Casta's Profile
Van recommendations?
I'm coming to Vancouver for a concert this weekend, looking for some recommendations....
Place for an early dinner or maybe just appetizers/drinks, handy to GM Place, before the 7 p.m. show, and maybe a good place for drinks/desert afterward.
A really great breakfast/brunch spot.
And a place to go for lunch that would be more high-end, a real treat... the way this trip has worked on and some commitments to friends, lunch will likely be the only meal where my husband and I will be alone and can pick whatever we want and really take our time.
I'd love to have some great seafood while I'm on the coast, open to all types of food otherwise, and not really concerned about prices. We're staying downtown and won't have a car though so easy walking/ public distance.
Kensington gossip - Calgary
Being a big fan of Halifax donairs, I spoke to the owner of this place a couple of times.... he never actually could offer them since he could not get the permits for the donair roasting spit. Building code issue, it didn't have the proper ventilation, or something like that.
I thought the pizza was okay, but I was ready and waiting to buy the donairs. Never got the chance.
The BottleHouse Beer Parlour - Calgary (Kensington)
This place is stumbling distance to my house, if there was anything even half-way decent in that location, I'd go all the time. I gave Robbie Stewart's two tries, just in case the terrible meal I had there the first time was a fluke. It wasn't.
My personal dream for that location would be something doing simple, home-cooked-style, organic, maybe even vegetarian. The kind of place where you could get a gourmet mac and cheese or a really fantastic soup.
Over Easy Breakfast - Calgary
I've been twice now and enjoyed it both times, but the second time, got stuck at the stools in the middle so I will confirm your reaction - not comfortable, felt rather precariously perched up there, and there wasn't enough room between the stools and the table behind, had to constantly "scootch" up closer to the table so people could get behind. Very annoying. Food was great on both occasions but I won't sit at that centre table again.
Unusual Eggs Benny? (YYC)
Wildernest Cafe in Inglewood, in the local off the former Buffalo Cafe, does an eggs benny on salmon cakes that is very nice.
I am with you though - HUGE fan of eggs benny that is outside the standard and I don't find Calgary is great for that. If you are every in Victoria, there's an awesome place called Floyd's with at least 10 different kinds of benny.
Calgary - Vendome Cafe?
Had a coffee and a breakfast croissant there the other day. Both were very good. I'd like to try the pannis but I suspect the service would be fairly slow, since it took a while for the croissants and those were ready-made just reheated.
Calgary Farmers market
Pants, I hear ya... I still remember the time at little farmer's market on Vancouver Island, I brought a huge basket of veggies up to the till and wasn't paying attention as the girl rung them in... I handed over my debit and she said "um, I have to charge you an extra 25 cents when the total is under five dollars."
I still shop at the Calgary farmer's market for the experience, but for deals I go to Chongo's and some of the other vendors at Crossroads.
Vero Bistro excellent addition to Kensington
I live in Kensington, so I've been twice. First time was for a dinner, back shortly after they opened, and it was good but did not wow me. The best thing was the risotto that came with the lamb - better than the lamb itself. Overall at that time thought it was pretty good but not quite good enough to become one of my regulars.
Ended up back again fairly recently when trying to get a place in Kensington without reservations on a Friday night, turned away from a couple of other places. Meal was FANTASTIC. We were before the tapas menu began but the server told us about a few of the tapas things and let us order them anyway. The salmon flatbread was great; best dish was a squash and maple gnocchi that was a lovely mix of flavours. Only thing that was meh was the chili ribs, seemed like something you could get a pub for less. Had great attentive service and definetly were not rushed out, in fact we stayed chatting and sipping wine for hours with no problem.
I will go again for sure, I believe the tapas menu can be had all day on Sundays and I'd like to try that.
Panorama Ski resort restaurants
Hello again... I have three nights at Panorama ski resort booked over New Year's. I have reservations for Earl Grey Lodge for New Year's Eve but would love recommendations as to the best dining at the resort for the other two nights, also best breakfast/lunch/snack spots.
Bistro Twenty-two, Calgary - horrible
Thanks yen. You have it exactly right. I did not eat the fries. I ate about half of the main and didn't finish it. No one asked how either was until the plates were being cleared.
So yes, I would have felt better if there had been some offer to make it up to me in some way, because I think what bothered me most was being told that everyone else likes the food - as if I am the problem. It was like they took absolutely no responsibility for the fact that I did not enjoy the food.
I do have positive opinions too but I think my favourite places have been well discussed on this board. I like the Living Room, Divino, Catch, tried Jaro Blue and had a lovely meal there, and I like a whole bunch of the cheap Vietnamese places.
Bistro Twenty-two, Calgary - horrible
They were bland, tasted mass-produced. The menu described them as "black pepper frites" but they barely had any pepper on them. The problem may have been my expectations. I don't mind McD's fries, but they don't cost $15. I was expecting something better.
Reviews of Kensington Restaurants (Calgary)
I live in Kensington... enjoy Pulcinella a lot. It is on the casual side though - sometimes people bring kids. Haven't been to Muse but would like to try it.
Niko's was quite good. Excellent service, good food. They do a decent brunch too which seems to be a well-kept secret, Nellie's can be lined up out the door and Niko's will still have tables.
Bistro Twenty-two, Calgary - horrible
Hello all, I've lurked here quite a bit, but had to create an account in order to make sure that no one else has such a bad experience as I did with this restaurant.
Bistro Twenty-two is where Mortal Coil used to be in Mission. It looked nice and we'd been turned away from Wildwood, so we decided to give it a try.
To start - service was very slow and not particularly friendly. We were left a long time without having our orders taken and then a long wait for the food.
My appetizer was "Moules et frites." The mussels were okay, but the sauce they were in was too strong for them. The fries were horrible. For $15 I was expecting homemade. These were indistinguishable from McDonald's. I didn't eat more than two of them. When the waiter asked if there was something wrong when clearing the plates (no one had checked on how we liked the appetizers), I expressed my disapointment with the fries and was told "that's odd, everyone loves our fries." Oh I see, it's my fault.
Onto the mains. I had ordered a lighter main, a wild mushroom-rosemary crepe, since my appetizer was substantial (or would have been if the terrible fries had been edible). The description did mention that this dish had two kinds of cheese. Now I do like cheese, but I was not expecting a plate entirely covered with melted cheese. I could not taste the mushrooms or the crepe or rosemary or anything but cheese. It was like East Side Marios food, I am serious.
And again, no one checked to see how we liked the meal. No one refilled the water. Our wine glasses were empty for a long time without being asked if we wanted more, and were not taken away when we declined.
When we were finally asked how the meal was, I explained that the food had not been to the quality I expected in a fine dining restaurant and that the service had not been very good either. Again I was told "that's very unusual, no one ever complains about our food. I guess we can't please everyone." There was no offer to take anything off the bill or to provide a free dessert.
I really did not appreciate being told, basically, that I must be the problem because everyone else likes the food. I eat out in nice restaurants in Calgary all the time and I've never been treated like that. The food was no better than you'd get at a place like Earl's or Moxy's, the service worse, and this was a $100-plus meal (for two people).
I've never felt motivated to go diss a restaurant online before, but I really don't want anyone else to waste their time and money at this place.
