The Teaket Eatery

I absolutely love Edmonton's food scene. I am constantly checking social media to keep updated with new, upcoming food businesses but also places I have yet to pay a visit to. But sometimes the most exciting food finds are at places that you just happen to come across without any advanced planning. That's what happened just last Saturday, when CJ and I made a trip to the 7-Eleven located in Riverbend for free slurpee day. We both noticed a restaurant beside the 7-Eleven and decided to check it out for lunch.

The Ticket Eatery - now named The Teaket Eatery.

The interior.

The sign currently reads The Ticket Eatery, but we soon found out that this business was now named The Teaket Eatery (14916 45 Ave NW). The interior features black and white decor with bright red accents, in addition to a large blackboard listing some of the menu items. This eatery seats 16 people inside with just one table outside for those who want to enjoy their food in the sun. 

The menu.

The menu.

The menu found right beside the cash register lists wraps, quesadillas, and pizzas as The Teaket Eatery's offerings. The blackboard lists a few options for soup as well. We were told that we could take a look at their menu online and were given a link for their website. I'm glad we decided to view their website menu because it was more complete compared to the menus inside the restaurant. Additional offerings included paninis, pastas, salads, and some drink items like fruit smoothies or a root beer float. 

Tocinini.

The menu item that caught my eye was Tocinini ($5.95), a panini containing tocino (marinated pork), pico (I had cucumber and tomato in mine), mixed cheese, and mayonnaise. Tocino is a cured meat product popular in the Philippines and one of my favourite things to eat at home with rice. I've seen tocino used as a topping on pizzas, but this was my first time seeing it incorporated into a grilled sandwich. So how did it taste? The bread was toasted golden brown and had that satisfying crunch we all desire in paninis. The tocino was sweet and mellow and paired nicely with the refreshing vegetables. Mayonnaise and the melted cheese brought all the components together for a more well-rounded taste. Overall, I really enjoyed this simple yet yummy panini with a Filipino twist. The portion size of the panini was also great for me and didn't leave me feeling too full or hungry for more. It was just right!

Tapanini.

CJ's pick was the Tapanini ($6.25), another one of their paninis containing tapa (marinated beef), pico (this one had tomatoes and onions), mixed cheese, and mayonnaise. Tapa is cured or dried beef commonly eaten for breakfast (typically with rice and egg to create a dish known as "tapsilog") in Filipino cuisine. I'll happily eat tapa any time of the day though! Both CJ and I found the beef to be slightly too dry, while I personally thought the taste of the onions was too prominent for my liking. The tocinini was definitely my favourite between the two! We both did like the simplicity and the rest of the flavours in this panini and its affordability.

Our experience at the new Teaket Eatery was positive overall. Service was very friendly and the atmosphere was relaxing and inviting. This eatery also comes equipped with lots of games to keep you entertained. CJ and I ended up playing Connect Four and discovered that we were the first to use a brand new deck of cards. I think the best part of this new business would be its tasty food at an affordable price. I'm always on the hunt for places with pricing on the lower end, so I'm quite happy to have found this southside gem. 

The Teaket Eatery just opened about two and a half weeks ago (on June 24 to be exact), with their grand opening scheduled for this coming Saturday July 18. They hope to have their equipment for making bubble tea ready by then so they can stay true to their name (bubble TEA... TEAket Eatery hehe). To my fellow Filipinos and anyone interested in trying Filipino food... The Teaket Eatery also offers sisig wrap, sisig quesadilla, and sisig pizza. CJ and I would love to return here to try their bubble tea and more of their menu items for a nice lunch. I believe The Teaket Eatery is a welcome addition to the southwest Riverbend neighbourhood - be sure to check out their website and their Facebook page by clicking here! They are open everyday from 12 PM to 9 PM.