Sunday Brunch ~ Rosso Pizzeria

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Oh brunch in Edmonton. Since visiting cities like Portland and New York, where going for brunch is a given, I'm always trying to find solid versions of the meal here at home. Giant lines twist outside of casual spots like Sugarbowl, High Level Diner and Urban Diner throughout the weekend, and my favourite homes to weekend brunch - Manor Bistro, Under the High Wheel and Next Act - can be just as busy. Fingers crossed Elm Café will one day add some sort of permanent brunch to their lineup on 118th Ave, 'cause the brunch offered during Deep Freeze was too delicious to just be a pop-up.

When we lived in Garneau, we regularly enjoyed large glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice and fluffy frittatas offered at then DaCapo. With that in mind, we met up with friends at Rosso to check out their weekend brunch situation earlier in February.

As assumed, patrons were lined up outside other spots at the intersection, but when I arrived at Rosso around 10:30 (a half hour before our scheduled meeting time, just in case), I had my pick of tables. I still miss the café style ordering system from DaCapo, but someone stopped by soon enough with a menu, and to take my latte order. It took a while for the latte to come out (at least 10 minutes), but their super milky version is wonderful. Sadly, the juice machine is no longer there, which means there is no orange juice on offer.

Other than the granola, all the dishes on the menu are savoury, and the general theme is, 'Put an egg on it'. Charles selected the Canadese pizza (sans the egg) whilst I went with the Calabrese pizza. Our friends opted for the granola and a 'breakfast skillet' of sorts.

I loved the topping combination on my pizza, with the bitter rapini and fennel sausage playing well. Unfortunately, the eggs on top suffered from the heat of the wood fired oven and weren't in a good state by the time they reached the table. Next time, I'll likely opt for a side of poached eggs and add them afterward.

A moment of praise, though, for the pizza crust. When I visited just after the DaCapo-Rosso changeover, I didn't notice much improvement pizza wise, but it seems they now know exactly what they're doing. Crispy, chewy, slightly charred - Hands down the best in the city.

The Canadese pizza - with potato, bacon, rosemary and olive oil - hit the spot, especially with that latte on the side.

They aren't kidding when they say 'large cup' of granola. It's really a gigantic goblet. The granola and fruit were very good, but what makes it is a generous layer of their house made ricotta. Very creamy and fresh.

And finally the 'skillet' (Patate arrostite con salsiccia e peperoni) - Probably the favourite of the table. Perfectly poached eggs, with their rich tomato sauce, potatoes, fennel sausage, peppers and some of their homemade bread on the side.

We wouldn't hesitate to head over for brunch again, especially with brunch lineups in the area being what they are. They lose points for lack of orange juice (and breakfast specific beverages), but they easily overcome that negative with those lattes, and pizza for breakfast.

The brunch menu is available from 10am-3pm on weekends and holidays.

Café. Walk. Café. Walk.

{Are you a food or drink blogger in Edmonton? Come to The Common on March 4th and meet up with fellow food bloggers from our fair city! Details here.}

Just before I went to Berlin a couple summers ago, Isabelle introduced me to Sandra Juto's blog, and I still look at it daily. She walks and drinks coffee (and enjoys her city) like nobody's business. So when I found myself without work commitments a couple Saturdays ago, I decided to do the same.

Stop one - A short walk to a Kashmiri chai with almond milk at Remedy downtown.

Construction, construction, construction in our city right now. Not without its drawbacks (mostly blocked sidewalks and other pedestrian routes, on my end at least), but nevertheless exciting. It sounds like the promenade outside the old federal building on 108 Street, and some of the meeting spaces inside, will be lovely.

It was about -11 or so that day, with a little wind. At the start of every winter, I forget about the icy breeze that blows across the bridge, and right across your cheeks. Nothing a solid hood can't help. Time for stop two - A cappuccino at Transcend Garneau.

I saw this horse and buggy going down Whyte earlier in the day and was happy to see it again across from the market (I know the Old Strathcona Business Association was doing buggy rides leading up to Christmas, but I didn't know it was still happening Saturdays). Afterward I wandered over to Under the High Wheel for a croque monsieur, and then hopped the number 7 back downtown. And that was my über luxurious day off.

Hope your weekend (regular or long) was wonderful!

Back to Three Boars Eatery

We've been back to Three Boars a couple times since our initial visit and remain just as impressed. Their menus still change frequently and their beer list continues to expand and rotate, with new kegs tapped (and consumed) daily. Last Saturday we met up with a couple friends for an early dinner. And unlike that first visit we had our camera along. Here's what we got into:

Beer - Ommegang BPA, Russell Brewing's Blood Alley ESB and Peche Mortel were on the rotating taps - and on our table - throughout the evening.

Buckwheat honey glazed Brussel sprouts with lemon and nutmeg ($8)

Sauteed mushrooms with egg yolk and toast ($12)

Flat iron steak with tomato salad and confit garlic vinaigrette ($17)

Liver 'n onion poutine ($12)

Lamb neck ragoût ($15)

Cornish game hen, cherry tomatoes, lamb bacon, baby bok choy and sage ($19)

While everything on the table was enjoyed, the lamb neck ragoût and cornish game hen stood out with their well balanced flavours and textures. Full from both beer and mains, we decided to skip dessert and ended up strolling down to Da Capo for a coffee to round out a warm evening in Garneau.

*The post on our first visit can be found here.

And they open - Three Boars Eatery

Saturday was a long day that followed a very long month, and so after closing the shop door one last time, I could think of no better way to wind down than indulging in a brand new spot - Three Boars Eatery (109 Street and 84 Ave).

I was pretty anxious for this place to open. Mostly because we've walked by hundreds of times, wondering what the former pizza spot would turn into. But then there was lots of buzz on Twitter and Facebook too in recent weeks. Although Saturday was just their second day of operation, they were ready. The staff knew what they were doing (we recognized many of them from Sugarbowl), both out front and in the kitchen. And by the end of the evening we agreed our expectations had been far surpassed.

I chose a Negroni from the tidy cocktail list that also included a Sazerac, Old Fashioned and beer cocktails amongst other items, while Charles chose a pint of Alley Kat's Black Dragon IIPA from their all local draught list (edit: Just wanted to clarify that their draught list rotates often and includes local and imported craft beer). We happily enjoyed our drinks at the bar, confirming with the bar tender that we did in fact all recognize each other from Sugarbowl, while waiting for a table in the upstairs dining room.

Food wise, we resisted all four items from the "Bar Snacks" section, opting for a few things from the "Sharesies" area - Buckwheat honey glazed Brussel sprouts, Wild boar terrine with beer mustard and pickled cippolini onions, Oxtail poutine and Marsala lamb neck with potatoes, kale and olives. Plates came out one by one in no particular order and were placed in the middle of the table to share. Charles' favourite dish was the poutine - super soft oxtail, rich gravy and squeaky cheese curds topped crisp, roasted fingerling potatoes. I found myself leaning towards the lamb dish, loving the balance of flavours and textures.

We finished things off with a warm, slightly sweet pear upside down cake topped with a bit of whipped cream.

We thought they did a great job maximizing seating in the tiny space, and we enjoyed the simply decorated space of wood, white walls, industrial lights and mirrors. The downstairs kitchen/bar service and upstairs bathroom/dining area split seemed to work well too. To top things off there's a bike rack sitting out front, and we're sure there will be drinks on the patio as soon as the weather warms a bit more.

The single page menu changes often so that local ingredients can be used as much as possible. And dessert changes nearly every day. One of our favourite things though, is the price point. Nothing (on this particular menu at least) costs more than $16, and we found one smaller item - like the Brussel sprouts ($5) - along with 2-3 larger dishes - the poutine ($8) and lamb (~$11.5) for instance - were filling enough along with a couple beer... and dessert of course.

I met up with Brenna and Catherine this evening, and we decided to head over for drinks and snacks. We munched on more Brussel sprouts and this time duck rillette, and chatted to the couple sitting at the upstairs communal table with us. Warm apple tarts were gobbled up easily.

It looks like they'll be changing up the menu tomorrow, and we're certainly hoping to swing by for a drink and more eats later in the week. I promise I'll bring along the camera next time! But for now, I leave you with this one terrible Instagram photo of the lights above their upstairs communal table, that I took because I was attempting to explain Instagram. And the link to their website where you can find many more photos.

Three Boars Eatery
8424 109 Street
780.757.2600
Open everyday, 4pm until late.
Reservations for 6 or more.


*Update May 21 - Finally went back with the camera. You can find some photos here.

Breaking in the kitchen

We talked a lot this past fall about which neighbourhood would become home. Garneau is perfect. It makes not owning a car easy, with grocery stores and other amenities easy to access via foot. And just as importantly, there are lots of late night spots... no, not the weird bars along Whyte, but comfy spots like Sugarbowl, DaCapo, Remedy and Next Act.

But when one of Charles' family members offered up there condo in Oliver for rental, we couldn't resist. Although we're missing those "comfy" spots on 109th, they are, thankfully, just a short-jaunt-across-the-High-Level-Bridge away, and there are plenty of grocery options around here, with the City Market close by on Saturdays. Furthermore, downtown is quickly gaining in the types of casual spots we love (Remedy is coming along on 102 Street, there's always Red Star, and yesterday there was word of a new whisky bar opening on 103 Street). A short 10 minute walk puts us in the middle of all of it.

No matter the neighbourhood, moving means a new kitchen. And in our case, a completely different kitchen that we've quickly been breaking in.

Our first real meal was on New Year's eve. Although I planned to attempt Daniel Costa's "Ziti with sugo alla Napoletana," published in the November/December issue of The Tomato, we ended up with something a little more simple. Italian sausage cooked in tomato sauce with linguine, along with one of my favourites, roasted, charred Brussel sprouts (coincidently, I first had them prepared this way at Corso 32.).

We opened this bottle fermented brew from Brooklyn Brewery. 

Used up the last couple Christmas napkins.

And not that I have many pictures of anything I've made, but I've been going through recipes in Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain at a good pace. So far we've been enjoyed batches of her whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, barley scones and carrot muffins with spelt flour and streusel topping. By far the favourite around here has been the cookies. I used up some 'old' bars from my eating chocolate box, so these were definitely decadent chocolate wise. But the dough itself is beautiful - the whole wheat flour gives the entire cookie a chewy texture and the most amazing nutty flavour.

On the list this weekend are her buckwheat scones with fig spread, and maple danishes made with rye flour. I'll try to take some pictures as they come together.

Hopefully you all had a wonderful new year. We did end up at Churchill Square for Metropolis and fireworks. I mentioned our disappointment in last year's festivities, and must say that we didn't find this latest effort much better. The structures were packed with so many people that it was difficult to move, and when we visited Metropolis last weekend, the square was empty. I'll save you from what could would be a lengthy rant, and just say that I think Paula Simons really hit the nail on the head with her review of the city's newest winter festival.

We just got back from the leg grounds, where the Alberta-Heilongjiang Winter Festival is taking place. The organizers really did a great job planning this one out. The entertainment schedule looks enjoyable (we managed to catch the last half hour of the excellent Michael Rault this evening) and best of all the High Level street car is running so patrons can travel between the leg and Ice on Whyte festival in Strathcona for free.

I've got lots of posts lined up, so please consider this the end of a very long break, and the beginning of many posts here in 2012. We hope you have an excellent weekend.

Around Garneau

After a busy week at the shop, Charles and I were able to wander around Whyte Ave and 109th Street for the day, taking in the Antique Mall, the 'Return of the Magic' windows and, of course, some beer, coffee and treats. Here's what we discovered:

Firstly, it looks like Cally's Teas is setting up a "pop up shoppe" in their soon to be permanent local (10151 82 Avenue). Apparently her tea will be available this coming Wednesday for Christmas enjoyment.

The new layout 

After the Antique Mall, we decided to head over to Sugarbowl. We've been a few times since they released their new menu containing 44 new beer. That's right - 44. In addition to all the feature draught and bottles, there's much to choose from. While Charles went for a brown ale that I can't remember the name of, I went with a current favourite, the London Porter from Saskatoon's Paddock Wood Brewing. Ultra smooth and rich, it's perfect for cool days.

And no, the name of Charles' beer is not the one on the glass... Just in case you were thinking it, like I was.

On the way home we decided to drop into DaCapo to check out some recent renovations. The beer case is gone (don't worry, their excellent selection is lined up on the glass shelf above), and in its place is a new shelf currently holding many tins of panettone. Even more exciting is the recent addition of St-Viateur Bagels to their food line up. Bagels are brought in from Montréal once a week to be enjoyed in house or at home by the dozen. Charles was pretty ecstatic as he walked home munching on a sesame bagel.

So there you have it. A small Garneau update on an otherwise quiet blog. Hopefully we'll be back soon with some new food posts!

Noorish: Conscious Eatery and Superfood Elixir Bar

I was pretty skeptical of Noorish - "Really!? Superfood!?" - as we observed their sign going up a few blocks from our apartment earlier this fall. The health claims, marketing strategies and general use of the word "superfood" remain confusing on my end, but who am I to turn down an excellent veggie burger? Twyla over at "It's a Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life" visited the spot earlier in November, and we followed suit the very next week.

Although we were expecting casual, café style service a la DaCapo, when we arrived for a Tuesday evening meal we ran into a sign that said, "Please wait to be seated." A few minutes later we were greeted at the door and led to a table in the middle of the busy restaurant. Water was provided quickly, as was coffee for Charles and a chai tea for me. Food wise, the Bodhi Tree Burger ($17) was undoubtedly coming my way, and eventually Charles decided on the Laughing Buddha's Belly Bowl ($16).

Our food arrived at the table relatively quickly, though I had just enough time to browse their 'grocery' collection of bagged 'superfoods', spreads and gift totes from The Chocolate Doctors and raw-vegan books amongst other health food style items.

The portions at Noorish may appear small, but we struggled to finish our entrees. My burger was packed with chickpeas, walnut-basil pesto, cashew cream and avocado - an entire meal in itself. And it was one impressive veggie burger, with a soft interior and wonderfully crisp exterior. Combined with accompanying salad of kale, sprouts, seeds, beets and carrots, I was plenty full by the end (though not full enough to skip the dessert menu, of course). Charles ended up enjoying his bowl of quinoa and Thai green curry quite a bit, and now that I look at their menu again, it seems that it would be easy enough to re-create at home on a cool winter evening.

Charles had been eyeing the Walnut Brownie ($8) since we arrived, and we ended up sharing one prior to leaving. It was dense and certainly chocolate-y, and the cashew cream and cocoa nibs sprinkled on top provided nicely contrasting textures.

We also picked up four confections from The Chocolate Doctors ($10) to go. Since my current employment situation makes me slightly really biased, I'll just say that their confection style offerings are all available at Noorish.

While I remain skeptical about 'superfoods' and some of the general lifestyle prescriptions Noorish puts forward, their veggie burger is excellent, and if for nothing else, I would certainly return for another.

Noorish: Conscious Eatery and Superfood Elixir Bar
8440 109th Street
780.756.6880
Hours

A Da Capo breakfast

On Sunday Charles and I made our way over to Da Capo for a comparatively quiet breakfast, whilst lineups around us at Sugarbowl, High Level Diner and Urban Diner twisted out the door.

This is the second time I've had their goat cheese and vegetable frittata ($12) and it hit the spot once again. The egg was incredibly light with pockets of lovely, tart goat cheese and roasted zucchini and red pepper throughout. Hash-browns are well spiced, though a little more crispness would be welcomed.

 Breakfast under the looming clouds.

Compared to other spots in the area, we greatly appreciate that Da Capo makes fresh juice to order. This orange juice was sweet and full of pulp - the perfect breakfast accompaniment. As for Charles latte, it was smooth and rich as per usual.

Da Capo Caffe
8738 109 Street
Breakfast until 11am on weekdays and 12pm on weekends.

*I'll stop posting on Da Capo... one day...

Andy Warhol with a little Da Capo

This past Friday evening Charles and I ventured downtown to catch the Andy Warhol Manufactured opening at the AGA. After throwing around dinner suggestions we finally decided it would be easiest to stop off at Da Capo which was en route.

We ordered some favourites. I went for a Rochefort 8 and Charles a Chimay Blue, and food wise we shared the truffle salad and a Di Matteo pizza (tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto cotto, ricotta and black pepper). Everything was enjoyed on the patio - a little mosquito-y and slightly breezy, but pleasant and refreshing nonetheless.

 Almost done...

Must have been contemplating the pizza...

There was complimentary bubbly at the opening, and whilst speeches were on we made our way up to the third floor to check things out. This is definitely one to visit with a smaller crowd - it's fairly sizable and includes some of the Edie Sedgwick footage.

*Edit: Charles suggested I mention that I wasn't double fisting, but was holding both of our glasses whilst he took some pictures :-)

My favourite part was the Silver Clouds installation on the fourth floor. It's tons of fun and we can't wait to head back.

The ride home was particularly lovely.

*For some reason Blogger has been reducing the quality of our photos within posts themselves. If you click on the picture everything looks great though...