A few months back, I found myself accompanying one of my good friends Teresa to a dinner to celebrate Edmonton's Light the Night Walk in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Last year, the Prairies region of the society raised nearly $880000 to go towards research. That is definitely cause to celebrate!

Nello's Restaurant - 2920 Calgary Trail NW - Edmonton AB

When told the name of the restaurant, I will admit, I had no idea that Nello's existed. This restaurant is located right by the Melting Pot and beside Tasty Choice, tucked out of sight! I honestly never knew there was a restaurant there, and probably would never had known if it weren't for this dinner. And folks, this restaurant is worth searching for!

The restaurant itself is clean with modern decor, with plenty of seats, and dimmed lighting. The environment would be great for date night or dressing up and going out for dinner with the girls! It has that upscale feel without being pretentious, so casual dining is definitely welcome as well.

Given the nature of the event, most of the courses were served family style, and we all know how big Italian dinners can be! To start off the meal and calm my growling stomach, a large plate of bruschetta arrived to the table. The crisp crostini were drizzled with balsamic, giving the dish a nice underlying sweetness. The tomato mixture was very garlicky - vampires beware. I do like they way that they served it, as the mixture can soften up the bread after sitting for a while. This method ensured the crostini stayed crisp and delicious, especially for those who arrived a little late.

The second course was a salad for each individual. This thing was HUGE for an individual portion, but it was a great way to get fibre into the meal. The vegetables were fresh, and was refreshing with the balsamic and tangy dressing, but it felt like a boring salad for me, with the typical lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion and carrots.

The entree of the night was chicken parmigiana and two types of penne served family style. The chicken itself was incredibly smooth and tender, with the sauce and cheese complimenting it wonderfully. It wasn't too salty, and the breading on the chicken wasn't overly crisp. All the pasta was cooked al dente, but I've got to say I preferred the cream sauce option over the tomato sauce, which was a little too tangy for me.

To end off the filling meal, we were all served a biscotti dipped in white chocolate. It was the perfectly sweet ending complimented with a cup of coffee. I was pleasantly surprised by the food served at Nello's and would definitely return again in the future as it is quite close to where I am in the city. It's great, local, Italian food. What more could I ask for?

Disclaimer: as this was a celebratory 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.

Garage Jacket (sold out)(similar) | American Apparel Leggings | Coach Boots & Mini Tanner Bag
BCBG Ring | Tom Ford Nico Sunglasses
Even though Edmonton is currently covered in 40 centimetres of snow, I'm bearing it and pulling out some Spring pieces from my closet. They've been sitting in there and waiting for too long! I'm loving the military trend, especially the utility jackets with faux leather sleeves. It's an edgy look, but can also be worn in a way to contrast a feminine outfit. Time to troop on through the snow.. :)

Two weeks ago, Edmonton's Avenue Magazine published their annual list of the best food and restaurants in Edmonton. Many of my favourite eats appeared on the list, but there's also some places I still haven't tried out! I was lucky to be able to attend the launch party for this issue of the magazine, and sample food served up by some of the winning establishments. I was a little skeptical about the location, Delton Cabinets, but upon arrival, it was a great space to host a party where food was being served up!


Tomato, cheese, basil & caviar appetizer by the Harvest Room

The Harvest Room inside the Fiarmont Hotel MacDonald won the Best Hotel Restaurant award - they served up an appetizer inspired by their Westbury Dungeoness Crab Cakes & Prawns dinner entree. The aioli, avocado, shrimp and vegetables added a contrasting texture to the soft crab cake. Delicious!

Appetizers plated up by EAST

EAST, a relatively new modern Chinese/Malaysian fusion restaurant has taken home the award for Best Chinese Restaurant. They're a restaurant in North Edmonton I have yet to try, but I quite enjoyed the smoked salmon & cucumber appetizer with the deep fried caper. Its a different play on serving up the traditional party dish, and I would love to see how they serve up their twist on authentic dishes!

The winner for Best Food Truck in Edmonton went to Drift - a truck well loved by Edmontonians, typically parked downtown on Jasper Avenue by Audrey's Bookstore on 107 Street. For the night they served up a slider version of their cult-favourite pork belly sandwich - one that I will admit I do love. The combination of pork with crunchy pickled carrots and daikon with a spicy mayo really hits the spot!

Last but not least, the well-known local Duchess Bake Shop took home the prize for Best Dessert. Many love them for their macarons and cakes, with their beautiful presentation and incorporation of only the finest ingredients. For the night, they served up their play on s'mores with a large maracon sandwiching a torched marshmallow creme with chocolate, and an airbrushed maple leaf chocolate served atop a maple marshmallow and cookie. So good, I wanted more!
To check out the full list of restaurants making Avenue's list, make sure to pick up a copy of this month's issue! Or click here! For my Edmontonian readers - is there any place on the list you're now dying to try? Let me know!