My fiancee Derrik and I like to make date night a foodie adventure every so often. What is a foodie adventure you might ask? Well, we have an appetizer at one place, an entree at the next and (if we have room) a dessert at the final destination. It gives us a chance to try multiple places in one night, and is an advantage for me to write about more places!

Our recent adventure took us to Whyte Avenue in Edmonton. I like to describe Whyte Ave. as the cool and hip area of the city. There are many restaurants and bars to choose from along with cute local shops. If you’re looking to support local, Whyte is the place to go.

We had our appetizer at Malt and Mortar, located in the middle of Whyte Ave. We have been here before and enjoyed the warm, modern atmosphere. We decided to try out the Chili Chicken. These crispy chicken bites were covered in a sweet chili glaze which provided a delightful balance of sweet and spicy. Mixed in were cashews, cucumbers, red peppers, jalapenos, fried gyoza strips, sesame seeds and green onions. While there certainly was a lot going on in this dish, it made for a great combination. The chicken bites were crisp and golden on the outside with a tender center. Each of the ingredients had a part to play in this dish and what a delicious combination it was. Our waitress suggested we get the lettuce wraps with this, so we did. These wraps added more crunch; the crisp coolness of the lettuce balanced out the sweet and spicy of the chicken.

After this delicious appetizer, we walked around the corner to MEAT. MEAT advertises itself as an authentic southern BBQ smokehouse and they do not disappoint. The decor inside has the cool, hip feel of Whyte Ave, but still feels southern with it’s wooden tables and chairs. As you walk in, the sweet and smoky scent of barbecued meats will make your stomach growl. When I saw a Beef Brisket Sandwich on the menu, I couldn’t resist.

While the Beef Brisket Sandwich was the center of my dish, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the garlic fries. The fries themselves were awesome; crisp, golden outsides and warm tender centers. As for the garlic portion, let me start with this: I’m Ukrainian and I LOVE garlic. As in when I cook, I ALWAYS add garlic. These fries were borderline too much garlic for me, which is saying a lot. MEAT certainly won’t have to worry about vampires in their restaurant.

As for the main star – the Sandwich. The waitress brought me their homemade mustard sauce to try on the sandwich and it amplified the dish. The brisket was tender with a light smoke flavor and adding the mustard brought a welcome bite. Also on the Sandwich were crispy onions, cool coleslaw, a mild horseradish sauce and zingy pickles. The bun which it was served on was excellent; crusty outside and soft inside.

We will certainly be back to MEAT in the future. The restaurant encourages a family style eating, which Derrik and I will do the next time so we can try more of their delicious meats. I think I’ll pass on the garlic fries though.

The meal at MEAT was filling, so unfortunately we did not have room for dessert. That just means another foodie adventure!

Do you have a place on Whyte that you love to go to for something sweet? Let me know in the comments!