AriaDream's Profile
Anyone seen fresh fiddleheads in Calgary?
Yes, absolutely, my mother picked up a big bunch early this week. I THINK she got them at Co-op in Crowfoot, but it could have been Superstore.
Tasting menus in Calgary?
Hi everyone! I'm wondering if you have any recommendations for places that have good tasting menus? My family and I recently went to Teatro for their tasting menu and it was amazing! We want to go out again for my father's birthday. We're interested in almost anything.... alas, Catch is ruled out since he's not that into seafood. And I see Capo closed. We've already been to Rush... do you have any other recommendations? Thanks everyone!
Pumpkins for Roasting? (Calgaryj)
Thank you! I remember she mentioned a Japanese breed as one of the possibilities, although the picture in the magazine showed an orange pumpkin... but then, she also listed a French breed and an American one as possibilities. I'll try that!
Pumpkins for Roasting? (Calgaryj)
Hi everyone! I just have a quick question. Does anyone know where in Calgary I can get a pumpkin meant for roasting? I have a recipe for pumpkin soup that says to roast it in a hollowed out pumpkin, but it specifically says you have to get the right breed for it. Apparently, if you use a regular jack-a-lantern pumpkin the sides will cave in. I'm guessing one of the farmer's markets might have something like that but I thought I would check to see if anyone here knew. Thanks!
Model Milk - Calgary
I would agree unless there was something truly objectionable in it, and it sounds like there wasn't. What a pity. Well, I was planning to go back to Charcut anyway.
Best in Calgary when you are under the weather / freezing
Honestly? I grab a container of Homestyle Chicken soup from M&M's and nuke that thing until the bowl is screaming for mercy. XD I love chicken soup when I'm sick and it's thick and full of flavor. If I have a wicked sore throat I use Campbells chicken broth and chamomile tea with honey.
Banff Recommendations?
Thank you! I'll definitely go to Evergreen then, and probably Nourish. :) Thanks!
Banff Recommendations?
Hi everyone! I recently scored a LivingSocial deal for the Fox Hotel in Banff. I'm going to be there for two nights, which means two dinners! :) I want to pick the best restaurants possible. Any price range is fine! I looked for older threads but the most recent is 2010 so they might not be very current. So, does anyone have any recommendations? I checked Trip Advisor and the top ones there were Nourish, Evergreen and The Maple Leaf. But the fifth on the list was the Keg so... I'm not entirely sure if I should trust those. Any help I can get would be great, thanks!
Prairie Food Trucks - A Possibility?
Plenty outside the core don't. I don't have specific names but I know from searching when I was planning to go shopping. :) And as Bill says, ones in the core are almost never open for lunch on weekends. A few aren't open for supper on Sundays. I discovered that the hard way when my sister and I had an impulse to see if Rush could fit us in and forgot to check if they were even open.
Iced Tea in Calgary
Really? I had no idea! But then, I never go to Southcentre. I might have to take a trip, thanks!
Calgary Groupons: Anyone use them?
Today's LivingSocial deal is Il Sogno! Today's Groupon is Melange Restaurant and Gastro Lounge.
-----
Il Sogno
24 4th St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3R7, CA
Iced Tea in Calgary
I've been meaning to go down there. I didn't think they carried iced tea blends, though, it doesn't say anything about that on their website. I'll have to go see, thank you!
Prairie Food Trucks - A Possibility?
I don't really agree... a lot of restaurants, particularly outside the core, don't serve lunch. This way they could, in a location that attracts a lot of people. The Calgary restaurant scene is pretty competitive so why not?
Iced Tea in Calgary
Hi everyone! I was wondering, does anyone know a place in Calgary that sells good iced tea blends? My sister gave me a bunch from David's Tea for my birthday and I've nearly finished them. I've ordered more but I'd like to see if there's anything in Calgary as well. I've considered ordering Tea Forte's but they're teabags, which I no longer am very fond of. I prefer loose leaf. I never knew iced tea could taste this good! I've always loathed the oversweetened stuff you can buy at the supermarket. So, does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
YYC - Recommendations for supper near Chinook mall?
I gave my sister the options and laziness won out, so we went to Chop. :) It was quite alright but it's a chain and it really showed. I'm probably going to do a seperate review but basically, the appetizers were okay, the steaks were great but the mashed potatoes were suspiciously gummy, and the mac 'n cheese was awesome. The desserts were great. It just wasn't as awesome as Charcut and the price wasn't any better. We didn't regret going but it's not on our 'must come back' list.
YYC - Recommendations for supper near Chinook mall?
That's interesting! I've heard of Smuggler's Inn. I'll mention that to my sister, thank you. :)
-----
Smuggler's Inn
6920 Macleod Tr. S, Calgary, AB T2H 0L3, CA
YYC - Recommendations for supper near Chinook mall?
Probably rather take our time. I'm going to treat her so any price range is fine. :) I was thinking of checking out Chop at the mall but I'm not sure what it's like.
YYC - Recommendations for supper near Chinook mall?
Hi everyone! My sister and I are going shopping tomorrow and I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for supper near Chinook mall. I like in the NW so that's definitely not the area I'm familiar with. We have a car so anything reasonably close should be good. Thanks!
Log Barn 1912 - Calgary
I agree, the apple is not the best flavor... my personal favorite is the rhubarb or rhubarb-strawberry. :) Cherry is amazing too.
The kitsch does seem to be out of control, doesn't it? It looks like my granny's house... only worse. To be fair, I did buy a very nice purse there. It's quite pretty. So I suppose I'm supporting the clutter.
Blue House Cafe - YYC
Hi everyone! I've decided to do another review. :) I've become quite a fan of Groupons and Dealfinds. It's not the savings, really... it's the way they introduce me to places I never knew existed and give me an incentive to get off my duff and go out. And pry my friends and family out of their holes to come along. XD It's more difficult than you'd think, even when I'm paying! But anyway, on to the review.
Blue House Cafe is in a tiny stripmall, easy to miss. It specializes in Latin American cuisine and seafood. We arrived at 6PM on Sunday and it was not busy at all. The atmosphere was a bit kitschy and very cozy. The live entertainment was great! Much better than the usual music, heh.
To start the meal, the server brought out some chips and salsa. The salsa was excellent, a very bright flavor and very fresh, with a good bite of heat. We enjoyed it a great deal. For appetizers, we ordered the escargot and the shrimp special which was shrimp in white sauce with bananas. The escargot was excellent. The sauce it was in was delicious, although I could have done with a few more escargot. The shrimp was well cooked and the cheese sauce was nice, but it went a little oddly with the bananas. I liked it, but I like bananas quite a bit. My companions were less impressed.
For the main course, I ordered the Cazuela de Cordero. That's lamb with a coffee and vermouth sauce. It was excellent! The lamb was nice and tender and the sauce was very unusual. The coffee complimented the lamb well and the vegetables and rice that came with it were good. The vegetables in particular were well cooked. My friends ordered the tuna special, which was tuna in a lemon sauce, and the Blue House Lamb Chops. That was lamb chops in a latin mint sauce. The tuna was well cooked and the sauce was very lemony. I tried a bite and loved it. I didn't get to try the second because my other friend refused to share. XD She said she loved the mint sauce and it had a bold, bright flavor.
For the desserts we had the special, a chocolate custard, the turtle cheesecake and a banana-coconut souffle. We also had two specialty coffees... the Jamaican banana ones... and a plain coffee. The coffee was excellent. The custard was very good and the cheesecake was good. The only complaint I had was my own dish, the banana souffle. It came out with big slices of bananas and as soon as I saw it I was rather confused. It was more like a pudding than a souffle... delicious and I enjoyed it, but we all agreed it wasn't a souffle.
There was only one server, but the service was excellent. When we were looking at the wines, the server mentioned the one on the card was being taken off their list and suggested a different wine instead. It was about the same price and my friends were both quite pleased with it.
So what was the damage? For three people, before the Dealfind, it was 180. Not bad with all the things we ordered! I would definitely go again and I would highly recommend the Blue House Cafe.
Calgary Groupons: Anyone use them?
I would suggest NOT using the restaurant ones for a month or two after you buy them. People do tend to flock in right away then complain about the waits, from what I can see on yelp. XD
Graduation Celebration Dinner in Calgary
You could try Notable. They do private parties and they're on the cheaper end for a fancy place. http://www.notabletherestaurant.ca/private-dining That's all I've got really. :)
The new Calgary Farmers' Market at Blackfoot Centre will open tomorrow
Indeed... most of the Farmer's Markets I went to in Ontario were wee little things, but I can't imagine that this one is one of the best in Canada. Not a hope. Ontario and Vancouver must have better.
CHARCUT Roast House Calgary
Ah, Charcut! In my opinion this is one of the best restaurants in the city. :) The food is excellent and while it's expensive, it's not AS expensive as lot of other restaurants in the same calibur. My whole family went for Christmas and we only spent a bit over 500. Considering we spent 700 at Il Sogno for a similar experience, it was a deal! One thing that's really wonderful about it is that they have an extensive beer list. Our server was very helpful with that... in fact, he was the best part of our stay, they have some wonderful waitstaff. I'm rooting for Connie too, heh!
Chakula in Calgary?
I was just wondering, has anyone here tried Chakula in Calgary? They're a food delivery service with pre-made meals. A lot of east indian things like curries and samosas, but also chicken alfredo and other stuff. I just got a Groupon for them, although it's only for 50 dollars and you only get the free delivery with a 150 purchase. Sensible of them really. So, is their stuff good? Thanks!
The new Calgary Farmers' Market at Blackfoot Centre will open tomorrow
I quite agree. The food is delicious but it seems like there's fewer craft vendors. Does anyone know where the guy selling the silk paintings has gone? I couldn't find him, but it was so crowded when I went that I could hardly find anything. Oh, the sandwiches at Taste of Quebec are to die for!
Wheatena in Calgary?
Hi everyone! My mom is trying to make porridge with our new Zojirushi rice maker, and her first attempt was sub-optimal. We have a rice cooker cookbook with a very simple recipe for Wheatena, but we've never seen that before. Is it sold in Calgary? I could get it off Amazon but the shipping is harsh. Thanks!
Restaurante Review - Raw Bar - Calgary
Hi everyone! I just went to Raw Bar with my sister and a Groupon. :) It was a marvelous experience! Let's start with the food.
My sister and I both decided to get the heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar as an appetizer. It's hard to go wrong with that combination, and this did not disappoint. We both loved it and would order it again.
For the main course, I ordered the Line Caught Salmon and my sister ordered the Mushroom Lasagna. She thought it was a very interesting take on lasagna... it had smaller noodles, lots of tiny mushrooms and was quite creamy. Mine was also delicious... the salmon was nicely seared and the seafood broth under it had lots of vegetables, mushrooms and mussles. It also came with three pieces of cheese tortellini, which were delicious. We were both very happy with the main course.
For dessert, we decided to share a fondue. The fondue was excellent! It was a small pot of chocolate with two ladies fingers, fresh marshmallows, almond cookies, shortbread and an assortment of fruits. The shortbread was my favorite... it wasn't like usual shortbread, it was quite chewy, and I love chewy cookies.
As for the restaurant itself, we quite liked it. It was done in black and red, with plenty of small lights and interesting paintings. The seats were quite comfortable and the service was good. The only complaint my sister had was that she knew the prices of some of the wine bottles, and it was about a 300 percent markup, which is a little steep. But the food prices were right! Before the Groupon, not including tip, our total was 108. After the Groupon and including the tip, we only paid around 80. All in all, it was a great time and we would definitely go again! I would highly recommend Raw Bar.
-----
Raw Bar
119 - 12th Ave SW (Hotel Arts), Calgary, AB T2R 0G8, CA
Horizons Meats
I got all my stuff yesterday! VERY prompt delivery, I'm impressed. I've ordered a LOT of things so all I've tried so far is the chorizo sausage... that was great, and the rest looks good too.
