My visit to the Little Brick

Little Brick Café and General Store

 

With all the new houses and condos surrounding the Little Brick, it's nice to see this old house stand its ground.

Little Brick Cafe and general store is the fourth business owned and operated by Nate Box.  He is a young, entrepreneur that has an amazing knack for business. He first opened Elm Café, which is a spot my hubby and I visit (a lot) during the summer on our way to the downtown farmer's market. Their sammies are delish. Then Nate opened District, which lucky for me is only walking distance from my work. District Coffee Co. makes really good salads for lunch. Then there is Burrow, which I haven’t had a chance to check out yet. Burrow is a coffee shop is located in the Churchill LRT and serves breakfast items for busy commuters. Now, we have Little Brick.

Little Brick is Nate's newest venture and is located in the heart of the Riverdale community.   From what I heard, it’s a very welcomed addition to the hood, since the community does not have any coffee shops for the locals. 

Another thing I liked about Nate’s choice of area, was to use a historic 1903 house. I am a history buff and like the fact that this house was saved and used for community to use. The house belonged to J.B. Little. He owned the brickyard that was located in the Riverdale area.  A lot of bricks used to make homes and businesses in the early 1900’s were manufactured around the North Saskatchewan River, where the clay suitable for brick making could be found. You can find at Fort Edmonton Park the brickyard building what includes J.B. Little’s original brick making machinery. That is all for today’s history lesson, now back to coffee….

The first door you see is the staff entrance.

The coffee shop and store is very welcoming when you walk in. When you walk onto the property, you will have to walk around back to the main entrance (just follow the sidewalk).   When I walked around, I notice that the yard was very nicely landscaped and there were a few doggies tied up to trees waiting for their masters while they grabbed their coffee. Having a dog tied to a tree, laying on grass and in a fenced yard – as a dog owner, I think that I’d feel reassured that my baby won’t mind the 5 minutes of separation while I get my caffeine fix.

One of the puppies waiting for his/her owner to continue on their walk.

Follow the sidewalk to the main door.  Look straight and you will see a Boston Terrier waiting patiently.

The place is very light and airy. I am not a professional designer in describing how the place looked – but the house has kept its formal historic look (which i love). With the white paint, natural wood floor and clean lines - the place felt and looked very comfortable. I can see myself coming here with a group of friends and enjoy the time.

It was so busy, I didn't want to take too many pictures.

When you walk in, you find the small but very usable counter space. They serve coffee, some baked goods (muffins, biscotti and scones). There is also sandwiches. I just picked up a biscotti and a coffee and looked around the store.  The biscotti was salted caramel - yummy.

Some items on the shelves

The store sells locally made products and other coffee related items. I found some peanut butter made in Calgary, and various other food staples.

Hallway to the living room, dining room and the kitchen.

There is are large windows in the main coffee/store area. To the right of the main door is a hallway to two other rooms to enjoy your coffee and scone. There is a comfy living room area and the dining room has a communal table where people can work on their laptops.

If you are ever in the Riverdale area, I’d recommend coming in for a coffee. I have heard that there might be burgers and beer in the summer (see the news links below). I’ll be up for that.

Here is the general info:

Little Brick Café and General Store

1004 – 90 Street, Edmonton

Phone: 780-705-1230

Website:  littlebrick.ca

Parking: Parking lot in the back alley and front street parking.

Bus: 1, 308 & 88

Hours: not listed on the site, should be listed soon – they are just newly opened.

Here are some news links:

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/tag/little-brick/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/historic-j-b-little-home-in-riverdale-to-open-doors-as-cafe-1.2951886

Day of Pi - March 14 (3.14) Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie

Yesterday, March 14th was PIE day (3/14).  If you remembered math back in school, pi (3.14) was the number used to calculate equations with circles.  Not an officially holiday, but why not celebrate with a desert rather than a math equation.

My homemade Banoffee pie

In honour of pie day I wanted to make - Banoffee pie.  You may ask what is that?  Take toffee and bananas, with whip cream - and there's your pie.  The history of the pie originated in the pubs of UK. I've always loved pub food.  Lucky for us, it came across the pond.  Plus, as some people who know me, I'm not much of a baker - this is a no bake pie.

Now if you want to try Banoffee pie like it's supposed to be - go to Urban Diner.  As a recommendation by the waitress, I tried a slice and I was hooked. It's delicious! I always get a slice when I'm at the restaurant - plus they make really good comfort food there too.

With all due respect to apple, cherry and pumpkin pie - Banoffee has taken first prize in my personal pie contest.

My first attempt at making this desert turned out very tasty - but runny.  Sad, since I followed a recipe from one of my favorite celebrity chefs and food goddesses: Nigella Lawson (NL) - see the recipe here.  I thought I had found the perfect launch pad to make this desert, but it didn't come out as I hoped for.  (I still think she's a goddess - I heart her) I think Urban Diners' Banoffee is a hard act to follow.

My hubby always mentions I never really follow recipes or directions well (cause deep down I'm a rebel!). I like to look at recipes and think: I wonder what would happen if I added this?...or hum, I bet it'll taste better if I removed this and added this... Though, with this recipe I DID follow Nigella's instructions (I only tweaked the banana part and added Skor pieces to the topping).  So OK, I followed the basics of the recipe - but added my spin. Maybe I just can't help it.

Next time, I'll make it with one can of condensed milk, instead of two (it was too rich and it ran a bit) and I'll cook the milk longer. My condensed milk at 2.5 hours looked like a light tan color, not a rich caramel color. I might even grease the plate to let the crust come off easier. Plus, I'll add MORE bananas. My cooked bananas was tasty, and would be a great topping for any cake or ice cream. 

So, even though this wasn't my best pie/desert attempt in looks only - it still tasted really really good (hubby and I already had two slices - OK, three). We never had a "slice", it was almost a scoop. Maybe, in your kitchen - it will turn out fine.  

In any case I will prevail in making a better Banofee pie. That will be my mission.

Banoffee Pie 
2.5 -3 hours cook time for toffee, and cooling time - Next time I'm cooking longer 3-4 hours
15-30 minutes assembly
set overnight

Ingredients:

Crust:
16-18 Digestive Cookies (plain flavour)
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)

Filling:
2 cans of Condensed Milk (375 ml)  - Next time, I'm using 1 can
2 Large Bananas, sliced - Next time, more bananas!
2 tbs Butter
Pinch of Salt
1 tea of Brown Sugar
2-3 tbs of Water *only if you need, you can add more or less
1/2 tea of Vanilla 

Topping
1 cup of Whipping Cream
2 Skor bars or 1/2 cup of toffee bits

Tools:  Pie plate, fry pan, food processor, microwave safe bowl, measure cups/spoons, spatula, hand mixer, large bowl (for whipping cream) and a large pot.

Toffee:
Do the night or day before: boil the tins.
*If you are lucky to find a tin of toffee or Dulce De Leche you can use it instead.  They are sold at some stores, but I wanted to follow Nigella's recipe.

To make your own toffee, take the two tins of condensed milk, remove the paper labels and place into a large pot of water.  Do not open the tins.  You are going to boil the milk inside the tins. 

Make sure the tins are submerged in water (at least 3" of water above the top of the tin) Boil the water and the tins for 2 - 3 hours.  

Make sure that the water doesn't evaporate - this is very important.  As noted from NL: "BE SURE THAT THE TINS ARE SUBMERGED IN WATER AT ALL TIMES - OR ELSE YOU WILL BE CLEANING THE CEILING!!!" Her words, not mine. 

Once the time has passed, let the tins cool off completely. 

As I mentioned above, I think I'd use one can of condensed milk instead of two and I'm going for 3.5 hours next time. Goal - I want my toffee to look like Urban Diner's.

Boiling the tins

Crust:
*You can use a ready made graham crust. No judgments here.

Place the cookies in the food processor and pulse until they are sandy crumbs.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and mix with the crumbs.  Press onto the bottom and sides of the pie plate. 

Next time, I might lightly grease the pan and I placed the pressed crumb plate in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden and set the butter. 

Filling: 
NL used raw banana's (you can too) - but my rebel heart I did this:
In a fry pan, melt the butter in medium heat, add sliced bananas, vanilla, pinch of salt and the brown sugar. Stir, if it gets sticky - add a few tbs of water just to help out. Don't add too much water. Once the bananas start to soften more and turn a bit creamy (about 2-3 min) remove from heat. Make sure it's not runny. Let it cool.

Yummy bananas!

Open the can(s) of cooked condensed milk, and poor into the crust. Spread with a spoon or spatula. (I should have seen that one can was enough - but I was following instructions).

Then spread the bananas and on top of the toffee.

Topping:
In a large bowl add the whipping cream and whip with the hand mixer until it's thick and peaks form.
Spread on top of the bananas.

I use a chilled stainless steal bowl to make whip the cream and I place a large piece of parchment paper around the mixer to reduce splatter.  I'm glad that that their isn't any additional sugar added to the whip cream, the toffee is rich enough.

Place the broken pieces of Skor bar into a food processor and pulse until it its crumbs. Shake over the whip cream.  (This is my contribution - how can you not like Skor on top of anything?)

Cover the pie and serve or refrigerate until serving.

A bit runny - but still yummy

Even if this pie ended up runny and a little messy - it's still really good.  Maybe in the next couple of months I'll attempt this again from what I learned yesterday.  That is what's great thing about cooking.  You are always learning, even if you end up with a runny pie as long as it tastes good - enjoy it.  People are always looking for perfection - even at the first attempt. I see cooking, as in everything else in life - it's progress that counts, not perfection.  
My hubby an I had a runny pie - no big deal.  It hit the spot after dinner, (and again as a midnight snack).  

Enjoy and see you next time.  And Nigella - I still idolize you!

Restaurant Review: It' Dog

It' Dog - Gourmet Hot Dogs and Fried Chicken

My hubby loves hot dogs.  So, when he heard of this new restaurant that serves gourmet dogs and fried chicken - well, we just had to go.  Plus, in all honestly - a hot dog just hits the spot sometimes.

It' Dog  8621 - 109 Street Edmonton 

Located in the old Bad Ass Jack's establishment on 109 Street, right next to Remedy Cafe. The place has been only open for only a few months, and we've been there twice already and will continue to return.  It's really good, reasonable and quick.

When you walk in, you'll hear Korean pop music and see music videos on big screens. The place is clean and I can't complain about the service.  The folks who work there have been friendly the two times we were there.

The restaurant doesn't have a website (yet), but you can follow them on Facebook.  I can't find a twitter account yet either.  No matter, I have the details at the end of this post.

You will order and pay at the counter from the menu above - just like any fast food.  They will give you a receipt with an order number, when you're food's ready - they'll call out the number and you come to the counter for the tray.  There is no food under hot lamps here. The food is freshly made when ordered.

Here are their menu boards: 

You might think - What? $10 for a hot dog?  It's big and it's stuffed with good ingredients you'll never see on a burger.  You pretty much have a meal.

The hot dogs are served in a pretzel bun.  I love pretzel buns - finally a form of bread that doesn't break apart or get soggy when placed around meat and condiments.

Speaking of condiments, they have a condiment station you can add to your hot dog (if there was room to add more items).  With the toppings, I don't think you need ketchup or mustard.

This was my hot dog on the first outing in January.  The Truffle Mac and cheese. That's fresh jalapenos.  Oh, and bacon!  How did I forget about the bacon?  It was yummy...though our next trip there I had what I think a better dog.

Just last Friday, I got the Crispy Chicken Dog.  This so far is my FAVOURITE!!  It's like having popcorn chicken and a hot dog all in one..well, actually it is. Who ever thought of this idea is genius. It also has a little spicy mayo - yummy. Just a hint of a kick, not mouth burning.  

Aaron ordered a three piece Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken and the It' Hot Dog.  The hot dog had tempura shrimp and Bulgogi (grilled Korean beef). Tasty!  He really enjoyed the hot dog. The chicken (which I took a few bites) was AMAZING! Crispy and light, the sauce was sticky, sweet and a hint of spice.  

Last Friday, Aaron ordered the regular fried chicken with a turnip side salad.  

As you can see, I forgot to take the picture sooner - and a few pieces were already eaten. The chicken is really good here.  Close to a tempura batter, it's really light (not greasy at all) and super crunchy.  

The only thing we didn't care for was the pre-packaged salad.  It was meh. Aaron wanted to order a vegetable, just to counter act evilness of fried chicken. The turnip was in a light vinegar/sugar dressing.  Next time, Aaron said he'll try the potato salad instead.

We also shared a poutine. (It's almost a vegetable)

The poutine was like Costco's - good enough to eat. It was freshly made to order. The guy in the kitchen did hand deliver it to us rather than call out our table number. That was nice of him.  It was steaming hot when we got it and the cheesy was stringy. 

This picture below is from their Facebook page and it shows the other hot dogs they have. I'll have a hard time ordering another hot dog when I really enjoyed the Crispy Chicken one. 

In summary, do you like hot dogs? Yes? Then go here.

It' Dog
8621 - 109 Street, Edmonton
Phone: 780-438-4083
No reservations, (it's a fast food place)
Carry your own tray or take out.
Parking:  Some in the back (tight though) or meter parking across the street
Bus: #9 Southgate
Dress: Casual

Our experience at: Rostizado by Tres Carnales

Our experience at Rostizado. A Friday night to celebrate both our birthdays.  

My husband and I thought we'd celebrate our birthdays (about a month apart) at Rostizado. We are so glad we did. 

Rostizado has been open for around six months, and I've been wanting to go to this restaurant for about nine.  

Located in the historic Mercer Warehouse building on the south/east corner of 104 Street and 104 Avenue.  Rostizado took over the old Roast Coffee shop location when they closed down last year.  

Rostizado by Tres Carnales is founded and run by Dani Braun, Chris Sills and Edgar Gutierrez.  These three gentlemen also created the famous Tres Carnales Taquería restaurant.  Another great Mexican eatery located just off Jasper Avenue which is much more casual than Rostizado.  Tres Carnales is your place to go for tacos, and was shown one time on the "You gotta eat here" TV show. 

Picture of the inside feature wall.   I asked our waiter Nick, what the words meant. He translated "To eat, drink and dance like the world will end tomorrow".   Pretty deep.

Drinks:  The tall green drink was mine.  It's the Epasote Limeade and it went down very quick.  You could hardly taste the alcohol.  The drink contained egg white, lime, Mezcal and epasote syrup.  The syrup was made up of a herb that has liquorice taste.  For people who don't know me, I'm not a fan of liquorice - but I didn't notice it in the drink at all.  I almost finished my drink before the main course.

Aaron's drink was the Rosita.  The drink consisted of Vermouth, Tequila Reposado, Campari, bitters and burnt orange.  It was really good.  Why is it that you've always wished you have ordered the other person's item?  Though, my drink was really good and refreshing - Aaron's drink was comforting and suited the cold winter night better.

On each table there is a complementary small bowl of their bar mix.  Tasty bits to eat while waiting for your food. Consisting of roasted chick peas and corn in a spice call Tajin.  A salty and tangy mix, that wasn't too spicy.  A great pairing for drinks

Starter:  This is called a Sope.  It contains a thick tortilla called an Antojito, with various toppings.  It was like a mini Mexican open faced taco.  Our Antojito came with Foie gras pate, grapefruit marmalade and grated white chocolate. This starter was the evening's feature and not on the regular menu.   IT WAS DECADENT!

As our waiter explained what was in the Sope, I noticed Aaron's eyes widen. We just had to order it, and was the right amount to share.  Also, cause we showed up early, we were lucky to have gotten one before the restaurant got really busy. Oh, and it did get busy!

Entree: We ordered the Platter for 2.  It contained -  half a roasted chicken (which came from the local Four Whistle Farm), roasted pork, roasted potatoes, corn tortillas and salsas.   The platter as you can see is large and we ended up taking leftovers home with us. 

The tables there are a good size to hold the platters and the large amount of food.  You won't feel crapped at the tables.  I like the rustic, family style - help yourself kind of feel of the place.

The three salsas shown are: 
- Chimichurri, a finely-chopped parsley and oregano, paired really well with the pork and was used up first.  
- The middle sauce was the Yucateco pumpkin seed chili de arbol, and it's spicy.  It hits you hard, then mellows out.  
- The last sauce was a tomatillo salsa.  A fresh green and tangy salsa that worked good with the chicken.

The pork was tender and juicy, and great to fold into the tortilla with the Chimichurri sauce. The potatoes, that are my favorite - were crispy on the outside and tender inside.  Chicken was roasted well and not dry.  

We really looked forward to the leftovers the next day.  

The side dish: We ordered the cauliflower to accompany the platter.  Now, if you're not a fan of cauliflower - this could change your mind. Note: even though it's a vegetable, it's not vegetarian friendly (cooked in pork fat).  Topped with chili peppers and roasted garlic - divine. 

Desert: The Flan de Queso.  SO GOOD!  This was rich, and decadent.  Not too sweet, but just right to finish off our meal.  I think I'd come back just for this desert.  Creamy and smooth with a nice crunch from the almonds.  If you normally like custards or Creme Brule - you will like this.  I almost forgot to take a picture, luckily I got one in just before we polished it off.  As you can see, we've already taken a few bites.

Service: Our server, Nick was wonderful.  He knew the menu and drink options, gave us suggestions and our water glasses was never empty. The service at Rostizado is one of the best I've seen.  The place got really busy and I've never seen servers work so hard and diligently.

The restaurant has a cool ambiance.  With the exposed brick and wood pillars - it has a rustic and modern feel at the same time. The kitchen is open to view, which is nice to see where your food is coming from.  

The restaurant seats 70 and fills up fast. They don't take reservations, so expect to wait for a table if you come around the busy time (6-8 pm).  Aaron and I came in around 5 pm, and when we left there was a wait line for a table. 

Our Bill:  For the quality of food and service we received, we found that the cost of the bill was very fair and reasonable. Oh, and Aaron ordered another drink too - the Mescal Mule (yummy).

This place is comfortable, tasty and trendy. Don't expect tacos or large nacho platter with slushy margaritas.  If you are a non meat eater, you might have limited options.  I heard our server talk about various options for people that have dietary restrictions. Plus, maybe due to the menu or evening atmosphere - I didn't see any children the night we were there (a Friday).

You can also do take out.  Their full menu is on their website

If you crave hearty/authentic Mexican food  - then this is the place to be.

Will we come back? You bet.  We recommend Rostizado.

General Info:

Rostizado by Tres Carnales

Mexican, platter sharing style.

No reservations - First come/first served.  (unless it +8 people)
They are on the "no wait" App
Closed Sundays and Holidays.

#102, 10359 - 104 Street, Edmonton

www.rostizado.com

info@rostizado.com

Parking: Meter street parking,  free after 6 pm,

Bus Route:  112, 15, 7 and 8 (walk up 1 block from 103 ave)

LRT station: The Bay Enterprise on 104 Street and Jasper (walk 2 blocks)