I know I know, reviewing a place before they could even work out the kinks isn’t ideal. I just couldn’t help myself after all this anticipation for them to open. At least you can take this post as a reference of what to expect here, right?! Created from sandwich expertise Chef Trevor Moan from Sandwich and Sons and Chef Andrew Cowan of Northern Chicken, here comes Uncle. Say Uncle, that is. It is located in the formerly owned space by Aarde at 10183 104 Street.
The slang “Say Uncle” simply refers to admitting defeat to a battle. I didn’t get a chance to chat with Andrew about the concept or get some insights on the meaning behind it. Maybe next time. My first question was “why not ‘say daddy'” then realized…. oh.
First things first, their beer selection is impressive with a large variety of local craft breweries. I’ve been currently loving the beers from Sea Change.
Now I have to admit: I love me a good beer and I know what I type of beers I like/dislike, however, I’m not a good beer talker or analyzing it.
Chicken liver pate with sour dough and onions. This was one of our favourite dishes of the night. Maybe we got a soft spot for this stuff. The pate here was rich, velvety smooth, and lightly sweetened.
Cheese grit dip with spinach and sourdough topped with green onions. Creamy, fluffy, and mountains of cheesy grits. A couple sprinkles of salt made the world of a difference.
You cannot go wrong with this. Northern Chicken makes one of the best fried chickens in all of Edmonton. If they decide to mess it up here… I’d have no words.
A few small bar bites to snack on.
The corn nuts had a very unique, powdery/grainy texture itself once you bite into it with a lack of flavor… we ended up sending this back to the kitchen. House jerky was pretty standard. Spicy with a good chew.
Say Uncle will be soon known for their “Say Uncle” burger which contains 5 patties of beef for $24. Definitely would be worth it if you’re that hungry, or if you’re up for a challenge! (Or wouldn’t back down from a challenge like Ian). It’s served with American cheddar, BBQ thousand island dressing, pickles, and iceberg lettuce. Simple yet utterly perfect. The thick patties were juicy and the pickles added a nice sweet tangy crunch. It’s the same pickles used at Northern Chicken! Sandwiched between a high density bun to hold everything together. If you’re looking for a downright classic burger, this is it.
Kinda reminded me of a very vamped up version of a McDonald’s burger.
Prawns with cheese curd grits and lobster bisque. Holy cow. This was delicious. Having a creamy and decadent lobster bisque really made this whole thing come together. My friend order this and I kept stealing bites. Came with approximately 5 prawns sitting on a bed of grits.
It seems that Hey Uncle incorporates grit into their recipes quite frequently. I’m guessing because it’s a Southern comfort food? I’ve never really enjoyed grits until trying this dish.
Next was the jerk chicken thighs served with beans and rice. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of this. The jerk chicken is very fragrant with lots of intense jerk seasoning. There were way too many flavours going on for me. Possibly because I’m not too familiar with jerk chicken but the rice was a tad hard as well. The chicken was extremely tender and cuts right through using a fork though.
So, would I come back? Hell yeah. Is it worth it a try? Of course. There’s still a few kinks (seasoning here & there, etc.) and some may even say reviewing a newly opened place isn’t fair lol. I guess you can say I’m a little tired of writing long Instagram posts and miss the good old blogging days where it feels much more personable. I really hope Say Uncle the best in such a cursed area. Congrats on the grand opening guys!
Say Uncle
10184 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB
YEG CRAVINGS 