Our new openings…

I’ve just finished writing our Salutes & Shout Outs. It took eleven hours to write, and that doesn’t include the time visiting the locations, and talking to the owners, trying their dishes, and asking questions about where their ingredients come from, the concept for their menu, and their chef’s intentions for their menus.

You’d be very surprised what you learn when you ask questions; I probably ask more than most as it’s more important to me to write about people and restaurants that we can fully endorse – let’s face it, our reputation relies on it, and you might be surprised how many don’t make it onto these pages when I hear their answers.

We are so very, very lucky here in Alberta; we have an abundant supply of quality proteins – whether that’s beef, pork, chicken, or lentils, they’ve all been thoroughly monitored to meet strict standards of food safety and – if it’s animal – welfare. And we have so many quality choices to suit pretty much every diet; if you have restrictions or allergies, I feel you can probably still eat very well at home and eat out with multiple choices in our province.

With the Egg Farmers of Alberta, we put hardboiled egg dishes to the test in this issue – not an easy task, it was several days until I realised that a hot roast chicken would replace the aroma of egg salad sandwiches in my car… but so revealing! I can’t wait for you to read the results of our two days of judging to find Calgary’s best.

And I’m delighted to announce that our World Taste Tour Treasure Hunts are back. Save the date of June 9 in Calgary and hopefully September 15 in Edmonton. We’re busy planning right now for two fun-filled, high energy, delicious days, where you’ll use every sensory organ (and enjoy the challenge!). Watch for details and register to reserve your spots before they’re snapped up.

Talking of being snapped up, do you receive my bi-monthly update emails for our Vine & Dine pairing dinners and tours? I announced one dinner last week and it sold out in under five hours – so it’s too late by the time you hear about it if you’re not in our address book! Email me to be included – IYKYK!

Cheers,

Linda, Editor-in-Chief

The Italian Centre Shop is celebrating their 65-year anniversary! Since she was 13 years old, Teresa Spinelli has worked at the store her father, Frank, started in 1959, and has never had another job. It was never planned for her to run the business, however, since taking over in 2001, she has grown it to five locations – three in Edmonton, one in Sherwood Park and one in Calgary (and another scheduled to open in Calgary’s North Hill Centre in 2026), and from 30 staff to 672. Congratulations Teresa on your welldeserved, huge success!

Congrats too to Little Chief Restaurant’s Tsuut'ina Sage Tlikonituwa who won The Best Hot Chocolate in the 14th annual YYC Hot Chocolate Fest! And to Tops Pizza South who won Best Spirited Hot Chocolate, Telus Spark who were awarded Most Creative Hot Chocolate, and Hexagon Café who took the Cup That Runneth Over Award. But the real winner is Calgary Meals on Wheels, who receive a portion of the proceeds from each cup sold – this year projected to be more than $130,000!

Edmonton’s Hot Chefs, Cool bEats is back! On Thursday May 2, this food and entertainment experience takes over three floors of the Mosaic Centre, with sixteen food stations featuring local chefs as well as beverage stations, live music, art performances, and a live auction. All proceeds go directly to Edmonton-based non-profit, the Canadian Culinary Fund, for their High School Culinary Challenge – they’re hoping to raise $50,000 this year! edmontonchefs.ca/events

Filipino Restaurant Month is back!

Throughout April, participating Filipino restaurants across Canada are featuring prix fixe menus of authentic dishes, ingredients, and the chefs’ culinary expertise. Last year, 47 restaurants across eight provinces and 21 cities participated, and more than 100 diners won national and local prizes! This year has a special significance as it’s the 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Canada diplomatic relations. filipinorestaurantmonth.ca

Acme Pizza are celebrating their second birthday in their new home - just three blocks east of their former location in Calgary’s Sunalta district, inside Tailgunner Brewing, at 1602 10 Avenue SW. And you couldn’t get a more perfect fit between two businesses. We’re thrilled for owners, Jason and Dean, as well as Tailgunner’s Cael and Mike, the camaraderie and respect for each other is so evident, and makes everybody happy to be there. We chomped our way through a goodly part of the menu and can vouch that these Roman-style pies with their 48-hour ferment, three-days-in-themaking crust, are as good as ever, and all the faves are still there: Saporita (walnut cream, mozzarella, prosciutto, gorgonzola dolce, pecorino, and honey), Carbonara, four-meat Carne, Funghi, we could go on…! Seven days, lunch and dinner, pick-up and delivery too (also at their Renfrew location, at 1025 Russet Road NE), acmepizza.ca.

Edmonton’s Doughnut Party has arrived in Calgary! With three enormously popular northern Alberta locations, they’ve headed south and opened in Inglewood, at 1125 9 Avenue SE. The menu choices are slightly different to Edmonton, but still change every month, with plenty of vegan optionscurrently ten of the fourteen flavours! Just the descriptions will have you drooling: Bernadette - lavender, rosemary, chocolate, and sea salt; Cardamom Rhubarb Rose, and Crackers & Cream – chocolate, Ritz crackers, grape cream cheese, and caramel – oh yum! Open seven days, doughnutparty.ca

Talking of doughnuts, Edmonton’s Fuzion Donuts, have opened their second location! With artisan donuts made fresh every day, you’re going to be spoiled for choice when you visit them at 12866 97 Street - there’s ten filled donuts, ten cake donuts, and at least seven yeast donuts to choose from! Seven days, pick up or order at incentivio.com/c/fuziondonuts/

Firehouse Subs is expanding in Western Canada, and celebrating their 30th anniversary with a Calgary location in addition to existing Airdrie and Okotoks. There some very tasty hot subs to be had here, from the original Hook and Ladder (smoked turkey, honey ham, melted Monterey Jack, with fixings) to the new Brisket Hat Trick just for Western Canada (beef brisket, smoked turkey, Virginia honey ham, melted cheddar, slaw, BBQ sauce, and mayo), plus another couple of dozen choices, as well as salads, soups, and more.

Founded in Florida by former firefighters, the Sorensen brothers, their non-profit foundation has already awarded 332 grants and donated

$3.2 million to local fire stations to buy life-saving equipment. 1155 Cornerstone Boulevard NE, seven days 11-9 pm, firehousesubs.ca

Sherpa Kitchen and Bar is a new Nepalese restaurant, on Calgary’s 17 Avenue SW, with a huge bar that seats 16 people, a lounge area with soft seating and booths, a raised 26-seat restaurant area where you remove your shoes, with low floor seating so you feel like you’re eating in Nepal, and a 50-seat patio. Owner Arjun Sharma has created an authentic Nepalese feel with a fusion of Calgary, so ethnic art and mountain art come together to contrast the dark brown walls. Chef Khem is from Nepal, and his food is super delicious; of course there’s a momo menu with yak, chicken, and veggie options; a street food menu with snacks such as the excellent dynamite shrimp in chef’s secret mayo-based sauce; a crunchy, spicy dish of peanuts (or soybeans); the hearty Sherpita - baked naan filled with cheese and topped with tandoori chicken and other toppings, eaten like a huge taco; as well as large meat or veggie plates, stews and soups, and everything made in house with ingredients from local producers. 1324 17 Avenue SW, seven days, lunch and dinner.

Daniel Costa’s new Bar Henry is open inside Henry Singer’s new flagship location in Edmonton’s Ice District – his fourth innovative downtown concept – and pretty certain to be as successful as Corso 32 that he opened in 2010, followed four years later by Bar Bricco, and Uccellino in 2016. His vision was for an aperitivo bar, an all-day licensed café where you can pop in for a shopping break coffee or cocktail and have a snack – Costa-style, which means you know you’re in for a completely delicious, elevated small plate, here inspired by North Italian cuisine - such as Cotechino with pickled radicchio and candied pear, a whole roast artichoke, Gnoccho Valtellina, and the addictive rosemary and fennel pollen dusted potato chips. 160, 10220 103 Avenue NW, barhenry.ca

Brar is a new restaurant and sweet house on Calgary’s vibrant International Avenue, with a little store at the front where you can pick up Indian sweets as well as crunchy savoury snacks, and a lovely 36-seat restaurant behind. We loved Mango Shiva, and Parm Brar was the chef there for more than 10 years, and now he’s opened Brar with his brother, and we can enjoy his menu of North Indian cuisine. We had some of the best fish pakoras, with an amazingly light chickpea flour batter, and so many other good things – all made in-house (try the chutney-stuffed paneer). There’s a wide choice of veggie options as well as plenty of chicken dishes, goat, lamb, and fish, but you won’t find beef or pork on the menu. Oh, and they make the most outstanding salty and mango lassi! 5315 17 Avenue SE, noon-9 pm, closed Mondays, brarrestaurant.ca

Beautiful Beiseker has a new upscale diner! Mama’s Kitchen is open serving all-day breakfast classics with their own creative flair, with menu offerings such as Lamb Shakshuka, Samosa Benny, and Lox & Loaded, as well as savoury sandwiches, authentic curry bowls, and a full pizza selection too. The restaurant is bright and airy, stylishly vibrant and modern, yet still cosy and relaxing in the comfortable booths. Seven days, 8-8 pm, 500 1st Avenue.

We finally made it to Prohibition Bar and Lounge – the most searched for bar on Google in the whole of North America! And now we know why, it’s a terrific ambience with comfy leather couches, excellent cocktails, and great snacks. Speakeasies have been trending for some time now, and Alberta has its fair share, of which Prohibition Bar is well up there with the best! It’s dark in here (as you’d want!) and adorning the walls you’ll see vintage trumpets, saxophones, phonographs… but focus on the generous cocktail list, and what you’re going to nibble with it. Choose Sicilian meatballs, hummus, or fudge brownies, but we’d recommend the nacho menu. What can I say, for a business meeting at 5 pm, Corpse Revivors with Bootleggers BBQ Chicken Nachos to share are going to make you both very happy you met at Prohibition Bar. 72 17th Avenue SW, closed Mondays, from 5 pm-late, prohibitionloungeyyc.com