Dishcrawl rolls into Whyte Avenue area
Foodies hit four restaurants on foot, enjoy a dish or two at each stop
EDMONTON / It’s a good thing there was a brisk walk between restaurants during Edmonton’s inaugural Dishcrawl. Otherwise, it might be better known as Dishroll. There was a lot of food. The new food-tour concept, freshly arrived in Edmonton from its birthplace in San Francisco, saw three dozen local foodies led on a mystery expedition by local Dishcrawl organizer Teresa Lin. For $40 (prepaid), diners enjoyed four meal samples from four restaurants — in this first outing, all were located near Whyte Avenue.
The experience, which lasted about four hours, was a practical and delicious response to that common foodie lament, often heard while driving past a tempting eatery: “We should really try that place sometime … ”
Dishcrawls can be found in North American communities from Portland to Toronto.
Local organizers are called ambassadors, and it is their job to line up the restaurants and pull the dinner guests together. They are paid a percentage of the net proceeds for their efforts.
It’s a part-time job for Lin, a foodand-nutrition student at the University of Alberta and an ardent foodie. Participants sign up for a tour of a given area (124th Street is next up in Edmonton), but they don’t know the specific restaurants when they pay their $40.
A couple of days beforehand, everyone learns where the first stop will be, so they can gather there to begin their culinary adventure. Thereafter, Lin announces the next restaurant just as diners are wiping their lips from the last.
Last week, Dishcrawl started at Sazby (10416 82nd Ave., 780-7581005), a Persian spot run by Hossein Sabetghadam and his family. There, Dishcrawl diners enjoyed four nibblies — hummus, tabbouleh quinoa salad, a mini-marinated chicken kebab and a mixture of saffron rice, flaked pistachio and almonds.
“It’s publicity,” Sabetghadam said of his motivation for taking part in Dishcrawl, which paid him $4 for each of the diners who came through the door.
“It’s bringing people in so they come back for a full meal.”
While restaurants may not make much money on the event itself, Wednesday’s experience was positive for the diners I spoke with, all of whom said they would recommend it to others, and certainly return to the restaurants.
Dishcrawl could be a great way to meet other people who are interested in the food scene.
Most people on the tour were twenty- or thirtysomethings, though it would appeal to anyone with an appetite and two good legs.
After Sazby, we trooped down to The King and I (8208 107th St., 780-433-2222) for poppy shrimp, banana leaf-chicken and spring rolls with coconut rice.
Next up was Meze by Koutouki, a new Greek restaurant specializing in small plates (11162 82nd Ave., 780-756-7303). Here, management provided an unbelievable amount of food — seven freshly prepared appetizers, from spanakopita to saganaki.
The last restaurant, Accent European Lounge (8223 104th St., 780431-0179), served a bocconcini salad and beer-soaked oysters and provided dessert for the evening — a chocolate avalanche cake.
For more details, and to keep track of upcoming Dishcrawl tours, go to dishcrawl.com.
The next one, on Feb. 28, is already sold out, but Lin hopes to run one every month or so.
Chef Cindy Lazarenko, owner of Highlands Kitchen, has sold her operation to Cellar Door Catering, run by Darren Zwicker and Maria Chau. Lazarenko says she’s been worn out running the restaurant with a young family, and is plagued by carpel tunnel syndrome, a very common among chefs).
Zwicker says they are planning some minor changes to the restaurant’s entrees, but will be keeping staples such as borscht and bison shortribs. He promises to bring brunch back to Highlands Kitchen sometime in February, with a revamped menu starting at 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Highlands Kitchen is at 6509-112th Ave., 780477-2422.
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria has opened a sixth location in West Edmonton Mall, right next to the Cactus Club (780-487-0046). lfaulder@ edmontonjournal. com Bookmark my blog at edmontonjournal. com/ eatmywords or follow me at
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