the grilled mushroom salad.

For dinner, I met Sharon at Blue Plate Diner. This is a cute little place downtown, with bright colors, funky fixtures, and mismatched furniture giving it a homey, eclectic feel. I had been to Blue Plate previously, but only for brunch (with the atheist panel from the UU church). This was my first time for dinner, and this veggie friendly spot did not disappoint. I had the yummy lentil and nut loaf with a miso gravy - tender, moist, and delicious, better by far than the dry tofu loaf at Cafe Mosaic. Sharon had the stuffed pepper with curried bean ragout and the bite I had ensured that I would be ordering that next time.

Friday night, Craig and I took a walk down Whyte Ave. (the E-town equivalent of 6th Street, circa 1992). Tired of fighting the cold and getting hungry, we ducked into the Tokyo Noodle Shop. The place was packed (it is an inexpensive eatery on the main drag close to the University campus), so we had to wait a bit, but the food was worth it. From the spinach miso soup, through the tofu udon, to the red bean ice cream, every bite was yummy and warmed my tummy.

After so much dining out, we'll be staying in for a while. Tonight, we have John and Juli coming over to play games. Which means I better get busy helping Craig clean up the place.

makings of a perfect weekend

I do believe that a perfect Saturday involves:

• sleeping in


• late brunch with good friends


• trip to the farmer's market


• game night

I could have done without the congested head (knocked my equilibrium out of whack), but over all, it was pretty fantastic. The Urban Diner (blocks away from our home) lived up to the rave reviews. And I totally rocked at Wise and Otherwise.