Where Edmonton Magazine January/February 2016

2015 BEST NEW RESTAURANT AWARDS By Lindsay Shapka & Matthew Stepanic BEST NEW RESTAURANT BEST CAFÉ WORKSHOP EATERY 2015 2 PHOTOS BY LINDSAY SHAPKA ND NEW 2015 NEW NONGBUBESTKOREAN EATERY GRAB & GO Located in a modern, industrial space, LIST this authentic spot offers a fresh take on Korean street food. Don’t let the names of the dishes intimidate you — the amiable servers are happy to2015 explain everything down to the best way to eat your meal. The names will soon roll off your superpleased tongue once you try the slow-braised pork shoulder Ssam (lettuce wraps, which you stuff with steamed rice, sliced garlic, cucumber, and chili paste) and the Spicy DdukBboKki (chewy rice sticks in a tasty hot sauce). Between bites, enjoy delightful Banchan, whi ch are little nibbles like kimchee and spicy Korean radish made to refresh your palette. In the evening, the menu expands to offer more tasty street eats that pair well with a refreshing K-Pop Cocktail or a light Korean beer. 8115-104 St., 780-989-0997. facebook.com/NongBuKorean —M.S. 3 In ND The overall winner for 2015, this brand new rustic space is the brainchild of Chef Paul Shufelt who was formerly the man behind the menus at Century Hospitality Group. While Shufelt admits that starting his own restaurant has been a lot of work, he is excited about the freedom it is giving him to put his talent behind a menu that is all his own. “The idea [with the menu] is to really focus on the seasons… there’s a time of year for certain ingredients. You shouldn’t be eating corn on the cob in February or strawberries in March.” The menu will change every few months, and new features each day highlight fresh ingredients sourced locally. Garden beds located just outside the restaurant are planted in the summer to make up parts of various dishes, and all jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, ketchup, and dressings are made in house, from scratch. And, in the summer, bees located on the roof of the building provide fresh honey! If you can book ahead of time, the best seat in the house is, without a doubt, at the chef’s table where you can watch as the kitchen goes off-menu, creating culinary masterpieces using whatever is in the fridge or the pantry at the time. 2003-91 St. SW, 780-705-2205. theworkshopeatery.com —L.S. ALBERTA HOTEL BAR + KITCHEN In November, the iconic Alberta Hotel welcomed new tenants Chef Spencer Thompson of Toast Fine Catering (which serves tasty eats at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market) and General Manager Brandon Baker, formerly of Three Boars Eatery. The pair has maintained the historic décor, while reviving this Edmonton institution with fine yet simple Alberta dishes with a farm-to-fork concept. Baker has crafted some divine cocktails for the menu, including The Absent Sun, which is a bright and fragrant mix of vodka, chartreuse, and grapefruit bitters. In this elegant space, you can dine on the stunning Pembina Pork Cheeks served over a decadent buttermilk polenta, with tomato jam, wild mushrooms, arugula, and pecorino. Finish your meal with the delightful Cheesecake served on an almond sponge with a tart red currant jelly and lemon curd. 9802 Jasper Ave., 780-760-0062. albertahotelbarkitchen.com —M.S. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 // where.ca 13

Where Edmonton Magazine January/February 2016 | Page 13