For months Edmontonians have been teased by five little words on the window of the space beside The Common: Fish 'N' Chips Coming Soon. Finally the coverings are off the windows and Chef Jesse Morrison Gauthier's second restaurant is ready to serve his take on a British classic.

Grandin Fish 'N' Chips - 9902 109 Street - Edmonton AB

Located right next door to it's older sister, Grandin Fish 'N' Chips is a fast-casual restaurant serving up fish 'n' chips with a prairie twist. Taking inspiration from dishes in London and the East Coast of Canada, the restaurant hopes to be a modern, sustainable, and health conscious seafood option in Edmonton.

As you walk through the door you'll find yourself below framed chalkboard menus outlining all the restaurant's offerings. When it comes to the fish 'n' chips at Grandin, the classic version features fresh fish coated in tempura batter and served with a side of fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce. Haddock, Cod, and Basa are always available, and the 'fish of the day' is an additional option. Alternatively, you can ask for your fish to be pan-fried or cooked using a gluten-free batter, both of which are gluten-free options.

As the restaurant is fast-casual there is the option to dine in or ask for your order to go. The dining room can seat roughly 25-30 people and can get quite busy during the lunch rush from 11am-1pm. Dinner time is slightly different with sit-down service, so the pace of your dining experience is more dependent on your server.

The best thing about the restaurant space is the use of nautical-themed decor. I love the contrast between the stark white and blue, especially in the whimsical wallpaper designed by local tattoo artist Heath Smith. There's some fish bait in one corner, a fishing line in another, and there's even a cheesy collage of children and adults with their biggest smiles sharing some of their best catches. The space has a fun, casual vibe, and is a great space for a casual date or to meet with friends for a quick meal.

I met with a friend for lunch and we ordered a couple items to share. First up came the Cod + Chips ($16) with the standard accompaniments. We were surprised to find that for the price there was only one piece of fish, but it was perfectly cooked and flaky inside of the light tempura crust. The cod itself wasn't seasoned, which allowed for the sweetness of the fish to come through, and the fried batter was barely greasy. A quick squeeze of lemon and a dip into the slightly tangy tartar sauce gave the dish all the flavour it needed.

The Haddock + Chips ($14) came next with two pieces of fish and felt like better value given the portion size. It was cooked just like the cod - flaky and coated by a crisp batter. The coleslaw with both orders wasn't much to write home about, and the fries were pretty standard. We ordered a side of Jalapeno Mayo ($1.50) sauce for our fish, but found the kick of heat to pair better with our fries.

In addition to our fish 'n' chips we ordered a side of the Fried Brussel Sprout Bubble and Squeak ($5). I must admit I mostly wanted it just because the name was intriguing, but also because brussel sprouts are delicious! Bubble and Squeak is a traditional English dish made with leftover roasted vegetables fried together with mashed/crushed roasted potatoes. The name comes from the bubbling/squeaking sound that cabbage makes when cooked. This version at Grandin Fish 'N' Chips brings together roasted and caramelized brussel sprouts, parsnips, and potatoes to give you a unique side to accompany your main.


Flaky fish!
Using products from suppliers like Fins Select and Effing Seafoods, you can be assured that your meals at Grandin Fish 'N' Chips are responsibly sourced and sustainable. There is even the option to purchase fresh seafood to take home from the retail case by the entrance of the restaurant. While there are endless dining options in the downtown core, Grandin Fish 'N' Chips is a great addition as a seafood option, so check them out when you're nearby.

Seafood lovers get ready! Sabor's annual Seafood Festival is back for it's third year, from August 5th - September 3rd. I had the opportunity to attend the media kickoff dinner last week and there's some exciting plates on the menu this year.

Sabor - 10220 103 Street - Edmonton AB

As one of Edmonton's top seafood restaurants, its great to know that Sabor's menu is 100% Ocean Wise approved. This means that all the seafood utilized at Sabor is recognized by the Vancouver Aquarium conservation program as sustainable. Given the farm-to-table popularity, it may seem silly to question where your seafood comes from, but overfishing is one of the greatest threats to our oceans. Without making a conscious decision to consume sustainable seafood, fisheries worldwide could collapse by 2048!

Chef collaborations are becoming increasingly popular, this year Chef Jan Hansen of Hotel Arts in Calgary collaborated with co-owners Christian Mena and Chef Lino Oliveira. Although the chefs worked on the family-style meal together, the dish created by Chef Hansen will be noted on the Seafood Festival menu this year, and the proceeds from his dish will be donated to Ocean Wise to fund their research programs.

The meal began with five different tapas dishes, and first up was the Scallop & Limpet Ceviche. You won't find limpets on any other menu in Edmonton, so this is your best chance at trying these aquatic snails! You could taste the natural sweetness of the fresh scallops and limpets, but the dish was a tad viscous for my palate.

Next up came the Heirloom Tomato & Queijo Fresco Montadito - a Spanish take on bruschetta. The tomatoes were sourced from the City Market on 104St and served on bread freshly baked at the Hotel Arts. The subtle flavours worked beautifully together - it was a simple dish done right!

The Sardina Escalivada arrived next, plated beautifully across the plate. Escalivada is a Catalan dish of roasted vegetables, and the mix of roasted red peppers, eggplant, capers, and garlic paired well with the sardines.

Amêijoas á Bulhão Pato is a dish of clams cooked in a white wine sauce and is a dish with which you cannot go wrong. This Portuguese dish is named after the 19th-century Lisbon poet Bulhão Pato and is a popular first course in many restaurants.

Last of the tapas came the stunning plates of Gambas al Ajillo, jumbo shrimp cooked with garlic and wine. This interactive course made everyone set their manners aside - you just had to get in there with your hands, rip off the heads, and suck all the good juices out of those prawn heads! 

If there's one restaurant in Edmonton that does seafood right, it's Sabor (formerly Sabor Divino). For the third year in a row Sabor is hosting their annual seafood festival, which runs now through August 30.

Sabor - 10220 103 Street - Edmonton AB

In the past year a lot has changed at Sabor for Christian Mena and Lino Oliviera, the proprietors of this downtown Edmonton restaurant. Sabor has been renamed and rebranded, their third restaurant Urbano Pizza Co. has opened next door, and Sabor has become 100% Ocean Wise approved. That's a big list of accomplishments for one year, but the Ocean Wise certification is one of the most exciting for their annual seafood festival.

Ocean Wise is a conservation program run by the Vancouver Aquarium that exists to educate people about the issues surrounding overfishing, and to empower consumers to make the choice to eat only sustainable seafood. Ocean Wise is in it's tenth year working with restaurants to make decisions to serve ocean-friendly seafood on their menus. Recommendations are made based on factors such as the availability of seafood at different times of the year, how the seafood is caught, and management of different fisheries. By dining at restaurants that are Ocean Wise approved, you have the power to make change on an individual level. How cool is that? So what exactly does this mean for Sabor? With a menu that is 100% Ocean Wise approved, you can indulge in seafood guilt-free and know that you are making a difference for our oceans.

I had the pleasure of attending the kick off to this year's Seafood Festival to preview some of Chef Lino's new dishes. The night started off with a bang with the Sabor Caesar Shot: a Malpeque oyster topped with sturgeon caviar and served with a Caesar shot featuring Eau Claire Three Point Vodka. I love that Sabor chose to feature Eau Claire Distillery - as Alberta's first craft distillery, their spirits are sure to impress if you haven't tried them yet!

Each table was offered a Pinchos Board, featuring some of the items available on the menu at Bodega Tapas & Wine, to kick off the evening. Pinchos, which are related to tapas, differ such that pinchos are often presented spiked with toothpicks. In Spanish culture, the toothpicks serve as a method of picking up your food, but also as a way to charge you for how much you've eaten. Luckily Sabor doesn't charge based on toothpick count, because I would have had to shell out a lot of money!


Octopus & Mussel Salad
Our board for the evening featured Sabor's Aceitonas (house marinated olives, $5), octopus and mussel salad ($6, pictured above), crab fritters, seared scallops on pork belly, and snails in red wine with chorizo. The scallops and pork belly were a hit at our table, with the crispy crab fritters a close second. Olives, octopus and snail are such polarizing dishes to begin with, so I found that at our table there was not much in-between, you either liked the dish or you didn't.

Our second starter for the evening was Chef Lino's play on Fish and Chips, featuring deep fried lake smelt and piri piri spiced chips. The fish were battered and fried to have a crisp coating, and the piri piri chips had a light seasoning to them. Fair warning though, the lake smelt are deep fried whole, so you chew on the small, edible bones with each bite. Unfortunately the fish and chips are not on the Seafood Festival menu, but Chef Lino will be featuring them once in a while throughout August.

Next up was the beautiful Crudo Con Pebre ($24), featuring fresh Red Spring Salmon, Ahi Tuna, BC Coast Halibut, and BC Scallops. The raw seafood was topped with a simple combination of diced tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, and lemon which allowed the natural sweetness of each component to shine through. If you're a sashimi fan, this dish is for you.

The following course was a Sardine Flatbread, paying tribute to Urbano Pizza Co. next door. The flatbread was light and covered in a briny onion and anchovy spread that I could not stop eating. Combined with the black olives and portions of sardines, I quite enjoyed this course for the evening.

Entrees that evening kicked off with Grilled Humboldt Squid & Prawns ($18) on a bed of chorizo and white bean puree. This squid, otherwise known as the Red Devil, was cooked until soft and very easy to chew. I personally prefer my squid with more bite and chew (like most Asians!), so this dish may not be for everyone. What I really did enjoy though was the bean puree - rich, creamy, and with a kick of heat from the chorizo!


Roasted Rapini & Cornbread Migas
Despite having tried a wide variety of tasty seafood dishes, the star of the evening for me was the Bacon Wrapped Sturgeon on Puttanesca Sauce ($32). Sturgeon flesh is quite under-appreciated given that the prized caviar is what most people are after. It was great to see this fish as the star of the plate, and the firmer texture made for a substantial protein. There was smokiness from the bacon, salt and acidity from the sauce, and natural sweetness from the fish to bring everything together.

To finish off our family style meal everyone was treated to Mama Margarita's Pudim Flan. This flan is one of Chef Lino's favourite desserts made by his mother, and she finally caved and gave him the recipe. This Portuguese custard is creamy and sweet, and you can taste the richness of the eggs. Word on the street is that this custard is soon to become a gelato flavour at Urbano!

While Sabor serves up seafood on their menu throughout the year, the best time to enjoy all that the restaurant has to offer is during the seafood festival. If you can't decide on a specific dish, Chef Lino is also offering off menu family-style dining at $55/person. It's great value and fun for the whole table! The seafood is fresh, the dishes are inventive, and best of all, everything is 100% Ocean Wise. What's stopping you?


*Disclosure: Sabor 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.

When you're a restaurant that's been hosting an annual lobster celebration for 15 years, you're pretty serious about how you serve your clawed crustaceans. 2015 marks the 15th year that The Keg Steakhouse + Bar has featured lobster on their menu during the summer months.

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - 1631 102 Street - Edmonton AB

Having lived in Edmonton all my life, I'm pretty sure this is the first year I've heard about the lobster summer menu at the Keg. Better to be late to the party than to not show up, right? From July 6th to August 30th the lobster menu is featured at all locations of The Keg across Canada. Fresh North Atlantic lobsters are flown in twice a week to all Keg locations, ensuring that all dishes are made with the freshest seafood possible. Why spend the money flying to Atlantic Canada for lobster when they'll fly here to you?


Feature Cocktail: Casamigos Mule
Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to stop by The Keg for a preview of some of the lobster dishes available this year. Often times I find it can be intimidating for people to go out for lobster, or seafood in general, because of the high price tag associated with high-quality seafood. This year The Keg is trying to make lobster available and affordable at different price points so that everyone can enjoy it. Based on the price points on the lobster summer menu, I would say The Keg has definitely accomplished this goal.

While classic lobster dishes appear on the menu, The Keg has introduced four new dishes this year. One of them is the Szechwan Lobster ($15) that you can order to kick off your meal. Golden fried lobster and shrimp are tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce with red peppers, asparagus, and red Thai chillies. Although it is a Szechuan-inspired dish, the heat in this dish is only apparent if you choose to take a bite into the fresh chillies. The chunks of lobster were sweet and presented in a fair size and proportion, so you get pretty good value out of this dish.

The lobster summer menu also features three casual plates, which are ideal for sharing with friends on the patio or as lighter dinner mains. I definitely appreciate the smaller plates as I tend to go for lighter meals in the summer heat. The Crispy Lobster Tacos ($16 for 3) feature lobster that has been coated in a crispy rice batter and golden fried, served with cabbage slaw and cilantro on a warm tortilla with jalapeno maple aioli on the side. Despite being fried, the lobster maintains it's natural sweetness and goes really well with the fresh slaw. The aioli gives an extra dimension of flavour and a creamy texture to bring it all together.

Another casual plate on the menu is the Lobster Roll ($19), an East Coast classic. A creamy mixture of chives, celery, lobster chunks, and shrimp are served in a butter brushed brioche roll and plated with crispy Keg fries and a cabbage slaw. The soft bun is bursting at the seams with filling, and I particularly enjoyed the added crunch and flavour from the fresh celery.

When it comes to entrees during lobster fest, the classic surf and turf combination is a no-brainer. Tender sirloin steak in 6 oz. or 8 oz. portions ($45/$47 respectively) cooked to your preference is served alongside a fresh half lobster with butter, lemon, and your choice of a side. I prefer my steaks between rare and medium rare, and the kitchen had no problem executing my request. When each guest's plate arrived to the table, we all had one thought: wow. The half lobster dominated the plate and the portion was almost intimidating, but this could easily be split between two people to make it more manageable. The steak was tender and juicy as expected, and the lobster was delicious simply cooked and dipped in the hot butter.

Now if you're really looking to indulge while the lobster summer menu is out you'll want to get the 1 pound Lobster Tail ($40), which is new to the menu this year. There was a collective gasp when the tails arrived to the table due to their sheer size. The lobster tails were so big that I didn't even know where to begin! Again, the lobster tail was simply cooked, but the natural sweetness combined with melted butter was quite indulgent. The Keg recommends adding the tail to an entree for sharing between two people, so you can create your own surf and turf meal.


Mini Mango Brulee
With just over one month left to enjoy the lobster summer menu, you'll want to get to The Keg soon if you're a lobster fan. The range in price points makes lobster affordable for every budget, and the prices are quite reasonable for what you get. The live Atlantic lobsters are fresh and you can really taste the quality in every bite. Grab a group of friends and indulge - after all, it only happens once a year!


*Disclosure: The Keg Steakhouse + Bar 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.

Over the past couple months I've been waiting for The Black Pearl to open up - the signage taunted me everytime I made a visit down to 104 Street. Promises of a new restaurant dedicated to fresh seafood were too enticing, so I stopped by on opening day this past Friday.

The Black Pearl Seafood Bar - 10132 104 Street - Edmonton AB

The Black Pearl is owned by the Crudo family behind Cafe Amore Bistro, a casual Italian restaurant located downtown that is known for their large portions and tasty pasta creations. By opening The Black Pearl the Crudo's are hoping to marry the casual atmosphere of Cafe Amore with traditionally upscale seafood dining.

The Black Pearl has taken over the space previously occupied by Lit and the interior has been completely transformed. The lighting is dim with nautical accents, including wooden crabbing cages and fishing nets, which make it feel like you're dining in a pirate ship and sets the tone for a fun evening. A long bar with seating takes up about half the space in the restaurant, which makes the restaurant appear pretty small. However, the second floor of the restaurant allows guests to host private dinners for 10+ people.

To start off our meal we were offered a basket of bread accompanied by a garlic & herb butter. The bread was soft and slightly warm, but the star of the basket was the butter. Fragrant herbs and a hint of tangy lemon was mixed into the butter and it was delicious.

The plates at The Black Pearl are meant to be shared family style, so prepare to get your hands dirty and dig into your dining companions' plates! Our first dish of the evening was the Red Argentinian Shrimp & EC Scallop Tacos with Wasabi Cream ($20). Served as a set of three on a soft tortilla, the deep fried shrimp and scallops brought a crisp crunch to the dish to contrast the crispy slaw. The sprinkling of green onion over top wasn't overpowering, but I found the wasabi cream to be the predominant flavour in the dish. The wasabi was particularly pungent in the last two bites, so much that I could feel it clearing my sinuses. The tacos were great, but I would definitely prefer for the cream to be lighter on the wasabi.

Our second plate was the King & Dungeness Crab in a Crown Royal, chili, scallion, and ginger cream sauce ($36). It was a fair sized portion with King crab legs and Dungeness crab legs, claws and lump meat. The cream sauce was flavourful, coating every piece with a spicy kick. Our server brought along nutcrackers, a bucket for shells, and various tools to help extract the crab meat - one of which you get to take home as a souvenir. It's a neat little touch and part of making your visit memorable.

Our last dish of the evening was the BC Side Stripe Shrimp with heads on, sauteed with pimento, scallions, and shallots in garlic oil ($24). Side Stripe Shrimp are generally quite small, where the bodies are about pinky size, so it was nice to see 9 of them on the plate. This dish was incredibly flavourful and spicy, making me reach for my water in between each shrimp. Eating with the heads on can be intimidating, but you get the full flavour and all the rich tomalley. Our shrimp were also full of roe, which was another exciting find in the dish.

Dining on opening night at a restaurant can be hit or miss, but dinner on Friday night at The Black Pearl was great. The seafood was fresh, hospitality was excellent and it was great to be able to enjoy seafood in a casual atmosphere. Due to the commitment to serving fresh seafood, the menu will change seasonally to reflect availability. An assortment of east and west coast oysters are also available to order by the half dozen ($18) and seafood platters featuring lobster, oysters, Dungeness crab, and Snow crab can be found on the menu as well. Despite being a casual restaurant, the prices are on par with other seafood restaurants and you can expect to be paying around $40-50 per person for a filling meal. Given the quality of the seafood and the fun atmosphere, it’s a great casual spot for seafood lovers to unwind and dine at!

Who loves seafood? I never was a huge fan growing up, but now that I'm older I can definitely appreciate shellfish and the many different varieties of fish out there.

Sabor Restaurant - 10220 103 Street NW - Edmonton AB

A little while ago I had the chance to attend a preview dinner for the annual seafood festival that is held at Sabor Restaurant. Formerly Sabor Divino, the restaurant has been a prominent player in the Edmonton dining scene since opening six years ago. They've rebranded themselves as Sabor Restaurant and are committed to continue supporting local and using sustainable ingredients.

The feast that evening was of epic proportions, with guests filling the entire restaurant. But before we get to the seafood, let's not forget about the little details. Plates of assorted olives sat along the tables  for guests to enjoy with tapas. I've honestly been an olive hater for as long as I can remember. But I figured I would take the chance to sample the ones available and I actually found one that I enjoyed. I was able to learn quite a bit about the olives from my table mates and loved the briny flavour and firm texture to the light green ones. Doesn't hurt to take a chance once in a while!

The meal was served family style from beginning to end, starting with tapas. The first dish to come out was with Sardine Pate Crostinis. Sardines don't get a lot of love from restaurants and Sabor highlighted these little fish very well. The pate had a briny flavour akin to that of tuna and was incredibly smooth.

The next dish to come out was the Piri Piri Prawns, which is a signature dish here at Sabor. Prawns are marinated in their mix of Piri Piri spice and cooked to perfection. I love the spices chosen for the shrimp and you get a great kick of heat from the dallop of sauce underneath. I could honestly just sit and eat these and be happy!

Our next appetizer was a one bite Wild Arctic Char Tartar with avocado and pimento aioli. The fish itself was fresh and creamy with the aioli, but didn't have much flavour. It allowed the true flavour of the fish to come out and a bit of briny flavour came from the roe garnish.

Bacalhau (Salt Cod) cakes came out next and they resembled little eggs to me. I usually find that salt cod can be quite dense and stiff, but Sabor managed to make the fish cakes quite light. I loved biting into the crisp exterior to find the flaky fish on the inside.

The next plate featured was an Octopus Salad. A generous serving of grilled octopus was served on a bed of greens with peppers and red onion. The octopus itself was treated well and cooked to a tender, non-rubbery consistency, but it still had a fair amount of chew to it. I felt that the dish itself to be a bit bland and would have loved if the octopus seasoned with a heavier hand.

Scallops are one of my favourite seafoods so you can imagine how excited I was for this plate of Bay Scallops with Cauliflower Puree. Each scallop had been perfectly seared and you could really taste how fresh each one was. The cauliflower puree was smooth and flavourful, similar to mashed potatoes.

It would seem that these tapas plates were never ending but our last one for the evening was Grilled Calamari with lemon and spicy tomato. Warm and slightly smoky, this was one of my favourite dishes of the evening. I loved the slight kick of heat and the balanced acidic flavours of the calamari.

To kick off the main courses everyone had their own serving of Sabor's Signature Lobster Risotto. I have had this creamy risotto many times before and always love how rich the lobster makes this dish. Beneath the surface lay chunks of lobster and they're seriously the best surprise!

Pan Roasted Sablefish with cucumber green onion salsa was probably the one dish that got everyone talking that evening. Sablefish itself has quite a high oil content which makes it a fish that tastes buttery and flakes readily when cooked. The fish was cooked to perfection, but the salsa beneath is what made this dish outstanding. The acidity of the salsa cut the oiliness of the fish and added a different texture to each bite. Everyone I talked to raved about this dish!

With everyone at the tables absolutely stuffed, one last dish arrived at the table. My eyes ogled at the heaping pile of seafood in the bowl and there was so much in there that I didn't realize it was a classic Seafood Paella. A mixture of scallops, shrimp, mussels and clams sat overtop the slightly spicy saffron rice and ended off the entrees right!

Because Sabor Restaurant knew that everyone would be exploding by the time dessert arrived, their Cherry Port Cheesecake was presented in a take-home mason jar as the final course. The cheesecake was light and fluffy and the preserved cherries weren't too sweet, making this a perfect small bite dessert.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Sabor is one of my favourite restaurants to dine at in Edmonton. It's a top restaurant based on their use of quality ingredients, top-notch hospitality and commitment to sustainability. I've never had a bad experience at the restaurant and I am always able to count on the culinary team for a fantastic meal. The seafood festival is running now through to September 14th, so if you're a seafood lover like me, it's time to pay the restaurant a visit! Most of the dishes featured that evening, or variations of them, are available on the Seafood Festival menu (view here). With the restaurant being 100% Oceanwise Certified, you can dine without worry - go out, eat, and enjoy!


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.