When the hockey game is on and friends want to head out to catch the game, what is the first place you think of? For me it's typically Central Social Hall. Pub grub, beers and hockey go so well together. But the two men behind Central Social Hall, Jesse Kupina and Jerry Rota, want to change that.

Central Social Hall - 10909 Jasper Avenue - Edmonton AB

Kettle chips & dip
Born and raised Edmontonians, Jesse and Jerry have lots of experience in the bar and club scene, but wanted Central Social Hall to grow in a different direction. The intention was to create a higher end pub space where men and women can hang out, eat, and enjoy the social atmosphere. However, the food wasn't cutting it. With the help of Chef Reuben Major (formerly of Earls in Vancouver), the menu was revamped and has become what it is today. The kitchen is focusing on the use of fresh local ingredients and making items from scratch wherever possible.

A couple weeks back I had the opportunity to attend the new menu tasting event hosted by Jesse and Jerry. The night started with a welcome plate of Kettle Chips & Dip ($8.99, above), which featured housemade chips with a sour cream and caramelized onion dip. Surprisingly the chips were not very oily and the dip had a slight sweetness from the onions. The chips were dangerously addictive for some individuals at our table, proclaiming they would be happy just eating them all day (I'm looking at you, Funmi & Adrian!).

Next up was a sample of the Bacon + Deviled Eggs ($7.99), served atop a smear of red pepper relish aioli. The filling was deliciously creamy with a hint of smokiness from the bacon and tang from the aioli. This plate surely had the gastropub feel to it.

The Ball Park Pretzel ($9.99) came to the table next, and I was shocked to hear that this was the mini size. The real deal is four times as big. Basically bigger than the size of your face! The baked pretzel was quite soft, with some nice colouring from the oven. Spicy mustard and stout cheddar sauce accompanied the pretzel. While the cheese sauce could have been a bit cheesier, I found the mustard to have a bit too much horseradish in it for my liking.

The Albacore Tuna Tataki + Wontons ($14.99) was my favourite dish of the night. The portions were pre-assembled for us, but at Central Social Hall you will build your own when you order this dish. Tuna, avocado, pickled ginger, cucumber, ponzu sauce and wasabi aioli were piled on top of a crisp wonton chip, and the ingredients worked well together. Creaminess from the avocado, savoury and tangy notes from the ponzu, crunch from the cucumber and sweet and spicy notes from the ginger - you can taste the independent flavours but they combine harmoniously. Yum!

The Spicy Chicken Tacos ($12.99) featured poached serrano lime marinated chicken meat, slaw and pico de gallo on a white corn tortilla dressed with Valentina hot sauce. This taco was juicy, making it a bit of a messy experience to eat, and it really packed heat. All I could really taste was the spicy flavour, and wished there could have been more flavours from other ingredients.

The Crispy Prawn Thai Noodle Salad ($16.99) was unfortunately the least impressive dish of the evening. The colours are absolutely beautiful on the plate, but that's about it. This salad is composed of vermicelli noodles, cabbage, cilantro, mint, carrot, cucumber, chili lime dressing, pickled onions and a sprinkling of peanuts. The rice noodles sat on the plate in a stiff, starchy state, which told me that the noodles had not been cooked at all. The salad was quite oily and lacking in flavour, with only the tang of the pickled onions coming through. For someone who hates cilantro with a passion, I found myself searching for it. What? While an Asian-inspired noodle salad is a nice change to see on a menu, this one was not executed well in my opinion. With some work, this dish could have some potential. I love vermicelli salads!

Seafood Linguini ($16.99) was not a dish I expected to see on Central Social Hall's menu. Shrimp and salmon were cooked with garlic, chilies, grape tomatoes, arugula and basil in a creamy rose sauce. The acidity from the San Marzano tomatoes cut through the richness of the dish and the flavours were well balanced. The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente and this was a hearty pasta dish I would eat again.

The night ended with a serving of the Apple + Cranberry Crumble ($6.99) served in a small mason jar. The fruits were topped with a maple and pecan crumble, a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato, and garnished with a mint leaf. I wish there was more gelato, as it really helped cut the tartness from the fruit. It was a nice dessert to finish with since it wasn't too heavy.

It's nice to see that another establishment in Edmonton is committed to local, sustainable ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised at the offerings of upscale pub food on the menu at Central Social Hall, and with a bit more tweaking this can be a great spot to enjoy food and conversation with friends in the downtown core. Central Social Hall will be expanding to a new location in St. Albert before Christmas, so check the out if you're in that area!


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.

There has been an influx of new restaurants in Edmonton over the past few months and there are still a few on my radar that I'm anticipating at the beginning of this year. One of the restaurants I've been looking forward to is The Glass Monkey, but I feel like it has been flying under the radar. Not much has been said, and not much has been heard - so I was really curious to see what the restaurant was all about.

Glass Monkey Gastropub - 5842 111 Street - Edmonton AB

This past weekend I surprised my boyfriend with dinner at The Glass Monkey. We arrived at 6:30 on a Saturday night at the restaurant was packed. This was actually quite shocking for me to see, as it is a relatively new restaurant and there hasn't been much hype for it. Being located in a residential area must be the key - our server told us that a lot of their patrons live in the immediate vicinity. The space formerly occupied by Jack's Grill has gone through lots of renovations and the atmosphere is quite different. Clientele for the restaurant ranges from young adults to older couples, and The Glass Monkey's extensive wine and beer list (+ Q Water) makes any occasion appropriate for a meal here. Calling themselves a gastropub, The Glass Monkey promises high quality pub food in the form of tapas, small plates and full sized meals.

A menu is provided at every seat in the restaurant and all the items are categorized differently. Snacks, boards, small plates, pizzas, large plates, salad, pasta and desserts - they cover a wide range of dishes and there definitely is something for everyone on the menu. Many items on the menu are made in house, including the pastas, pizza doughs and charcuterie. Upon hearing this, it definitely swayed my decision on what to order for the night.

Our meal started off with the Charcuterie Board ($18): daily selection, crostini, house pickles. The selection for the day included the housemade smoked salmon, prosciutto and venison salami alongside pickled beets, radish, carrots, gherkins and crostini. What's in the middle you ask? Grainy mustard in its own serving vessel. The salmon had a light smokiness and smooth texture while the prosciutto was drier than what you typically expect. However, the prosciutto wasn't overly salty, and I didn't mind the thicker cut. The salami on the other hand was my favourite of the three as it was flavoured with a great combination of spices to combat the gaminess of the meat.

Thanks to Charcut, I now love beet salads and always order them when I see them on a menu. The Glass Monkey's version ($11) is comprised of: roasted beets, goat cheese, balsamic glaze, pine nuts & arugula, which is quite similar to the offerings at other restaurants. The beets were sweet and worked as a great palate cleanser,while the creamy goat cheese and baby arugula provided some contrasting textures and flavours. The ratio of cheese to greens worked well - I only wish there were more beets for me to eat!

For mains, my boyfriend ordered the burger ($15): sirloin beef patty, Sylvan Star gouda & homemade fries. Upon ordering, our server actually inquired as to how he wanted the patty cooked and we went with medium rare to see what it would be like. It's very rare for a restaurant to be willing to cook a patty other than well done, so this was exciting. The burger came with all the usual fixins (romaine lettuce, tomatoes, pickles) and the burger was pillowy soft. Eaten altogether, the burger was seasoned well and had a little kick of heat to it. Seeing as it was cooked medium rare, the patty didn't hold itself together well and was a little difficult to eat. Aside from that, it was a great burger with a side of crispy fries.

For myself, I had to try out the Home Made Pappardelle ($18): slow roasted pork shoulder, wild mushrooms. When it appeared at the table, I have to admit I was slightly disappointed since it looked like such a small, boring dish. However, the first bite into the pork made me take those feelings back. Each bite of pork was incredibly tender and juicy. There was a large portion of protein in the dish compared to the small amount of pappardelle (which was al dente and tasty, by the way), and the dish had been seasoned well. I was informed that Berkshire pork is slow roasted for 12 hours, pulled, and used in this dish. It was delicious and I would highly recommend it!

To round off the meal we ordered the classic Jack's Grill Bread Pudding ($9): caramelized rum sauce, whipped cream. The bread pudding itself was brought to our table steaming hot - the first bite actually almost burnt my tongue and made the whipped cream melt incredibly fast. The pudding was moist, but I found the sauce on top to make the dish a little too sweet for my liking. My boyfriend on the other hand really enjoyed it.

As we dined we noticed that the restaurant was getting increasingly busy. Large groups were coming in and willing to wait for a table to open up, while others chose to forego formal dining and sat up at the bar. I couldn't believe how many people were coming into the restaurant! But because of this, service was compromised the evening of our dinner since there were not enough wait staff to accommodate diners. While our server was knowledgeable and pleasant, there were periods of time where we could not locate our server and we ended up dining for about 2.5 hours.

The Glass Monkey offered us a great evening of delicious food - not that I'm surprised, considering Chef Darcy Radies (of the Blue Pear) and Chef Bryan Meintzer (Jack's Grill, Blue Pear, The Marc) are behind the menu. With a great selection of dishes and a warm, inviting atmosphere, I can definitely see myself here many times in the near future. I had such a huge dilemma choosing my dinner options that my boyfriend already said we would be back soon as dinner was "excellent" (his own words, I promise!). I love that the restaurant environment is a mix of formal and casual so that it caters to every diner, and the prices are affordable. Stop by for drinks after work, make it a night out with your girlfriends, or stop by to celebrate a special occasion - whatever makes you happy. Just make sure to make a reservation before you stop by - it'll be tough to get a table if you don't!

Beer lover? I for one am not, but even hearing that an establishment in Edmonton has 72 beers on tap, I was definitely curious. Following an escalator ride below ground, you’ll find yourself at The Underground Tap & Grill.

The Underground Tap & Grill - 10004 Jasper Avenue - Edmonton AB

The dimly lit surroundings and comfy booths really make me feel like I’m in an old style pub. Lots of beers on tap, friends around the table drinking pints of beer, and the friendly staff put you in a place where you can truly relax and drink the beer that piques your interest at ease. After all, they’re calling all beer lovers to UNITE!

One of the great features available at Underground are the beer flights – if you can’t choose just one, try four at a time! Unfortunately many of the ones that my friends and I were interested in trying for the night they ran out of, leaving less of a variety for patrons to choose from. If you’re gonna boast that you have 72 beers on tap, you’d better have them ready when people come. Hopefully next time I stop by everything will be available!

So what are the differences between the beers they have available? The way they split it here is in levels of hundreds. 100, 200, 300, and even 400-level beers, all separated based on their strength, depth, or alcohol by volume (abv). Think of the beer you enjoy the most, see where its listed in their guide, and the beer varieties you choose will be all up to you.

As I’m not the biggest beer fan, I was moreso interested in the food they had to offer – and I was shocked at the lengthy menu! I hadn’t envisioned seeing so many different options available, and actually had a bit of a hard time to choose.

To start off the night, we ordered their daily special which happened to be nachos for $7. To my surprise, a huge portion came out to the table, fit for 2 or 3 people to share. Topped with a generous amount of ooey-gooey cheese, the regular fixins and with sides of sour cream and salsa, needless to say I was pretty happy.

I was starting to get pretty stuffed from the nachos when the second appetizer arrived to the table - Adobo Wings: (8) Chicken wings poached in a Filipino adobo sauce, served with pickled cucumber salad. I don’t know why, but I had expected the wings to be crisp and doused in adobo sauce, so to my surprise, the wings themselves were marinated for a long period in adobo sauce, so they were served soft with the side of cucumber salad. The cucumbers were a great accompaniment - crunchy, salty, and deliciously garlicky, while the wings were flavourful and reminiscent of the Chinese “master sauce” (I have NO idea how to word this otherwise: 卤水 or lo shui)

As a main, I had chosen the Porchetta Sandwich – Pulled pork, capicollo ham, provolone, apple slaw on a toasted ciabatta bun. The bun was a tad more toasted than I would have liked, but the interior was still soft, and the porchetta had a nice seasoning to it that still allowed the flavour of the pork to shine through. The housemade fries on the side were crisp yet tender, and a nice accompaniment to the sandwich.

Although I was stuffed, I always had room for dessert. The only real interesting choice to me was the Bailey Creme Brulee. The caramelized layer of sugar on this crème brulee was quite thick, and consequently hard, so it took a lot of effort to crack it open and eat. The custard beneath was quite melty, which could be attributed to the sugar caramelization step, but I’m wondering if the addition of liqueur is actually the culprit. Either way, the custard was delicious and that Bailey’s in there was definitely the star of the dish.


Jalapeno Blue Cheese Burger
From this visit to The Underground Tap & Grill, I was pleasantly surprised about the food since I had no expectations whatsoever. And when they have all their beers available, stop by, and don’t hesitate to order something to snack on. We wouldn’t want you to get drunk on an empty stomach now, would we?

Pubs. Not really places you'll usually find me, cause I'm a bit of a sheltered grandma somtimes.. but when Social Modern Pub invited me in to check out their menu, I couldn't refuse. Oops, now you all know I'm a bit of a grandma.

Social Modern Pub - 10807 106 Avenue NW - Edmonton AB

When I headed down to Social Modern Pub, it was a little bit hard to find - not on the main road, but off to the side. It really is a hidden gem in the downtown area, not to mention they have tons of parking available!

I met one of my girlfriends here on a Friday night around 6:30, and while it wasn't packed, I would say it was at or a bit over half capacity. Being Halloween party weekend, it was understandable, and I actually liked having a bit more space there for ourselves! Walking in, the leather seats and mirrors among the red and black decor gives the place an upscale feel, while the flatscreens on the wall still make it a great place to come down and watch the game with friends.

To start off, we ordered the Veggie Skins ($9): Our vegetarian version of the classic potato skins. Red and green pepper skins topped with roasted garlic, onions, tomatoes and Bocconcini cheese. I hadn't known what to expect, but was surprised with what arrived on the plate. The red peppers still had crispness to them, and the melted cheese held all toppings together. It could've used a little bit more seasoning in my opinion, but it's so healthy and I want to make these at home now for when I'm studying!

Next up was the Chicken Strips ($9): Breaded chicken strips served with our signature Dijon Honey Mustard aioli. They make these in house, and are nothing short of delicious. The chicken is very tender, coated in a flavourful breading and served nice and crisp. I would order these again in a heartbeat. What we hadn't realized was that they would be served with fries - it left us wanting way more chicken and fewer fries.

For mains, we ordered two to try out and the Lamb Burger ($14) came out first: 6oz Homemade Lamb burger, topped with spinach, tomato, feta and mint aioli. First of all, we substituted yam fries for regular fries, and they are fantastic here! They have the perfect amount of crunch to go with the paired garlicky aioli. The lamb burger itself was quite good - it had a small trace of that gamey flavour, but the patty held itself together well. The only thing was it was a little on the dry side for me, so a little more of the aioli added in there fixed it up.

Our second main, the Brandied Cajun Chicken Fettucini Alfredo ($15) is something I never thought I would order in a pub atmosphere. But there's a first for everything, right? Sautéed chicken dusted in Cajun and flambéed in orange brandy. Laid on a bed of fettuccini topped with Alfredo made from scratch. The alfredo pasta was cooked al dente, and the sauce was very rich and creamy - I could really taste the butter in there. Mmm, calories! The sauce ensured that the pasta did not start sticking to itself even after cooling down - but the problem was that the sauce itself didn't have much flavour to it. All the flavour in the dish was in the chicken, so eating the pasta was best paired with the chicken. The pasta was a nice surprise, and I would love to try some of the other pastas they have.

On this particular night, we were able to meet and speak with the General Manager Ian who is extremely friendly and outgoing, making trips around the pub and taking the time to talk to everyone and make sure they're having a great time. We were chatting away, until he professed his love to bacon to us! One thing lead to another, and before we knew it, a plate of bacon wrapped bacon was making its way to our table! The bacon wrapped bacon is currently unavailable, but will be found permanently on the new menu soon. The dish itself is a substantial chunk of back bacon wrapped in candied bacon and drizzled with some maple syrup on a skewer. I'm not a huge bacon fan myself, but this was delicious. It was perfectly sweet and salty, and the celery and pickled carrot & daikon on the side made me feel just a little healthier.

And as if I wasn't ready to explode already, I ordered the Warm Apple Crisp ($7): Just like Grandma makes, warmed up and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The apple crisp was less on the crispy side, and more like a ooey-gooey dessert that was just the right amount of sweet to end the night.

Overall, I had such a great time at Social Modern Pub, and would return again if I were in the area. Our server was so friendly, and the environment is perfect for a night out with friends. The menu changes up every 3-4 months, and the kitchen is open as late as 1:00 AM if you're looking for late night eats. They have so many great specials everyday too, giving patrons more incentives to go! Mondays they give out free steak sandwiches, free wings on Wednesdays, and 50% off for the ladies on Saturdays are just a few of the many things they do throughout the week! They use the DibsIn app and also feature a Socialite Passport (seen above) you can have stamped each time you visit to earn a free dessert! Their deals are so crazy, check them out!

Disclaimer: as I was invited to try the restaurant, 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

So, yet another embarassing confession to make regarding my university life: I have never made my way over to Dewey's, or the RATT (Room At The Top). Sad, I know, but hey, I'm still in my undergrad years, and taking it slow, haha.

In order to celebrate the last day of classes for our third year, Lisa, Patrick, Evan & I headed up to RATT (Pat is a veteran) for lunch. It was evident that we weren't the only bright students with the idea, because the elevator was packed with students to the point where I felt like a little sardine. Luckily, we were part of the first bunch of people up to the bar/lounge.

This place is a gem! Without visiting this place, I never would have known the U of A has such an amazing view of the city. RATT occupies the 7th floor of the Students' Union Building, and literally has a 360 degree, birds eye view of the city. Floor to ceiling tinted windows are the walls of this bar, providing a beautiful, but slightly obstructed view of our province's capital city. Luckily it was a bright sunny day, so we were able to see far off into the distance. Lisa and I were able to spot WEM, the Telus World of Science, and Daryl Katz's house (thanks to Patrick, haha). On a side note, the buildings on campus look so different from above! For me, it really made me realize that things can be completely different depending on the perspective taken.

They have a relatively large menu for a restaurant of their size, which includes many vegetarian options. I opted for the Thai chicken wrap, which was served with a side of fries for $7.50 (GST incl), and the price is great for your average university student. I wanted to try their sweet potato fries though, and the substitution costed me an extra $2.



Despite the awesome price, the wrap didn't quite live up to my expectations. The sauce for the wrap was far too sweet for my liking, and there was so much sauce that it went everywhere. My little basket was flooded with sauce, and my hands were so sticky, I could only bring myself to eat half of the wrap. Now the fries on the other hand were delicious. They were crisp, seasoned well, and the garlic mayo dressing was the best I have ever had. Guess I should stay away from saucy wraps the next time I'm up there!

The fun's over now. Time to buckle down and study for finals!

Room At The Top
8900 114 Street
Edmonton AB