REVIEW | KANTO 98 ST. EATERY | EDMONTON

** This restaurant is now closed. **

 

Is there any better food than street food? I think not.

Alas, I'm an indoor (ie. air con-loving) kind of gal, so I'm thankful that Kanto 98 St. Eatery delivers the goods, sans the sweltering heat of the outdoors.

Kanto, translation being street corner in Tagalog, aims to showcase Filipino flavours in a tidy, modern package. It's the brainchild of Chef Edgar Gutierrez, of Tres Carnales and Rostizado fame, as an homage to his Filipino heritage.

Its location is quite easy to find, just one block off the main stretch of Chinatown, on 98 St. where cult favourites like Van Loc and Pho Tau Bay already reside.

The narrow space is divided in half between counter and seating. There's a retro comic mural on the right wall, a clue to the fun and bold creativity instilled in the meal that you're about to consume.

The street food-inspired menu is split into BBQ meats, baos, bowls, and sides. They also do a couple off-menu items that I've seen them advertise on Instagram (namely sisig and halo halo). Ordering is done at the counter, while food is brought out to your table in a mix of fast food baskets and stoneware bowls. Plastic forks, knives, and spoons are already at the table, but I think I would have liked to see them use real utensils (for easier use and also a greener environment).

While baos aren't necessary Filipino, it's a handy vessel for the fillings that are. ST and I shared an order of the Bao Bae ($15.50). Each of the baos comes in portions of three, which would be incredibly ambitious for one person to tackle alone, so sharing is definitely encouraged. Pieces of fried chicken are sandwiched within the steamed bao, along with a spread of red pepper mayo, pickled cucumbers, fried garlic, and green onions.

The chicken is deliciously crispy, almost bordering on crunchy territory (yes, there's a difference between crispy and crunchy in my eyes). The bao was a touch dry on the surface but I loved the contrast in textures between the soft bao and the crispy fried chicken. The red pepper mayo also added a good amount of heat and flavour, and when it almost felt like it'd be too much, the freshness and acid from the pickled cucumber was a nice little surprise to cut through the richness. 

We can't talk about street food without talking about meat on a stick, can we? We shared an order of the pork BBQ ($8.50), two skewers of marinated, grilled, and glazed pork loin. There's also chicken and beef, and a pork belly option.

The marinade is slightly sweet, and the meat is given a light char while grilled. Our server also recommended adding on a bit of the vinegar condiment on the table, another neat trick to open up new flavours and cut the richness.

We had the skewers alongside talangka fried rice ($8.00). In Filipino cuisine, Talangka is a small crab prized for its tomalley (roe). My family would fight for this stuff whenever we would have crab on the table. Talangka crab paste is added to the fried rice at Kanto, which lends a subtle layer of flavour. What ST and I enjoyed most about the dish was the crunchy bits of rice. It's almost burnt, but in a purposeful way, like what you would get in Chinese claypot rice or in a sizzling bowl of Korean bibimbap.



Filipino cuisine isn't exactly in the Western mainstream, so I'm happy to see Kanto introducing the flavours to a new audience in a fun, approachable way. It's a-bao-t time.

(I'll see myself out.)

 Kanto 98 St. Eatery

www.kanto98st.com
10636 98 St NW

Edmonton, AB

 (780) 244-7388

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REVIEW | WILFRED'S | EDMONTON

The Brewery District in Oliver has been through a lot of development in the last few years. Now joining the roster is Wilfred's, a modern and trendy neighbourhood cafe.

Entering Wilfred's for the first time is almost like opening up a storybook. While the name Wilfred's comes from the father of one of the owners, it's also the namesake of a fictional bear. As the mascot of their brand, he presides over the coastal town painted on the walls of the restaurant, inspired by travels and scenes from Paris. It's these small precious details that's already made it a favourite backdrop for hangouts and cozy dates. (Also, Instagram photos. Lots of Instagram photos.)

The small, 100-year-old brick heritage building, which Wilfred's calls home, is located at the outskirts of the Brewery District, right outside the Loblaws City Market. Walking up the stairs to the door, you'll see outdoor benches with small round tables, almost reminscent of classroom desks. That kind of nostalgia blends itself in with the rest of the decor, a beautiful, whimsical design with watercolor cartoons and newspaper menus. 
   
A coffee counter is immediate to your left, while a wraparound bar takes up the centre of the restaurant. White oak and pink tiles makes the space almost girly, while worn brown leather grounds and matures the space.  

Wilfred's is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 8AM-11PM. The day is broken up into breakfast (8-11AM), lunch (11AM-2:30PM), snacks (2:30-5PM), and dinner (5-11PM). It's a versatile space; you could pretty much come in all hours of the day and have completely different experiences.

The menu is small and streamlined. Soft scramble sandwiches are their signature in the morning, while mid-day snacks consists of deviled eggs and olives. Lunch and dinner are a little heartier, with salads, burgers, and grilled cheese. When I first read the menu, nothing really jumped out at me as "I must come here and eat this!" It's a basic menu, but I think it does a pretty good job of checking off the classics and appealing to all levels of appetites.    

After much deliberation, SC got the fried chicken and prosciutto cutlet ($24.00). It seemed pricey at first, but the portion size seems to make up for it. Two pieces of pounded chicken breast come wrapped in prosciutto before being deep fried in a crumb coating. It also comes with a side arugula and tomato salad (because health is all about balance), blanketed with freshly grated parmesan (see, balance). We both thought the chicken was okay, nothing special or outstanding about it. SC thought the salad was better.

I was more in a 'snack-y' mood so I decided to get two smaller plates. The cauliflower & potato soup ($9.00), topped with crispy bacon and chives, is a thick, rich, and creamy bowl. The cauliflower does a good job of lightening things up because the texture wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be. Pretty comforting, and would be even better when enjoyed in colder weather.

Heads up: they don't have any take-out containers for the soup! SC and I did our best tag-team effort to finish the bowl, but was ultimately defeated. 

I also got the smoked salmon plate ($18.00). A DIY affair with toasted rye bread, six slices of smoked salmon, shaved cucumber and dill salad, capers, lemon, and creme fraiche.

Everything was fresh and it tasted like the sum of its ingredients. It's a good option for lunch, or if you're not feeling overly hungry and wanting something light.



The food did its job, but admittedly, it was the decor that got us through the door. It's a promising space, and I do think it's worth coming back to give their breakfast a try! (Those darn millennials and their brunch...)  

Wilfred's

wilfreds.co

10429 121 St NW

Edmonton, AB 

(780) 757-7009

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REVIEW | AN CHAY | EDMONTON

Whenever MH comes back to town, I instantly bombard her with a list of vegetarian spots for her to choose from. Surprisingly in the land of meat and potatoes, Edmonton has a decent selection of vegetarian or plant-based restaurants. Her choice of resto this time around? An Chay.

An Chay, in Vietnamese, translates to 'eat vegetarian.' Although Vietnam is known for beefy pho or meaty vermicelli bowls in the western world, vegetarian food is really nothing new. Most practicing Buddhists (the largest singular religion in Vietnam) have a vegetarian diet, and many at least adopt it when observing certain holidays. My family is Buddhist and although we're pretty lax about attending temple service on Sundays, one of my favourite things about going is the vegetarian food served out of the basement!

Located at the corner of Jasper Avenue and 112 Street, An Chay is hoping to bring that unique Vietnamese vegetarian food experience to the masses.

The spring rolls from temple are my absolute favourite (I can become a vegetarian easily if I had an unlimited supply of them) so I was excited to try out the restaurant's version. A half order of spring rolls / cha gio ($5.00) comes with three and a side of chili vinaigrette (which mimics fish sauce). Crispy, crunchy wrappers are filled with a combination of bean thread noodles, fried beancurd, taro, yam, and mung bean. Delicious! It's not quite the same recipe as the temple, but I still really liked the flavour and texture of these.

MH was excited to try out their vietnamese noodle soup / pho ($14.00). Since An Chay's recipe is completely vegan, the broth doesn't have the luxury of flavour extracted from beef bones. Instead, it relies on the usual aromatics in pho -- star anise, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, onions, etc. Toppings include baby bok choy, tofu, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, black fungus, and carrots. I didn't try any but MH loved being able to have pho again!

I usually don't go for spicy food but I was craving spicy noodle soup / bun hue ($15.00) for some reason. Like pho, bun bò hue typically contains beef (bò). The traditional broth utilizes beef shank, oxtail and pork hocks, while toppings typically include Vietnamese ham (cha) and sometimes even cubes of pig blood. Not very vegetarian friendly is it? An Chay's "bun hue" uses the same characteristic round rice noodles, but tops their soup with fried tofu, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, and a vegan Vietnamese sausage (which tastes surprisingly similar to the real deal).

They also give you an individual plate of beansprouts, purple cabbage, lime, mint, and chili to dress up your bowl however you'd like.

Get you a friend who will do noodle pulls for you.

The broth is spiked with lemongrass flavour and is indeed spicy! Even without meat, it's surprisingly filling since they give you a fair portion of noodles.



This particular Jasper street corner hasn't had a good history of longevity (there's been a high turnover of restaurants), but it seems like An Chay is finally breaking that trend, impressing vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Even if you don't have a vegetarian friend (MH is not for sale, sorry), it's worth a trip to An Chay for their fresh take on some traditional Vietnamese favourites. 

An Chay

www.facebook.com/anchayyeg

11203 Jasper Ave

Edmonton, AB

(780) 752-2203

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REVIEW | CARTAGO | EDMONTON

  ** This restaurant is now closed. **

Forest Heights seems like your average neighbourhood, but Cartago, located at the corner of 82nd Street and 106th Ave, is anything but your average neighbourhood bar. 

Since their opening last August, Cartago has been embraced by its community and has settled in its home quite nicely. Its namesake derives from a town in Costa Rica where one of the owners has family ties, but the bar is decidedly German and beer-centric. 

 
Arriving on a Tuesday evening, we were one of the few tables there which was nice; it allowed us to linger and chat for a couple of hours without feeling pressured to vacate for a waiting party, or even order alcohol (which we aren't really fans of). I hear, and presume, that they're busier on the weekends, so head over on a Friday night if you want a livelier atmosphere. 

Cartago is on the ground floor of what I assume is a relatively new(er) apartment complex. The space is wide and long, with windows all around. The bar is the focal point; it also houses the small kitchen and a beer fridge. (I know my dad and many others who would love a fridge dedicated to just beer). Decoration is minimal, with concrete floors and basic wooden table tops. It's the perfect balance between hip/modern and casual  --  there's a certain unfussiness to it that makes it both comfortable and approachable.

The food menu is not as extensive as the drink selection, but there's a fair amount of items listed under a number of different categories. Bites are for nibbling while handhelds include sandwiches and the staple German currywurst. Shareables are charcuterie plates: your choice of sausages, or cured meats and cheeses. After 5PM, there's abendessen (that's German for dinner) and a selection of sides to round it out. There's basically a bit of everything to satisfy you for a quick lunch, dinner, or just a snack. Did I mention they also do weekend brunch? 

Brunch is definitely on my agenda for some other day, but here's what we did order:

The spatzle poutine ($9.00) is a German riff on the Canadian classic. Instead of fries, a bed of German egg noodles come topped with cheese curds, housemade gravy, and a handful of bean sprouts.

The grilled cheese Berlin ($15.00) comes on toasted rye with smoked German ham, German edam, sauerkraut, and aioli. It also comes with a side, your choice of soup, cucumber dill salad, or roasted potato wedges.

Trying to be "healthy," SC got the cucumber dill salad ... despite the fact that she doesn't even like cucumbers (lol). I tried a bit of it and thought it was simple and refreshing. 

At the end, our server was clearing our plates and noticed that the bowl was still full. He was kind enough to take it off the bill and just charged the cost of the sandwich. He really didn't have to since there was absolutely nothing wrong with the salad (just a preference thing), but it was appreciated anyhow.

I decided on the currywurst ($15.00), a popular German street food. Cartago's rendition includes a bratwurst sausage (sourced locally from Fuge Fine Meats) in a toasted bun with spicy curry ketchup, yogurt aioli, onion, and fresh mint. Even though it's considered a 'handheld,' it can get pretty messy and saucy so I ended up just using a knife and a fork. The curry ketchup is delicious with a kick of spice!

Since healthy decisions aren't my forte when dining out, I decided on the roasted potato wedges for my side. Nice and crispy like a good potato wedge should be. It also comes with some more curry ketchup for dipping.


If you're in need of a perfect hangout spot, Cartago is the place to be. Forest Heights is quite lucky to have them. If you're not from the neighbourhood, I'd suggest you get your car-ta-go. (HAHAHAHA, k, I'll stop.) 

Cartago

www.cartagoyeg.com

8204 106 Ave

Edmonton, AB

(587) 524-4242

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REVIEW | BANANA LEAF | CALGARY

Malaysian food is incredibly complex -- it's basically the best parts of Malay, Indian, and Chinese cuisine, melded into one rich, flavourful entity.

Although their food is delicious, we actually don't have very many Malaysian restaurants around these parts. Unlike other southeast Asian countries, notably Thailand and Vietnam, it hasn't quite penetrated the mainstream Western palate. 

In Edmonton, we have Tropika (west and south) and Island Cafe & Bistro. I love both restaurants, but that's pretty much it for choice. In Calgary, you have a few more options, all small and family-owned which is nice to see.

We decided to check out Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine for a quick early dinner before heading back home. It's equal parts hidden gem and hole in the wall. Located in the northeast, its neighbouring businesses are mostly automotive-related, including a Midas, Hertz, and Kal Tire. There's an Asian supermarket in the strip mall as well, which we checked out before going in for dinner.

Despite the early dinner time, there was still a few tables already occupied. Then again, it was a holiday weekend. I hear it does get full fast during peak lunch and dinner. 

There's an unwritten rule to always order roti canai at a Malaysian restaurant. For $5.25, you get two pieces of roti canai along with a curry dipping sauce. The roti was crispy and flaky, but unfortunately dry and stiff. Dipping it into the spicy curry didn't do much to soften it up. I don't know if we just got a bad batch but I prefer a softer and chewier roti.

Also a must-order for me, satay chicken ($11.95 for six skewers). They do warn that the satay takes a while to prepare so we actually received them after all the other dishes came out. It didn't bother us in the slightest but just a heads up for those who are finicky about the progression of their meal.

The satay came out piping hot. A bit different than the satay I'm used to as these had a very prominent lemongrass flavour. Still good, just different.  

My mom wanted to get their Hainanese chicken rice ($13.50), which we actually packed up for my dad so we didn't get to try it. It's a good portion of Hainanese style rice with almost half a poached chicken. You also get the traditional accompaniments of ginger and chili sauce.

Last but not least, we got their signature curry laksa. Laksa is a spicy coconut curry noodle soup, popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. At Banana Leaf, you can get laksa with toppings of beef brisket, Hainanese chicken, fish ball, pork ball, beef ball, vegetables, or seafood ($13.50), which is the version we got. You also have a choice of yellow noodles or vermicelli. Both are good but the yellow noodles have a bit more bite and substance to them.

The seafood curry laksa comes with squid, white fish fillet, a couple shrimps, fish cake, puffed tofu, and a hard boiled egg. The soup is creamy, fragrant, and spicy. I can definitely see how this dish can be addicting! Fair warning, if you're kind of a spice wimp like I am, be careful when eating the tofu! It just soaks up all that soup like a sponge.



No frills about it. It's an honest place, honest food.

Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine

3330 32 St NE

Calgary, AB

(403) 450-3880 

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