REVIEW | TASTY NOODLE | EDMONTON

 

Tasty Noodle is a large, modern Chinese restaurant located in the strip mall area off of Calgary Trail. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Tasty Noodle used to operate under the name Noodle Noodle, which was previously located in Chinatown across from Garden Bakery. I remember going to that restaurant when I was much younger, and my uncle even held his wedding reception there. Despite this newer location being open for a fair number of years now, I've never been due to the driving distance. It's hard living on the northside when everything seems to be on the opposite end of the city.

I've actually been sitting on this review for a while now since I felt very uninspired by my experience at Tasty Noodle. Summed up in one word, it was just very meh. There was certainly no urgency on my part to write about it; I prefer being positive, rather than a cynical critic.

The blue skies and lack of muddy snow is indicative of how long this post is overdue...

While my parents were away in Vancouver, effectively abandoning us to look after ourselves, my sister and I decided to go for dim sum at Tasty Noodle since we were in the neighbourhood checking out furniture at IKEA anyways.

When we walked in, the restaurant was bustling with activity. I'd say it was pretty much a full house, with an army of push-cart ladies and waitstaff with trays weaving through all of the tables and traffic. Always a good sign. Although on our visit, I did notice that we might have been only one of the handful of tables with actual Chinese people sitting down... maybe not a good sign after all?

A check sheet was placed on our table along with our tea of choice (chrysanthemum) while we waited for one of the push-carts to come by. Since it was only the two of us, we were limited in how many items we could order without pushing our gastrointestinal limits.

A staple dim sum item is har gaw, or imperial shrimp dumplings ($4.95) as it's listed on the menu. Taking up only half of the steamer, the dumplings were pretty small. The translucent wrapper was also a bit too thick and gummy for my taste.

The sui mai or minced pork shrimp dumplings ($4.95) are another dim sum staple. Looking back at the picture, they appear to be strangely pale. Other than that, it was probably the most decent thing that we ordered that day.

One of my favourite items to get is the chinese donut rice roll ($??). This version was quite disappointing as the rice roll was way too thick and gummy. The chinese donut was also over-fried and rock hard, where in an ideal world, I would be describing it as crispy outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

The deep fried shrimp dumplings with mayo sauce ($5.25) was next to come by. These were okay, but again, they came out looking a little pale. Most places also give a portion of four dumplings for a similar price, when these just came with three. I guess times are hard.

Last but not least, we got the shrimp rice roll ($??) for my sister since it's her favourite dim sum item. Similar to the chinese donut earlier, the rice roll wrapping was overly thick and gummy. The shrimp were on the small side, and while soy sauce was drizzled over top, the whole thing was a bit flavourless.


Closing notes: The decor is clean, which is rare for a Chinese restaurant, but it's not much of a redeeming quality if the food and service is subpar. Prices are also on the higher side (which I wouldn't mind paying) but sadly, the quality just wasn't there to justify it. Maybe their dinner menu is a different experience? Regardless, I'm okay with the fact that I live across the city, since I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.

Tasty Noodle

tastynoodle.ca 

3203 Calgary Trail NW

(780) 422-6862

 


- CT

REVIEW | CONTESSA FRENCH MACARONS | EDMONTON

I have a love-hate relationship with macarons. Basically, I love to eat them, but I hate to make them (emphasis on the hate, clearly).

Since they're so delicate, they're super finicky to make, relying on precise measurements, skilled technique, and a whole lot of patience. Thankfully, there are more talented people out there who have perfected the art of macaron making, and all I have to do is open my mouth and enjoy them.  

Contessa French Macarons is a home business run by a local Edmontonian, Angelina Contini. Her macarons are available by order, for pickup at her west Edmonton residence.

When I found out she was going to be selling her goodies at the Santa's Little Helpers Market at River Cree Resort & Casino, I jumped at the chance to go. The event was held on November 15 from 10am to 5pm. Over 140 vendors were spread across two ballrooms, offering a selection of homemade art, clothing, jewelry, crafts, etc. For me, the main draw was definitely the food. Admission to get in was $2.00, with half of the proceeds going to the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton. 

Angelina had a selection of 12 different flavours on hand that day: pumpkin spice latte, London fog, pistachio, french toast, cinnamon bun, coconut cream, captain crunch, eggnog, caramel apple pie, chai tea, pear & pecan crumble, and bubble gum. She's constantly coming up with new flavours and rotating them in her repertoire! 

Macarons were $2.00 each, so a half dozen was $12.00 and a full dozen was $24.00. I ended up picking 6, which was a difficult task since all of the flavours sounded amazing.

Caramel apple pie

Chai tea

Pear & pecan crumble

Cinnamon bun

Captain crunch

Pumpkin spice latte

None of the macarons were overly sweet, which I appreciated. The shells were more delicate than the ones at Duchess, exhibiting a softer crunch and a more crumbly interior. I actually prefer these shells since they're not as chewy or stick-to-your-teeth like the ones at Duchess.

All of the flavours were also pretty spot on, with the Captain Crunch and caramel apple pie being my favourites of the bunch!

If you wish to make an order, you can check Angelina's Facebook and Instagram for more details, and email inquiries/orders at contessamacarons@gmail.com. She is such a sweet and amazingly talented lady who deserves your business!

- CT

REVIEW | OHANA-YA | ST. ALBERT

There are a grand total of three Japanese restaurants in St. Albert, those being Ohana-Ya, Yuzen, and Sushi Park. I've been to Sushi Park twice now (reviews here and here), and thought it was time to try something new to compare.

Ohana-Ya is located in a little strip mall, flanked by Booster Juice and Little Caesars. It's conveniently located off of St. Albert Trail, pretty much right after you enter the suburb from the city. It's also quite close to one of its competitors, Yuzen, who is pretty much a stone's throw across the street.

Since they're celebrating their sixth year anniversary, there's an online coupon on their website that you can print off for 10% off a $25 purchase (take out or dine-in) until the end of December.

My sister and I arrived on a Friday evening around 5:30, and the restaurant was about half-full with couples and families. It began to fill up more as the evening went on. 

Service was really eager and welcoming from the get-go. In the span of 5 or so minutes, one server sat us, another offered us drinks to start, and then another came by to take our order. A couple of them checked in with us during our meal, but as the restaurant got a bit more busy, service became a bit absent as we waited for our bill and the credit machine.

We were seated in a small two-top, tucked right in the corner of the sushi bar. Embarassingly enough, we may have ordered a bit too much food, prompting the waiter to combine our table with the neighbouring two-seater. No shame though.

The first dish to arrive was the prawn tempura ($11 for 5 pcs). A decent renditon, though the batter was a bit too thick for my taste. I would describe the batter as more gloopy (perhaps too much flour mixed in?), rather than flaky and crispy, two characteristics that I look for in a good tempura.

My usual litmus test at a Japanese restaurant is their ika yaki ($11.00) or bbq squid. Ohana-Ya serves theirs whole, with a ginger sauce and a lemon wedge. I was a bit disappointed as the squid had no char flavour; it was just overcooked and rubbery. The ginger sauce also had no flavour, making the whole dish pretty bland.

The next item we ordered was the chef's choice sashimi ($27.00), which comes with 18 pieces. There was a good variety of fish on offer. Clockwise from bottom left: tuna, salmon, toro, sockeye salmon, hamachi, surf clam, scallop, and red snapper. This was probably the highlight of the meal, as all of the different cuts were decent and fresh.

Onto the rolls! Ohana-Ya has three pages of their menu specifically dedicated to rolls. There's even a section dedicated to fully cooked rolls, for those uninitiated into the raw side of things.

We decided on the kamikaze roll ($11) which is a spicy chopped scallop roll with tempura crumbs sprinkled around the outside. The scallops were quite good, packing a nice heat, but the rice lacked the distinctive vinegary taste of sushi rice. It was a bit strange considering that they're known for their rolls.

We also ordered the fire dragon roll for my sister (half order $11.00) which had salmon, onion, and red pepper. The whole roll is fried in tempura batter, and then topped with a spicy mayo sauce and fish roe. Not my sister's favourite rendition either, as she didn't like the sharpness of the raw onion. Most sushi restaurants use green onion which lends a more fragrant taste.

Overall, Ohana-Ya was just okay. It wasn't terribly offensive, but it wasn't amazing either. Somewhere in the middle of the road. Their prices are also on the higher side, with the meal for 2 coming in around $70+, which wasn't reflective of the quality at all.

Unfortunately I don't think I'd return, unless I was in the area during the weekday to try their ramen lunch special which people seem to dig. But until I get to try Yuzen, Sushi Park has my vote in St. Albert.

Ohana-Ya

 www.ohana-ya.com

2 Hebert Rd #224

St. Albert, AB

(780) 459-8355

- CT

REVIEW | DAUPHINE BAKERY & BISTRO | EDMONTON

** This restaurant is now closed. **

After a wholesome vegan lunch at Noorish, MH and I decided to prolong our catch-up session with a trip to Dauphine Bakery & Bistro. It probably wasn't the healthiest choice as a follow-up, but I felt like we deserved it after eating so many vegetables in one sitting.

Dauphine is a quaint bakery and bistro situated on the ever-hip and sophisticated 104th street in downtown Edmonton. Home to the city market during the summer season, 104th street has a ton of local gems to explore, from boutiques to eateries and everything in between. We hopped on the LRT from University for a quick ride over to Bay Enterprise Station, where Dauphine is literally steps away from one of the station's outposts. 

Established in 2011 under the pseudonym 'Queen of Tarts', the bakery was forced to re-brand after a copyright infringement lawsuit. Personally, I think 'Dauphine' suits the classy Parisian look and feel of the place much better anyway.

Opening the bakery's doors, you're led down a set of stairs into an airy, open space. A tempting display of pastries and breads fills up a large sectional 'L' counter, while marble tables and chairs fill out the rest of the restaurant. My favourite area to sit at is definitely the cozy nook beside the staircase, which holds more tables with booth seating.

If you plan to eat in, a chalkboard sign instructs you to seat yourself until one of the waitstaff comes by to take your order. Although Dauphine offers a menu of savoury options such as quiches and sandwiches, I've only ever been here twice for their desserts. That's why I find it a bit awkward to have to wait and order at the table, when you're already by the counter perusing the pastry cabinets.

Since the bakery is famous for their tarts, it's a no-brainer to get one. This was my second time ordering the white chocolate pistachio tart ($6.00), and for good reason! The crust is reminiscent of shortbread, with a very crumbly texture. Though the white chocolate ganache is quite sweet, the thick texture pairs well with the slight saltiness and nuttiness of the crushed pistachios. Apparently the lemon tart is also worth a try!

I also ordered a slice of their carrot cake ($6.95), knowing fully well that I'd pack pretty much all of it home for my family to pick at later on. The cake is moist enough, and generously studded with flecks of carrot, nuts, and raisins. The frosting is a simple cream cheese, with the outside covered in shreds of toasted coconut. Overall a decent cake.

MH decided to go for a ginger snap ($1.25) and a peanut butter sandwich cookie ($2.00). The peanut butter sandwich cookie appeared to be an oatmeal type of cookie, perhaps sandwiched with a peanut buttercream. MH also really liked the ginger snap, noting that it had the perfect amount of spice.

I think the main question on everyone's mind is how Dauphine compares to Duchess, considering some similarities between the two bakeries. I'd say the selection is less refined and more limited at Dauphine (though they offer more breads!). The foot traffic is also much slower, yet steady. It's definitely quieter than your average experience at Duchess, where lines will literally spill out of the famed bakery at any time of the day. Because of that, I would say Dauphine is an adequate substitute for Duchess, that is, if you're in the mood for French-inspired pastries without the hustle and bustle.

Dauphine Bakery & Bistro

10129 104 St NW

Edmonton, AB

(780) 421-4410 

 

- CT

REVIEW | NOORISH | EDMONTON

** This restaurant is now closed. **

Noorish Conscious Eatery & Superfood Elixir Bar. What a mouthful.

Despite its complicated name, Noorish's philosphy is quite the opposite. A "conscious" eatery, superfood elixir bar, teaching kitchen, retail store, and a yoga/meditation studio all rolled into one, Noorish aims to noorish the mind, body, and soul.

Eat well to live well? Sounds simple to me.

Located in the Garneau neighbourhood on 109th street, Noorish stands ironically across from a McDonalds. Though chicken nuggets and McDonald's french fries can be tempting, Noorish caters to an entirely different demographic, offering a menu that is entirely local and organic, with a variety of raw, vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free options. What I appreciated about the menu is that despite being meat-free, it had more than just your average, mundane salads. Though you can certainly order a salad if you'd like, they also have more approachable comfort food (dishes with substance!) such as mac & cheese, burgers, and poutine.

I met up with MH at Noorish for an impromptu catch-up session as it had been months since our last meeting. Since MH was recently thinking of transitioning to a vegan diet, she helped me out immensely by narrowing down the number of restaurants we could choose from. Noorish came highly recommended to me, so it was a no-brainer to finally try it out.

We walked into the space minutes before the lunchtime rush, and were led to the prettiest table in the entire restaurant, complete with its own mini gourd. (I felt special.) Definite Morrocan vibes with the decor, which was warm and inviting.

We placed our order with our waitress, who was kind and polite during our entire experience. Her voice was quite soothing, almost zen-like. She could have been a yoga instructor from downstairs for all I knew.

The food was a little slow to come out, but if you're with good company, not in any rush, and not #hangry, it shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

MH revealed that she actually dreamt about me the night before in anticipation of our hang-out at Noorish. (I have that effect on people ¬‿¬). In her dream, she was eating a dish with sweet potatoes, so MH decided to have a quasi-deja vu moment and ordered the sattva bowl ($16.00). The sattva bowl came in a huge portion, with wilted kale, ruby kraut, roasted yam, and quinoa with lemon-hemp gravy. The bowl almost seemed never-ending with ingredients. I didn't try any, but MH liked the dish, and felt guilty when she wasn't able to finish the whole bowl. Who knew you didn't need meat to feel full?

A number of menu items had caught my eye, but I eventually decided on the bodhi burger ($18.00), which was a sprouted chickpea patty, topped with tomato, red onion, avocado, and fresh sprouts, stuffed between a whole wheat bun slathered with spinach pesto and cashew herbed cream on either side. I'm guessing the dish can also be made gluten-free with a simple substitution of the whole wheat bread, since the waitress asked me if I was okay with the regular bun. In fact, they're pretty good with accommodating allergies as I overheard a customer discussing their ingredient sensitivities with the waitress.

 

Back to the burger, the chickpea patty was quite reminiscent of falafel. Same flavour profile, with a crisp exterior and a crumbly interior that actually help up pretty well. The cashew herbed cream was flavoured with dill, and despite not being a fan of dill, I couldn't taste much of it when all of the ingredients were sandwiched together. Although it was a bit messy to eat, I was quite happy with my choice.

 

 

With any of the burgers, which there are two to choose from, you also have a choice of side. The waitress informed me that I could choose any of the salads under their salad menu, or the soup of the day which was some type of butternut squash and tomato concoction. I decided to go for the miso lemon kale salad (normally $8.00 for starter/$16.00 for main) which had curly kale, tomato, and avocado with a lemon-miso hemp dressing. The dressing was nice and citrusy, helping to offset the bitterness of the kale. A refreshing side in between bites of the burger.

Normally I'm a skeptic when it comes to vegetarian/vegan (dare I say hippie?) restaurants, but I walked away pleasantly surprised. I can't vouch for their entire menu, but I was happy with what was on my plate. Though Alberta is famously known for their love of meat and potatoes, it's nice to see that there's a restaurant that is unapologetic about their vegan fare. While I'm not a yogi, a vegan, or a raw foods enthusiast, I can appreciate the dedication and passion it takes to sustain such a lifestyle. Noorish definitely deserves your try for that reason.

Noorish  

noorish.ca

8440 109 St NW

Edmonton, AB

(780) 756-6880

- CT

AT HOME | OREO MILLE CRÊPE CAKE

A mille crepe cake is a French dessert, made of many crepe layers sandwiched with alternating layers of pastry cream. The word mille translates to "a thousand," signifying the sheer amount of crepes required to create this architectural masterpiece.

Inspired by the mille crepe cakes served at Island Cafe & Bistro (review here), I decided to go ahead and attempt my own at home! Thankfully it wasn't a total disaster.

The recipe I followed is courtesy of Eugenie Kitchen, who also has a step-by-step YouTube video.

For the chocolate crepes, the ingredients you will need are:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk 

The recipe makes about 10 small crepes. I doubled the recipe so that my cake would be taller (and much more impressive).

 Mix all the dry ingredients together first.

And then add the wet ingredients and whisk everything together. It's a pretty fool-proof recipe, although I found that I needed to add a few more splashes of milk to thin the batter out. From past experience with making crepes, it works better if the batter is quite thin (almost like the consistency of gravy) so that it spreads around the pan more evenly.

And then it's crepe making time! A couple of tips: cook the crepes over a low heat, and definitely use a non-stick pan. I also painted a thin layer of melted butter before I poured the batter in. More butter wouldn't hurt right?

(Only your waistline, but everything in moderation.)

You know it's time to flip when the crepe becomes a touch dry on the surface. It literally takes less than 30 seconds each side.

Basically repeat the process until you run out of batter. It may not be a thousand crepes, but this is definitely the most time-consuming part of the recipe.

Once you have amassed your tower of crepes, set them aside to cool and begin working on your filling.

In my case, the filling was a simple whipped cream. Ingredients are:

• 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

A few minutes at high speed, and now you have a fluffy cloud of deliciousness.

Assembly line time:

A 10" cake board (though an ordinary plate would do), a mountain of crepes, whipped cream, and oreo baking crumbs. You can totally crush up regular oreos to get rid of all your pent-up frustrations.

I laid down a bit of a whipped cream on the board as glue so that the cake wouldn't slide around afterwards, and then slathered a spoonful on the first crepe using an off-set spatula.

Sprinkle oreo crumbs onto the whipped cream, and then (rinse, lather, and) repeat.

It won't look like the prettiest thing in the world at first, but I ended up covering the whole thing in whipped cream and oreo crumbs anyways.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of a slice since this cake was made especially for a special group of people (Hi HVDC team!), but here's a photo taken on my phone of my first attempt at a mille crepe cake. Excuse the excessive filtering.

Not too shabby eh?

- CT