Until the start of Chinatown Dining Week, we’ll be featuring each of the 24 businesses who are participating in this year’s event, running January 18 – 28, 2024. All businesses are offering special deals during this period for $10 and/or $20. Check out all of the menus here.

We sat down with the Ariel De Venz, Store Manager of the Italian Bakery, one of the new Chinatown Dining Week participants this year.

Why did you decide to open the business?

First established in 1960, the Italian Bakery was built on family traditions, hard work, and a passion for providing its customers with quality ingredients and delicious products. Built by Antonio and Aurora Frattin, the business started in a little shop on 93 Street and as it grew, the bakery moved to its downtown location on 97 street in 1962, and its second location in Beverly in 1989. The Italian Bakery has been family run for over three generations and knows that its love for family, friends and community has been the key to its success.

How long has the restaurant been open?

Since 1960.

What is the style of cuisine offered at the business?

Italian food and European grocery and deli.

$10 Special: Small Sandwich, Soup, Italian Soda, and Pastry

What makes your business special?

Growing up in Italian culture, we learned the significance of sharing a meal with family. Food was art, meals were made with attention, care and pride. Using only fresh and quality ingredients. It was an expression of love. Italian Bakery has taken that knowledge alongside our experience in the industry to create a place where friends and family alike can gather, shop and enjoy. It’s not just a market to us, it’s our lifestyle, where we come from and what we hold most important.

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown?

Chinatown is a vibrant community full of cultural and dining experiences. Chinatown is a hidden gem that needs to be experienced firsthand.

$20 Special: Pizza, Soup, Italian Soda, Donut

Do you have any hopes for the future of Edmonton’s Chinatown?

Chinatown’s future will be a bright one, every community has their ups and downs, as long as the community members continue to support each other and better the community. Chinatown’s success will be plentiful.

Italian Bakery will be offering the following specials during Chinatown Dining Week. They are valid for dine-in and take-out:

• $20 Special: Pizza, Soup, Italian Soda, and a Donut
• $10 Special: Small Sandwich, Soup, Italian Soda, and a Pastry
  
  Orders can be made via phone or in-person
  (780) 424-4830
  10644 97 Street
  Sunday 10am-5pm, Monday-Saturday 7am-6pm

Until the start of Chinatown Dining Week, we’ll be featuring each of the 24 businesses who are participating in this year’s event, running January 18 – 28, 2024. All businesses are offering special deals during this period for $10 and/or $20. Check out all of the menus here.

Next, we interviewed the co-owner of 97 Hot Pot, Kai Li.

Why did you decide to open the restaurant?

I was friends with the previous owners, and two of them were selling their shares as they were moving to the next chapter of their lives. I was looking for new opportunities at the time, and the hot pot business had caught my interest. 

How long has the restaurant been open?

The restaurant first opened in 2013, and I took over in August 2021. 

What is the style of cuisine served at the restaurant?

We offer individual hotpots with different Asian-flavoured soup base options, such as Tom Yum Kung (most popular), Malaysian Curry, Japanese Miso, and Szechuan Spicy Chicken. 

What makes your restaurant special?

Besides offering individual hotpots, all of our mashed meats are made in-house. We get fresh hot pot ingredient deliveries every day to ensure the freshness of our food. 

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown?

It’s a place for diners to enjoy authentic and fusion food experiences. Besides the foods, we always make sure we have Chinese décor which adds to the overall dining experience. 

97 Hot Pot will be offering the following special during Chinatown Dining Week. It is valid for dine-in only:

• $20 Special: Special Lunch Menu (choice of soup base + choice of 6 items + 1 cream cheese wonton + 1 pop), available daily 11am-4pm only
  
  (587) 521-1888
  10602 97 Street
  Open daily 11am-11pm

Until the start of Chinatown Dining Week, we’ll be featuring each of the 24 businesses who are participating in this year’s event, running January 18 – 28, 2024. All businesses are offering special deals during this period for $10 and/or $20. Check out all of the menus here.

Next to be profiled: we sat down with Maya Richmond of Padmanadi, 10740 101 Street.

Tell us a bit more about the restaurant. 

We are a family owned, vegan restaurant. There has been a lot of demand for plant-based food, eating healthy, and eating something that’s different, and people are open-minded about the type of food that we are serving. Our dishes are more to share – we encourage family-style sharing. This way you get to try different dishes.

How long has the restaurant been open? 

We have been around for more than 20 years. We used to be in Chinatown right on 97 Street. We outgrew ourselves more than 10 years ago. It used to be a 60-seat restaurant, and now we have grown to 160 seats.  We also opened a second location on the southside 5 years ago, and a third location in Calgary last year.

Ginger Beef, Jasmine Rice, Spring Rolls, and Chocolate Mousse

What is the style of cuisine served at the restaurant? 

We are Indonesian, and my mum is Chinese. The type of food we serve is what we eat back home, which is Indonesian-Chinese food. We are also Buddhist, so we don’t use any garlic or onions in our cooking. We don’t use any egg or dairy, and everything is completely plant-based.

What makes your restaurant special? 

When people think of vegan food, people think about raw, or salad-based foods. What we serve is more like vegan comfort-food – not mac and cheese type of comfort food, but with rice, curry, ginger sauce, and a bit of spice. We cater to various types of people [who love food]. We also have a lot of lactose-free customers who enjoy our food a lot.

Vegetable Deluxe, Curry Chicken, Chili Tofu, and Ginger Beef Meals

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown? 

Small local grocery stores have started selling lots of products that cater to special needs such as halal food and other dietary restrictions.

Chinatown is a destination for everyone  – you can find good Chinese/Asian food in Chinatown and there are things that you will learn and experience differently in a smaller shop or restaurant.

Padmanadi will be offering the following specials during Chinatown Dining Week. They are valid for either dine-in or take-out:

• $20 Special: Individually-Sized Meals with Spring Rolls, Jasmine Rice, and Chocolate Mousse Dessert; choose one of the following items:
  • Curry chicken: yellow coconut curry with veggie chicken, potatoes and vegetables
  • Vegetable Deluxe: Oriental vegetables and tofu stir-fry extravaganza (gluten-free)
  • Ginger Beef: soy beef strips, sweet bell peppers and carrots in a tangy ginger sauce
  • Chili Tofu: Deep-fried tofu and chili peppers, baby corn, carrots, green peas, and tomatoes in a spicy chili sauce
    
    Orders can be made via phone or in-person
    (780) 428-8899, press 1
    10740 101 Street
    Tuesday-Thursday 11am-2pm and 4-9pm, Friday-Sunday 11am-9pm, closed Mondays

Until the start of Chinatown Dining Week, we’ll be featuring each of the 24 businesses who are participating in this year’s event, running January 18 – 28, 2024. All businesses are offering special deals during this period for $10 and/or $20. Check out all of the menus here.

Next up is  Lee House. We sat down with Jayden Cho, Manager with the restaurant.

Why did you decide to open the restaurant?

When I was going to school here in Canada, I met many friends who came from Korea to study. What they missed the most from Korea was home-cooked food, so I used to invite them over to share my mom’s food. My mom is a great cook, and all my friends really loved her dishes. My family decided to open the restaurant to share my mom’s food with anyone who misses Korean home food, and with anyone who wants to try something new!

How long has the restaurant been open?

It’s been 10 years in Chinatown.

What is the style of cuisine served at the restaurant?

We are serving traditional Korean food, nothing fancy, but just like how Korean people would eat at home.

Spicy Seafood Fried Rice with 4 Dumplings

What makes your restaurant special?

It is a definition of a family-run small local business; we cook, we serve, and we run the place. My family put our love and passion in this place to create Korean home-style meals, just like how Korean mothers would prepare for their family at home. It is authentic and comforting.

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown?

Chinatown in located at heart of Edmonton’s downtown. It brought many cultures together, not only Chinese, but Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, etc. It also neighbors many other ethnic groups, such as Ethiopian, Greek, Italian, etc. Visiting Chinatown, not only you will be having authentic Chinese food, but you will be pleasantly surprised by the many other options that you could choose from.

Lee House will be offering the following special during Chinatown Dining Week. It is valid for both dine-in and pick-up:

• $20 Special: Spicy Seafood Fried Rice with 4 Dumplings
  
  Orders can be made via phone or in-person
  (780) 438-0790
  10704 97 Street
  Sunday-Thursday 11am-8pm (last call 7:30pm), Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm (last call 8:30pm)

Until the start of Chinatown Dining Week, we’ll be featuring each of the 24 businesses who are participating in this year’s event, running January 18 – 28, 2024. All businesses are offering special deals during this period for $10 and/or $20. Check out all of the menus here.

First up, we spoke with Katherine Sayaphet of Syphay, a business returning to Chinatown Dining Week.

Why did you decide to open the restaurant?  

I am the second generation owner of Syphay – my mom opened the restaurant 17 years ago. She’s always had a passion for cooking and she started this business without any experience and just learned along the way.  

How long has the restaurant been open?  

We opened the Jasper Ave location 9 years ago [which will be the one participating in Chinatown Dining Week].  

We also opened a new south side location in 2020 (a relocation after closing our other location of 15 years).

Pad Thai, Tohm Yum, and Spring Rolls

What is the style of cuisine served at the restaurant?  

We are unique because we are both Thai and Lao style cuisine. My mom was born on the border of Thailand and Laos so the when she developed the menu, the dishes had both Thai and Lao influence. If someone orders a dish and they would like it more Thai flavor or more Lao flavor, we are able to accommodate that. It all depends on the customer’s preference on the flavor and what they like so don’t be afraid to ask staff for recommendations! 

What makes your restaurant special?  

Syphay’s name comes a combination of both of my parents’ names. It is family owned and operated, which I think makes this restaurant feel genuine and unique. The food is authentic and the staff is always friendly. We have lots of new customers who come in to dine and we work hard to have the staff be informative and help explain the menu if needed. Sometimes it can be intimidating for people to try new restaurants so we have friendly and welcoming staff to help alleviate that. 

Green Curry, Tohm Yum and Spring Rolls

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown?  

Edmonton’s Chinatown has a sense of community and there are so many unique restaurants, bakeries, and little shops. I think everyone in Edmonton should visit Chinatown at least once to experience the different types of cuisines and cultures. 

Syphay will be offering the following specials during Chinatown Dining Week. It is valid for dine-in or pick-up:

• $20 Special: Choice of –
  • Option 1: Tohm Yum Veg, Green Curry (chicken or tofu), Coconut Rice, 2-pieces Veg Spring Rolls
  • Option 2: Tohm Yum Veg, Pad Thai (chicken or tofu), 2-pieces Veg Spring Rolls
    
    Orders can be made via phone or in-person
    (780) 423-4241
    9441 Jasper Avenue
    Monday-Friday 11:30am-2pm and 5-9pm, Saturday 5-9pm, closed Sunday

Chinatown Dining Week is returning for a seventh year!

• What: Chinatown Dining Week
• When: January 18-28, 2024
• Where: Businesses in Edmonton’s Chinatown

Chinatown continues to grapple with negative perceptions of safety and security, and businesses are struggling. Chinatown Dining Week is back again to serve as a reminder to discover or revisit some of our city’s culinary gems.

This is the largest event in our history, with a record 24 participating businesses spanning both Chinatown North and South. We are also thrilled to welcome five new businesses to our event: Hing Lung BBQ House, Italian Bakery, RJ Tasty Bites, Van Loc, and Xu Hue.

Businesses have put together special menus for $10 or $20 that will be offered from January 18-28, 2024 for in-person dining and/or take-out.

• 97 Hot Pot, 10602 97 Street
• All Happy Family, 10013 106 Avenue
• Asian Express Hot Pot, 10586 100 Street
• China Marble Restaurant, 10566 97 Street
• Co Chin Saigon, 10632 100 Street
• Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House, 10626 97 Street
• *Hing Lung BBQ House, 9715 106 Ave
• Hong Kong Bakery, 10649 97 Street
• *Italian Bakery, 10644 97 Street
• Kim Fat Market, 9905 107 Avenue
• King Noodle House Pho Hoang, 10613 97 Street
• Lee House Korean Restaurant, 10704 97 Street
• Liuyishou Hot Pot, #168, 9700 105 Avenue (Pacific Rim Mall)
• Macarons & Goodies, 10548 101 Street
• Namaste India, 10023 107 Avenue
• Noi Thai, 10724 95 Street
• Padmanadi, 10740 101 Street
• *RJ Tasty Bites, 9711 107 Avenue
• Spirit Bistro, 10824 97 Street, Unit #3
• Syphay, 9441 Jasper Avenue
• Tea Bar Cafe, 10640 98 Street
• The Moth Cafe, 9449 Jasper Avenue
• *Van Loc, 10648 98 Street
• *Xu Hue, 10548 97 Street

*denotes new Chinatown Dining Week participant

Menus will be released at edmontonchinatown.ca on January 4, 2024 – check back then for more details!