Lunch at The Local Omnivore

Although it was very wet and snowy today, Claire and I held fast to plans to walk up to The Local Omnivore for lunch. The truck was ready for lunch a little after noon, already serving up soup and sandwiches to a small line up of patrons.

The order of the day seemed to be the special. We didn't deviate, both opting for the potato and bacon soup with a grilled cheese sandwich for $8. Service was fast - My order came up in no time at all, and we waited a few minutes longer for Claire's to come up in the next batch of specials. Wet and slightly cold at this point, we ducked into the nearest building to enjoy our lunch.

We were both impressed with the grilled cheese. Pretty classic, with sliced cheddar, but pushed over the top with incredibly crunchy yet tender bread, and some sort of herb butter/spread. While we enjoyed the texture of the soup, and appreciated its warmth on such a cool day, we agreed that a little more salt would have helped to round out the flavours.

Claire and I wouldn't hesitate to head back - The menu changes daily, giving us lots of options. I'm looking forward to venturing a little further for a fried egg sandwich on the way to the office next week. You can find The Local Omnivore at 100 Ave. and 108 Street (Drift's old spot) for breakfast and lunch, and on Whyte Ave. Fridays and Saturdays, from midnight to 3pm for late night snacks. The menu is updated daily via their Twitter feed.

On a related note, Tanya and I cooked up a pack of their bacon last weekend, and while I wasn't a huge fan of it's sweetness alone, it worked much better in their soup (and I imagine it would be excellent on top of a fried egg sandwich, or something else super savoury, at breakfast). You can purchase packages of their very smoky-sweet bacon directly from the truck for $5.

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

Niche

Charles and I ventured to Niche a couple Saturdays ago, grabbing a reservation for 7:30 the evening prior. In what has become annoyingly regular form, we stepped through the door a little after our reservation.

The space is certainly tight, with a couple high tables nearest the bar and about half a dozen tables lined up along a banquet (plus some seating along the bar itself). We squeezed into one of the tables for two along the wall amongst a fairly packed house. Finding that Niche did indeed feature a comparatively lengthy cocktail list (though I'm really waiting for a list like the one we encountered at Ferris' Upstairs in Victoria), I happily selected something fizzy and gingery, while Charles went for a pint of Yellowhead lager. Food wise, we opted to share the Bison Meat Balls ($10), and order mains of Duck Confit ($20) and Beef Cheeks ($20).

Settling into our drinks we saw the meatballs coming our way after a short wait. With a sharp tomato sauce and the addition of pine nuts, these reminded us a little of our recent adventure with the Frankies' meatballs, though without the overpowering garlic. We wasted no time clearing the plate here.

Alberta bison meatballs with toasted pine nuts, swiss chard simmered in garlic tomato sauce topped with Pecorino cheese.

Mains were out soon after. Charles' dish of braised beef cheeks, 'wild' mushroom cream sauce and egg noodles was decidedly the favourite. The meat was soft and tender, while the mushrooms and noodles provided a richness that would prepare him well to brave the cold again. I enjoyed my duck confit, though the savoury lemon thyme gravy was the hit for me.

'Spring Creek braised beef cheeks in a wild mushroom cream tossed with broad egg noodles.'

'Confit of Brome Lake duck paired with golden mashed potatoes and lemon thyme gravy.'

Dessert wise we decided to check out two options. The 'featured dessert' - a salted chocolate brownie ($5) - and the candied pear tart with brandy cream ($5). As Sharon noted, the brownie lacked a necessary richness and seemed a little dry and crumbly. That said, the salt was certainly present. The sweet, soft textured pears in the tart were certainly enjoyed, and of course you can't go wrong with brandy cream.

Service was a little rocky, though certainly friendly. Only open for a couple months now, I'm sure this is something that will improve over time as they hit their stride with the space and clientele. We did have a funny experience with photo taking that evening. One of the servers grabbed a flashlight and held it over our plates for some better lighting. Though admittedly a little embarrassing at the time, it was an interesting and likely singular experience nonetheless.

Open late, Niche is yet another option to check out downtown for dinner, drinks and plates to share. Chef Nathan Saurette hinted in the Journal recently that he's exploring other dishes for the menu (currently on the short side); with that in mind, this will certainly be a spot we'll have to check out again soon.

Niche
11011 Jasper Ave.
780.761.1011
Hours: M-W (4pm - midnight) Th-Sa (4pm - 2am) Su (Closed)


Check out Sharon's review here, the Journal's interview with Nathan Saurette here, and some really great photos from 1hundo here.

Study hard at Muddy Waters Cafe

Zed and I were in need of a coffee last night, so around nine we decided to head over to Muddy Waters.

Just across the street from us, we had passed the cafe many times but never gone in. However we had purposely stopped at the door to check their hours this past weekend and discovered they were open until midnight on weekdays and Saturdays, and until 11PM on Sundays - I love cafes that are open late. As more of a night person than morning, I love going to have a tea/coffee before turning in.

We arrived in the brightly lit cafe and placed our orders: a chai latte for me (my favourite tea drink is really a London Fog, but I've decided to compare the Chai, readily available/offered at any cafe in the area), and a cafe latte for Zed. We took our seats, as the server who took our orders at the till promised to bring out our drinks when they were ready - Zed and I both appreciated this.

In addition to coffee and tea, the cafe also offers bagel sandwiches, wraps, soups and other nibbles (ie. hummus and pita, veggies and dip, etc.). They also had what were advertised as "homemade desserts," which included cakes, cookies and other treats (I didn't inquire whether these were actually made in house, but they all looked fairly true to the title). Full catering services of the above are also available.

Our drinks arrived just as I had stuck my nose in an Art History textbook and Zed a novel. As I sipped my chai, I found it had a nice addition of nutmeg but otherwise it wasn't really comparable to those found at Leva or Remedy, just a few blocks away. Zed's latte was good, but again nothing to write home about.

The Chai

Compared to other University cafes open during the evening, Muddy Waters was bright and well lit, which had attracted many students. The whole place had a bit of a Bohemian vibe, something like Remedy; although they seem to have struck a cord with studying students more than anything.

In the end, we both found Muddy Waters bright light and soft music to be a great place to sit and study/read, but if we are in need of a good coffee/chai and simply want to sit and enjoy them, we will most likely head down the street to Leva or Remedy (Leva is now open until 11PM Wednesday through Saturday; Remedy until ~midnight every evening).

Muddy Waters Cafe (Liscensed coffee bar and catering)
8211 111 Street
780.433.4390