Tag Archives: Alberta Restaurant

Edmonton Restaurant Review: JOEY Restaurant Revamped Happy Hour (2019)

Posted on by

0

Tuna Poke Bowl

This weekend, Kirk and I ventured out to the JOEY Restaurant at Bell Tower. Located a couple of blocks from Rogers Place, it’s in the heart of the Ice District and it’s an ideal venue for pre-game gatherings.

The lounge at JOEY Bell Tower.
Part of the JOEY Bell Tower lounge with the dining room and kitchen in the background.

While it’s incredibly dim inside, the design of the venue is beautiful. The two of us especially admired the indoor patio with it’s ball light fixtures, fireplace, rolling windows (closed during winter), and floor-to-ceiling wine cooler. Despite our love of that room, we ended up seated in the lounge alongside the brick wall, which has large hidden projector screens that are lowered when sports are on. The illumination emanating from those helpfully brightened my photos in the otherwise dark space.

Full disclosure before I continue, we were invited through my YEG Food Deals Instagram page to try JOEY’s revamped happy hour menu. It was launched right at the beginning of 2019, and it’s been heavily revised from their previous offerings in order to compete with the other two big players in the casual fine dining sphere, Earls Kitchen + Bar and Cactus Club Cafe. Both of those chains have been serving rather extensive happy hours for at least the better part of the past year, if not longer. JOEY Restaurant, on the other hand, had a very scant menu in comparison (a mere four or five drinks and maybe three food options).

Real Peach Bellini

On this occasion, JOEY Bell Tower took care of our first round of drinks. Everything else was ordered at our own discretion. As such, to start, Kirk ordered the JOEY Genuine Draft ($3.50) and I got the Real Peach Bellini ($4.50). The Bellini is a longtime staple, and a great cocktail that is cold, refreshing, sweet, and a touch tart. Kirk found the JOEY Genuine Draft to be a decent standard lager. To follow-up, Kirk tried the Parallel 49 Wobbly Pop Pale Ale ($4.50). Although the amber-coloured beer was hoppier, something that Kirk typically enjoys, it wasn’t for him as he found the flavour to be too soapy.

The majority of the items on the daily happy hour menu are discounted anywhere between $3 to $6 each from the regular prices, meaning the savings can be significant. If you’re okay to eat there during the hours of 3:00pm to 6:00pm or 9:00pm to close, then it’s well worth planning around those times. We considered this to be a fun night out for the week. Therefore, we decided to go to town with our meal.

We know no limits when it comes to happy hour.

Sharing is caring, so we split the Rosemary Garlic Fries ($4), Sliders Royal Duo ($8), Pesto Shrimp Flatbread ($10), California Chicken Club ($13) with fries substituted for a New Cobb Salad ($2), Seared Salmon Sushi ($13), and the Tuna Poke Bowl ($16). Technically, the last one was for me, but I offered some of the non-raw portion to Kirk (he declined).

This was a ton of food for a pair of people, so don’t order this much unless you genuinely want or need leftovers. In my case, I had half of a sandwich and two slices of flatbread for lunches this week. I also saved the majority of the rice, veggies, and wonton chips from the poke bowl to go with one of my at home dinners.

Rosemary Garlic Fries

I’ll begin reviewing based on our least favourite dishes to the ones we enjoyed most. Sadly, the Rosemary Garlic Fries were a miss for us. On the plus side, I found that the taste was amazing. The herb was heavily infused into the potato and the garlic wasn’t overpowering. The grainy mustard aioli provided for dipping was particularly delicious. What I didn’t like, and never really have at JOEY Restaurant, is the skinny cut fries. I’m not sure why they continue to insist on making these. They’re similar to McDonald’s fries, but, dare I say, worse. They always seem so dry, and they’re completely bland without the accompaniments.

California Chicken Club with New Cobb Salad
Close-up of California Chicken Club

The California Chicken Club is usually one of Kirk’s top picks at JOEY. However, it seemed as though the recipe had been changed slightly. The well-seasoned breast of chicken was still stacked with aged cheddar, smoky bacon, and spicy mayo. It contained some greens, too. We think it was spinach. Yet, the sandwich was missing the basil leaves that used to be included, which meant the pepperiness and hint of anise/mint was now gone. The aged cheddar wasn’t melted either. I would have preferred it to be heated and gooey rather than cold and speckled with condensation when it arrived at our table.

Side of New Cobb Salad

We replaced the side of fries to our club with the New Cobb Salad (actually, we had asked for Caesar salad, but this is what we received). I appreciated the combo of romaine and shredded kale and the Grana Padano dressing. I thought that the crispy bits inside the salad were croutons, but they may have been chunks of double smoked bacon (the taste wasn’t all that salty though…). There was also no egg, so that’s why I honestly assumed we were having a Caesar salad as requested until I saw our bill at the end of the evening.

Seared Salmon Sushi prepared Osaka-style
Squeezing lime juice over the Seared Salmon Sushi for some zest.

As you may have gathered above, Kirk is not really into raw fish. While he did take a chance here and ate a whole piece of the Seared Salmon Sushi, he opted not to have anymore. I finished off the rest of the dish by myself. In Kirk’s opinion, it tasted too fishy as if the salmon wasn’t fresh enough. I begged to differ. From past experience, I know that different types of salmon have very distinct flavours. To me, this did have a stronger fishy flavour, but not in a way that tasted off and inedible. It was still good. The torched umami sauce on top gave the fish a creamier consistency, and the shaved slice of serrano pepper atop each piece of sushi added a touch of spice on the palate without being overwhelming.

Sliders Royale Duo

The Sliders Royale Duo is a super basic pair of miniature burgers. Other than a thinly sliced pickle, there were no other groceries. Admittedly, I took out the pickle when I realized it was there. I’d already bitten into it, so I can say that it wasn’t as strongly flavoured as others often used on burgers. I probably could have gotten away with eating this one and refrained from disgust. More often than not, I find pickles ruin the flavour of everything else because it’s the only thing you can taste after. With that removed, just a bit of American cheese and a dollop of secret sauce was left behind. The beef patty wasn’t that thick, but the meat was juicy and wonderfully seared. Simple and satisfying.

Tuna Poke Bowl

On my part, I thought that the Tuna Poke Bowl was great. It’d definitely be a filling dish should one choose to have this as their main. It’s created with a mix of brown rice, green papaya slaw, crispy wontons, edamame, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber, avocado, and diced sashimi grade ahi tuna. Drizzled with miso dressing, it’s potentially one of the “healthiest” items you’ll find at JOEY Restaurant.

Pesto Shrimp Flatbread

Both of us agreed that the Pesto Shrimp Flatbread was the best item we sampled. At first glance, I was worried that the dough had been overcooked as it looked past golden brown. Nevertheless, upon my initial bite, I was met with a pleasantly crisp exterior and fluffy middle. Laid with whole milk mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, plump shrimp, chipotle aioli, and ribbons of basil, it was like a flavour explosion in every mouthful. For the price during happy hour, it’s perfect for a light late lunch or early supper.

I have to say that the service at this particular JOEY Restaurant is not ideal. We had multiple staff stop by to check on us, but it was hard to attract the attention of our own server when needed and it took three asks for water before we finally got some. Still, when it comes to the updated happy hour menu, it’s much improved from their earlier iteration. With an increased number of choices available (a dozen beverages and over 20 food items), there truly is something for everyone now.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Aarde (Closed)

Posted on by

0

Our table of food on our first visit.

Around for less than two months, Aarde, headed by Chef Guru Singh, is located near the Ice District at 10184 104 Street right in the heart of downtown Edmonton. The menu is inspired by his travels across Europe with regionally influenced cuisine being presented using locally sourced ingredients.

My first visit to the restaurant was a spur-of-the-moment decision. After my friend and I were done perusing the pieces at an art show, we were hungry, so we opted to check out Aarde. It had opened about ten days prior. Even without a reservation, it didn’t seem to be a problem to get a table. Granted, it wasn’t the ideal table. With seats situated immediately to the right of the entrance, we were greeted by a breeze every single time someone went through the door. Our food quickly cooled because of that.

Food Menu Page 1
Food Menu Page 2
Beverages Page 1
Beverages Page 2

Still, we enjoyed our meal. Although they look to have a great cocktail program (based on images I’ve seen on Instagram), I chose to go with water that evening. Instead, I focused on the food. As suggested by the server, we shared a few dishes, including the Crispy Cauliflower ($11), Mushroom and Artichoke Tartine ($11), Duck and Cornbread Skillet ($15), and Chorizo Sausage ($13).

Crispy Cauliflower

As far as Crispy Cauliflower goes, I’ve had similar before. I felt the deep fried batter may have been a tad heavy-handed, and I’m not sure why cauliflower dust (I’m assuming this is dehydrated veggie) is necessary. Perhaps it brings out the essence of the flavour better? What it has going for it is the maple and mustard glaze for that sweet and savoury balance. The chili flakes provided a little bit of heat as well.

Mushroom and Artichoke Tartine

I could have had several slices of the Mushroom and Artichoke Tartine. This was arguably the best dish of the evening. The wild mushroom fricassee was wonderfully creamy and rich, marrying well with the wine poached artichokes, and creamed spinach. The house baked grilled sourdough bread was perfectly dense enough to hold all of the toppings and keep its texture while being soft enough to eat without scraping the roof of my mouth.

Duck and Cornbread Skillet
Duck and Cornbread Skillet
Not enough meat for me on this Duck and Cornbread Skillet

On paper, the Duck and Cornbread Skillet sounded super appealing. Shredded confit duck leg? Check. Coffee jus? Check. Apple mostarda (candied fruit and mustard-flavoured syrup)? Check. Meuwly’s mustard? Check. Fresh cornbread? Check. I love duck and I love cornbread. It tasted fine. I just thought the amount of meat was lacking for an item listed under the meat section of the menu. I also found the cornbread to be kind of heavier in consistency than expected. It was like the middle held too much moisture and wasn’t able to rise enough.

Chorizo Sausage

I really appreciate eateries that make everything from scratch. With that being said, Aarde did not disappoint when it came to their Chorizo Sausage. Lightly grilled with perfect seared lines, the sausage was laid whole across a bed of kale and potato mash. Served to the side was bright pickled red cabbage. Herb oil finished it off. When cut apart, the meat held together well. It wasn’t too tightly packed, making for even cooking and heat distribution. Not overly salty, well-seasoned, and a great mix of textures on the palate.

As we finished up our meal, the chef approached the table next to ours and seemed to dote on them. They ate a single dessert between them, and, for whatever reason, the restaurant was keen to know what they thought and provided them with complimentary beverages. I’m not one to ever ask for special treatment as I’ve always gone in anonymously to try restaurants to be as honest as possible. But, for a new business, I thought it was odd that they weren’t taking the time to ask for feedback from all of their patrons. Aside from that, service seemed to lack as soon as we finished our food. Our server didn’t really ask if we wanted dessert or anything else, and it took forever to flag her down again to get our bill when we were ready to leave.

Despite the end to our night at Aarde, I chalked it all up to growing pains. Therefore, in December, I suggested it as a spot for dinner. A good friend of mine was back in town for Christmas and I wanted her to sample something new.

This time, I made a reservation in advance. I actually used their online form, which is powered by Wix Restaurants. I received an email shortly after submitting saying my request was being processed and that I would get an email or text message to confirm. That never showed up, so I ended up phoning on December 26 to ask. Turns out they had it listed in their books, but obviously hadn’t followed up on processing it through the system. I’m going to assume that this was missed because I input my reservation request on Christmas Eve. Hopefully it’s more reliable the rest of the year.

For this particular visit, because of my previous experience, I requested a table away from the door thinking it’d be better and warmer. That was not the case. I’m not sure if they just don’t believe in indoor heating or what, but it was freezing in there again even though we were tucked away behind a wall in a nook. Oh well. I tried.

To eat, Kirk and I split four items between us: Vandaag Soep ($7), Roasted Butternut Squash ($9), as well as two of the larger plates, Duck Breast ($20) and Beef Ribs ($24). Kirk additionally ordered one of the rotational draught beers (20 oz. for $9) to quench his thirst.

Potato Leek Soup from Aarde

Dishes were spaced out decently, so everything wasn’t delivered all at the same time. The first to arrive from the kitchen was the Vandaag Soep (a.k.a. daily artisan soup). On this day, it was a luscious potato leek dressed with twirls and drops of flavoured oils. Incredibly smooth with a slightly peppery finish, it was truly delicious and comforting on a chilly day.

Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted Butternut Squash

The Roasted Butternut Squash was surprisingly one of my favourites. Thick pieces of the gourd were prepared with pistachios, beet souffle, gremolata (an herb condiment typically made using lemon zest, garlic, and parsley), crispy leeks, lemon garlic leek oil, and pickled onions. It looked simple, but I think that it was probably more deceiving that I thought. There were a number of components and each required careful preparation. Extremely flavourful and satisfying without being overwhelming.

Beef Ribs

Between the two mains, I’d definitely say that the Duck Breast was better. While the Beef Ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, I thought that the meat had more chunks of gloppy fat and grizzle than I’d prefer. I wasn’t a huge fan of the celery root puree either, which I thought watered down the overall taste of the food. I did like the charred cabbage more than I thought I would though.

Duck Breast
Duck Breast

On the other hand, the Duck Breast was fantastic. The seared duck breast was ever so slightly pink and really succulent. Sure, there was some fat between the meat and the skin, but it wasn’t to the point of taking away from the rest of the dish. A mushroom fricassee similar to that of the Mushroom and Artichoke Tartine and a handful of lentil fritters accompanied the meat. Very on point. We’d both recommend this duck to others.

London Fog Crème Brûlée on the right

Being the holidays, we also indulged in dessert. The sizeable London Fog Crème Brûlée ($10) was made with organic earl grey tea infused into the custard. On the side were a couple of biscotti cookies. I only had a small bite of the custard and sugar crackle. It was strongly flavoured, which I find to be of importance when it comes to sweets. It doesn’t have to be saccharine, but you should be able to taste what it strives to emulate.

Dutch Almond Cake

Kirk and I divided the Dutch Almond Cake ($10). It was scrumptious! Somewhat dense and a tad chewy, it was still moist and delicate in flavour. The outer edges and top were crusty, and the sliced nuts added minor bitterness. The scoop of avocado gelato was oddly gelatinous while being crumbly. It actually did have a creamy mouthfeel though, and it was refreshing, but otherwise didn’t act like a typical relative of ice cream.

Aarde has some kinks to iron out in terms of the atmosphere, hospitality, and certain dishes. However, there’s a lot of promise, too. If the team works to hone their craft, this could be one of the next success stories in the Edmonton restaurant scene.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Jack’s Drive-In (Spruce Grove)

Posted on by

0

Welcome to Jack’s Drive-In

For over 55 years, Jack’s Drive-In has been a staple along First Avenue in Spruce Grove. The v-shaped roof has become an iconic landmark that has stood the test of time. Since 1961, the restaurant has called that very same spot its home.

As far as I could remember though, I’d never been to Jack’s Drive-In. I’d always just heard people talk about it. In my opinion, it was too far out of the way to visit. That changed, however, when I spotted a deal on Groupon. I ended up purchasing a voucher redeemable towards a meal for two. Valued at up to $30 (we paid $17), the coupon included two burgers, two sides, and two drinks.

Their signage lights the way.
I’m not sure if this van is actually used for deliveries.

When we decided to use it, we drove there on a whim. An event we attended turned out to be less than exciting and there wasn’t as much food as we expected, so we hopped in the car, and headed towards Spruce Grove to quell our hunger. Arriving at the parking lot of Jack’s Drive-In, we could see that there was a drive-thru, which only a couple of cars were utilizing. Inside, it was fairly quiet, too; a single family was hunkered down for supper.

Cozy up to the bar for your meal.
Use the juke box to select your song of choice for free.
The opposite side of the restaurant has standard tables.

I soaked in the ambience as I walked in. It’s so quaint with its 50s mom and pop diner style. The right wall is painted with more than life size images of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. The booths and the stools are upholstered with bright, shimmering red vinyl, and the tables all have a vintage feel. An old juke box is even situated to one side and a wood framed TV anchored in a corner rotates through old photos of Jack’s Drive-In. The kitchen is cordoned off with an open window where customers can place their orders.

Their extensive menu is clearly laid out above the order window.

Service was really friendly. The young woman working at the front was extremely helpful in explaining their menu and suggesting the more popular items. It was also super clean. Ultimately, Kirk opted for the Jack’s Special burger with a half order of poutine and a bottle of water. I selected the Mushroom burger with a side of perogies and a cup of root beer.

Jack’s Special Burger
Mushroom Burger

The Jack’s Special burger comes with two thin patties of beef layered with pickle, cheese, ham, lettuce, and sauce. I can’t say that was my cup of tea. The ham was sort of an odd choice to me, especially after seeing that it was of the processed variety. The cheese was also American, giving it that plasticized texture. I’m not sure I fared much better with the Mushroom burger. It had the same type of cheese, the sauce was rather runny (making it incredibly messy), and the mushrooms didn’t taste fresh. In fact, the meat didn’t seem to be either. Clearly they were prefab patties that were probably previously frozen. They also lacked that charring from the grill. Considering that this is a diner that prides itself on this menu that has never changed, both of us agreed that the burgers needed some work.

Half order of poutine.
A side of perogies with bacon bits.

On the other hand, the sides were more promising. Sadly, the poutine did not come with real cheese curds. However, the gravy was rich and not overly salted. It was hot enough to melt the cheese, and the fries were held up pretty well. The six perogies were plump, soft and a little bit crisp on the outside. I asked for bacon bits as my topping (perhaps I should have added sour cream for good measure), and, as a whole, these were delicious. I only managed to eat one as I was quite full from my burger and the poutine Kirk couldn’t finish, so the rest were taken home as leftovers.

My burger with our two sides and my root beer.

I will have to go back at some point to try their milkshakes and maybe to grab some of the other sides available on the menu, but the burgers are kind of mediocre. More than anything, it’s a cute place with a great Albertan story, and, personally, I think the place remains mostly due to the nostalgia factor. It seems that a lot of people have many wonderful memories associated with the eatery. As long as that continues to hold true, I’m guessing that there will always be someone willing to keep Jack’s Drive-In alive for many more years to come.

Edmonton Bakery Review: Ohana Donuterie

Posted on by

0

A custom sign in their space.

I’ve been aware of Ohana Donuterie for a long time. Their business started with a food truck, and, while I enjoy those, I’m simply not that keen on tracking them down. Therefore, when I heard that they had opened a permanent location in the spring of this year, I knew I had to go. It took a few months, but come summertime when I was around Old Strathcona for the Fringe Festival, it seemed the perfect time to visit.

Kirk and I made our way over from Whyte Avenue to the door of Ohana Donuterie. It’s tucked to the side of a strip mall on 103 Street and 80 Avenue with its entrance facing a back alley that overlooks a McD’s. In other words, it’s unassuming and easy to miss unless you’re really looking for it.

The open, spacious interior of Ohana Donuterie.
The chalkboard with upcoming specialty donut flavours and a built-in bike rack.
The order counter.

On the plus side, as soon as you step indoors, you’re welcomed by a bright, spacious interior full of beachy colours. There are plenty of tables and seats, and there are even racks for people to hang their longboards and bikes. A chalkboard gives a glimpse of exciting flavours to come, yet, in reality, there were only a few specialty donuts available that day. Although those seemed enticing, I was more interested in trying their classics.

This window provides a glimpse into the making of a malasada donut.

If you don’t already know, the owners of Ohana Donuterie were inspired on a trip to Hawaii to bring malasada donuts to Edmonton. These are made with hand-rolled double-raised yeast dough. Every single one is made to order, so they’re incredibly fresh. There’s even a window that looks right into the kitchen, so you can watch them make your treats right then and there.

Kirk and I split three donuts (it pretty much ended up being our dinner that night): Original — Cinnamon Sugar — with Coconut Cream, Chocolate Dip with Vanilla Custard, and Vanilla Dip with Chocolate Custard. Since these were all filled, they were $2.75 a piece. Specialty donuts are $3.25 and unfilled donuts are $2.25 each. To drink, I opted for a House Lemonade ($2.75), which can be left as lemon or flavoured with blueberry or mango. I asked the employee what he recommended and he gladly told me blueberry coconut. It’s not an option that is listed, but it was his personal favourite and I said okay. Kirk went for a medium cup of plain old brewed coffee ($2.65).

Our trio of donuts.

Before paying, I was asked if I’d like to sign up for their rewards program. For every dollar spent, a point is earned. Once you’ve collected 75 points, you’ll get a credit of $5 to use on your next purchase. They also make note of your birthday, which I’m assuming leads to something special to celebrate. I kind of doubt I’ll be there often enough to earn points quickly; however, I figured it didn’t hurt to join.

I’d estimate that it took about five to ten minutes for our donuts to come out. They were still warm and the fillings were spilling back out onto the plates. As a reminder, if you plan to take the donuts home, it’s recommended not to order the cream fillings. They tend to melt inside the warm dough and may disappear before you’ve had a chance to eat them. The custards are much thicker and will last even if packed to go.

Chocolate Dip with Vanilla Custard in the front with the Vanilla Dip in the back.

I’ll start with my least favourite of the donuts, the Vanilla Dip. The consistency of the yeast donut itself was nice. Fluffy, yet still dense enough to hold up against the heavier filling. The abundant chocolate custard was delicious, almost reminding me of a creamy pudding. What I didn’t like was that the vanilla glaze kept cracking and falling off the donut onto the table, so I lost a lot of that flavour in the end.

The Chocolate Dip fared much better. I don’t know what the difference is in the glaze used to make the chocolate versus vanilla. All I can say is that the chocolate never cracked. It was smoother and not as dry, so it stayed together with each bite. The vanilla custard inside the donut had the same texture as the chocolate version, just with a less intense flavour profile. Chocolate and vanilla are a classic combo and it works well here.

Original with Coconut Cream

Nevertheless, our top choice turned out to be the Original. If Kirk had his way he wouldn’t even have bothered with a filling. But, I argue that the coconut cream was an ideal pairing with the cinnamon sugar. Overall, not too sweet, the cream was light and airy, and the little bit of crunch from the granular sugar tied it all together. I could have eaten a half dozen of those on my own, if we hadn’t already had a large brunch earlier in the day.

Blueberry Coconut House Lemonade

As for the drinks, I can never comment much about the coffee anywhere since I don’t drink it. I did enjoy the Blueberry Coconut House Lemonade though. It felt like such a summery beverage and it quenched my thirst on what would be the last weekend of the summer.

Ohana Donuterie isn’t going crazy outside the box of what we’re familiar with when it comes to donuts in this city. After all, it’s still a yeast-based concoction. What I think changes the game is that every donut is made to order, so you’re never going to get one that’s been sitting around in a showcase all day long. It’s freshly fried, filled, and glazed or sugar coated on the spot, and that is what makes all the difference when it comes to overall quality.

Support Local YEG: Black Box x Gibbard Block Kickstarter Campaign

Posted on by

0

Three ventures to anchor the historic Gibbard Block.

Earlier this week, Kirk and I were invited to Salz for a media event. As you may or may not know, Salz is owned and operated by Nate Box and his partner Mike Forgie under the Black Box Hospitality Group umbrella. Alongside that business, they also run Elm Café & Catering, District Café & Bakery, and Little Brick Café & General Store. All of those forged ahead by embracing their place in the community to which they were situated.

Today, Black Box is embarking on their largest project to date. The evening we attended was an effort on their part to spread the word about their plans for not just one, but three endeavours that they intend to open in the historic Gibbard Block building (6425 112 Avenue) over in the heart of the Highlands neighbourhood. They are working closely with the landlord/developer, Sparrow Capital, to make this a reality.

The plans are already underway!

Their ambitious vision will see to it that the heritage of the building is not lost. Simultaneously, they want to bring new favourites into the area that will meet the needs of residents without impeding on other businesses that already call the Highlands home. While they have even more ideas in the works, it was after careful consideration that they came up with June’s Delicatessen (named after Mike’s mother), Fox Burger (the moniker is an amalgamation of Forgie & Box), and Highlands Liquor (dreamt up when they realized there were no stores selling craft beer in the vicinity). Those ventures are going be the anchors to the Gibbard Block, taking up 8,000 square feet of space on the main floor.

Anyone who has shown interest in the restaurant industry is probably aware that it’s a very fickle business. Even the best of the best don’t always succeed. Despite Black Box Hospitality Group’s stellar track record, the bank needs to know that they can meet them part way before they agree to fund a portion of the estimated $900,000 project.

A screenshot from their live Kickstarter page.

Therefore, Black Box is looking for help by turning to crowdfunding. They have just under three weeks left to raise their all-or-nothing goal of $100,000 through their Kickstarter campaign. Within the first day they managed to make it a tenth of the way there and they’re currently sitting at $30K; however, they need a big push to accelerate them to where they need to be.

It isn’t always easy to understand why entrepreneurs ask for assistance. After all, someone who owns a handful of successful businesses shouldn’t have any issues, right? The thing is, it doesn’t equate to millions or even hundreds of thousand dollars sitting in their bank accounts at this second. It just means that they’ve taken enough risks and seen enough gains to ensure that daily operations can run smoothly.

The campaign offers a number of fun rewards.

The beauty of backing a Kickstarter is that it comes with very little risk to you. If they don’t collect enough through pledges, your money stays in your wallet. Yet, if they do, you receive a selected reward in return. In this case, there are some excellent ones available at a variety of accessible price points: free monthly coffee for a year ($25), dinner for two at Fox Burger ($75), roof top kick-off party ($97 per person), customizable tasting for eight ($200), and many more.

Ultimately, by getting involved, you’re helping to shape the culture and the landscape of the community for the better. With a more vibrant area and an increase in jobs, it’s a win-win situation. So, I’ll stop preaching to you now, but I highly encourage you to visit the Black Box x Gibbard Block Kickstarter page. Watch their video and read through their pitch. They’ve got a great group of passionate people behind this, and I hope you’ll choose to back it like I have.