Beer + Coffee

During the past few weeks Charles and I have found ourselves at Sugarbowl, Transcend and Da Capo more often than we'd like to admit. While the latter two both provide great spaces for studying or writing, Sugarbowl is the answer when these aspects of my life need to be left behind for an evening. Either way, here are a few shots from our more recent stopovers.

Transcend

Da Capo

Sugarbowl

These shots come from two evenings at Sugarbowl a couple weeks ago. During one we were lucky enough to find Jason Foster present with samples from Half Pints Brewing Co. Of the IPA, stout and amber ale we tried, the latter was definitely the favourite. It was caramel-y, sort of nutty and for some reason I kept smelling buttermilk. I had a full glass a couple evenings ago and it really is a great one, especially alongside a plate of warm cookies...

The very next evening happened to be cask night. I made it to one cask night back in October and since then have been foiled by assignments due the next morning or by the large line that forms around 5pm just as the keg is about to be tapped. This time though, Brenna finished her last exam (congrats, lady!) and got there just in time to snag us a window seat. Thus a few pints of the Maibock were ours!

Maibock

Me and Rachel

La Poutine - Open!

On the way to Sugarbowl to meet up with a friend yesterday evening, Charles and I encountered an 'open' sign at La Poutine. We stopped in to grab a 'Traditional' ($5.95 for a regular) and ate it outside on the sidewalk, watching poutine lovers go in and out of the small space.

Though only water, diet coke and orange juice were available yesterday - their first day of business - it looks like they will have several exciting soda options ready to go soon (Stewart's, Boylan's and the like). Poutine wise, other options include The Quebecois (traditional + Montreal smoked meat), Granny's Poutine (Traditional + peas + chicken) and a Vegan Poutine.

There will definitely be a return visit and more thoughts as they settle in. Right now hours are limited, but nevertheless La Poutine is open!

Meal Planning Saga: Week Nine

Wow. This past week was a little hectic and not nearly as well planned as I would have liked it to be. With Charles mom moving to town Monday, we just couldn't anticipate where we would be each evening, which was completely fine... it just meant reverting to some old (incredibly tasty) 'habits'.

Sunday - Things started off rather well with this butternut squash and caramelized onion galette from Smitten Kitchen. Some leftover roasted squash from Saturday's pizzas, caramelized onions and Fontina were great for my first galette ever. As Deb says, the dough is flawless. I even substituted some Greek yogurt in the absence of sour cream and it still turned out well. I can't wait to make some other fillings, especially as summer berries begin to arrive. This was great the next day for lunch at room temperature alongside some salad, and it even held up well in my backpack throughout the morning.

The onions are starting...

Monday - With a delayed flight and a paper due Tuesday morning, we found ourselves at Dadeo for the $8 Po-boy special. One catfish, one Philly cheese steak and two chili lagers.

Tuesday - A Zed family dinner of pancakes and sausages.

Wednesday - Salmon and braised lentils from America's Test Kitchen Cooking for Two 2010. We certainly enjoyed this salmon prep, which was quick and easy, and the lentils turned out to be a filling, creamy base. Though this fish dish had nothing on the 'fish in parchment'.

Thursday - A little while ago Sharon posted on Mario Batali's Roman Egg Drop soup, so we thought we'd give it a try. Wow, she wasn't kidding - creamy and rich, the eggs did wonders here to turn chicken broth into a hearty winter soup. Charles stopped on the way to the LRT station and grabbed a loaf of bread from Queen of Tarts just as they were closing, along with a cinnamon-orange treat for dessert. We are realizing the positives of him working just a couple blocks away and a transit route back to Garneau that carries him near the spot.

A seedy bread

 The soup

Amazing cinnamon 'tulip' with pecans and orange-caramel

I also broke out this banana bread recipe again, though this time it was destined for muffins. I filled the tin to the top and as I looked in the oven about half way through I was sure everything was about to overflow. Thankfully it never did and I ended up with some excellent crispy muffin tops after about 45-50 minutes of baking... nearly Leva worthy, especially just out of the oven.

Friday - Urban Diner, Garneau. We had burgers planned, but getting home a little late in the evening after kitchen unpacking, we gave in and took a walk over to 109th. As we approached I was happy to see Friday was the first night Urban Diner would have Yukon Brewing's Porter on tap. I love this beer - it's incredibly creamy, comforting and easy drinking. As we arrived we found the place packed with porter lovers and I couldn't believe we were seated right away. We waited a little while for our food, but it was well worth it.

...worth freezin' for...

Steak sandwich

Reuben with caramelized onions and amazing cumin-curry-dijon

Saturday - This was the first snack based evening we've had in awhile, but it was leftover bread, cheese, salad, etc. from the week.

Earlier in the day though, we went to the City Market. We got there just as vendors were finishing set up and, finally, for the ringing of the bell!

The bell!

The Meal Planning Saga: Week Three

Alright we had some stumbles this week. We couldn't find all the ingredients for Monday's dish, and with me bagged after a lengthy book review, it was phở at Phởbulous. Wednesday was scheduled for Red Ox's Fork Fest, but Charles had a nasty cold and thus we ended up with an evening of chicken broth and 'nibbling' instead. Friday was TZiN. So here's the partial week.

Sunday - Pork tenderloin with Balsamic Cranberry Sauce - our first Epicurious recipe in awhile, this was pretty good. I couldn't find cranberry sauce so I made my own, which worked well. The pork was moist, and made for an excellent sandwich the next day. We had some leftover quinoa, spinach and roasted sweet potato alongside.

Tuesday -Grilled Chicken and 'Ratatouille' - another one from Epicurious, this one didn't quite get all the ingredients necessary. The chicken was great, but the missing basil and tomatoes from the 'Ratatouille' would have made this dish a bit better.

Thursday - Lengthy title here, but it was steak, sautéd mushrooms, greens and a spicy ginger dressing, again from Epicurious. This was easily the most successful dish of the week, and though we discovered we were out of sesame seeds thus leaving the steak bear, the addition of toasted almonds gave this salad a good crunch. Still resisting buying ingredients for a single recipe, I subbed the 'chili-garlic sauce' with chili paste and fresh garlic, and it tasted great.

And that's all. Saturday evening we were at the annual Folk Fest Members' Appreciation, where we had some incredible lasagna along with various salads, and then we were back on track Sunday to kick off this week. Meals are planned until the 14th of February, so hopefully there won't be too many hiccups in the next couple weeks...

Sunday Dinner at High Level Diner

With a veggie burger craving already surfacing, Charles and I decided to head to High Level Diner for dinner this past Sunday evening. Walking into a slightly busy space around 7:30pm, we were seated at a cozy table for two near the bar, and were soon greeted by our very friendly server (Christina of August Studio Ceramics... she will be at Make It this weekend, btw).

Given the cold, snowy conditions that evening, we both opted for a warm pot of Earl Grey, and while Charles went immediately for the Sunday Prime Rib Dinner ($22), I was off to veggie burger land ($13).

We were happy to see our plates come out in good time, as we spent the 15 minutes in between listening to the threesome next to us talk about what is (and isn't) considered 'art'... just as they started getting into the Blair Witch Project (the original only!), we dove into our plates. Charles seemed to enjoy his prime rib, which came out medium rare, moist and tender (it starts at medium rare, but they will continue cooking at your request). While the steamed veggies weren't anything to write home about, it was certainly a welcome Sunday evening meal to counter the cool winter weather outside.

Prime Rib Dinner

I also enjoyed my veggie burger - full of sunflower seeds, brown rice and flax, amongst other items, it was cooked until crispy then loaded with sprouts and a whole wheat bun. And really, you can't go without the burger toppings here - dijon, corn salsa and beet relish... the latter is incredible. Oh, and the house ketchup, which is full of spicy horseradish. Like Charles' vegetables, there's not a lot to say about the green salad here - spinach, red onion, carrot and a balsamic dressing that's slightly overwhelming... next time I'll head back to my standard side, the caesar.

Veggie Burger

The toppings

As the snow came down a bit harder (and the threesome next to us moved into 'abstract art'), we decided to share the bread pudding as a final warm up. Thankfully it came out quickly, heated through and sitting in a pool of rich brown sugar bourbon sauce. Dense, moist and rich, we were happy for the small bowl of whipped cream that comes alongside to 'lighten' things up a bit. After many desserts around this City, I still think this is my favourite 'cold-snowy-evening' dessert.

No matter how much this little intersection of restaurants and cafés changes, I don't think we'll ever be leaving High Level Diner. Although all the meals we've had here in the past haven't been phenomenal, there are some times when it's just the perfect spot.

High Level Diner
780.433.0993
10912 88 Avenue
Hours can be found here.


*I also wanted to mention that back in August, we stopped for brunch with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin from Bonnyville. My uncle has had a severe case of Coeliac disease for the past 10 years or so, and he was the happiest person I ever saw munching on a club sandwich - "I can't believe I'm eating a club sandwich!"

While the kitchen is not wheat free, and the Coeliac friendly menu is mostly made up of their other menu items that can be made either with substitutes (ie. gluten free bread) or without the item containing gluten, he said the big thing was that they understood what was going on (ie. they weren't going to serve him a steak on top of a piece of garlic toast... yes, that's happened to him elsewhere, even after he explained the gluten thing pre-order). So thumbs up for that.

A late evening dinner at Urban Diner South

We popped by Urban Diner (8715 109 Street) Tuesday night around 8:30 for a late evening dinner (we noticed a couple weeks ago that they had opened, although nothing seemed to be announced and their website still says location 'coming soon'). The place was pretty much empty but for a table of two and a table of about six construction workers... likely the same ones who's scissor lifts I've been dodging in HUB on my way to class.

Anyhow, we had our choice of seating so opted for a window seat. I'm glad they chose to take down the 'secluded patio' feature of the old tenant's (Fiore Cantina) - not only is it much brighter in there, but you can gaze out the window onto the increasingly busy little area of 87th and 109th. I'm wondering though, if a piece of glass or something will appear on the patio come spring to help block the noise and exhaust of 109th traffic from patio diners.

I always forget that Urban Diner carries Fentiman's Sodas, and I ended up with the Dandelion & Burdock brew which was a delicious treat. Charles went for the Organic Lager from Mill Street Brewery from the Diner's pretty excellent, though short, beer list. I also noticed that they were doing a cask night last week with one of the breweries they carry on tap, which is definitely encouraging. Food wise, I went for the reuben with butternut squash and sweet potato soup ($11.95), while Charles decided on the steak sandwich with fries ($16).

Food came out quickly, and we got right into it. Charles steak was cooked slightly past his requested medium rare, but the mushroom gravy was the perfect rich, savoury accompaniment. The shoestring fries were excellent - peppery, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and especially good when dipped into the gravy. My reuben was good too, although I'm pretty easy when sauerkraut (or any cabbage for that matter) is involved. The corned beef was moist and well seasoned, and the sautéed onion and swiss cheese made for a wonderful late evening mess. The soup seemed to contain a little curry, which was definitely welcome, and was a perfect fall warmer before we ventured back out into the cold.

For dessert we decided to share the lemon-sour cream pie. The small piece was perfect after our largish meals, and although slightly tart, it was certainly the light ending necessary.

I think Urban Diner will be a welcome addition to this block of cafés and restaurants, especially on busy weekend brunch days, when Sugarbowl and High Level Diner have lineups stretching out the door. We're definitely glad to have another casual spot in the area, and that the spot is Urban Diner is definitely nice, since we don't get over to the 124th location too often. We'll definitely be stopping again soon.

Urban Diner (South)
8715 109th Street
780.437.7275


*Just a note on breakfast in the area - Da Capo has been doing breakfast on weekends. We stopped a couple Saturdays ago, and my over easy eggs, as well as hash browns, were excellent.

**Sugarbowl is featuring Wild Rose Brewery's Velvet Fog right now. It is a pretty lovely one, managing to be both smooth and tangy at the same time. Also, Sugarbowl seems to have recently increased the amount of garlic in their hummus quite a bit, so if your partner/friends/whoever is concerned with your breath, or vice versa, go with the cornbread or crab fritters.

***We walked by Urban Diner Thursday (today) to take the picture of their sign above, and they were packed!

March 14, 2011 - We stopped in for dinner here this past Friday. Things are as good as ever, and happily their beer list is growing. The most recent addition - Yukon Brewing's Porter on tap. Food wise, we clearly don't deviate from favourites - once again, Charles did the steak sandwich and I did the Reuben... here are some pictures though.

Steak sandwich

Reuben

Parkallen Restaurant

Both arriving home late Wednesday evening, Charles and I decided to take the fifteen minute walk over to Parkallen Restaurant for dinner.

We had never been to the restaurant before (despite its closeness to our apartment), so I'm not sure about previous set up and decor, but walking into their freshly renovated space is quite amazing...

A stunning glass wine case is at the centre of the room

It's set up like this on the north and south sides of the wine case. Towards the back of the room there are tables to seat larger groups.

(Yes, the hookah pipes are functional)

After being seated next to the amazing wine display, we thought a glass or half bottle was in order. While they were out of many of their half bottle selections, our server recommended what ended up being a very pleasant full bottle that we were able to drink half of and carry home in a bag (while we couldn't believe this, we both loved this idea, since a full bottle of wine usually isn't in the cards for us).

Skipping appetizers, we went straight to mains, with Charles ordering a New York steak with potatoes and steamed veggies ($24), and I the Lahem Mishwee platter (cubed beef) with Lebanese rice and veggies ($21).

Our food came out in a pretty timely manner, and we dove in. Charles steak was grilled to his requested medium rare which made him quite happy, and the accompanying sides were equally enjoyable. Although I enjoyed my plate, I found the beef a little bland, however it was grilled just as well as Charles' steak, leaving it moist and tender. The rather large portion of Lebanese rice was really lovely, with lots of cinnamon and toasted almonds.

After polishing off mains, we caved and ordered dessert (after all, we were going to walk it off, right?). First attempting to order a slice of ginger cake, we were told they were sold out, so we decided to move on to a slice of chocolate mousse cake. We polished the whole thing off in no time at all - it was light yet rich, and perfectly chocolatey.

We both enjoyed our visit to Parkallen, but despite it's closeness, I'm not sure it will become a regular destination. With so many spots around 109th St. just minutes away, the temptation to head north versus south towards a more varied selection of cafes and eateries is incredibly enticing.

Parkallen Restaurant
7018 109 St.
780.436.8080

Hours: