Battle of the Chicken & Waffles!

Earlier this fall, Andrew and I went to The Common with our friends Jon and Katie. They told us that the must have dish was the chicken and waffles, and we obliged. During the meal, we talked about how the Sugar Bowl also serves something similar. Being satisfied with how chicken and waffles tasted together, we were open to trying the chicken and waffles from the Sugar Bowl. We made it a mission to compare the two in a battle of the chicken and waffles!

The Common
9910 109 St
Two crispy chicken strips were served with quartered pieces of waffle. The waffle batter had wild boar bacon mixed right in, which added another level of complexity to the taste of the waffle. Andrew proclaimed that these were the best waffles he has ever eaten. The chicken was nicely cooked and moist and the coating stayed crispy until the last bite. In addition, pickled watermelon was served on the side. I was a bit leery of the name, but it ended up being fabulous and the marinade was very subtle and didn't detract from the sweetness of the watermelon. The plate was topped with a drizzle of maple syrup and a mild chili paste.

Sugar Bowl
10922 88 Ave
When our plates were placed in front of us, we were greeted by a warm and buttery aroma. The thick and fluffy waffles were drizzled with maple butter, but an extra helping of the maple butter also accompanied the dish. The waffle batter itself was already sweet, but the maple butter also helped to moisten it. The chicken was succulent and savoury, and the flavor was enhanced with a dash of maple butter. The only drawback to this was that the chicken didn't stay crispy for long and the batter fell off the meat after a while. Alongside the chicken and waffles, a handful of spring mix was scattered on the plate.

So what did we think?
We were very pleased with The Common's version of chicken and waffles because of the addition of unique features like bacon in the waffle batter. We couldn't stop thinking about the next time we would return to have chicken and waffles. However, we weren't left feeling entirely satiated after the meal. The Sugar Bowl gave generous portions (a big, thick waffle and 2 large pieces of chicken) and I was stuffed before even finishing the plate.

The Common's version cost us $16.50 while we were only out $12 at the Sugar Bowl. Since our visit to The Common, the cost of the dish has increased to $17 and instead of watermelon, it is now served with goat cheese and blackberry on the side.

With only taste and quality in mind, the chicken and waffles from The Common clearly win as we were blown away by it. But when comparing other factors such as the price tag and serving size, the Sugar Bowl gains more points which now makes it difficult to choose between the two! Bottom line: if you want bacon in your waffle and crispy chicken in a hip and modern setting, go to The Common. If you want something more filling with a better value in a warm and cozy atmosphere, go to the Sugar Bowl!

De Dutch = Delish

De Dutch Pannekoek House
10030 Jasper Ave
(587) 520-8841

My coworker Cheryl has mentioned how much she loved this restaurant and would go each time she visited family in BC. It was announced earlier this year that the De Dutch franchise was expanding to Alberta. Being a huge fan of breakfast foods, I eagerly awaited its arrival to Edmonton. It finally opened downtown earlier this month and I jumped at the opportunity to go.

My first encounter with pannekoek was in Calgary at the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus; I absolutely loved it. Today's experience was no different. I knew I wanted to try something savoury and sweet. For my savoury pannekoek, I was drawn to the picture featuring The Hash on the menu. It is a pannekoek lining a large plate, topped with a large ramekin filled with hash browns, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, and cheese, with a choice of ham, sausage, turkey bacon, or DeBakon. All of this is topped with Hollandaise sauce. I decided to try the DeBakon, which is back bacon. When my plate arrived, I was unsure of whether to eat the hash browns separately from the pannekoek. Eventually, I figured out that the best way to enjoy my meal was to dump some of the hash brown mixture on top of the pannekoek, add some ketchup, and eat it all together. I quite liked the texture of the pannekoek: crispy on the outside and very moist and slightly doughy on the inside.

The Hash: $13.25

Andrew chose the Meat Lover ($14), which had ham, DeBakon, sausage, and turkey bacon mixed in with the pannekoek batter. It was topped off with slices of edam cheese and tomato. His selection was incredibly tasty as well.

Meat Lover

For our sweet pannekoek, we shared the Peach Melba and Whip ($12.50). We didn't ask, but the server had indicated to the kitchen staff that we wanted to split it, so it came to us nicely presented on separate plates. I absolutely enjoyed this pannekoek too. The diced peaches were firm and not mushy like typical canned peaches. The raspberry sauce wasn't seedy and didn't detract from the taste of the peaches. The only thing that could have improved my sweet pannekoek experience is to have the fruit served warm as well.

Peach Melba + Whip

I was a bit put off by how much my tea cost ($3), especially when it wasn't something I considered fancy tea (it was Bigelow orange pekoe tea). Andrew had also ordered a side of hash browns ($2.75) and we were laughing at the fact that my tea cost more than a plate of potatoes.

I knew I would be frequenting this restaurant again in the future, so I opted to sign up for their De Club loyalty program. For a $5 fee, you are given a card to collect points on purchases (1 point per dollar spent). For every 125 points collected, members receive a $10 voucher. There is also a $10 gift certificate given upon activation, to use on a future visit. In addition, there is a special offer for members on their birthday (I have yet to find out what that is).

I was very satisfied with my visit to De Dutch. The service was a bit slower than normal and the person who brought us our food was confused by what table she was supposed to bring the plates to. I'm attributing this to the fact that they had only been opened for a week and a half and I am hoping that the level of service will improve. It was -11 degrees the morning we visited, and we sat near the front of the restaurant. The restaurant doesn't have a set of double doors at the entrance, so a large draft of cold air entered the restaurant each time patrons entered or exited.

De Dutch is only open for breakfast and lunch (7 AM - 3 PM on weekdays and 8-3 on weekends). I only wish that they would be open for dinner as well. In addition to pannekoek, they serve a variety of other breakfast foods such as eggs benedict, toast, scrambled eggs, and fruit with granola. Their lunch items include sandwiches, wraps, and burgers.

The atmosphere and decor was pleasing. Their color scheme is a tasteful blend of orange, yellow, and brown. The front section of the restaurant offers bright natural light, whereas the back of the restaurant is separated by a fireplace and has more a diner feel to it. I have high hopes for De Dutch and am rooting for the addition of more locations to Edmonton.

4.5/5