It's been a long time coming, but one of Edmonton's highly anticipated restaurant openings of 2016 is here. After two highly successful restaurant openings, Chef Daniel Costa's third restaurant quietly opened it's doors to the public this past Friday.

Uccellino - 10349 Jasper Avenue - Edmonton AB

Uccellino, which translates to 'little bird' in Italian, is located to the west of its two older sisters Corso 32 and Bar Bricco. The space is quite different from Corso and Bricco, as Uccellino is lit by natural light through a big front window and is more spacious with high ceilings and larger square footage. The dining space features neutral tones and minimalist decor, giving it a great modern, casual vibe from the moment you walk in.

Given the larger space, Uccellino can seat roughly 70-80 guests, and the top floor hosts a space for private dining. Reservations at Corso 32 are difficult to score without advance booking, and Bar Bricco can have long wait times, so you'll be glad to hear that half the seats at Uccellino will remain unreserved for every dinner service. How great is that?

Uccellino's menu features traditional dishes you would find in Central and Southern Italy. The menu is separated by multiple courses, in true Italian style: Fritti & Crostini, Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Formaggi & Dolci. Among the multiple dishes there truly is something for everyone as the menu features some vegan and vegetarian options too. I didn't have trouble finding something I liked - my issue was trying to narrow it down to a few dishes as I was tempted by the whole menu!

After ordering, every table gets a dish of olives for snacking. I'm not a huge fan of olives, but these green olives were brined beautifully with hints of orange and caraway, which complemented the buttery flesh and mild flavour.

First to our table was the Potato Croquette ($10/5) made with parmigiano, lemon and nutmeg. The golden brown exterior had a nice crunch, like that of the delicious arancini at Corso 32. Breaking into the middle revealed a velvety mix of potato and fragrant parmigiano - a flavourful combination that makes these croquettes little umami bombs.

Our next plate was the rustic Chicken Liver & Balsamico Crostini ($11/3), where the pate was spread across three large, lightly toasted crostini. The chicken liver itself was smooth and well seasoned, and I enjoyed the contrasting sweetness from the balsamic drizzled overtop.

As we waited for our main courses to arrive, the kitchen sent out a plate of beautiful Gnudi Verde ($18). The six spinach and ricotta dumplings took up the flavour of the fragrant sage butter they were cooked in, and they were delicious. The light dusting of parmigiano was the perfect finishing touch to give them a bit more flavour without overpowering the delicate gnudi.

Unlike Corso 32 & Bar Bricco, Uccellino is utilizing dry pasta from Italy, so we had to try them out for our mains. The dry pasta from Pasta Setaro and La Pasta dei Martellii is exclusive to the restaurant in Edmonton, and diners can actually purchase packages to take home and cook.

For myself I couldn't pass up the Mezza Maniche Cacio e Pepe ($17) with Sardinian pecorino and fresh ground black pepper. Although simple, cacio e pepe is one of my favourite ways to eat pasta, and this dish hit the spot. The pasta was al dente with a great bite, the pepper carried a bit of heat, and the sauce was rich and clung to every bit of pasta.

We also ordered the Maccheroni ($19) cooked in a pigs head and prosciutto ragu bianco, and finished with a dusting of parmigiano. The dish had a nice proportion of meat to it and it was another great pasta with balanced flavours.

The Dolci portion of the menu offers four desserts, but I was particularly drawn to the Amedei Chocolate Budino. A budino is a dessert similar to a custard or pudding, so I was surprised to see the budino presented in the form of a slice of cake. On the first bite I fell in love - the texture was similar to that of a dense mousse, and it just melts in your mouth. The dark chocolate had just the right hint of sweetness, and the dallop of creme fraiche on the plate had a bit of tang that complemented the chocolate incredibly well. If you enjoy the Amedei chocolate truffles at Bar Bricco, you'll love this dessert. I thought that Corso 32's Chocolate Torta and Panna Cotta were my top desserts in Edmonton, but this budino is making me reconsider!

As mentioned, Uccellino is stocked with pastas for patrons to take home, priced at $8 and $14 depending on the brand. The restaurant will soon be stocked with books and cookbooks for purchase as well.

Our visit was on the third opening day at Uccellino and we had a fantastic meal with exceptional service. I love that the restaurant is more casual compared to Chef Costa's other establishments, and the menu has a bit of a lower price point as well. The menu is fairly extensive and may possibly change from time to time due to seasonality, but there will be something for everyone. The bigger space will allow for more patrons and hopefully shorter wait times, which I'm sure many Edmontonians will be happy about. And with half the seats unreserved, that will allow for more spontaneous visits to the restaurant. The doors are now open, so make sure to stop by for dinner service from 5-11 PM Wednesday through Sunday!

Roaming through the streets enjoying gelato, followed by indulging in a giant pizza and charcuterie... Oh, what I wouldn't do for a trip to Italy this instant! While I can't get my hands on Italian street food right now, there's a new eatery opening up promising to deliver just that.

Via Cibo - 222 Baseline Road - Edmonton AB

The Crave It Restaurant Group that brought Burger's Priest to Edmonton in March has brought Via Cibo, an Italian fast-casual restaurant, to Sherwood Park. This is the third Via Cibo to open in Canada, with the other two locations being in Calgary and Toronto. The restaurant opened it's doors on November 1st, and I had the opportunity to check it out on opening day.

Via Cibo occupies a fairly large space off of the busy Baseline Road in a great location that is easily seen while driving by. The space is clean, modern, and designed to be a quick dining option. As you walk in, you're greeted by the large menu boards behind the counters and a staff member at the register. After placing an order, you are given an order number and lead past the open kitchen to a beverage station before finding a seat in the restaurant. I love this self-lead form of service in casual restaurants, as each experience is tailored to your needs. Whether you're in to grab a quick bite to eat, or planning to spend time sitting down for a longer meal, the servers are available when you need them, and they're not rushing you with constant visits to the table either.

To start off our meal we had an order of the Tuscan Fries ($5) which are tossed with a mixture of rosemary, sea salt and truffle oil before being topped with a light shaving of Grana Padano Cheese. The fries were golden and crisp and the spicy garlic aioli gave the fries a nice punch. Although the rosemary tended to overpower the delicate truffle flavour with most bites, the fries were a nice little snack I would order again.

Next to arrive at our table was the Broccolini and Sausage Penne ($14) that was recommended to us by Roxanna Martins, one of the operating partners at this location. All pasta options on the menu (with exception of the gnocchi) can be served with your choice of penne or linguine, and gluten free options are available too. Pasta used at this location is brought in dry from Italy and cooked al dente. Our dish featured broccolini, house made Italian sausage and the pasta tossed in a chili garlic olive oil, tomato sauce and was topped with Grana Padano. The pasta had a good portion of toppings and was fairly portioned for the price.

At Via Cibo all the sandwiches (there are 5 available) are constructed between housemade calabrese bread. We tried the Ossobuco Panino ($14), because who can resist fall of the bone braised veal? The meat is combined with caramelized onions, arugula, provolone cheese and roasted garlic aioli. The sandwich may not look like much, but the tender meat was well seasoned and gave the sandwich a punch of flavour to contrast the sweet onions. The bread was soft, but I would have preferred for it to be slightly toasted for some added crunch.

Last but not least came the Prosciutto E Arugula Pizza ($15). Prosciutto and arugula are two of my favourite toppings on pizza, so I just had to order this one. Via Cibo uses prosciutto, arugula, Fior Di Latte, slow roasted tomatoes, Grana Padano and a fig-infused balsamic reduction on their version. While I didn't like that the prosciutto on the pizza was cooked (I prefer mine just cured), there was a fair portion on the pizza along with the other ingredients. The crust to the pizza was thin, but held itself together well structurally, meaning that it didn't fall apart or become mushy from the toppings. According to one of the operating partners, the staff are trained to place a majority of toppings towards the outside of the pizza so as not to put too much moisture or weight on the middle. So that's the trick! The crust was evenly cooked with some blistering, and I would be open to trying some of the other options.

When it comes to sweets, Via Cibo has brought Calgary's Fiasco Gelato on board to offer 10 different gelato flavours to customers after their meals. Flavours will rotate from time to time, and it's great to see that Via Cibo is supporting a great Albertan gelato maker!

Throughout the dining experience, I couldn't help but compare Via Cibo to Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, an Alberta-based fast casual chain of restaurants. I'm sure many others would come to the same comparison as the dining format and some menu items are similar, even down to the gelato and alcoholic beverage service! While both serve Italian food, there are some distinct differences in their menu offerings and dining environment. I think it will be interesting to see how business will be at both Famoso and Via Cibo, as they are literally down the street from one another!

Via Cibo is a great addition to the lineup of dining options out in Sherwood Park, and I'm sure people are welcoming it with open arms! The service was friendly, food came out quickly, and the food was both tasty and affordable. Catering options are available too, so it will be a nice option to change up the usual office lunches! A second location is set to open soon in South Edmonton Common, but in the meantime, stop by the Sherwood Park location for a traditional piadina and a little taste of Italian street food.


*Disclosure: I was invited to try the Via Cibo on their opening day. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

When the cool weather comes, its time to harvest the crops that farmers have worked hard to cultivate all spring and summer. Although most conventional farms don't produce mushrooms, September marks the annual Mushroom Harvest at Sorrentino's, with 2015 marking the 21st year.

Sorrentino's Bistro Bar - 4208 Calgary Trail - Edmonton AB

Last week I had the opportunity to preview the Mushroom Harvest menu at Sorrentino's Bistro in south Edmonton. While I've always known about the annual Garlic Festival in April, I feel like the Mushroom Festival doesn't get enough love, as this is the first year I've noticed it! Come on, mushrooms are fun, guys! (the puns will end here.) For the month of September, the Sorrentino's Restaurant Group (South/Downtown/Little Italy/West/St. Albert + Bistecca) will feature the Mushroom Harvest menu in addition to the regular menu at each of their restaurants. The menu will differ from one location to the next, so check them out before you head to your restaurant of choice. Additional events like mushroom cooking classes, exclusive dinners, and foraging opportunities are available too!

To kick off our evening, Martin Osis from the Alberta Mycological Society gave us a bit of history and an introduction to all the mushrooms we would be enjoying that evening. Contrary to their placement in a supermarket, mushrooms are more closely related to meats, given their texture and high protein content. Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates and calories, and their preparation differs widely from one culture to the next. These fungi are very regional and will be cooked in different ways to release their flavours. Where one mushroom is popular in cream sauce, another variety may be more suited to frying or releasing flavour into broth.

Our first plate of the evening showcased four sample sized courses and a variety of mushrooms. The Zuppa was a sherry infused cream of wild mushroom soup with cream drizzle and a parmesan tuile. The sherry cut through the creamy soup very nicely, and I would happily enjoy a big bowl of this comforting soup on a cold evening! Sorrentino's is selling this soup base for $10 all through September so you can make it at home as the cool weather sets in. Our Insalata course was a mushroom salad comprised of butter leaf lettuce and a warm mix of crimini, button, and yellow chanterelle mushrooms, finished with crisp pancetta, goat cheese and a light lemon vinaigrette. The mix of mushrooms allowed for an appreciation of the different textures and flavours of each ingredient.

Third on the plate was a wild mushroom fritelle with porcini aioli. Similar to a donut of sorts, it was nice and crisp but it was difficult to tell there were mushrooms in there. Last of all was a portobello mushroom stuffed with garlic and goat cheese pesto, topped with pine nuts and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. The meaty texture and flavour of the portobello combined well with the garlicky, creamy cheese! Aside from the soup, this was my other favourite on the plate.

Our next plate brought a sampling of larger fare - risotto and ravioli. The risotto featured creamy Carnaroli rice with a lobster mushroom, grilled shrimp, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. I personally haven't had a lobster mushroom before and was surprised to hear that it is actually a fungus that thrives by growing like a parasite on other mushrooms, giving them the characteristic orange hue of a cooked lobster. This mushroom holds it's firm texture and colour throughout the cooking process and is great for frying. This neat little mushroom also possesses a faint seafood-like flavour! It paired great with the shrimp, and if the risotto was cooked to a slightly softer consistency this would be a great dish.

The Portabella & Crimini ravioli was another star of the evening for me. Oven-roasted portabella and crimini mushrooms were enveloped in egg pasta with onions, roasted garlic, mozzarella and Parmigiano. The garlic lemon butter white wine sauce was to die for and brought everything together. If you're checking out the Mushroom Harvest menu, this is a must-try!

Our Secondi course was like a surf and turf of sorts, wish fish and veal in sample sized portions. The Veal and Mushrooms was presented as a medallion of veal on a bed of wild mushrooms, all drizzled in salted caramel. The veal was cooked nicely, and contrary to what you may be thinking, the salted caramel added a unique yet tasty dimension of flavour to the meat and mushrooms. The other side of the plate featured Cobia, the catch of the month. The fillet was poached in San Benedetto mineral water and served with sauteed Chanterelles and a thyme and lemon Chardonnay reduction. Chanterelle mushrooms are not grown in Alberta, but can be found in abundance in our neighboring provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Chanterelles are light in flavour which makes them a perfect accompaniment for white fish. The fish was cooked well and flaked easily, but the lingering fishy flavour at the end of each bite was a little strong for my liking.

To my surprise the dessert for the evening also included the use of mushrooms! Candy Cap mushrooms have a flavour similar to that of maple syrup, and are typically used as a flavouring agent. The candy caps in our dessert were poached and sat on a plate with a quenelle of Grand Marnier rice pudding and a streak of Amarone jus. The poached mushrooms were sticky and sweet, with a rubbery texture to them. The flavour complemented the caramel flavours in the rice pudding, but the drastically different textures in each component didn't quite work for me. This mushroom based dessert is available only at Bistecca, and is worth a try if you want to try these dessert mushrooms out.

For the remainder of the month you can head out to your nearest Sorrentino's to get a taste of the Mushroom Harvest menu. As a special feature, every Monday is Mushroom Mania Monday at the South, West, and St. Albert locations, you can enjoy a Mushroom Harvest pasta and 3 oz. of the feature wine for $20. It's a great price to be able to eat and participate in the festival! Make sure to also check out the additional events that Sorrentino's is offering this month - perhaps go foraging, or take in a fun cooking class, and gain some extra mushroom knowledge.


*Disclosure: Sorrentino's invited me to attend their media tasting. 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.

Back in my Junior High days the cool thing to have for lunch was pizza and a can of pop from the pizza store across the street. Now that I'm an adult, my pizzas are usually paired with wine or another fun drink. But now there's a new pizza place in town bringing back the old school pizza and pop combination.

Urbano Pizza Co. - #110, 10220 103 Street - Edmonton AB

Just over a week ago Brittney LeBlanc, Gastropost Alberta Community Manager, invited a bunch of pizza-loving bloggers out for a pizza and pop party at Urbano. Urbano is brought to the city of Edmonton by Christian Mena and Lino Oliviera, the duo behind Sabor Restaurant and Bodega Tapas & Wine Bar. It makes sense that this pizza spot is just a couple steps down the Boardwalk Building from those two spots.

At Urbano you have the choice of ordering from one of the six signature pizzas or building your own from the seemingly endless list of available ingredients. This is awesome news because that means the pizzas can cater to dietary restrictions. So whether you're celiac, vegetarian or vegan, there's a savoury pie that can be built just for you.

The space inside Urbano is small, but still large enough to hold four powerful Turbochef Fire ovens capable of cooking a pizza in 90 seconds flat. The colourful ovens remind me of Bender from Futurama - cute right? Of the four, one is dedicated to firing up gluten free pizzas, and all four are portable, meaning Urbano Pizza parties can happen around the city.

As I have mentioned, Urbano is small and has space for about 15 people to enjoy pizzas on the second level seating area. There is additional seating available outside on the boardwalk, but based on the layout it seems to be best suited for grab & go pizzas. That really isn't a problem, given that you can honestly be in and out in under five minutes. Each pizza is priced at $11.95 (with exception to Nonna's Fave for $9.95), even if you build your own. When building a pizza your way the sauces available are made in-house, and the toppings are unlimited and included in the price, with exception to premium toppings (shrimp, prosciutto, etc.) for $2 each.

Our pizza party started off with Nonna's Fave (any sauce, any cheese), the good old combination of tomato sauce and cheese. From that point on it seemed like the pies were arriving one each minute, before thirteen of them sat at the table before us. I'm telling you, those ovens work hard and fast! Our night was full of a mix of signature pizzas and staff creations, and as much as I wish I could say I tried a slice of each pizza, my stomach isn't quite big enough to accommodate that yet!


Staff Pick: Empanada beef, tomatoes, jalapenos & cheese
Bubby's Fave brings together smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onions, capers, and hollandaise. It's a classic flavour combination that I didn't think I would ever find on a pizza, but it works. I do think the pizza could work better with the salmon thrown on after cooking, but regardless it remains a tasty pizza.


Staff Pick: pepperoni, peppers, black olives & cheese
The Piri Squared pizza was the one I was most looking forward to, as it ties Urbano to Sabor Restaurant's popular Piri Piri Prawns. Piri-piri chicken, Portuguese chorizo, Limiano cheese, roasted red peppers, fire roasted tomato sauce, and shoestring potatoes were a nice flavour combination, although I found the chicken to be a bit dry.


Staff Pick: Pepperoni, green and red peppers, sauteed mushrooms & cheese
Urbano didn't forget the vegans, as the Garden Fire features fire roasted tomato sauce topped with grilled portobellos, zucchini, eggplant, artichokes, roasted red and yellow peppers and vegan cheese! This pizza is loaded with vegetables and could easily fill you up like any other pizza on the menu.


Staff pick: green peppers, roasted red peppers, black olives, jalapeno, sauteed mushrooms & cheese
The Bacon and Eggs pizza offering is a fun play on breakfast for dinner (or lunch I suppose). Back bacon, Caciocavallo cheese, onion jam, and two eggs sit on fire-roasted tomato sauce, and it really resembles breakfast on a pizza. It was nice to see that the eggs weren't extremely overcooked, and the components worked well together.

So how are the pizzas overall? The thin crust recipe cooks evenly and the TurboChef ovens give the crust the char it needs. If there's a pet peeve of mine, it's crust that flops and drops all the toppings once it is lifted, but that isn't the case here. Urbano's dough cooks up similar to that of a flatbread, so it is evenly dense and crispy across the entire slice of pizza. Everyone has a different preference for pizza, and I've come to love pizzas made with Neapolitan dough. Soft, risen crusts and a bubbly, blistered cornicione are my favourite, and although Urbano's crust isn't quite for me, I know others would disagree.

It's nice to see that another quick food option has popped up downtown, and it will definitely become a go-to for many that work and live in the heart of the city. Service is quick, you can fully customize a pizza to your liking with high quality, fresh ingredients. And most importantly, it's very affordable at $11.95. Don't have time to sit and eat? Urbano also offers pizzas that you can take home and bake yourself. And here's a lunch time tip for you: everyday there is a different pizza feature created by the staff. If you order the feature pizza, a can of pop is also included for $11.95, so you can have your own pizza and pop party!

Big thanks to Gastropost & Urbano Pizza Co. for hosting a fun pizza and pop party - I think I need to have them more often.

*Disclosure: Gastropost invited me to attend the pizza party at Urbano Pizza Co.. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not expected to feature this event 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.

After numerous meals over the holiday season my body needs to take a break from the heavy eating. Eating lighter meals without sacrificing flavour is what I aim for, and for me it usually involves getting pretty creative with salads. A couple of weeks ago I spent an afternoon with Sorrentino's to see what their solution was for post-holiday meals.

For the month of January the different restaurants under the Sorrentino's Restaurant Group offer what they call the 'Back to Basics' menu. Simple, traditional Italian recipes handed down from the Rago & Saccomano families are highlighted in this menu.


Chef Claudio Tentenni & Twyla Campbell working on pasta
Alongside a handful of food writers and bloggers I was given a preview of the Back to Basics menu inside of the Sorrentino's cooking class kitchen, but not without first putting in some effort. Under the watchful eyes of Chef Chris Hrynyk and Chef Claudio Tentenni, the group of us spent the afternoon practicing our kitchen skills to make fresh pasta, veal meatballs in cream sauce, and chicken piccata.


Veal meatballs
If there's one thing I learned during the cooking class, it's that quality of ingredients is paramount. In the Sorrentino's restaurants, almost everything is made from scratch and it is so important to use the freshest, highest-quality ingredients.


Pastas: Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, Tagliolini

Chef Chris Hrynyk
The hours flew by while everyone had an enjoyable afternoon in the kitchen. With a little sip of wine here, and a taste of cream sauce there, I gained some valuable skills in the kitchen and a greater appreciation for the amount of effort chefs put into their finished plates. While simple, the food we cooked was flavourful. It was refreshing to have a fresh meal compared to the rich, heavy meals of the holidays.

I never knew that Sorrentino's offered public cooking classes, so the afternoon spent cooking simple, traditional dishes was a pleasant surprise. The chefs were so patient and willing to share their knowledge, and of course eating the food we cooked ourselves was very rewarding. I had a wonderful time in the cooking class and would definitely return again in the future. If Italian food isn't up your alley, Sorrentino's offers many other themes to their cooking classes as well. February is focusing on Spanish cuisine, while March will feature Greek food. At $85 per person per class (or cheaper if you buy a multi package!), the cooking classes are very affordable compared to some of the options in the city. I've got my eye on their Friday date nights, where couples can register for a class at $170. Corporate team building classes are available as well, so they're able to accommodate a variety of groups. Classes sell out quick, so book soon!

If you're interested in tasting some dishes off the Back to Basics menu it will be available until January 31, 2015, in addition to the regular menu.

*Disclosure: as this was a media event, views expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not expected to feature this cooking class 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.