Helen

Boba Boba Tea Bar

Bubble/Boba Tea, Edmonton /

@bobabobateabar , Edmonton⁣⁣⁣Another locally owned business in Edmonton! We actually came across this business in June when my hubby figured it’d be a nice way to celebrate our anniversary. 😂 Anyway, I love the variety they offer, and a lot of their drinks can be ordered in a 1L mason jar. Also, if you’re lactose intolerant like I am, you have the option to choose for them to use lactose free milk. Oh and best part of all, they can deliver the drinks straight to your doorstep. Delivery fees depend on your location.⁣ [$6 – $7] ⁣⁣Peach Oolong Lemon – This is pretty refreshing. I went with half sugar, and it was still sweet, but not overly. The topping I chose for this drink was the passionfruit popping boba, which was pretty neat. Basically when you bite into it, the liquid inside gushes out. A great option when ordering a fruit based bubble tea.⁣ Creme de La Creme Brûlée – Just as the title suggests, it tastes just like a creme brûlée! Hubby also thought it tasted better than The Alley’s Deerioca Puff…you can be the judge of that 😜⁣⁣Strawberry Green Tea – This was my go-to drink from DTH back in the day when you couldn’t adjust the sugar levels. Unfortunately, it wasn’t sweetened at all (I could taste the sweetness for the Peach Oolong)…maybe I’ll try to reorder for next time!⁣⁣Brown Sugar Vanilla Mochi – This tasted just like a liquified vanilla ice cream..but in a good way. I don’t think it’d be something I’d reorder again because of the mochi. It wasn’t bad initially, but towards the bottom of the drink, it turns into a mushy dough like texture which kind of ruined it for me.⁣ Brown Sugar Hojicha Latte – I thoroughly enjoyed this drink, and have now found a new love for hojicha. Because brown sugar drinks are already sweet as is, I ordered this with no additional sugar, and it was perfect.⁣⁣Dalgona Matcha Fresh Milk – A reorder from our first order since I enjoyed it so much! I ordered at half sugar, and the slight bitterness of the matcha balances out some of that sweetness. ⁣⁣For more info:⁣www.bobabobateabar.com⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on August 3, 2020

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Dorinku Tokyo – Pressed Sushi Platter

Edmonton, Sushi/Japanese /

@dorinkutokyo , 10205 82 Ave, Edmonton⁣⁣⁣Both Dorinku stores are offering a platter of their most popular pressed sushi, but we chose to go with the Tokyo store as it had more protein. [$65] This platter consisted of AAA beef pressed, wild sockeye salmon pressed, avocado pressed, spicy tuna tartar pressed, and hamachi pressed. Each flavour came in 6 pieces, great for sharing between two people. Each item was packed with flavour and unique. I don’t typically order pressed sushi, but this platter has convinced me to try more. I want to say my favourite from this platter was the wild sockeye salmon pressed, but honestly, the rest were just as delicious. Very happy they offered a platter like this! If you’re like me and don’t often order pressed sushi, this platter is a great way to try it!⁣⁣For more info:⁣https://tokyo.dorinku.ca⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on July 27, 2020

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Zwick’s Pretzels

Edmonton, Local small business /

@zwickspretzels , 12415 107 Ave, Edmonton⁣⁣⁣A good friend of ours was picking up some sandwichzels (😜) for us, and since then, I had been craving their pretzels!⁣ [$3/ea] Regular, Spicy Scallion & Mozza – The toppings on this pretzel seem to be “baked” on, hence why this pretzel is full of texture. Anything baked with cheese is good though 🤣. There’s surprisingly a decent amount of heat from this flavour. Great if you enjoy spicy food, not so much if you can’t handle spice 😅⁣⁣[$2.50/ea] Regular, Savoury Garlic – The topping/seasoning for this is dusted on. If you enjoy garlic like myself, this one is pretty tasty as well. A simpler flavour, but still very good. Think I’d like to try out their garlic butter next time!⁣⁣The texture of their pretzels has a light crispiness, but it’s still nice and chewy on the inside. You could easily reheat it in a toaster oven to make it crispy again, especially after placing it in the fridge to save for later.⁣⁣For more info:⁣www.zwickspretzels.com⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram July 20, 2020

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OD Desserts

Edmonton, Ghost Kitchen Restaurants /

@oddesserts⁣3717 53 Ave⁣⁣⁣Thank you, Gabriel, for the opportunity to sample the desserts.⁣ So many different flavours to choose from served over your choice of either belgium waffles, bubble waffles, or a French crepe with toppings and a generous scoop of ice cream. ⁣⁣Available by delivery via DoorDash, or call in for take out. ⁣⁣[$14.50] Oreo Up Belgium Waffle – This would be a great choice if you enjoy chocolate and Oreo’s. By the time we were able to consume it, the Oreo cookie had softened slightly due to the chocolate sauce (only because we didn’t consume it while fresh), but it tasted like a “fresh” cookie otherwise. The toppings did not taste overly sweet and the waffle texture was still fluffy.⁣⁣[$10.50] Sweetdog Named Gibo Bubble Waffle – This was calling my name 😂. The second my eye caught apple crisps, I had to order this. Super delicious and a nice variation of different textures. The sliced Granny Smith apples added a nice tart flavour, however, it might have been a little too tart as I could feel the acidity making my mouth a bit raw – still enjoyed it though!⁣⁣Be prepared though, this dessert is VERY FILLING. Towards the end of finishing mine, I had to take a few breaks and take my time. I personally would like to try mine again while it’s fresh – it’d be delish.⁣⁣For more info and their menu, visit:⁣www.oddesserts.com⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on July 13, 2020

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Moonga Sashimi

Edmonton, Sushi/Japanese /

@moongasashimi⁣3354 Parsons Rd⁣⁣⁣No hate, but I feel like this place was waaaay OVERHYPED. Maybe it was an off day? I don’t know, but my experience was pretty disappointing. That said, not every meal will be satisfying and I think it’s important to provide a review that is genuine, and honest despite what the “majority” think.⁣⁣On the other hand, the photos and footage turned out beautifully and super gram-friendly!😅⁣ [$2.25/ea] Salmon Nigiri – Didn’t have the “salmon” flavour I normally taste. Felt like it was missing something and I don’t recall seeing the smear of wasabi between the fish and rice.⁣⁣[$4.75/pc] Chutoro Sashimi – I think out of everything we ordered, this actually tasted the best (I find the tuna we have in #yeg is usually kind of fishy). It definitely had the “fatty” flavour. My only complaint with this was each slice had the white edges that I could barely chew through (too fatty?)…and ended up wasted.⁣ [$16] Salmon Sashimi – An order I was certain would taste good, but felt pretty disappointing. The distinctive salmon flavour was missing – I felt like I’ve had better even with AYCE. ⁣⁣[$2.50/ea] Chop Chop Scallop Nigiri – This was alright. Flavour didn’t really stand out to me. It didn’t have the rich creamy flavour I’m usually expecting from a chop chop. ⁣ [$8/ea] Negitoro Hosomaki – This was okay. I think it tasted like what I would get from a AYCE.⁣⁣For meal that was pretty expensive, I personally didn’t feel the quality lived up to it. Honestly, I had very high expectations and felt pretty unsatisfied after my meal. ⁣⁣Maybe I’ll have better luck next time 🤷🏻‍♀️ ⁣⁣For more info, visit:⁣www.moongasashimi.com⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram July 6, 2020

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Layered by Rissa

Edmonton, Home Business - Bakery /

LAYERED by Rissa @layeredbyrissa I’m excited to announce that a new business in the foodie community has just launched TODAY. Layered by Rissa is her IG handle and she specializes in layered cakes offered in nine (9) flavours, custom cupcakes, and sugar cookies. I had the opportunity to try out her launch box and it was DELICIOUS. Every flavour matched their given detailed descriptions, so it’s hard to choose one favourite. Because there are so many flavors, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Cake flavours: Nilla, Choco Lover, Coco, Red Velvet, Carrot, White Chocolate Raspberry, Strawberry Champagne, Lemon, Salted Caramel. Congrats Tarissa! Make sure to check out her page and support another local business. www.layeredbyrissa.com #helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on June 30, 2020

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Ghost Kitchen, Cheesecake Factory Bakery

Edmonton, Ghost Kitchen Restaurants /

@ghostkitchensrestaurants⁣10460 82 Ave⁣⁣⁣[$9.99/slice or $69/cake] The Cheesecake Factory Bakery – So happy I had the opportunity to taste a variety of different cheesecakes they had to offer. I’m honestly not a fan of western cheesecakes (unless it’s Japanese cheesecake), but after so many years of avoiding them, I’m glad I tried these. Not too sweet and so soft! I think of all the ones I tried (Reese’s Peanut Butter, Mango Key Lime, Red Velvet, Triple Chocolate), the banana flavoured one was my least favourite, and the rest were delicious.⁣⁣‼️They are currently offering 15% off first catering orders! This promotion can be applied towards their cakes from @cheesecakefactory , as well as other brands they carry like Cinnabon, Ben and Jerry’s, and more.⁣⁣I haven’t tried regular foods off their menu, so I can’t comment on it.⁣⁣I believe (correct me if I’m wrong), but I’m pretty sure they’re the only ones in Edmonton that carry the cheesecakes from @cheesecakefactory .⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on June 13, 2020

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Dagu Rice Noodle Edmonton

Chinese Restaurants, Edmonton /

@daguyeg⁣10408 Jasper Ave⁣ It’s been awhile since I’ve had their noodle soups, and since they came out with some new items on their menu, I had the opportunity to try them out.⁣ Right: [$16.99] A11 Fish Soup – I’ve had their spicy fish soup and enjoyed it, so I thought I’d try this out. If you enjoy a fish soup base, you’ll probably like it. It’s not too “fishy” at all, and also not too salty. I do however, enjoy their spicy fish soup base more as I like the extra kick. You can check out @daguyeg for a video of them making the soup base on their grid!⁣⁣Middle: [$12.99] B5 Sour Spicy Cross Bridge Rice Noodle Soup w/ Beef Slices – My husband’s go-to order, and if you like a spicy soup base, you’ll know why – the sourness also adds a nice balance to the spice. This soup base goes really well with the rice noodle it’s served with. I’m actually curious why I haven’t ordered it myself because every time I take a sip of his soup, I really like it – …note to self.😂⁣ [$0.99/ea.] Beef & Lamb Skewers – Both skewers were seasoned with the same flavour. It didn’t taste bad, but it also didn’t really stand out too much. They also offer a wide variety of other types of skewers too, so something I’d like to try for next time.⁣⁣Middle: [$8.49] Sunrise (Coconut Mango w/ Fresh Strawberry) – I’ve never tried their drinks, but I heard all their fruit smoothies are using fresh fruit, so I chose this one. Lemme tell ya…it was 💣. It had me at the first sip…I think there’s also chunks of grapefruit in there too because there was a nice tangy flavour. I would totally order this again.⁣⁣Right: [$8.49] Taro Milk Tea – I’m personally not a taro fan (especially in Asian desserts when it’s all chunky 😕), but I’ve found I prefer it when it’s blended with coconut milk. This drink was pretty good and not overly sweet either.⁣ They give a lot of soup for take out, and they also give TWO FULL bowls of noodle as well. Their drinks were also a very generous size, but slightly more expensive than your average bubble tea drinks.⁣⁣For more info, visit:⁣www.daguricenoodle.ca⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on June 10, 2020

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The Top Donair

Donairs, Edmonton /

@thetopdonair⁣448 Riverbend Square NW, Edmonton⁣ It’s been awhile since we’ve had donairs, and seeing it trending on IG just made me crave it more.⁣⁣[$12.99] LARGE Donair Poutine – Literally, no matter where I go, you can bet I’ll order a poutine if I can. What makes this poutine even better (and over the top excited when my hubby pointed out while it was being prepared) is that they used CRINKLE CUT FRIES. This is definitely a heavy meal…but my goodness, so delicious. Question…did donair poutines always have gravy too? The last time I had a donair poutine was like two years ago and I can’t recall. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining 😅 Oh and because it was a “donair” poutine, I got some sweet sauce (they have other options too) drizzled on top which actually works really well with gravy.⁣⁣[$10] LARGE Beef Donair – I’m not an “expert” eating donairs, but the flavour in my opinion is similar to ones I’ve had before. The difference being that I like to add slices of tomato to mine, meanwhile the hubby got his without. Donairs tend to be messy for me when I eat them, hence I opted for the poutine.⁣⁣As much as I enjoyed the poutine, it’s probably going to be another year before I order this one again since it’s a pretty heavy meal 😅⁣⁣For more information, visit:⁣⁣www.thetopdonair.com⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on May 31, 2020

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The Donut Mill, Red Deer

Donuts, Red Deer /

@donutmill⁣123 Leva Ave, Red Deer [$15.99] Dozen⁣⁣🍩 Honey Dip – A very simple, but a good one. If I had to choose between this simple honey glaze or a donut with extra toppings, this would be my first choice. Is delish when it’s fresh. If it starts to firm up, heat it up for 10-15 sec, then the texture is perfect. Now that I think about it, I totally could have reheated it in the toaster oven to crisp up the exterior.⁣⁣🍩 Donut Mill Special, Oreo, Rolo, Maple Rolo – I’m usually not very adventurous with donuts, but hey, it came from out of town…someone’s gotta eat ‘em.😂. I gotta say though, I definitely prefer whipped cream over custard in a donut (yeah I know, shame 😜). These ones though, I would recommend eating while it is fresh. You don’t want the fondant top and cream filled inside melting away on you after reheating it. Definitely a bit on the sweeter side, but if you eat it with tea on the side (preferably not a tea that’s sweetened obviously), it’s perfect (or any dessert with tea is good imo).⁣ I didn’t bother breaking down my review for every donut filled with whip cream. They were generally all really good and my overall thoughts would have been redundant. Some had different flavour fondants, others were topped with some chocolate chips (personally I don’t care for). Unlike Krispy Kremes (which are prob drenched in a lot fat/grease, hence they stay fluffy for longer, these ones firm up a bit after a day.⁣⁣For more info, visit:⁣⁣www.donutmill.ca⁣⁣#helencaneat Originally published on Instagram on May 24, 2020

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