are you gonna eat that? » tapas

CALGARY: Tango Bistro

are you gonna eat that? — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I dread restaurants that say they specialize in “sharing plates,” “small plates,” or tapas. A lot of the time, it’s a token concept that brings small portions and high prices, mediocre cold cuts or overly fussy concoctions.

So I was leery of Tango Bistro, the latest venture from the Smuggler’s Group that runs Smuggler’s Inn, Open [...]

CALGARY: Sharing at FARM

are you gonna eat that? — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:00:52 +0000

I can see why FARM has been an early favourite of many of my friends who live around 17th Ave SW. It’s a cozy, farmhouse-chic setup with an open kitchen and candles in mismatched teacups.

FARM is the restaurant extension of Janice Beaton Fine Cheese around the corner. So no surprise that cheese and [...]

CALGARY: Anju

are you gonna eat that? — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:16:04 +0000

This is how I always start off describing Anju: “You know those two round condo towers downtown near the Bow? The ones that look like Miami Vice?

“OK, and you know how there’s a big liquor store on the corner? Go down that dead-end street, and Anju is in the little house.”

Now that you [...]

CALGARY: Milk Tiger Lounge

are you gonna eat that? — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:00:54 +0000

I began taking photos of Milk Tiger Lounge as the sun was setting outside, but then the dapper bartender/owners started serving me their delicious cocktails and the rest is history.

The lounge is as polar opposite as you can get from the space formerly occupied by A Bar Named Sue, as well as from the [...]

CALGARY: winebar, a sweet underground spot

are you gonna eat that? — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:46:54 +0000

Before I could get to the little crepe place on my mental list of places to try in Kensington, the basement space had closed and was papered up for months.

I didn’t think anything of it until some tidy lettering went up late this summer. “winebar,” it read in a nice sans-serif font. A good [...]

CALGARY: Vero, the truth of the matter

are you gonna eat that? — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:57:25 +0000

There’s a reason respected, professional critics are paid to visit restaurants anonymously three, four or five times before they form and publish a critique.

Restaurants live or die by reviews and to be judged on one visit, where the kitchen or servers may be having an off day, could be fatal. However, most of us are [...]

SAN FRANCISCO: Thirsty Bear

are you gonna eat that? — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:06:26 +0000

By our last night in San Francisco, we couldn’t bear the thought of eating more seafood, or really anything else. We were in one of those funks where we couldn’t decide what to have, but we didn’t want crap. I know, woe was us.

Jason vaguely said, “I want something casual. With beer.”

I remember lying on [...]

SAN FRANCISCO: Night to day hangout

are you gonna eat that? — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:55:25 +0000

If I lived here, I know Bocadillos is where I’d hang out all the time. It’s cozy and relaxed, and has some nice wines and enough variety in their tapas menu to keep you hopping.

We came here for a few drinks after dinner, and ended up having some some munchies too.

We had some olives, [...]

CALGARY: Lounging with the frolicking horses

are you gonna eat that? — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:18:25 +0000

The first thing you notice about JAROblue is how small it is. The second thing is the ginormous photographs of horses humping. No wait, they’re playing.

Despite the name (taken from the first two letters of co-owners’ names Jared and Robin), there’s nothing blue in here. The soft silver seating and dark brown wood give [...]

REGINA: She’s a brickhouse

are you gonna eat that? — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:52:47 +0000

It’s been eight years or so since I last stepped foot in sleepy Regina, and I’m happy to report things are buzzing in the Queen City. New condos, new stores, new restaurants and now a new government.

On an unseasonably chilly election night, we settled on dinner at La Bodega before a long night of [...]