Given that it snowed a couple centimetres in Edmonton last week, it may seem that Spring isn't quite around the corner. But soon enough the sun will be shining and the patio will be calling - at least that's how it felt when I checked out the Spring Menu at Earls!

Paloma: el Jimador Reposado tequila, fresh lime juice, Jarritos Mexican grapefruit soda
Over the past year I've really noticed a change in the style of food served at Earls. It's no longer the restaurant where you go for comfort food like burgers and fries, it's where you can go and expect craft cocktails and sophisticated meals.


Tuna Tostadas
For the Spring Menu Earls is making quite the change. There are lots of fresh dishes packed with flavour, and Earls has begun a partnership with Spring Creek Ranch (based out of Vegreville, Alberta) to serve their beef on the menu. The evening kicked off with some of the new and noteworthy cocktails, namely the Paloma ($8.50) and Watermelon Pina Colada ($8.50). I went with the piña colada and loved the added delicate flavour from the watermelon. The rum wasn't overpowering, and I really enjoyed how light and smooth it was. Come summer months, you'll find me sipping on this drink out on the patio.

For those of you that do not drink, Earls makes sure you don't miss out on the fun with their list of mocktails. I also had the Passion Fruit Limeade ($4.50). The passion fruit may make you pucker, but it really gives this drink a punch of tropical tang.

Our night started off with a taste of the Tuna Tostadas ($13/4), where seared chili rubbed Albacore Tuna is accompanied by avocado, jicama slaw, and cilantro aioli served on a tortilla chip. This honestly has everything I want in an appetizer and just screams to be eaten on the patio. The tuna is well seasoned, the pickled slaw gives a sour kick to balance the creamy avocado, there's a slight heat from the chili, and a squeeze of lime juice on top brings it all together.

The first dish we tried that evening was a fresh new take on the traditional Fattoush Salad ($17.25). Cucumbers, pickled red onions, grapes, and roasted peppers are tossed with arugula in a preserved lemon dressing and served on a bed of sumac yogurt. The salad is then topped with pita chip croutons and garnished with Italian flat leaf parsley and served with some Moroccan spiced chicken breast. There was smokiness from the peppers, tang from the dressing, and an unexpected but refreshing burst of sweetness from the grapes. It was great to see this Mediterranean salad on the menu, but I don`t know if it`s going to be able to compete with the ever popular Santa Fe Chicken Salad!

Next up was the new Oven Roasted Moroccan Salmon ($25), presented with the skin on. This beautiful salmon sits on a tomato-based chermoula and is served alongside pickled pearl onions, peas, and cauliflower roasted in Persian oil, which gave it a distinct yellow colour. It is quite rare to see skin-on fish served in Alberta, so I loved the rustic presentation and that wonderful crispy skin! The fish was cooked quite well and I would have preferred for it to be slightly undercooked, but the remaining components of the dish were quite flavourful, making this dish a hit.

Alberta is well known for beef, so if you have some of high quality from Spring Creek Ranch, you have to show it off! As of April 22, all Earls locations across Canada are being supplied with New York and top sirloin cuts from Spring Creek. We had a sampling of the sirloin served with some fresh horseradish and it was fantastic. Juicy, tender, and full of flavour, this beef really showcases Alberta beef!

The course I was most looking forward to trying was the Korean Bibimbap Rice Bowl ($15, additional $ for proteins) served up in a stone pot. Bibimbap is such a comforting dish, and Earls has put it's own spin on it. The Jasmine rice crisps up very nicely in the hot stone bowl and is topped with marinated Spring Creek Ranch striploin, zucchini, oyster mushrooms, carrots, pickled vegetables (cucumber, onion, hot peppers), and a beautiful soft poached egg. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous, and you can add the housemade sesame chili sauce to suit your tastes. Although not exactly authentic, I quite enjoyed Earls' spin on bibimbap. Crispy rice, plentiful toppings, and spicy sauce to tie it all together makes me pretty happy!

The new Berry Shortcake ($8.75) was our dessert for the evening, and it was delicious. Two layers of cake combined with fresh, seasonal berries, vanilla mousse, and almond crumble made for a lighter version of the traditional dessert. It wasn't too sweet, and I could probably eat two of these on my own.

Did I say dinner was over? Not before we all sampled the new Royale with Cheese Burger ($18). One bite and I was sold - smoked cheddar, dry cured bacon, portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, lettuce, and housemade mushroom ketchup served inside a soft brioche bun. It tastes just as good, if not better, than it sounds! While there are two other new gourmet burgers available on the spring menu, this will definitely be my go-to burger from now on when I dine at Earls. All three burgers are available for a limited time until July 16th.

A new season has brought along a new menu with some pretty delicious dishes for Earls. I know that Earls is a go-to spot for many, so it's really nice to see new dishes pop up from time to time. I love that Earls is venturing into different types of cuisine and can't wait to see what the chef collective brings forth for the next menu change. For the time being, check out the new offerings at Earls and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: as this was a media event, views expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not expected to feature this restaurant on my blog, nor obligated to do so. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

Growing up in Alberta, Earls restaurants have been around for practically my entire life. I've often associated the restaurant group with burgers and beer, because that's usually what everyone orders whenever I've dined there. Two weeks ago I had the chance to stop by the flagship Earls Tin Palace here in the city to get a peek at the new fall menu.

Earls Tin Palace - 11830 Jasper Avenue - Edmonton AB

L-R: Chef Dawn Doucette, Sous Chef Andrew Hounslow, Chef Tina Fineza, Chef Jeffrey McInnis, Chef Hamid Salimian, Chef David Wong
This past summer Earls Kitchen + Bar opened a brand new test kitchen in the 2nd floor space above the Hornby Street location in downtown Vancouver. The test kitchen is not only open to the public for viewing, but the chefs working in the kitchen seek feedback as they test new dishes day in and day out. With the talented chefs working together under the roof of the test kitchen, they've become known as the “Chef Collective.” Together they have been working hard on the fall menu and it is finally here.


North Pacific Sablefish - with unagi glaze over soba noodles
Sitting down at the dinner table I was surprised by the assortment of dishes on the menu. Given that I've always been to Earls for burgers and drinks, I was surprised to find that a lot of dishes were trendy and quite sophisticated. There is a clear Asian influence for many of the items on the fall menu, but I'm not complaining! Throughout the evening we were able to sample numerous dishes on the menu, but for me a few were more noteworthy than the others.

The first dish that surprised me was the BBQ Pork Buns ($11) served up in a bamboo steamer as a set of three. Tender BBQ pork is served with hoisin hot sauce, cilantro and roasted peanuts all nestled within a soft "bao," an Asian-style steamed bun. I never would have expected to see this Momofuku inspired dish, and Earls executed this dish wonderfully. The bun is soft and light and the mix of sweet and spicy flavours in this dish work really well together. An optional addition of a fresh squeeze of lime brings out the flavours even further. This dish is great shared with others as a starter and I would highly recommend you try it out!

The next dish that I really enjoyed was the Crispy Thai Prawns ($13). This dish features crispy deep fried prawns in a sweet and sour glaze on top of a bed of napa cabbage, Thai basil, jalapenos, cilantro paint, and roasted peanuts. One bite of this Asian-style salad and I was hooked. It was a personal shocker for me as I hate all things cilantro, but the flavours in this dish are fantastic. You have savoury umami and tangy notes from a fish sauce and lime juice based dressing, great crunch from the cabbage, slight heat from the jalapenos, and fragrant notes from the herbs. The prawns are golden and I think this dish would be amazing served with some rice.

The last savoury dish of the evening that I really enjoyed was the Thai Vegetable Bowl ($15) which actually happens to be vegan friendly. The bowl consists of quinoa, crispy onions, peanuts, edamame, seasonal vegetables, and coconut in a delicious lemongrass broth. It is tangy, spicy, and creamy, and you also have the option of adding tofu, chicken, or prawns for protein.

To round off the meal we got the try the new Chocolate Hazelnut Bar ($8) and it currently ranks pretty high on my list of all-time favourite desserts. This isn't a solid bar of chocolate, but rather a smooth, dark chocolate shaped into a bar with a crispy feuilletine base. The chocolate is rich without being overly sweet, and having a wafer-like crunch from the feuilletine bits in each bite makes this dessert stand out for me. Served with blackberries, a smear of salted caramel and a scoop of vanilla bean gelato - you've got a perfect dessert right here!

I've never paid much attention to the seasonal menu changes at Earls, but if this preview dinner taught me anything it's that I should be keeping Earls on my radar. The Chef Collective has brought forth some pretty solid dishes and I feel like there will be lots more to look forward to with future menu changes. Go out, try the dishes, and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: as this was a media event, views expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not expected to feature this restaurant on my blog, nor obligated to do so. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.