Dining out in Calgary, Canmore & Banff
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DINING OUT IN CALGARY, CANMORE & BANFF Chef Tomo Mitsuno and team at UBU Lounge Your Guide to the Great Restaurants, Pubs and Clubs of Calgary, Canmore & Banff Chef’s Spotlight • Favourite Recipes • Nightlife • Entertainment Includes Maps of Calgary, Canmore & Banff www.eatdrinkdance.ca CALGARY REST A URANT & L OUNGE D1 Fine dining in downtown Calgary Three Course Business Lunch $25 • Tuesday – Friday Five and Seven Course Tasting Menus Available During Every Dinner Service. 403 265 9595 • 107 Eighth Avenue SW www.thebelvedere.ca 2 CALGARY Menu Sampler Elk Carpaccio • Soft boiled Quail’s eggs, carrot griddle cakes, gherkins, vin cotto, frilly mustard greens Squid Ink Tortellini with Scallop • Salmon filling and baby squid beurre blanc, saffron veil Aromatic Crusted Venison Tenderloin • Roasted eggplant and petit pois, braised beets, black truffle jus Slow Roasted Quail • Stuffed with apricot and pistachio farcit, sautéed spinach, asparagus in tempura, dill sauce Black Forest Parfait • Crème Chantilly and anglaise Our experience here may well Our evening’s performance be likened to that of a Broadway was elegant and skillful, with play. This culinary theatre comes artistry evident in every pre- complete with starring roles and sentation. The intricacy of the narrator as we were taken on an dishes allow us space enough unpretentious and elegant eve- to touch on only a few of the ning where we were transported many choices available. First from the city’s hustle and bustle act: Lobster, crepe roll with new to the beautiful tranquil banks season garden vegetables, aged of the Bow river. balsamic, carrot emulsion and petit tropical spinach. Second As in any exquisitely devised act: Braised beef ravoli with and expertly executed play beef cheek, Parmigiano crisp, D2 you will find extreme passion and mushroom veloute. Third and creative artistry. Michele act: Sous vide lamb loin stuffed Aurigemma and Marcello with spinach, roasted lamb top Belvedere are the directors sirloin with carrot bavarois, behind the scenes. honey glazed carrots and carrot veloute. And before the curtain The rich wood, soft amber light- came down we had a perfect ing, brick, white linen and light strawberry gelee with vanilla music are the backdrops when pannacotta, raspberry prosecco our play begins, with the amuse sorbet and almond praline. A bouche setting the stage for an spectacular final act! inspiring evening. This was an unsurpassed With the menu seemingly evolv- evening of sophistication and ing every few days our usher delight. A standing ovation and has become well versed in the encore please! language of culinary arts and recites with finesse in fine detail every ingredient, drizzle, sprig of herb and aromatic flower of only the freshest and in-season ingredients of their creations. Q Haute Cuisine 100 La Caille Place SW Your programme can include à Calgary la carte, a three or four course 403.262.5554 meal, or for the ultimate gastro- www.qhautecuisine.com nomic experience, allow the chef to guide you on an unparalleled Lunch M-F 11:30 am - 2 pm culinary journey through the Cocktails 4 pm - close Chef ’s Tasting Menu. Dinner Daily 5:30 - 10 pm $$$ 3 CALGARY Located at the top of the Calgary Tower - Ave SW ::: ::: www.sky.ca D3 This fabulous revolving restaurant 191 meters (626ft) presented Arugula salad; naturally aromatic and pep- Menu Sampler above the downtown core and at the top of the pery, the spicy greens are paired with sweet mission Calgary Tower is the perfect place for any occasion or figs, toasted Walnuts and a light lemon vinaigrette. Curried Carrot to just marvel at the beauty of the surrounding city, Craving simple pleasures brought us to the pasta Soup • Coconut with the grand views of the Rocky Mountains in the choice. Light and summery the Garganelli is prepared milk, cilantro distance providing an elevated dining experience. “al dente” with plump prawns, cherry tomatoes, garlic, crème fraîche olive oil and a hint of fresh lemon. garnish It is an excellent setting for first dates, romantic din- Duck • Duck ners, anniversaries, birthdays, or groups of friends. For the patron preferring a lighter dining experience confit stuffed Your ride up is included with the purchase of any the chicken is an excellent selection, brined to draw wontons, ponzu entrée for lunch, dinner or weekend brunch, so there in the flavours, marinated in subtle spices, then pan sauce is no reason not to make this a regular dining desti- seared and served with a marvellous combination Spaghettini • nation. A kids menu is also offered so take the whole of couscous with dried fruit and almonds and an House made family! Okanagan sour cherry gastrique. tomato sauce, Our appetizer selections began on the “cool” side, The meat lover will want to sample the Lamb sir- house made with delicate Beef Carpaccio. Paper thin slices of loin, uniquely rolled to capture the rich flavours, meatballs AAA tenderloin, topped with oven roasted toma- nicely seared on the outside and cooked perfectly on stuffed with cheese toes, Grana Padano cheese, spicy greens in a tangy the inside, served with sautéed savoy cabbage, wild Salmon • Manila Dijon vinaigrette drizzle. We also had an elegantly mushrooms, and finished with a sweet tart molasses clams, potato, pomegranate jus. Sky 360 fennel, smoked 101 - 9th Ave SW The menu is well thought out, the service exemplary paprika clam Calgary and the wine list has selections for all. Everything is broth 403.532.7966 made in house and it is evident GM Kevin Taylor Ribeye • Alberta www.sky360.ca and Executive Chef JP Gerritsen have collaborated to AAA, rustic find a perfect balance of innovative dishes and unsur- mashed potato, Lunch M-Sat 11 am - 2 pm passed quality. seasonal Sun Brunch 10 am - 2 pm vegetables, Dinner 1st Seating 5 pm Last 10 pm Recommended Dessert: The Rocky Road Brownie. lemon thyme $$-$$$ jus 4 CALGARY Menu Sampler Oven Baked Brie • Oven baked Filone loaf, half wheel pecan and herb crusted brie, Saskatoon berry coulis Candied Salmon Salad • Mixed greens, candied pecans, maple vinaigrette, goat cheese, candied wild Sockeye Salmon, bruschetta Lobster Mac and Cheese • Cavatappi noodles, wild mushroom and Gruyere fondue, butter poached lobster, fried prosciutto Jambalaya • Grilled Cajun chicken, wild rice, fire roasted tomato sauce, Andouille sausage, prawns Cajun BBQ Burger • 1/2 pound Cajun rubbed patty, Chipotle ketchup, garlic aioli, applewood cheddar, frizzled onions, BBQ sauce This is one of Calgary’s most mouth. The full, rich flavours of popular over 30’s urbanite des- this top quality beef are comple- tinations. An excellent choice mented by truffled mashed for lunch, dinner or a leisurely potatoes, seasonal vegetables afternoon soirèe. On sunny days and a sliced portobello mush- the patio is filled with sun-seek- room that has been marinated ers and people-watchers. in olive oil and Italian spices for three days. Paired with a 2007 With their new look coming Silver Oak from Napa Valley, this fall and their reputation for a rare find, we’re not sure any- detail, they are sure to exceed thing could be better. our expectations. The menu focus is global comfort food There are many savoury choices D4 starting with quality ingredients on the menu, from salads to and using proper technique. sandwiches, pastas to wonderful Having less ingredients and let- seafood dishes, everything made D5 ting them stand on their own is in house; but this evening’s very important and paramount focus was on the grill, therefore to a great-tasting end product, we couldn’t resist the double simplicity often being best, cut pork chop. A thick, locally which they have achieved. sourced chop topped with an apple and blue cheese chutney A great “simple” starter is the accompanied with seasonal Tempura Prawns. Sweet, fresh vegetables and a rarely offered tasting jumbo Black Tiger but perfect addition their house prawns are covered in a light made German brown butter crispy tempura coating served spaetzle. with a sesame seaweed salad and Dashi dipping sauce. Recommended dessert: Warm caramel apple pie topped with Grilling is one of their speci- vanilla bean gelato. alities and their new line “Butcher Metropolitan Grill 8th Ave TD Square Block Reserve” 317 - 8th Ave SW is the top cuts of 403.263.5432 beef only avail- Metropolitan Grill Mt. Royal able in a very few 880 - 16th Ave SW select restaurants. 403.802.2393 Nothing compares Calgary to a steak grilled www.themetropolitangrill.ca just right. The 8oz. Filet Mignon sim- Daily 11 am - Late ply melts in your Brunch S-S 11 am - 2 pm $$-$$$ 5 CALGARY D6 modern japanese + bar modern japanese. 120 Jamieson Place, SW, 308 4th Avenue Calgary AB, T2P0H7 Phone 403-264-1133 [email protected] 65829 New Card.indd 1 21/11/11 2:25 PM S7 Lunch Time 220 42AVE SE CALGARY AB 403 287 9255 WWW.ALLOYDINING.COM 6 CALGARY Welcome! On behalf of myself and the staff at Collage Media know so we can better serve you in the future. HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE we would like to thank you for choosing us as your Please send any comments or suggestions to our • Thered pages cover Calgary, as do the red maps personal tour guides to the restaurants, pubs and e-mail, [email protected]. D, NE, NW, SE & SW; the blue pages & map clubs we offer you in this guide. There should be We have taken great care to try to offer accurate C cover Canmore, and the green pages & map B something here for any day and night of the week, and helpful information, and I trust you will agree. are for Banff. and for any occasion. We have spent many hours Check out the Menu Samplers provided by each • If you know which part of town you are looking in researching, done a little too much time eating, and location to help you decide what you’re in the mood turn to the appropriate map and find a location by gained a few too many pounds determining places for, but be aware all menus are subject to change.