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BEST OF EDMONTON 2003
Reader Poll Results |
EDMONTONIANS
Sexiest Male
1. Steve Gerrittsen
2. Mike Comrie
3. Gord Steinke
Mike Comrie gets bumped out of the first place spot this year by newcomer Steve Gerrittsen. After asking around, we’ve discovered Steve is the sound guy at New City. Steve, you of all people shouldn’t be lurking in the shadows. Arise—and put your sexy self out where we can all admire you.
Sexiest female
1. Dawn Chubai
2. Carrie Doll
3. Shannon Tyler
"Oh, the weather outside is frightful..." lilts our most beloved singing weather person, but the A-Channel’s meteo-hottie—third time trimumphant in the pulchritude category, female division—could be forecasting tornadoes and we’d just sigh. Her golden locks! Her bewitching eyes! Her gale force smile! Her ample bright ’n’ sunny disposition! Perhaps you’ve heard the frequent dry-throated whispers around town: "La Chubai! How I long for a glimpse of La Belle Chubai. Same again, barkeep." Now you know why.
Best local politician
1. Michael Phair
2. Raj Pannu
3. Bill Smith
Phair is excellent, according to our readers, who have acclaimed the community builder and arts patron year after year after year. But we expect that he’s as stubborn as ever in his refusal to reach for the fur chain that is the proud accessory of he or she who occupies the centre chair on council. Maybe it’s because, as a devotee of low-emission vehicles, he can’t imagine having to tool around town piloting a crested Hummer, or whatever it is the current guy drives. Maybe it’s because he’s concerned about the unfortunate auditory conjunction between the job title and his last name (how about Mayor Mike?). Maybe, despite his success in his ward, he has justifiably little faith that the broader populace can tell the difference between a capable politician and a slab of pig iron.
Best radio personality
1. Terry Evans
2. Shannon Tyler
3. DJ Lloyd
Here’s a guy with balls. Twenty years on the radio in Edmonton and K97 morning cock of the walk Evans shows no sign of losing an ounce of his spunk. Turns out that if you know your elbow from Uranus, you’ll tune in for Terry’s signature blend of classic rock and witty repartee. Recognition for his subtle and edgy work in the art-in-public-spaces field is well overdue.
Best TV Weather Person
1. Claire Martin
2. Dawn Chubai
3. Ian Leonard
Global’s Claire Martin has again wooed the voting public. Her patented style of educational weather forecasting has helped even the just-gimme-the-temperature set understand a thing or two about the real forces ruling the planet. Second place goes to Dawn Chubai, who works something like 20-hours a day at the A-Channel, has a music career on the side, and still manages to look fresh as spring rain every time she appears on camera. In third place: CFRN’s Ian Leonard. Now here’s a fellow who’s mastered the art of gesturing at the weather screen (which only exists to the viewing public) and not looking at the monitor to his left (where the information really is). Sorry to ruin that for you.
Best TV News Anchor
1. Gord Steinke
2. Linda Steele
3. Daryl McIntyre/Carrie Doll.
It’s just so fitting that Gord and Linda received first and second place, after all, they share the news desk every night at 6 p.m. on Global. Perfectly complimented, like the characters in a Nicholas Ray film, Gord is the motorcycle-driving, rock’n’roll rebel, while Linda is the archetypal good-girl. And—wouldn’t you know it—tied for the third place spot are another set of co-hosts, Darryl McIntyre and Carrie Doll. Oh, you news hosts; what is it that you talk about while the credits roll?
Best TV Sportscaster
1. John Sexsmith
2. Jordi Weidman
3. Kevin Karius
An intimate portrait of the city’s pick for best sports anchor, John Sexsmith, can be found on the Global website, where we learn that John has always loved telling stories about sports of all levels. That’s sweet. And because it’s so sweet, we’ll just overlook the fact that on the same site he lists Titanic as one of his favourite movies.
Best Newspaper Reporter
1. Nick Lees
2. Fish Griwkowsky
3. Todd Babiak
They’ve only got two dimensions in which to seduce us, but somehow it’s enough. On any given evening, Edmonton’s own answer to the society columnist, Nick Lees, can be found in a pinstripe suit flittering around the city’s most exclusive events, laughing it up over a martini while he crafts his story and, the next morning, making the whole scene come alive in The Journal. Well, if not the next morning, then the day after for sure.
Editor’s Pick: Our very own Fish Griwkowsky (okay, he’s not all ours) is number two, and though Fish enjoys a night out on the town, his copy is always delivered promptly before deadline.
Best Local Band
1. Nothing At All
2. Shift
3. JIF
"I don’t think we’re Edmonton’s best band," says Nothing At All guitarist Jodee Sawan with the kind of no-nonense, self-effacing aplomb you’d expect from a DIY punk. "We just work really hard and promote ourselves well." And though the band—which includes two more guitarists, Pat Sharman and Chris Kirsglabush, plus cover gal Monique Hoople handling the mic with Chris Breen and Rob Churchill holding down the rhythm section (drum and bass, respectively)—are serious about their songs, just don’t call ’em emo. They prefer "melodic and well-read" with some new leanings towards the techier side of things. This summer they’ll be taking that sound out on their fourth cross-Canada tour in support of a new, self-titled EP. That’s a whole lotta stuff going on for a group called Nothing At All.
Most Intriguing Edmontonian
1. Lois Hole
2. Ted Wright
3. Barb Tarbox
Considered the most intriguing Edmontonian by SEE readers, Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor certainly isn’t the most unapproachable Edmontonian-from-St. Albert. Lois Hole is most famous for the big hugs she gives just about anyone she meets... indiscriminately. Wait a second, no one could be that nice. She is a mystery indeed.
Favourite local athlete
1. Mike Comrie
2. Tommy Salo
3. Ryan Smith
Ok, so maybe he’s only Number Two Sexy. He’s still Number One Athletic. Ok, so maybe the plucky centre didn’t have the season he was looking for: we know he’s got it in him. That’s the thing—Oiler fans understand, better than anyone, the meaning of the word "potential." An analogy. Suppose some guy opens a modest furniture store on 109 St. Do you say "Who is this small-time wannabe"? No. You say, "Some day I’ll be buying a leather sofa from that guy and not paying him anything until July of 2004—with no interest." Yep: we can spot a champion on the cusp.
Editor’s choice: Any of our city’s fine ringette players.
Most Obnoxious Local Celebrity
1. Peter Hill
2. Lorraine Mansbridge
3. Bryan Hall
Go for a stroll down Whyte Ave on any given Saturday afternoon and you’re bound to hear someone exclaim, "Oh my God! It’s Peter Hill!" Now ask that same individual what show Peter Hill once appeared on, and he or she will most likely be at a loss. The fact is, while Peter Hill may look exactly the same as he did back on whatever channel, however many years ago, maybe he wants to put his obnoxious celeb past behind him. Infotainment Lorraine and Screamin’ Bryan Hall, however, deserve their kudos.
Worst politician
1. Bill Smith
2. Ralph Klein
3. Michael Phair
Oh, everyone complains about Bill Smith, but does anyone ever do anything about him? Are you envious of the way that he’s navigated the city into a permanent growth cycle by attracting world-class sporting events? Do you despise him for his aggressive manhandling of the province? Are you some sort of gay left-wing terrorist who resents his ability to inspire a sense of teamwork amongst his fellow councilors and, indeed, the community as a whole? And to those of you who voted for Michael Phair: is it still the shirt thing?
CITY LIFE
Best Neighbourhood
1. Strathcona
2. Glenora
3. Garneau
Was there ever any doubt? Strathcona has it all: farmers’ markets and baby stollers by day; off-sales and strip racing by night. Only problem is, it’s hard to get any sleep.
Best TV Station
1. A-Channel
2. Global
3. CFRN
There’s just something about having a downtown TV station that makes you feel like you’re in the company of hip TV types (we forgive the recent acquisition of elimiDATE). They only thing A-Channel needs now is a Friday-night dance party. How ’bout Electric Rodeo hosted by Bridget Ryan?
Best radio station
1. CJSR (88.5 FM)
2. The Bear (100.3 FM)
3. CKUA (94.9 FM)
CJSR’s second consecutive triumph in the SEE radio sweepstakes can probably be attributed to three factors: variety, variety, variety. The Little Station That Will has learned from nature, adapting for radiophonic ends the prairie weather truism: "Don’t like what you’re hearing? Wait 15 minutes." No playlists programmed by head office: the volunteer DJs arrive at the studios on the U of A campus with lineups they’ve assembled with love and knowledge. And don’t forget, alternatively minded folks: CJSR also does news that wasn’t programmed by head offce.
Worst radio station
1. Power 92 (92.5 FM)
2. The Bear (100.3 FM)
3. 96X (96.3 FM)
But what is it about Power 92 that you don’t like? They play all the hits... isn’t that what you want?
Best Art Gallery
1. EAG (2 Sir Winston Churchill Square)
2. Latitude 53 (10137 -104 St.)
3. Fab (UofA Fine Arts Building, 89 Ave. & 112 St.)
The big guy comes up on top. Deservedly so, as over the past year the halls of the EAG have hosted giant, inflatable "sculptures," an exploration of cyborg culture and post-Impressionist masterworks on loan from the National Gallery (still on display). An intriguing line-up of visual delights, to say the least.
Best One-Day Getaway
1. Jasper
2. Elk Island Park
3. WEM
Let Calgarians have Banff with its faux-Euro facades and swarms of tourists. Only three hours away from E-town lies Jasper, a place where wilderness panoramas are thankfully devoid of McArches. Besides, if you really like faux-Euro facades, the third-place winner provides.
Best bowling alley
1. Red’s (West Edmonton Mall)
2. Gateway (3414 Gateway Blvd.)
3. Bonnie Doon (82 Ave. & 83 St.)
State-of-the-art bowling: that’s part of the equation. State-of-the-art refreshment is another. To that, pins champ Reds adds state-of-the-art stuff-to-do-when-you’re-tired-of-bowling.
Editor’s Choice: For that comfortable, neighborhood lanes experience, nothing beats the joint in the basement of Bonnie Doon mall.
Best place to play video games
1. Playdium (WEM)
2. Red’s (WEM)
3. Home
Show up at Playdium on a Saturday night and you know what to expect: Dance Dance Revolution partaaay! While you’re waiting to get the crap danced out of you by a 12-year-old, go shoot something–like some hoops or a band of outlaws.
Best Use of Taxpayers’ Money
1. Road Repair
2. LRT Expansion
3. Parks
Note to City Hall: Repair the damn roads, make the LRT go someplace useful, and keep our parks in good shape. Then, and only then will we love you.
Worst use of Taxpayers’ money
1. Slogan
2. Giant baseball bat
3. Churchill Square
The slogans weren’t a total loss–at least Edmontonians shared a collective laugh. The last time we were all so emotionally connected was when the Wayner left—but that’s still too painful to talk about. On the bright side, we now have some clever new vocabulary to add to our regular speech. Here’s an example:
Speaker 1: Where’s the remote?
Speaker 2: ‘It’s Right Here.’
Coolest Building
1. City Hall (1 Sir Winston Churchill Sq.)
2. Hotel Macdonald (10065-100 St.)
3. Muttart (9626-96A St.)
Are the Mason’s the secret power that runs this city, what with all those pyramids dotting the landscape? Well, whatever the reason for this architechtural motif, it certainly is kewl. Or were you simply magnetized to the seat of municipal power by Bill Smith’s cult of personality. Hmmm, no, it must be the pyramids.
NIGHT LIFE
Club with the Hottest Clientele
1. New City (10080 Jasper Ave)
2. Rum Jungle (8770-170 St., WEM)
3. Dantes (17328 Stony Plain Rd.)
So why are the patrons who flock to New City so hot? "Because we’re the fucking shit-hottest bar," matter-of-factly answers Rob Wright, head of the club’s booking department. Apparently readers agree, with New City placing #1 in three of our categories (five, if you include best DJ and Sexiest Male, both New City employees). With a couple of second place nods to boot, the new New City secured itself a big sweep at the top of this year’s poll.
Best Dance Club
1. New City (10080 Jasper Ave)
2. Roost (10345-104 St.)
3. Halo (10538 Jasper Ave.)
See? A sweep! Just like we said in last entry. Not only did New City survive its move from western edge of downtown, it’s positively thriving in the confines of the old Paladium building at the city’s core. Bigger is better (all the more room to get yer freak on).
Best Club DJ
1. DJ Jebus
2. Nik Roofeelya
3. DJ Fresh
Jebus is everywhere—style wise, anyway. On Thursday’s, in New City’s Liquid Lounge, you can his popular Rub-a-Dub night (with the Operation Radication Sound System, featuring members of the Operators). Throw on your Ben Sherman’s and Porkpie’s, as the evening’s guaranteed to be a mix of authentic rocksteady, dub, ska and bluebeat. If that’s not enough, see him again Friday, when he switches to eclectic, crowd-pleasing spins.
Best Live Venue
1. Sidetrack Café (10333-112 St.)
2. New City (10080 Jasper Ave)
3. Blues on Whyte (10329-82 Ave.)
The ’Track is back. Although there are plenty of newer kids on the blocks, you still recognized this veritable institution as the engine that drives the city’s music scene. And where else can you enjoy local, national and international acts with a hearty sit-down meal, all from the comfort of a real railway car?
Best Neighbourhood Pub
1. Black Dog (10425-82 Ave.)
2. Atlantic Trap and Gill (77041-104 Ave.)
3. O’Byrnes (10616-82 Ave.)
From the time its green door swings open ’till the last barfly gets the boot, the Black Dog brims over with a certain je ne sais quoi. There’s just something about walking in, letting the pupils adjust to the dank, catching a whiff of the mildew, listening for which rad tune is playing and ordering a couple of lemony pints straight up. Why is The Black Dog so intoxicating? Curse that ATM!
Best Sports Bar
1. Schanks Athletic Club (9927-178 St.)
2. Mo’s (5420 Calgary Trail)
3. Overtime (10304-111 St.)
It’s our team, do or die—could we get another beer, please?—and Schanks is the place—JESUS! Shoot AT THE NET!—where SEE Readers prefer to hang—come on, come on! COME ON!—you know, with friends and—Mike! Mike! Order some nachos on your way to the can—just feel like we’re at home when we’re not. Oh, for... WHAT A BUNCH OF BUMS! We can’t stand this... wanna go play trivia?
Best Queer Bar
1. Roost (10345-104 St.)
2. Buddy’s (11725-Jasper Ave.)
3. Boots and Saddles (10242-106 St.)
The Roost rules the... roost again this year, and there’s nothing queer about that. There’s something going on practically every night at the venerable Edmonton institution, making it the perfect in-town getaway for people of the homosexual persuasion and their hetero friends. Number One again, Roost: we hope you’ll wear it with Pride.
Best Film House
1. Garneau (8712-109 St.)
2. Metro Cinema (9828-101A Ave.)
3. Princess (10337-82 Ave.)
Ok, ok, ok. Movies, sure. But part of the Garneau’s appeal has to be the building itself. No day-glo ceiling extravaganza in the foyer: just graceful, 1940s ambiance. And space! The classic movie-going experience can’t be achieved in theatres where you can touch the screen from the back row. And then, the movies... you can’t see quality, thought-provoking cinema on a big ol’ screen anywhere else.
Best Movie Theatre
1. Silver City (WEM)
2. South Edmonton Common (23 Ave. & Calgary Tr.)
3. Garneau (8712-109 St.)
Was a theatre ever more aptly named? Silver City: from the glittering dragon that adorns it’s entrance, to the shining phalanx of soda spigots waiting to slake the thirst of cinema fans, to the dozen silver screens upon which the manifold entertainments are presented, to the shower of lovely coins that this pleasure palace has been designed to collect so efficiently and painlessly.
Best Live Theatre Company
1. Theatre Network
2. Shadow Theatre
3. Citadel
Theatre Network labeled its edgy 2002/2003 season "Discretion advised," to which Edmonton audiences responded with wild abandon, culminating the smash held-over success of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. And this year, TN’s Roxy Theatre was fitted with comfy new seats, befitting the jewel in the crown of Edmonton’s "other" happening thoroughfare.
Best Place to Shoot Pool
1. Billiard Club (10505-82 Ave., Upstairs)
2. Q-Club (15121 Stony Plain Rd.)
3. Metro (10250-106 St.)
Lucky 8-ball says you’re in the right place to shoot some pool, because with ample space and a contingent of the oh-so-sexy, Billiard Club is the place to be caught bending over a table. Who knows, you might butt up against someone and offer to help put one in the pocket, but chances are your new protégé is just feigning ignorance.
Best After Hours Club
1. Y (Back of 10030A 102 St.)
2. Climaxx (10018 105 St,)
3. Sublime (10147 104 St.)
Why Y? Because, the venue formerly known as Therapy has revamped its interior and spins the best in house, breaks—you name it—’til the early, early hours (when most of us are just starting our day). That’s Y, suckas.
Best Bar
1. New City (10080 Jasper Ave)
2. Black Dog (10425-82 Ave.)
3. Savoy (10401-82 Ave.)
Again with these guys! What more can we say? You’ve anointed them kings of the nighttime world.
Place to be Seen
1. Whyte Ave.
2. New City (10080 Jasper Ave)
3. Savoy (10401-82 Ave.)
Squeegee kids, university students, punks, high fashion devotees, scenesters, buskers, artists, regular folk and even mimes coexist peacefully (most of the time) on this northern oasis of metropolitan cool. Which isn’t to say that it’s in any way impersonal—just walk two blocks and you’ll run into someone you know.
FOOD
Best Burger
1. Garage (10242-106 St.)
2. Next Act (8224-104 St.)
3. Metro (10250-106 St.)
Garage is home of the heartiest burgers and saltiest fries in town. Ralph eats burgers; you should too.
Best Pizza
1. Funky Pickle (various locations)
2. Pizza 73 (various locations)
3. Royal Pizza (various locations)
Funky Pickle invented the concept of honey on pizza, taking a lot of people to a place they thought they would never go. In fact, there's a whole Funky Pickle ritual for topping a slice. First drip Tabasco over the cheese, then drizzle the honey (avoiding the crust), then add parmesan to blot the stickiness and finally apply a dash of salt and pepper. Eating your garnished creation off a cardboard triangle makes it all the better, not that these Italian pies couldn't stand on their own. FP has everything from a Bavarian sausage-themed pizza to one topped with falafel and hummus. SEE readers know what it’s all about. Now that’s amore.
Best Fish and Chips
1. Joey’s Only (various locations)
2. Atlantic Trap and Gill (7704-104 St.)
3. Back Home Fish and Chips (various locations)
Whoever heard of Mad Fish Disease, eh? Based in a distant fishing port called Calgary, Joey’s Only offers
Best Coffee House
1. Second Cup (various locations)
2. Sugarbowl (10922-88 Ave.)
3. Muddy Waters (8211-111 St.)
Every morning Edmonton’s barristas offer salvation to the sleepy eyed. "Medium or dark roast?" sounds like "God has just approved your application to heaven" at 7 a.m. So here’s to you, barristas, especially those at the many locations of the Second Cup, who, just by their sheer volume do the greatest work for the city’s morningly challenged.
Best Vegetarian
1. Café Mosaics (10844-82 Ave.)
2. Oriental Veggie House (10586-100 St.)
3. Max’s Light Cuisine (7809-109 St._
"Oh, what will I do? The cows are mad, and I have to have meat!" Listen, buster, lots of sophisticated, gastronomically discerning and—this is important—munchie-prone people swear by Café Mosaics and its multiple varieties of faux- and no-meat dishes. And by the way: they know their music, and they ain’t afraid to play it so’s you can hear it.
Best Restaurant Patio
1. Earl’s Tin Palace (11830 Jasper Ave.)
2. Thornton Court Hotel (1 Thornton Court)
3. Riverside Bistro
You’ll think you’re in L.A. or somewhere equally as glamorous once you’ve dined al fresco with the beautiful people on Earl’s lush Tin Palace patio. When the day is hot, order one of their long, tall concoctions and take it all in.
Best Bar Patio
1. Black Dog (10524-82 Ave.)
2. Riverside Bistro (1 Thornton Court)
3. O’Byrnes (10616-82 Ave,)
Show up early or else the guy at the top of the stairs won’t let you in ’cause the Black Dog patio is the place to be on warm summer nights. It’s nothing fancy, just good tunes, good brew and a whole lotta ethanol-infused conversation.
Best Wings
1. Pizza 73 (various locations)
2. Boston Pizza (various locations)
3. Schanks Athletic Club (9927-178 St.)
When Pizza 73 started offering wings way back when, nobody thought it would take off, but these days, the savory morsels are probably more popular than the pizza itself. What’s more, the side of veggies means even the most unyielding frat boy has to eat from the legume food group once in a while. Now what’s that number?
Best Fries
1. McDonald’s (various locations)
2. New York Fries (various locations)
3. Dadeo (10548A-82 Ave.)
Well... they’re certainly consistent... mostly... aren’t they? Ok, we’ll level with you: we don’t really get your mutli-year devotion to McFry. Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re retiring this category after this year, replacing it in next year’s survey with the "Best Apple Pie In a Tube" category.
Best Italian
1. Olive Garden (various locations)
2. Sorrentino’s (various locations)
3. Chianti (10501-82 Ave.)
Listen, any restaurant like the Olive Garden whose website helps you to pair your entrée with a selection from the wine list has got an eye for detail that practically guarantees your satisfaction. Of course, we always make asses of ourselves by gorging on breadsticks...
Best Greek
1. Yiannis (10444-82 Ave.)
2. Symposium (2nd Fl., 10439-82 Ave.)
3. Koutouki (10704-124 St.)
The Greeks have given us so much: philosophy, democracy,... moussaka. And where would we be without moussaka? Yiannis will give a taste of the good stuff and you’ll understand how the words "big" and "fat" came to be associated with Greek culture.
Best Indian
1. New Asian Village (10143 Saskatchewan Dr.)
2. Khazana (10177-107 St.)
3. Jewel of Kashmir (7219-104 St.)
How does this sound? Butter chicken, tomato, garlic and ginger Bhuna and rack of lamb Barra Kabab—just some of the mouthwatering dishes on the menu at New Asian Village, Edmonton’s top pick for Indian food. Wash it all down with one of their gazillion international brews. New Asian also takes the prize for best beer selection.
Best Chinese
1. Sam Wok (#101. 7915-104 St.)
2. Blue Willow (11107-103 Ave.)
3. North China (various locations)
The shrine of the Rice Roll With Long Donut beckons you. Look how the people flock to pay homage within its humble confines. The shrine stays open perpetually, for you may hear its siren call after a long night of prayer or dancing. You won’t be alone.
Best Mexican
1. Julio’s Barrio (various locations)
2. Acajultla (11302-107 Ave.)
3. Taco Time (various locations)
Whether you’re a vegetarian or carnivore, Julio’s will fire you up some fine Mexican fare and serve it to your table still sizzling. Everything on the menu is best enjoyed with a fishbowl-sized margarita or a lime-injected beer—so dig in. Just don’t put on the sombrero. Please.
Best Thai
1. The King and I (8208-107 St.)
2. Bua Thai (10049-113 St.)
3. Ban Thai (15726-100 Ave.)
Special commendation to The King and I for bouncing back in to league-leading form after losing original location to fire, setting the bar high for other fire-razed Whyte Ave. eateries. Note: Omit the numbers and our list of winners is liltingly poetic.
Best Vietnamese
1. Pagolac (10566-97 St., 9642-54 Ave)
2. Doan's (10130-107 St, 7909-104 St.)
3. New Tan Tan (10133-97 St.)
How many lives have been saved each winter by Pagolac's vast steaming bowls of spicy noodles? And if not saved, then mightily improved? But there's more than meets the noodle at Pagolac, as that fine eatery's loyal following will attest, all year 'round.
Best New Restaurant
1. L’Azia (Edmonton City Centre)
2. Blue Iguana (11304-104 Ave.)
3. Padmanadi (10626-97 St.)
There it is, right in the heart of Edmonton’s bustling, revitalized downtown, on the main floor of City Centre Mall: L’Azia. Everybody’s having lunch there, frankly, and some of them are coming back to sup. Its poly-ethnic menu and well-appointed surroundings make L’Azia the hottest new thing in town.
Best Ice Cream/Yogurt/Gelato
1. Baskin Robbins (various locations)
2. Block 1912 (10361-82 Ave.)
3. Dairy Queen (various locations)
Mint Chocolate Chip, Pink Bubble Gum, Pistachio Almond: we salute you. Pralines and Cream, Cherries Jubilee and Rocky road: what might a midsummer’s day be without you? To all 31 flavours of Baskin Robbins: you are an asset to humanity and truly deserving of this accolade.
Best Desserts
1. Cheesecake Cafe (17011-100 Ave)
2. Vi's for Pies (13403 - Stoney Plain Rd.)
3. Death by Chocolate (West Edmonton Mall)
Tunnel of Fudge? We're there! That's only one of several varieties of cheesecake offered at the cafe named for the cause. And that's not to mention the ice creams and flans and other tongue-taming delights offered in the same establishment. Of course, we won't be completely happy until the Tunnel of Fudge is something you have to eat your way out of...
Best Natural Food
1. Planet Organic (7917-104 St.)
2. Organic Roots (8225-112 St.)
3. Big Fresh (12120 Jasper Ave.)
Edmonton-based Planet Organic was already poised to become a dominant force both nationally and locally, what with it’s colourful and well-located new digs in Old Strathcona. But now that your mainstream food has gone all weird, who won’t be availing themselves of Planet Organic’s extensive selection of food that doesn’t come from factory farms.
Best Bakery
1. Bee Bell (10416-80 Ave.)
2. Italian Bakery (various locations)
3. Sunterra (2 Fl., 10150 Jasper Ave.)
In other cities, a small, independent bakery set a block from IGA and Save-On-Foods wouldn’t stand much of a chance. But Bee Bell is no ordinary bakery—it’s home to some of the most delicious glutens money can buy. In fact, Bee Bell’s loaves are so good, some days the shop looks like a Moscovite bread line.
Best Deli
1. Italian Centre (10878-95 St.)
2. Sunterra (2 Fl., 10150 Jasper Ave.)
3. Save-On-Foods (various locations)
From olives to cappicolli, the Italian Centre’s got it all, but the piece de resistance is their signature bruschetta. It’s a tomato medly so delicious, it makka us hungry just wriddin abboudit.
Best Seafood
1. Red Lobster (various locations)
2. Lighthouse Café/Billingsgate (7331-104 St.)
3. Joey’s Only (various locations)
Ever tried to get into a Red Lobster around the dinner hour? Why, you’d have an easier time piloting your dory around the reflecting pool at the Legislature.
Best Steak
1. Keg (various locations)
2. Hys (10013-101A Ave.)
3. Sawmill (various locations)
Whether you take it bloody or charred, The Keg knows how to do a steak up right and there are plenty of locations in which to satisfy your deepest carnivorous urges. And BSE, pfffff? B.S.—eat!
Best Sushi
1. Kyoto (various locations)
2. Tokyo Express (various locations)
3. Hokkaido (10108B-124 St.)
When the sushi boat sails onto your table, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to Nirvana. Kyoto’s two locations roll maki like nobody’s business and the miso’s always on the house.
Editor’s choice: We head for Yokozuna when we’re craving a big old bowl of salted soy beans.
Best Donair
1. Queen Donair (various locations)
2. Charles Smart (8952-82 Ave.)
3. Marcos Famous (10526-82 Ave.)
While all donairs are delicious at 3 in the morning, can the same be said at 3 p.m.? Queen Donair (multiple locations) is the kind of place you could actually think about hitting for lunch. And while you still won’t know what kind of meat you’re eating, the fact is white sauce makes it all good.
Best Lunch to Go
1. Tokyo Express (various locations)
2. Sunterra (2 Fl., 10150 Jasper Ave.)
3. Save-on-Foods (various locations)
Can’t talk. Meeting in 15. Starving! Tokyo Express. Udon and sushi. Back to office. Call me!
Best Breakfast
1. High Level Diner (10912-88 Ave.)
2. Silk Hat (10251 Jasper Ave.)
3. Denny’s (various locations)
High Level Diner breakfast brings together a mix of people every weekend. There’s the hangover tables padding their tender stomachs with eggs’ benny, the kids and parents sharing buttery cinnamon buns, and the Running Room crowd, replenishing their electrolytes with banana frappas. With so many satisfied customers, it’s not hard to see why HLD was voted best brekkie for the second year in a row.
Best Martini
1. Devlin’s (10507-82 Ave.)
2. Savoy (10401-82 Ave.)
3. Riverside Bistro (#1 Thornton Court)
The only place in town where publicly downing a few ounces of cocaine or heroin won’t get you tossed. Of course, we’re talking about consumption of Devlin’s most popular martinis. "Cocaine" is a mix of vodka, crème de cacao and Bailey’s in a sugar-rimmed glass. "Liquid Heroin" blends Vodka and Chambord Royal with cranberry and pineapple juices. And, unlike the real stuff, these tempting potions will never be referred to as junk.
Best Late Night Eats
1. Funky Pickle (various locations)
2. Denny’s (various locations)
3. McDonald’s (various locations)
Every night around 2 a.m., a pleasing aroma wafts down Whyte Avenue, stirring the inebriated to thoughts of comfort food and passing out. The folks at Funky Pickle have just made a couple of pizzas and turned on the outdoor fan. They wait. Within minutes the shop front looks like a scene from Night of the Living Dead. Zombie-like figures overtake the establishment, clawing their way towards the ultimate nocturnal reward.
Best Brunch
1. Riverside Bistro (#1 Thornton Court)
2. Sidetrack (10333-112 St.)
3. High Level Diner (10912-88 Ave.)
Yes, the food is delicious and beautifully presented, and, yes, the atmosphere is a pleasing mixture of casual and elegant, but what the Riverside Bistro has in spades is vista. Head over to the Thornton Court Hotel one weekend morning, take a seat in its restaurant (or its splendid patio) overlooking the river and you’ll find yourself asking, "Why didn’t anyone open a restaurant here years ago."
Best High-end Dining
1. Hardware Grill (9698 Jasper Ave.)
2. Hotel MacDonald (10065-100 St.)
3. Jack’s Grill (5842-111St.)
Well, if we had to give up the creaking floors and the extensive melamine selection of the good old W.W. Arcade, what better reason than to make way for the Hardware Grill. Now in its seventh year, the corner space tenant of the Goodridge Block offers fine dining for power-lunchers and romantic-eveningers alike.
Best Beer Selection
1. New Asian Village (10143 Saskatchewan Dr.)
2. Brewsters (various locations)
3. Savoy (10401-82 Ave.)
Whether you’ve got a hankering for a Singapore Tiger, Indian Taj Mahal, South African Castle or a plain old American Bud, New Asian Village somehow manages to keep a small world of beer cool and ready for you.
Best Wine List
1. Hardware Grill (9698 Jasper Ave.)
2. Il Portico (10012-107 St.)
3. La Boheme (6427-112 Ave.)
Want to really impress your date? Order up a bottle of $1,800 Chateau Latour 1964 Bordeaux from the Hardware Grill. If that’s more than you’re expecting to bring in this month, try the $25 Chateau des Charmes 1998 Viognier. HG’s got something for every taste and bank statement.
SHOPPING
Best Place to Get Fit
1. Club Fit (various locations)
2. Kinsmen (9100 Walterdale Hill)
3. World Health Club (various locations)
It’s hip to be fit, as Huey Lewis or someone once said and participaction has never been so easy since Club Fit rolled into town with its six locations. Now don’t you think it’s time to stamp out that smoke and see what all the buzz is about?
Best Place to Buy Vinyl
1. Blackbyrd Myoozik (10042-82 Ave.)
2. Freecloud 10764-101 St.)
3. Listen (10649-124 St.)
Want the new White Stripes or Cat Power on nice ’n’ fat platter ’o wax? Or the Drive By Jehu reissue? A classic nugget by the Ramones? Soul Jazz’s Dynamite series, volumes 1-5? Or do you prefer the latest in electronic music? No worries, it’s all at Blackbyrd. Rich Bomber’s Freecloud and the home of the indie in-store, Listen, follow oh-so closely behind.
Best CD Store (New)
1. A&B (various locations)
2. HMV (various locations)
3. Blackbyrd (10042-82 Ave.)
The first #1 appearance out of a top-ranking hat trick for the Canadian retail giant begins here, thanks to its great selection of tunes.
Best CD Store (Used)
1. Blackbyrd (10042-82 Ave.)
2. Southside Sound (reopening TBA)
3. Sound Connection (10838-124 St.)
From their bins, The Velvet Underground’s Loaded ($8) is playing in the background as we type this while The Who’s Tommy ($11) is on stand by. A little too dated? Well, thanks in-no-small-part to trade-ins. Your favourite titles in punk, reggae, blues, rock, electronic, folk and world also await you with impossible-to-resist sticker prices.
Best DVD Store
1. HMV (various locations)
2. A&B (various locations)
3. Future shop (various locations)
The British are coming... Well, actually these UK-based peddlers of audio/visual delights have been here quite some time. Long enough, in fact, to earn the hard-to-get respect of those finicky cineastes bent on decoding The Matrix frame by frame.
Best Indie Bookstore (New)
1. Audrey’s (10702 Jasper Ave.
2. Greenwoods (7925-104 St.)
3. Wee book Inn (various locations)
Cozy ambience, great selection, frequent readings and dedication to the community—e.g. earlier this year the store "adopted" Orlando’s, saving it from oblivion by earmarking a permanent corner of their space for it’s specialty titles. These are a few of your favourite things about the downtown book merchant, placing them in top spot yet again.
Best Chain Bookstore (New)
1. Chapters (various locations)
2. Wee book Inn (various locations)
3. Coles (various locations)
Chapter’s has redefined the way we shop. Kick back in a comfy chair and skim through a few titles from their huge selection, meet a friend for coffee, flip through your favourite hard-to-find-elsewhere specialty mags, preview the latest CDs, or simply check out your fellow booklovers (nudge-nudge, wink-wink).
Best Used bookstore
1. Wee Book Inn (various locations)
2. Athabasca (8228-105 St.)
3. Alhambra (10309-82 Ave.)
Wee ain’t so wee anymore, having two outlets here in Edmonton, as well as another pair down south. Whatever your interest’s are—SF, western, romance, classics, non-fiction, porn—you can stock up on the cheap at the WBI.
Best Stereo Store
1. A&B Sound (various locations)
2. Future shop (various locations)
3. Audio Ark (10745-124 St.)
Edmontonian’s destination of choice for living room knob twiddlin’ and tweeter tweakin.’ A&B Sound’s famed blowout sales have longer and earlier lineups than you’ll find at a Lord of the Rings sequel premiere.
Best Car Stereo
1. A&B Sound (various locations)
2. Certified radio (various locations)
3. Future Shop (various locations)
Same as above (’cept this time for your wheels).
Best Computer Store
1. Compusmart (various locations)
2. Future Shop (various locations)
3. BCOM (various locations)
Your toaster makes toast. Your curling iron curls hair. Your paper clip clips paper. Your doormat endures the endless scrubbing of soles. But your computer... ah, yes: you computer is the ultimate multi-tasking tool, allowing you to communicate with friends, add many numbers at once and steal music. If you’re in the market for a writin’/addin’/thievin’ machine, you might want to visit the experts at Compusmart,
Best Indie Movie Rental Store
1. Movie Studio (various locations)
2. Alternative Video (various locations)
3. Sneak Preview (4047-106 St.)
Whether you’re searching for cult classics—Dario Argento’s poorly dubbed yet much beloved Italian gorefests, the brilliant Danish mini-series, The Kingdom, the quirky Fishing With John episodes—or simply dashing in to snatch a copy of 8 Mile, the Movie Studio is the first stop on your bid for vids.
Best Chain Movie Rental Store
1. Blockbuster (various locations)
2. Rogers (various locations)
3. Video Station (various locations)
The name says it all and, rest assured, when that blockbuster comes out on DVD, it will be revered in a shrine-like wall of copies. But the real beauty of Blockbuster is, two months later, that same flick’s in the bargain bin.
Best Art Supply Store
1. The Paint Spot
2. Nordraft (10660-105St.)
3. Fine Lines (10818-82 Ave.)
We’ve been working on a still life. It’s called "Quarter cup of coffee that’s been on the filing cabinet for three weeks." It’s a mixed-media work, and we’ve been getting all of our brushes, paints, charcoals, pencils and friendly advice from the nice people at the tidiest store on Whyte Ave. Those who can’t even write their names legibly can still check out the Fringe Gallery downstairs.
Best Men’s Clothing
1. Henry Singer (various locations)
2. Urban Men (various locations)
3. Eddie Bauer (various locations)
Sure we’re the "Gateway to the North" and all, but, when it comes down to it, the fellas like nothing better than doffing the flannel and getting suited up at ’ol Henry S (a tradition dating back to the 1930s).
Best Women’s Clothing
1. Nokomis (10838-82 Ave.)
2. Winners (Various locations)
3. Urban Women (various locations)
All Canadian styles, including the owner’s line and the innovative "preloved" fashions, where discarded clothes are creatively stitched back into new, one-of-a-kind creations—these are the things that put Nokomis in a league of its own and number one on your list.
Best Shoe Store
1. Gravity Pope (#2, 10442-82 Ave.)
2. Payless (various locations)
3. Aldo (various locations)
Gravity Pope’s no less than the historical outpost for the coolest footwear in Alberta. (Before they expanded to Calgary, our southern cousins had to drag their boots up north for the latest in Fleuvog. Steve Madden and Diesel). They may have more competition now, but you can bet they’re not sweating it as they’ve yet again easily trampled (in the funkiest heels) to first place.
Best Bike Store
1. Redbike (10918-88 Ave.)
2. United Cycle (10323-78 Ave.)
3. Western Cycle (10429-124 St,)
Housed in perhaps the finest postmodern bicycle shop on the planet, you can certainly count on Cliff and his even-tempered crew to offer advice predicated on knowledge rather than hype. After all, they ride bikes. As commuter vehicles. Every day.
Best Hair Stylists/Salon
1. Swizzle Sticks (11162-82 Ave.)
2. Fluid (#102, 9916-81 Ave.)
3. Eveline Charles (various locations)
For the third year in a row, Swizzle Sticks is number one. Staying on top of the trends is their claim to fame—and when you’ve seen some of the doos walking out of the salon, you’ll know why.
Best Magazine Store or Newsstand
1. Hub Cigar (10345-82 Ave.)
2. Front Page (10356 Jasper Ave.)
3. Chapters (various locations)
What’s the Hub, bub? Well, from Maxim to Martha Stewart Living, Mojo to Popular Mechanics, Swank to Harper’s, Whyte Ave’s venerable Hub Cigar has all the news and views that fit. SEE readers also enjoy browsing the racks at Front Page and Chapters (where, thankfully, the age-old bark of shopkeepers, "If you want to read it, buy it," is seldom, if ever, heard).
Best Place to Buy Jeans
1. Value Village (various locations)
2. Old Navy (various locations)
3. Gap (various locations)
No need to blow all your ducats on denim: buy a boatload on the dime at the mighty double-V.
Best Clubwear Store
1. Colourblind (10544-82 Ave.)
2. Divine Decadence (10441-82 Ave.)
3. Forever XXI (WEM)
This category probably didn’t give much cause for pause, because when it comes to street-style clubbing gear, Colourblind simply carries some of the hippest tickets in town—Ben Sherman, Kick Girl, Quicksilver, Vibe, Lucious and much more. As long as you’re on the Ave. though, you should pop down to Divine for some punky fun. And never, ever, forget Forever.
Best Optical Store
1. Lenscrafters (various locations)
2. Eye Care (various locations)
3. Occhiali (8115-104 St.)
Don’t turn a blind eye to this mega-chain, dude. Lenscrafters will have you seeing the light of streamlined commerce in only an hour.
Best Place to be Pampered
1. Eveline Charles Salons and Spas (various locations)
2. Spasation (various locations)
3. Swizzlesticks (11162-82 Ave.)
The little salon that could has grown from one to six locations in the West and plans to expand into the rest of the country. But it all started here. Edmontonians in the market for a rubdown or a scrubdown voted Eveline Charles number one for the first year.
Best Outdoor Gear Store
1. Mountain Equipment Co-op (12328-102 Ave.)
2. Camper’s Village (10951-170 St.)
3. Coast Mountain ((WEM)
Ah, our most trusted supplier of layered clothing—combining a certain monochromatic aesthetic with an understanding of the technology of warmth/coolness based on both research and real-life experience—boldly ascends Mount Best Outdoor Gear for another year. Not convinced that MEC ought to be your OG supplier of everything from crampons to kayaks? Why not trust the hundreds of obviously outdoorsy walking advertisements that you meet daily?
Best Travel Agent
1. Travel CUTS (various locations)
2. AMA (various locations)
3. Adventure Travel Company (8103-104 St.)
How do you get to be Edmonton’s most trusted source for travel? By looking out for budget-conscious students for over 50 years, which is what the expanding CUTS empire has been doing, in one form or another. (The Number Three finisher is also a member of the Travel CUTS Family.) Who else would you look to for globe-trotting advice than the nice people who set you up with that great summer job mining olives in Albania back in 1992. Actually, I’ve still got some pictures here in my wallet, if you’ve got a few...
Best Furniture Store
1. IKEA (4210 Gateway Blvd.)
2. The Brick (various locations)
3. Urban Barn (10512-82 Ave.)
IKEA is Swedish for "familiar but And soon: new digs. Of course, in order to organize enough parking for the horde that descends on its premises every weekend, the lovable Swedish purveyors of furnishings had to pick a location that’s halfway to Leduc. (Hope they won’t leave the Chair of Eternal Pummelment behind!)
Best Ski/Board shop
1. Plush (10552-82 Ave.)
2. Skiers Sports Shop (8605-109 St.)
3. Summit (various locations)
Equally ideal for the beginner strapping onto his first Burton, or a veteran of the slopes. And, ultra-hip as they are, Plush follows the cardinal rule of all fashion/sports/lifestyle hybrids—accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. Their clothes, boots and bindings will have you carving trends, as well as ice.
Best Skateboard Shop
1. Plush (10552-82 Ave.)
2. Farside (various locations)
3. West 49 (various locations)
A posting from an Internet thread on Plush reads: "Plush kicks man world rules." Couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
Best Tattoos
1. Eye of the Lotus (10653-116 St.)
2. Urge 2 (9654 Jasper Ave.)
3. Ritualistics (10627 Kingsway Ave.)
Long gone are the underworld days of the tattoo; something you’ll notice the minute you step into Eye of the Lotus’ brightly lit, clean and comfortable décor. Getting that black widow ink-jetted onto your tricep is now as pleasant as a trip to the salon (although it still stings just a tad bit more).
Best Piercing Studio
1. Ritualistics (10627 Kingsway Ave.)
2. Eye of the Lotus (10653-116 St.)
3. Divine Decadence (10441-82 Ave.)
Ritualistics consistently cleans up in this category and maybe that says something about its commitment to providing a sanitary experience. Give it up for Ritualistics—putting little holes in Edmonton since 1997.
Best Wine Store
1. Wine Cellar (12421-102 Ave.)
2. Grapes and Grains (9500-170 St.)
3. Cristall’s Wine Market (5854-111 St.)
You can tell a serious purveyor of wine by the size of its cellar. The Wine Cellar carries hundreds of varieties of the good juice from around the world. What’s more they offer tastings and other pieces of advice for maximum wine appreciation. Chin-chin. No, really, you’ve got some dribble on yours.
Best Musical Instrument Store
1. Long & Mcquade (10204-107 Ave.)
2. Mother’s Music (10251-109 St.)
3. Avenue Guitars (10550-82 Ave.)
E-town’s got a lot of players, so it’s a good thing we’ve got Long & McQuade, ’cause its one-stop shopping for the whole band. Guitars? Check. Amps? Check. Drums? Check. Keyboards? Check. PA & Lighting. Check, check. Books & software to figure it all out? Double check. Pyro? Mmmm, no... Didn’t you learn anything from Great White?
Best Camera Shop
1. McBain (various locations)
2. London Drugs (various locations)
3. Japan Camera (various locations)
Shutterbugs set their sights on McBain for all their snap-happy needs, although one can’t help but be impressed by the high-end selection of our second place contender. Do drugstores even carry drugs anymore?
Best Retro Store
1. Junque Cellar (10042-82 Ave.)
2. Orbit (8214-1045 St.)
3. Value Village (various locations)
Remember Iona, Annie Potts’ character in Pretty in Pink. Molly Ringwald’s kooky confidante with the desperately-seeking-Cyndi Lauper fashion sense? This is what the set would have looked like if she had spun-off into a flic of her own. Now while you may be a bit more reserved, surely with everything but the kitchen sink dwelling in the cellar—furniture, clothing, jewelry, pop artifacts—you’ll find a blast from the past to call your own.
Best Vintage Clothing Store
1. Value Village (various locations)
2. Divine Decadence (10441-82 Ave.)
3. Goodwill (various locations)
Luckily everything old is new again—in the fashion world, anyway. So why shell out big bucks for modern designer knockoffs of vintage styles, when you can do some digging and walk out with duds from every decade at 1/90 the price? SEE readers, being the smart cookies that they are, agree, and have thriftily placed Value Village as the #1 bargain in the bin.
Best Futon Store
1. IKEA (4210 Gateway Blvd.)
2. FFC Futon (various locations)
3. Futon 2000 (10625-124 St.)
Those Swedes have us hooked with their low-low prices and cute little product names. Blog! (Tee hee.) And, of course, Ikea’s European sensibilities extend into the realm of the futon, where they apparently excel as a merchant. Sure, it’s all fun and games until you get it home and have to deal with 56 parts and one allen key.
Best Car Dealership
1. Southpark (10615-82 Ave.)
2. Grove Pontiac (Spruce Grove)
3. Southgate Volkswagen (5220 Gateway Blvd.)
After your house and collection of commemorative plates from the Franklin Mint, your car will likely be the third most costly purchase you ever make. SEE readers who’ve already shelled out for wheels point to Southpark as their dealership of choice.
Best Comic Store
1. Warp 1 (10326-81 Ave.)
2. Wizard’s (various locations)
3. Comic King (various locations)
Worst... category... ever. Yet, in a remarkable alignment of fate not seen since the entire Stan Lee universe banded together to save Captain Marvel from the clutches of Thantos—only to fail miserably, finding our gracious hero surrendering to destiny and embracing Death with a tender kiss...
SEX
Best Strip Club
1. Diamonds (4635 Gateway Blvd.)
2. Showgirls (7103-78 Ave.)
3. Crazy Horse (various locations)
After a few do-gooders got ping-pong ball projectiles and live animals banned from strip club acts, the industry had to rethink its strategy, hence the upscale vibe at Diamonds (the doormen reportedly get decked out in tuxes). Hell, this place is so classy you might want to consider bringing a date—what, you didn’t really think that gal on stage had eyes for you, did’ya?
Best Meat Market
1. Rum Jungle (WEM)
2. Iron Horse (8101-103 St.)
3. Dantes (17428 Stony Plain Rd.)/Armoury (10310-85 Ave.)
They spend hours before the mirror preparing for this nocturnal mating ritual. You can distinguish the female of the species by her exposed cleavage and teetering walk. The male puffs out his chest to attract her. Blood alcohol level will determine whether she is attracted or repelled. Yep, it’s just another night in the Jungle.
Best Lingerie
1. La Senza (various locations)
2. B&D Emporioum (9652 Jasper Ave.)
3. Night Owl Imports (10180-101 St.)
Ready for a teddy? Sure, those Paul Frank jammies are comfortable, but once in a while you’ve gotta let it all hang out—or a least some of it, while the rest is sumptuously supported in lace and silk. Once more, La Senza is your top choice for attire that’ll put the magic into your moments.
Best Fetish Wear Store
1. B&D Emporium (9652 Jasper Ave.)
2.
3. Just For Lovers (various locations)
If your need for pleasurable pain isn’t quenched by the five hour back piece you just had inked on at Urge 2, pop on over to B&D next door (same proprietors) and start cracking that whip. Or for the less domineering, try some adult-fitted bunny sleepers or comfy cotton diapers on for size. (Our mystery second-place finisher insists that it’s not a fetish shop, ok?)
Best Sex Toy Shop
1. Love Boutique (various locations)
2. B&D emporium (9652 Jasper Ave.)
3. Love Stop (9652 Jasper Ave.)
With seven Love Boutiques spread around Edmonton, perhaps our civic leaders should rethink their proposed slogans. How about City of Battery-Powered ________ (insert name of pleasure-device-of-choice here)?
Best Adult Video
1. Source (various locations)
2. Adult Superstore (various locations)
3. Tops (various locations)
Aficionados of that brand of cinema vérité we delicately prefer to call the "mommy & daddy" video (or mommy & mommy; daddy & daddy; mommy, mommy & daddy; etc, etc) chose Source to ride on top, sandwiched Adult in the middle of the threesome and had Tops drive it on home from behind. |
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