yen's Profile
Visiting Seoul in February - anyone up for a chowhound night?
Asomaniac... sorry, but it's not looking like i can make it there on the 18th. Will still try and move things around, but it isnt promising. Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you wanted to change or reschedule some aspect of your trip.
Will post here if anything changes.
Visiting Seoul in February - anyone up for a chowhound night?
K. I have to head off to Taiwan, but i'll let you know as soon as i know when i'll be in Seoul. Hopefully it'll coincide with the 12th!
Luang Prabang restaurant
Tamarind. It was the best example of good execution with local ingredients and flavours. Really enjoyed it there.
Visiting Seoul in February - anyone up for a chowhound night?
Hey there,
You can add me to the list of people who arent big fans of Bo Innovation :)
Anyway, I may be in Seoul that weekend - if so, would love to meet up if you guys will have me. Non-local, but i'll try anything.
As for hiking in Jeju, i just finished hiking in Jeju last week, and it definitely is cold. But it was beautiful!
Just let me know...no obligations.
Downtown Calgary Lunch Map - Within Walking Distance
In your general vicinity:
Mezze Mediterranean Grill on 6th Ave between the two Macleods has the best donair i've had in the city. Very decent Shawarma as well.
Just down Stephen Avenue another block west from Insomnia is Cafe Rosso, which i prefer for coffee, and nice panini's for lunch.
Maharajah has acceptable Indian Buffet - limited selection, but the quality of 6-8 out of the 10 dishes is really quite good.
The short jaunt to Chinatown opens up more options. There's Pho Pasteur for beef pho, there's Pho Hoai (in the mall) for pho sate, there are 3 vietnamese sandwich shops that are all decent (the venerable Banh mi Thi Thi, the place at the entrance in the mall, and Thai thi on Centre).
There's also the small food court that houses Han's, and has Korea Garden or Seoul Garden or whatever that place is called. It has great lunch food, but is a bit slow.
If i knew where on the plus 15's you were, i'd have better recommendations regarding food west of here. It opens up quite a bit from Sucor Energy/Petro Canada on West.
Opening in Calgary?
I'm pretty sure they are open from 7am Monday to Saturday.and 9am on Sunday's. The closing hours are correct.
And can i try some is correct - two uber boilers as a manual brew bar. It's all press and loose leaf tea to start, but Chemex, Aeropress, v60 likely in the future.
Where's the best beef jerky in Edmonton?
If in Edmonton, great Biltong can be had at South African deli Betsy's Boerwors.Calgary Trail and roughly 70th avenue? But i do agree with meatnveg - Biltong and Chilibites are way better than beef jerky, and i love beef jerky.
Halal meat in Calgary
My favorite place that is actually reasonably convenient is Amir Meats in the Short Pants Plaza off of Memorial and 28th street NE. They butcher everything fresh, and use proper storage. Do a nice job, especially with lamb.
300-255 28 Street Southeast, Calgary, AB T2A 5K4 - (403) 569-1557
Question - Bay Leaf Seeds - any uses?
Hey Everyone,
I've searched for an answer, and can't find one, so i thought i'd ask here. I just harvested a bunch of California Bay's, and have a very large amount of seeds leftover. Are these ok to use - and if so, are there any culinary uses for them? I hate wasting things that are usable.
Thanks for any knowledge you can impart!
Bistro Praha Edmonton
How about Milan's just off Whyte Ave and 104 Street? It's Czech food run by Milan himself. Im not sure if it's still open (it may have changed names to something else..i looked during fringe but my aged memory is fading fast), but that would be a close alternative to Bistro Praha wouldnt it?
Prairies Regional Barista Championship 2009
Were there more people than last year? What kind of atmosphere did you feel it had? Im curious as to whether the public awareness of specialty coffee has grown at all over the past year or two.
Calgary Espresso
My preferences agree with yours on Higher Ground John (im not a fan either) but it looked to me like the OP was trying to do a wider range of coffee houses to get a more comprehensive view (thus the inclusion of Starbucks, and a few Italian markets), thus the recommendation. You have to admit, it's a popular place :) And it would give people a good reference point how each of the places stack up.
OP - you will get huge variation in quality based on the barista themselves. For your own reference, you may want to try writing down who made your drink in each place. It may help you explain some of the variation from visit to visit.Obviously the roast itself will have a big impact as well, but that's usually out of your control :)
Calgary Espresso
You can't leave out Bumpy's or Insomnia. And I would consider cutting down your Italian markets to one. Consider adding a beano or good earth (or both), and possibly higher grounds (popular cafe in kensington) to get a more comprehensive list.
Cooking Blow Torch
I guess it's been a while! :) I've gone back to lurker status the last year... though you're just as guilty for not being around as much! I think everyone, even John, is posting a bit less. Life is busy!
Cooking Blow Torch
Propane torch is definitely most common in pro kitchens. There are, however, quite a few drawbacks
First - the advantages. It's definitely hotter, quicker, more versatile (i also use to sear meat ala Heston Blumenthal method, or to quickly sear fish in a nigiri variant), and cheaper. It also is very convenient in that it lasts a very long time, unlike many butane torches which need a lot of refilling.
The disadvantages are it's hotter, so there is less leeway for error when caramelizing sugar on creme brulee. It took me a while to stop burning the sugar. It takes up way more storage space. It also is a touch more dangerous (being under high pressure), and is a bit tougher to work with. I also have had issues in the past with the cannister upside down. When the tank is 1/2 to 1/4 full, it can start to spit a bit.
Other issues are the heat intensity really heats up the ramakin, which can make it tough to handle. It also takes some time to shut off (unless you buy a model with the trigger).
I own the propane torch, but to be honest, if your only purpose is to caramelize sugar for creme brulee, i would personally go with the butane torch. You can find them for cheap enough online, or in discount stores these days. If you want an all purpose kitchen tool that doubles as a plumbers torch, then propane is the way to go.
Non-Fine Dining in Edmonton
To be honest, the Edmonton scene doesnt change that quickly. Places i've been to recently that are both good, and on the previous lists you've looked at include:
Culina, Sofra, Dadeo's. All are excellent. On that Whyte Ave strip there are a bunch of other options as well. I like the much maligned Oodle Noodle Wok Box for a quick, cheap, reasonably tasty meal. Many people like Flavours Bistro, though i find it a bit overpriced. Packrat Louie is decent for flatbread, and is in the general vicinity too.
If you're staying at the new Bay's Inn on the south (right next to the Tim Horton's), then there are a few choices just north from there. For breakfast, no place better than NY Bagel Cafe - Egg's Benedict all the way. For coffee, you'll be closest to Transcend, which has amazing coffee. If you love coffee, don't miss this. Baked goods, try the Italian Centre on the south side, which only opens at 9am, but is worth it. Interesting? Syphay, on Calgary Trail South, has good Thai and Laotian food - better than Bua Thai.
Also near you, on the slightly less affordable side, is Park Allen. Lebanese food, with a good wine list.
All of these are on the southside with the exception of Sofra, which is downtown.
Sorry, but im in a rush and that's all i can think of off the top of my head. If you have more specific questions, and you have a better idea of where in the city you want to go, let us know.
best steak in calgary
I honestly don't love any of the steak places in Calgary. I'd suggest going to Second to None Meats, getting one of their dry-aged Galloway Rib Steaks they have right now (which will cost you near 50 bucks), and BBQ'ing it at home.
I used to like Vintage, but since the menu change, it's been quite poor. I havent been to Chicago Chophouse in ages, but they serve dry aged Canada prime beef - one of the few places that do. For wet aged beef (if you arent a big dry aged fan), i'd consider Mercato for their Bistecca Fiorentina.
As well, to give this an honest test, please be picky about your choice of cut. Don't order a tenderloin - stick with something that has marbling, like rib eye, or strip.
best steak in calgary
I believe howlin is asking us to recommend where the best steak in Calgary is. Then, based on our comments, he/she will go to this establishment, and spend their $50 on the steak, and decide whether or not there is truly a steak worth $50. Because they're skeptical that a steak can be worth 50 bucks.
Or, if i read it another way, howlin just called us all suckers and more money for brains :)
Can you buy Kobe beef?
Im not disputing your assertion that the North American Wagyu tastes different, and is in no way competitive with the Wagyu bred in Japan, but Wagyu is a breed, it has nothing to do with geography. A human being in Japan is the same as a human being in Canada. It's like saying Canadian-rasied Galloway Beef, because it is not from Galloway, is fake Galloway Beef.
At the end of the day, i understand it's a sensitive issue for many people in the cattle industry, as the question of genetics, pure bred, quality of genetic stock, and a variety of other factors come into question. I guess we'll just agree to disagree. To me, quality is a whole different equation - not part of what makes a breed real or fake. Even though a lot of crossbreeding has taken place with the Wagyu breed, they've managed to get most cattle stocks up to what is essentially pure-bred status, That's enough for me.
Can you buy Kobe beef?
MP - thanks for the great link to the Nikuya website. Im excited at the possibility of getting real A5 here - including Matsuzaka beef!
As for your term "fake wagyu" - i'd just like to point out wagyu is a breed of cow, so technically, American Wagyu, Alberta Wagyu isnt fake - it just isnt what, as you've pointed out, the consumer is looking for when they hear the words "Kobe Beef"
Can you buy Kobe beef?
Cleo,
If the ribeye was trimmed to 3 oz, it's usually a "heart" cut out of the eye of the ribeye . This is the same cut that they use in the Delmonico-cut ribeye. Just FYI - in case you ever see it on another menu and wanted to see if it was the beef, or the cut! :) I've seen Delmonico cut ribeye at Sage before.
Edmonton, Canada.......
Raidar - it isnt worth a try again. I said that twice before i finally gave up. Stick to the other places you've found, they are much better :)
Opening? Menya Japanese Noodles, Vancouver
I think you meant "may not seem impartial", but i think we can forgive you :)
Thanks for pointing it out. It is an excellent post.
Yokozuna's experience
Lately, my family has had the same experiences. Lousy food, lousy service, and overpriced. After 3 consecutive poor experiences, I think my dad has finally said "enough". We were staples for years. Riverbend, and Whitemud Crossing. I believe the words we uttered last time was "never again".
Calgary cheese, please
Crossroads Market has Say Cheese Fromagerie and a Bakery in there. Sweetgrass Market has a Springbank Cheese and Red Barn bakery. Janice Beaton in Kensington will have both, and have there are a few bakeries in the area as well.
Calgary Arsenal Supporters Pub
Lol. You mean outside of Charlton?
As long as you don't support the Spurs, Blues, Reds, or Red Devils, you're welcome to hang with us. :)
Out of curiosity, i've never been to the R&C here in town - do they show the premiership as well?
Calgary Arsenal Supporters Pub
Ship shows a premiership game... but you're more often at the mercy of the Chelsea, ManU, and Liverpool fans *shudder*
Most of "Calgary's Best Pubs" group pubs show Premiership games as well. Joyce on 4th, Kilkenny, Limericks. Depends on what part of town you're in, there should be one near by. You're looking for a place that has the Setanta feeds (Fox Sports, Roger's and the Score have very limited schedules). Try calling ahead of time.
Go Gooners! :)
Hard to find ingredients help (Calgary)
Foie Gras is available at L'Epicerie - in whole lobes, and terrines.
