Taste of Edmonton 2022: Can I eat 20 Things?

It's time for Taste of Edmonton once again and I was thrilled to get myself over to Sir Winston Churchill Square to eat as many delicious-sounding items as possible! This is one of my very favourite Edmonton festivals - but of course it is. It's all about FOOD! This year ToE had 47 restaurants/food trucks participating, with each vendor offering 3 dishes each. As usual, lots of my old favourites were in attendance but there were also quite a few new things to try. I love doing a little of both, tasting new and old dishes. I was especially impressed this year by ToE's new website because it is incredibly easy to use and full of the information that you need. They even have photos up of each and every food item available which makes devising your food plan of attack super easy! Each dish also indicates whether it's vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, gluten friendly, dairy free, seafood, or contains nuts. They did a great job with this. On this year's visit I challenged myself to eat 20 different dishes. Could I do it?!

Here is how I ranked what I ate: 20. Bacon Cheeseburger Cup from Gia's Deli and Catering (4 tickets)

I really liked the idea behind this one but found that the execution left a bit to be desired. If this dish was tweaked and improved it could be really good.

19. Pulled Pork Steamed Bun from Hoang Long (2 tickets)

The value is great with this item but in terms of a steamed bun, it is far from the best. The bun itself just wasn't the warm, steamy, fluffy bao that you want. The filling was OK but I wanted more. 18. Mini Cookie Dough Shot from Cinnaholic (2 tickets)

I liked this little guy a lot. Nothin' wrong with some cookie dough with a little whippie on top. 17. Dry Spicy Fries from The Lingnan (3 tickets)

The Lingnan is a standard at ToE but this dish is new. Dry spicy-ing some fries sounded like a great idea to me! Not as good as the chicken but I thought that the spin was great. 16. Tostada de Birria from Pi Kanté (3 tickets)

This was one of my top items last year, however, I was slightly less impressed this year. The flavours didn't seem to hit as hard. I did still like the crispy tortilla. 15. Crab & Cream Cheese Wonton from Panda Hut Express (2 tickets)

I get these every year because they're always good and always easy to eat. 14. Whipped Feta & Roasted Tomato Dip from Black Sheep Eatery (3 tickets)

Very good! They managed to create a fresh dish that felt new. I liked the juicy tomatoes and the creamy cheese with balsamic tasted great. 13. Face Off Fried Pickles from The Canadian Brewhouse (3 tickets)

Another one that I get every year and I'm always happy with it. The dill in the batter is exactly right. 12. Maple Buffalo Chicken and Waffles from North Fork Event Catering (4 tickets)

The execution of this dish was quite good! I thought that the stick of waffle and similarly-sized piece of fried chicken was a really great way to serve this. You have me with anything "buffalo." 11. Mac & Cheese in a Waffle Cup from Smac & Cheese (4 tickets)

A great idea and tons of fun. I think it was a bit better last year (cheesier and creamier) but the portion size is good. Cramming a bunch of mac & cheese into a cone is a solid choice. 10. Croissant Taiyaki from Flurrries (3 tickets)

Loved this! I chose the nutella flavour and the filling was like molten lava. But the pastry was golden, flaky, and delicious. 9. Seared Ahi Tuna Wrap from Coast Lunch Box (4 tickets)

I liked this last year and enjoyed it again this year. Nice and fresh with lots of great flavour. The tuna is really good and the wrap works well overall. 8. Takoyaki from Tokyo Noodle Shop (2 tickets)

Not all that different from the ones that I ate on the streets of Osaka, I thought that this was a great representation of this dish. Loved the bonito on top. 7. Buffalo Mushroom Caps from The Banquet Drinkery (2 tickets)

These were fun, easy to eat, and tasted great with the ranch dipping sauce. Once again, you had me at "buffalo." 6. Dry Spicy Chicken from The Lingnan (4 tickets)

One of the city's favourite dishes and a must at ToE. Known as "crack chicken," this stuff is addictively salty, spicy, and crispy. You won't be angry at it. 5. Butter Chicken with Rice from Khazana (4 tickets)

The best butter chicken in Edmonton and a favourite at ToE. I love the heaping serving and distinctive smoky tandoori flavour. Always a winner. 4. Braised Beef Yorkies from The Canadian Brew House Truck (4 tickets)

These surprised me! Really delicious and stuffed with tender meat. Tasted great dipped into the horseradish sauce. Glad that I tried these. 3. Brisket Cheese Bread Sandwich from Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse (4 tickets)

I love this sandwich because the full-size version (at the restaurant) is one of the best things to eat in town. The cheese bread is incredible and the brisket is delicious. 2. Ahi Tuna Crunch from ICE HOUSE (4 tickets)

This one came out of nowhere and I loved it. Loved the crispy taco-like shell, loved the diced tuna, and loved the avocado. They pulled this off really well! 1. K-Popcorn Chicken from BF Korean Chicken & More (4 tickets)

My #1 pick for 2022!!! They have two flavours and I chose the sweet chili. The chicken pieces were SO juicy and tender, while the fried golden batter on the outside was a crispy perfection. The portion size was great. Top marks! And yes. I CAN eat 20 things.