Fuelling Edmonton’s Culinary Scene

Continuing the foodie scene in the Edmonton area, let me add Ohana Donuterie to your list of sweet treat faves. Now, this legend on the sweet scene began as an idea in 2016 and after 18 months of perfecting the craft of a 130 year old recipe, founder Adam Biel was ready to share with the community. It took over 2000 tries of the same doughnut but on the 6th of June in 2017, Ohana served their first doughnut (a “perfect vanilla cream-filled original donut”)!

The food truck was a hit and barely six months later, Ohana Donuterie opened their brick and mortar location in Old Strathcona.

When asked why bring traditional Hawaiian doughnuts to #yeg (that’s malasadas by the way), the founder responds, “because YEG is who we are, it’s where Adam was born and where, after years of travel and working abroad, he kept coming back to…it’s where our family is, we are Ohana after all.” Now, if that deep tie to family and community doesn’t win you over, flavours like Salted Caramel Espresso will or how about the Father’s Day edition featuring Dadeo’s Southern Fried Chicken?! Why not add Ohana’s “signature drink;” the Macadamia Macchiato and you’ll be wondering how you made it this long without it.

If you don’t see something on their long list of flavour combinations, Ohana is “always open” to custom orders (I might have asked about garden parties and
weddings). The founder is active in the community and excited to collaborate with local businesses. Adam’s favourite quote sums up their ethos: “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind – or forgotten – Lilo and Stitch.” If you’re ready to elevate your taste buds, get to Ohana where every family member can find their perfect match.

Inspired by mindless internet scrolling, The Bottled Bronco’s founder Danille found herself something she could do while heavily pregnant. Danielle Vogler was used to “heavy labour jobs” and while pregnant, wasn’t able to work. Enter the internet and the idea to convert horse trailers into mobile bars. Serendipitously, Danille has a cousin, Janel, who is a certified event planner. Together, The Bottle Bronco was born.

As you might have guessed from the name, this is a cocktail-forward enterprise. This business is comprised of two horse-trailer cocktail bars, a truck box cocktail bar for smaller spaces, a tapped truck to serve kegs, and a guest favourite: a VW van converted into a photobooth (thanks to Curtis, of Fotovon, the mastermind behind this Instagrammable fave).

Danielle explains that they can set up anywhere that a vehicle can go. There are some stories to tell, including when owners have taken down sections of their fence to get The Bottled Bronco set up in the back gardens. Like their guests, Danielle and Janel and their husbands who have been roped into the running of the business, love to bring the “unexpected.” They get “people out of their seats” and always offer signature cocktails and lawn games.

The Bottled Bronco has been featured at birthday parties, open houses, graduations, weddings, and even babies’ first birthdays! While Danielle might be a “tequila girl,” she works with clients to create bespoke drinks and an ambience that will give a unique vibe to your event. Now that’s something to ‘Cheers’!