Fid's Profile
Universal Bakery--closed
Heard that the fish market, bakery, and laundromat will be torn down for a new condo-type development.
Help identifying Asian green?
It looks like La Lot leaves (a kind of the betel leaf) that is used for Bo La Lot (grilled beef rolls).
Real, spanish chorizo in Calgary?
The Italian Store should also carry the Palacios brand of Spanish Chorizo: dried, no preservatives, excellent flavour. It's pricier at about $11 for a coil.
Bad tasting avocados recently?
I just had the last of my bag of 5 (from Chile) today. I let them ripen on the counter until the skins were nice and dark, but every one of them seemed unripe, tough in parts, watery, and had no flavour. Argh!
Green tomatoes... need help!
Put the green tomatoes in a box in the basement and keep them covered so that it is dark. They will eventually ripen and turn red. This way, you can enjoy fresh tomatoes well into the autumn season.
Chinese Barbeque on 97th Street in Edmonton - Which is best ?
I did go forth and tried a few places a few weeks back when I was in Edmonton. Did an informal taste test and came up with these conclusions:
Jin Li BBQ - My favourite one because of the mix of herbs and spices (you could actually see the bits of ginger, etc. that was in the sauce). The skin was not as red as the others, nor as crisp, but the meat and sauce was full of flavour.
Tasty BBQ - Good, crispy skin, medium red in colour. The sauce had a lot of flavour.
Super BBQ Delight - Pretty good, but more akin to other BBQ ducks that can be had elsewhere (ie. more like a char siu sauce than a herbal one). Very red in colour with medium crispy skin.
For me, "Edmonton Duck" is different from other BBQ ducks in that there is a strong mix of herbs/spices (ginger, anise, etc.) that you don't normally find. So, for me, I prefer the more spiced versions.
Portuguese/European Grocery in Calgary
I actually saw a lot of Goya products at, of all places, Giant Tiger. I saw the Sazon Goya packets of culantro and achiote (coriander and annatto), so they *may* carry the con Azafran.
Chinese Barbeque on 97th Street in Edmonton - Which is best ?
It appears that the place is actually now called Jin Li BBQ. It is located at 9655 102 Ave NW, near the Chinatown gate (the building with the brightly-painted Pegasus mural).
Chinese Barbeque on 97th Street in Edmonton - Which is best ?
Do you know if these BBQ places open on Sundays?
A few years back, I got a BBQ duck from a place on 96th St and 102 Ave, and it was nicely spiced, and was the juiciest, most flavourful duck I have had. It was different from other BBQ ducks I have tried in that the spices seemed to be infused throughout the meat. Now, googling for the place, I discover that it was the old China BBQ, and was notorious for being the most-fined (health violations) establishment in Alberta history! It appears that it is now open under a new name, Everyday BBQ. Has anyone tried it recently?
Missing candy recipe
Just looked in my Friberg book:
1 pound (455g) sweet dark chocolate
Milk chocolate, tempered (no amount indicated)
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter
6 ounces (170g) fondant
2 Tablespoons (30ml) orange liqueur
Grated zest of 2 small oranges
Where can I find the best donairs chicken or beef in AB?
Another big thumbs up for Desert Pita. The Shish Tawouk and mixed donair (beef and chicken) are absolutely delicious. Be sure to ask for a side of their chili sauce - it is a perfect accompaniment. Their baklava is also delicious.
BTW, they have a second location now:
5303 68 Ave SE
Unit 109
Calgary, AB T2C 4N3
"Chinese" Restaurant for family dinner in Calgary this Saturday
Cheung's Kitchen is a great little family-run place that serves well-executed Cantonese fare. It's located on Centre Street in a nondescript strip mall across from Lina's (3 - 2111 Centre St NW). It's the kind of place that starts your meal with a complimentary traditional soup and finishes it with a complimentary sweet dessert. A standout dish is the crispy chicken with garlic.
So Will The Bay Be The City's Next Big Buzz?
Oh, yes, The Malt Shop was where we had our weekly Saturday treat whenever the entire family piled into the car and headed downtown for shopping. We also used to eat at The Bay's Seymour Buffet, and thought it was so sophisticated to dine on roast beef, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, and jello cubes for dessert! Good times! :-)
Wanted: Buttery Croissants in Calgary
For the crispy texture with plenty of layers, check out the ones at Wilde Grainz Artisan Bakery in Inglewood. The one I tried had many buttery layers.
As an aside, the closest croissants to the ones I've had in France are the ones from Thomas Haas in Vancouver (wish they would open a shop here in Calgary...).
Korean Village Restaurant has moved to new location
Thanks for the report. Wonder if it is still run by the same people - the younger woman who worked there used to 'scold' us every time we went because she thought we were ordering too much food. She was quite a character!
Glad to hear that they are back.
Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
FYI, just saw bottles of Grey Poupon Dijon and Old Style (grainy) mustard at the Safeway next to Southcentre Mall.
Basil in YYC - Best Vietnamese resto in the city (review)
Does Song Huong have any relation to the restaurant of the same name in Vancouver (the one with the famous Bo 7 Mon)? Crossing my fingers that this is so, as they also served various Hue specialties such as Bun Bo Hue, glutinous dumplings, etc..
Sea. Mckenzie Towne Calgary
Unfortunately, it is true as I happened to be in the area and saw a sign posted on the door stating that it is closed until further notice due to a family emergency. Also, there is an ad on Craigslist for the sale of the business. Hopefully, the new owners will be able to keep the restaurant going at the same level of quality.
Sea. Mckenzie Towne Calgary
FYI, I wanted to try Sea this weekend, and, upon searching online for some info, discovered that it is closed for the time being and the owners are selling the business due to a family emergency. It's too bad as it sounded like a cool place.
Bagels in Calgary Sought
For anyone who tried to go to Montreal Bagels last week only to find out that their oven had broken down, the oven has been fixed and they are baking once again.
Bross Sushi Bar and Grill - Calgary
Thanks for adding the link.
Also wanted to add that Bross just opened about 5 months ago, and is Japanese-run. The decor and ambience is like a small eatery that you would find in Japan, with dark wood, dark grey walls, nice ceramic dishes, etc.. The price points are also lower than most Japanese restaurants in town (eg. assorted tempura (3 pcs shrimp, 2 pcs fish, 4 pcs vegetable) was $8.50; the "Cruncky" soft-shell crab roll was $6.50, the priciest one on the menu).
Bross Sushi Bar and Grill - Calgary
#26 11440 BRAESIDE DRIVE SW 403-238-3770
(Open Mon-Thurs 11:30-14:00; Friday 11:30-14:00, 16:30-20:30; Saturday 11:30-15:00, 17:00-20:30)
Every time I would go to the bank in a strip mall in Braeside (SW), a little nondescript Japanese Izakaya would catch my eye. Finally, I tried it out today for lunch, and am extremely pleased to say that it is a real gem in the far Southwest that is bereft of top-notch restaurants (especially Japanese ones).
Their specialty is kushiage items (breaded, deep-fried items on skewers), but they also do noodle dishes (udon, soba, yakisoba), tempura, onigiri, and sushi. We had a couple of rolls (BC, Creamy Scallop, and "Cruncky") - all were very well made, with the "Cruncky" being a large soft-shelled crab creation that included cheese in the filling and came atop a salad of romaine lettuce, radish, etc.. Also tried a Bacon Scallop kushiage that was tasty and came with a choice of a wafu (Japanese tonkatsu-style sauce) or chilli sauce.
All in all, it was very satisfying to find such a cool restaurant in the South. It is a small space with only a long sushi bar type counter that overlooks the open kitchen. The staff were very friendly. Upon enterring the place, you will see water, and hot and cold mugi-cha (barley tea) set out for you to serve yourself. Although it is called an izakaya, it doesn't look like they've got a liquor licence yet, as there was no alcohol on the menu.
Best Vietnamese/Pho Place(s) in Calgary?
I highly second this recommendation for Sunrise (aka Pho Bin Minh). They are consistently good, offer culantro along with the regular basil, and have an extra type of chili paste that is pretty tasty. Another good place is Pho Rang Dong at 45th St and 8th Ave in the strip mall with Lucky Supermarket.
Best Value Dining in Calgary
For a great sit down value meal, my go to is Mirch Masala, a fabulous little Indian restaurant in the strip mall across from Sundridge Mall/ Superstore (same one as the Reef 'n Beef). They have a set meal of one meat, one vegetable, rice, naan, and a soft drink for $8.99, $9.99 if you want the two meat version.
The rest of the dishes on the a la carte menu are great and reasonable compared to other Indian restaurants' prices. The Bhaigan Bharta is outstanding, as is the Bhindi Masala. The service is friendly, and the interior tastefully decorated.
I also second Banzai as a cheap but good alternative. They even have a stamp card that allows you a free meal every 6 or so stamps you receive. The staff is always enthusiastic and efficient.
Happy Hill
Happy Hill is definitely one of the better places for tasty Chinese food. They usually have specials that offer some more unique dishes.
The flavours are clean, and the ingredients are fresh and of good quality. Although I tend to prefer places with a 'grungier' kitchen (not dirty, per se, but with a more pronounced 'wok hei'), Happy Hill has always done a solidly good job with the dishes that I have tried.
Cantonese Chow Mein (Calgary)
I have tried New Dynasty once, and ordered items off the "Chinese Menu" - pretty well done. The are known more for their buffet, although items on it tend to be more "Westernized".
As for your experience at Pebble Street, I have a feeling that your order was not the House Special noodles. The last time I had it a few weeks ago, it contained bok choy, scallops, prawns, shiitake, sea cucumber, chicken, char siu, beef 'sausage' slices, etc.. Was your noodle dish one with the deep fried crispy noodles? Next time I go, I'll check out the right number for you. I really think that Pebble Street does a stellar version of this dish (top quality ingredients, good presentation), and hope that you will give it another try. Also, most of the servers at Pebble Street tend to speak Mandarin, so the Cantonese pronunciation of the dish may have thrown them off.
Another restaurant that you might want to check out is Gong Kee BBQ Noodle House located in the strip mall next to Forest Lawn High School (the mall with Lucky Supermarket.). It is not the fanciest of places, but they are pretty good.
Cantonese Chow Mein (Calgary)
I'm a fellow former Food in East patron (huge *sniffle* as it was my go-to place for Chinese comfort food; btw, if you ever hear of them opening elsewhere, please let me know).
The best "Jiew Pai Chow Mein" (special Cantonese deep fried noodle with seafood/meat/vegetables) I've had in Calgary is at Pebble Street in Pacific Place. It is the sister restaurant of Forbidden City (my favourite dim sum place) and does great Hong Kong-style cafe food.
to all the restaurant's I've loved before....
lol. I suppose that I should have worded that better... Then again, mozzarella sticks were not a bad payoff for a then starving uni student... :-P
to all the restaurant's I've loved before....
I remember going to the Red Apple - good comfort food.
The closure that I most lament is the Shanghai Paramount on Kingsway and Slocan - the best crispy chicken in sweet sauce into which one dipped soft mantou buns.
I also remember Doll & Penny's fondly - used to stagger in there after dancing at the clubs for deep fried mozzarella sticks. Ah, those wondrous days of our youth...
Vancouver's Chinatown: what's the scoop?
Just want to add that New Town also has the best "Dai Bao" (big bun): steamed bun filled with pork, salted egg, ham. It is delicious!
