Ah, the Highlevel Diner (10912 88 Avenue). There is a reason it’s one of the most popular restaurants in Garneau, if not the entire city.
The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. It feels like home, when you’re at the Highlevel Diner. The serving staff are always friendly, and seem to instinctively know when you need a coffee refill, and when you need to be left alone to chat with the people you’re dining with.
The last time I was at the Highlevel Diner, I was on a date and, like always, our server knew exactly when to offer refills on our coffee and tea, and when to stay back and let us get to know one another.
But, enough about the service. As important as it is, if the food is no good, quality of service becomes irrelevant.
I admit that I’ve only eaten at the Highlevel Diner a handful of times. But, I’ve had something different to eat each of those times.
The first thing I ever ate at the Highlevel was the veggie burger. Though I’m not a vegetarian, I enjoy a lot of vegetarian food, and I’ve found that veggie burgers are sometimes tastier than their fleshy equivalents.
Unfortunately, the above statement cannot be made of the veggie burgers at the Highlevel Diner.
The burger was dry, falling apart, and the texture was not even close to the texture of a real meat patty.
The patty is full of oatmeal and alfalfa sprouts. This, in itself is not a bad thing. However, they aren’t ground up and formed into a patty as much as they’re just thrown together losely, without much of a binding agent. This, in my opinion, is not a good burger.
Now, despite the disappointing texture, the Highlevel Diner veggie burger is actually doesn’t taste too bad. However, even when I go for vegetarian food, I’m something of a crypto-carnivore, and I want most of my meat replacements to have the same (or at least similar) taste and texture as the meat that they’re imitating.
Other items that I’ve eaten at the Highlevel Diner include the chili (which, I think, is available as a vegetarian dish), the Mediterranean appetizer plate, and the nachoes. All of these dishes were excellent.
I’ve also eaten a couple of desserts at the Highlevel Diner: brownies and cinnamon buns. Again, these were excellent.
Specific pricing information, unfortunately, has escaped from my brain the time of writing this article, but I can say that the prices at the Highlevel Diner are very reasonable. Most of the items on the menu are $15 or less, which is becoming harder and harder to find in Alberta’s booming economy.
So, if you’re looking for a laidback, home-style diner, check out the Highlevel Diner. It certainly fits the bill.
For more restaurant reviews and information, check out my Edmonton Restaurant Guide.
It’s the end of the year, and that means that it’s typically time for “Best of” lists.
Now, River City Writer hasn’t been around for a full year, yet, so it would be a bit silly to do a “Best Posts of 2007″ type post.
I could do something about the best festivals, or the best concerts, or anything like that. But, I’m not going to.
What I want to do, instead, is to ask you what you think were the best things to happen in Edmonton in 2007. What were the best plays you saw? The best concerts you attended? The best festivals?
Give your 5 “Best of Edmonton” items from any category you can think of. I’ll compile everything into a post in the near future, and credit everyone who contributed.
So, what do you think was the “Best of Edmonton” in 2007?
Update: I have found out where you can buy beer from Amber’s Brewery. I have edited this entry accordingly.
Edmonton is a beer drinking city. For evidence of this, one need look no further than, well, pretty much any restaurant in town.
Nearly every self-respecting restaurateur has a couple of brews on tap. The average bar, of course, has a wide variety on tap or in the cooler.
The range of beer that can be found in Edmonton drinking establishments is quite impressive. As well as the standard domestics—Molson Canadian, Kokanee, and Coors Light—you’ll usually find a number of imported suds. Heineken, Carlsburg, and Guinness are among the most common imports found in River City.
You’ll also find Big Rock beers, brewed in Calgary, in a number of fine establishments. Big Rock makes damn fine beer—I’m quite fond of their new XO Lager—and the fact that it’s brewed in Alberta makes it that much sweeter.
However, it’s not brewed in Edmonton.
Thankfully, Edmonton does have a beer brewing industry. It’s small, and there have been some unfortunate setbacks (the Maverick Brewing Company went under in 2006), but it’s starting to grow.
The main player (and, for a while, the only player) in the Edmonton beer industry is the Alley Kat Brewing Company.
I’m a huge fan of Alley Kat Beer. If you’re a beer drinker, and you haven’t tried any of Alley Kat’s microbrews, you’re missing out.
My personal favourite is Charlie Flint’s Original Lager, named after one of the founder’s of the Alberta brewing industry. It a crisp, refreshing blond lager made from Alberta barley and Czech hops.
The Amber is an excellent, slightly sweet ale, that I’m also quite fond of. It’s a reddish-brown ale with a fairly malty flavour. It’s best enjoyed with rich foods, but I find that it goes down quite well on it’s own, too.
The newest player in the Edmonton brewing industry is Amber’s Brewing Company, which is currently available at Sherbrooke Liquor Store (11819 St. Albert Trail). I haven’t tried their beer yet, but I’ve heard some good things about it. I’ll probably pick up a 6-pack of at least one of the 4 brews they make and try it over the holidays.
The one unfortunate thing about Edmonton’s two breweries is that their beer is not being served in a particularly large number of establishments in the city. In fact, I can think of only one place that serves either brand.
Hulbert’s is the only local eatery I can think of where Alley Kat is available.
In a beer drinking city like Edmonton, why aren’t our locally brewed beers being served everywhere? Excepting those places who have exclusive deals with Molson-Labatt’s, Edmonton-brewed beers should be available in just about every licensed place in River City.
It’s a shame that our local drinking holes don’t support our local beer. There is a way to fix this, though.
The next time you’re in your favourite bar or restaurant, ask the server if they serve Alley Kat or Amber’s. If they don’t, ask them to start. If enough people ask for it, the management will recognize the demand, and start providing the supply.
So, take action, Edmonton! Demand local beer in local establishments today!
I was originally going to write about Edmonton-based breweries but, in the spirit of the season, I’m going to write about Santas Anonymous.
To me, Santas Anonymous is a great charity. Basically, people donate toys to them, and then they distribute the toys to needy children around Edmonton. What could be better than bringing a smile to the face of a child on Christmas morning?
Yes, there are needy children all around the world, and we need to help them. But, we also need to address the problems in our own backyard.
There is poverty in Edmonton. Ironically, in these boom times, it’s worse than it’s been in a long time. Giving a toy to a kid on Christmas is just one way of helping.
If you’re going to donate a toy, you’ve got to do it now. Volunteers will begin delivering the gifts this weekend, so today is pretty much the last day to donate toys.
Like most years, what is needed most are toys for kids 9-12.
People tend to forget about kids in the older age ranges, for some reason. Maybe the idea of a 5-year-old going without a toy is more heartbreaking than a 12-year-old?
Whatever the case, they need toys and books for older kids. Go buy a G.I. Joe, or a Ninja Turtle, or whatever it is that the kids are playing with these days, and drop it in one of the donation boxes.
If you’re unable to spend the money, you can also give the gift of time. Santas Anonymous needs volunteers to help wrap and deliver gifts: effective immediately. If you’ve got time that you can give, it’s needed just as much as the actual toys.
Maybe it’s just the time of year, but I really do think this is one of the best local charity’s that there is.
My parents struggled financially when I was younger, but they always managed to put toys under the tree.
We were the kind of poor where the kids don’t know that they’re poor. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky.
I never had to go without gifts on Christmas morning, but a lot of kids do, and it’s up to the more prosperous in our society to look after those in need.
Again, you might not be able to afford to buy a toy. But, if you’ve got some spare time, you can help wrap and deliver gifts. And, let’s be honest, we all give to charity because it makes us feel good.
What would make you feel better, putting a toy in a box at the mall, or physically handing it to a needy family?
I have a question for all of my Edmonton-based readers today: Where are all the pubs with dartboards in Edmonton?
I’m looking for a place that I go with some friends, toss a few darts, and drink a few pints. I have not been able to find such a place.
Fear of injuries and litigation are probably responsible for the demise of the beer parlour dartboard. But, surely, there are still drinking establishments where one can throw sharp objects while intoxicated.
I asked this question on the River City Writers Facebook group, but so far, no one has responded, so I thought I’d ask my blog readers.
So, once again, what are some Edmonton pubs that have dartboards?
Update #1: I put this question out to my contacts on Twitter, and received a couple of answers from Thuraya:
@ink_slinger also there is Avenue Pizza by the U that has 3 or four but the place itself is kinda scuzzy about 1 hour ago from web in reply to ink_slinger 
@ink_slinger there is the Black Dog on Whyte, they have two in the back. the Elephant and Castle in Edmonton Center (by the theater) has 2 about 1 hour ago from web in reply to ink_slinger
Update #2: Another response from someone on Twitter. This time, it comes from bruceclarke:
@ink_slinger At one time I thought the Billiard Club had some but it has been some time since I’ve been there. The place downstairs did too. about 16 hours ago from web in reply to ink_slinger
I recently created a tumblelog at Tumblr.com. For the uninitiated, a tumblelog is essentially a place to dump links, videos, and the occasional quick blog post. It’s not quite blogging, but it’s not quite microblogging, either. For lack of a better description, it’s somewhere between WordPress and Twitter.
I mention this because, while my tumblelog isn’t specifically about Edmonton, and isn’t going to be directly connected to River City Writer, it’s very likely that I’ll be posting a lot of links that do relate to Edmonton in some way.
If I see an interesting story in the Journal, for example, but haven’t formed a strong enough opinion to write a complete blog post here, I’ll probably toss the link onto the tumblelog.
As I said, the tumblelog won’t be directly connected to River City Writer, and will not be focused solely on Edmonton, but there will likely be some supplementary reading that you may find interesting.
Subscribe if you’re interested. If not, feel free to ignore this post.
Just a brief round-up of some things that have happened, or will be happening soon, in the Edmonton literary scene.
- Raving Poets & CBC announce winner of the Raving Poets/CBC Face-off Contest: Wednesday night was the final night of the competition for a spot in CBC’s Edmonton Poetry Face-off. The winner does not win the Edmonton Poetry Face-off, but is guaranteed a spot in the competition. All of the competitors gave truly incredible performances, and I’m sure the judges had a tough time coming to a decision. Ultimately, Laurie MacFayden won the spot in the Face-off, so congratulations to Laurie.
- Mark Kozub launches The Uptown Browns: Edmonton literary icon and Raving Poets bassist, Mark Kozub, launched his new novel—The Uptown Browns—on Thursday night at Greenwoods’ Bookshoppe. Based on Mark’s reading at the launch, and the few short chapters I’ve read so far, it’s a damn fine novel. Having been privy to a good amount of Mark’s poetry, this doesn’t surprise me in the least.
- Anton Capri launches 2 physics books: Physicist and poet Anton (Tony) Z Capri will be launching 2 new books on Monday, December 10, 2007. Tony tells me that the books contain various anecdotes about famous physicists, as well as explanations—in layman’s terms—of what these men and women accomplished in their careers. As someone who is fascinated by all things scientific, but who often has trouble understanding higher level concepts, the notion behind these 2 books really appeals to me. The books—Quips, Quotes and Quanta: An Anecdotal History of Physics, and From Quanta to Quarks: More Anecdotal History of Physics—will be launched at the Stanley A Milner Library (7 Sir Winston Churchill Square) in the Centennial Room (downstairs) at 6:00pm on December 10.
- Raving Poets & Writers Guild of Alberta join forces for holiday poetry jam: The Raving Poets and the Writers Guild of Alberta are teaming up to throw a bit of a holiday party for the Edmonton literary community on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. The party will take place at Kasbar Lounge (10444 Whyte Avenue, downstairs), with readings from members of both the Writers Guild, and the Raving Poets (as much as one can be a “member” of the amorphous group that is the Raving Poets). The Writers Guild will be generously providing food from Yianni’s Taverna (upstairs from Kasbar) and, as usual, our good friend Travis will be pouring drinks.
In an effort to provide more value to the readers of River City Writer, I have decided to create an Edmonton Nightlife Guide, similar to the Edmonton Restaurant Guide.
As with that guide, I am asking for reader submissions. Tell me about your favourite clubs, bars, and pubs. If you’re feeling especially motivated, you could even write a full review (you will, of course, be credited for your work).
Bars/Pubs/Lounges
Black Dog Freehouse (10425 Whyte Avenue) - Canadian-style pub, with an unpretentious atmosphere. Everyone is welcome at the Black Dog. Dartboards in the back.
Sherlock Holmes (Downtown - Rice Howard Way; West Edmonton Mall - Bourbon Street; Capilano Mall - North Entrance) - English-style pub. Capilano Mall location has dartboards.
Elephant & Castle (Downtown - City Centre Mall; Southside - 10314 Whyte Avenue) - English-style pub. Downtown location has dartboards.
Kasbar Lounge (10444 Whyte Avenue, downstairs) - Mediterranean-themed cocktail lounge.
Nightclubs
Halo (10538 Jasper Avenue) - House music dance lounge; Mod Club on Friday nights. Read a full review of Halo.
New City Compound (10081 Jasper Avenue) - Liwkid Lounge upstairs, Suburbs downstairs; punk/goth/alternative lifestyle club. Read a full review of the New City Compound.
It was my birthday last Friday, and in addition to visiting Padmanadi (one of my new favourite restaurants), my friends and I went to Halo.
Halo is a nightclub in downtown Edmonton (10538 Jasper Avenue). From what I’ve been told, they play house music 6 nights of the week. I’ve never been on any day other than Friday, so I don’t know for sure.
On Friday nights, however, Halo becomes The Mod Club. This means that the music ranges from 60s soul and R&B to Brit Pop to New Wave to Punk to Mod(ern) Indie Rock. Basically, the DJs play anything that would have been played in a club during the height of the original mod movement, with a modern twist.
For years, Halo was my favourite place to be on a Friday night. The music was great, the people were cool, and the vibe was fun and friendly.
Maybe it’s because I’m a little bit older now, or maybe it’s just because I’m not as interested in that particular scene as I once was, but I didn’t find myself enjoying Halo or the Mod Club as much as I used to.
Don’t get me wrong, I still had a blast, and you’ll still find me kicking it old school on the occasional Friday night, but it’s just not my regular scene anymore.
The music is still great. That much, I will not deny.
The vibe in the club is great, too. The faux wood paneling and the forest wallpaper give the place a 70s rumpus room feel, which totally fits the Mod Club scene.
The people, though, are not quite the same.
The crowd who was at Halo during my days as a regular seems to have mostly moved on. I saw a few familiar faces on Friday, but not many.
At 24, I was probably one of the oldest people in the entire club. The vast majority of the kids on the dance floor were 18 and 19.
It was clear, by the awkwardness that was being expressed in their body language, that most of these kids were experiencing Edmonton’s nightlife for the first time.
I avoided the dance floor.
Halo used to be one of the few places were I’d let lose and actually dance like no one was watching. Now, it felt too awkward.
Even in a bar, where people are expected to get much closer and more intimate with one another than they would in most other settings, there are certain rules about personal space.
Those rules were frequently violated on Friday night.
Admittedly, Halo is a very small club. But, I’ve been there on nights that were much busier—when people have been squeezed together like sardines—and felt less violated than I did on Friday night.
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about the way the kids on the dance floor moved was, well, awkward and uncomfortable. If I had to guess, I’d say that most of them were not comfortable in their own bodies, and their movements were incredibly awkward as a result.
Despite the general awkwardness of the patrons, Halo is still one of my favourite clubs in the city. It’s a little bit different than the typical Top 40 club—the music, the people, and the overall vibe are much nicer—and it’s still unknown enough that there’s rarely a long line to get in.
But, it’s definitely become a place for a younger crowd (probably, it always was; I was only 21 during the height of my Halo years, so I might just feel older than I did then). If you’re over 21, you’ll probably feel a bit out of place among the barely legal youths prancing awkwardly around the dance floor.
If you can get over any sense of awkwardness—have a couple of drinks, you’ll feel fine—you’ll be in for a night of great music and one of the coolest atmospheres in Edmonton’s nightclub scene.
For more nightlife reviews and information, check out my Edmonton Nightlife Guide.
It was my birthday on Friday, and a friend gave me a book called the Edmonton Book of Everything. It’s meant to be a compendium of all things Edmonton. I haven’t given it a close look yet, but I’ve flipped through it, and it does seem to be as all-encompassing as a 192-page book can be.
I’ll definitely be checking out some of the restaurants mentioned in the book (including the Motoraunt—the restaurant housed inside of a modified double-decker bus—which I’ve been meaning to visit for quite some time), as well as many of the other interesting Edmonton locales mentioned.
I do, however, have a couple of issues with the book. The first is the authors’ claim that Edmonton’s “City of Champions” moniker has to do with the (former) glory of the city’s professional sports teams.
This is not true.
In fact, the “City of Champions” name was coined by former mayor Laurence Decore after Black Friday. It has nothing to do with River City’s sports teams. It is meant to refer to the fact that Edmonton, after coming together as a community in response to the tornado, was a city of champions (i.e., all Edmontonians are champions).
The book also claims that the city’s slogan is no longer “City of Champions,” and that is it now “City of Festivals.” To the best of my knowledge, this is also inaccurate. There was discussion about changing the city’s slogan recently, but I was under the impression that, ultimately, the slogan wasn’t changed.
I may be wrong on that point, however, so please correct me if my information is incorrect.
Other than those 2 small quibbles, the book seems like a pretty cool guide to Edmonton, and I’ll probably be citing it on River City Writer in the future. If you see the Edmonton Book of Everything in the bookstore, check it out.