The Inaugural #yegCupcakeChallenge...Crave!

In our endeavor to bring the best eats in Edmonton to our readers, we've tasked ourselves with the challenge of finding the best cupcake bakery in the city. With the help of readers and friends, we've narrowed our challengers down to these seven selections:

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes
Fuss Cupcakes
Once Upon A Cupcake
Flirt Cupcakes
Hey Cupcake
Big City Cupcakes
Whimsical Cake Studio

(If there's a bakery you love that we left off the list, let us know in the comments!)

To keep it fair, we will both order a cupcake at each location, and rate it out of five in three areas: taste, presentation, and the all important icing-to-cake ratio. The bakery with the highest overall score will be declared the champion and become our go-to location for delicious cupcakes*!

Don't Be Square!

We here at Meat VS Veg are always looking to try new places, and one of the newest on the local food scene is Square One in Sherwood Park. Following the trend of locally-sourced food, they call themselves "meticulously casual", although we agreed that term is rather vague and perhaps slightly pretentious! They offer a varied food menu, a large selection of unique drinks, and even a brunch where each dish is named after the country that inspired it. Keep reading to find out how our first experience was at Square One!

Burgers at The Burg

Sometimes you just need a good burger. In order to satisfy this craving, we decided to check out a somewhat new burger joint in downtown Edmonton: The Burg. Located on the refreshed and modern 104 St Promenade, The Burg- Burger and Bar is establishing itself as a "beautiful, casual & social setting" serving up great burgers, fries, and drinks. Read on to find out if we agree!

Warm up with Curry Corner

On a freezing Edmonton day in late December, we headed to a little hidden spot on the south side for some tasty Indian food with our first Meat VS Veg special guest, Becky. Curry Corner, located in Riverbend Square, is a small but cozy restaurant serving up authentic East Indian cuisine in a casual setting. Like many ethnic restaurants there are numerous vegetarian and vegan options, and in fact the menu categorizes their food as "vegetarian" and "non-vegetarian" which was a novelty for Steph, our resident veggie girl!

Saturday Brunch at Creole Envie

After almost a year of wanting to visit Creole Envie without actually getting there, we finally made our way to this great little spot on 112 Avenue. What started out as a catering service has blossomed into a sweet little 40-seat cafe serving up traditional Cajun and Creole food, with an emphasis on local, organic fare. They offer everything from ribs, fried chicken, and grits to gluten free options and a full vegan dinner menu. Since the menu appealed to both of us, we knew this had to be one of our first reviews!

Food For the Soul at DaDeO

Edmonton's own Whyte Ave was recently named one of the best streets in the country, and we here at Meat VS Veg definitely agree! Located in historic Old Strathcona, Whyte Ave has a wonderful eclectic feel and an abundance of great cafes, restaurants and bars in addition to unique shops and exciting theatre. So it's no wonder that when deciding on where to go for our next review, several Whyte Ave spots were at the top of our list.

On a frigid December day this past week, we felt some Southern comfort was in order (and I don't mean the liquor!) so off we went to DaDeO, a Whyte Ave institution.

Casual Lunch at the Highlevel Diner

This past Tuesday November 26, we both had the afternoon off and decided to get together for a quick, casual lunch at the Highlevel Diner. Steph had never been, but Jackie recommended it highly and the vegetarian options looked promising so off we went. The diner boasts a great location just off the west end of Whyte Ave near the University of Alberta with a view of downtown, and is proud of its local cuisine, daily specials and 29 year history.

Mini Review: A Veggie Visits The Keg

This past weekend I celebrated my younger brother's birthday with my family. As per tradition, he got to choose the restaurant and out of all the restaurants in Edmonton, he chose The Keg in South Common. Now I have nothing against the Keg, it's a lovely establishment, but as a vegetarian I took one look at the menu and inwardly groaned. There are no vegetarian entrees, as could be expected, but even the salads and appetizers were a challenge. As everyone in my party excitedly picked their cut of beef, I mulled over the few choices available to me.

For salads, the Caesar is out (anchovies in the sauce) as well as the Iceberg Wedge, which if I removed the bacon would just be a slice of lettuce sprinkled with tomatoes. I ended up choosing the Mixed Greens salad ($6.95) to start, which was surprisingly tasty despite the bland description. The house vinaigrette had a lovely, complex flavour and there were plenty of veggies hiding under the lettuce. The soft, warm complimentary bread they brought out was also quite welcome.

For my entree I wanted protein and for that my only choices were in the Starter menu: Baked Goat Cheese ($8.95) or the Garlic Cheese Toast ($5.95). Deciding I didn't need any more white bread this evening, I opted for the goat cheese despite not being a big fan of goat's milk products in general. I also asked for a side of garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables to round out my meal.

The small pat of goat cheese was crusted with sliced almonds and served with tiny toast crisps (so much for no more white bread!) and a "tomato basil salsa" which was more bruschetta than salsa. The cheese was hot and creamy and didn't have the strong flavour I associate with most goat cheeses so I was pleased but could only finish half as it was so rich. The mashed potatoes and veggies were standard but tasty.

Overall I was happy with the food I received, but unless you go there willing to eat a steak, The Keg's menu makes it a poor choice for vegetarians.

~Steph