A feast for the soul

There’s no two ways about it: Edmonton has had a lot of crappy, rainy weather lately. So when the 2011 Taste of Edmonton debuted on Thursday to a hot, sunny day, Capital Region residents of every race, culture and creed showed up in droves to party and revel in the sunny weather.

Random young men were showing off back flips on Sir Winston Churchill Square grass while about 100 young kids splashed and cavorted in the city hall fountain.

Most importantly, a mix of tantalizing food aromas wafted through the square, creating traffic jams at the 42 kiosks doling out delicacies from every corner of the world.

This year, I invited my 21-year-old daughter Alissa to check out the booths with me, in large part because of our different food tastes. My preferences lie with European, Greek and Turkish dishes.

But after a year-long working holiday through Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Korea and Vietnam, Alissa has come to almost singlehandedly support Asian cuisine.

With a free festival guide in hand, our first stop was Urban China Restaurant for deep fried pork dumplings. While I enjoyed the veggie filled centre, she loved the contrast with the “crispy” batter.

Next stop was the Chef’s Grill and Bar for a hefty barbecue beef rib slathered in a sweet-and-sour barbecue sauce. “They’re big, lots of meat,” I commented with hands and face smeared in sauce. Alissa added, “Yeah, but they’re freaking messy.” Just ask for more napkins.

If you’re into cheese, as I am, the stuffed mushrooms with melted Parmesan and Swiss at the Gas Pump are a must-have, and the serving of six to a plate was generous. We both loved it and rated it four out five stars.

At Khazana Restaurant, the curry-based butter chicken on a bed of rice was quite tantalizing. Although a bit spicy for some Canadian palates, it’s probably a tad bland for East Indians.

Next to it was the Numchok Wilai Restaurant, where we scooped a six-inch plate loaded with Pad Thai, and even I raved about it. “Traditionally Pad Thai has bean sprouts, peanuts, rice noodles and tofu or chicken. This is pretty authentic minus the peanuts,” Alissa explained.

Our next stop was Roma Bistro for cheese empanadas served with a tomato-green pepper salsa. The mozzarella cheese folded into the hot, deep-fried empanada slid smoothly down my throat. “This is so-o-o good,” I gushed.

We both love beef and couldn’t resist the Canadian Brewhouse’s plate of steak bites served with a side of sesame sauce. The plate contained about 15 super moist bites. Alissa, who also is a restaurant server, estimated the plate was equivalent to about six ounces of beef.

My bias for cheese showed up once more as we debated on LIT Italian Wine Bar’s basil stuffed bocconcini with prosciutto wrap. The hot, melt-in-your mouth prosciutto skewer is deliciously salty, but tempered with a basil pesto sauce. It is an excellent appetizer.

This year, the Fairmont MacDonald Hotel served a barbecue pulled pork slider with Asian slaw. Although it was lavishly sized as a regular burger rather than a slider, I couldn’t help wishing for last year’s offering — a delicate mushroom bisque, the only one of its kind at the festival.

Alissa also wanted to drop by the Sutton Place Hotel booth for a Cappuccino Chocolate Shooter Cup, a dessert she discovered last year. A chocolate lover’s delight, it is an edible chocolate shooter filled with a light chocolate mousse and served with two strawberries dipped in chocolate. A super deal priced at only one ticket.

This year, the Art Gallery of Alberta is also hosting A Taste of Desserts and Liqueurs. Seven restaurants have set up booths in the cool, relaxed gallery lobby and visitors can buy desserts with festival tickets.

However, the liqueurs are served in the gallery’s Zinc Restaurant and are priced separately. Throughout the festival, four different liqueurs will be served each day. “We don’t want to make it stale for the 10 days,” says Zinc manager Alex Milic.

We passed on the liqueurs, instead opting for a sit in the gallery’s comfy padded chairs before returning to the outdoor energy of the festival.

We checked out the wine tent for a glass of premixed sangria while listening to high-powered rock/pop band Bella Rouge on the plaza’s main stage belt out Respect and Lady Marmalade. “This sure isn’t like the sangria I tried in Spain. It tastes a bit off, but I don’t know what it is,” said Alissa.

Throughout the 10-day festival, organizers have booked an eclectic string of performers that range from harpist Keri Lynn Zwicker and Big Hank and a Fistful of Blues to Adam Gregory and Boogie Patrol. Even St. Albert ambassadors, country singer Leah Durelle and jazz impresarios Lori and Bruce Mohacsy, are celebrating the food fest.

The one sour note we encountered was the pop and water vending machines. Naturally thirsty, we tried to buy a bottle of water. Not only did the machine not drop any bottles, it refused to provide a refund. And the food booths unfortunately don’t sell beverages. To be on the safe side, bring your own bottle.

Most food booths sell a sample with a price point ranging from one to five tickets. With a sheet of 30 tickets, a couple can easily enjoy a savoury evening out.

Now if only it would stop raining.