Finding Tee Pee Treats is half the battle. It’s located in the back of St. Faith Anglican Church, near the corner of 93rd Street and 118th Avenue. Walk or drive around the back of the church, and you should see the sandwich board.
Why is the restaurant, which just opened its doors two weeks ago, using a church kitchen for take-out and delivery orders? The hope is that, post-COVID, Tee Pee Treats will become a full-service restaurant. But problems with the renovation of a nearby building, which was supposed to be the home of the new restaurant, led to the move to the church. Well, they say necessity is the mother of invention, right?
From Tuesday through Saturday, Tee Pee Treats features a rotating menu, from chili to tacos to burgers to a weekend neckbone dinner special.
We went on a Tuesday, which is billed as “Tansi Tuesday.” Chili is the special of the day on Tuesdays. Note that this article runs on a Tuesday. You can see the whole full-circle thing happening, can’t you?
The chili is rich and flavourful, with the emphasis on the beef. There is no real overpowering spice, and it goes really well with the house-made bannock. The order comes with a generous side of bannock, still warm, and it’s crusty on the outside and spongy within, with just a touch of sweetness. It’s an absolutely solid lunch choice.
For dessert, I ordered the wildberry bannock cake. And this is where we need to talk, Edmonton. The bannock’s crust is fried crisp, and is wonderfully sweet. Mine was perfectly done, so sweet and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with fruit filling and sprinkles. Why? Because you’re never too old for sprinkles. Imagine eating the best doughnut you’ve ever had, then amping it up some. This year, we made a pledge at the magazine, because of COVID, not to rank restaurants. We felt it would be unfair to stack restaurants against each other when so many are struggling to keep their doors open. But if we were to rank them, the best new dessert just might be this wildberry bannock. Seriously.
