are you gonna eat that? » Calgary

CALGARY: Home Tasting Room

are you gonna eat that? — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:34:20 +0000

This is an example of about how it doesn’t ever hurt to ask.

We were heading back to Calgary for a short weekend visit and of course I wanted to try a newer restaurant that I’d never been to. But because H had outgrown his travel tie chair and I didn’t want to lug a [...]

White Spot Pirate Pak Day

are you gonna eat that? — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:18:11 +0000

One of my food memories growing up in Vancouver is the cardboard Pirate Pak for kids 10 and under at White Spot. My entree (usually a hamburger) sat in the middle; a Styrofoam cup with my milkshake was nestled on the stern; a straw held up the cardboard mast; a mini cup of vanilla ice [...]

CALGARY: CHARCUT Roast House

are you gonna eat that? — Sat, 21 May 2011 17:10:21 +0000

CHARCUT Roast House has earned a slew of accolades since it opened in March 2010 in the swanky Hotel Le Germaine downtown. It’s again in the limelight as co-chef and co-owner Connie DeSousa is currently competing on Top Chef Canada.

I have to confess, I hate the name. I dislike that it’s ALL CAPS [...]

CALGARY: Vin Room

are you gonna eat that? — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:00:28 +0000

Vin Room is a place I wish I visited more before we moved. It’s got great small plates, amazing wines (and wine experts), a beautiful space and the city’s best rooftop patio. (Best patio still belongs to Bonterra.)

I have to apologize for these meh photos as my blogging commitment took a back seat [...]

CALGARY: Artisan Bistro

are you gonna eat that? — Sun, 15 May 2011 17:01:56 +0000

UPDATE – Summer 2011: Artisan Bistro is now closed.

Artisan Bistro is one of those quaint independent places that I really want to love. It’s a quiet European bistro with a decidedly civilized setting. It recently stopped serving dinner to focus on all-day brunch with a Spanish/French menu.

First the pros. There is lots of choice on [...]

CALGARY: Rocky’s Burger Bus

are you gonna eat that? — Sun, 08 May 2011 15:00:07 +0000

Burgers cooked in buses get me excited. I have no idea why. Because it makes no sense?

Gwendolyn, who KNOWS her burgers, introduced me to the Chuckwagon Cafe. So it was only fitting that she led me to Rocky’s Burger Bus.

Rocky’s is in a southeast industrial area with a lovely view of power [...]

CALGARY: Kane’s Harley Diner

are you gonna eat that? — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:17:09 +0000

Kane’s Harley Diner became my go-to lunch place when I went out with H and other babies. The kitschy diner has been in Inglewood for more than a decade. It’s not fancy, but it doesn’t need to be. Regulars come back for the filling plates and service by ladies who call you “sweetie” and [...]

CALGARY: Roti Hut

are you gonna eat that? — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:00:25 +0000

I love Caribbean roti for lunch. The soft, stretchy unleavened flatbread wrapped around a saucy, spicy filling always hits the spot.

Roti Hut is a modest strip mall joint that’s been in business for a while. One of those restaurants-cum-community gathering places that sells concert tickets and CDs.

I went on a quiet weekend morning. [...]

CALGARY: Vietnamese subs (banh mi)

are you gonna eat that? — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:00:49 +0000

The term banh mi was added to the Oxford English Dictionary last month. The French-influenced, Vietnamese sub is an inexpensive and addictive favourite the world over.

Trung Nguyen in Chinatown’s Far East Shopping Centre has a loyal following because of its unusual sub fillings and ridiculously friendly owners. Ever so chipper, they tend to [...]

CALGARY: Rasoi Kitchen

are you gonna eat that? — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Cross-posted from Metro Calgary:

Rasoi, which means kitchen in Hindi, does a masterful job of modernizing Indian favourites in a stylishly muted dining room.

Samosas ($7) were filled with garam masala beef and lightly deep-fried. Only the elegant presentation prevented me from licking the coriander and tamarind chutneys from the plate.

Stuffed with pieces of slow-braised masala [...]