I am a 22 year old food enthusiast living in Calgary, Alberta. Follow me on my adventures in the Calgary food scene and abroad! Restaurants I love, restaurants I hate and those hidden gems that are difficult to find...
Last weekend my boyfriend and I headed down to 4th street to try out a new brunch place that just popped up. Being that I am the Blonde Brulee, I felt that the Blondes Diner was calling my name. The decor is minimalistic, perhaps a bit too minimalistic but it is still lovely. I didn't realize until visiting that the executive chef, Chris Shaften, was recently featured on Canada's Next Top Chef. The menu looked fantastic and the service was equally great. We both enjoyed it so much we made another visit a couple of days ago.
Confit Bacon and Egg : Fried egg, polenta, kale salad and tomato vinaigrette
My boyfriend had the Confit Bacon and Egg. It was fresh and delicious; a perfect breakfast treat. We both have been eating a lot of kale lately and I liked how it was incorporated into this dish.
Amaaaaazing. This is seriously the only thing I want to eat for breakfast anymore. The apples, the maple glaze, the foie on the fluffiest pancakes, what more can one want? If you have good foie, you have my soul. I ordered the same thing the last time I went back but they did it a bit differently...
It is relatively the same except that the pancake is now a cast iron pancake. It is really good too but I would have to say that I prefer the original way I had it. They are both worth trying but if you want you can request it they can make it the first way I had them.
My boyfriend decided to try out a lunch option on the menu, the confit bacon sandwich. It was so good! I love avocado on sandwiches, and the bun was so soft. It was rich and very filling. I would definitely have to go double time at the gym for eating this but it was well worth it.
Both experiences we have had, have been excellent. The staff was very friendly and both the manager and our server from last time remembered us. It is a very new restaurant but it is becoming more popular so I feel like you may want to get there early on the weekends in case of a line up. This is my new favorite breakfast place!
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Blondes Diner menu and info can be found here!
Boogies Burgers is fun, little burger place in Bridgeland with a lot of personality. A long time favorite of Calgarians, Boogies Burgers has been around since 1969. In addition to the delicious burgers they serve up, they also have home made milkshakes. My mother was in town again with one of my brothers and we decided to go to Boogies.
Old school arcade games and kitschy details make Boogies Burgers a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Bottom right : Reece playing Street Fighter II
“Deep fried mac and cheese burger” with red sauce (ketchup, mustard, and red relish), lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and 3 deep fried wedges of mac and cheese. On the side we had Onion rings, Young Elvis (peanut butter and banana) shake, crispy fries
I had the deep fried mac and cheese burger. I wanted to try something crazy and it was really good! Although it was a fantastic burger I didn’t notice the mac and cheese as much as I thought I would. It kind of just blended in with everything else. I only had a couple onion rings because they were kind of greasy, still good, just too oily after you eat a couple. The Young Elvis shake is a peanut butter and banana combo, as opposed to the Fat Elvis which is peanut butter, banana, and bacon. It was really smooth and was perfect for the retro feel of the room. I’m not really big on fries, but they were good and my brother really liked them.
More after the jump!
My mom had a cheese burger and my brother had a regular burger plain. The burgers are huge, I only ate half. The menu has plenty of creative choices such as their famous Doug’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” Burger which is 4 patties, 4 pieces of bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg, Boogie’s Signature red sauce (ketchup, mustard and red relish), lettuce, tomato, onion and a mini corn dog on top. That sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen but I would risk it and give it a try.
If you are a Food Network fan you can check out Boogies Burgers being featured on You Gotta Eat Here on May 10th!
I stopped into one of my favorite Stephan Avenue restaurants for lunch yesterday: HOME tasting room. They do a lot of fresh, sustainable food and focus a lot on plates that can be shared so you can get a taste of everything. They were home to "foie-ffles" which were foie gras on waffles, they remain in my memory as one of the reasons I fell in love with HOME tasting room. They may not have my "foie-ffles" anymore but they have a number of equally enticing, and creative, menu items. In fact, there are so many fantastic choices on their menu that I promise you I will be back to do a dinner review.
Okotoks chicken and bacon sandwich with confit chicken leg salad, mustard cream on fresh ciabatta. A cream of parsnip and rosemary soup with fresh pear and vanilla scented oil.
Let me just say, I am not usually a sandwich person but while I was sitting up at the bar, in front of their open kitchen, I was watching them make this sandwich and I had to order it. I was so glad that I did! The chicken salad with crispy bacon was heaven in my mouth. It was rich and it was very filling. I actually only ate half of the sandwich and took the other half home and had it for dinner. The soup was creamy, fragrant and delicious. I was honestly so delighted by my choice. Im looking forward to coming back for lunch again and, of course, dinner.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. HOME Tasting Room has a great website, photos, menu, directions etc. can be found here!
Last week Lindsey and I went to Holy Grill on 10th ave in the beltline area. Its a cute, little lunch place with a lot of personality. Its always delicious, quick and under $10. It's a casual dining experience as you order from the kitchen and they call your name when your food is ready. There are only a few tables so its best to try to snag a spot while you're waiting for your food.
Mr. Chicken Panini : Chicken, bacon, red peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and mayo.
Italian Panini: Cappicola, calabrese, Genoa, provolone, cream cheese, tomato and avocado.
Lindsey had the Mr. Chicken Panini and I tried a few bites. It was delicious and packed full of chicken. Mine was the Italian Panini and I added avocado to it. I've had it before and it continues to be a favorite choice for me. I also added Sriracha hot sauce to my panini for that extra bit of heat.
Beet Chips with house made aioli
We wanted to try the beet chips and we were quite delighted! They had great flavor and weren't super crispy, they were kind of soft which I prefer. They did get a little bit oily but they were still good. The dip was a creamy, garlic aioli with chilies so it is a bit spicy.
Holy Grill never seems to disappoint, the food continues to be great and the staff are always really friendly.
Last week I was invited to experience and blog a Dishcrawl which was happening in Kensington. The idea behind a Dishcrawl is simple but brilliant : diners are taken to 4 restaurants in a neighborhood to discover delicious, new food and new friends, over the course of an evening. Kensington is a fantastic neighborhood full of great places to eat. The first location is revealed 48 hours prior to the event but the last 3 restaurants are kept a secret, so it's fun to try to guess where you'll be headed to next!
Cuisine et Chateau
The room filled up quickly and everyone was very social. I had never been to Cuisine et Chateau before but was intrigued by their course catalog which had a number of different cooking classes. They are a very interactive culinary center and also offer culinary tours.
Curried quinoa salad with grilled shrimp, and spinach with preserved lemon shooter
A great appetizer and delicious start to the evening. Hot, juicy shrimp on a bed of curried quinoa topped with green onion. The shooter of spinach and preserved lemon was cool and refreshing.
Where were we going next?
The tour continues after the jump!
Osteria de Medici
Osteria de Medici has long been one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. They have just completed a drastic renovation in the main dining room, going from the traditional fine dining to a cool, contemporary lounge. They still have their other traditional dining rooms open on the other side of the restaurant so you really have the best of both worlds.
The first to the table was a gluten-free penne alla arrabiata, followed by capellini alla pesto which was my favorite. Both pastas were rich with flavor and cooked to perfection. Keeping with the traditional theme of the menu we had Mama Antionetta's meatballs. They were tender, delicious and just how my grandmother used to make them. Osteria impressed us not only with the food but their warm, attentive staff.
Pulcinella
Pulcinella: arancini and the lovely Annie MacInnis of Kensington BRZ cutting the pizza
Another great Italian restaurant in the heart of kensington is Pulcinella which specializes in traditional Napoletana pizza. I've had the pleasure of dining here many times and they always have me coming back!
Our meal started off with saffron infused arancini with mozzarella and tomato sauce. I love arancini but have always found it difficult to find a place who does it right. Pulcinella did an amazing job and I know I will be back to have it again. Bruschetta was presented next and it looked beautiful. The fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, and roasted peppers were topped off with an extra virgin olive oil. Our first pizza was the Margherita which had olive oil, parmigiano, tomato sauce, lots of mozzarella cheese, and basil. Our second was the Diavola which also had tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella, parmigiano, and basil but it had spicy salamino. I love spicy food so the Diavola pizza was definitely my favorite of the two.
Chef's Table
The Chef's Table is located inside Kensington Riverside Inn and has a reputation for excellence. We were thrilled to discover that we would be having our dessert here.
Honey and Nougat dessert
Our dessert was a peanut cake with 3 types of cream : a yuzu cream, a nougat cream, and a juniper cream. On top we had a peanut tulle, nougat ice cream, pureed peanuts and preserved lemon. The creams were so light and they accented the crispness of the peanut tulle. Each part of this dessert was a delight to taste and was a great way to conclude the evening.
The Dishcrawl was an absolute success and the Dishcrawl YYC team did an incredible job. Many people were already repeat clients and its easy to see why! I had such a lovely time, I met many wonderful new friends and got to indulge in some of the best food kensington has to offer. The next dishcrawl is in Inglewood and I definitely recommend getting your tickets sooner rather than later as they sell out very quickly.
I'd like to thank Jessie and Ashley for inviting me out to blog this event!
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. You can find out more info and get your tickets for future dishcrawls here!
Good morning! What could be a better start to a busy day than a Pannenkoek? Pannenkoek is the Dutch word for pancake but it differs from what we are used to calling pancakes, it is more like a crepe. The owner was trained in a certified Pannenkoek restaurant in the Netherlands before opening Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus. It is the only restaurant in Canada which uses this method of cooking and it is easy to see why Calgarians are addicted!
Spek en appel pannenkoek : Bacon and Apple
My boyfriend went with the spek en appel pannenkoek from the sweet and savory part of the menu. The warm baked apples and crisp, smokey bacon are perfection combination.
Kaneel rol en appel pannenkoek : Cinnamon roll pannenkoek has cinnamon, brown sugar, cream cheese icing and apple.
The menu is quite extensive so it took me a while to narrow down my choices but I did finally decide on the Cinnamon roll pannenkoek and it was a great choice. It was very sweet but I have always been a big fan of dessert breakfasts. The cinnamon roll pannenkoek doesn't normally come with apples but you can add them on, and I encourage that you do.
We both had a "pfanntastic" breakfast and I know we will be back soon to try out some of the other menu items (banana, coconut and chocolate?). It is located in the south but I promise it is worth the drive!
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Menu, hours, and reservations can be found here!
White Elephant is definitely what I would label as a “hidden gem”. It is located inside one of the dumpiest hotels in the city : The Pointe Inn. Honestly, I don’t know how someone would have first thought that going to eat there was a good idea because from the outside it does not look promising. It has grown in popularity due to word of mouth and gained attention from awards, most recently “Best Asian Cuisine” in Avenue Magazine.
We arrived around 5:30pm on friday afternoon and almost every table was reserved so if you are planning on visiting it is a good idea to make a reservation.
My friend, Lindsey, suggested the papaya salad as an appetizer because its a favorite of hers. It was my first time trying it and I really liked it. It was quite spicy but still sweet.
More food porn after the jump!
Thai Ice Tea
Lindsey wanted to try this thai ice tea and I had a couple of sips. It was a bit strange, it tasted like cold tea with heavy cream. It wasn’t awful but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. I wouldn’t have it again but I’m sure its just a matter of personal preference.
Prawn Pad Thai : Rice Noodle, prawns, tofu, chive, egg, bean sprouts, red onion, thai sauce, crushed peanuts
The pad thai was delicious and I really liked the prawns in it. They also have it with beef, chicken or pork so next time Ill have to try it with something else.
Dynamite prawn : prawn, chili paste, red and green peppers, onion, basil
Coconut rice
Fresh peppers and juicy prawns make this a dish worth ordering again. I love my food to be spicy so the chili paste was great. They also give you the option to make your food more or less spicy depending on your preference.
Red Pineapple Chicken Curry : Chicken, pineapple, red peppers, green peppers, onion, coconut milk, red curry, basil
This was my favorite thing that we ordered. It was amazing and the spiciness built up as you ate more so make sure you have enough water! The coconut milk added a sweet element to the dish. I’ve been craving this for days since I had it and I can’t wait to go back to have it again.
Last year I visited Thailand for a few weeks and I had the pleasure of enjoying many authentic Thai dishes. Since returning to Canada it has been challenging to find a place that lives up to authentic Thai standards, until I ate at White Elephant. It is definitely one of my new favorite places to eat and I can’t wait to take my mom here next week.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Reservations, hours, and menu items can be found here!
Q Haute Cuisine is located near the bow river with the dining rooms overlooking the water. It has been around for a while but for some reason I had never got around to trying it out. I thought that Big Taste Calgary would be an excellent opportunity to see what they had to offer. I chose to do the Big Taste Gourmet menu with the wine pairings for $85.
The restaurant itself was gorgeous and the staff were attentive and knowledgeable. I was dining alone and found it funny that I was literally the only person not on a date!
My amazing 5 course extravaganza after the jump!
Amuse Bouche : a french term that means "mouth amuser". Amuse Bouches are different from appetizers because they are not ordered from the menu but instead gifted and based on the chef's selection.
Amuse Bouche : Gruyere cheese crisp with sesame seeds, the gougere pastry with smoked paprika and arctic char gravelax with meyer lemon curd.
These 3 amuse bouche were accompanied by a chilled glass of prosecco. The presentation was very interesting and I was immediately intrigued. I ate the arctic char first, not really knowing what to expect. I loved it, it was a unique texture and I really enjoyed the flavor. I, then, chose to put the gougere pastry on the cheese crisp. The pastry was light and the cheese crisp was flavorful.
Top left clockwise: Wild mushroom barley risotto with truffle essence and parmigiano crisp, fresh bread, and roast cauliflower terrine with sopressata pickled white asparagus, turnips , and fennel.
The first course was the cauliflower terrine. The plating was beautiful, and the terrine itself was delicious. The fennel and sopressata (Italian salami) were a nice accompaniment. This course was paired with Antinori chardonnay.
The second course was the risotto paired with a Gustave Lorentz Gewurztraminer. It was cooked to perfection and the crisp on the top gave a crunchy texture in comparison to the soft rice. The essence of truffle was subtle but rounded out the dish very well.
Roasted duck breast with warm prawn salad, Maeira jus, sweet potato flan, pomme puree, garlic wilted spinach
Now, I have to apologize because this photo is blurry. I pulled an Anthony Bourdain and got a bit tipsy on the job. I've always been a big fan of duck and was very impressed with this course. It was paired with a Peller Estate Merlot and it balanced the dish beautifully.
Chocolate Financier, vanilla gelato, sous vide strawberries, and beet bubbles
This is such a fantastic idea, having a chef come out to personally put the finishing touches on the dessert. The red bin of bubbles were made from concentrated beet juice. It was, what I thought to be, an unusual combination but, surprisingly, was an ingenious pairing. The wine was a Castello Di Gabiano Moscato.
Orange truffle and maple butter macaroon.
The meal concluded with these 2 confections. Both were flavorful and fresh. It was an unexpected treat which was a perfect way to end a delicious meal.
I was lucky enough to be invited into the kitchen to have a behind the scenes look at how the kitchen functions. The kitchen staff has all worked there for a considerable period of time and they are clearly dedicated to quality. They have an appliance called an "Anti-griddle" which flash freezes foods. The inside is soft while the outside remains crunchy. Another unique item is their sous-vide cooking appliance where food which has been vacuum sealed is placed in a thermostatically controlled bin of water. It cooks the food item (typically meat) to perfection. Q Haute Cuisine is the first in Canada to have this kitchen appliance.
Overall, I had, not only a fantastic meal, but also a wonderful dining experience. I was informed by the knowledgeable staff that they do tasting menus and a "chef's table" in the kitchen is available by request. I will definitely be making another visit in the near future to Q Haute Cuisine to try out their tasting menu. The experience that I had, has made this restaurant a favorite of mine. Q has been nominated for Best Restaurant in Canada by vacay.ca, along with 3 other Calgary restaurants. I cannot wait to revisit this restaurant and see what else they have to offer.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Reservations, menu, and photos can be found here! Voting and info for vacay's best restaurant in Canada can be found here!
Una Pizza + Wine has become increasingly popular since opening its doors just over 3 years ago. I've visited Una on a number of occasions and it's always been consistently great. My friend and I went for lunch last week and had a wonderful meal.
Sauteed prawns with lemon, juicy tomatoes, garlic and sambuca.
I love this dish, I order it almost every time I visit. The prawns are juicy and tomatoes are always so fresh. It comes with a side of bread to dip in the remaining oil. The oil is sweet and so addictive. You'll definitely want to soak up as much as you can after eating the prawns.
This was the first time I had this pizza and I really enjoyed it. I loved the contrast of the hot cheese and sauce with the fresh arugula. The pizzas I have tried have always been incredible and this one was too!
Una is definitely one of the best places in Calgary for flatbread pizza. I've been a fan since it first opened and it is a place I will continue to visit.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Keep in mind they do not take reservations but you can check out the menu online here!
Tubby Dog is known for it's wide variety of hot dogs with toppings ranging from your traditional ketchup and mustard, to the more unusual cap'n crunch cereal. What a lot of people don't know is that Tubby Dog becomes Tubby Taqueria on Tuesday evenings after 8pm. A friend and I stopped in this evening to try out their tacos...
1 Chicken, 4 beef, and 2 pork
They all look relatively the same and, to be honest, I didn't taste a huge difference between the pork and the beef.
They did have a variety of taco sauces and hot sauces, some had helpful labels as to which went better with chicken or with beef. Overall, I wasn't super impressed with the food. I love the retro theme they've adopted and the staff was wonderful but the food was average. Keep in mind though that this is basically like a fast food restaurant and for the price you pay ($2.75/taco) the food is decent .
Taco Tuesday at Tubby Taqueria definitely has a following, as the line up never dwindled while I was there and they are known to sell out of tacos quickly. Personally, it wouldn't be my first choice for tacos when the city has better options. However, if you don't want to spend a lot but you want better quality (and authenticity) than taco bell then its perfect. Also, just a friendly reminder that they only accept cash!
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. Tubby Taqueria menu (along with their regular hot dog menu) can be found here!
Bridgeland plays host to many fantastic brunch spots and Over Easy Breakfast is no exception. Located on Edmonton trail and 8th avenue NE, OEB offers up a wide variety of choices for brunch. Their extensive menu features classics like eggs benedict and french toast, but they also offer a number of more unique items as well such as foie gras poutine or "Duck n' Eggs".
My friends and I decided to stop in for breakfast earlier this morning and luckily, their was no line up! OEB is a smaller venue (36 seats!) and they do not take reservations, so if you plan on visiting on a weekend be prepared to wait, although I can promise the wait will be worth it.
"The Chilled Greek Yogurt": served in a charming glass jar it combines greek yogurt, organic granola, fresh fruit and sweet honey. Served with warm banana bread on the side.
This is definitely one of my favorites. Every bite is just incredible, and the banana loaf was so soft and warm (no added preservatives, all natural and baked fresh each morning). I love that the honey is a natural sweetener and the texture works well with how creamy the yogurt is. Its a healthy choice and so filling I couldn't finish it!
So my boyfriend and our friend both chose the same meal off of the "Box'd" section of the menu: The Gold Digga.
"The Gold Digga": cheese curds melting over herb potatoes (cooked in all natural duck fat), poached eggs (from OEB's own free run chickens), pork belly, and black truffles, topped with brown butter hollandaise.
This has become a popular menu item due to the rich flavors and quality ingredients that it incorporates into each bite. It is served in a take out box, I would imagine it is because it is such a large portion you'll be sure to have left overs. The presentation is appetizing and the dish does not disappoint!
The serving staff was friendly and attentive, the food came out quickly, and when we left we were quite full and very pleased! It is easy to see why Avenue Magazine has listed OEB as one of the Best Brunch places in Calgary. It was not my first visit and it certainly will not be my last.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. The menu, along with lots more food porn photos, can be found here!
Every year in Calgary from March 1st to 10th a selection of restaurants participate in Big Taste Calgary. It is similar to New York Restaurant Week in which restaurants offer prix fixe lunches and dinners. This is not only a great way to get a taste of what the restaurant has to offer but, it is also a fantastic opportunity to try out restaurants which would otherwise be quite expensive to dine at.
My mother was in town and after picking me up from the gym, we decided to go downtown to Charcut. I have visited this restaurant a handful of times, always having good experiences. The location is fantastic, attached to Le Germain and the team is impressive: Connie DeSousa who participated on Top Chef Canada, John Jackson having hosted the 2005 John Beard Foundation's 20th Anniversary celebration, and the incredible, knowledgeable serving staff.
Despite short notice and it being exactly 12 o'clock downtown on a week day, we were able to snag one of the last available reservations sitting at the bar. They had two options for their Big Taste menu, $15 and $25, so we got both.
Beef Barley soup (gluten free) , delicious BLT with grainy mustard on focaccia bread, home made parmesan fries, in house tomato jam, and their warm chocolate chip cookies (in a paper bag if youre in a rush). $15.
My mom's meal after the jump...
Arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette and bacon bits, home made parmesan fries, spit roasted and smoked daily rotisserie (pork), and, of course, the bag of warm chocolate chip cookies. $25.
My meal was fantastic! I especially enjoyed the grainy mustard on the sandwich and the tomato jam, which is pretty sweet, went really well in between the slices of meat. The gluten free soup was a great side to have on such a wintry day and my mom and I agreed that the fries were delicious!
My mom's salad was a bit too salty for either of our preference, the first couple bites were okay but it just became too much by the end. Her rotisserie I didn't mind, the gravy was quite good, but she found it the pork to be too fatty. I liked dipping the fries into the gravy from the pork actually. As for the cookies, they were amazing. I am a sucker for sweets and the cookies were the perfect conclusion to our lunch. They are given to you warm, but were cool by the time we finished eating, which was fine as they were still very soft and moist.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Charcut, my mom was not as enthused with her meal but she had a lovely time anyway.
Tastefully yours,
Brandy
P.S. You can make reservations or check out the full menu online here!
An alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
Typically, Brandy is considered an after-dinner drink rather than a drink taken before a meal but as this is my first post and my name is Brandy I will be your aperitif.
Ive always thought about starting a food blog and many of my friends have encouraged me to do so in the past but I never really got the motivation to do it; until now of course. Food and the experience of dining out have always been passions of mine and I am fortunate enough to live in a city where our chefs have been taking new initiatives to be more daring, to put our restaurants on the map, and have them be comparable to some of the great restaurants that are in much larger cities across the world. I was reminded tonight about how passionate I am when it comes to dining while reading the most recent issue of Avenue Magazine. Its their 10th annual food issue and oh my god, I just want to go out and eat everything.
I eat out frequently and more often than not I dine alone. Now, don't go feeling sorry for me; I love eating out by myself. I've had the pleasure of dining at the majority of Calgary's best restaurants which makes me feel as if I should have began this blog a couple of years ago but seeing as how I've only started it today it gives me a great excuse to revisit some of those places. As well, there are a lot of places, both new and old, which I haven't had an opportunity to visit yet. If you love food or are even just looking for a restaurant review Im definitely the girl to talk to. That being said, I hope you will follow me as I dive into, not only Calgary food scene, but also food experiences I have while traveling.
