The Free Press Bistro (Edmonton)

Last Friday, I called Raeanna up after my classes were done and ask her to meet up with me for lunch and just to chill. Because we met at 2, we couldn't eat at my first choice because their lunch hours are 11 - 2 so we walked around the area and spotted The Free Press Bistro so we decided to try the place out.



Caprese Panini : With Tomato, Brocconcini and Basil Pesto ($12.95)
and with substitute of their soup: Creamy tomato puree with roasted vegetables ($1.5)



I loved this panini. It was pressed to crispy and cheesy perfection. The cheese was just right and a long time was spent pulling the cheese apart. The tomatoes were also a nice balance to this panini but I wish there was a more bold basil taste present in the hot panini. But overall a A+ for the great bread and taste.

I wished I tasted the soup first before Raeanna, because her first comment was its sour. That just clouded my own judgement on the soup and I just ended up tasting for the sourness on my first sip. Next time, no! I will try the dish first. But I didn't mind the soup too much, it was not the BEST tomato soup I had yet.



Raeanna's Linguini Carbonara: Bacon, Egg, and Parmesan ($14.95)



Me and Raeanna both agree the the Linguini was lacking some serious cream sauce. The linguini was bland and tasted more like egg or maybe that's the point of the chef. What won the dish must have been the generous amounts of bacon, like full-size not little bacon bits.



Raspberry Crème Brûlée ($7)



As I order and taste a variety of Crème brûlée from all over Edmonton and in other places, I finding my palette for this custard is getting picker and judgmental. With this raspberry Crème Brûlée it was just too sour for my tasting. The syrup, burnt sugar and the custard itself was all sour and I didn't like that. The custard also was set way too much and that is not the way I like my Crème Brûlée. I only had a bite while Raeanna finished the rest.



It was a very surprising and great lunch at TFPB and I will make note to try the place out again for their awesome and tasty paninis!



The Free Press Bistro
10014 104 Street Northwest
Edmonton, AB T5J 0X2, Canada
(780) 497-7784

Violino and others (Edmonton)

So I'm trying this new layout just to shake things up! hehe...hope its easy on the eyes.

Yesterday (Friday) me and Raeanna went to Violino, a place I found via Only Here for the Food post found here. This Italian restaurant seem fancy and prices reasonable so I headed there. After making Raeanna wait an hour there in the restaurant I finally made it in one piece at the restaurant.

We ordered a shared appetizer, soup, and an entree. Needless to say we were 3/4 full when our entree came out...portions were generous and tasty. Here is some proof: (BTW sorry for the poor quality of these pics, its really doesn't give the food I ate any justice and its because I have to rely on my phone camera for the pics!)







Our Sangria ($7.95)
Should have ordered the Mojito instead of the Sangria..why am I always swayyed when sangria comes into the picture! Anyway I didn't enjoyed this drink as much as Raeanna because I wished it had more citrus fruits in it and it was as sweet for ME as it could be, though Raeanna said it was a bit watered down but she still liked it.



Zuppa Campagnola ($8.0)
Butternut squash soup finished with maple crème friache

OMG! It was so cool they drew a violin with the crème friache like what you would do with a latte...so cool! I forgot what they words were Raeanna describe the soup but she loved it, rich, tasty, and just the way she likes it. I thought perhaps it was a bit sweet for my taste but it was more a of a "full" soup and I like that. But from what Raeanna says she has a better palette than I do, SO what do I KNOW about food?~~ ha.





Zuppa di Cozze zafferano e Prosecco ($12.0)
Steamed east coast mussels in a saffron seafood fume

I knew I would this soup when I read the words "mussels" haha. IT was very cool, good mussels and A LOT too. I was pleasantly suprised. One little thing was the soup was getting a bit salty as I keep drinking it and even though I can handle my salt I do have a limit when it comes to soup, too much can just ruin the whole thing. But it was all good and I was happy!



Classico Caprese ($11)
Marinated bocconcini cheese, vine ripened tomatoes, pickled red onions, virgin olive oil, Balsamic
Glaze

When this came out, I thought they had our order wrong again because it was not the Caprese I imagine. But yes this was our order! It looked more like a dessert than an appetizer and that was soo cool! It was very pretty and those flower petals are edible although there is not much taste just what a flower petal would taste like..leafy? Anyways, it was good and layered cheese (and soft very good mozzerella/bocconcini cheese texture) tomato, basil leaf, and again. I could have use some more salt to bring out the taste in the light tomatoes but love this dish! I would so get it again to get some better shots to give it the props it deserves.



Ravioli alla Siciliana ($17)
Pear and pecorino cheese stuffed ravioli, in a curried white wine cream reduction, with a port drizzle

Our server recommended this dish to Raeanna, but in the end, she didn't love love it because it was a bit sweet however I didn't mind it too much. It was mostly the curried white wine cream with a flavor of pear that was the sweet part. The ravioli itselt was normal though I didn't like the cheese texture inside; too mushy and airy? to me. But Raeanna said that's normal or what it supposed to be like.



Ziti Al Forno ($16)
Chicken, sun-dried tomato cream sauce, and mushrooms,
Baked with parmesan and bocconcini cheese

I could barely dig into this dish because I was getting so full from our previous dishes. The portion was huge and I could just have a few bites. It was ok, just normal for me, nothing too great. Now, that sounds bad, it was good but again a little bit salty and average sauce but good chicken! LOL.


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At home, Mommy made dai ruo mein because I told her to try Noodle Maker and she did and ate their version and said she could do that herself at home and so she did!



Egg (that I sliced in half =) for appeal), pork slices, green onions, sea cucumber, mushrooms and lots of chinese herbs..=)
It was very tasty and I could eat all the meat I want! Till mommy took the meat plate away =( haha. YAY! another dish for dinner now~!




Violino
10133 125 Street Northwest
Edmonton, AB T5N 1S7
(780) 757-8701

Waffles and Sandwiches

So I found out via twiter that Edmonton actually had a moblie truck seeling waffles!!! So I had to get on that bandwagon ASAP!
So last thursday, found out they sold waffles at the Alberta Ave Farmer's Markets Thursday 2 pm - 7 pm, and I can bike fast there and just grab one to go!

Found it...I actually smelled the fresh waffles blocks way....it was very enticing.




I got their Vanilla Waffle with whipped cream and strawberry and blueberry sauce to drizzle at $4.00.



I couldn't wait to dig in!!! It was so warm the cream started to melt, the waffle itself was fluffy and still have a bit of a crunchy top..just perfect! I will return no doubt to try their other options.



Sandwich and soup at Canada's Place


The soup was pasta and cheese, not that great or that warm either.



The sandwich was awesome, I am really lovin' beansprouts or peashoots with sandwiches now, makes it look more healthier and adds a bit of a crunch. BTW I got egg salad.

New York and More

So my recent trip to the Big Apple was a success. I ate, shop, saw, and was creeped out but I crave more. I want to go back to try out the other places on my list to eat and visit the other kinds of neighbourhoods. I hope to do that soon too!

Meanwhile I did go to Yakitori Taisho which was a must on my list to go and I was not dissappointed.



Moro Q: Cumcumber with miso paste.
Very resfreshing and they pitted the seeds which was unexpected!



Takoyaki (Octupus balls) So cute looking and tasted so yummy! I like the dried fish on top too!



My Takana Tonkotsu Ramen with pickeled takana, tonkotsu slices, pink ginger, green onions and sesame seeds.
I really love this bowl of ramen! It was a shame I was getting full and couldn't finish the bowl! I know, it was a shock to me too! The broth was sooo good, a bit salty but I can handle that, but I wish there was more pork slices in there =) and maybe even half boiled egg. hehe




My skewers: From the left chicken liver, squid legs, gizzards and chicken skin. It was all good but I just wish the chicken skin was more skin that skin + fat...some crunchy skin would be heaven!



Another place that I can check off my list and make sure to pay a visit again is a dessert bar called Kyotofu.





Emily's Signature sweet tofu, she prefer the chinese kind better and didn't knew we had sweet tofu or something, but still it's all good.



I got the Chef's Selection of 3 items: It came out to be matcha green tea creme brulee (which I was hoping they gave me that!), a Vegan Valrhona Chocolate Cake with peanut brittle, coconut sorbet, soymilk caramel, and a mini signature sweet tofu.

I loved the green tea creme brulee, it gave a nice crack, and it was all green inside! hehe...there was a green matcha flavor and just a nice and not too sweet dessert. The vegan chocolate cake was a chocolate lover's dream. Very rich and creamy that little cake was just right for me, I don't think I would have been able to handle the full size!





our bill in a box and some more sweet treats.