ChefsMenuTasting's Profile
Noble in Calgary?
I am so excited about NOtaBLE and the way they are pulling things together. I called for a reservation today and was told that "Unfortunalty ...we are full for reservations tonight, however we only reserve half the room every evening and that the other half is always held for "walk ins". Please know that you can find the entrance to the 2 underground levels of complimentary parking just down the back lane. She also explained that the walk in tables have been selling out by 5:45pm and that she expects that those tables would be for sale again around 7:30 or 8pm?!" I enjoyed the conversation...did try my luck at 7:30pm and was seated right away...the restaurant was full and fabulous!
Noble in Calgary?
Drove by today...the sign is up, two seperate gated patio areas and they are trying for a soft opening next weekend...finally!!
Wedding Venue Help-Alberta
Hotel Arts offers an amazing culinary experience, many of the Chefs came from Catch. The Ranche would be so gorgeous, food is excellent...too small?
Never ate at Valley Ridge but a wedding there would be beautiful, much the same for Silver Springs.
Best thing about Hotel Arts...other than the food, onsite accomodations and not having to worry about the safety of your guests or arranging transportation.
Calgary Chefs on the move to SAIT?
Calgary will have some amazing talent in a few years with the Chefs that are teaching at SAIT. Very curious about who will take over in two of my favorite places to dine!
Calgary Chefs on the move to SAIT?
River Cafe and Catch Executive Chefs just made a move to teach at SAIT...why?!
Nectar Desserts in Calgary
I thought the same about the dessert quality...meh. It's a destination restaurant, certainly the rules will begin to turn people off or give them a bit of hesitation to go on a weekend night. The restaurant industry in Calgary does need to be careful... especially if the product does not live up to the rules set in place. If people walk in your door it's for your food first...then your service...maybe ambiance. It's pretty pretentious for a dessert only restaurant and such a young Chef.
Nectar Desserts in Calgary
I agree...poor practice. It shouldn't matter how many people you are, you are there and ready for your dessert experience. I bet dessert didn't taste as sweet as it could've this particular evening!
Dressy Birthday (Calgary)
Catch has three floors that could possibly work out for you. The Living Room on 17th has a private party room downstairs, we were there for a birthday last week and it was really great. We tried Vintage and were equally disappointed with the food and the price. When your booking, most chefs love to create special dishes for vegetarians...the menu is a start but all chefs will create to order...they love to display their talents!
Calgarys best cookie?
I think you should try Lifesaver popsicles after the cookie crave. But homemade macaroons, really chocolaty and oozing warm just out of the oven with a big glass of milk with ice cubes in it.
Upscale grocery store at Eau Claie Mkt, Calgary?
That's how you spell it "riff raff". My Maritime accent forced me to end it with t's!
Upscale grocery store at Eau Claie Mkt, Calgary?
The news the other night walked the market, the existing mall will be demolished in the next couple of months and an upscale condo complex will go up. Not sure which grocery store or lease spaces will be available. The news made it sound as if Eau Claire market has become a ghost town, attracting more rift raft to the area than anything. I was shocked...I had no idea! I always thought Eau Claire was so quaint and pretty, you can hear the river, beautiful walking paths.
Calgary Dining Week prospects?
Be sure to reserve at Jaroblue, 37 seats will fill up fast! I love Jaroblue, people that decided that they didn't want to work for office chair Executive Chefs and sloppy front end service managers opened this place. It is professional, knowledgeable service (We love you Ron!) and the bartender Travis is amazing!
Calgary Dining Week prospects?
This year is a bit different. They offered a "fine dining" option at $85 per person for 3 courses and it seems that restaurants can just say "We are fine dining for this event". The $85 menu is only offered for the 11th and 12th of March as far as I understand. It amazes me that so many restaurants have not participated for lunch. It is a week to showcase a restaurants talents to people who may not dine there because they think it's too expensive or the look of the room does not intrigue them.
Take advantage restaurants!!! Impress people that may not EVER come through your doors because they have been poisoned by the odd bad comment that a diner may have had.
Noble in Calgary?
Michael is searching for a Calgary lease space. The talent these days is going to make him crazy (in a bad way!) 6 years ago June, Michael hired a man from Japan, brought him to Catch, he couldn't speak a word of English. Hayato Okamitsu just made Executive Chef, Noble will be proud!
Ruth's Chris
That is a great blog. We laughed a lot. So did Biff land your girlfriend?
Steak in Calgary
If you don't like a glass pour...send it back! The bottle could've been open for days!
Tangerinre Calgary Opening
Any news on this place? I've heard December 1 in the old Elephant Castle.
Three Alberta restaurants make enRoute's 30 Best New Restaurants
Could it be that the present Chef has won over John Gilchist in his previous restaurants in Vancouver?
True, Stephen Ave is free parking from 6pm on.
Three Alberta restaurants make enRoute's 30 Best New Restaurants
Blinks first chef was from Vintage, the second from Broken Plate. I really can't understand how this restaurant made it to the top 10. The current chef will be fabulous and certainly has a great reputation. I enjoyed the menu a few times. I now understand why they didn't change the name...room is gorgeous...menu is great...name is horrible...$25 a day for parking downtown!
Table events - unfair to the server? what about the resto?
I had a guy walk out of his private room and tap on the wine bottle he was holding up over his head in front of 40 other fine dining guests! This would be...no... never acceptable. IF they didn't have 4-5 ounces in every glass as I had just been in to top them up maybe...maybe I could understand this. I waived the minimum of a private room for this guy, (usually $1000 minimum) so he could entertain his 5 guests. Then he complains about a service charge of 18%. WHAT! Even though Calgary is a big city, everyone in our restaurant knows his name. I will never let him dine with us again. When you go out of your way for someone and they make your staff quiver and cringe, it's so not worth it!
Anyways, this blog has helped me to approach single diners with more of an open passion, some are insecure of being alone as it is. We entertained a single gentleman yesterday, he had such a great time that he invited 7 friends down to meet him. They drank and ate all afternoon!
Raw Bar in Calgary??
I agree, bisque is supposed to be creamy and silky. It's not a lobster soup or chowder...it's a bisque. These are Michael Nobles sous chefs both at Raw Bar and Flames Central, they are amazing chefs and certainly understand what a bisque is supposed to be!
Calgary Fish and Chips?
Oyster Bar Restaurant of Catch...not the upstairs formal Dining Room but the restaurant on the main level. Serves fish and chips from 11:30am to 10pm at night.
Table events - unfair to the server? what about the resto?
Take the opportunity to teach people how to dine! I serve until the time on the door says. If we close at 10pm and a customer walks in at 9:59pm we serve them BUT we do fill them in about a few things. "Would it be possible to take your order as our kitchen closes shortly" "The servers and front end will be here for a while so there is certainly no rush for you to enjoy your meal" If this doesn't suit the experience they came in for politely recommend another restaurant. People are so easy to talk to and most times have no idea of the circumstances. It's amazing how many times you can flip a table in an extremly busy reaturant by just talking to people.
has anyone been to blink in calgary yet?
How can you possibly rip off a lemon tart? They seem pretty generic to me. Isn't Tribune about "Forgotten Fare"? I certainly don't think anyone has been given the chance to forget the lemon tart ;)
