hclass's Profile
Traditional Christmas Dinner in Canmore/Banff area
Banff Springs Hotel. It won't be cheap but I think it will be worth it. I'm sure a few of the restos on Banff Ave will also be open. You can also look into Rimrock hotel in banff too.
The Banff Springs hotel has about 7 restos inside so they may even be offeriing different XMAS dinner options.
As for Canmore options, well since most of their hotels are condo type projects they just don't have restos attached that are worth checking out. Merry Christmas and happy dining!
Restaurants near the Westin Calgary
Luckily for you the Westin is connected to our +15 system so you can stroll indoors to Scotia Place and then this opens up all the great restaurants on Stephan Ave. +15 is open till 9pm on a limited but in your case useful route to open up the range.
My first stop as a solo diner after getting out of Scotia Place would be the newly renovated Catch Oyster Bar downstairs, try the Manilla Clam linguini. Everything else is very solid too and Ian the oyster shucker will keep you entertained with excellent service if you sit at the bar.
There are lots of other good options on Stephen Ave.
Close to the hotel there really isn't any standouts besides River Cafe, I live about a 3 minute walk from the Westin so know the area well. At the westin there is a Keg which is a chain so many fellow hounders may frown upon this but I've had good service and really enjoy the prime rib. There is also a new Japanese resto right next door which I;ve heard good things about.
Joeys right accross the Sheraton is another lively option for a solo diner. Sit at the bar and you will have a good experience in all aspects. Once again a chain but one of the best ones imho. It's not a michelin star place by any means but for the prices you can't expect this either. I've sat next to so many hockey stars here who enjoy Joeys on their roadtrips up north.
My recos have a but more of a livelier atmosphere which is usually what I like while out of town on business. If you are looking more for a pure fine dining experience let us know.
Sexiest restaurant YYC?
Even "Sexiest" is subjective but I think what you are looking for is Ubu Lounge. It's backed by a very good group so even though I haven't been (Even though I live a cpl blocks away and walk by a few times a week) but will still suggest it for you.
Restaurants that serve good game (deer or elk) in Calgary
The Ranche. Overall a great experience every time I go.
Best bakeries for day-olds, deals, and cheap crusty bread loaves?
The italian bakery sells day old products for a significant savings. Well at least thats what a shuttle bus driver told me while driving by it once.
Olly Fresco and Marcellos for DT lunch
Totally agree about the NY style sandwiches. My fav so far is the Reuben but I ask for a little mustard too. Since they slice the meat it's always hot and tender for those who haven't had the chance to enjoy one yet.
The bread really is a great base to there sandwiches too. The 7oz is plenty, once I went with 9oz and found it too much for me.
I've also been really enjoying the individual pickles too, great crunch and good amount of saltiness.
Me and the wife for lunch tomorrow. Where?
I would do Bonterra even though you said price ain't an issue. Right now in Calgary we have "Big Taste" in which restos offer 3 course meals for a good deal. At bonterra you will get a nice salad, wild board linguine (Superb dish) and dessert for $15. They have long lunch hours too.
Report back let us know what you enjoyed.
Dine out Calgary 2011
I just looked at the "dine out" menu of about 8 restos and 3 of them had vegetarian options. Keep searching and stop giving out wrong info here
New pizza place - owned by Sugo
Last night I headed to WOP with the SO for dinner. You will notice the two "Pizza" banners on the 2nd level above the door since the small sign on the door isn't the easiest to find. Perhaps it was the chilling weather and we were just eager to find the place that we walked by twice without noticing it.
As you open the door you walk up the stairs and walk into a very nice "Loft" style space. We were immediately greeted and told to grab any seat. Since the table nearest the kitchen was open I snagged it right away. The tall ceilings, open kitchen and comfy seats give this place a nice feel. The two main walls have no art but projectors were playing the wizard of oz so I didn't really know what to think of that. The music was a Daft Punk cd which gave it a bit of a “loungey” feel which I enjoyed. Overall this is a place where I would feel comfortable coming after a long day of skiing in my baggy ski pants or even before heading to a Broadway show at the jubilee.
I asked our waiter what style of pizza they serve and he said "Thin Crust." I asked about the oven and was told it's the "Ferrari" of ovens and then asked if the pizza are cooked very quickly in it and was told “yes a couple minutes.” So I determined it's Neapolitan style which is my fav type of pizza or I enjoy a loaded Greek style pie but not much in b/w. As I looked at the menu I noticed only one pizza had buffalo mozz and pretty much every pizza had different cheeses, I think there were about 8 different cheeses in total for 12 or so pizzas.
We ordered the Margherita (Wanted my buffalo mozz fix) and Parma after debating if we should go with the HogWild since it sounded delish too. A few minutes after we put in our order Angelo made an appearance and we started a small conversation about the place and how he has had way too many pizzas in the last cpl weeks.
I first had a slice of the Marg and couldn’t help but notice how crispy the crust was. For those of you who complain Famoso is too soggy go try this pizza, you won’t be disappointed with the crust. The sauce tasted like it was made from San Marzano tomatoes but I never did ask to confirm.
Then I digged into the Parma which I immediately noticed it was a little dry, it reminded me of the flatbreads at Una a bit. I’m not sure if we were just short changed or if next time I’ll have to ask for extra sauce. About half way through Angelo asked our opinions and I mentioned this to him and noticed he was pouring the sauce on the dough from then on till we left. The arugula was fresh and I suspect the Prosciutto was domestic bc it just didn’t have the fat, colour and taste to what I’m use to from Italian Prosciutto but I could be wrong.
Overall we were very happy with the $12 Margherita and the $16 Parma was very close to being great as well, just needed more of that yummy sauce. I enjoyed a few $7 Steam Whistles they had on draught and my SO was very happy with her $6 glass of house wine, she would have loved to order a bottle for $25 but someone was the dd. Without Papers will be a good addition to satisfy my pizza cravings in a nice comfy environment.
Olly Fresco and Marcellos for DT lunch
I recently dropped into Olly Fresco after a meeting went very late and I was one hungry person. The place seems to imply it's a NY style deli with a sandwich bar, hot NY style sandwiches, pizza, two daily specials and fridges filled with salads, pickles, etc.
I went with a $4 slice of pizza which was a good size and put in a nice box similar to Jugo style so it was easy to transport. The pizza was thicker then what i remember eating in NY but I enjoyed it. I also took a $5 Tuna salad which I found to be a great deal. The veg was plentiful with lots of cucumbers and very crispy veg too. Overall a nice find imho.
As for Marcellos I've never been. I keep walkijng by and see the salad bar line is huge. However I noticed another location at Canterra on my way to Frescos and the lines were non existent at this location. Is there anything I have to try at this eatery on my first visit?
Are there any great restaurants in YYC Chinatown ?
Thai Bistro is the place I frequent most in Chinatown. If anyone is venturing here suggest you try one of the first 3 salads. My guests prefer the Papaya since it's less spicy but I'm a big supporter of the Larb Gai. Both these dishes you can order as a main or family style when we eat there, they go great with rice.
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Thai Bistro
102 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 2B7, CA
YYC breakfast spots
OverEasy is one of my fav breakfast spots in the city. Really well made dishes for good prices. I think the breakfasts start around $8 for the Panini, hover around $10 mainly.
After my last two visits to Avenue were very poor it was nice to discover this place. Be warned there is usually a wait on weekends.
Calgary - Petite: A little too warm, but great food
Agreed. The food here is really made well and you can taste the quality in the ingredients. They also have Dinner events every few weeks (usually on Sundays) which are a treat to attend. These dinners have a food/wine theme, last time it was Champagne and Truffles....mmm mmm mmm!
keg. calgary .help
I've been to this locations liunge 3 times in the last 3 months. It was the first time I had been to a Keg in about 5 years. The first time I ordered the Prime Rib here and it was really good so I keep ordering it every time. Each time it was perfectly cooked to my order of medium rare so I have to give this kitchen props for their great work.
However the last time I went after we asked for the bill our waitress sat down at the table behind us to chat with the couple for about 15 minutes while we were waiting to give our CC and jet out. Well I'm in no hurry to Jet back in but will probably have to bc I have one more GC left I got at a Golf tourney in the summer.
Rise Bakery & Café - Calgary
There scones sure are great and at $2.25 it makes for a cheap and good way to start the day. I've had a few sandwiches and they are good but don't fill me up enough. How much is a "soup or salad" and sandwich at this place?
Calgary court restaurant
I walk by this place fairly often and it's usually quite busy. Now I know what to order so I'm looking forward to a visit soon.
The BottleHouse Beer Parlour - Calgary (Kensington)
Good to know! I dropped in a few weeks ago just for a few drinks after dinner at Pulcinella and found the room nice. It reminded me of a ski lodge inside.
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Pulcinella
1147 Kensington Crescent NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1X7, CA
Banff Dining
Maple Leaf is a very good option in Banff. The space has a nice feel and the food I find always consistently good.
On NYE I tried Grapes for the first time at the Banff Springs. It doesn't take reservations and only has 6 tables so I found it to be quite a neat place. Be aware besides wine all drinks come from the Rundle so it takes a while in case so order early in case you're a fast drinker like me. The food was good once again but nothing to write home about.
They try to source all ingredients within 100 miles of Banff which is good. I had the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with prawns and it was a big portion but would have liked to taste more Wild Mushrooms bc the pasta is quite thick. My SO had the Chicken and it well made but reminded me of a dish my grandma would serve me with cabbage and a few other vegetables.
For italian food I still think the appies at Castello are great for Banff. The mains arent bad but they just don't stand out as much imho
"Great Canadian Pizza and Fried Chicken" (Cgy)- anybody tried this one?
I was strolling looking for a new spot last night and dropped into this place. I noticed a few gents eating the biryani and tried one myself. I gotta say for the price it was a great find. I didn't see an extra meat option so just got a drumstick, thigh and wing but would def have paid the extra $1 for more chicken. The 1/4 of thinly sliced tomato, onion slices and few lettuce leafs along with the raita went well with the meal.
Thai Bistro - Calgary
I just discovered this place recently after moving into the neighborhood. Since I consider myself fairly experienced with Thai food I can recommend this place to all fellow chowhounders.
Most mains during dinner cost $11-$12.95, fresh ingredients, nice presentation, ample quantity and best of all darn tasty! I suggest you try one of their "salads" bc the owner mentioned if there was a specialty those ere them.
I've had the Larb Kai (My fav Thai dish and executed excellent), Pad Thai, Green Curry and Tum Yum Gai soup. All reminded me of my visit to Thailand. I'm very happy with the food and value here.
I haven't been yet during lunch but they have a different menu with meals starting at $7.75. The owner tells me it's busy during lunch but both times I've been in the evening I've only seen two other couples.
Taco Del Mar - no fish tacos in Calgary
I've had those and they are tasty. I think they are only available with a spring salad.
Also from what I recall you only get two so if you are actually hungry def get a third taco. I like a light lunch but that was too light imho.
5 Guys Burgers in Calgary?
A burger has lots of elements besides the patty. Fresh bun, fresh veg (If you're into that) and lastly good melted cheese. All 3 are just as important as the patty. Five guys delivers on those fronts but I'm still not feeling the beef.
Meez Fast Cuisine (McKenzie Towne) - Has anyone tried this place?
Last week the first day it hit -20ish I stopped by to pick up the Mac and Cheese I read about here. The only fresh one available was gluten free and I was hungry and already set on eating soon so couldn't try any of the frozen ones.
I don't think I've ever had gluten free pasta but this dish was tasty. It had a good amount of cheese. It cost nearly $14 so not cheap but I'm looking forward to trying the others at $10.75.
best pizza in calgary?
I bit and had A Pizza Plus for the very first time over the weekend. I use to live just blocks form the place and never gave it a try. I was about to order from Spiros when remembered this thread. The SO usually likes only one meat on her pie so with 2 for 1 it gave me a good reason to try them out also, and they delivered.
After about an hour wait I was expecting a soggy pie but was happy it still was crisp on the bottom. I did enjoy the pizza since I was looking forward to a thick crust style pizza. I couldn't really taste the sauce but the rest was good.
For the style I would say its just slightly better then Bella Roma and just a notch below Sprios imho, and coincidentally that is where its priced at too. Also better then Poco Loco which has a location nearby.
Sidekickeh as for Pulcinella being overpriced I disagree. It's got a wood fired over, that ain't easy to replicate so if I want true Napoli style I have no problems opening up my wallet.
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Pulcinella
1147 Kensington Crescent NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1X7, CA
5 Guys Burgers in Calgary?
John truly I would prefer an onion ring option. I enjoy fries most when having a poutine. I only order fries once a year and I had maybe 7 out of the 500 my bag contained. Next time with a larger group I will get a bag of the cajuns instead. I just wanted to get the full five guys experience.
Anyway I did pay 5 guys another visit. This time I limited my toppings so my burger could actually stay together. Once again the order was screwed up bc I somehow ended up with grilled mushrooms. Quite a few of them dropped out of the burger and I ate them and they had no taste and were truly cold. Also the patty was dry and fell apart. Other then that it was a good burger and my SO really liked the velveeta cheese.
This place is def a cut above other fast food burgers joints but I still can't taste the beef. I noticed they don't steam it like many other juicy burger joints I enjoy.
Fenugreek leaves in S.W.
Glad to hear. Have you had them ever at Vij's? I find his chops have a good char which I try to replicate on the bbq without overcooking the lamb which also kills a bit of that gamey taste. I love using local lamb but damn the $$$ had me go to costco last time and sufficed with some from down under.
5 Guys Burgers in Calgary?
Yes it is open. I was the first customer at this location this morning. I ordered a double cheese, fries and drink and total came to about $13.65. The fries were nothing special so I wouldn't order them again. I did get quite a few toppings on the burger so it was big and messy. However I didn't really taste the meet and this was the downfall imo. I was really hoping it would be better for the price, I'll have to go back within a week and just get a burger with minimal toppings to get a better opinion of this place.
