Restaurant Review: Pei Pei Chei Ow

PEI PEI CHEI OW ~ ᐱᐦᐱᐦᒋᐤ 11051 97th Street | peipeicheiow.com Instagram: @pei_pei_chei_ow | Twitter: @PeiPeiCheiOw Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew

All I can say is: IT'S ABOUT TIME. As someone who loves to experience different cultures through food, I am thrilled to finally begin to see Indigenous cuisine on the Edmonton / Amiskwaciwâskahikan / ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ culinary tapestry. I am a firm believer that tasting a culture's food builds some of the strongest bridges and I only hope to see more of this coming out of our vibrant Indigenous community. Pei Pei Chei Ow (pronounced "pe-pe-s-chew") is an incredible place to start. They're serving post-colonial Indigenous food - but not only that. It's an immersive experience as you dine inside of the Whiskeyjack Art House located in McCauley, surrounded by beautiful Indigenous-made works of art.

Nominated as one of Canada's Best New Restaurants 2022 in enRoute magazine and named Best Lunch Restaurant 2023 in EDify Magazine, I couldn't possibly wait to try this restaurant for myself. I wasn't sure what to expect but was so completely open to anything and everything. Entering the small foyer area, you will find a counter at which to place your food order as well as a small "store" area selling a variety of locally-made Indigenous goods. I jumped in immediately and began to peruse the multiple chalkboard menus and chatted with the friendly and helpful staff member. The restaurant closes quite early each day (they're open until 6pm) which is why they're largely considered a great spot for lunch. I visited for an early dinner on a Saturday and ran the risk of some of the items being sold out already. Unfortunately, two of the menu items were sold out by the time that I arrived but thankfully neither were ones that I had been intending to order. However, the lesson here is that for the best selection, visiting for lunch probably is advisable. We placed our order and selected a place to sit. Seating is extremely minimal. In the front area there is a two-top and some counter seating with about three stools. But if you venture just a little bit further into the gallery you will be met with the best seat in the house. A lone table for four in the larger gallery space, surrounded by fine Indigenous art. The result is a truly special dining experience, combining cuisine with beautiful visuals. It would have been nice to include some Indigenous music to really complete the sensory story. I loved the added touch of a vase of sage leaves on the table. This felt like a true hidden gem immersive experience and I was honoured to be a part of it. With Scott Jonathan Iserhoff at the helm, Pei Pei Chei Ow focuses on flavourful contemporary Indigenous cuisine based on local sustainably harvested ingredients and inspired by traditional recipes with a modern twist. Inspired by the land, life, and seasons that surround us, the menu explores and highlights Indigenous food in today’s society. Starting with beverages you will discover a cimarronez coffee and a sweetgrass iced coffee on the menu - and they also have a beverage loyalty card which would be very handy for grabbing coffees on the go. I was most interested in the Mee-Ni-Sha-Piy ($6.00).

Saskatoon berry soda.

Indigenous to Alberta, Saskatoon berries are a huge pride of the prairies. Sipping the delicate and effervescent beverage I couldn't help but notice that it reminded me of shrub - a drink made with a drinking vinegar syrup, Turns out, I wasn't far off. Mee-Ni-Sha-Piy is made with muddled berries, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. This mixture is then combined with soda to create a lovely and unique beverage that is clean and refreshing. A must for the summer! I was excited to order the Three Sisters salad which is made with corn, squash, and beans. When planted side by side, these three crops help each other during growth, resulting in better yields at harvest. I loved the idea of presenting this concept in the form of a salad. Unfortunately, our server came back to our table to report that the salad was no longer up to the correct quality and that they would have to serve us something else. They then went above and beyond to correct this situation. Not only were we served the Spring Salad ($15.00) instead, but we were also given complimentary Arancini ($12.00) and three Tarts ($4.00 each). This was totally unnecessary but completely wonderful!

What seemed like a simple spring salad revealed itself to be so much more. This dish was the biggest surprise of the meal for me because I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Beautifully fresh greens were accented by verdant leaves of mint. Puffed wild rice created a crunchy, textural dream. Slices of fresh apple brought a sweet acidity. Incredibly balanced, this salad was a delight. The one Indigenous food that most people have tried is Bannock ($2.00 per piece) and so of course I needed to taste the Pei Pei Chei Ow version.

Bannock is a simple pan-fried Indigenous bread that is somewhat dense in texture and usually has a really delicious and caramelized crust. Add a pinch of salt and you're in for a heavenly treat! Of course the bannock that was served to us was perfection and we happily enjoyed it throughout the meal. The arancini that we received seemed strange to me at first, given that arancini is an Italian dish. However, once I bit into this expertly-made version it all made sense. Beautifully crispy on the outside with tender risotto rice and wild mushrooms on the inside. Fusion at its finest, I loved seeing the way that they've taken an Italian recipe and transformed it into something decidedly Indigenous. The star of the whole meal was easily the sandwich that everyone talks about. The Berry BBQ Brisket Sandwich ($16.00)! Take one bite and you'll know why this is the number one item to order.

Between fresh crusty bread you'll be met with a tender, savoury-sweet flavour explosion. Shredded braised brisket is combined with a housemade berry BBQ sauce and topped off with caramelized onions. This sandwich is messy in the best way and I loved coming across whole berries in some of my bites. If I had to add one thing I might try to get something crunchy into the mix for some added texture. Otherwise, this is quite easily one of the best sandwiches in the city and it embodies everything about what modern Indigenous cuisine can be - it's today's food and it's comfort food. We completed our meal with the Saskatoon berry tarts that we had been given and I was delighted right away by the sweet and unexpected almond flavour in the pastry. Likewise, Saskatoon berries are known for their sweet, nutty almond flavour and the pastry dough was the perfect match. Not too sweet, the berry filling tasted real. For a baked item, I was impressed at the freshness and the homemade feeling to this tart.

Pei Pei Chei Ow took me somewhere and showed me something. I really hope that this is only the beginning of the Indigenous culinary scene in Edmonton and that we only continue to gain more. They will definitely see me back for their amazing-sounding breakfast sandwich with duck eggs and mortadella. "Walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food. It's a plus for everybody." - Anthony Bourdain. ᒦᑴᒡ Author's Note: Since writing this review I have learned that Indigenous cuisine, people, and culture is always "contemporary" because we are living today. Hence, the cuisine is just "Indigenous food." Language matters.