Whyte Ave – Vincent Tedjasaputra, Ph.D.

Review: Next Act Pub

April 16, 2012August 16, 2018 by Drvinnyt, posted in Foodmonton, Karbuthnot24, Whyte Ave

I had heard many about “Theater Sports” down at the Varscona Theater, and though it sounded like a fun new thing to try. I bought some tickets online for their weekly show, Friday at 11:00. 11:00 is kind of an awkward time for anything to begin, so I thought, what can we do for an hour or two before a show. Obviously good eats and good drinks was the most obvious option. So, in the spirit of the Theater, and the inspiration to try a new place, we went to the Next Act Pub on the corner of 104 Street and 83 Ave. The pub was small, but luckily we found seats. It was Friday night, so unfortunately it was a little loud for regular, sober communication. Good thing I always speak above proper room volume. The clientele was something I also noticed. Everyone was a little older, and looked more refined than the usual Whyte Avenue Friday night crowd. This I liked, mostly because I can appreciate a pub that’s devote to food, drink and good conversation.

The Menu, both food and drink, looked amazing. Diverse, yet comfortable choices, and most importantly, burgers. I will definitely return again to explore the other components of the menu, however, that night I chose the “Class Act” burger, very fitting if I do say so myself. Mr. D order the Macaroni and Cheese with the additional bits of bacon and jalapeno’s. To drink, we ordered a pitcher of Steam whistle. Probably not worth it as it was just less than 3 pints, and a single pint cost 6$. There were some really nice beer choices, however, not as deep and diverse as you’ll find at Sugarbowl.

The Burger included cheddar cheese, bacon, and an overeasy egg. The egg was cooked perfectly which allowed the delicious yolk to flow throughout. mmmmm. The Patty though, was seasoned so perfectly. The meat was juicy and cooked very nicely. I consider myself someone who knows a good burger as it’s my favorite food and I’ve consumed far too many in my lifetime, and I can easily say, this was one of the best I have ever had, ANYWHERE! damn. I’m craving it right now.

Mr. D ordered the Mac and Cheese which was baked and steaming hot as it arrived at the table. It was creamy and not overly rich, and the bacon bits were, well, bacon bits so delicious. The Jalapeno’s were a nice touch, however, they were really hot and overpowered a lot of the other components in the dish. If you can handle them, they’re great, but next time we’ll sans the Jalapeno’s.

Overall the meal was delicious, hot, and fresh. The ambiance was great, the menu tantalizing, and the servers friendly. I would absolutely recommend the Next Act to everyone! Whatsmore, they have a foodtruck on the way this summer people! Here’s the website if you want more info, http://www.nextactpub.com/.

Langano Skies

April 4, 2012August 16, 2018 by Drvinnyt, posted in Bigvinnysd, Ethiopian Food, Foodmonton, Whyte Ave

Any of you regular readers know that I have a real passion for authentic Ethiopian food. First time was on New Years Eve in Downtown San Jose a number of years back with some close friends- wonderful atmosphere, and you know if you’re the only non-Ethiopians in the joint, and not playing cards or dominos or smoking cigarettes, you’re in the right place.

Since then, I’ve attempted to find the really great hole-in-the-wall type places, in San Diego: Muzita Abyssinian Bistro (definitely not hole in the wall, on Park Ave in Uni Heights) is a jazzier, very clean varietal of these restaurants, site of one of the first non-date date that I had with Claireadaire back in the day. (other great Ethiopian places: Awash, Red Sea, etc… look it up, this is an Edmonton blog, after all!)

But I digress: Langano Skies, I believe one of the highest rated places on Yelp and Urbanspoon for the Edmonton area. Pretty conveniently located on the corner of Whyte Ave and 99th St, you might miss it if you drive too fast, and certainly will have a little trouble finding parking. PS from the University, the 7 bus will take you right to 99th (along with other Bonnie Doon and Capilano bound buses, the 4)

Ok: Jumping right into the review: A very ravenously hungry pair of international students go to an Ethiopian restaurant. Sorry Matheus, I forgot to tell you that this food, and generally the wait, is longer than normal.

No such qualms when the food came out though. We ordered Yemisir Kik Wot (bottom right, lentils), on suggestion from our waiter, Yegbeg Wot (lamb, top right), Siga Tibs (steak cooked in butter and jalapenos, bottom right)

Immediately what strikes you about Ethiopian food: the scent is powerfully seductive. Now once you regain the other senses you realize, wow this is a ton of food. Also, where are our utensils?

Don’t be silly. The staple of Ethiopian food is Injera, a fermented flat bread (my best estimation is a sourdough crepe) Cut into strips and rolled up. You rip off a piece and you pick up the pieces of meat or vegetable from a family style plate (which is also served on a huge piece of injera).

Close up of Siga Tibs. I wish they had made it spicier, but upon Matheus’ request, a little milder taste made all his enjoyment. Can you tell he liked it? In a word, Delicioso!

In My quasi-expert opinion? I’m really disappointed they don’t offer Tej (Ethiopian honey wine) which is really the best part. Other than that, great flavors, I really wanted to try the Kitfo, especially since I was still on antibiotics so little chance of food poisoning (Kitfo is steak tartare in berebe, spiced butter). So, barring from the fact that they didn’t have Tej, and the less than stellar lentils, I think that this place does quite well in the meats. If this was in SD, it wouldn’t break my top 5, but considering it is Edmonton:

Grade B+

Take the plunge! Go a little out of your comfort zone, eat with your hands, connect with your food! This type of cuisine is SO much fun to interact with friends, great conversation. If you have a few hours, go with some good friends and enjoy the experience.

Bigvinnysd

@LanganoSkies

http://www.langanoskies.com/

Accent

March 25, 2012August 16, 2018 by Drvinnyt, posted in Best of Edmonton, Bigvinnysd, Edmonton, Foodmonton, Whyte Ave

First time seeing sunlight in a few days. Not only because it’s been overcast and snowing, but because I’ve been confined to the sickbay that is my apartment. Beautiful day, +7C, not a cloud in sight. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought it was a nice day out: the result, a busy busy day on the sidewalks of Whyte Ave.

On our walk, I spotted a restaurant I had visited in Feb 2011 when I came to check out the U of A. Of course many would argue that such a cold day (-20c) should have deterred me from coming to Edmonton. Oh well. I didn’t know the name, but I knew it was next to a Chili’s. Well, Chili’s closed down, but by pure chance we found it! 104th St, about 3 doors North of Whyte ave…

Inside was a very tavern-y feel, wood and copper fixtures. Pretty quiet for dinner time, and the crowd was pretty varied. I guess Nina and I consider ourselves to be snobby, and wondered why so few people actually dress properly for dinner. I digress. Hang on though, the most comprehensive review yet!

Accent is flagged as a European Lounge, but nothing really stood out as decidedly European. Here’s the menu:

However, the menu did have some eyebrow raising and mouth watering options. Of course I ask the waitress for her recommendation, and she very enthusiastically recommends the Steak Tartare as a starter, and also offers that the Wiener Schnitzel is why people come to Accent.

As with most hands-on dishes, this came with instructions. Cut a clove of garlic in half, rub it all over the toasted crostini, making sure the parsley gets nice and muddled, and slather the neolithic meat paste all over the toast, munch, swallow, repeat. Miss Nina not looking super enthused, nor impressed that her much anticipated smoked salmon had yet to arrive. Keep sipping, dear. 🙂

Ok. By far, this dish (Steak Tartare, $14), is the best thing I have eaten since I’ve arrived in Edmonton, and I’ve eaten some fantastic food, if you’re a regular reader of Foodmonton. I was a little hesitant to eat raw beef, but I thought: “Hey, eat raw fish in San Diego, eat raw beef in Alberta.” It was a logical conclusion. I eat my steak rare, anyway. Add the fact that I’m on crazy strong antibiotics for whatever respiratory infection I have, I’m good to go as far as bacterial poisoning.

A myriad of flavors, wonderfully and traditionally seasoned! Absolutely shows it’s freshness, obviously ground right before it was served. Raw onions in the tartare bring an unmistakable spice compounding with the fresh cracked pepper, hints of Worcestershire perfectly balanced, a touch of sweetness, I think from Cognac. The raw garlic brings on it’s muscle as you crunch through the impeccably toasted bread, and savor the silky texture of the finely minced steak. The level of detail-orientation… I mean they must have refrigerated their grinder as to not heat up the meat. Drawing on our cave-dwelling mammoth-hunting ancestry, this was truly a delightful, yet surprising treat, a reward for those gastronomically adventurous. Come to Accent JUST FOR THIS DISH. Serious. 🙂

Expectations for the rest of the meal were then set impossibly high, which was fine, because it didn’t disappoint.

Nina’s Smoked Salmon was perfectly executed: I always look for traces of artificial coloring in smoked salmon, indicating that it was really heavily processed, and this was not. The best I’ve had was Connemara Smoked Salmon in Roundstone, Galway Bay, in Ireland. This came very very close! Served with roasted asparagus wrapped in proscuitto, dill-cream cheese, fresh red onions and lemon. Nina was a fan!

I opted for something a little more sinful, and went with the Large portion of the Wiener Schnitzel ($19), and they truly weren’t kidding about the portion:

If the full sized steak knife doesn’t give it away… Damn it’s huge. Sorry for the shadow. Paired with extra lemons, and a side of tartar sauce, this is a serious dish that delivers on flavor and heft, and will channel your inner German Lumberjack. Of course it’s tough to pound a pork fillet thin AND expect it to be still juicy, but this came very close.

It’s not often that I give a perfect score to a restaurant, but Bravo, Accent. Your attentive, honest staff, attention to detail, and truly skillful Chef have earned you Foodmonton’s highest honor. Nice wine list, and a decent Scotch selection to boot!

Grade: A+

Absolutely DO NOT miss this restaurant… Please come back and comment after you eat here. Get the tartare if you can handle eating raw meat :).

Nina: “If you took me here on a first date, expect to get a second date. ”

I knew there was a reason I came back to this city.

bigvinnysd
Twitter: @accentlounge
http://www.accentlounge.com/

Buddy Wonton Seafood Restaurant

March 22, 2012August 16, 2018 by Drvinnyt, posted in Chinese Food, Foodmonton, Whyte Ave

Writing from the dead here. Been down with a super flu, and all I wanted was Matzo ball soup, which I haven’t been able to find in this city, yet. Mom used to make this great Wonton Soup when I was sick, and I was craving it, and counting on its super healing powers to make me stop feeling like a bag of crap.

I’ve been to Buddy Wonton a few times now, on my friend Tracey’s recommendation. It’s within walking distance of my house (104th st and Whyte ave, just past the Pint, in the shopping center of Royal Pizza and Dollarstore), and they deliver pretty much anywhere in the University area. Free if you order $30 minimum, which is no big deal here. Big points for free delivery, man!

So, as this is a composite review, pics will be from different trips. And I’m sure you don’t want to see pictures of ol’ bigvinny when he’s nearing the white light.

If you’re looking for fast, cheap-ish, and greasy chinese food, Buddy Wonton is the way to go. I always do a little bit of research before I check any place out, and the recommendations were: green beans (8), combo fried rice ($13), crispy garlic-chicken ($14?). With the exception of the fried rice, which could have used a little bit of anchovy (shut up, its a classic), both were fantastic.

The fried rice in question: Not bad, BBQ pork, chicken, shrimp, not enough egg to satisfy a Tedjasaputra though.

This one particular trip I opted for the Wor Wonton Soup, actually the last time I went, Robyn ordered a large ($12, ok, a HUGE), so in keeping with tradition… Don’t worry. That’s a normal face, and the soup is decent, just needs salt! Wish it came out a little hotter though. Not sure it’s working for my illness, but it’s pretty yummy.

Well, it boils down to this: Short of driving to Chinatown (97th Ave), which is pretty sketchy, even for this danger seeking daredevil, Buddy Wonton is not a bad place to get your Chinese Food fix. Fast (like 4 minutes for your food to come out), BIG portions, reasonable prices, family owned.. This is pretty good value. I’ve certainly had much better chinese food at better prices in the US, but in Edmonton, this is a regular stop of mine now.

Grade: B+

Bigvinnysd

Fomoso Neapolitan Pizza

March 19, 2012August 16, 2018 by Drvinnyt, posted in Bigvinnysd, Edmonton, Foodmonton, Pizza, Whyte Ave

Back after a long absence of Restaurant reviews… Sorry. (but not for lack of going out). My phone died while playing DrawSomething so I have no pictures for you. Sorry.

Upon the recommendation of Karbuthnot24, and craving decent pizza, and having found none since my feet touched Canadian soil, I took the bus from work down Whyte Ave to this little restaurant, Fomoso, on Whyte Ave, between 105 and 104th, right next to The Black Dog.

First impressions: Nice ambiance, choose where you want to sit style seating. Clean, simple, without crazy signs and stuff on the walls, and an open kitchen concept. I’m eating solo… sometimes people give you weird looks for asking for a table of one. I was greeted immediately by a cheery brunette who gave me the rundown of the operation.

1. Find a table you like – I picked one right by the window as I like to people watch, and I put my bag down across the table so it looked like I was waiting for someone… Crafty 🙂

2. Menus are on the table, so pick out what you like. I was feeling ravenous, but wanted something on the lighter side. Opted for a half Cranberry-Walnut-Gorgonzola Salad ($8), and a Prosciutto Arugula Bianca (white) Pizza ($14.5).

3. Go to the counter and order – I put in my order with a very enthusiastic staff member (kudos on your customer service training, management) who also informed me I could get half a pizza with my salad, and it would only set me back $14.5. I was hungry, so declined, but was still appreciative.Paired with a Hoegaarden witbier, and I was all set.

4. Sit back, and wait for the food to come. – Aka People watch, and listen to idiotic conversations between 4 middle aged men who came here for a golf trip but found it too cold.

5. Devour!

The salad was very nice, but for $8 I was expecting closer to an entree sized portion. I’d like more gorxongola, but plentiful in walnuts and cranberries, and well dressed, no grease at the bottom of the bowl to sop up with the single piece of focaccia bread on the side.

Main event: The pizza I had very very high expectations for, as Katie usually is spot on with her recommendations.

The good: Fresh, quality ingredients, carefully thought out, and decently executed. Arugula was not wilted, proscuitto seemed to be of high quality, good quality, not overly sweaty mozzarella. For an 11″ pizza, decently proportioned.

The meh: Problem with fresh ingredients is you usually have a lot of excess moisture. In my experience with Neapolitan Pizza, the crust needs to be firm enough to not get sogged up by the toppings. Oh well.

Crust had a nice texture, slightly chewy at times, certainly could have used a generous pinch of salt. I like the touch of lemon they pair with the pizza. They say they cook the pizzas in a 900F degree oven for 90 seconds- I contest It could have used 10-15 more seconds.

I’m switching to grading structure instead of numerical values. Overall, I’d say, B+. It certainly warrants another visit, hopefully with a fellow foodie to compare notes to. Good service, decent value, but the main event, the pizza crust, well… maybe next time.

http://www.famoso.ca/menu/pizza.php

-Bigvinnysd