Category Archives: Local Events

Edmonton Event Review: Share the Flair Pin & Patch Show

Posted on by

1

My Share the Flair haul!

This past Saturday, Edmonton’s first show devoted to pins and patches was held. Called Share the Flair, organizers Julie Morrison of Majesty and Friends, Jenny Chan of Hop & Flop, Emilia Housch of Light of the Moon Pins, and Courtenay McKay of JOJO & GUN put together the one-day event to showcase this revitalized form of miniature art. I remember collecting pins as a child, so this was pretty nostalgic for me.

In essence, each piece of metal or fabric purchased supports the creators’ ideas and allows the buyer to express a bit of their personality. At Acacia Masonic Hall just off of Whyte Avenue and 104 Street, it seemed that locals were more than excited and ready for something like this.

Waiting in line to get through those doors. Even this point, it was another 20 to 30 minutes.

Many, including myself, lined up down the block for well over an hour just to get in the doors. Apparently, some enthusiasts were even waiting outside by 7:30am, two and a half hours before the show was to launch. I arrived just 15 minutes before the ten o’clock start and was impressed at the turn out for an inaugural event. They estimated that 500-600 people would come by, but I’m guessing that they probably surpassed that.

Finally made it close to the entrance!

By the time I got to the table to pay my entrance fee of $4, all of the one hundred swag bags had already been handed out. I’m not entirely sure what was in each of them, but the Instagram posts on the Share the Flair page indicated that there was plenty of fun stuff that had been provided for those early birds. During the wait, volunteers also gave away complimentary cotton candy as a treat.

My bingo card and a volunteer making cotton candy.

On the plus side, everyone who made it through the doors got to earn a little something extra with their ingenious idea of bingo cards. For every purchase made from the twenty or so vendors, a stamp was placed on the card. If you got a full row, column or diagonal line, you got to spin the wheel at a table that was filled with freebies from sponsors and participating merchants.

Freebie pins from the table at the entrance.

There was plenty of creative talent there, all of them based out of Edmonton and surrounding areas. As much as I wanted to buy something from every single one of them, I had to stick to a budget. So, I sadly missed out on the anatomical heart from Majesty and Friends as well as the crows and teacup owl from Sabtastic (I’ll pick those up down the road) and the gorgeous hand-sawn copper pieces from Smithstine (more expensive than the average manufactured pin because of the nature of how they’re made), which were added to Kristine MacDonald’s line specifically for Share the Flair.

Items from Hop & Flop
La Petite Watson’s Explore pin.
La Petite Watson’s super cute maple syrup pin.
The cats eyes make me laugh on this pin from Paws the Cat Cafe.
Pins from Crystal Driedger, including a Bingo Card win!

Still, with most pieces ranging from $8 to $15 each, I walked away with a treasure trove of new pins from the aforementioned Hop & Flop and JOJO & GUN, my good friend Lea St John who is known as La Petite Watson for her work (and “Experience Explorista” travel blog), Paws the Cat Cafe, and artists Crystal Driedger, Jess from Daymare, and Jacinda Cote from Story Wild Studios. Additionally, I indulged in a couple sweet treats from Caramunchies (they had branded pins for sale).

City’s unofficial animal, the Magpie. Pin from JOJO & GUN.
I had my eye on this Totoro pin from Daymare.
This is a good reminder from Story Wild Studios.
Won this Alberta rose pin from my Bingo Card. Designed by Mr. Pin Man.
Sweet treats from Caramunchies.

I’m not sure yet when the second Share the Flair show will be, but give them a follow or like on social media to keep in the loop. My hope for the next event is that they’ll have an expanded venue (with some air conditioning), so that they can accommodate more vendors and a larger capacity of people at once to reduce the overall wait time. It’s not often that I’ll stand in a line for more than an hour and a half. I just really wanted to support my friend and the community on this initial go round.

Congrats to everyone who organized, sponsored and volunteered for Share the Flair. You did a phenomenal job with planning and executing this event. I think it’s going to be a mainstay of the annual Edmonton arts scene going forward!

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Two Sergeants Brewing (Updated)

Posted on by

1

The entrance to the dining space of Two Sergeants Brewing.

Two Sergeants Brewing (11817 105 Avenue), situated behind the Brewery District, had been on my radar for a little while. But, it wasn’t until Yelp’s “Pursuit of Hoppiness” event, right at the end of April, that I finally visited. Kirk and I decided to attend this gathering as a push to get out to this venue (as well as out of the house), and it ended up being a lot of fun.

At Yelp’s “Pursuit of Hoppiness” event they had pinatas in the dining room.

You won’t find them smashing pinatas on the regular here, but you will find a very open space with large communal tables, and plenty of colourfully painted chairs. It’s perfect for large groups to hang out over more than decent pub-style grub and a beer or two.

Daily Specials including $5 flights on Thursdays.

A flight of four quarter pints of any of Two Sergeants Brewing beers is just $8 regularly, and, if you head over there on a Thursday, you’ll get the same for just $5. The four glasses are presented in an adorable miniature picnic table server. Personally, I didn’t mind their Chinook Oatmeal Stout; however, my fave from the sampling we received was the Passion d’Ale Belgian Wit for it’s crisp, clean, smooth drinking citrus flavour without the lingering bitterness. Kirk preferred the 17 Pounder IPA, ordering a full pint to go with dinner. It has a lower IBU, but it was still too strong of a finish for my liking.

To eat, we both opted to try their Homestyle Chicken Sandwich — recently increased to $14 — with hand cut fries (or house salad). The locally sourced chicken is soaked in buttermilk and fried to order, so it comes out fresh and crispy. Either available as classic or spicy, it’s then stacked with double smoked cheddar, coleslaw, and house made pickles on a sourdough bun. Both of us chose the spicy version, enjoying the mild heat from the chicken.

Homestyle Chicken Sandwich with Hand Cut Fries

What took the sandwich over the top was the house made pickles. Now, I asked for mine to be made without them because I’m not a fan of standard pickles. Yet, they still gave them to me, just laid on the side of my plate. The server explained that they were pickled jalapenos, so they thought I might still want to try them. Honestly, I did. I love jalapeno peppers, so I went to town putting those back into my sandwich. For the most part, all was well. I handled the spice from the chicken and the peppers like a champ…at least until I found a slice of jalapeno that still held more of the pith and rib of the pepper. My face lit up like a beet, probably, and I needed a few sips of Kirk’s beer to tone it down. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t get too far on Hot Ones.

The fries were quite good. Appearing in a small frying basket, the portion size was okay. They seemed to have been blanched to get that perfectly cooked center and that crisp golden brown exterior. Overall, they were a nice finish to the meal.

Art inside their venue is perfect for photo ops.

The owners of Two Sergeants Brewing have definitely put a lot of love into this place. The thought and detail that went into this location when they decided to move from Fort Saskatchewan to Edmonton is apparent. Hopefully, it’s the right thing for them in the long run. I know that it’s a great addition to the Westmount, Oliver and Queen Mary Park areas. More and more businesses are choosing to be present there and it’s community like that that is so important in this city. We’re definitely looking forward to returning this summer for good brews and food.

 

UPDATE August 3, 2019:

The main dining room of Two Sergeants
This mural is in the private room as well as by the washrooms.

Last weekend, Kirk and I met with friends at Two Sergeants Brewing for a proper dinner. Since our dining companions were able to find a babysitter for earlier in the evening, we met at around 5:30pm to catch up. I did make a reservation ahead of time using the OpenTable app, but there were still a number of spots available, giving us plenty of choices on where to sit. We snagged seats towards the far side of the restaurant next to the cordoned off private room.

This sign at the front door made me laugh.
Pints of Beer

The server came over with some food menus and pointed out that the beer selection was listed on the screen. It seemed like they had less of their own brews on tap than previously, but they had a handful of others from different local breweries, too. There was a good mix to appease any preferences. I was able to find a sour from Blindman, while everyone else stuck to the hoppier beers created by Two Sergeants ($8 to $9 per pint).

This time, we had the full menu at our disposal (previously, we were there for a special event and the options were limited). Kirk and I shared the Fries and Gravy ($7), Bison Carpaccio ($13), and Corn Fritters ($8). Our friends ordered the Wings ($12) with their choice of Beer BBQ Sauce.

Fries and Gravy

I was really surprised at how good the Fries and Gravy were. We’re pretty sure their house cut fries are blanched and then fried to give the potato fingers a nicely cooked middle and crunchy exterior. They were then doused in a beef and mushroom gravy and sprinkled with green onions. Where it excelled and set itself apart from anything like it was the gravy. I’ve never had something like that on fries before, and it was so delicious. It reminded me of a rich mushroom soup and it totally worked. Even with the soggier potatoes at the bottom of the basket and no utensils, I made sure not to leave a fry behind.

Bison Carpaccio

 

The Bison Carpaccio was described on the menu as seared with fennel, garnished with house pickled red onion, mushrooms, double smoked cheddar, malted barley, and arugula, and then dressed with strawberry white balsamic vinaigrette. Admittedly, I didn’t find that the smokiness came through with the grated cheese, and I couldn’t really taste the vinaigrette as noted. But, the arugula is always a good balance of bitter against the acidity from the pickled red onions and the earthy mushrooms. The malted barley provided added texture to the dish, while the black licorice flavour from the fennel crust was the first to hit the tongue. The thinly sliced bison was beautifully red and so tender, too. Usually, I do place the carpaccio onto the supplied pieces of crostini; however, although toasted, the bread that came with the meat was really thick, and honestly, the carpaccio stood on its own.

Corn Fritters

Having recently been somewhat disappointed by a corn fritter I had elsewhere, I took a chance on them at Two Sergeants. I think there were four or five in the basket and they were hefty in size. It would have been great if they had been slightly more moist, but at least they weren’t doughy on the inside. They definitely had the corn bread texture that I expected and there were full corn kernels to be found when pulled apart. With super crispy outer shells and two delicious dips (I asked for both) — a beer berry coulis and savoury cheese sauce — that were good separately or paired together, these were a real treat.

Wings with Beer BBQ Sauce

I didn’t personally try the wings, but they looked fantastic. Truly full wings (with the drumette and flat still attached), they looked to be perfectly fried. They had three choices for dips with theirs being the Beer BBQ Sauce. Yet, Frank’s Red Hot or a dill buttermilk ranch were available as well.

Homestyle Chicken Sandwich with Fries

Because Kirk is a creature of habit, he stuck to the same thing as our first visit, going with the Homestyle Chicken Sandwich ($15). In fact, our two friends followed suit. Everyone enjoyed their meals, although Kirk told me later that he thought it wasn’t as good as before. He found his chicken to be a little too dry, which could have just been the particular cut of meat he got. If it was thinner than in the other sandwiches, it would be easy to overcook it. The sandwiches that our friends got looked as though they had pretty thick pieces of breaded and fried chicken in them.

Pulled Pork Pappardelle

I really wanted to try something new on this occasion, so I went for the Pulled Pork Pappardelle ($18). You could tell that the house made pasta was fresh. It did sort of clump together a bit and I had some trouble pulling it apart without breaking the strands, but I liked the al dente texture, which was soft with a little bite to it. It was hearty in flavour while still sort of light as a dish. The slow roasted pork shoulder was succulent and, at times, crisp where it had charred. The sweet tangy BBQ sauce was certainly a change when it came to pasta sauce. Married with tomatoes, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and baby spinach, I was a happy camper both that night and when I finished my leftovers the next day.

Overall, I’m quite impressed with the Two Sergeants kitchen. They’re making somewhat standard pub fare, but with more adventurous flavours, tweaks, and twists. If they keep it up, I know that this is going to be a favourite for a long time.

Edmonton Restaurant & Event Review: Beercade & Speed Puzzle Challenge

Posted on by

0

Beercade’s interror is made up of long tables for groups, a huge bar, and arcade games.

I’ve always loved doing jigsaw puzzles. There’s a joy in finding the piece that fits just right. They’re also incredibly engrossing in a way that’s so much more relaxing than staring at whatever I find on my phone. Consider them part of the slow living movement. The last time I could really remember putting one together, until recently, was at least several years ago. My co-worker would lend me puzzles that she’d already completed to feed my obsession. Sadly, my free time slowly waned to the point where I wasn’t really able to concentrate on them much.

Nowadays, as I often do, I found myself on Eventbrite scrolling through endless local happenings when I came across a listing from Beercade about their Speed Puzzle Challenge ($5 per person and the team gets to keep the puzzle). I wasn’t able to attend the next date; however, I always reminded myself to check back in the future. It was a while before I saw another. Yet, Table Top Cafe started running something similar about every two weeks earlier this year (alternating between both locations). My friends and I went to a single event there and I was hooked. I really enjoyed the competitive aspect of it, but, more than anything, I remembered just how fun puzzles can be. I’m currently working my way through nearly twenty that I’ve purchased over the past few months.

Welcome, Puzzle Players!

When the chance came up to check out Beercade’s version, I gathered a small team of four people (up to six are allowed) to attend. From what I understood, the organizers had previously gone with puzzles that had as few as 200 pieces and they had been incrementally increasing the difficulty ever since to find the sweet spot of something enjoyable yet challenging. On this occasion they decided to test out 450 piece puzzles instead. They also had someone from each group draw a number, which determined the puzzle received. Honestly, I thought that having different puzzles put certain teams at a disadvantage because some are definitely more difficult than others. Based on the groups who won the three prizes for finishing first, it was obvious that their specific Peanuts themed puzzle was a benefit.

Still, the four of us had a blast. I’d also never worked on a family-style jigsaw before. I probably wouldn’t choose to do those as an adult putting a puzzle together on my own. Nevertheless, the mix of large and small pieces for parents and children to work on as a family bonding experience is pretty great.

 

When we finished our jigsaw at Beercade, the staff dropped off ten tokens at our table, so we could play some of their arcade games. I’m terrible at those shooting ones, but I can appreciate a lit up pinball machine or the best air hockey table I’ve ever seen (Pac Man!).

Bacon Cheeseburger
Yam Fries with Dip
Nachos with Pulled Chicken (My friends ordered this)

Aside from the event and venue (decent atmosphere, lots of space, kind of dim), we also opted to eat dinner there. Being a Wednesday night, I had to try a burger because it’s hard to pass up a half price discount. Surprisingly, the Bacon Cheeseburger (regularly $9.75) was good. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the cost, but their kitchen makes a legit hand smashed patty topped with crispy bacon and they include all of the fixings. Sides are an extra cost though, so that’s where they can recoup some of their costs. At $4 for a basket of yam fries with dip, I thought that was a little expensive. On the other hand, they do give a big portion, so you’ll definitely leave full.

Full meal with a burger, yam fries, and a sleeve of Fruli.

To keep me hydrated, I ordered a glass of Früli, completely forgetting to tell the server (by the way, service is not prompt here) what size I wanted. I’m assuming I received a sleeve, not a pint. I also expected to pay at least $6.75 for that beverage. All in though, my bill was $15 after tax and tip. When I looked it over again at home, I realized that my beer was also on special, having only been charged a whopping $3.81. Stellar deal!

I’ve heard that Beercade is usually a chill spot to hang out until about nine o’clock. After that, it can turn into a bit of a zoo (assuming this applies more from Thursday to Saturday). If you want to avoid rambunctious crowds, I recommend visiting earlier in the evening. From this first experience of mine at Beercade, I’m absolutely feeling inclined to return, especially for another Speed Puzzle Challenge and a burger.

Edmonton Local Love Winter Wedding Experience

Posted on by

0

The registration desk at the Royal Glenora Club

On Friday afternoon, I made my way over to the Royal Glenora Club to attend Local Love‘s sixth Edmonton Wedding Experience. Unlike the massive fairs held at the likes of the Convention or EXPO centres, theirs is meant to be a much more intimate event with a curated selection of the city’s best vendors.

My Maid of Honor and one of my two other bridesmaids were able to join me. We arrived at the venue by 4:30pm (it started 30 minutes prior) to find a bit of a line at registration. It didn’t take too long to make our way to the front where they scanned our Eventbrite tickets and gave those who were of age (bring your IDs) wristbands, so we could be served alcohol samples. At the far end of the table was a draw for a gift basket and one of the other hosts was handing out swag bags.

Goodie bags were only available for the first 100 guests. But, they’re packed with a ton of information, discounts and treats (which I’ll go over later), so it is beneficial to make it there when the doors open as opposed to later in the evening (although, it’s understandable if you cannot as 4:00pm is somewhat early for a work day), if you hope to snag one.

Sweetness makes some great sugar cookies and pretty lollipops.

Once we were signed in, we walked up the stairs to find two of the Royal Glenora’s banquet spaces — available to be rented through to the end of 2019 before they undergo a massive renovation in 2020 — set up with stations. The Braemar room actually has the larger capacity, so they fit the majority of the participating businesses in there. However, I do think it would have been nice if they had spread them out a little bit more between that room and the Strathcona/Glenrose rooms because with four rows of booths, it was quite cramped whereas the latter was quite spacious in comparison.

Old Fashioned Mobile Bar
Grabbing one of the craft cocktails from the Old Fashioned Mobile Bar
Crepe station from Elizabethan Catering

To help with congestion further, I think a rearrangement of a couple of the vendors would have made a big difference. At the back of the Braemar hall was the Old Fashioned Mobile Bar (so cute!) and Elizabethan Catering. Both of them were preparing samples for attendees, leading to large groups hovering around the area as they worked. Separating those two would have alleviated the mass of people in the same small space. Lastly, it was just super hot in that first room. Opening a few of the patio doors to let in a breeze would have made it much more pleasant.

Look at this amazing chair displayed in the Strathcona/Glenrose room!

All of that aside, I did appreciate the mix of vendors that Local Love handpicked. There were a few entertainment options, including the more standard DJ as well as a live acoustic singer who was performing. And, while I don’t need to hire any planners or book any decor rentals, there were some amazingly talented creators and fun ideas for inspiration. Beautiful photographers and venues — we’ve already chosen to go with Jennie Lea Photography and Ampersand 27 — were sprinkled about the rooms, too. There were also a number of cake/dessert businesses handing out tasters. I found it was nice to see what they had to offer, not just in terms of the cake itself, but for party favours or cake alternatives (the tiered macarons from Sweetness!).

Art of Charcuterie
Boutonnieres from What the Flowers
Personalized wooden ring box from the Edmonton Wedding & Party Centre

My fave finds:

  1. iDo Accessories – Nadia provides very reasonably priced jeweled belts, tiaras, headbands and hair combs out of her home studio. All of the pieces are handmade and so gorgeous. From what I could tell, items ranged from $15 for the smaller accessories to maybe a maximum of $100 for the larger ones. It’s wonderful to know that there’s someone out there who understands the need for more affordable accessories like this. The majority of other shops (aside from Claire’s Accessories; I cannot vouch for the quality) tend to charge $200 or more for similar pieces.
  2. More Than Gold (Fine Jewellery by Sonja Deklerk) – Such pretty jewellery ranging from more simple bands to vintage-style pieces that are likely to become family heirlooms.
  3. Art of Charcuterie – Seriously, Diana’s table was amazing! It was just a feast for the eyes and the palate. The way that she stacked and arranged all of the displays and the food on her charcuterie boards was incredible. It was absolutely a work of art that looked just as good when half eaten as it did when it was first laid out.
  4. Edmonton Wedding & Party Centre – This is actually a division of Special Event Rentals and I didn’t know they existed. Their booth had some unique guest “books” as well as many items that could be personalized for the bride/groom and wedding party.
  5. Special Event Rentals – Again, I don’t require their services. Yet, it was worth a stop at their booth since they were handing out complimentary copies of a wedding guide binder from “America’s #1 Wedding Planner” Beverly Clark. These normally retail for $25 USD each; a very nice bonus particularly if you’re just starting to figure out the details of your big day.
  6. What the Flowers – They’ll make fresh floral arrangements for bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages. Larger displays like arches or centerpieces can be made out of more cost effective high end silk flowers that still bring out the wow factor.
The ladies of Versailles Studio provide luxe hair & makeup artist services
Windsor Rose customizes and personalizes tons of signage, prints and wedding goods

The three of us spent a little over an hour and a half there, leaving with our bags even fuller than when we’d started our exploration. It was a good amount of time and it didn’t feel too overwhelming. We had ample opportunity to chat with the vendors that we were interested in and we never felt rushed. Overall, it was worth the visit.

Brianne Gabrielle Cakes showcase handmade sugar flowers
ilovepampangas makes such pretty macarons.
Whisk Dessert Co. had a few different options including mini cupcakes, cream puffs and macarons.

I believe a regular ticket would have cost $15, but we received a discount when we purchased ours during the early bird period. At just over $12 after fees and GST, it’s a phenomenal value, considering what we found in our swag bags: a scrunchie from Wild Theory Weddings (photographer), a beaded bracelet from Bridal Avenue, earrings from Urban Drawer (a sock company), a gift card for Buff Wax Spot, a bath bomb from Travel Beyond This City (travel agent), a frameable quote card as well as a $100 discount from Delica Bridal, offers for a free chocolate bar from The Violet Chocolate Co. and a free teeth whitening kit from Highmoor Dental, copies of Blush and Wedding Bells magazines, a brownie from Whisk Dessert Co., a sugar cookie and lollipop from Sweetness, a chocolate cake pyramid from Melt Confections, and a container from The Cotton Candy Shoppe, and a variety of other pamphlets with promos.

Local Love’s next Edmonton wedding experience probably won’t be until the fall, but I recommend that any brides, couples, or wedding parties who are looking for a completely manageable fair to gather ideas, deals, and enter contests keep an eye out (follow them on Instagram or Facebook). For a gal that didn’t even think it was necessary at this point in the planning stages of our late summer/early fall wedding, I can definitely say that I was pleasantly surprised by this event and walked away with at least a few new options and ideas that I hadn’t necessarily thought of before.

Edmonton Bakery Review: GLAZE Dessert Bar

Posted on by

0

GLAZE Dessert Bar’s logo stamped on the pizza box.

Keeping with my recent theme of discoveries on social media, the business I want to talk about today is GLAZE Dessert Bar. I had observed that they were showcased as a caterer for a couple of events that happened in Edmonton lately, and I was intrigued. I linked my way to their Instagram page. After looking around, I discovered that they were running a January deal. By liking their Facebook page, I’d be able to get an extra five pastries, if I ordered a minimum of 25 pieces.

So, what does GLAZE Dessert Bar make? They lovingly craft Polish pastries called “faworki,” otherwise known as angel wings. Upon reviewing their website and the flavours available, I was sold. With my mom’s birthday coming up, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to support this local company. I sent an email off with all of the details: date the order was required (they ask for a minimum two week window, but they can possibly accommodate shorter time frames, if you ask), pick up or delivery, number of pastries, and the flavours.

Twisted ribbons of dough form the basis of the “faworki.”

Within a couple of days, I received a confirmation back as well as an invoice. Pre-orders of 100 angel wings is $95, 36 is $35, and 25 is $25. Anything over the 100 piece threshold would be $0.85 each. I had selected a smaller order of 25 plus the 5 bonus pastries. The total was an even $25, which I could either pay by cash upon pick up or through e-Transfer in advance. I opted for the latter.

In my case, the owner, Sabina, put everything together with just over a week’s notice. On the Sunday morning I needed them, Kirk and I drove to the Crystallina area in the far north end of the city to grab the order. It is a home business that runs out of a townhouse. I rang the bell and Sabina came to the door with a giant pizza box. The transaction was very quick and we were back on the road within minutes.

My giant pizza box full of angel wings!

When we returned to our condo, I whipped open the box to snap some photos. Kirk walked by me and he exclaimed that there were so many angel wings! I stopped for a second to take a closer look. Sure enough, there was an extra 50 per cent added to the package. At first, I thought that I may have been given the wrong order. But, upon inspection, all of the flavours were what I had selected. I quickly messaged Sabina to thank her for the generosity. She explained that, since the pastries are all handmade, they’re not always even in size, so to make up for any discrepancies, they toss more in. I certainly wasn’t going to complain about that logic.

Packed a box of these treats for my mom’s birthday.

I packed a box of about twenty for my mom’s dinner get together that evening, and I took some to the office the next day to share with my co-workers. Still, Kirk and I had over a dozen left to snack on at home.

When I initially tried one of the angel wings, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what they reminded me of. Kirk said they were like a churro, and I agreed. However, the more I ate them, the more I decided that they’re probably closer to a beaver tail or an elephant ear, typically found at street festivals. The Classic 5-inch fresh fried ribbons of dough sprinkled with icing sugar were most reminiscent of those treats. The others, all glazed with different flavours — maple, matcha, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate — were like a mix between those fried dough goodies and a doughnut.

They’re so pretty and colourful!
Clockwise from the bottom: Cookies & Cream, The Lemon One, and Chocolate Peanut Butter.
Cinnamon Maple Crunch
Left to Right: The Coconut One, Matcha Coconut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Confetti, Classic, Cash Chew Chocolate, and The Lemon One.

In all honesty though, the GLAZE Dessert Bar angel wings were a little inconsistent between pieces. Some were perfect in texture and easy to bite apart. The glazes were sweet, but not too sugary, and the toppings were fun. On the other hand, a few were a little too thin and, therefore, crispy. A batch of them were also quite chewy, giving our jaws quite the workout. I’m assuming that, with the chewier ones, they were likely fried a little too long. I’m not entirely sure though. Either way, it was a bit of a Russian roulette even though we ended up devouring each and every one in the long run. If you do choose to order any of these pastries, I highly recommend that they all be eaten within three days. They can hold up longer (we refrigerated ours), but they’re best when consumed earlier.

Despite our mixed reviews with the “faworki,” I am glad that I took a chance on GLAZE Dessert Bar. I really do want to be a cheerleader for Edmonton entrepreneurs because starting a business isn’t an easy thing. Sabina is really following her heart and her dream. GLAZE Dessert Bar is super new (introduced to markets maybe around the end of October 2018), so I think that things can only go up from here, especially if they listen to any and all feedback.