I am about to share with you one of my “hidden gems” right here in Edmonton. My favourite European buttercream in the city; Vienna Bakery.
This is a family owned operation that has been in Edmonton in one form or another since 1959.
Oma and Opa ran the business from 1987 until they retired in 2005. Brian Jaeger took over the business in its current location in 2011.
I have been volunteering with Deadmonton Haunted House for the past 5 years. The floor manager was doing some bookkeeping for the bakery so we would often get cookies and sheet cakes from Vienna for the different fundraisers and celebrations that we had as a team. Best. Buttercreme. Ever.
Doing a bit more exploring, I found out that they were a European bakery and actually made “Bee Sting” cake (Bienenstitch) and not only is it available as a whole cake, but as a single slice as well. My favourite. Heaven.
The pretzels, the marzipan, the sourdough… The list of deliciousness goes on and on. Rye breads, sourdough breads, and pretzels are their specialties.
Not only are they a retail bakery but some of your favourite restaurants and cafes also carry their breads and pastries.
This place can be tricky to get to. It is on Gateway avenue on the south side of the Argyll road intersection. It is tucked behind the main building facing the road. Google Maps will steer you in the general direction. Heading south on Calgary Trail, turn left on 61 Avenue and go straight through the traffic lights. The customer door faces north along Argyll.
Now that you have found the place, make sure that you get there early to get those pretzels. They often sell out before noon, no matter how many they make. Very limited hours, but definitely worth the trip.
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They saved my butt for a Halloween potluck. They have the cutest spooky cupcakes to brighten up any Halloween gathering. Complete with tiny axes, spiderwebs and eyeballs! The pumpkin bars are currently in season. If you are a pumpkin spice lover like myself, you must try these!
Custom cakes are also available. Put that delicious buttercream to good use! They have some very creative designs sprinkled around the internet. The birthday cake for me and the sheet cakes made for the haunt were beautiful AND delicious.
Support your local family run business, give them a visit!
Sheila is very passionate when she talks about her farm and the way that the animals are treated humanely and respectfully. Coming from an indigenous background myself, this is something that has always been important to me. The animals should be treated well, killed humanely and we should use as many parts from snout to tail as we are able. Sunworks does all those things.
Their farm was started because their daughter had such severe allergies and food sensitivities that they needed to be able to grow their own food. They started out feeding themselves and through a few requests started raising a little bit more, and a little bit more until it grew into what it is today. No farming background. Amazing!
Free range, BCSPCA certified humane, grass fed, certified organic and “as close to nature as possible”.
These folks are passionate about their farm and their animals and it shows. The end products are delicious, good for you AND celiac safe and allergy free. The Chicken Moroccan sausages are so good.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend “Family Farm Day” at the beginning of September to see where my food comes from. This is an annual event put on by Sheila and family where you can come out and meet everyone, have lunch and a farm tour.
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I am guessing there were about 800 people in attendance. The weather was pretty crappy that day, so they cleaned out one of the winter chicken coops for everyone to gather in. We had some lovely live entertainment while we were waiting.
Lunch was simple elegance. Smoked chicken wings with organic salad and apples for dessert. It was delicious!
After lunch we got to see some happy animals! The turkeys and chickens are about as “free range” as it gets. They are in outdoor shelters, but the buildings are moveable. So they get to run around and just “be”.
All of the meat is processed on site. Always treated respectfully. They gave their lives so that we could be nourished. These folks have their family values that they live by and refuse to compromise quality.
If you are like me and have a hard time making it out to the farmer’s markets on the weekend, you can try Blush Lane Organic Market, or Planet Organic on Jasper Avenue to find the chicken, turkey, beef, pork and eggs.
Swiss 2 Go is one of those places in Edmonton that you kind of take for granted. They have been in Edmonton serving Swiss style sandwiches and desserts since 2012. I have had the pleasure of attending a couple of events catered by Swiss 2 Go but had never stopped by the storefront. Their specialty is soup, sandwiches and dessert.
Narcity made photos of their teacup cheesecakes go viral and my dessert loving friend Brenna insisted that we make a girl date of it.
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I wanted to pop in and see what the rest of the menu was like before I invited all my ladies out.
My husband and I stopped by one evening for a sandwich and dessert. Plenty of free parking available out front. When you walk into the café it is like walking in off the street into a grandmother’s kitchen. Very cute knick knacks everywhere. It is an environment that feels very comforting. The menus are all handwritten chalkboards and selections rotate regularly. There is a coffee bar, a selection of teas and always some citrus infused water available.
The sandwiches run around $10 – $12 for the smaller size. Since we were there primarily to try the cheesecake, we opted for the smaller sized sandwich. They are big!
The sandwiches are served on a bun that is a combination of brioche and pretzel. It has a beautifully soft inside and that nice chewy crust with the kosher salt. You could almost put anything on that bun and call it delicious! The sandwiches are made with such care and attention to detail, presented with a Swiss flag skewer to keep it all together. The fillings are made with quality ingredients and piled high. I don’t know how anyone could finish one of the larger versions.
The teacup cheesecakes will run you $13. Pricey? Not for what you get. They were almost too pretty to eat. Once you get over the artistry and dig in, they are just as delicious as they are beautiful. Hand made with quality ingredients. No artificial flavours or preservatives. We got to try one of the green tea versions and a fresh fig version.
When I spoke with the lovely Drita about bringing my group of ladies in, she was telling me that they have 150 different varieties of cheesecake. She is always willing to create something new with the caveat that if it is popular, it goes on the menu! Drita was lovely enough to print me off the list of flavours so that I could let the ladies choose and order ahead.
It was exciting being able to see all of the flavours to choose from, but also a bit overwhelming because it may take me a couple of years to try them all!
We got our favourites picked and ordered in advance. All of my ladies dressed up and wore their fancy hats. We arrived – the place was PACKED! (this was Saturday afternoon)
PRO-TIP: Swiss 2 Go does not take reservations! We had no idea.
We finally managed to sweet talk another table into trading so that we could get two tables together which would be enough space to fit our large group. Mission accomplished.
We enjoyed our mochas and lattes, and caught up on each other’s lives. We had a delightfully lovely afternoon. The cheesecakes were heavenly. My flavour was honey lavender. It was garnished with a sprig of dry lavender. So pretty.
Hicks on Six gave Swiss 2 Go a pretty amazing review and he can be a bit of a hard ass. Budget and epicurean friendly. Go support local and give them a visit!
One of the most epic places in the city of Edmonton to be able to support your local small businesses, find sustainable and healthy food choices and get that “Farm to Fork” experience is the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market.
The market started outdoors in 1983 in the space that is now the free parking. It is now Edmonton’s largest year-round indoor market with approximately 10,000 people through the door each Saturday.
A team of Edmonton bloggers was invited to a meet and greet with some of the local producers and farmers this past weekend. This was their first “food tour” and they called it the “Picnic Edition”.
It was an early start for some, but the market gets busy (and quite crowded) quickly.
After we were all introduced to our lovely Hostess, April, we were on our way to our first stop which was Sunworks Farm.
Sheila was very passionate when she was talking about her farm and the way that the animals are treated humanely and respectfully. Coming from an indigenous background myself, this is something that has always been important to me. The animals should be treated well, killed humanely and we should use as many parts from snout to tail as we are able. Sunworks does all those things.
Their farm was started because their daughter had such severe allergies and food sensitivities that they needed to be able to grow their own food. They started out feeding themselves and through a few requests started raising a little bit more, and a little bit more until it grew into what it is today. No farming background. Amazing!
Free range, BCSPCA certified humane, grass fed, certified organic and “as close to nature as possible”.
These folks are passionate about their farm and their animals and it shows. The end products are delicious, good for you AND celiac safe and allergy free. The Chicken Moroccan sausages are so good.
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Sunworks has an open farm day on September 3. Go and meet the family, have lunch and get a tour. You need to REGISTER to attend. See you there!
Our next stop is now one of my new favourite things to eat!
Alex from Golomein Noodle House introduced us to his fresh, healthy and convenient meal packs.
There is always a lovely story on how every small business started and Alex’s story is inspiring as well:
“Our Dad developed the recipe initially 52 years ago where he worked the streets of Brunei, as a hawker trying to earn enough money to support a family of 10. Struggling agains all odds, he developed the awesome recipe he would later bring to North America”.
He made his noodles only to serve his friends, family and coworkers charging them only for their gas and their time it took them to visit his home. He even delivered packages to his mother who always looked forward to the tasty treat.
The fabulous noodles caught on and before long, everyone wanted more. People searched for the delicious meals, but they were at the mercy of whenever Dad felt like making them and his kitchen was the only place this amazing taste could be found.
Alex, the youngest was unable to sleep one night , so he decided to do a marathon session of watching 5 episodes of “Dragon’s Den”. Tired of beating his head in the corporate world, he decided a change was in order.
It brought back memories of the work his Dad put into his noodle recipe that he created over 50 years ago. The noodles were so good that Alex’s childhood friend, Paris, would rid his way too small bike halfway across the city just to eat the noodles.
Recognizing the incredible opportunity before him, he immediately told his 2 brothers, Albert and Allen. Alex’s enthusiasm was infectious and it didn’t take much convincing to persuade his 2 siblings to join his quest to bring their dad’s noodle recipe to the masses. All 3 brothers were excited about continuing their beloved Dad’s legacy and making noodles for future generations.”
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For the meal packs, the noodles are lovingly prepared and then packaged in a neatly folded square of butcher paper. They are then frozen. They are sold individually ($11) or in packages of 5 ($50). You simply pop the frozen package, paper and all in the microwave for 5 to 6 minutes and then unfold the package to open and enjoy! You don’t even need to transfer the contents to a plate or bowl. They are available in beef or pork.
If you crave them like I do, the family has a restaurant waaaaay in the south with a more varied menu. Worth the drive!
Next stop was Mojo Jojo Pickles and Preserves. Johwanna has been an Edmonton staple for many years now. She is definitely a pickling artist and knows how to make the vinegar bend to her will!
Salted caramel pear butter… Do I even need to say anything else? We were treated to some very lovely marscapone grilled cheese sandwiches with some equally lovely pear butter to dip it in. This was simply joy on the tongue! The pear butter would go well with so many things, as do many of her pickled veggies. Charcuterie anyone?
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Johwanna was also sampling “Shrubs” which is a drinking vinegar. I had no idea how tasty they are. I am a new fan!
If you can’t make it to the market, Johwanna has a store on the website where you can purchase most of the products.
Nancy from Market Pizza was our next stop. “Delicious take & bake pizza made with the finest ingredients”. The booth smells amazing! They offer samples all day.
If you would like to make your own creation, they also offer frozen, ready-made crusts. They have a secret recipe that makes it the lightest pizza crust that I have ever come across. It is not a thin crust, but it is light and airy, almost like the dough is whipped before baking.
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The take & bake pizzas are frozen and are $15 each. There are some amazing flavours available and it will be a different mix every Saturday at the market. I tried the Bacon Cheeseburger and the Donair pizzas. It was like you were eating a cheeseburger or a donair, just a flat version without the traditional bun or wrap. Both of them were delicious, but my favourite out of the two was the donair pizza. A donair eating experience without all the mess!
I can’t wait to get my hands on another.
Monica with Rainbow Acreswas our next stop. Berry farm extraordinaire!!
How Rainbow Acres farms differently:
From Dave’s own market garden specific equipment to their modified old granary pack house, Dave and Monica are masters at making use of materials to fit their needs. This kind of instinctual innovation is part of what makes their operation so unique.
Their incredible variety of crops is a result of their eagerness to try anything new that comes to their attention. They like to “dabble” in many crops to see what will thrive on their land and add to their already diverse produce offerings. Anytime something new comes up, they want to try it out.
When they started in 1989, Dave and Monica were cautioned against doing fruits and veggies at the same time because their harvest seasons overlapped. While it can be an intense work load, they’ve been making it work for years. While most of their fruit is used in processing their delicious jams, jellies and juices, in her commercial kitchen Monica also processes many of the veggies that are leftover from market. To make sure none of their product ever goes to waste, Rainbow Acres regularly donates left over fresh produce to the Edmonton and Leduc Food Banks.
And those are just the Coles notes! Rainbow Acres is famous for their carrots, but they have a wide selection of preserves to choose from at the market. These are some hard working farmers!
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I used to help my Grandmother with the canning, pickles and jam. It’s a lot of hard work! Rainbow Acres makes it easy for you to stock up for the winter and to pop a few of their products into a gift basket at Christmas time (its close folks!)
I got the impression that the Peanut Brittle is what Martina’s passion is. Vegan Peanut Brittle is available in the regular version, or the spicy version. The spicy version is amazing.
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Martina has frozen vegan meals, soups and stews at her booth for all of you folks that are passionate about plant based eating!
Doef’s Greenhousesvisit was a bit of an eye opener. The family has been farming since 1979. What is grown today is all done hydroponically in greenhouses which allows vegetable production all year round. Currently the greenhouses span 11 acres and employ 50 people. I had no idea that we even had such an operation near Edmonton.
Tomatoes are what they started with, their grape tomatoes are juicy and full of flavour. The main crops continue to be Long English cucumbers, mini cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers, with small amounts of eggplant and hot peppers as well.
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Birds & Bees Organic Winery and Meadery was the next stop. My Grandfather kept bees so I was fortunate to see the whole process of how the honey was extracted from the hives. A sweet treat for me as a child was to be able to chew on the beeswax that had a bit of honey left behind. As an adult I still love the smell of beeswax and used to be obsessed with making candles.
From the website:
“Birds & Bees Organic Winery and Meadery straddles the fine line between naughty and nice – and sometimes more. Flirtatiously flavored and seductively styled, our full-bodied wines and mead are always up for a one night stand or an evening rendezvous.
But, you can’t have your Marilyn Monroe without your Jackie-O.
A little restraint can make a true romance.
So how do you like it? The purity and innocence of the Bird? Or the seductive tease of the Bee?”
The statement above from the website sums things up quite nicely. Naughty names like “Kinky Cranberry” and “Big Tease Raspberry” adorn the bottles. If you visit the website, it gives you the sassy profile of the wine and tells you what it pairs best with.
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The wines and meads are available at some liquor stores in Edmonton. Liquor Connect can help you find them!
Another reason why I love the farmer’s market: Sustainably grown & humanely treated without the use of animal by-products or growth promotants. No antibiotics, no animal by-products. The sheep are fed a mixture of oats, barley, yellow peas and alfalfa hay grown on the farm in the Peace Country, and allowed to pasture graze during the summer months.
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I find that when you treat the animals well and give them a good diet, the meat tastes much better. With lamb, if it is butchered properly, it doesn’t have that “gamey” taste that a lot of people complain about. I am going to be looking up all kinds of lamb recipes now!
“Mighty Trio Organics is a family owned and operated business located on a beautiful acreage just outside of Redwater Alberta. They are both a manufacturer and distributer of highly nutritious, fresh foods such as hemp, flax, and canola oils. This allows them the opportunity to interact directly with customers and seed producers. By bringing people closer to the farms where their food is grown they are able to provide the freshest, most nutrient rich foods available. Mighty Trio Organics values the environment and supports local businesses, which is why they only use seeds that are grown as close to their facility as possible. By supporting Mighty Trio Organics you are also supporting local farmers and because their products have not traveled great distances, you are also making a friendlier choice for our planet. Mighty Trio Organics provides you and your family with the fats, fibers, proteins and nutrients essential for healthy bodies and minds. To your good health!”
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“Smoke Point” is a thing. Hemp is not recommended for frying. Canola on the other hand has a pretty high smoke point compared to other oils. So the hemp and flax oils are great for salad dressings etc. In fact Culina has done a collaboration project with Mighty Trio to make their salad dressing.
This food tour was an absolutely wonderful experience. It gave me the opportunity to get to know the people behind the brand. I am very passionate about shopping local, but not necessarily someone that will approach the owners to get to know them. This was very informative and very fun.
I look forward to meeting more of the vendors for the next round, and sharing them with you!
Northern Bites; Showcasing Local Producers and Talent
Northern Bites is the brainchild of Jacquie Fenske and Monique MacDonald. Jacquie is part of the Fifendekel family and Monique is one of Edmonton’s social media influencers. Monique is also on the teams for Spirits on Ice and Sherwood Park Cravings. These two lovely ladies have partnered together to bring you unique tour experiences to meet local small businesses in Edmonton and the surrounding counties. It was quite the tour!
After we RSVP’d to our invite, we were sent an email requesting that we meet at Fifendekel to board the limousine that would be leaving promptly at 6pm. Limo? Swanky!
We were treated to a bagged lunch from Fifendekel. Wow, did that bring back memories! They have been an Edmonton staple for 35 years. I have had the pleasure of being able to indulge in many catered lunches through various workplaces over the years. Quality ingredients, quality food.
During the ride to the farm, we were treated to a presentation by Chocolates by Terry. This is a lady that started out her whole business with a batch of chocolate covered pecan bark. It was so popular that she decided she might need to make a business out of it. This is her retirement project so there is no retail storefront, custom orders only! Everything is made fresh to order and has a shelf life of approximately 3 months.
Before we knew it, we were pulling up to Thiel’s Greenhouses in the Bruderheim area. We were introduced to our lovely host family and educated on the different types of Saskatoon berries. (I had no idea that there were different varieties!)
Malcolm also showed off his very unique titanium Morse code glyph pendants. Super talented creator. A beautiful way to put a message onto a piece of jewelry to gift to a loved one.
We were sent on our way with our pint sized pail to speed pick the saskatoons. By chance, it was also the Scotford Hutterite Colony’s night to pick berries as well. The ladies came with their berry picking belts and pails and settled down to work. Unbeknownst to me, the Hutterites are known for singing while they work. These ladies had beautiful voices! I could have picked berries all night listening to them sing their hymns while they picked. This was my favourite memory of the night.
Speed picking it was! Fill that pail up and off we go! The lovely Nancy made us some scrumptious Saskatoon and Rosemary Ice Cream to sample before we got back in the limo. We were also gifted with some creeping Rosemary seedlings to plant at home. They smelled absolutely delicious.
Sparkling conversation took place for the ride back to Fifendekel. It was lovely to get to know our hosts and our fellow influencers. Edmonton is so fortunate to have such a vast and diverse group of people that want to promote everything local!
When we arrived back at Fifendekel, our baking stations were all set up for us and ready to go. I have never made a scratch pie in my life, so this was a little intimidating for me. We washed our berries and then followed the recipe (see below).
Thankfully the pie crust was pre-mixed and rolled out for us already. I remember many battles with that damn rolling pin and being covered head to toe in flour. I am NOT a good baker! I have, however, watched many food television shows and was at least able to fake it.
I managed to get the berries into the bottom crust and make the top crust into a flower cutout. I think I even managed to flute the edges so that they didn’t look too bad.
The pies went into the oven. They needed to bake for 50 minutes so we were treated to another couple of special guests.
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Camola Sustainable Foods was first up. I have been following them for a couple of months now doing my research on cricket flour and the sustainability factors of growing crickets versus cattle. Due to a personal setback, I haven’t gotten that blog post up yet, but it is coming in this month’s edition of The Edmonton Muse!
Don’t let the whole “cricket” thing turn you off of the products. They are both delicious and nutritious. There is no “off” flavour. If you didn’t know that there was cricket flour in these products, you would not be able to tell the difference between a normal biscotti and a bugscotti. Be brave, try one!
Camola’s products are available for purchase on their website, or you can buy them in person at one of the farmer’s markets that they attend on a weekly basis. They will also be growing their own crickets within the next couple of months. It is an exciting time for them.
Rig Hand Distillery was on hand to sample about 12 different flavours of vodka, gin, brum, moonshine and whisky. I have had a previous opportunity to get a super quick tour of the distillery and one of their tasty garlic vodka ceasars! Clearly I need to pop back in for a complete tour soon. Many flavours in all of the different categories. All of them use ingredients available right here in Alberta and no added sugars. My favourite was the raspberry vodka. I love the “no added sugar” concept. You actually get to taste the flavour of the raspberries in all of their natural glory.
Jacquie Fenske from Fifendekel gave us a bit of history on the business. It is 35 years young this year. Originally it was started out as an ice cream business. The name comes from a family “urban legend” from one of the uncles. When you were misbehaving, it was all because of Phillip Fifendekel, a mischievous imp.
Eventually, the ice cream business wasn’t lining up around the block any longer because people were becoming more health conscious and the popularity of ice cream was going down hill. This is where the sandwiches took over. The meats are all roasted in house. Nothing is processed. All of the ingredients are fresh and lovingly prepared. Famously fast, friendly and flavourful. Nothing pretentious here!
Fifendekel is most famous for those pies. A different featured flavour every month. When good things go into a product, deliciousness comes out. Fifendekel pies are no exception. Family recipes, simple and unique ingredients, tasty dessert.
Monique gave us a bit of information on Spirits on Ice. This is part of the Silver Skate festival that takes place each year in Hawrelak park. Enjoy food and drink samples from local vendors inside a heated tent. Live music, firepits and a beautiful winter atmosphere are here to enjoy. Admission is free, you just pay for your food and drink tickets.
Special packages were available at last year’s event where $20 would get you admission to the Ice Castle and 10 tasting tickets. What a great date night idea!
Jacquie also filled us in about #MustardDayAB which will take place on August 13. Chicks n Chaps has a little competition going where you can win some prizes for the best recipe using mustard.
Our pies were finally done baking, the whole process smelled so good that it was making everyone’s mouth water! It is such a delicious recipe that I thought I would share it with you below:
They will surely have some exciting tours coming up soon! Go and give them a follow and experience some of the delicious local producers that Edmonton and area has to offer.
Two nerds with Italian heritage tried eating a grasshopper one day and fell in love with the idea that everyone should eat insects.
Silvia and Claudio have teamed up to bring you a line of products that are not only delicious and nutritious, but better for the environment and more easily sustainable.
Silvia and Claudio are Entomologists which basically means that they study insects. Silvia is the baker of the team. With their Italian roots they have created a “Bugscotti” that is delicious and like no other biscotti, has the added protein of the cricket powder.
What do crickets taste like you ask? Personally I don’t find a discernible taste difference in any of the Camola products. They will apparently taste like celery in the new soup line coming out soon! The cricket flour doesn’t emulsify like regular flour. This means the cricket flour needs to be mixed with regular flour to get the same results. Your baking will just have more protein.
I wanted to know how crickets were farmed. Camola will have their own cricket farm soon, but for now they have an outside source. The crickets are raised in controlled conditions until they are the right size and then they are humanely harvested by freezing. They are then baked in an oven and ground into flour.
How do crickets contribute to sustainability? From the website:
To produce 1Kg of cricket flour requires about 4 L of water. In comparison, 1Kg of beef can require up to 48000 L of water! The difference is astonishing! Insects also have a high conversion factor (amount of feed that becomes body mass): for example, 1Kg of crickets only 3-4 kg of feed are required, compared to the 10 kg necessary to farm 1 Kg of beef.
And nutritious! I already knew that they had a lot of vitamins and other goodness but wasn’t aware of how much until Sylvia let me know. Again from the website so that I have the facts straight:
In terms of nutrients, they are 66% of protein in weight, rich in iron, potassium, calcium and vitamin B12. One tablespoon of cricket flour (about 10g) provides 100% of the B12 you will need in a day. Crickets have a complete aminoacidic profile, including all the 9 essential amino acids, making them a very healthy protein!
As an additional bonus, crickets are low in cholesterol and other unhealthy fatty acids (which means you can eat more protein without the guilt!). Also, farming insects does not require hormones, steroids or antibiotics, making them a healthy choice for people with specific allergies or that want to avoid food contamination.
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Camola is going to expand into many different kinds of products, they are not just a bakery anymore! My favourite product so far is the “Bug Bites” which are basically little date balls that have the cricket powder mixed into them.
The Crick Chips and the Bugscotti are also very tasty. No discernible “off” taste in any of the products that I have tried so far. Try them, you just might like them!
All of the products can be ordered from the website and delivered to your door. If you visit the farmer’s markets, you will find them Camola selling there as well.
The website has just been re-vamped with all kinds of new information. The social media accounts have all changed as well. Find them all here:
I was shocked to find out that there are only 28 restaurants across the United States. The company has a relationship with the Mall of America, so West Edmonton Mall turned out to be a logical choice. If you haven’t been to the mall in a while, Bubba Gump is located on the upper level near the Scotiabank Theatre. (Above RAAS for those of you that shop local!)
If you haven’t seen the movie “Forrest Gump“, you really should. This restaurant is themed around the movie. For the preview, they had a lovely gentleman playing Forrest who was greeting all of the guests, taking selfies with everyone and generally being an incredible conversationalist. I manipulated the conversation into:
“You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich.”
He didn’t quote verbatim, but he nailed it! Forrest was such a nice touch for our preview evening.
The menu has a very southern Louisiana feel to it; with a bit of spice and a big dash of southern hospitality! There is a kid’s menu as well – this is a family friendly environment.
I found out that each restaurant’s “kitsch” is hand picked. They actually search garage sales and various other places to find all of the objects that adorn the walls of each restaurant. I noticed some signage that was local. The attention to detail in the environment lends itself to the total experience. If you ignore the fact that you are in WEM, you can almost smell the salty air off of the ocean when you sit.
The food is presented beautifully. There are a LOT of ways that you can prepare shrimp. There are chicken, ribs and steak on the menu if you are not feeling the shrimp selections. This is a restaurant that specializes in seafood though, so be prepared.
The food and the cocktails were fantastic. I didn’t get a chance to take a peek at the beer menu, but it does sound like there is craft beer available. The staff were so friendly and attentive that you feel that southern hospitality.
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OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Landry’s is excited to announce Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. will open its 15th international location in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday, June 28. The new restaurant will be located within West Edmonton Mall – North America’s largest indoor shopping destination.
“West Edmonton Mall presents a great opportunity for our brand. It is a unique attraction that brings a large, diverse group of tourists and locals through its doors daily,” said Jim Dufault, Chief Operating Officer of Landry’s. “Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is recognized around the world for its entertaining atmosphere, family-friendly service and quality seafood. We look forward to bringing our famous charm and hospitality to the Edmonton community.”
Inspired by the Paramount Pictures’ hit film “Forrest Gump,” Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. presents a down-home, family-friendly dining experience that perfectly captures the charm and American spirit that made the film a smash hit. Each location offers a taste of southern hospitality, friendly service made efficient with its famous “Run Forrest Run” and “Stop Forrest Stop” license plate signs, as well as scenes from the film played throughout the entire restaurant. It also offers interactive movie trivia, a retail market with regionalized merchandise and the iconic ‘Box of Chocolates’ for purchase, as well as photo opportunities with the famous Shrimp Louie mascot and replica bus benches near the front entrance.
Today, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. remains the first and only theme restaurant chain based on a motion picture, serving patrons around the world including Bali, Cancun, Hong Kong, London and Tokyo among many others, as well as major destinations across the United States like Universal CityWalk – Orlando, FL and Hollywood, CA; Santa Monica Pier in California; Times Square in New York City; the Las Vegas Strip; Navy Pier in Chicago; Mall of America; Miami, FL; and San Francisco’s Pier 39.
Known for its quality seafood, the restaurant offers 19 different preparations of shrimp, as well as an exciting variety of fish entrees, steak and chicken dishes, crisp salads, fun kid’s meals, creative desserts and award-winning ribs. Signature menu items include guest favorites such as Coconut Shrimp, Dixie-style Baby Back Ribs plus appetizers like Poutine, Bubba’s Far Out Dip, Shrimper’s Net Catch and the Run Across America Sampler featuring a taste of all of the appetizer favorites. Guests can also enjoy popular entrees like the Grilled Seafood Trio, Jenny’s Catch with Lobster Butter Sauce or the Jambalaya.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. will be located on Level Two of West Edmonton Mall, overlooking the famous Santa Maria – an exact replica of Christopher Columbus’ flagship that sailed to the Americas in 1492. West Edmonton Mall is home to more than 800 stores and services, including nine world-class attractions, two hotels, the widest variety of one-of-a-kind retailers, and entertainment for all ages. The new location will be open Sunday – Thursday from 11 AM – 10 PM and Friday – Saturday from 11 AM – 11 PM. For more information, please call 780-244-4867 or visit www.bubbagump.com
This one is definitely a hidden gem. It is located in an out-of-the-way strip mall in north Edmonton. I was tipped off by another great burger lover, Mr. Gerry Gratziano. When he recommends a burger place, you listen! If you have tried the burgers at Re:Grub then you will appreciate YEGburger.
So besides being hidden away in a discreet location, this place has another unique quality – everything on the menu is Halal or Zabiha. (Beef bacon is available as well) The owners are wonderful at supporting their Muslim community; they have currently adjusted their opening hours to accommodate Ramadan.
The atmosphere is minimalistic with lots of wood. There is definitely a “street vibe” with the graffiti-type mural on the long wall. There is plenty of seating, booths along the wall, and tables in the main area. I’m not sure that I would bring a huge group in, but I am sure they would be able to accommodate.
Fresh and natural ingredients are the theme of the menu. I would highly recommend the “featured burger” for those that would like to have a taste adventure. On my visit the featured burger was buttermilk chicken and waffles with sriracha maple syrup. I can’t even remember which burger my husband had, but it was super delicious looking as well. You can even lettuce wrap it if you are worried about the carbs. It is nice to see healthier options available, although there are no salads on the menu here.
The burgers cater to a wide range of tastes and are very creative. Sauces are made in house (YEGmustard and YEGbbq sauce to name a couple). There is a donair burger and a falafel burger on the menu as well as Havarti Grilled Cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano
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They also have hotdogs, poutine, and milkshakes. Not just your typical flavours either; double Reese, Oreo, Nutella, Ferrero Rocher etc., and they are only $5!! Just the milkshake is worth the drive.
The joint is family friendly, accessible and has a parking lot. The kids menu is tiny with only four items, but I am sure they are just as delicious as everything else on the menu. There is no alcohol served here.
The staff was very friendly. Your burgers are “made to order” and brought to your table. Make sure you get lots of napkins, you are going to need them. It’s messy, but it’s “good messy”. It might not be the greatest place for a first date, but you will definitely not go home hungry.
Economic!! The most expensive burger on the menu is $10. The pricing was refreshing because I have had a lot of gourmet burgers in the city that are double that price.
There is no snooty, epicurean fare here. Fresh, natural and simple with creative ingredients are what you will find at YEGburger.
Biera is a local brew pub located inside Ritchie Market. ( 95 Street and 76 Avenue) Blind Enthusiasm is the brand name behind the brews. Biera is where you can go to enjoy the beer as well as locally sourced and crafted small plates.
Ritchie Market also houses Acme Meat Market and Transcend Coffee. These two wonderful local producers are used in the menu for Biera.
Not your normal “gastro pub”. This is a great date night because the menu is based around plates for sharing. They have won awards for “best new restaurant” on their first year and continue to win accolades. The team is passionate about their beer and their food, and it shows!
The ambience is a little higher class than a normal pub. I love the funky, minimalist, up-cycled “industrial” feel of the decor. It is a very community based atmosphere. It has a bit of a hipster vibe. Reservations are recommended; this place is popular.
Sample flights are available if you can’t decide what you want to try, or just want to try it all!
Chef Christine Sandford is the creative force behind the menu. Culina Mill Creek and De Superette in Belgium are a couple of the places where she used to create. You can see the European influence on the Biera menu.
Good food that is locally sourced is going to be a bit more expensive. Be prepared to shell out about $50 per person for a couple of drinks and food. That being said, it is worth every penny! The presentation is absolutely stunning and the food is amazing and delicious.
The menu choices are a very unique selection of textures and flavours. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable with the beer and the menu.
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They have the best tartare that I have had the pleasure of eating in this city. A blend of various cuts, including the heart to add texture, and flavour. It is made even more delicious by a ring of smoked, rendered fat around the mound of meat. If you are a fan, try it! I hope that you love it as much as I do.
We also tried the Boudin Noir with Pink Lady apple, rosehip and oxalis. This was also beautifully plated and delicious. It is a version of blood sausage. This paired very well with the “ZestyZee” with banana and spice notes.
Dessert was Goat Kefir Curd Tart; with Elderflower meringue & pink lady apple. It was again beautifully plated. This was a nice, light and not overpoweringly sweet dish. The elderflower meringue offered a nice texture change and the apples gave it a bit of tartness. It was a pretty plate to end a taste experience.
Upstairs is the “Barrel Room” dedicated to melding beer with the flavors of wine and spirit barrels next to The Community Table, a room reserved for special events, with charities being a particular focus.
Located just blocks away, “The Monolith”, a brewery and barrel house designed from the ground up to create barrel-aged sour beers via spontaneous fermentation.
If you are a beer person like myself, this is an awesome place to enjoy some very creative brews!
Once upon a time there were a bunch of guys that wanted to start up the craft beer industry in Edmonton. They all got together and opened up a small brewery in St. Alberta and called it Hogshead. They made some wicked pumpkin spice beer.
Run badly was an understatement. The 2015 end of Hogshead was an embarrassing mess. The unfortunate end still continues to add backlash to the new establishment “The Beer Factory”.
Patrick Spilstead was a graduate from the NAIT culinary program that was hired in 2014 to head the kitchen of Hogshead. When the whole thing derailed, Patrick and his father Richard rescued the operation and turned it into what is now “The Beer Factory”.
They were first on my radar after an event where they were networking and my boss from the Edmonton Muse had a pamphlet on her table. I perused it and added it to my “hit list” of places to visit. They are most certainly a hidden gem.
Patrick is cooking today because of an unfortunate accident. He was raised in a family that had a strong culinary background but he went to pursue being a Mechanic. The accident would plague him with knee problems, so he found himself shifting focus – to culinary.
He was with Chop for several years and disliked the corporate environment of the kitchen. On to smaller and better things with The Beer Factory.
Everything on the menu is infused with beer or moonshine. You have some gastropub favourites, and then there are some awesome comfort food options as well, like spicy beef stroganoff. Note: the menu has changed from what is posted on the website. The daily specials are still the same.
My first visit was because I had to try the Friday Prime Rib Special for $9.99. That got me in a seat to see the menu and try one of their craft brews, the “Dark and Malty”. This has become one of my favourite local brews. Not available anywhere but in their taproom. It has the darkness of a stout, but the smoothness of a lighter ale.
They also make a Mosaic Pale Ale, a “hop oriented beer that is a bit tamed”. I’m not an IPA girl personally. I have not tried this one.
The ambience is casual. This is more of a pub feel. The staff are friendly and attentive. There is a patio area for summer time and an overhead door to let the fresh air in. You are in the middle of an industrial area in St. Albert, so there isn’t a pretty view.
The Prime Rib was delicious. They were also putting out information for a special Valentine’s dinner that was taking place in a couple of weeks. I read over the menu and completely swooned, and made reservations immediately. Patrick was let loose and given full creativity!
The Valentine’s Dinner was AMAZING!
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We had the Elk Carpaccio; thinly shaved Elk tenderloin seasoned with lime and cracked black pepper. This was absolutely delicious and delicate. What a great way to get the taste buds ready for the rest of the meal.
Ginger Peach scented pork with mango chutney; pork tenderloin rolled in ginger peach tea, served with house made mango moonshine chutney. This dish paired so well with the wild rose mead that was suggested.
Dessert was raspberry and white chocolate creme brulee, chocolate dipped strawberries and moonshine cherry tea cookies.
Patrick knocked it out of the park! The whole meal was culinary heaven. The price tag on this experience was $50 for two. Beverages were not included, but what a great deal! I can’t wait until they do the next special event.
I was able to have a chat with Richard. He is Patrick’s dad and co-owner of the brewery. Richard is also a Chef. They like to source the menu locally whenever possible. He was also telling me that they do BBQ in the summertime and they have a huge rig to be able to do mobile BBQ catering. That will be another article in the future for sure!
We have been back a few times to enjoy food and beer. The taps rotate with local craft favourites and the two brews that The Beer Factory produces on their own.
Fun fact; they are the smallest craft brewery in Western Canada!
Advice for your visit:
Ignore the ratings. There were a lot of angry customers with the whole Hogshead disaster.
Be patient! The kitchen is small and there are a lot of regular customers. Good food takes time. It will be worth the wait!
Try one of their brews! They may not be geared towards everyone’s palate, but they are definitely worth a taste.
