Welcome to Edmonton: New restaurants for Fall 2015
There are so many fantastic restaurants in the city that it can feel like we’re getting a little spoiled when new ones open up. These restaurants have all opened their doors in the past few months, and they all have something shiny and exciting to offer food aficionados and coffee connoisseurs in Edmonton.
Arcadia Bar
10988 124th Street, Edmonton, AB T5M 0H8Located on the popular 124 Street, this bar comes with an unexpected twist – an all-vegan menu. With dinner items such as Popcorn or Glory (popcorn with chili lime, lavender or sea salt, plus coconut oil), Cesar Chavez Chicken Salad, the YEG Unite Donair and the Guy Fawkes Burger, the menu is as unique as it is tasty. A lot of their items are also gluten-free, such as the Che Gordita (falafel tacos with locally made white corn tortillas). They also serve brunch, with dishes that include their takes on grilled cheese and BLTs, plus “chicken” and waffles.
Saffron Indian Cuisine
469 Parsons Rd SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0W6This southside Indian restaurant has a huge menu, which is broken down into vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. A lot of the items are traditional but there are also surprises, such as butter chicken poutine and stuffed jalapeños. You can’t go wrong with traditional samosas, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken or any of the biryani dishes – they serve prawn, chicken, vegetable and lamb. They offer a variety of roti (including gluten-free) and naan bread (including chocolate!).
Ikki
11931 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5K 0P1The second izakaya restaurant to open in Edmonton, Ikki is located in Oliver (far away from the competition). Izakayas serve up tapas, sake and other drinks, and are ideal for groups. Ikki has a small but interesting menu, which is broken up into cold and hot tapas, noodles and rice, sushi and sake and desserts. Cold tapas range from seaweed salad and shrimp spring rolls to veggie bites and beef tataki, while hot tapas include Japanese poutine (fries, mozzarella, sweet sauce and nori), spicy chicken wings, edamame and corn croquettes.
Little Brick
10004 90 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 4P4Edmonton coffee connoisseur Nate Box opened Little Brick, a café, general store and event space, after falling in love with the spot, which is located in a historic 1903 Riverdale home. Nate is basically the head of Edmonton’s coffee mafia, with popular spots such as Elm Café, District Coffee Co. and Burrow already under his belt. Little Brick is a light-filled space that serves up breakfast and lunch, with a menu that includes biscotti, scones, brioche French toast, duck salad, summer squash tartine, arctic char and more. The coffee menu is simple, with brewed coffee, Americanos, cappuccinos and lattes.
Luna Mexican Restaurant
9880 63 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 0G6The owners hail from Puebla, Mexico, and make everything in-house from scratch. Their menu changes daily, and usually has about eight dishes on it, including yummy items such as ceviche and fish tacos. The menu is heavy on seafood, including octopus, shrimp, basa and white fish. Friday nights focus on popular Mexican street foods, and Sunday brunch consists of a traditional Mexican breakfast.
Kazoku Ramen Ltd
16518 100 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 4Y2This authentic ramen restaurant, named for the Japanese word for “family,” serves not only ramen but also rice bowls, tempura and starters such as edamame, barbecue duck and beef tataki. They have five types of ramen on the menu, as well as a list of extra toppings that can be added. The Kazoku ramen consists of char siu, a full soft-boiled egg, nori, bamboo shoots, corn, wood-ear fungus, bean sprouts, toasted sesame, green onion and naruto (a type of cured fish made in Japan). Try it with one of their handcrafted mango, peach, strawberry or raspberry sodas.
Volcano Restaurant
Serving both Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine, Volcano’s menu includes everything from sashimi to pho, not to mention tapas, bento boxes and items cooked on a traditional Japanese robata grill. Appetizers range from organic miso soup and Vietnamese salad rolls to green onion cakes and tuna tataki. Their sushi bar serves an extensive list of maki, such as the Mellow Yellow roll (spicy yellowtail, cucumber and green onion) and the Eskimo roll (asparagus, cooked prawns and avocado).
Cured
2307 Ellwood Dr SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0J6Charcuterie and wine bars are becoming commonplace in Edmonton but this is the first to open this far south – just off of Ellerslie Road, only minutes from South Edmonton Common. There are more than 50 vinos to choose from, as well as locally-sourced veggies, cured meats and artisanal cheeses. In addition to their charcuterie boards, which features items such as chipotle jerky and maple duck mortadella, they offer small and large plates, plus desserts. Items like sriracha bacon popcorn and spicy honey lime goose make this menu stand out.
Woodrack Cafe
101-7603 109 St NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C3This cute nature-themed café is a great spot to get your fill of wildlife without leaving the city. Friends opened the café after a kayaking trip in the foothills of Alberta inspired them to create their own oasis. A lot of the décor is handmade from found items, the baking is homemade daily and they carry three brands of coffee: Danesi espresso, Ace coffee (roasted in Edmonton) and Anchored (from Nova Scotia). Treats include bread pudding, flourless peanut butter cookies, strawberry basil loaf and duffins – a muffin-doughnut hybrid. They also sell retail items, such as antler and driftwood art.
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