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.

Sherwood Park isn't always a place I like to venture out to. As I live deep in the south of Edmonton, I'll venture out to the park just for Sumo Sumo's sushi. Mmm. But last month a new restaurant opened up in Sherwood Park that offered "meticulously casual" cuisine in a "contemporary speakeasy" environment. The description was confusing but I was definitely curious to say the least.

Square One Wye Road - #32 993 Fir Street - Sherwood Park AB

One of the owners, Marko Mastoras, reached out to me and invited me to their grand opening. I'm not one to give up the opportunity to try out restaurants that support local producers, so I brought my sister along with me for brunch to celebrate her birthday.

Square One has taken over the old Rogers Video space and the renovations are beautiful. Big windows allow for lots of natural light to stream into the restaurant to brighten up the space filled with wooden decor. A large bar outfitted with colourful bar stools sits in the middle of the dining room, and what really caught my attention was the beautiful baroque ballroom-esque ceiling over the bar. The space is a mix of cosy and casual, but likely has a more upscale feel in the evenings.

Square One offers their brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 11AM - 2PM so you can sleep in and still catch brunch on those lazy weekend mornings. With every brunch they will be offering a freshly squeezed juice depending on seasonal availability. I opted for the freshly squeezed orange juice ($4.50) and it was a nice refreshing start to my day.

The menu at Square One is internationally influenced and features flavours from around the globe. This is especially evident in the brunch menu where all the dishes are named after different countries. I chose to go with Italy ($15): open face sandwich, sourdough, prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, fried eggs, tomatoes. The sandwich was presented beautifully with a side of fresh fruit and I was excited to dig in with my fork & knife. All the ingredients were laid on top of pillow soft sourdough with a crunchy crust. The flavours were well balanced and a nice ooze of egg yolk tied the dish together.

My sister on the other hand ordered Russia ($16): smoked salmon, crème fraiche, cream cheese, onions, pickles, latkes, blinis. When it came to the table I was actually quite surprised to realize that the smoked salmon (along with other charcuterie) is made in house! Square One cures and smokes Lois Lake salmon and I loved that it was served up in chunks. I appreciated the flaky, meaty texture since I cannot stand the sliminess of other varieties at times. It was definitely on the salty side but the flavours were toned down when paired with the latkes and blinis. It was a nice dish all around and definitely filling with the side of fresh fruit.

With a primary focus on supporting local, Square One is a nice addition to the culinary scene in Sherwood Park. Lois Lake, Spring Creek Ranch, and Irvings Farm are just a few of the names you can find mentioned on the menu, and it's great to see more restaurants giving recognition to local producers. The dinner menu also offers tons of intriguing options. Butter chicken wings? Gochujang edamame? Calamari with togarashi? Executed well and this could become a favourite for many that live in the area. The dishes do run on the pricier side, but this is generally the trend seen when a restaurant is enthusiastic and willing to support local. Square One features drink specials daily and even has performances during happy hour from time to time. I wouldn't drive all the way out to Sherwood Park just for dinner, but if I were in the area I would definitely consider dropping by to check out some of the more inventive dishes. Check them out if you're in the area and let me know what you think!

Yesterday night, I had the opportunity to attend the media preview of Alberta's latest Smashburger location - in Sherwood Park! While Smashburger is no stranger to Americans (it's originally from Denver!), this location is the third in Canada, and a sign of many more locations to come across our country.

Smashburger - #530 5000 Emerald Drive - Sherwood Park AB

So as it is explained by the sign, the cooking technique is what makes Smashburger different from all the rest. I had the opportunity to speak with the owner, Lin, for a bit and I was told that the beef they are using in their burgers is never frozen. It is brought in fresh to the store, and allowed to stay in the fridge for a maximum of two days. If it isn't used up within those two days, the beef is discarded to ensure that all the patties they make in store are fresh for customers to eat.


Truffle Mushroom Swiss Smashburger
Ordering is simple. You walk in, take a look at the menu, and then you're given a number to bring to your table which specifies your order number. Once your food is ready, a server will bring it to your table, so it's a semi-serviced dining experience. This particular location has a smaller menu than other locations, so I was a little disappointed to find that items such as their deep fried pickles and chili weren't available for ordering. Nonetheless, there are tons of options on the menu, or you can build your burger to your liking, which gives tons of variety and flexibility to patrons.

I was able to bring guests with me to try out the restaurant, so of course we tried lots off the menu. The Truffle Mushroom Swiss Smashburger ($6.99 reg) - Truffle mayo, sauteed baby portabella mushrooms and aged Swiss on an egg bun - had a nice truffle flavour to it, but the bun was quite oily. We also tried out the Avocado Club Smashburger ($6.99 reg)- Fresh avocado, applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing and mayo on a multi-grain bun - which had a nice creaminess from the avocado and flavour from the bacon, but it didn't feel heavy since there was the lettuce and tomato in the burger to complement it.

For myself, I had the Spicy Baja Smashburger ($6.99 reg) - Fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo on a spicy chipotle bun - which I really enjoyed. The fresh jalapenos really gave the burger a kick, but the spiciness wasn't so overwhelming that you couldn't taste anything else. It's a burger with heat to it, and I do recommend it if you love spicy food.

To test what else the menu had to offer, we ordered the Avocado Club Chicken Burger with grilled mushrooms on it ($8.49 + $1). The chicken used in the burger is a seasoned, grilled chicken breast, which was quite juicy and tender. The flavour profile matched the Avocado Club Smashburger, and the only difference was the protein. If you're health conscious, the chicken burgers are a nice option.

For our last burger, we chose the Edmonton Smashburger, but substituted the patty with chicken breast. The Edmonton Burger - Canadian seasoned grilled onions, cheddar cheese, Canadian BBQ Sauce, and fried egg on a Kaiser roll - is special to this menu, and I think it's neat that Smashburger tries to cater the menu to the local population. This burger isn't available down in Calgary either, as their Calgary burger is quite different from this one. The Edmonton Chicken Burger was juicy and tender, and the BBQ sauce was smoky but not overwhelming. I just wish that the egg was fried sunny side up! And of all the buns tried that night, I actually found the Kaiser roll to be my favourite. It was really soft, and not too dense, whereas some of the other buns we tried were.

Now you can't have a burger without sides! I was a little bit disappointed in the selection of sides, because I had taken a look at a different menu and found that this particular location doesn't offer as many choices as other Smashburger locations. For example, they don't have the fried pickles or the chili, but they at least offer 6 choices - and of course I had to try them all. The Veggie Frites ($3.99) are flash fried carrot sticks and green beans - they were a little limp, but seasoned nicely and quite addictive. It's their "healthy" alternative to fries - but how much healthier are deep fried carrots than deep fried potatoes?

The Haystack Onions ($2.49) were very thinly sliced and battered onion rings, which were crisp, but became soft and oily in no time. They were also very salty, so I would skip these if you're looking for onion rings, or you're trying to be health conscious. They would be delicious inside of a burger though!

Smashburger's Sweet Potato Fries ($2.99) were skinnier than most I've tried, but they were crisp and tender, and served with an aioli that had a strong horseradish flavour to it. At most restaurants, sweet potato fries are typically $1+ more than regular french fries, but the two sides differ by $0.50, so you do get a great value for getting sweet potato fries.

The Smashfries ($2.49) were something I was quite looking forward to: shoestring fries tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The fries were golden, crisp and tender, and the seasoning hit the spot. The fries weren't salty, so the rosemary and garlic were able to speak for themselves. I'd have to say this side was my favourite of them all, and it wasn't just me that liked them! They disappeared from the table in the blink of an eye.

Last but not least, we tried out the traditional poutine ($4.49). The gravy was quite salty, and having the gravy poured overtop of salted fries was a salt overload. If the shoestring fries weren't salted, I think this poutine would've been alright.

Unfortunately, there weren't any shakes or malts available to order yesterday night, but I did get the chance to sample the Saskatoon Berry Shake and the Chocolate Shake. Both were thick, creamy and not too sweet, and would be great accompaniments to burgers in the summer time. So what's the verdict? I quite enjoyed the experience at Smashburger, and would likely return again in the future if I was nearby and craving a burger. But would I drive the 30 minutes from my house to this location in Sherwood Park just for the sake of a burger? Probably not. Open a location close to me and I would be there! The environment is clean, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the burgers here are fresh and have juicy patties. Not too shabby if you ask me. This Smashburger location officially opens today, so go check it out if you're in the area!

All you can eat sushi. Something I dread eating in my hometown. Why? There is no fresh water around where I am.. eating expensive mediocre sushi? No thankyou. But if you tell me that there's good sushi nearby, and they offer an all you can eat menu? It's worth trying if I can't pull up the funds to fly to Vancouver and eat it!

Sumo Sumo Sushi Bar and Grill - 220 Lakeland Drive #300 - Sherwood Park, AB

While Sumo Sumo has been around for about 10 years, it's never been a place for me to visit until recently. Sherwood Park isn't necessarily close, but I've heard so many good things about Sumo Sumo! I called to inquire about their menu, and was informed of their All You Can Eat menu that happens every Sunday from 10:30 - 3:00 PM for $35 per adult. From what I understand, you can eat from the a la carte menu on Sunday, but regardless you have to pay the $35 base price in addition to the items you order.


Walking into the restaurant shortly after 11:00 on a Sunday morning meant it would likely be pretty quiet, but there was already a large group seated in the restaurant eating away. The environment was clean, and the large windows allowed natural light to liven up the place.


For the buffet, there is a hot food station and a menu to order from. At the hot food station is a variety of dishes like yakisoba and teriyaki beef for example, but there is also a wide selection of cold salads and specialty sushi rolls not available to order through the all you can eat menu. Some notable items? Wakame (seaweed salad), garlicky edamame, and marinated tofu puffs.


Dessert selection - cheesecakes, cake, and fresh fruit


For sashimi, sushi, tempura and the works, you order through your server instead of using a paper and pencil to order like traditional AYCE restaurants. Of course we went for the sashimi, which is limited to 20 pieces per person... But when we saw the size of the pieces it was absolutely not a problem! The fish was sliced large and thick, making every bite satisfying. We ordered salmon, toro, yellowtail, red snapper and surf clam just to name a few, and everything was so fresh! Totally amazing quality for Edmonton and I would even go as far to say the quality could rival Vancouver.


Assortment from the hot buffet


One definite highlight from the hot buffet was the availability of specialty sushi rolls you cannot order through your server. My favorite roll had to be the Aloha roll: ahi tuna, spicy tuna, avocado, masago, eel sauce, spicy mayo, green onion, pineapple, shredded coconut, soy & sesame oil. But a major hit at the table was the Joe's Special roll: shrimp tempura, smoked salmon, scallop, mango, avocado, green onion, masago mayo, sweet chili sauce & sesame seed. Both rolls had fresh fish and intense flavoring - both which I would definitely order a la carte.


sashimi round two


The quality of sushi here at Sumo Sumo really shocked me - the fresh fish and generous portions were something I didn't ever imagine finding in Edmonton. The All You Can Eat is on the expensive side, but given the quality and location, I would say it is definitely worth a try if you are craving an AYCE sushi fix. I will definitely return for the AYCE and would probably have it up to 2 or 3 times a year here. Beats shelling out $500 flying to Vancouver, right?