A couple weeks back, Robyn sent me a top secret invite for a surprise birthday party down in Calgary for her husband Phil, another food blogger here in Edmonton. Phil had mentioned he wanted to celebrate his big 40th birthday over a meal at Charcut (a dear favourite of mine!), so I quickly arranged to clear my schedule and get myself down to Calgary for the big night.

CHARCUT Roast House - 101 899 Centre Street - Calgary AB

The morning had come to head down to Calgary, and to my knowledge, Phil still didn't have a clue what was going on. I didn't think it would be that hard to hide from two people in a big city like Calgary, but WOW I was wrong. Things are a little different when a group of people share similar tastes and want to hit up all the same places in the same city! I was travelling with Diane, Teresa and Carmen, and we had planned to grab brunch after entering the city, going to a couple local bakeries to pick up goodies for home, and hit up the Calgary Farmers Market before checking into the hotel. We were twitter stalking the couple, finding that we were following their tails to each location. It was difficult not to tweet about where I was, and seeing that we were staying in the same hotel as Phil and Robyn, Robyn had to be creative and stall every time we were in a nearby location, or when we were checking into the hotel.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we found out that Robyn had rounded up about a dozen of us from Edmonton for the big surprise. We weren't sure whether Phil had figured things out yet, but all was confirmed by his expression when he walked into the restaurant. He was speechless. Weeks of sneaking around and being secretive had paid off big time!


Arugula & Tuna Conserva - shaved celery & lemon preserve - a hit around the table, even for the tuna haters!
For the night, Carmen had worked with Chef Connie DeSousa to plan a 10 dish meal served family style for all of us. Little did I realize it would be the biggest meal of my life! Restaurant hospitality was great, but the company even better. I won't go in depth about each dish that night, but thought I'd share a glimpse into the major gluttony around the table.


Warm raclette cheese - cast iron baked pan bread made to order - the melted cheese on fresh brioche is always, always welcome

Slow roasted heirloom beets - house made soft organic cheese, mint, basil - the beets are refreshing and great for palate cleansing, while the cheese adds richness to the veg on the plate

CHARCUT BOARD - house cured meats including Heritage Wine and cheese sausage - the sausage is Phil's favourite! But my favourite will always remain to be the pig head mortadella and lonzino. But really, a big plate of meat? You can't really go wrong..

Duck fat fried poutine, cheese curds and truffle gravy - potentially a heart attack on a plate. go big or go home!

Farmers market seasonal vegetable pasta - kudos to the kitchen for the freshly made al dente pasta. Flavours were light and the sauce was nice a creamy

Spit roasted Spragg Farms porchetta - arugula, grilled lemon, roasted garlic - natural flavour, beautiful crackling, but unfortunately chewy as decided unanimously across the table

Platter: Slow roasted heritage chicken - Share Burger CHARCUT style - smashed poplar bluff potatoes - I think this dish pushed my limits as I was so full at this point, but the chicken was tender, the share burger a sausage-like patty delicious when paired with a bun, and the potatoes a nice filler

MASSIVE warm date toffee pudding - chantilly cream, caramel sauce, roasted almonds

Individualized warm date toffee pudding - can I just say this is amazing? The warm cake-like texture drizzled in caramel and cream is something else. So. Good.

Raspberry lemon meringue cake - light meringue and super tangy filling
All in all, it was a wonderful meal with friends over great food. I can always expect CHARCUT to meet my expectations, and the trip down to Calgary just for dinner was totally worth it! Of course you'll be hearing about my other Calgary shenanigans soon enough, but to tide you over, you can read Robyn and Chris' account of the dinner in the meantime!

To conclude my birthday celebrations this year, I was so excited to try out a brand new restaurant in Edmonton with my girlfriends. In the past couple months, so many places have popped up on my radar, I almost can't keep up! But celebrating with dinner at one of the newest places on 124 Street was the perfect decision.

The Makk on 124 - 10418 124 Street - Edmonton AB

Stepping into the warm restaurant from the chilly outdoors revealed a clean, chic interior. With bright lighting strategically placed around the restaurant, the dark decor contrasted the red walls beautifully. It was a quiet evening at the restaurant, which created a great environment for an intimate birthday dinner.

After sending our orders off with our server, she brought along some bread to the table. But this wasn't your average bread and butter - it was homemade vegan bread served with green onion & dill creme fraiche. Totally an unexpected twist, and I loved it. The bread was nice and soft, and the herbed creme fraiche was a great accompaniment.

To start our evening we all shared the Mango Chili Prawns with Basil ($15): Shell-off Tiger Prawns, Fresh Mango, Bell Pepper, Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce. The savoury prawns were cooked perfectly, retaining the "elastic" nature when biting into them. The salsa-esque blend on the side was slightly too sweet for my liking on its own, but was much better combined together with the shrimp.

And because we all love to share, my stomach was happy with me trying out a bit of everyones food that night. The Truffled Mac n’ Cheese was a definite favourite at the table ($18): Macaroni, Truffle Cream, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Parmesan . Creamy al dente pasta amongst gooey cheese with the essence of truffles? Sign me up.

My main for the night was the Smoked Duck Breast ($29): Slow Braised Red Cabbage, Macaire Potatoes, Cassis Jus. As if I hadn't had enough protein already on the nights leading up to this one, it didn't matter, because whenever I see lamb or duck on the menu, it has to be mine. The presentation of this dish was beautiful, with a bowl lifted off to reveal the duck still smoking away, waiting to be eaten. The duck was smoky and tender, while the crisp skin of the macaire potatoes revealed the smooth, soft interior. I found there wasn't much aside from natural flavours, so the cassis jus was a necessary pairing to give the duck and potatoes a savoury kick. The sweet red cabbage gave the dish a nice contrast.

Being the birthday girl, I was determined to have a dessert all to myself. No ifs, ands, or buts! The Coconut Panna Cotta served with a sorbet of my choice ($7) was calling my name. The panna cotta was quite thick compared to what I am used to, but it was smooth and creamy with a hint of coconut. I had chosen to go with the watermelon sorbet (all ice cream and sorbet is homemade!), which was really refreshing. Only thing is that it was slightly too sweet to pass for all natural sweetness coming from the watermelon, but nonetheless it was a nice light finish.

The girls had chosen to share the Vanilla Creme Brulee ($8): A Rich Custard Base Topped with Caramelized Brown Sugar, Seasonal Fresh Fruit and House Made Sorbet, and the dish delivered as promised. The strawberry mint sorbet they had chosen was not too sweet, giving the classic custard dessert the illusion of being very sweet. The torched sugar had a nice crack to it, giving way to the creamy vanilla custard below.

Being brand new to 124 Street, I'm sure The Makk is a very welcome addition to the unique, locally owned businesses in the area. What I really love is that they strive to use fresh, local ingredients in all their dishes, and they have been conscious to provide vegan and gluten free options on their menu to be inclusive for all patrons. Although this restaurant is on the pricier end of the spectrum, it would be great for a date night or celebratory dinner. What I'm really interested in now is their Sunday Brunch - I'll have to go try it out and report back.

The next stop in my gluttonous birthday adventures was to one of the newest dining spots in Edmonton: XIX Nineteen. Nineteen is the latest culinary venture of Chef Andrew Fung, who has been a chef at Blackhawk Golf Club, and is most recently known for his gold medal win at the 2011 Gold Medal Plates culinary competition.

XIX Nineteen - 5940 Mullen Way NW - Edmonton AB

This restaurant is located fairly close to my home which is convenient, but for anyone living anywhere else in Edmonton, it can be a fair bit of a drive south. Located right off the Anthony Henday and Rabbit Hill Road, it really isn't hard to find, and you don't have to drive all the way out to Blackhawk anymore to try out Chef Fung's dishes.

When I first stepped into the restaurant, the first thing I noticed was the concept of an open kitchen - large windows giving a bird eye view of the kitchen and the hustle and bustle going on inside. Stepping back and taking everything in, the dim lighting of the restaurant gives it a warm, inviting feel, while the decor and artwork add a touch of class.

On this particular night, I was lucky to be joined by many of the wonderful people that I've had the opportunity to meet and get to know this year. We're a huge bunch of foodies and I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the night! While everyone tempted me to drink the night away, I had to be up early the next morning, so a Caesar was the perfect choice. Nineteen makes theirs nice and spicy, just the way I like them.


{Ahi Tuna & Scallop Ceviche}

Two weeks ago I celebrated my 22nd birthday with my amazing family and friends. If you know me well enough, you know that I would celebrate with non-stop eating for days on end.. which is exactly what I did! I literally ate out for six days in a row, four of which were for the purpose of celebrating my birthday, and even though I am now nursing a small food baby, every bit of it was worth it. First up was a lovely dinner date at The Marc.

The Marc - 9940 106 Street - Edmonton AB

To me, The Marc is almost like a hidden gem. Tucked away from major streets inside Sterling Place, you open the doors and find yourself in an environment where you can just wind down from a long day. The dim lighting gives off this cozy feel, while the contrast between the light and dark decor is simple and clean. Perfect for date night or going out to celebrate with friends over great food.

Our server for the night had no idea that I was there to celebrate a special occasion, regardless, she was so attentive and had a great sense of humor! After taking our order, she brought us some bread and it was perfect. I need to find out if they make the bread in house, cause the crisp outer crust revealing the soft, pillowy interior was a great way to start the night.

To tease our tummies, we shared the Seared Scallops & Bacon ($13): fava bean, cello radish, celeriac puree & maple cider aigre-doux. Look at that variety of colour! It was definitely a beautiful dish to look at. I've recently developed a hankering for scallops, and these certainly hit the spot. I only wish there were more on the plate! The scallops were tender and perfectly cooked, while the bacon added a hint of smokiness - all of it was tied together with the delightfully tangy sweet and sour sauce. Our server even brought us more bread to soak up the delicious sauce. Mm.

When our server described the feature dish of the night, she only had to say the first couple words and I knew it was going to be a hit. Rack of lamb with a garlic, parsley & dijon mustard crust, served with duck fat fried potatoes and carrot puree ($29). See what I mean?! The presentation was beautiful and the lamb cooked to perfection - very mild game flavour and the crust was so flavourful! My dinner date loved the carrot puree!

When I first set my eyes on the menu for the Marc, I knew exactly what I would be having for dinner. Seared duck breast ($26): puy lentils, Grand Marnier reduction. Whoa, this might possibly be the best birthday dinner dish I've EVER had. The duck was phenomenal. A huge portion cooked medium rare - it was seriously melt in your mouth good and I enjoyed every bite. The reduction was slightly sweet and the lentils were a great way to change up the texture. The carrots and fennel served with the dish were quite salty though, which was the only thing I could find wrong with this dish.

Like always, I was tempted by the desserts to finish off the evening. It was time for a sugar coma, so the beignets were the way to go. Freshly made, served hot, and coated in sugar, I had to try them out with the accompanying caramel and creme anglaise. They really shone on their own, but the light, airy dessert paired with the creme anglaise was a flawless finish.

Having part one of my birthday eats at The Marc really set the bar high for the subsequent dinners. I definitely recommend coming to visit for special occasions or dinner dates - the staff treat you well and you're sure to leave with a happy stomach!

This is the last of the birthday posts that you will be hearing about this year, I promise! I was so happy on the day of my birthday that it was nice and warm.. above 0 degrees celsius! Totally unheard of at the end of November in Edmonton, but who am I to complain? I'm loving it!

I wanted to have a small, quiet dinner with my close friends, and Niche had the perfect setting. I had heard many great things about this restaurant so I was pretty excited to sit down for some good food.

Niche Restaurant & Cocktail Bar - 11011 Jasper Avenue - Hardwood Plaza - Edmonton AB

The restaurant itself is tucked away along Jasper Avenue, and doesn't quite stand out along the busy street. There is a small amount of parking along the side of the building, but what I appreciated was the option of parking at the Edmonton General Hospital upon acquisition of a parking pass from the restaurant. One thing I hate about dining along Jasper Ave is the limited amount of free parking available!

Upon entering, the restaurant was dimly lit, and I realized it was actually quite a small establishment. The environment was cozy, with contrasting characteristic elements placed around the restaurant. Weird explanation, right? Well, what I mean is that the bar area looked very modern, feeling almost cosmopolitan as it wass brightly lit to showcase their selection of wine and spirits. It's where I would love to go after work for drinks. The tables around the restaurant, however, featured candlelight and tulips for decoration, while a large portion of the walls were decorated with brick, giving it an almost rustic feel.





The menu itself is not big, but still provides enough options for a variety of dishes to be ordered around the table. From what I understand, Niche changes up the menu every once in a while to keep things interesting. I personally prefer smaller menus, because you're not plagued with tedious decision making, and the kitchen is able to focus on cooking and perfecting dishes.


Mussels: Saffron broth with tomato concasse & crispy leeks served with toasted baguette


Wild Mushroom Gnocchi: Potato gnocchi pan fried and tossed with confit grape tomatoes, a blend of seasoned wild mushrooms and wild boar bacon, finished in a light brandied cream sauce

I shared the gnocchi to start, and quite enjoyed the dish. The gnocchi had a nice soft texture, which contrasted nicely with the chewy nature of the mushrooms. The cream sauce was a nice compliment, and not overpowering to the dish. I don't recall actually encountering any tomatoes in the dish though.


Wild Boar Chop


Vegetarian Anglonotti


Braised Beef Cheeks: Braised in rich red wine sauce served atop smashed fingerling potato with seasonal wild mushrooms and finished with a lemon caper creme fraiche

For my entree, I chose to go with the beef cheeks, as did two of my other girl friends. We didn't really know what to expect with the beef cheeks, but I felt they turned out to be similar to what I would find in an Asian beef stew. The meat was tender and full of flavour, but there was quite a bit of excess fat that I could do without. There was a prominent wild game taste to the meat, but the dish was well tied together with the mushrooms and mashed potatoes. The portion of beef cheeks on my plate was a bit overwhelming, but I did get some help from forks around the table to finish it all.



To round off the meal, I ordered the infamous flourless chocolate brownie. It was simply divine! The brownie itself was not too sweet, and most of the sweetness came from the thick layer of chocolate espresso mousse on the top. The mousse itself wasn't as light and airy as I would expect, but ended up being more of a ganache. Combined with the dallop of whipped cream and the salted caramel lining the dish, I was a pretty happy camper.

The entrees you find at Niche can be quite unique, and not too common amongst restaurants in Edmonton. Beef cheeks, boar, pheasant, and bass aren't regulars amongst many menus, so I would suggest making a visit to Niche if you're seeking out something a little different for dinner. They do charge on the more expensive side, around $35 - $50 per person for a filling meal, but the service is nice and the environment is warm and inviting. This isn't a restaurant I would frequent, but I would recommend it if you're out to celebrate something special. They recently began offering a lunch service, so I hope to be back to check that out and see what the restaurant is like in the daytime!

I'm so thankful that the weather has been so nice lately. It's almost December and the temperatures are above zero! This is amazing. But also terrible because global warming is taking its toll..

Blazer: Talula | Dress: H&M | Necklace: H&M | Heels: Shoedazzle



I wanted to keep my outfit nice and simple when I went out for dinner. I found this particular dress at H&M in the kids department! Because I have such a small frame, I love finding items that are cute AND fit well. Both H&M and Zara have great designs!

Over the last week, I've been blessed with the chance to spend lots of time with friends to celebrate my birthday. I want to personally thank everyone for all the birthday wishes, and for making this birthday the best one yet!

On the weekend I had planned on having a casual dinner with a bunch of friends, but many of the restaurants I wanted to go to wouldn't take reservations. I talked to a manager at the Keg who assured me I could get a table.. and when I arrived I was told I would have to wait 3-4 hours! No thankyou.

Long story short, after running around and making tons of calls, Guru was kind enough to arrange for me and my group of friends to dine there for the evening. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! And as I recently reviewed Guru here, I'll leave you with yummy food pictures.

Butter Chicken Samosa


Chicken Pakora




Goat Bhuna


Aloo Naan


Chicken Biryani & Raita


Tear Drop Mango Mousse

PS, the food was delicious!