Brunch at Culina Muttart

Vowing to return after visiting Culina Muttart back in February, Charles and I finally rode our bikes down for brunch this past Sunday. Aiming to get there right at 11am, we were foiled by an unmarked construction fence that stopped us on the north side of the river. Thus by the time we pedaled back to go around it, our arrival time was pushed to 11:30.

Though the wind was generally aggressive, the concrete walled patio seemed to shelter outdoor diners from most of the heavy gusts. Nevertheless, after being windswept on our way into the valley, we opted for the table for two available indoors.

Lots of natural light

As expected the place was packed, and shortly after our arrival a small lineup began to form, with some people opting for take out items to enjoy outdoors. The rush had the servers seeming slightly ragged, but for the most part the three taking care of both indoor and outdoor tables were friendly and let us take our time in the casual space.

I was hoping the 'bacon and eggs' found at other Culina locations would be available, however the shorter menu offered more casual options, many in sandwich form (maybe they just didn't have bacon and eggs the day we went?). In the end I chose the bacon, egg and cheese panini with the house salad ($11) along with a glass of their lemonade ($3.5), whilst Charles, not into cheese or eggs, went for a bowl of the day's soup - tomato broth with bacon and potato ($7) - and a latte.

I think drinks often go unconsidered at brunch; unenjoyable mimosas, watery glasses of orange juice or bitter coffees are often present. But Culina has the drink situation down, with a wide selection of Cally's Teas (like their other locations), French presses, smooth espresso beverages and a glorious lemonade - sparkly, tart and full of fresh mint. Not surprising, our food took a little time to come out, but happily this gave us time to read over the 'Best of Edmonton' in See and check out the 'winners' of the 2011 Golden Fork Awards in Vue.

Our food arrived at the table in sizeable portions, with a large salad atop my plate alongside a hot sandwich. I had enjoyed the salad at the opening back in February, and it lived up to my memories here with dried cherries, quinoa, chickpeas and gouda mixing well with the spinach and Mighty Trio's canola-tamari dressing. My sandwich also hit the spot. The scrambled eggs were soft and full of green onion and cheese, and the smoky bacon was exactly what I was looking forward to as I hopped on my bike that morning. Charles also reported his soup to be perfect for breakfast, with bits of bacon throughout, and buttery slices of sweet potato bread on the side.

Content but feeling like a dessert, we decided to share a slice of the flourless chocolate cake ($6). A dense slice came out quickly and within minutes we had cleared the plate.

The location and atmosphere at Culina Muttart is incredibly enjoyable, and combined with a solid menu and drink list, and the possibility of a post-brunch stroll through the greenery, we can't wait to head back. In February one of the partners with the restaurant suggested that they are working with the City to get the place open for dinner - that's certainly an evening I look forward to.

Culina Muttart
9626 96A Avenue
780.466.1181
Hours: M-F (10am - 5pm) Sa-Su (11am - 5pm)
Reservations for parties of 12 or more only


Tourist shots!

Plant sale 

Wind!

Culina Muttart

This past Monday Charles and I were off to the Muttart Conservatory for a celebration of Culina's newest space and partnership with the City of Edmonton - an evening of 'local' food, food themed tours of the pyramids and a bit of an intro to Culina Muttart itself. Arriving right at 6:30pm (the scheduled start time) we were happy to encounter a warm, casual gathering; a welcome escape from the -30°C we'd just encountered.

Finding 'local' producers set up around the reception space at the centre of the pyramids, we stopped first at Yellowhead Brewery, thankfully nearest the coat rack, finally testing out their lager, which was smooth and easy to drink. Other producers included long time Culina partners Spring Creek Ranch, The Jam Lady and Pinocchio Ice Cream, along with newer partners such as Mighty Trio Organics, Tangle Ridge Ranch (lamb), O Sol' Meatos, The Cheesiry and en Santé Winery.

A few favourites of the night were Tangle Ridge's lamb (prepared by Culina) with the curry mustard from The Jam Lady, the Rustico Grande cheese from The Cheesiry, a salad (the same one they'll be serving at Culina Muttart) with quinoa and chickpeas from Mighty Trio Organics and a strawberry-tarragon sorbet from Pinocchio Ice Cream.

As mentioned above there were also tours of the pyramids. While we missed the 'Feature pyramid' (check out Sharon's post for a picture of the Valentine's theme), we did head into the arid, temperate and tropical pyramids, where guides pointed out agave, grape vines, pomegranate and persimmon trees, bananas and coffee in the various pyramids, just to name a few.

Before we left I was glad to clear up a few details I didn't quite understand about the City-Culina partnership. First of all, they'll be growing some of their greens (lettuces, herbs, etc.) in the Muttart's greenhouses, hopefully increasing space and thus product over time. Currently the restaurant is open for brunch and lunch only (during the hours the Conservatory is open), but hopefully they can branch into dinner soon. The space was pretty lovely at night, with the coloured lights of the Muttart entrance and the large windows creating a pleasant effect; I certainly wouldn't mind sitting down to a casual evening dinner.

Talking with one of the Culina Family partners, we could tell the team was excited about the new space and what's to come. And given the 'educational' nature of the Muttart itself, it seems like they'll be taking the opportunity to showcase regional products, engaging a broader audience of Edmontonians and visitors in the possibilities of local food in a casual, accessible fashion.

And of course we had to inquire about Folk Fest weekend. Although they're not sure if they will be open yet, here's hoping they can work something out for patrons and volunteers (and staff), inevitably hungry for a good breakfast on the Saturday and Sunday of the show. You know we'll be stopping on our way to site if those doors are open.

Thanks again to Kiri from the City, and of course to Culina, for inviting us to the event. We had a great time and are eager to see where things go from here. And of course we can't wait to head down for weekend brunch!

Culina Muttart
9626 96A Street
780.466.1181
Hours: M-F (10-5), Sa-Su (11-5)
Currently taking reservations for six or more only; you can find their weekday lunch menu here by scrolling down a bit.

Check out posts on the event from other bloggers: Chris (great slide show here), Sharon, Twyla, and Liane from the Journal. And thanks to Charles for taking all the pictures above!

*Okay, just a little note on ETS. Getting to the Muttart after hours was a slight challenge, with no buses running East down 98th Ave. after 6pm. If you are heading to the Muttart on weekdays or Saturdays during open hours, check out the 85 which runs until 6pm (5pm on Saturdays) from downtown. On Sundays, the closest you'll get is via routes 7 or 8. If it's a nice day, Cloverdale has great biking/walking trails to/from Old Strathcona, Downtown and the River Valley in general. Good luck!