{"data":{"id":"7d5bf665-9599-4338-a482-8d52f99f275e","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Taste of Edmonton 2026 roundup: The good, the bad and the messy according to our reviewers","summary":"The annual Taste of Edmonton festival is in full swing, filling Sir Winston Churchill Square with delectable aromas and heat-busting treats.\n\nWith over 50 restaurants and food trucks represented, the festival can feel daunting. After all, there is only so much grub a stomach can hold, not to mention what your budget can afford.\n\nOur reviewers have been sampling what’s on offer at the Taste of Edmonton and have presented their takes on what is this year’s must-try food, what you should avoid, not to mention all that’s spicy, sweet and what’s the best bang for your buck.\n\nTaste of Edmonton runs through July 26.\n\nLovely Latin flavours The insistent heat of things right now makes lovely Latin delectables extra appealing, and all three of these were worth some confetti in the air! One hot tip is to grab a few different menu items from around Churchill Square and mix things together into your own little mashup.\n\nTequila Lime Chicken Taco with Amigo Rice, 3 Amigos Authentic Mexican Cuisine (Booth 18, 4 tickets)\n\nPerfectly flavoured and sized to stuff all at once in your mouth (but please slow down and enjoy it), the onion and cilantro on top added a little chef’s kiss to the chicken, which honestly could be a teeny bit less dry. The rice was good, but could use some flavour accents, which I gave it with some extra sauce from the …\n\nLa Chorizo Quesos, Pebre & Co. (Booth 44, 3 tickets)\n\nThis is one of the best-tasting things on the square, delicious sausage and melted mozzarella inside an incredibly flaky pasty with a little kick. For an extra ticket, a nice little Pebre side, a traditional Chilean sauce with cilantro, onion, garlic, a nice pinch of chili peppers, tomatoes, oil and vinegar. I threw some of this into the Amigo Rice above, and mwah! But that wasn’t the end of the experimenting.\n\nPupusa: Pork and Cheese or Cheese, Paraiso Tropical (Booth 26, 4 tickets)\n\nWe don’t do numbered ratings but the 5/5 continued in this classic from Paraiso, just a perfectly fried soft-but crunchy pocket patty of pork and cheese. On top, a fresh red sauce with onions, carrots and peppers, which, you guessed it, went even better with the Amigo Rice. I would easily say if you nabbed these three items and a nice flavoured lemonade you would have the perfect meal, priming you for a sweet siesta in the shade!\n\nFish Griwkowsky\n\nFried finds What would a burger be without a side of golden, delicious french fries boiled in oil until crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside? It’s unfortunate that hard-working chefs have to stand over a boiling vat of oil when the temperature on Sir Winston Churchill Square is approaching that of the surface of the sun, but sometimes greatness demands sacrifice.\n\nSausage Mozza Corn Dog, Gangnam Street Food (Booth 21, 4 tickets)\n\nIf you’ve had the potato corn dog and the cheese corn dog and you’re looking to up your Korean hot dog game, fret not, Gangnam Street Food has you covered. It’s a hot dog, wrapped in cheese, battered and then deep fried. It’s exactly what it sounds like and exactly as delicious as your brain is imagining. You have three options for toppings, but you can’t go wrong with creamy mayo.\n\nSpiral Potato with Beef Tallow Mayo, Joanne’s BBQ House (Booth 34, 3 tickets)\n\nThis take on a deconstructed french fry needs… more. A spiralized potato is placed on a stick, deep fried and then sprinkled with beef tallow mayo. Yes, the “mayo” is in powder form here, providing the only flavour on this fried potato. There’s unfortunately not enough of it to cover the entire potato, so uneven bites waffle between bland and nicely salted. The potato is decently cooked but not crispy enough, a single well-cooked texture throughout that could have benefited from a few crispy bits. Another minute in the fryer and a few extra dashes of “mayo” could have made this dish truly great.\n\nBannock Taco, Kokom’s Bannock Kitchen (Booth 17, 4 tickets)\n\nI did not realize that the taco/bannock mashup was the fusion dish this food festival was crying out for. It’s a pillowy, fried bannock topped with seasoned meat, lettuce, shredded cheese and salsa. Simple? Yes. Delicious? You bet your butt it’s delicious. It’s a new idea that has come out of left field to completely surprise me, a new favourite of mine that is literally impossible to oversell.\n\nJustin Bell\n\nThe best on a bun To paraphrase the scholar and knight, Sir Mix-A-Lot, I don’t want none unless it’s on a bun, hon.\n\nOK, it’s a little fuzzy as to whether he’s a scholar or an actual knight, but the point still holds. Speaking of holding, the handhelds are where it’s at when it comes to Taste of Edmonton, whether it’s stick or wrap, or in this case, a bun. No need to fuss with a fork or a spoon, and you don’t even need a napkin. Or in the case of this trio, you don’t need a napkin for all of them.\n\nMini Lobster Roll, Blowers & Grafton (Booth 2, 5 tickets)\n\nLook, I get it, five tickets is a lot at ToE (Lobster? In this economy?), and I will admit that the lobster roll was a smaller portion than the other two items in this tasty trio, but it’s certainly no slouch. Blowers & Grafton bring a taste of the East Coast to your cardboard tray for a decent-sized portion of lobster for this kind of fest, with that buttery flavour you know you love. The lobster is served up on a butter-seared mini-roll, complete with a crunchy bit of slaw.\n\nSmoked Brisket Slider, Midnite Rooster on Whyte (Booth 6, 4 tickets)\n\nThis was one of the three bunwiches that could have used a fork, just in case. Smoky brisket — diced in this case, which, when mixed with the sauce almost makes it like a sloppy joe, so mind your shirt — is topped with your choice of three sauces. I opted for the sweet and tangy cola sauce, which countered the rich, peppery brisket. This was served up on a nice pillowy bun.\n\nSmashburger, Ribeye Butcher Shop (Booth 39, 4 tickets)\n\nWho doesn’t love a good burger? Ribeye Butcher Shop is serving up mini smashburgers that offer up what you want. Like with the brisket slider, the burger has a great bun, a tasty beef patty, zippy burger sauce, thick slice of pickle and some crispy lettuce. It’s a summer staple.\n\nDave Breakenridge\n\nMouthwatering Southeast Asian fare Not gonna lie, I make selfish use of Taste of Edmonton every year getting to meet-cute our lively pan-Asian restaurant scene — apologies to all the perogies out there. (“What’d he call me?!”)\n\nThis year, bucking tradition after discovering the best sushi spot in the city at Sushi Aroma, I totally avoided Japanese fare at ToE, instead diving tongue first into other Southeast Asian delicacies.\n\nGood move — though I have my eye on you, Crab Mango Roll at Tokyo Noodle House!\n\nPrawn Mango Salad, Boualouang Laos & Thai Cuisine (Booth 8, 3 tickets)\n\nOne to beat the heat straight off, this pretty, mango-juicy little salad looks like a dish of fries at first glance, but the combo of yellow fruit wedges, onion, crisp mint and meaty shrimp just feels so deliciously healthy. A nice tangy sauce and the price being right make this one the day’s first high five!\n\nPork Belly Roast, Joanne’s BBQ House (Booth 34, 4 tickets)\n\nLike the mango salad above, gluten and dairy free, the meat could have been a little juicier, the rice a bit fluffier, the gravy a bit more… detectable. Still: big fan of yummy pork belly, though I might try their chicken tenders with tallow fries and maple BBQ tallow dip next time instead.\n\nChicken Satay, Satay Madura (Booth 5, 3 tickets)\n\nHate to admit meat on a stick is the winner here, but holy cats was this purely delicious. With a generous coating of indeed-nutty peanut sauce with a little bit of onion and garlic, the chicken morsels were perfectly juicy (I’m Homer Simpson drooling about them writing this). Sometimes, the basics are just the best. Dairy free, PS, with a sweet little cucumber-carrot salad on the side!\n\nFish Griwkowsky\n\nMessy but delicious fare Some of the best foods are a nightmare to eat. Lobster dinner demands a bib and it’s impossible to maintain your dignity while scarfing down ribs. Sauces coat fingers, forearms and faces, while juices run out onto nearby surfaces. But the juice, as they say, is worth the squeeze. If, like me, you can’t help but get even the cleanest food all over your attire, you can pick up reusable utensils at the festival for a mere two tickets.\n\nEgg Drop Sandwich, Gentea (Booth 45, 4 tickets)\n\nA sandwich? Messy? This elevated breakfast sandwich from the bubble tea cafe in Leduc is both delicious and surprisingly unkempt. They provide a cardboard serving box to keep everything together but the sauce generously spread over the top still somehow manages to get everywhere. It’s worth it for a crunchy and creamy sandwich with just the right level of heat. It’s great for breakfast, an amazing dinner food, perfect for those late-night cravings and possibly the best food to take on the walk home after a few adult beverages.\n\nDubai Pistachio Covered Strawberry, Choco N’ Dip (Booth 36, 4 tickets)\n\nMake sure to dig to the bottom of this cup of chocolate covered strawberries to find the absolute best of this dish. Down there you will find pistachio cream mixing with toasted coconuts shavings and… maybe hazelnut? Whatever it is, divine is the only word you can use to describe it. The tiny stick they give you for serving isn’t really up to the challenge with this giant cup of strawberries and delicious toppings, but I never let a little thing like sticky fingers or a moustache full of chocolate sauce keep me from craveable food.\n\nYummy Brisket Arepa, Yummy Mami (Booth 16, 4 tickets)\n\nJuicy, perfectly cooked and spiced meat is piled precariously atop a crunchy and pillowy arepa, all doused in some sort of crema sauce. Cilantro lime, perhaps? Whatever it is, it will quickly cover your fingers, face, table and clothes. Sounds like a problem until you realize now everywhere you look there’s seconds of this incredible dish. It’s crispy, juicy, soft, salty, savoury and downright delectable, all in equal measures. It’s both simple and messy, as well as possibly the best thing you can pick up this year.\n\nJustin Bell\n\nDelicious desserts There’s definitely a summer fair vibe at Taste of Edmonton (OK, there are no carnival rides, but like the concurrent KDays, there’s a stage featuring a rotating cast of Canadian performers — Econoline Crush’s first couple of songs showed vocalist Trevor Hurst hasn’t lost a step over three decades).\n\nAnd when you go to a summer fair, you’re going to want to get yourself a sweet treat to cut through the fried food options.\n\nThere’s plenty of selections.\n\nDeep Fried Mars Bar, The Banquet Premium Dive Bar (Booth 1, 3 tickets)\n\nOK, to be fair, this isn’t going to be a light refresher after throwing back any assortment of fried fare at the foodfest.\n\nBut, fried chocolate bar on a stick? It’s not revolutionary, but it’s classic for good reason.\n\nThis iteration offers a cereal-coated (corn flakes?) exterior, meaning the confection comes out extra crispy, offering great contrast to the molten innards. It’s teeth-rotting goodness.\n\nLemon Cafe Bar, The Cheesecake Cafe (Food Truck C, 4 tickets)\n\nFour tickets may seem steep for a dessert, but this is a sizable slice of cheesecake on a stick, straight from the icebox.\n\nThe citrus flavour is everywhere, in the cheesecake, in the white chocolate coating, in the drizzle, offering a bit of summer refreshment, even if cheesecake isn’t the lightest option.\n\nThis one is full of flavour though, and when you’re balancing multiple options, the stick is everything.\n\nTres Leches Cake, PiKanté (Booth 15, 2 tickets)\n\nThis could be one of the best values at Taste of Edmonton.\n\nIt may not look big, but this tres leches cake packs lovely, refreshing flavour in every bite.\n\nThe cake — a light sponge soaked in sweetened milk — is not cloying, it’s moist and it’s light on the palate. The fluffy cake is layered with swirls of berry, making this the perfect summer sweet.\n\nDave Breakenridge\n\nAll-weather Asian treats galore The weather has been hilariously extra, to say the least, so here’s an assortment of medium, hot and cold Asian desserts to either warm you up or cool you off – but can seriously be vacuumed up in any weather. No losers here, but the second two still have me wanting seconds. And thirds.\n\nMochi Donut, Hong Kong Bakery (Booth 35, 3 tickets)\n\nGreen and surprisingly chewy, if you love mochi and deep-fried long donut, this is exactly what you need. Easily sharable as it’s almost perforated in eight sections, or maybe you can just work your way through those yourself every hour on the hour at work – just beware of making your keyboard and phone sticky!\n\nTuron, Gentea (Booth 45, 3 tickets)\n\nAlso known as Banana Lumpia, this delicious Filipino street food is basically a brown-sugar-coated plantain spring roll, deep fried to a good mix of soft and crispness with a nice syrup with coconut rice flakes that honestly had me licking the paper it was served on. Two of these for three tickets is a steal, so good! Might pop by home base in Leduc for a sit down.\n\nMango Bingsoo, Flurrries Bingsoo Cafe and More (booth 25, 4 tickets)\n\nBest of all in the heat was this refreshing, shaved coconut ice Korean concoction with just the most interesting texture, drier than ice cream. The mango swirled into the coconut and condensed milk was eye-crossingly delicious, a total savior on a hot day and for sure one of the best things out there once you mix it all up. Flurrries earned its extra “r” for remarkable!\n\nFish Griwkowsky\n\nThree-ticket values One of the things I always tend to hear about Taste of Edmonton is “it’s so expensive. “\n\nLook, I’m not saying dropping $70 on 40 tickets is a small amount of money, but it certainly is easy to get value out of your Taste of Edmonton experience\n\nSure, there are some items that might be a little pricier like the five-ticket lobster roll I enjoyed. But you can also find yourself a relatively filling assortment of samples for less than 10 tickets.\n\nFor instance, I was able to line up three Southeast Asian dishes for under 10; they would’ve made for a satisfying little meal, had I not also been gorging on other food on Thursday evening.\n\nChicken Balls, Szechuan Paramount (Booth 32, 3 tickets)\n\nFor starters, you have the chicken balls. These are nothing fancy, but they are in fact an old standby. I was really impressed with how well prepared they were. The batter was nice and crispy around the outside. There is a reasonable portion of chicken in the middle and that bright red, shiny sweet-and-sour sauce over top, gave exactly the right amount of tang to the dish.\n\nSpecial Chow Mein, Blue Willow (Booth 31, 3 tickets)\n\nThe three-ticket sampling of chow mein served as a decent side. The portion of beef may have been a little light, but the portion size was more than adequate. I just wish I had gotten it last in the group of dishes. I ordered so the noodles would’ve been warmer by the time I got to eat them. Plan well, fellow tasters.\n\nPulled Pork Steamed Bao, Hoang Long 888 (Booth 27, 3 tickets)\n\nThe highlight of the sampling was this three-ticket pork bao, which serves as a decent ‘mini-main’ here. This handheld came stuffed with succulent pork, bright veggies, crisp cabbage and lettuce, and a delectable sauce that added the right amount of zip. The bao was pillowy soft and airy. Definitely anchored the meal.\n\nDave Breakenridge\n\nRelated Crazy cuisine: KDays dishes up adventurous midway menu\n\nSummer's coming — here's your guide to Edmonton's festival season\n\nBookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.\n\nYou can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.","url":"https://edmontonjournal.com/life/food/local-food-reviews/taste-of-edmonton-2026-roundup-the-good-the-bad-and-the-messy-according-to-our-reviewers","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260716db011.ej_304320035.jpg","publishedAt":"2026-07-22T17:37:05.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Entertainment","Festivals","Food","Local food reviews"],"authorName":"Edmonton Journal","contentHtml":"\"Edmontonians

The annual Taste of Edmonton festival is in full swing , filling Sir Winston Churchill Square with delectable aromas and heat-busting treats.

With over 50 restaurants and food trucks represented, the festival can feel daunting. After all, there is only so much grub a stomach can hold, not to mention what your budget can afford.

Our reviewers have been sampling what’s on offer at the Taste of Edmonton and have presented their takes on what is this year’s must-try food, what you should avoid, not to mention all that’s spicy, sweet and what’s the best bang for your buck.

Taste of Edmonton runs through July 26.

\"

Lovely Latin flavours

The insistent heat of things right now makes lovely Latin delectables extra appealing, and all three of these were worth some confetti in the air! One hot tip is to grab a few different menu items from around Churchill Square and mix things together into your own little mashup.

Tequila Lime Chicken Taco with Amigo Rice, 3 Amigos Authentic Mexican Cuisine (Booth 18, 4 tickets)

Perfectly flavoured and sized to stuff all at once in your mouth (but please slow down and enjoy it), the onion and cilantro on top added a little chef’s kiss to the chicken, which honestly could be a teeny bit less dry. The rice was good, but could use some flavour accents, which I gave it with some extra sauce from the …

La Chorizo Quesos, Pebre & Co. (Booth 44, 3 tickets)

This is one of the best-tasting things on the square, delicious sausage and melted mozzarella inside an incredibly flaky pasty with a little kick. For an extra ticket, a nice little Pebre side, a traditional Chilean sauce with cilantro, onion, garlic, a nice pinch of chili peppers, tomatoes, oil and vinegar. I threw some of this into the Amigo Rice above, and mwah! But that wasn’t the end of the experimenting.

Pupusa: Pork and Cheese or Cheese, Paraiso Tropical (Booth 26, 4 tickets)

We don’t do numbered ratings but the 5/5 continued in this classic from Paraiso, just a perfectly fried soft-but crunchy pocket patty of pork and cheese. On top, a fresh red sauce with onions, carrots and peppers, which, you guessed it, went even better with the Amigo Rice. I would easily say if you nabbed these three items and a nice flavoured lemonade you would have the perfect meal, priming you for a sweet siesta in the shade!

Fish Griwkowsky

\"Fried finds

What would a burger be without a side of golden, delicious french fries boiled in oil until crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside? It’s unfortunate that hard-working chefs have to stand over a boiling vat of oil when the temperature on Sir Winston Churchill Square is approaching that of the surface of the sun, but sometimes greatness demands sacrifice.

Sausage Mozza Corn Dog, Gangnam Street Food (Booth 21, 4 tickets)

If you’ve had the potato corn dog and the cheese corn dog and you’re looking to up your Korean hot dog game, fret not, Gangnam Street Food has you covered. It’s a hot dog, wrapped in cheese, battered and then deep fried. It’s exactly what it sounds like and exactly as delicious as your brain is imagining. You have three options for toppings, but you can’t go wrong with creamy mayo.

Spiral Potato with Beef Tallow Mayo, Joanne’s BBQ House (Booth 34, 3 tickets)

This take on a deconstructed french fry needs… more. A spiralized potato is placed on a stick, deep fried and then sprinkled with beef tallow mayo. Yes, the “mayo” is in powder form here, providing the only flavour on this fried potato. There’s unfortunately not enough of it to cover the entire potato, so uneven bites waffle between bland and nicely salted. The potato is decently cooked but not crispy enough, a single well-cooked texture throughout that could have benefited from a few crispy bits. Another minute in the fryer and a few extra dashes of “mayo” could have made this dish truly great.

Bannock Taco, Kokom’s Bannock Kitchen (Booth 17, 4 tickets)

I did not realize that the taco/bannock mashup was the fusion dish this food festival was crying out for. It’s a pillowy, fried bannock topped with seasoned meat, lettuce, shredded cheese and salsa. Simple? Yes. Delicious? You bet your butt it’s delicious. It’s a new idea that has come out of left field to completely surprise me, a new favourite of mine that is literally impossible to oversell.

Justin Bell

\"

The best on a bun

To paraphrase the scholar and knight, Sir Mix-A-Lot, I don’t want none unless it’s on a bun, hon.

OK, it’s a little fuzzy as to whether he’s a scholar or an actual knight, but the point still holds. Speaking of holding, the handhelds are where it’s at when it comes to Taste of Edmonton, whether it’s stick or wrap, or in this case, a bun. No need to fuss with a fork or a spoon, and you don’t even need a napkin. Or in the case of this trio, you don’t need a napkin for all of them.

Mini Lobster Roll, Blowers & Grafton (Booth 2, 5 tickets)

Look, I get it, five tickets is a lot at ToE (Lobster? In this economy?), and I will admit that the lobster roll was a smaller portion than the other two items in this tasty trio, but it’s certainly no slouch. Blowers & Grafton bring a taste of the East Coast to your cardboard tray for a decent-sized portion of lobster for this kind of fest, with that buttery flavour you know you love. The lobster is served up on a butter-seared mini-roll, complete with a crunchy bit of slaw.

Smoked Brisket Slider, Midnite Rooster on Whyte (Booth 6, 4 tickets)

This was one of the three bunwiches that could have used a fork, just in case. Smoky brisket — diced in this case, which, when mixed with the sauce almost makes it like a sloppy joe, so mind your shirt — is topped with your choice of three sauces. I opted for the sweet and tangy cola sauce, which countered the rich, peppery brisket. This was served up on a nice pillowy bun.

Smashburger, Ribeye Butcher Shop (Booth 39, 4 tickets)

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Ribeye Butcher Shop is serving up mini smashburgers that offer up what you want. Like with the brisket slider, the burger has a great bun, a tasty beef patty, zippy burger sauce, thick slice of pickle and some crispy lettuce. It’s a summer staple.

Dave Breakenridge

\"Mouthwatering Southeast Asian fare

Not gonna lie, I make selfish use of Taste of Edmonton every year getting to meet-cute our lively pan-Asian restaurant scene — apologies to all the perogies out there. (“What’d he call me?!”)

This year, bucking tradition after discovering the best sushi spot in the city at Sushi Aroma, I totally avoided Japanese fare at ToE, instead diving tongue first into other Southeast Asian delicacies.

Good move — though I have my eye on you, Crab Mango Roll at Tokyo Noodle House!

Prawn Mango Salad, Boualouang Laos & Thai Cuisine (Booth 8, 3 tickets)

One to beat the heat straight off, this pretty, mango-juicy little salad looks like a dish of fries at first glance, but the combo of yellow fruit wedges, onion, crisp mint and meaty shrimp just feels so deliciously healthy. A nice tangy sauce and the price being right make this one the day’s first high five!

Pork Belly Roast, Joanne’s BBQ House (Booth 34, 4 tickets)

Like the mango salad above, gluten and dairy free, the meat could have been a little juicier, the rice a bit fluffier, the gravy a bit more… detectable. Still: big fan of yummy pork belly, though I might try their chicken tenders with tallow fries and maple BBQ tallow dip next time instead.

Chicken Satay, Satay Madura (Booth 5, 3 tickets)

Hate to admit meat on a stick is the winner here, but holy cats was this purely delicious. With a generous coating of indeed-nutty peanut sauce with a little bit of onion and garlic, the chicken morsels were perfectly juicy (I’m Homer Simpson drooling about them writing this). Sometimes, the basics are just the best. Dairy free, PS, with a sweet little cucumber-carrot salad on the side!

Fish Griwkowsky

\"

Messy but delicious fare

Some of the best foods are a nightmare to eat. Lobster dinner demands a bib and it’s impossible to maintain your dignity while scarfing down ribs. Sauces coat fingers, forearms and faces, while juices run out onto nearby surfaces. But the juice, as they say, is worth the squeeze. If, like me, you can’t help but get even the cleanest food all over your attire, you can pick up reusable utensils at the festival for a mere two tickets.

Egg Drop Sandwich, Gentea (Booth 45, 4 tickets)

A sandwich? Messy? This elevated breakfast sandwich from the bubble tea cafe in Leduc is both delicious and surprisingly unkempt. They provide a cardboard serving box to keep everything together but the sauce generously spread over the top still somehow manages to get everywhere. It’s worth it for a crunchy and creamy sandwich with just the right level of heat. It’s great for breakfast, an amazing dinner food, perfect for those late-night cravings and possibly the best food to take on the walk home after a few adult beverages.

Dubai Pistachio Covered Strawberry, Choco N’ Dip (Booth 36, 4 tickets)

Make sure to dig to the bottom of this cup of chocolate covered strawberries to find the absolute best of this dish. Down there you will find pistachio cream mixing with toasted coconuts shavings and… maybe hazelnut? Whatever it is, divine is the only word you can use to describe it. The tiny stick they give you for serving isn’t really up to the challenge with this giant cup of strawberries and delicious toppings, but I never let a little thing like sticky fingers or a moustache full of chocolate sauce keep me from craveable food.

Yummy Brisket Arepa, Yummy Mami (Booth 16, 4 tickets)

Juicy, perfectly cooked and spiced meat is piled precariously atop a crunchy and pillowy arepa, all doused in some sort of crema sauce. Cilantro lime, perhaps? Whatever it is, it will quickly cover your fingers, face, table and clothes. Sounds like a problem until you realize now everywhere you look there’s seconds of this incredible dish. It’s crispy, juicy, soft, salty, savoury and downright delectable, all in equal measures. It’s both simple and messy, as well as possibly the best thing you can pick up this year.

Justin Bell

\"

Delicious desserts

There’s definitely a summer fair vibe at Taste of Edmonton (OK, there are no carnival rides, but like the concurrent KDays, there’s a stage featuring a rotating cast of Canadian performers — Econoline Crush’s first couple of songs showed vocalist Trevor Hurst hasn’t lost a step over three decades).

And when you go to a summer fair, you’re going to want to get yourself a sweet treat to cut through the fried food options.

There’s plenty of selections.

Deep Fried Mars Bar, The Banquet Premium Dive Bar (Booth 1, 3 tickets)

OK, to be fair, this isn’t going to be a light refresher after throwing back any assortment of fried fare at the foodfest.

But, fried chocolate bar on a stick? It’s not revolutionary, but it’s classic for good reason.

This iteration offers a cereal-coated (corn flakes?) exterior, meaning the confection comes out extra crispy, offering great contrast to the molten innards. It’s teeth-rotting goodness.

Lemon Cafe Bar, The Cheesecake Cafe (Food Truck C, 4 tickets)

Four tickets may seem steep for a dessert, but this is a sizable slice of cheesecake on a stick, straight from the icebox.

The citrus flavour is everywhere, in the cheesecake, in the white chocolate coating, in the drizzle, offering a bit of summer refreshment, even if cheesecake isn’t the lightest option.

This one is full of flavour though, and when you’re balancing multiple options, the stick is everything.

Tres Leches Cake, PiKanté (Booth 15, 2 tickets)

This could be one of the best values at Taste of Edmonton.

It may not look big, but this tres leches cake packs lovely, refreshing flavour in every bite.

The cake — a light sponge soaked in sweetened milk — is not cloying, it’s moist and it’s light on the palate. The fluffy cake is layered with swirls of berry, making this the perfect summer sweet.

Dave Breakenridge

\"

All-weather Asian treats galore

The weather has been hilariously extra, to say the least, so here’s an assortment of medium, hot and cold Asian desserts to either warm you up or cool you off – but can seriously be vacuumed up in any weather. No losers here, but the second two still have me wanting seconds. And thirds.

Mochi Donut, Hong Kong Bakery (Booth 35, 3 tickets)

Green and surprisingly chewy, if you love mochi and deep-fried long donut, this is exactly what you need. Easily sharable as it’s almost perforated in eight sections, or maybe you can just work your way through those yourself every hour on the hour at work – just beware of making your keyboard and phone sticky!

Turon, Gentea (Booth 45, 3 tickets)

Also known as Banana Lumpia, this delicious Filipino street food is basically a brown-sugar-coated plantain spring roll, deep fried to a good mix of soft and crispness with a nice syrup with coconut rice flakes that honestly had me licking the paper it was served on. Two of these for three tickets is a steal, so good! Might pop by home base in Leduc for a sit down.

Mango Bingsoo, Flurrries Bingsoo Cafe and More (booth 25, 4 tickets)

Best of all in the heat was this refreshing, shaved coconut ice Korean concoction with just the most interesting texture, drier than ice cream. The mango swirled into the coconut and condensed milk was eye-crossingly delicious, a total savior on a hot day and for sure one of the best things out there once you mix it all up. Flurrries earned its extra “r” for remarkable!

Fish Griwkowsky

\"

Three-ticket values

One of the things I always tend to hear about Taste of Edmonton is “it’s so expensive. “

Look, I’m not saying dropping $70 on 40 tickets is a small amount of money, but it certainly is easy to get value out of your Taste of Edmonton experience

Sure, there are some items that might be a little pricier like the five-ticket lobster roll I enjoyed. But you can also find yourself a relatively filling assortment of samples for less than 10 tickets.

For instance, I was able to line up three Southeast Asian dishes for under 10; they would’ve made for a satisfying little meal, had I not also been gorging on other food on Thursday evening.

Chicken Balls, Szechuan Paramount (Booth 32, 3 tickets)

For starters, you have the chicken balls. These are nothing fancy, but they are in fact an old standby. I was really impressed with how well prepared they were. The batter was nice and crispy around the outside. There is a reasonable portion of chicken in the middle and that bright red, shiny sweet-and-sour sauce over top, gave exactly the right amount of tang to the dish.

Special Chow Mein, Blue Willow (Booth 31, 3 tickets)

The three-ticket sampling of chow mein served as a decent side. The portion of beef may have been a little light, but the portion size was more than adequate. I just wish I had gotten it last in the group of dishes. I ordered so the noodles would’ve been warmer by the time I got to eat them. Plan well, fellow tasters.

Pulled Pork Steamed Bao, Hoang Long 888 (Booth 27, 3 tickets)

The highlight of the sampling was this three-ticket pork bao, which serves as a decent ‘mini-main’ here. This handheld came stuffed with succulent pork, bright veggies, crisp cabbage and lettuce, and a delectable sauce that added the right amount of zip. The bao was pillowy soft and airy. Definitely anchored the meal.

Dave Breakenridge

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