Taste of Edmonton 2021: My Glorious Return!

Taste of Edmonton is back and so am I! After eight years away, I am trilled to be back in Edmonton and back to enjoying one of my very favourite festivals. ToE has also returned to Sir Winston Churchill Square, which I think is great because it feels like it belongs there. The event was spread out over the largest amount of space that I've ever seen for this festival and really helped to make things feel a lot less crowded. I also appreciated that plenty of seating was available. There were 52 restaurants/food trucks participating, each vendor offering 2-3 dishes each. I was happy to see that a lot of my old favourites were still in attendance and that there were also lots of new things to try. The best part of ToE is still the mixture of trying something new as well as enjoying some old standbys. On this year's visit I ate 14 different dishes.

Here is how I ranked what I ate: 14. Bacon Bomb from Smokehouse BBQ (4 tickets)

Kinda interesting, it's like a meatloaf wrapped in bacon. The value didn't seem all that great though. But the flavours were good. 13. Fish & Chips from Sir Winston's Fish & Chips (4 tickets)

Decently crispy and good, but definitely wasn't the best fish & chips ever. I liked the fries quite a lot but wanted more from the fish.

12. Traditional Fried Bannock from Native Delights (3 tickets)

I LOVED seeing the opportunity to try Indigenous food at the fest and I love bannock. This one was great with a nice chew to it. Served with strawberry jam. 11. Crab & Cream Cheese Wonton from Panda Hut Express (2 tickets)

An annual favourite, these things have stood the test of time. Very easy to eat. 10. Face Off Fried Pickles from The Canadian Brewhouse (2 tickets)

I get these every time and I still really enjoy the dill that they put into the batter. The tzatiki on the side is always good too. 9. Tuna Poke from Canadian Icehouse (3 tickets)

Not the best poke I've ever had but a pretty decent effort. The tuna was nice and I liked the vegetables. The addition of togarashi, nori and sesame was great. 8. Butter Chicken with Rice from Khazana (4 tickets)

Known for being the best butter chicken in town, you can't pass this one up. I love the smoky flavour that sets this dish apart. The butter chicken to rice ratio remains very good. 7. Seared Ahi Tuna Wrap from Coast Lunch Box (4 tickets)

I liked this because it tasted fresh and the ahi tuna seemed to be of good quality. The creamy aioli was a great addition. 6. Jamaican Jerk Chicken from Irie Foods (3 tickets)

These guys make the best jerk chicken in town for sure. The chicken was tender, juicy, saucy and spicy. The rice and peas were good too. 5. Dry Spicy Chicken from The Lingnan (4 tickets)

One of the most renowned and favoured dishes in this city - whether you get it at their restaurant or downtown for lunch. This truly is "crack chicken." So salty and crispy and spicy... And always consistent. The portion size was excellent as well.

4. Mac & Cheese in a Waffle Cup from Smac & Cheese (4 tickets)

Super fun! The mac & cheese was super cheesy and good. But having it packed into a cone made it really fun and different. Good portion size too. 3. Birria Tostada from Pi Kante (3 tickets)

Very good!! I loved the crispy tortilla, big flavours, and savoury meat. Delicious and exciting! 2. Brisket Cheesebread Sandwich from A Bite of Brazil (4 tickets)

This is one of the best sandwiches in town, for sure. The cheesebread is to die for and the brisket is amazing. Go to the restaurant and get the full size. Go now. 1. Korean Spiced Pork, Crazy Slaw, Gochujang Aioli from Fairmont Hotel MacDonald (3 tickets)

My #1 pick!!! I loved the big exciting flavours! The pork was heaping and delicious, it was spicy and saucy, and I liked the bun. Plus the value was great. SO GOOD!!