Category: Calgary

More on Calgary’s Food Scene

Though I’m pretty set on where I would like to eat in Calgary this weekend, I find that lists are great to refer back to. Here are some observations and a running tally for future outings:

  • Chowhound favorites the River Cafe (situated on Prince’s Island Park, and likely beautiful in the summer) and Teatro (which has a simply stunning interior) might be worth a splurge one day on reputation alone.
  • Capo comes with high regard from Andree Lau, a Calgary-based blogger whose taste I trust. Whenever I see advertisements or read about Capo, the name of the head chef, Giuseppe Di Gennaro, is never far behind. I do think Calgary has a more developed appreciation and awareness of the staff behind the food.
  • I have seen JAROblue mentioned numerous times as well, but without any content available on their website, it is difficult to assess whether or not they’re worth trying.
  • Independent coffee houses on the level of Transcend in Edmonton, are more numerous in Calgary, and include Higher Ground in Kensington and Caffe Beano. There were also rumblings on the Chowhound boards that Phil & Sebastian (currently based out of the Calgary Farmer’s Market), are looking for a space to call their own.
  • I am really drawn to The Cookbook Co.‘s marketing of their cooking classes – with their bright and well-designed flyer, I want to believe that the sessions themselves will live up to the promise on paper. It’s also great that they are able to draw from the local restaurant community to teach some of the classes.
  • We will be there to only hypothetically catch the tail end of it, but Calgary has their own Savour Wine & Food Experience. How cool would it have been to have dinner with someone like John Gilchrist?

Anyway, I am looking forward to this weekend as a means of sampling what Calgary has to offer.

Calgary Food Sojourn

    I’ve timed an upcoming weekend in Calgary in order to take advantage of their Dine-Out week (which runs March 10-16). But with some research, I’ve found that high-priced dinners aren’t the only thing that our southern neighbour has to offer:

    • The establishment to visit at the top of my list isn’t actually a restaurant. I have heard nothing but good things about Phil & Sebastian Coffee, one of the vendors at the Calgary Farmer’s Market. From absolutely glowing media reviews to a near cult following on the Chowhound boards, it seems Phil & Sebastian’s has raised the coffee bar in Cowtown. I would like to try their French-pressed brewed coffee firsthand, and determine if expensive brewing equipment (in this case, a $10,000 Clover machine) really does make a difference.

    • For dinner, I’ve been cross-referencing the Dine-Out Calgary website with a few other sources, including FFWD’s “Best of” list from 2007 and of course, deferring to the experts on Chowhound. While the menus at JAROblue, Metropolitan Grill, and the River Cafe don’t really appeal to me, they do seem to be the names that I see repeated quite a bit. Out of them all, Q Haute Cuisine seems to be the winner (and reservations can conveniently be made via OpenTable too!).

    • I had an absolutely fabulous brunch experience at Diner Deluxe last year, and am hoping to find something equally as great. Avenue Diner didn’t live up to my expectations, but I have three other viable candidates that I have to choose from: Galaxie Diner, Belmont Diner, and the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus. Nellie’s, which consistently appears on FFWD’s “Best of” list, also seems to attract a branding of being overrated. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to judge for myself in the future.

    On the topic of Calgary, the newly released My Favourite Cheap Eats: Calgary, Banff, Canmore, Foothills and beyond by food writer John Gilchrist focuses on lunches and dinners priced under $15 and $20, respectively, offered at independent eateries. Edmonton could definitely use such a publication.

    Any other restaurant or dining suggestions from those familiar with Calgary’s food scene?

    Weekend in Calgary

    Bettina and I had talked in the spring about a weekend trip to Calgary, but due to various factors including work and vacation, we weren’t able to align our schedules until August.

    On Friday afternoon, I hopped on an express Red Arrow coach to meet up with Bettina. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to talk about them before, so I will seize this platform now – I would strongly encourage anyone needing transportation south to consider taking the bus. Besides the free snacks and beverages, the coaches are clean, efficient, and often come with unforeseen bonuses (like wireless internet access!). Fares are reasonable ($63.60 one way), and the downtown Calgary drop off point is conveniently just a few blocks away from a C-Train stop.

    After arriving, Bettina’s Aunt was nice enough to drive us to the hotel so I could drop off my bag. Our accommodation for night one was the Hampton Inn in NW Calgary.

    Our room at the Hampton Inn

    It doesn’t look like much, but I was quite impressed with our suite. Equipped with a fridge and a microwave, as well as a DVD player, the room would have definitely allowed for a comfortable multi-night stay should we have needed it. Moreover, the included continental breakfast the next morning was extremely generous, or what I would call “Contiki-plus”: in addition to the requisite cereal, fruit, and coffee, they offered a variety of healthy and sweet carb choices and hot sausage patties (so bad, but so good). I’m not sure why accommodations matter so much to me, particularly when the backbones of my getaways are sightseeing and not sleeping, but I suppose it has to do with being able to live at the border of one’s means when away from home.

    For dinner, we explored our options on Stephen Avenue. We did pass by Blink Supper Club, but the $30+ entree price scared us away.

    Stephen Avenue (and a reflection of the Calgary Tower)

    We ended up in the familiar Milestone’s (107 8th Avenue SE). Bettina selected her favorite California spring salad (baby greens, mild goat cheese, fresh sliced strawberries, red onion and spicy-glazed pecans) while after some agony, I chose the butternut squash ravioli (Roma tomato sauce, goat cheese, fresh basil, spicy-glazed pecans). The food arrived surprisingly quick. The dressing on Bettina’s salad was unfortunately much too strong, and I didn’t appreciate the fact that my pasta appeared to be swimming in olive oil. Besides the grease factor, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the ravioli filling – the squash was creamy and complemented well by the tomato sauce. I’m still not a fan of goat cheese, particularly because it unfailingly dries out dishes, but I’m slowly learning not to be deterred by its presence.

    Butternut squash ravioli
    California spring salad

    The next morning after breakfast, we left the Hampton and secured our luggage at our next hotel, as it was too early to check in. We then took the C-Train to the trendy neighbourhood of Kensington, home of decor, gift, and clothing boutiques a la Whyte Avenue, but decidedly more laid back and low-key. My only real point of interest on this sojourn was to visit Crave (1107 Kensington Road NW).

    Bettina decides between the lesser of several evils

    Having hit Buttercream Bake Shoppe the last time I was in the city, I wanted to cross the other cupcake bakery off of my list. We actually passed right by Crave when we wandered down Kensington Road, as the storefront itself isn’t very eye-catching. When we reached the store, it was bustling with customers, seemingly regulars who needed their fix of upscale baked goods. Bettina and I decided to split a half dozen (with each cupcake working out to just under $2.50 each). My picks included The Princess, Crave-O-Licious and Nutty Over Chocolate. I was most curious about the latter, wanting to compare it to Ina Garten’s similar recipe. Crave’s version of the icing was much sweeter (indicative of more confectioner’s sugar added), but the cake itself was rather bland. Bettina mainly couldn’t get over the intense amount of butter used for the icing, but I didn’t mind; it’s not often I indulge in cupcakes!

    Our half dozen – almost too pretty to eat!
    Getting Nutty Over Chocolate

    We did our best to walk off the calories on our way back downtown, in search of #2 on my to-do list: Avenue Diner (105 8th Avenue SW). I was keen to compare it to Diner Deluxe, the absolutely fabulous 50s inspired diner I had brunch at in January, particularly after reading nothing but positive reviews about the restaurant.

    As you’re probably well-aware, I’m very picky when it comes to my diners, and I will admit to requiring this genre of eatery to conform to my personal vision of what a “diner” should be. Being a (somewhat) reasonable person, I know that such standards are really unfair, but as it is a bias I take with me, I am mentioning it upfront.

    Avenue is essentially a modern incarnation of a diner, and I mean this not necessarily in a bad sense. It is clean, well-lit, equipped with a characteristic barstool countertop as well as a sleek banquet at the rear of the restaurant, making the most of a lengthy room. The black and white photographs lining the near-grey walls and molded red stools emulate a sort of upscale chicness devoid of a warmth that I associate with the word “diner”. Even the eye-catching portrait of their in-house macaroni and cheese screamed more gallery than Mum’s kitchen.

    That said, the service was excellent throughout, and the cranberry and lemon slice in each of our water glasses was a whimsical touch. The menu featured the expected variety of omelets, breakfast carbs and sandwiches. I opted for the quiche special, served with Yukon Gold hash browns and fruit salad, while Bettina ordered the spinach salad (with spiced pecans, sun dried cranberries and vanilla-apple dressing).

    The quiche itself was a mixed bag – the pesto-marinated portabello mushrooms were absolutely divine, but the “Missing Link” chicken sausage slices were surprisingly, and disappointingly dry. It would be an understatement to say Bettina didn’t enjoy her salad, finding the dressing much too bland, and near flavourless. Would I return to Avenue? Perhaps only if the wait for Diner Deluxe was unmanageably long.

    Tempting artwork
    Restaurant interior
    Quiche with Yukon Gold hash browns and fruit salad
    Spinach salad

    After lunch, we did some shopping in the downtown area to kill some time before being able to check into our hotel. Funny how I used to really enjoy shopping in Calgary, but after being exposed to so many new labels and stores in Europe, even the skylit Eaton Centre wasn’t that exciting.

    A few odd purchases later, we were ready to check out our accommodation for the night. The Westin Calgary (320 4th Avenue SW) had been renovated recently in June, even installing a Starbucks in the lobby (I seem to be able to magically gravitate towards the coffee giant without even knowing it). While the lobby was still under construction, the rooms themselves still retained the sheen of a facelift (is there a “new room” smell?). It’s probably the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in – besides their signature Heavenly Bed, the room also featured a flat panel television and free in-room Starbucks coffee(!). Moreover, as we were in a business suite, we were allowed unlimited long distance phone calls within North America, as well as a $19 credit for the hotel’s restaurant. On a side note, it’s interesting how both the Westin and the Hampton Inn now have the option for patrons to create a hotel atmosphere at home by purchasing furnishings and items of comfort online (my favorite is the curved shower rod). I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before these sites offer wedding registries so newlyweds can extend that honeymoon feeling all the way back home.

    Our suite at the Westin

    While it seems like all we did was eat that weekend, food in other cities is always a major attraction for me, so I couldn’t pass up a trip to Taste of Calgary, taking place at Eau Claire Market (202, 200 Barclay Parade SW).

    The crowds at Taste of Calgary (the Calgary Herald reported attendance of 60,000 to their event compared with Edmonton’s supposed 600,000. Really?)
    Starbucks van (they were selling samples of Blueberries and Creme Frappuccino and Blueberry White Iced Tea for 1 ticket each)

    When I say the event “took place” at Eau Claire, that’s a bit deceiving – the booths were actually arranged rather haphazardly in the building’s parking lot. Besides making sure not to trip over the concrete blocks on the pavement, the layout of the vendors did not allow for easy browsing of options available. While Churchill Square might be a cramped venue, Eau Claire was actually worse.

    The food, however, was worth the visit. My opinion is based partly on the “newness” of the menu to my palate, but I think their choices were not only better than our festival, but cheaper too (tickets were priced at 75 cents to Edmonton’s dollar). The portions were larger, and some vendors even put some thought into the presentation of their dishes (paper cone-wrapped crepes for convenient stand-up snacking and mini-Chinese take-out boxes sure beat paper plates). Curiously, drinks took up over a third of the menu, with servings of beer, wine and liqueurs offered for 2 to 3 tickets each.

    With my ten tickets, I had to be frugal with my selections, and ended up with a serving of butter chicken from Bombay Palace and a Bow Valley bison burger from Brewsters. Both were excellent. Bettina ended up with a burger as well, but not before she tried a BBQ beef rib from Graze Grill, home of “The Big One”: a five pound sirloin steak. For the gastronomically-inclined, finishing the $99 steak within the hour results in a free meal and a place on their wall of fame. Any takers?

    Butter chicken
    Bow Valley bison burger
    BBQ beef rib

    We spent the rest of the evening walking the nearby trails.

    Urban soccer (it reminded me of a picture I took in Paris)
    Bettina plays tourist

    Our Sunday morning breakfast at Essence, the Westin’s restaurant, wasn’t spectacular. And though our credit helped, my $15 omelet put us over our allowance.

    We then met up with Bettina’s Aunt, who drove us to an off-leash park for a walk with their Bernese Mountain Dog Hemingway and his many (large) furry friends. I’ve never seen so many massive dogs in one place before.

    Hemingway (all 120 pounds of him)
    Seriously massive dogs
    The scenery of the Elbow River valley below and the skyline of downtown Calgary in the distance was nice to see, especially because it seems I rarely escape the trappings of city living when traveling.
    Skyline
    Valley
    Pathway
    Us
    Surprise, surprise – we followed up our outdoor excursion with a dim sum lunch at Forbidden City in Pacific Place (220, 999 36 Street NE). I wouldn’t normally single out Chinese restaurants, but the portions were abnormally generous here. For example, the plate of rice crepes was double the size what any Edmonton restaurant would serve at a similar price range. Highly recommended.
    We C-Trained to Chinook Mall for a quick look around, and then it was back downtown to pick up our bags. This was my first extended brush with the C-Train system, and I must admit that I am pretty impressed with its reach of many parts of the city.
    For one last hurrah, we sat down for a quick treat at Fiasco Gelato (807 1 Street SW) – the chocolate hazlenut Tartufo was delicious.
    Yum! (the Tartufo was underneath the raspberry sorbetto)
    Back to the Red Arrow bus station (after some SE and SW misdirection), and we were home before we knew it. It was a very full weekend.

    The Calgary Fringe

    I was poking around the internet, looking for things to do while in Calgary this weekend, and I stumbled upon the website for the Calgary Fringe.

    Running from the 10th to the 19th (stepping on Edmonton’s toes! Yes, I’m a snob), the Calgary version of the festival includes films and art exhibits in addition to the requisite theatre offerings. It seems they too have set up an online ticketing system this year.

    Programs have been on sale for as long as I’ve attended the Edmonton Fringe, so the expense is really a non-starter. And as the funds go towards keeping the festival alive, patrons end up with a souvenir and (hopefully) a sense of contributing to something. Of course, for newbies or those just dabbling in theatre, the same information is available on the website, or at the booths on site, while volunteer gatekeepers collect donations from anyone willing to part with change.

    I write about this because the Calgary Fringe has introduced a Fringe button. Priced at $5, this button is required for entrance to all shows in addition to the actual ticket. While it operates on the same fundraising principle as Edmonton’s $6 programs, I think the buttons would really deter any green patrons from taking a chance on a show. The cost for two people to attend a performance becomes, at the very least, $30 ($10 per ticket, plus $5 each for buttons), not taking into consideration surcharges. Unless one is planning on attending multiple shows, I wouldn’t think it very worthwhile purchase, and I would quite frankly feel ripped off.

    The programs are free in Calgary, and really, with a much smaller line up than Edmonton, it may be a more difficult expense to swallow. When it comes down to it, I’m sure the team behind the Calgary Fringe are just doing whatever they deem necessary to keep their festival alive. So as a fan of theatre, I can’t be too critical. Perhaps I’ll pop down to the site this weekend to check out the atmosphere.

    Calgary Mini-Break: Recap

    Dickson and I went to Calgary this weekend to accompany my sister and her boyfriend. They had tickets to Saturday’s Oilers/Flames tilt (Edmonton lost 3-1. Boo!).

    As Amanda and Henry had already purchased Red Arrow tickets long ago, Dickson and I had some flexibility as to when we had to leave. So naturally, we stopped for breakfast at my neighbourhood McDonalds first (pictured below).

    Hashbrowns, Sausage Egg McMuffins and Faux-bucks

    Yes, you aren’t seeing things – those are actual Starbucks cups (extras gleaned from one of my many previous visits). I’m not normally that cheap, bringing outside drinks into an eating establishment, but in my defense, I had thought we would be eating in the car. Their ease of disposal makes the cups very travel-friendly. Besides, my homemade Folgers produces a much better brew than McDonalds’ coffee (the same can be said of Dickson’s milk-based hot chocolate).

    We left the city just after 10am, and though AMA reports had green lighted Calgary commutes, the continuous flurries and windy conditions begged to differ. We passed by several cars that had been abandoned in the ditch, and a few accidents that were even more recent:

    Police on the scene

    Cars in the ditch

    Dickson subsequently concentrating (or is he?)

    We arrived in Calgary after 1pm, and drove into the city in search of my first desired stop. Along the way, Dickson realized he had missed a turn, and in a U-turn attempt, nearly slid into a stop sign while trying to avoid an oblivious woman shoveling snow, indifferent to the fact that her life could have been in danger. We were okay, and the Echo had thankfully missed the pole by a few inches.

    Without too much difficulty, we found the Buttercream Bake Shoppe (103, 1019-17 Avenue). I was determined to visit one of the cupcake establishments in Calgary (the other being Kensington’s Crave) to compare them with Edmonton’s own.

    Buttercream Bake Shoppe exterior

    Pricing chart

    Cupcake case

    Chocolate case

    Our purchase

    I guess they’re not that much different. The prices are relative to one another (~$2.50 each), and honestly, on a blind taste test, I would not be able to identify the maker of any individual cake. I think it’s more of a novelty thing at this point, for me to visit a bakery if I have the time and means to do so.

    After that, we picked up Jen and drove back downtown to check in at our hotel. With the help of the very useful TripAdvisor, I had chosen the Calgary Marriott (110-9 Avenue SE). Located across the street from the Calgary Tower, and within walking distance of urban shopping and a C-Train platform, it was both a convenient and economical option.

    Starbucks in the lobby (though I didn’t actually take advantage of it)

    Beds

    Bathroom (with citrus bath products!)

    View of the Calgary Tower (from the 18th floor)

    Spacious, with a nice bathroom and a decent view, I didn’t regret my choice. I also found the staff quite courteous and accommodating to requests.

    Once we dropped off our luggage, we picked up Violet and headed to Market Mall (3625 Shaganappi Trail NW). Notable was the stationary and gift shop Paper Root Studios, where I picked up a few things. I usually visit the Eaton Centre location, but I found this store had a better selection, and even carried a few Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild items!

    Freudian Slippers

    Shopped out, the four of us decided on Vietnamese food for dinner. Violet directed us to Pho Kim (1511 Centre B Street NW), a restaurant that has been set up in what appeared to be a converted house. I can’t remember exactly what I ordered, but I found the portion small and broth less flavorful than I would have liked. It definitely paled in comparison to Pagolac and Doan’s in Edmonton.

    Pho Kim

    My order

    The next morning, Dickson and I visited Diner Deluxe (804 Edmonton Trail NE) for a late breakfast. In my planning, I had consulted the “Best of” list published in FFWD Weekly, Calgary’s equivalent to Edmonton’s See Magazine. Diner Deluxe was voted one of the two best places for brunch, so seemed like a safe bet (though really, the place is worth visiting from their very cute website alone). It turns out the Diner is one of five Calgary dining establishments operated by an “inventive culinary couple.” Their other holdings include a bakery, a seafood restaurant, and a cafe. After our experience, I wouldn’t mind heading to Open Range, their steak house, the next time I’m in the city.

    Diner Deluxe exterior

    Wait sign

    Retro TV in the wait area

    When we arrived at the restaurant, the place was packed – we were grateful that it was warm out as we waited for the line inside to shift and accommodate us indoors. It seems their brunch is so popular that it warranted the posting of “line etiquette,” including details about line jumping and reminders not to dawdle at the table during busy times. The hostess even wore a shirt with the words “LINE TAMER” on the back.

    Diner Deluxe interior

    After a not-so-painful 45 minutes, we were seated. With furniture that could have stood in a 50s era, yellow walls, and a wonderful skylight, the dining room was warm and inviting. Part of the kitchen also opened up into the dining area, which is always a reassuring sight. I ordered the frittata (with chicken apple sausage, sundried tomato, and smoked mozza), while Dickson opted for the omelette special.

    Mini ketchup bottles

    Omelette special with toast and hashbrowns (and orange juice in a goblet!)

    Frittata with toast and hashbrowns

    My, was the food ever worth the wait – almost even better because of the wait. The frittata was above and beyond Urban Diner’s version – cheesy, and baked to perfection. Dickson similarly enjoyed his omelette.

    Comfortably full, we drove to Chinook Centre (6455 Macleod Trail SW), always worth a visit for their large RW & Co. We also managed to stumble upon the Cup-A-Cake cupcake container in Williams Sonoma (or was it in Pottery Barn?). Funny, after all that shopping, I didn’t end up buying anything for myself all weekend.

    We left the city just before 6pm, and found the conditions to be markedly better than they had been the day before. Thus, we made good time.

    All in all, it was a great break, and a fantastic way to bust up the typical post-holiday blues!

    The Calgary Theatre Scene

    I’ve been doing some virtual digging on Calgary attractions over the past few days in preparation for a short trip this coming weekend, and I’ve discovered that Cowtown has a more expansive theatre scene than I knew about. While not exactly surprising given their bursting population and opportunity for corporate sponsorship, the city has a fair variety of theatre offerings.

    I don’t think I’ll have time on this trip to catch any shows, but there are a few companies I will be keeping my eye on:

    • Lunchbox Theatre: like a cross between Shadow Theatre and Teatro La Quindicina, they recently mounted a production written by Aaron Sorkin. Reason enough to visit.
    • Morpheus Theatre: produces Gilbert & Sullivan operettas (“It came from Penzance!”), and contemporary plays, such as the upcoming adaptation of Tuesdays with Morrie.
    • One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre: purveyor of edgy, experimental theatre, they organize the annual “High Performance Rodeo” festival, which this year featured a musical entitled Five Hole: Tales of Hockey Erotica. Enough said.
    • Theatre Calgary: collaborates often with its Edmonton-equivalent, The Citadel Theatre. But on second thought, it may be a better idea to watch a Citadel production first. Of the two though, Theatre Calgary has a slicker website.
    • Vertigo Theatre: now this, Edmonton doesn’t have – mystery theatre on a grand scale. At least, not without the song and dance Jubilations would infuse. Not only does Vertigo offer the opportunity to uncover the forensic realities of a show, but the upcoming Shear Madness even allows for audience input to solve the whodunit!

    I will continue to be a cheerleader for Edmonton theatre, but perhaps it is time to take off my partisan blinders and open up to the exciting theatrical developments down south.