Tag Archives: Jasper Avenue

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen (Closed)

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Lunchtime at the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen

Lunchtime at the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen

Dismay was the general consensus when Tavern 1903 folded towards the end of 2014. The restaurant was popular with patrons and, thus, there was a bit of disbelief when word spread of its closure.

I had only been to Tavern 1903 once, but I enjoyed the food and the sunny patio during the summer, and I had looked forward to going back. What I especially liked was the idea of Edmonton businesses having invested in the restoration of this historical building on 98 Street and Jasper Avenue that used to be the Alberta Hotel. My fear was that it would be shuttered and the gorgeous bar wouldn’t see the light of day for who knows how long.

Less than a year later, my bartender friend, Clayton, told me he was starting a new job at the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen. I’m often clueless about new places until someone tells me about it or I read an article or blog post, so I had him confirm my assumptions about this establishment’s location. Sure enough, it was taking over that same spot vacated by Tavern 1903.

Beyond excited, I reached out to owners Spencer Thompson (Chef de Cuisine) and Brandon Baker (General Manager) to discuss another story. During that same time, they were in the midst of their soft opening. I didn’t visit over the first few weeks they were open. However, from what I was hearing through my friends, something great was in store for me.

Finally, for the official grand opening on November 19, I made my first trip to Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen.

The historic and gorgeous lounge and bar.

The historic and gorgeous lounge and bar.

As expected, the space has changed little since Tavern 1903. Knowing that the bar and lounge was reconstructed using the actual building blocks – tiles, chandeliers, lamps, etc. – of the original Alberta Hotel, it would have been a travesty to tamper with any of that. So, they did the right thing and kept the venue as is.

Upon arrival, we were greeted at as we stepped into the door. The restaurant had my reservation in its OpenTable system and we were promptly seated in the dining room. I was worried that the dimmer lighting would prevent me from taking some decent photos on my phone that evening, but it worked out okay in the end.

Our server, Joanne, popped by to fill our water glasses. Then she asked us if we were aware of the options for the evening – a set menu or a la carte. My friend and I had come specifically for the grand opening because, for one night only, they were presenting a three-course dinner complete with an amuse bouche and a glass of bubbly (the drink was not advertised beforehand, so it was a happy surprise) for the affordable price of $55.

The menu was laid out with three choices per course, creating a few difficult decisions for us. My friend opted to start with the Bone Marrow Agnolotti. I chose the Duck Duo as my appetizer. We both ordered the Pembina Pork Cheeks as our entrée. For dessert, I chose the Pear-Almond Frangipane (Joanne said it wasn’t as sweet as the AH Banana Smores) and my friend selected the Cheesecake.

The lobster crostini

The amuse bouche: lobster crostini

While we waited for our first course to make its way from the kitchen, we sipped on our champagne. Joanne showed up again shortly after to drop off the amuse bouche (a complimentary canapé from the chef). Before she walked away, we asked her what was on top of the crostini. It turns out that it consisted of lobster, which my friend has an allergy to. Thank goodness we took the initiative to find out before she went ahead and ate it. Throughout the evening, the service was pretty impeccable. This was the only misstep.

Our first courses were brought over by Brandon (whom I recognized from a couple of photos on the restaurant’s Facebook page). On initial glance, the dishes were plated nicely and the servings were sizable. As is typical of my friend and I, we sampled each other’s food.

Bone Marrow Agnolotti

Bone Marrow Agnolotti

The Bone Marrow Agnolotti was stellar. The pasta shells didn’t really stay intact, but I liked that the pasta was thin and light, not doughy. Stuffed inside the shells were wild mushrooms and bone marrow. The acidity from the bone barrow worked well with the earthiness of the mushrooms. There was some additional marrow to be found in-bone, along with more mushrooms, brown butter sauce and pecorino cheese. To finish off the plate, there was also a cloud of celery root puree. My friend scraped every last bit of food off of her dish, saying it was like heaven.

Duck Duo

Duck Duo

I later learned that the duck duo was new on the menu, and it was neat. I hope that it’s a dish that they’ll offer again. This plate included a combo of smoked duck breast served over Saskatoon jam and duck pate sandwiched between a beet macaron. The duck breast was incredibly tender; it was cooked just enough to get a touch of smokiness without overtaking the natural flavour of the meat while the Saskatoon jam provided overall balance. The pate was smooth and paired well with a melt-in-your-mouth beet macaron. It was different and creative.

Ramos Gin Fizz and a Whiskey Sour

Ramos Gin Fizz and a Whiskey Sour

In between finishing our appetizers and receiving our entrées, we headed over to the bar to say hello to Clayton who happened to be bartending that night. My dining companion asked him for a recommendation and he inquired as to what sort of liquor she likes. She told him that she likes whiskey sours and he was glad to whip something up for her. I went for a cocktail off of the curated menu, the Ramos Gin Fizz, which was created in 1887 by Henri Charles Ramos. It’s great to know that the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen has knowledgeable people like Clayton behind the bar and Brandon who has refined the drink selection.

Pembina Pork Cheeks (this is not the best photo)

Pembina Pork Cheeks (this is not the best photo)

The comfort quotient was met during the main course of Pembina Pork Cheeks topped with tomato jam and served with buttermilk polenta, wild mushrooms, arugula and local pecorino. The polenta was the creamiest I’ve ever had. It felt rich and decadent. That, along with the earthiness and bitterness from the mushrooms and arugula, leveled out any saltiness from the meat, which fell apart at the touch of our forks. The kitchen provided a hefty portion, too. Although we most likely could have had a few more bites (it was that good), what we got was enough when you consider that we still had dessert on the way.

Cheesecake
Pear-Almond Frangipane

I took a small forkful of cheesecake from my friend. The cake had an almond sponge bottom and what looked like two chocolates on top (that was probably the red currant jelly that was listed on the menu). There was also some lemon curd on the plate as well. I didn’t catch all of the flavours that were included in the dish. I only tried the cheesecake, but it had a wonderful velvety texture that wasn’t overly dense. My Pear-Almond Frangipane was paired with a lovely olive oil ice cream. The poached pear slices on top were great with the pastry, but this is a heavier dessert, and the last few bites were almost more than I could handle.

While I wasn’t necessarily more restrained during lunch the following day, I specifically chose items that I hadn’t eaten the night before, and I avoided stuffing myself with fillers like fries and crostini.

Janell(e), who was serving me, seemed educated on the menu and she was ready to give me suggestions, if I wanted them. However, I kind of already had my mind made up.

A cup of Lobster Bisque

A cup of Lobster Bisque

Lunch began with a cup of lobster bisque, which was delectable. Made sans cream, the tomato base created a soup that was more distinct. The tartness from the tomato helped to elevate the flavor of the lobster without masking it. There was also a bit of heat to the bisque (if we’re talking temperature-wise, it stayed warm until I was finished); a nice pepperiness that took it up another notch. The soup was served with five pieces of crostini. I only ate one of them. They’re a slightly more upscale version of a package of Premium crackers, which I love crumbling over my soup every so often, but I needed to save space for the rest of my food.

A close-up of the Beet & Chevre Salad

A close-up of the Beet & Chevre Salad

I followed my soup with the Beet & Chevre Salad. This is a good starter because it’s satisfying, yet it’s still light enough that you’re able to continue on to a main dish. The salad contains pickled candy stripe beets, greens, fried Fairwinds Farm goat cheese, pears and dill vinaigrette. I found that the acidity coming from the beets and vinaigrette was complimented by the subtle taste of dill and offset by the thin slices of subtly sweet pear, the bitterness of the greens and the savoury fried balls of creamy goat cheese.

A medium-rare Flank Steak & Frites

A medium-rare Flank Steak & Frites

My meal continued with an order of the Flank Steak & Frites. The steak was plated with a large portion of fries, a little bowl of garlic aioli, blue cheese butter and arugula-pecorino salad. Admittedly, I was skeptical about the blue cheese butter. I love cheese, but I’ve never been a fan of the pungent blue cheese variety, so I stepped out of my comfort zone with this. Despite my usual aversion, the blue cheese worked because it was incorporated into the butter, which melted right on top of my perfectly cooked steak (a quick note: I wasn’t asked how my steak should be cooked, but it came out a wonderful medium-rare; I lucked out, but the servers should be reminded to ask patrons about this, so that the meat is prepared the way the guest wants it). The cheese wasn’t overwhelming in taste or smell. This dish was also a good test since flank steak is a tougher cut of meat, and I have to say that the kitchen did well with it. It was by no means the tenderest steak, yet it wasn’t at all chewy either.

Focusing on the sides, I always enjoy some arugula. Although, this salad had the same dill vinaigrette as my appetizer (they could have changed it up with a different flavour accompaniment). The only alteration was some added pecorino cheese on top. That helped to anchor the salad and marry it with the steak. I only had a handful of the fresh made fries, which were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside as they should be. However, I thought they were overly salted, so they could have used a lighter touch there. If you eat the fries with the supplied garlic aioli, you don’t need the added salt at all.

My visit was made complete with a tasting of the banana ice cream, usually served with the aforementioned AH Banana Smores. It’s made in-house using liquid nitrogen. The flash freezing creates an exceptionally creamy texture and locks in that unmistakable flavour. I’m definitely going to have to go back for the full dessert.

The current lunch menu appetizers.
The current lunch menu mains.

All-in-all, there are a couple of minor kinks for the restaurant to work through. But, considering that they’ve only had their doors open for about a month through a soft opening and then their grand opening just last week, everything is going swimmingly. From the food to the drinks to the service/staff, they seem to be hitting all the right marks.

Let’s hope that they continue on this path. I’d hate to see the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen go.

For a more in-depth look at this establishment, visit The Local Good to read my profile of Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Rocky Mountain Icehouse

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One of the walls when you enter the restaurant.

One of the walls when you enter the restaurant.

Housed in the Jasper Block, built in 1909, and located on 105 Street and Jasper Avenue, Rocky Mountain Icehouse took the place of what used to be Fantasia Noodle House before that restaurant had to move in order to accommodate building renovations. Having ventured out on a walk during our coffee break on a sunny summer day, my co-workers and I stumbled upon the new eatery, and I made note that I would have to go back another time.

In September, on a particularly gorgeous afternoon, I grabbed a friend for lunch and the two of us started wandering with no idea of where to go until the memory of Rocky Mountain Icehouse popped into my head. They have a small sidewalk patio situated just outside the doors, but we opted to sit inside by the front windows, so we’d get the sunshine as well as some air conditioning. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of the establishment. For the longest time they didn’t even have a working website despite having been open for a couple of months (rest assured, they have one now and it’s quite nice), so it didn’t seem like the owners were all that organized. Regardless, I was willing to give it a try.

The large interior of Rocky Mountain Icehouse.
One of the two entrances to the space.

The space is quite a bit larger than I expected. There’s even a large, private room called The Ski Lodge that can be used for smaller events or functions of up to 90 people. We were there for a later lunch, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised to see that only a few other tables were occupied. There was only one server on staff who indicated that we could seat ourselves wherever we wanted. She dropped off a couple of menus at our table and let us mull over the options. It’s a fairly succinct list of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, dips, mains and dessert.

The two of us opted to share an order of the Cajun Chicken Three Cheese Dip to start. My friend decided on a bowl of the Southern Gumbo as her entree and I went with the Crab Cakes.

The Cajun Chicken Three Cheese Dip that we did order.
The Cream Cheese Tapenade that we didn’t order.

A plate of dip and warm pita bread arrived soon after we ordered. My first thought was that it tasted delicious, my second was that it wasn’t very spicy and my third was that I was impressed with how they managed to get something that was supposed to have chicken in it to such a smooth consistency. That’s when I thought I should check the photo I took of the menu, and we realized that we were given the wrong dip. Instead of the one we chose, our server brought us the Cream Cheese Tapenade – a blend of olives and cream cheese with a hint of spinach. Honestly, I was surprised at how much I was enjoying that dip before we figured out their mistake. I usually dislike olives with a passion (olive oil doesn’t count though), but I could barely taste them in this dip. I would have eaten the whole thing, but it wasn’t what we had wanted, so as soon as our server came back, I let her know, and she took it back to the kitchen and had a batch of the Cajun Chicken dip whipped up for us. Our second go round with dip was also tasty. This time, it was much chunkier with pieces of chicken breast, peppers, onions and jalapeno coming together with the cheese to pleasantly top off our soft slices of pita. Between the two dips, I’m not sure which I’d be more likely to eat again. I might actually be leaning more towards the tapenade, which is a slightly lighter dip. The cajun chicken dip can almost pass for a meal with the meat, cheese, veggies and starch…almost.

Southern Gumbo

Southern Gumbo

Unfortunately, I did not sample the Southern Gumbo as my friend was battling a cold, but she was raving about it. The portion size looked quite large and was filled with chicken, chorizo sausage, peppers, onions, corn and rice. In particular, the sausage looked like it was housemade because, rather than the sliced cylinders of sausage often found in dishes, it was more irregular in shape, which made my friend think it wasn’t pre-prepared. If that truly is the case, I would be impressed.

My order of crab cakes with aioli.

My order of crab cakes with aioli.

My crab cakes were fairly run-of-the-mill. However, it’s not to say there was anything wrong with them. On the contrary, they were what I expected. Nicely breaded and crisp on the outside, there was a good crunch to them that gave way to a mixture of crab claw meat, boursin, feta and cream cheese. The crab cakes were then drizzled with roast tomato and garlic aioli, which helped to finish off the flavour profile of the dish. Come to think of it, I really should have squeezed some lemon juice on them to give it a better balance. I’m not sure why I didn’t do that.

In any case, I did enjoy our meal there. It’s a great space with a welcoming atmosphere that, at least during a late lunch hour, is a quiet place to sit and chat. The food is sort of what you can find in any general pub, but they do an okay job with it (other reviews I’ve read have been mixed as well), and I hope that with time, as the restaurant builds on its identity, that it’ll continue to improve.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Tavern 1903 (Closed)

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My friend snapping pics of our meal.

My friend snapping pics of our meal.

Tavern 1903 (@Tavern1903), the brainchild of Hardware Grill (@HardwareGrill) owners, dropped into downtown Edmonton’s dining scene with a bang. Situated on the main floor of the restored Alberta Hotel – built in 1903 – it is located at 98 Street and Jasper Avenue, its front sidewalk made into a fairly large and welcoming patio space. The day that my friend and I decided to walk over during our lunch break, it was a sweltering 30 degrees outside (not so much now). I had made an OpenTable reservation ahead of time, requesting an outdoor table, if possible.

A hostess was standing at a podium just in front of the door waiting to greet us. She acknowledged my booking and directed us to a table in the corner of the patio; it was under one of their large umbrellas that shaded two of the four seats. She apologized there wasn’t more protection from the sun available, but we were happy to be taking advantage of the weather and thanked her.

The beautiful emerald green wine bottle water glasses.
The lunch menu at Tavern 1903.

Our server came over shortly after we sat down and presented the menus to us. Filtered still or sparkling Q Water is provided free of charge (most other restaurants seem to charge a small fee for unlimited filtered water), so we were given beautiful green glasses filled with thirst quenching liquid. After inspecting the tumblers more closely, I realized that they were sawed off wine bottles, the bottoms used for a new purpose. I like the idea that the establishment is trying to find different ways to be sustainable, and the brilliant emerald colour made me want my own set. Being that we had to return to the office in an hour, we opted to order a couple of non-alcoholic beverages including their regular and blueberry lemonades to further keep us hydrated. The blueberry lemonade was a gorgeous pink, nicely sweetened by the berries, but still slightly tart.

The pretty pink coloured blueberry lemonade.

The pretty pink coloured blueberry lemonade.

Having previously read reviews of the restaurant where praise was given for their Truffled ‘Mac N Cheese’ with Baby Lobster & Shiitakes, and also having recently eaten a similar dish at the Century Hospitality Group‘s (@CenturyHG) Lux Steakhouse & Bar (@LUXSteakhouse), I was inclined to give Tavern 1903’s version a shot. My friend did the same, except that she chose to go with the Smoked Ham Hock & Green Peas rather than the seafood.

Unlike Lux, the pasta didn’t arrive in an iron skillet. Instead, it came to the table in a massive bowl the size of my head. Shell shaped pasta was coated with white truffle oil and 3-year aged cheddar, a sauce that was much lighter than the heavyset competition. I actually very much liked it. The shiitake mushrooms added a meaty texture and woodsy flavour, and the lobster was well distributed in larger chunks with virtually no trace of the crustacean’s exoskeleton to be found (something I cannot say about Lux – I bit on a lot of shell there). I sampled the ham hock and green pea plate and thought it was quite tasty as well. However, the ham created a dish that was, overall, saltier. While I did finish off every bite of my bowl, it was a struggle on this particular occasion because the heat coming off the mac and cheese combined with the overpowering sunshine just about did the two of us in, so I recommend sitting out on the patio on milder days if you plan to eat anything that comes piping hot from the kitchen.

A sketch of the old Alberta Hotel and plaques from Avenue Magazine.
Our massive truffled mac n cheese bowls.
The interior of the tavern.

Needing to get back to work, we weren’t able to stay for dessert, so I will have to make a point of visiting again for that. But, my friend did order some corn bread with bacon butter to go. She absolutely loves fresh corn bread and, unfortunately, she told me she was disappointed with it.

Regardless, the patio is wonderful for when Edmonton is experiencing good weather, our entrees were delicious, the service excellent, and the interior of the restaurant holds a certain charm – reinstated to its past glory with intricate ceiling moldings, wall lamps, tiling and an original cash register, the look certainly screams traditional tavern with modern touches. It’s unique, historic and they serve good food and drinks, which is probably why it currently holds both the No. 2 and No. 21 spot on The Tomato‘s list of 100 best eats and drinks for 2014. So, if you find yourself downtown searching for another great place to indulge, look no further.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Corso 32

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The front of the restaurant with the matte signage on the window.

The front of the restaurant with the matte signage on the window.

A few years ago, I still lived at home. My mother owned a shop downtown in what is now known as ATB Place and the two of us would carpool to work together. My first encounter with Corso 32 (@CORSO32) was on one of those rides as we cruised along Jasper Avenue. One day, I happened to be looking out the passenger window as we headed east, and I spotted a small tenant space with a window that had just been christened with the name ‘Corso 32’. Matte transferred signage was all that distinguished the soon-to-be open restaurant from everything else that vied for your attention on this street. As such, it seemed to get lost in the fervor and it took a while before I managed to point it out again.

Fast forward to 2014 and I still hadn’t visited what is arguably now the best restaurant in Edmonton. I had heard countless recommendations from food critics, bloggers and friends, but, for some reason, I just had not been there. Having started my quest to visit all the restaurants, cafes and farmer’s market booths listed on The Tomato‘s list of 100 best eats and drinks in Edmonton, I realized that, if I was to truly get the full experience of their list, I would need to eat at the establishment that has topped it for two consecutive years now.

Our table was near the back of the restaurant. As you can see, it is quite small.

Our table was near the back of the restaurant. As you can see, it is quite small.

Knowing that Corso 32 is very small and also often has to be booked far in advance, I looked into making a reservation with the restaurant. They utilize the handy Yelp SeatMe system, so I was able to search for available times using the computerized calendar. Only serving Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm to 11pm, I wanted to dine there after work, so I wouldn’t need to go out of my way to get there on a weekend, or have to kill an exorbitant amount of time between office hours and my meal, so I kept clicking on various dates until a 5:30 opening on Wednesday, October 8th popped up. Booked about a month and half in advance, it’s not a lie when people say that it is difficult to get a table there on short notice. Seeing as how I didn’t really care when I ate, just that I did not want to have dinner at 9pm in the evening, I was okay with this. A table for four (all I could get), I had my dining companions lined up and ready to eat with me.

The evening finally arrived, and being that it was fairly early in the evening, it wasn’t full by any means. I learned later that they give each table a two and a half hour dining limit, so they can be sure to fit in two seatings each night. Not aware of that, our meal ran a bit longer than the allotted time as we opted to try and wait until a friend who was running late could join us. In the end, we were starving, so we went ahead and ordered our food without her.

The drink and food menus.
The delicious full-size bowl of arancini.
Craft beer and glasses of sparkling lemonade.

Two of us opted to quench our thirst with glasses of sparkling lemonade while my other friend drank a couple of craft beers. To begin, we all shared a full size bowl of the arancini. If you have not had arancini before, it’s basically risotto shaped into balls, breaded and fried. Corso’s arancini is filled with speck (a fatty bacon or pork fat), cabbage and Fontina cheese. The balls are then decorated with finely grated Parmesan cheese. The dish is rich with a somewhat smokey flavour and entirely indulgent, but so worth the calories. I actually meant for it to be part of my main meal, which I had planned to pair with my plate of fried short rib. Unfortunately, the arancini was so good that it disappeared before the other dish was placed in front of me.

I have a love affair with short rib. When it’s cooked properly, the meat falls off the bone and it is so tender that it practically melts in your mouth. The fried short rib antipasti at Corso was just that. Served with a side of crostini and topped with shaved pear and arugula salad, it was another winner. I actually mistook the pear for radish, probably because they garnished the dish with radish as well. But, I should have paid more attention and realized when the flavour profile of the salad was more sweet than peppery. At the last minute, I also decided to get the side of beets. Prepared with ‘agro dolce’ (sour sweet) sauce, salted ricotta and crushed pistachios, it was a great accompaniment to what was left of my meat. The portion was also quite large, so I ended up taking quite a bit home for lunch the next day.

A close-up of the fried short ribs with the pear and arugula salad.
The fried short ribs with crostini.
My side order of beets.

My two dining companions that were there chose to go with pasta dishes, which are made in-house from scratch. One decided on the cavatelli, the other the ricotta agnolotti. I had a bite of each, and they were both delicious. The pasta shells of the ricotta agnolotti were thin and cooked perfectly. It was actually a much lighter dish because the ricotta is creamy, mild and soft in texture. Paired with the swiss chard from Sundog Farm (@sundogfarmer) and a thin butter sauce, it didn’t seem like it would be too filling. On the other hand, cavatelli is thick rolled pieces of pasta that were served in what tasted like a rose sauce with spicy pork and fennel sausage, broccoli rabe and Pecorino cheese. The pasta was toothsome as the sauce was velvety, the sausage added a slight heat, the rapini brought some crunch to the texture of the dish and a little bitterness and the cheese a bit of saltiness. As my friend put it, it was like the food was making love to her mouth. I told her I would likely paraphrase her!

The ricotta agnolotti pasta.
The cavatelli pasta.

Our fourth finally made it as we were about to order dessert. Thankfully, our server knew her and she happens to be a regular there. Otherwise, they might have shooed us out earlier to make room for the second coming of diners (I’m so sorry to the people who arrived and ended up having to be seated in their sister business, Bar Bricco (@BarBricco), next door, which I’m sure is lovely as well, but not what they expected).

Three of us opted for the chocolate torta to finish off our dinner. Presented with salty, candied hazelnuts, it had that sweet versus savoury combo that I love. Wonderful as it was, I think two of us could have shared and it would have been more than enough to satisfy us both. It’s not actually a huge dessert, yet it is incredibly decadent and I found myself “forcing” it down because I knew I couldn’t let any go to waste. One person decided to go with the vanilla panna cotta, which was made with vin cotto, honey grappa and pistachios. I did not taste it, but it looked yummy, too.

The vanilla panna cotta.
The chocolate torta covered in candied hazelnuts.

By the end of the evening, the restaurant was pretty much at capacity and so were we. I had been told so many things about the eatery in the last two years that I had become worried that my expectations were too high, but the restaurant proved me wrong. I understand why Corso 32 and Chef/Owner Daniel Costa have the reputation they do. The food is fantastic, and the establishment is a good representation of how far Edmonton’s food scene has come and where the city’s foodies hope it will continue to go. Will Corso 32 top my own list of E-Town’s best restaurants? You’ll have to wait and see.

Edmonton Restaurant Review: Hoang Long Casual Fare

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My vermicelli bowl from lunch. This is the only photo I took. I don't know why I didn't take more pictures that day...

My vermicelli bowl from lunch. This is the only photo I took. I don’t know why I didn’t take more pictures that day…

Hoang Long has had many incarnations in Edmonton over the years. One was the massive, can’t miss, bright yellow flagship restaurant that was situated along 170 Street and 100 Avenue. I’d only been there once before they closed that location, but it certainly had a more traditional Asian feel to it with the rattan chairs and the bamboo decor. Their other establishment, Hoang Long Noodle House, opened in West Edmonton Mall right next to the interior doors to T&T Supermarket. Catering to the many customers that find themselves hungry after a long day of shopping, it’s meant for a quick meal. The newest addition to the Hoang Long family takes fast to a new level. Created with an almost cafeteria-like idea in mind, it was nothing like I imagined it was going to be.

I, in no way, am disappointed with what I saw though. I’m just surprised that this is the way they decided to go. However, their decision makes sense when you take into account where Hoang Long Casual Fare (@HoangLongcf) is situated as well as the restaurant’s full name. Located in one of the commercial spaces at the bottom of the Mayfair Village building on 109 Street south of Jasper Avenue, the establishment is a looker that caters to the business crowd. With high ceilings, modern furniture and light, airy colours, aesthetically, it’s quite pleasing to the eye. It’s comfortable, clean and convenient, too. They have an open kitchen where they’ll make your meals for you as soon as you order and they also have prepackaged foods such as salad rolls. The concept is that you order and pay at the till and then receive one of those notifiers that buzz when your food is ready, letting you know it’s time to pick up from the counter. You have the option to stay and eat there or take your food to go.

The vermicelli bowl lunch menu.

The vermicelli bowl lunch menu.

My friends and I made our way there from work over lunch hour about a couple months ago. Craving vermicelli bowls, I was excited to try out their new venue. We went later in the afternoon, so it wasn’t that busy. After deciding what each of us wanted, our food was ready within minutes. Delighting in the fact that it was a relatively warm day, we found ourselves a spot on their small patio (Yeah! They have one!). While the view isn’t of anything spectacular and it was slightly overcast that day, it’s still good to know that there’s the option to soak in some sun there. If the weather isn’t cooperating, the large windows let plenty of light into the interior, so don’t fret.

The vermicelli bowls were really tasty. The grilled beef that accompanied my noodles was delicious. Cooked in soy sauce, lemongrass, garlic and sugar, it had that unmistakable flavour. I also very much liked the texture of the beef as it had some bite, but was still pretty tender. They also give you an ample serving of fish sauce for the noodles – important so that everything is well coated and adds to the overall profile of the dish. The spring rolls, which I chose as my second topping were fried perfectly, so that the outside stayed nicely crisp even until the end of my meal. My bowl completely satisfied my craving for their Vietnamese and Thai food.

The patio space. Photo Credit: Hoang Long website
The many options at Hoang Long Casual Fare. Screenshot from the Hoang Long website.
A beef and shrimp vermicelli bowl. Photo Credit: Hoang Long website
The exterior of the restaurant. Photo Credit: Hoang Long website
Another beef vermicelli bowl. Photo Credit: Hoang Long website
Photo Credit: Hoang Long website

While I didn’t have one, they also had an enticing dessert case filled with individual cakes and macarons that are made in-house. My friend took a piece of chocolate mousse cake to go and she said it was alright. I’ll have to see for myself sometime as I know taste can be selective and dependent on the person, but I’m glad for the additional opinion.

Regardless, I would certainly recommend Hoang Long for their classic menu items and so do the readers of The Tomato. The establishment was voted into the No. 46 spot on the magazine’s list of 100 best eats and drinks in the city for 2014 and they rarely, if ever, steer people wrong when it comes to food! Cited on the list as a favourite is the restaurant’s lamb curry dish, so next time I’m there I’ll have to give that a go. And, being that it’s so close to the office, I can see this becoming a regular hangout either for lunch or even after work.

One quick thing to note is that, although Hoang Long Casual Fare is similar to a fast food joint during the day, they do offer full service dining during supper hours. If it’s anything like their original restaurant, I’m sure they’ll offer a great dinner experience for their patrons.

For a more in-depth look at the establishment’s involvement in the community and its efforts towards sustainability visit The Local Good to read my profile of Hoang Long Casual Fare.