aktivistin's Profile
Where to buy: Tart Rings/Cake rings in in Calgary/Edmonton/Red Deer
It may be worth checking the restaurant supply stores, including the Chinese one on Centre St N. I found mine on the cheap in a kitchen supply store in Hong Kong, so maybe the Chinese supplier in Calgary would have them as well.
Gourmet & Organic Supermarkets in Calgary
Thanks for the review, Lingcullen! Did you walk there or drive? And if you drove, did you have trouble finding parking? It looks like an odd corner, with bad access--but I've never tried to actually get there before.
Beignets in Calgary?
Wow, that photo has me convinced. Gonna head down to Yann tomorrow morning--hope to find some doughnuts.
Afternoon tea in Calgary?
Seconding Fairmont Banff Springs--the pastries and sandwiches are top-notch, and you can't beat the gorgeous mountain setting.
On a weekday, you could try Sunterra in the TransCanada building. Grab a table by the window and peruse the pastry case. The decor is a sort of a faux-European street (complete with cobblestone)--might be fun for a younger girl. I would just avoid it at lunch (11 - 2) as it is much too busy.
Another idea is A Ladybug & Cafe in Aspen Woods. They have waffles, crepes, and a variety of Belgian pastries (croissants, tarts, pretty cakes, etc).
Fresh shiitake mushrooms in YYC?
I have bought fresh shiitakes from T&T. Very reasonable priced, don't remember exact cost. They are sold in pre-packaged clear plastic produce bags.
I think I've seen them at Lambda and Tops from time to time as well, but have never bought them there.
Wurst - Calgary German Beer Haus
In German, it is indeed pronounced with a 'v' sound, as in "Braht-voorst," with the long "oo" sound. So the "vurst" pronunciation is kind of a halfway bastardization/compromise, possibly to prevent conjuring ideas of a worst/wurst impression of the place.
Bridget, the roti lady is back!
Thanks, iMarilyn. I'll try to stop by on a sunny day next week--hope she's there!
Bridget, the roti lady is back!
Can anyone confirm that Bridget is still there? I will be visiting Toronto next week (from Calgary), and am itching to eat all the things missing from my home city, including rotis.
The new Calgary Farmers' Market at Blackfoot Centre will open tomorrow
Oh, do they have soup dumplings or soup buns? I'd make a special trip just for those!
Restaurants in NE Calgary
For Hong Kong-style Chinese, Pebble Street in the T&T mall is good value, consistent, and tasty. I definitely prefer it over Western Chinese buffets (which often exaggerate all the worse parts of that style of cuisine--greasy, over-salted, filler-laden, MSG-ridden).
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Pebble Street Restaurant
999 36 St NE #220, Calgary, AB T2A 7X6, CA
Calgary, Banff, the badlands, Lake Louise after mid June - your advice is needed
On the Top Chef Canada note, Charcut hosts a viewing party every Monday at 9PM. I think you have to RSVP in advance, maybe via Twitter. I've never been but I think it would be a fun opportunity to enjoy great food and meet Connie as well as some local food enthusiasts.
Also, CHARCUT is located in the Le Germain hotel.
I'll second the recommendations for The Bison and the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff (classic "castle in the mountains"--weekend brunch is a pricey, but resplendent choice. Perfect for a vacation splurge).
Jelly Modern Doughnut - you have to try it
According to the printable PDF menu, the singles are $2.25 and they are huge. The more decently sized "three-bite" doughnuts are $1.95.
http://www.jellymoderndoughnuts.com/menu/
BBQ/Picnic Area in Calgary?
I like Edworthy because a couple areas are hidden by rows of trees, making it more private. Bowness Park also has a number of sites, a few of them with some wooden structures in case someone wants to sit in the shade.
Here is a link to all the bookable picnic sites in Calgary (download the Picnic Site Information PDF): http://content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Business+Units/Parks/Things+to+do/Bookings/Park+bookings.htm
Calgary Restaurant/Pub Needed for 90 Person Wedding Reception
Off the top of my head, NOtaBLE and Bear's Den come to mind for restaurants in the NW. I haven't been to either, so I can't comment on the food. Notable has received mixed reviews on this board; Bear's Den has received consistent good reviews. Also, Dolce Sapori (attached to Pulcinella) has been mentioned a few times lately. Again, haven't been so cannot comment on the food.
Maybe a pub or bar with a rooftop patio? I'm thinking Molly Malone's--I think their canopy has string lights so it might be pretty, if quite rustic, for a casual wedding reception.
For atmosphere, I *adore* the lighting at the Local 522 (downtown), along with the beautiful modern wood. There is a little stage, so it may suit a wedding well (if you need to make speeches, etc). I have seen bands at the Local 522, and can attest that you can see the stage from pretty much anywhere in the bar, though view will be partially obscured by the bar from some angles. I like the food here--it's well-executed pub fare.
Its sister, the Local 510, is also beautifully appointed. But since it is located on 17th Ave SW, it is a lot busier in the evenings, and parking will be a hassle.
EDIT: I did a bit of research on restaurant capacities about a 1.5 year ago, details in this thread along with great suggestions from other Chowhounders: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/672650
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Bears Den
254028 Bearspaw Rd NW, Calgary, AB T3L 2P7, CA
Pulcinella
1147 Kensington Crescent NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1X7, CA
NOtaBLE
4611 Bowness Rd NW, Calgary, AB T3B 0B2, CA
Local 522
522 6 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0S1, CA
Local 510
510 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0A9, CA
CHARCUT Roast House Calgary
Love CHARCUT! If you're concerned about budget, try going for a weekday lunch--they have $15 and $25 set lunch menus that are quite filling. The offering changes every day.
(And, yes, Connie is my favourite on Top Chef Canada. Doesn't hurt that she's a hometown girl!)
Eeep! Out-of-Towner: Need To Find This Restaurant For My Parent's Anniversary Tomorrow (Calgary)
Perhaps it might have been Rouge?
I think Cilantro would be a lovely intimate setting. The restaurant itself is like a house, but they also have a lovely enclosed patio--perfect for the beautiful weather we'll have this week.
River Cafe is a Calgary institution. With its park-like setting along the river, your parents could take advantage of the warmth and sunshine with a stroll. I should say however, that if they are not comfortable walking far, that River Cafe will not be suitable--it is right in the middle of Prince's Island Park. Locally sourced ingredients, game, etc. Also looks like a house!
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Rouge
1240 - 8th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0M7, CA
River Cafe
25 Prince's Island Pk SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1, CA
Cilantro
338 17th Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0A8, CA
Real Fruit Juice Gummie Bears in Calgary?
And at Community Natural Foods, they are sold in the dried fruit and candies aisle, next to organic jelly beans and the like. Not in bulk bins, however--only in the containers like the ones shown in Jetgirly's pic.
Jelly Modern Doughnut - you have to try it
Tried the maple bacon doughnut on Saturday, and have to agree that the doughnuts eat like a meal! (I did finish mine, but that's a whole different issue...) I found the glaze a little too sugary, which masked the maple and bacon flavours.
Doughnut itself was soft and fresh--though a yeast donut, it was a little bread-y (like a white bread-doughnut hybrid), similar to Tim Horton's style, rather than a beignet style.
I'll be back for a smaller doughnut. The coconut looks especially tempting.
China Town on Saturday
I don't know if Try Again is open on Saturday, but if it is, I think the kids will love the "bubble tea" fruit smoothies. My favourite is anything with coconut, and coconut or lychee jelly. Best thing about Try Again is that they use real fruit, instead of the mixes like many other places.
Try Again is in the basement of the HSBC building (Google Streetview): http://ow.ly/4IBT3
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Try Again
111 3 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0B7, CA
Affordable, quiet anniversary dinner in Calgary
Perhaps FARM--if it's a weeknight, maybe it will be a little quieter.
Also, I love Boxwood Cafe but I've never been there for dinner. Beautiful park setting!
Lastly, I've heard good things about LeVilla in West Market Square (with the Sunterra), though I've never been. It was mentioned in the restaurant awards issue of Avenue magazine. French-style cuisine, if I'm not mistaken.
Here's the Avenue list: http://www.avenuecalgary.com/articles/page/item/calgary039s-best-restaurants-2011-the-list
Also from the Avenue list: How about Vin Room for small plates?
ISO the best sandwich in YYC
Roast chicken sandwich at Boxwood Cafe! It's the preserved lemon and basil aioli combined with the toothsome ciabatta that makes it. I'm still trying to replicate it at home.
Kind of on the opposite side of the meat sandwich spectrum from a Philly cheese steak, though.
One night in Calgary - where should we go?
Seconding Charcut. Sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen. And the lamb--! Love the lamb. The chefs are great to chat with and are passionate about their ingredients. (I'm a preserving fanatic so I asked them a lot of questions about their preserves).
Catered (take out or delivery) lunch for 40 in Calgary?
We had Cookbook Company cater a wine-and-cheese event for us--memorable and well-priced, but they did need a bit of time to set up. Not sure how much time you have. But the catering chef/manager is great to work with and can design a custom menu for you.
Also, we have used Redwater Grill in Bow Valley Square for a number of our more "fancy" in-office lunches. The food has always received good reviews and the set up is beautiful.
For a more casual lunch, I also really liked the shwarmas, salads, and baklava from Tazza in Bridgeland (though it was a couple years ago), the sandwiches, soups, and salads from Rise Bakery, and Indian (in foil pans) from Glory of India.
Lastly--I wonder if Boxwood Cafe does catering orders? It would probably be take-out.
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Glory of India
515 4 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0J7, CA
Where to buy Canadian organic dried sour cherries?
This other thread on the Ontario board ( http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/370791 ) suggests Tickleberry's in the Okanagan: http://www.tickleberrys.com/fruit.htm
Cacao Nibs in Edmonton?
Qzina has an office in Edmonton, and they supply cacao nibs: www.qzina.com
Soma in Calgary
It's 105 8th Ave SW. I believe in this Google Streetview, it's where Kismet used to be: http://ow.ly/41zVm
Looking for affordable regional food in Downtown Calgary
Oh, just noticing from another thread--The Big Taste (formerly Dine Out Calgary) is March 4 - 14. So if you're here during that timeframe, there are quite a few restaurants offering $35 prix fixe three-course menus for dinner. From that list, I'd recommend the aforementioned Charcut, River Cafe, Bonterra (Italian, not really local), and Catch (seafood, a local institution but not really regional). Others may have different suggestions from the list:
http://www.calgarydowntown.com/the-big-taste
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Catch Oyster Bar
100 8th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K6, CA
Bonterra Trattoria
1016 8 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1K2, CA
River Cafe
25 Prince's Island Pk SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1, CA
CHARCUT Roast House
101 9 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB T2G 1B8, CA
Looking for affordable regional food in Downtown Calgary
Not "downtown" per se, but close on 17th Ave SW -- FARM has a $25 three-course prix fixe menu on Tuesdays. The rest of the week, a few of the mains are still below $20, and most ingredients appear to be sourced locally.
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Farm
1006 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0A5, CA
YYC - downtown caterers
We have used Rivercut (catering arm of the Redwater Grille in BVS) a couple of times and the food has been outstanding. They will come and set up the lunch in your office space, bringing chafing dishes, stainless steel pitchers for the juice, slate boards for the fruit, etc. Very nice set-up. I think our last lunch was ~$835 for sandwiches, salad, juice, and red velvet cupcakes for 35 people.
Likewise, Rise Bakery, which is also part of the Vintage group, is a similarly high-quality option. I love the lamb sandwich, and all their baked goods are delicious.
In addition to these two, we sometimes use Green Bean (the inexpensive option for simple but satisfying lunch) and Candlelight Catering (outside of downtown, but they deliver; I always eat too many of the almond crescents they include on the cookie tray). Some people also praise Sunterra, but we don't order from them since they don't take Amex.
Coffee Beans - Calgary
KcM, not sure if it makes a difference for you, but there is also Chiasso location on 4th Ave SW at 2nd St (same block as the Westin hotel).
