With four successful sold out pop up events and a fully funded Alberta BoostR campaign, Edmontonians have been patiently awaiting the opening of Prairie Nooodle Shop. As of opening day on December 15, 2015, Prairie Noodle Shop has been selling out nightly.

Prairie Noodle Shop - 10350 124 Street - Edmonton AB

Edmonton's ramen culture has certainly grown over the last year. With the opening of Kazoku Ramen and other Japanese restaurants offering the bowls of noodle soup on their menus, Edmonton is certainly ready for a ramen boom. Ever since I had my first bite of Prairie Noodle Shop's Prairie Pork Ramen at their first pop up in November of 2014, I was hooked. I'm forever grateful that the group of friends behind this ramen shop decided that Edmonton needed a dedicated ramen shop unique to our city!

I had the chance to stop by for a bowl of ramen before heading in to work one evening, and I knew I had to show up early to secure myself a bowl. Despite being open until 9PM, the restaurant has been selling out early around 7PM each day. My boyfriend and I arrived at 5PM to a lineup of about 10 people, but the quick turnover meant a wait time of about 15-20 minutes.

Grabbing a seat for two at the communal table allowed us to take in all the action going on in the restaurant. I love the use of the chalkboard highlighting where ingredients for the ramen bowls have been sourced, and the placement of farm animals in woodwork to liven up the space and emphasize the prairie provinces as inspiration for the noodle soups.

I've always been asked which of the four bowls was my favourite from the pop up dinners, and it has always been hard to say as I haven't been able to make a side-by-side comparison of the bowls! Fear no more - the time is here. I've always thought I loved the Prairie Pork Ramen ($15) the most, so that was my choice for the evening. Accompanied by roasted pork belly, smoked pork shoulder, a crispy chicharron, and the famous umeboshi egg, the handmade noodles maintained their texture and elastic bite from start to finish of the bowl. The corn, green onions, and blackened garlic sesame oil added some flavour, but I found that the broth was missing the depth of flavour and umami I so clearly remembered from the first pop up I had attended. It was a great bowl, but it was missing something! The umeboshi egg made up for it though - that pickled plum flavour is addicting and I packed one up to go!

Our second bowl was the Roasted Barley Chicken Ramen ($15) featuring a yakitori-style chicken wing, marinated chicken thigh, and a roasted barley tare. The chicken broth is clear and light, and the bowl is rounded off with sauteed kale, pickled pearl onions and the umeboshi egg. The chicken and roasted barley flavours came through in this bowl, but like the prairie pork, we found the broth itself to be underseasoned and a little underwhelming. With a couple tweaks, I'm sure this bowl could be as great as the one I have in my memory from the previous pop ups.

It's been incredible following the team behind Prairie Noodle Shop go from pop-up dinners to a brick-and-mortar restaurant. As with many new restaurants there are bumps and hurdles to overcome in the first few weeks of opening, and Prairie Noodle Shop definitely has some tweaking to do in order to fulfill the demand for their bowls. The small ramen shop was built to make up to 200 bowls per day, but with the constant line ups and increasing demand, the kitchen has been working hard to pump out 250-300 bowls. This has me wondering if demand could be compromising quality, which could explain the little discrepancies between these bowls and those I have in my memory. Regardless, Prairie Noodle Shop has been highly receptive to feedback, and now close for a portion of the afternoon for a break to focus and improve the quality of their product.

As an avid supporter since day one, I'm very excited that Prairie Noodle Shop is here to stay and no longer has to turn away ramen enthusiasts! With some improvements and a change in logistics, I'm sure the ramen bowls will be able to match those in my memory. Thank you to Terry, Arden, Ryan, Jeff, and Craig for taking the risk and bringing your dream to life, and no longer making me wait months to get my hands on umeboshi eggs. Congratulations on opening!

It's always interesting to see what happens when a chef from a local restaurant chain branches off to start their own venture. A well-known Edmonton chef recently did just that, and you know who I'm talking about: Chef Paul Shufelt!

Workshop Eatery - 2003 91 Street SW - Edmonton AB

After ten years as Executive Chef for the Century Hospitality Group, Chef Paul Shufelt decided it was time to start up a restaurant of his own. The Workshop Eatery officially opened a couple weeks ago in The Mosaic Centre, Canada's largest net-zero commercial building. Choosing to open up in a sustainable building definitely poses its challenges, but supporting local producers, sustainability, and using seasonal produce are concepts important to Chef Paul.

So what does this all mean for The Workshop Eatery? For starters, the restaurant will grow a variety of herbs and vegetables in the outdoor planter boxes when the weather permits. The rooftop is also home to honeybees, and the honey is collected and utilized in the dishes on the menu. The idea is to use ingredients at their peak for best flavour, and they can also be preserved as pickles and jams for use throughout the year. In the seasons where ingredients cannot be grown or are unavailable, they will be sourced from producers in the local area. Having a home in an environmentally conscious building has definitely shaped the concept for this restaurant!

The Workshop Eatery is located in the far south neighborhood of Summerside, which can be a fair drive for many in Edmonton. But once you enter the building you're greeted by an open space and living wall, which shows how unique and beautiful the Mosaic Centre really is. As for the restaurant, you're greeted into a space that is warm, rustic and inviting. I love the open concept and the visibility of the kitchen - there's nothing to hide!

Throughout the different seasons, the menu will consist of roughly 20 staple dishes and a different feature each day. What makes the menu seasonal will be the different accompaniments and sides to a main dish. If you're ever wondering what's on the menu on a particular day, just check the website! It's amazing that they will be updating their online menu daily!

We started off our meal with a couple of appetizers, first up was the Arancini ($12). The arancini at Workshop changes daily, and the "New York Deli" arancini with deli meats, a balsamic tomato smear, and Nefiss Lazizz Olive Oil was the feature for the day. These fried risotto balls had a golden, crisp exterior, and broke open to reveal a creamy mix of risotto, green peas, and small morsels of meat. I personally prefer my arancini to be rich and cheesy, so these arancini didn't quite deliver for me.

Next up came the Chicken Liver Parfait ($11) served in a small mason jar with crostinis made from Bon Ton Bakery's Cranberry Raisin Nut Bread. The liver was whipped with a mousse-like texture and topped with a port and Saskatoon berry jam. It was a perfect balance between sweet and savoury, and I loved the different textures that the crostini added to the mixture.

Our last starter for the meal was the Duck Carpaccio ($17) featuring Moosewood Acres cured duck breast, pickled shiitakes, carrots, daikon, a soy reduction and blood orange vinaigrette. I really enjoyed the fragrant orange paired with the duck, and the tang of the vinaigrette, but found that the dish was much too salty. Typically a carpaccio dish features meat that is extremely thinly sliced or pounded thin, but the duck in this carpaccio was thickly sliced. The thick slice combined with the soy reduction was quite salty, so with some adjustments to the cut and seasoning, I would really enjoy this dish!

Just like the arancini, The Workshop Eatery has a feature dish each evening. On the night of our visit Tangle Ridge Lamb Chops were being served with a butternut squash, corn and bacon hash. The lamb chops were moist and tender, and looked beautiful against the brightly coloured hash. The hash itself was naturally sweet but lacking in smokiness which we expected from the bacon. As it turns out, we didn't find much bacon in the hash either, so that could have accounted for the discrepancy.

For myself I ordered the Duck Duck Couscous (how fun is that to say?!) ($32) which featured beautifully seared Moosewood Acres duck breast on a bed of warm couscous with raisins, almonds, pickled cherries and vanilla parsnip puree. The duck was cooked to a perfect medium, and the lightly sweet couscous was a great companion to the duck. The parsnip puree was also a delightful addition to the dish, and complemented both components on the plate. Although I love lamb, the duck was definitely the winner for me and I would happily order it again.

When it came down to the desserts, I was torn between two options. The panna cotta at The Workshop Eatery is made with the rooftop honey and would have been my first choice, but I couldn't resist the Croissant Bread Pudding ($9). The flaky croissant pieces are paired with white chocolate and cranberry, giving this dessert some tart notes to balance the sweet. Topped with a generous scoop of Pinocchio's cinnamon ice cream, this was a comforting dessert that I would eat again.

Taken as a whole, we had a great dinner at The Workshop Eatery: our dishes were good and the service was attentive. If there's one thing I love about The Workshop Eatery, it's their commitment to sustainability and supporting local producers. Their decision to move into the Mosaic Centre means that the drive to their restaurant is long and far for many patrons, but the principles of the building align with the values of the restaurant. It's great to see so many local farmers mentioned throughout the menu, and I think it will be interesting to see how things shift once the growing season in Edmonton comes around.

Given that The Workshop Eatery is an advocate for supporting local, the prices on the menu reflect the higher cost of the ingredients, as appetizers range from $9-$17 and main dishes run $24-34. It's not going to be the neighborhood restaurant you visit for dinner everyday, but it is a nice option for celebrations and get-togethers for those living in the immediate area. With lunch options and brunch on the weekend, I'm sure The Workshop Eatery is a welcome addition to Summerside.


*Disclosure: I was invited to try The Workshop Eatery as media to sample the new menu. 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.

Edmonton is a growing city and the suburbs have been a popular place for couples to move and start their families. Dining options are typically restricted to chain restaurants and fast food establishments, but if there's one local restaurant that has proven that fine dining can thrive in the suburbs, it's XIX Nineteen.

XIX Nineteen - #104, 150 Bellerose Drive - St. Albert AB

XIX Nineteen is a popular destination for diners in the Terwillegar/Windermere area of Edmonton, and for good reason: the food and service are always top notch. After three successful years in Edmonton, Nineteen has expanded to a second location at the Shops at Boudreau in St. Albert.

The restaurant space in St. Albert is similar to the location in Terwillegar, where a brightly lit (and incredibly clean!) open kitchen allows diners to watch the kitchen team expertly prepare plates for service. Modern accents complete the decor, giving the restaurant a chic, upscale feel.

So how does St. Albert differ from Terwillegar? Aside from a slightly different menu, diners are in the hands of Head Chef Rino Lam, a graduate of the NAIT Culinary Arts program and certified Red Seal Chef with over 15 years of culinary experience. I had an opportunity to preview the menu, and I was excited to see what Chef Rino had in store for us.

The evening kicked off with the Irving's Farm Pork Belly "Fung Bun" ($14), where citrus soy-glazed pressed pork belly, pickled red onions, cucumber and green onions are folded into a Chinese-style, soft steamed bun. The acidity from the onions cut the fattiness of the pork belly nicely, and the sweet and salty balance in this dish was perfect. I really wish more restaurants would serve buns!

The Garlic Quebec Duck Wings ($15, lounge menu only) can be done two ways: with spicy honey garlic sauce or fried garlic, shallot, scallion, and chili flakes. Our wings were done with the latter, and they were delicious! The crispy coating gave way to fragrant confit duck wings with a kick of heat.

An individual portion of Nineteen's Spicy Miso Albacore Tuna Tartare ($17) came next, dressed with avocado, tomato, deep fried garlic, shaved radish and a spicy miso dressing. The tuna was fresh and well seasoned, but I think what I loved the most was the beautiful pops of colour on the plate!

When it came time for the mains, a delicate Miso Marinated Sablefish with wild mushrooms and rapini made it's way to the table. The buttery fish was cooked perfectly and would be fantastic for anyone looking for a lighter main dish. Unfortunately it isn't currently on the menu, but I hope it makes it there!

Everyone was in for a treat when the Alberta AAA Beef Tenderloin ($38) hit the table. Sous vide and seared to a beautiful medium rare, the premium cut of beef was served with a vibrant beet risotto, Quebec goat cheese crusted zucchini, walnuts, and baby arugula.

We were absolutely spoiled when it came to desserts as four different offerings were placed on the table. First up was an apple pie complete with a deliciously crispy, flaky crust and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pie wasn't overly sweet and would be a great finish to a meal!

Next up came a warm brown butter cake, again with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is for those that love digging into a slice of cake while it's still warm! The cake is warm, moist, and tasted great combined with the ice cream and caramel sauce.

Since it doesn't quite feel like "real winter" yet, Nineteen's dessert menu features a light pumpkin cheesecake dusted with graham crumb. The pumpkin is subtle, but what I liked about this cheesecake was the lighter texture. Without the density, it ends up being a cheesecake that isn't too rich after a heavy meal.

Last but not least came the Pizookie (below) - Nineteen's pizza cookie! Served straight from the oven in a sizzling hot skillet, this is everything that a chocolate chip cookie should be! Warm (read: hot!) from the oven, gooey, chocolatey, and served with ice cream. It's a sinfully rich dessert that is definitely worth all the calories.


Pizookie
It's great to see local restaurants succeed and it's awesome that Nineteen has been able to open up a second location. I can't even count how many times I've heard people complain that Nineteen is too out of the way for them to visit, so hopefully this new spot in St. Albert can entice some Edmontonians to finally have their first taste of their Asian-inspired Canadian cuisine. The menu is definitely on the pricier end of things, so while Nineteen isn't a restaurant to visit everyday, it's a great spot for celebrations and special date nights. For those looking for something more budget friendly, Nineteen's lounge offers happy hour specials from 3-6 PM daily, so you can try cocktails and appetizers at a fraction of the cost.

This location in St. Albert also hosts brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9AM - 2PM. Even though the Terwillegar location is a 5 minute drive from my house, I'm definitely interested in making the drive to check out their brunch offerings! A big thank you to Chef Andrew Fung, Chef Rino Lam, and the team at XIX Nineteen for the great food and service, and congratulations on opening your second location!


*Disclosure: I was invited to XIX Nineteen in St. Albert to sample the new menu. 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.