| Restaurant | Rating | Type of Food | Style | Description | Information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catch Oyster Bar www | Seafood (Downstaris) | Informal | This oyster bar constitutes the lower floor of the Catch restaurant establishment right on the Stephen Avenue Mall. It is a favourite of business lunchers and its traditional wood surroundings make it a comfortable extension of the office boardroom. The oysters are excellent and the rest of the menu has some hits, but too many misses for our taste. For example, the basic fish and chips can be obtained for less and with at least euqal quality at a place like Trawlers. Note that what we have decided to call "Catch Restaurant", i.e. the upstaris dining area has a separate review. Click here to make reservations through Open Table. | 100 Stephen Ave. SE 403 206-0000 | |||||||
| Caesar's Steak House | Steak | Formal | A great formal setting, well–loved for business lunches, but nothing too unusual about the steak. | 512 - 4 Ave. SW 403 264-1222 | 10816 MacLeod Tr. S. (Willow Park Village) 403 278-3930 | M to F 11 a.m. - midnight Sa 4:30 p.m. - midnight | |||||
| Calgary Italian Club www | Banquet | As formal as you want it to be. | Our experience with this club has been through Christmas parties hosted here during the festive season. The food was fine, mass–produced fare with an Italian theme. | 416 - 1 Ave. NE 403 264-4133 | |||||||
| Catch Oyster Bar | Seafood | Informal | This oyster bar constitutes the lower floor of the Catch Seafood establishment right on the Stephen Avenue Mall. It is a favourite of business lunchers and, its wood surroundings make it a comfortable extension of the boardroom. The oysters are excellent and the rest of the menu has some hits, but too many misses for our taste. For example, the basic fish and chips can be obtained for less and with better coleslaw at a place like Trawlers. Click here to make reservations through Open Table. | 100 Stephen Ave. SE 206-0000 | |||||||
| Charly Chan's Szechuan Restaurant | Chinese | Informal | Don't let the downstairs location fool you. The setting is bright and inviting. The food is good, but not outstanding. The staff were pleasant, though they were a little overeager with the table cleaning. It seemed that every time we laid down a chopstick, someone was there with cloth to clean up the mark. | Downstairs 1140 Kensington Rd. NW 403 283-6165 | Su to Th 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. F, Sa 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | ||||||
| Chili's Texas Grill | Grill | Informal | Here is a restaurant that at first glance seems to have it just about right. The space is bright and well-kept. The service is friendly, and the menu is broad. But the little things take it down: The ribs—without handi–wipes or finger bowls—were cool, the corn was over-steamed, and the salad was right out of a package from Co–op. We'll be keeping our eyes on Chili's, waiting for those little changes to happen. | Barlow Tr. & 37 Avenue NE 403 291-0520 2000 Airport Rd. NE 403 291-4742 | North Hill Shopping Centre 16 Avenue & 14 Street NW 403 210-2438 | Southcentre Mall 403 225-2150 | |||||
| Costco www | General | Fast Food | First there is "Brunch at Costco". This is free, made up of the samples being given out everywhere. We won't rate this. What we will tackle, however, is the lunch counter. The selection is limited, but wide, from hot dogs to pizza, from coffee to coke The presentation is predictably average. But let's be honest, at some of the lowest prices in town for the quality given, you might as well grab a snack here after shopping. | 2853 - 32 Ave. NE | 90 Heritage Gate SE | ||||||
| Dae Jang Geum | Korean | Informal | The food here is authentic, served in a very relaxed atmosphere. But there was no dish that was memorable enough to draw us back to explore the menu further. | 1324 10 Ave SW (403) 228-1120 | |||||||
| Dragon Pearl | Chinese | Informal | The original restaurant has been in Inglewood for about a billion years and is well–known throughout the city. Here is a truly friendly old–style Calgary Chinese restaurant with chrome chairs next to traditional oriental paintings and the red, electrically–lit altar just across from the crimson Coca–Cola clock. The food is good, and if you are in the neighbourhood, do drop in. But unfortunately we found the sauces all tasted a little the same and the hot dishes were really rather mild. | #30 2835 - 37 St. SW 403 246-2253 | 1223a 9 Ave. SW 403 233-8810 | ||||||
| El Sombrero Restaurante Mexicano | Latin American | Informal | The helpings of Mexican food are freshly–cooked and generous and the occasional serenade of Latin music gives this small second floor eatery a pleasant cosy ambiance. But there was a certain sameness in the dishes, and the mañana service was a little too laid–back. Reservations recommended. | 520 - 17 Ave. SW 403 228-0332 | Su 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. M 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Tu to F 11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sa 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. | ||||||
| French Quarter Café www | Cajun | Informal | A general rule we follow is not to look for restaurants with "Industrial Park" in their address. However, last time in Canmore we chose a more traditional setting and had a bad meal. (That restaurant has since closed.) So this time we decided to live dangerously. French Quarter has chairs and tables right from the Alps set against a jazz inspired décor. Very eclectic, just like New Orleans. The Cajun and Creole dishes are quite good, but are pulled down by uninspired trimmings such as plain salads and basic soups. This is a place to watch. Reservations Recommended. | #4 - 102 Boulder Cr. (Elk Run Industrial Park). Canmore, AB | |||||||
| Ginger Beef Peking House | Chinese | Buffet | A large selection of average Chinese dishes. | South 252 -10816 MacLeod Tr. S (Willow Park Mall) 403 271-2233 | 5 Brentwood Village Mall 403 282-5090 | ||||||
| Gnocchis's Ristorante & Dining Lounge | Italian | Informal | The setting was comfortable. The food was good. There were even a couple of excellent dishes ordered at our table, especially the gnocchi—which was to be expected as this is their specialty. However, the overall effect was spoiled by a couple of less-than-excellent dishes, like pasta with very little sauce, and having to beg for coffee refills. Then there was the discovery of a hair in one dish that was greeted with an, "Oh that must be a cat hair." as if we were looking for a CSI course in hair identification. Good vegetarian selection. | 1238 - 8 St. SW 403 262-2887 | M to Sa 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. - close | ||||||
| Hana Sushi | Japanese | Informal | This popular Fourth Street eatery serves a wide variety of Japanese food. However, we found that none of the selections really stood out from the crowd, and the batter on the tempura was a little heavy and soggy. | 1803 - 4 St. SW 403 229-1499 | Lunch M to F Dinner daily | ||||||
| Kaffa Coffee and Salsa House | Coffee | Informal | This is one of Calgary's oldest coffee shops, situated in a rambling little house in Marda Loop. The colours are bright, and the eclectic signs and pictures on the walls are a pleasure to explore. The coffee and food items are good, but the rating dropped as a result of the unsmiling service, and staff who got three orders wrong in the short time we were there. Free parking in the rear. Good vegetarian selection. |
2138 - 33 Ave. SW 403 240-9133 | Su 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. M to F 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Sa 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | ||||||
| King's Restaurant www | Chinese | Informal | The best wor won ton soup in town, but get ready for line ups. | 104 Meridian Rd. NE 403 272-2332 | Open Sunday M to F 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sa 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | ||||||
| Khublai Mongolian and Szechuan Cuisine | Mongolian | Buffet | As well as the usual buffet, this restaurant now offers a regular Chinese menu for those unsure of their ability to mix the items properly. The setting was spacious and pleasant with quick service. The menu selections were found to be average The variety at the buffet was wide, but small servings of hoisin sauce and charges for extra wraps mixed with the lack of flavour in some items put this restaurant a small step behind in this category. Good vegetarian selection. | 349 - 10 Ave. SW 403 232-8800 | Su & Holidays 5:00 p.m. - close M to F 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 5 p.m. - close Sa 5:00 p.m. - close | ||||||
| Montana's Cookhouse Saloon www | Steak | Informal | This is a main line just–what–you–would–expect steak house with the usual cowboy and logs overlay. And if it hadn't been for the crumbs on the table when we arrived on our last visit, the score may even have been higher. | 112 Crowfoot Terrace NW (Crowfoot Plaze) 403 241-9740 | 2555 32 St. NE 403 735-9270 Calgary International Airport 403 221-1792 | 5622 Signal Hill Centre SW 403 217-1100 | |||||
| Olive Garden | Italian | Informal | Another home of mass produced average Italian food, though not as good as some others. | 333 - 36 St. NE 403 248-1020 | Open daily from 11 a.m. | ||||||
| Olive Grove Restaurant & Show Lounge | Middle Eastern | Informal | Here is the problem: You want to specialize in Middle Eastern cuisine, but you find yourself in a neighbourhood mall that craves steak, seafood, pasta and pizza as well. Do you stick to your basics or spread yourself out to server all needs? We think Olive Grove would have been wise to stick to one or maybe two specialties, doing them with excellence, rather than trying to please everyone and ending up with good, but not outstanding food. Good vegetarian selection. | Midnapore Mall SE (Macleod Tr & Midlake Blvd. S 403 256-4610 | 7 days a week | ||||||
| Oolong Tea House | Tea | Informal | If you wish to buy the teas for drinking at home, they are less expensive here than elsewhere. But for choice, flavour and the extent of the side dishes, we prefer elsewhere. Though if you are in Kensington, it is worth a visit. Good vegetarian selection. | 110 - 10 St. N.W 403 283-0333 | |||||||
| Pasu Farm www | General | Informal | First, we have to say that we have been friends of PaSu Sheep Farm for years and highly recommend it as a place to take out–of–town visitors to give them a taste of the country. Pat and Sue remain enthusiastic hosts. The shop has unusual items, and the sheep and llamas and other animals make the day a pleasure for all ages. The food is good, featuring, of course, fresh lamb, though vegetables and other trimmings are a bit on the plain side. It is the service that has disappointed us. Coffee cups seldom refilled; the hot buffet staring half an hour after the cold food is out; serving dishes empty while new people are still arriving. These really don't take away from the pleasure of the overall experience too greatly, but there is an extra layer of attention that needs to go into a four glass restaurant. | Highway 2 North Take the Acme, Carstairs turn off, and follow the signs. (about 50 minutes from downtown Calgary) | Su Lunch noon - 1:00 p.m Tea 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tu to Sa Lunch noon - 2:00 p.m. Tea 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sa Fine dining from 6:30 p.m. | ||||||
| Pelican Pier Seafood Bar | Seafood | Informal | The service is friendly in a pleasant strip mall location, but the fish was rather bland and the sauces just ordinary. Though we do give them credit for their no smoking time from 5 to 8 nightly and for their daily specials. | 4404 - 14 St. NW 403 289-6100 | Su noon - 9 p.m. M to Sa 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | ||||||
| Petite www | Gourmet | Dinner | The menu is small, beginning with the less expensive items which may be used either as appetizers or as a selection of small dishes making up a shared dinner experience. The food is fresh and well-prepared, but no one dish really stood out for us. And unfortunately the service was far too slow. The night we were there, three servers were working with five tables, but in the end it took us so long to get the dessert menu that we just gave up on the idea altogether. Sadly it did seem as though those enjoying wine with their meal were paid far more attention that we coffee drinkers. Reservations recommended. | 1301 - 10 Ave. SW 403 452-5350 | Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dinner 5:00 p.m. onwards | ||||||
| Regency Palace | Chinese | Buffet | There is is a good selection, but watch the MSG, and some of the food was cold. | 4 Ave. & Centre St. S 403 777-2288 | Dim sum daily Lunch buffet wkdys and wknds | ||||||
| Rose Garden Restaurant | Thai | Informal | The rating must be viewed in the light that the food here was excellent served in the finest Thai style. The problem was the unapologetically slow service. Yes, we will return, and maybe the rating will rise as well. They do have a lunch buffet. | 112 - 8 Ave. SW 403 264-1988 | |||||||
| Sahara Restaurant & Lounge www | Midle Eastern: Lebanese | Buffet | We would suggest trying the menu as the food does seem to be good, and the restaurant is certainly supported by the Lebanese community. However, at noon hour much of the buffet suffered from the warming tray blues, which took what might have been excellent and made it rather ordinary. Pastries were dry, the falafels were over–cooked, and the salad wilty. The soup and desserts, however, that were away from the heat lamps were quite good. Good vegetarian selection. | 739 - 2 Ave. SW 403 262-7222 | M to Th 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. F 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | ||||||
| Sakana Grill www | Japanese | Informal | For years this restaurant has been a magnet for business people on their noon hour. The selection is wide, mostly Japanese with a little Chinese (egg drop soup) and other (mud pie) thrown into the mix. The sushi boats continue to circle on their endless journey, and the teppan yaki grills continue to sear to bring the patrons good business lunches. And who notices if the dumplings are a little soggy and the tempura batter is a bit heavy? | 116 - 2 Ave. SW 403 290-1118 | |||||||
| Salt and Pepper Mexican Restaurant | Latin American: Mexican | Informal | The setting is pleasantly Mexican, which in itself can warm you up on a blustery Calgary day. The service was good, and so was the food. But it still tended to be a little bland. Perhaps the name is a hint that you need to add the salt and pepper yourself. Good vegetarian selection. | 6515 Bowness Road NW 403 247-4402 | 420 16 Ave. NE 403 230-7370 | 4351 MacLeod Tr. S. (on the west side) 403 243-3173 | |||||
| Santorini Greek Taverna www | Greek | Informal | Started in the mid-80's, this is one of the city's long-standing Greek restaurants and has a friendly, lived-in, old-world atmosphere. The food is good, but not exceptional for the price. | 1502 Centre St. N 403 276-8363 | Su 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. M Closed Tu - Sa 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. | ||||||
| The Second Cup www | Coffee | Informal | The coffee was a bit strong, and we don't know where the spoons were, but this is an adequate place to pick up coffee for the office or grab a cup while shopping. Good vegetarian selection. | There are locations all over. Check by Location. | |||||||
| Serendipity Café & Home Decor | General | Informal | Not many of our reviews have "Home Decor" in the title, but Serendipity does because it is primarily a shop in Inglewood where one may browse for decorations, knickknakcks and gifts. But while looking around, you may want to stop for a cup of coffee, which Dorothy found a little weak or soup, sandwich, special of the day or even a breakfast, which Grant found quite okay. Good vegetarian selection. | 1319 - 9 Avenue SE 403 261-2661 | |||||||
| Shikiji Japanese Noodles and Sushi www | Japanese | Informal | If you are looking for a neighbourhood Japanese restaruant in the 16 Ave. and Centre Street North area, this is it. The portions are generous but from a limited selection. The food is good average fare with daily lunch combination specials that make choosing easy. Good vegetarian selection. | 1608 Centre St. NE 403 520-0093 | |||||||
| Thai Boat Restaurant | Thai | Informal | Good food is presented in a stylishly modern Thai setting with a boat theme throughout. The one shock was the almost total lack of vegetarian selections, usually a standard in any Thai establishment. Reservations recommended. | #108 2323 - 32 Ave. NE 403 291-9887 | Lunch M to F Lunch Buffet W Dinner Daily | ||||||
| Toi Shan Restaurant | Chinese | Informal | On weekends especially this small strip mall location is a busy one indeed. The decor is simple with a rather authentic Chinese sense of clutter. However, although the portions are large, the food is on average rather average. There are daily specials and a lunch buffet. They also provide free delivery within a 5 km radius on orders over $18. Good vegetarian selection. | 3819 Bow Trail SW 403 246-4242 403 246-4293 | Su and Holidays 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. M to Th 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. F 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Sa 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. | ||||||
| A & W www | Hamburgers | Fast Food | This was Grant's first experience of fast food back in the time when servers on roller skates put trays on your car windowsill. We still like to go back for the sake of nostalgia, but unfortunately the fries and onion rings are bland and the burgers are OK, but only in a 1950's sort of way. | They are just about everywhere. Check by Location. | |||||||
| The Barley Mill Eatery & Pub | Bar | Informal | The Barley Mill has slipped steadily since our first visit in 1997. The food has become more and more bland. At the same time, the potatoes seem to have grown in size, while the chickens must have suffered from breast reductions. There is still a pleasant pub-like atmosphere here, but there are better places to eat in this category. | 201 Barclay Parade SW, Eau Claire Market 403 290-1500 | Canyon Meadows Dr. & MacLeod Tr. 403 244-6626 | Su to Th 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. F, Sa 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. | |||||
| Cravings Market Restaurant www | General | Buffet | The restaurant experience at Cravings is fun. You are given a card and then go around to the different stands and pick out your food, ranging from sandwiches to soup, from Asian to Mexican, from pizza to lamb. However, when you sit and think about it after the first excitement has worm off, you realize this is just a rather complex buffet or a restaurant with quite a varied menu. And in the end of the day, this is a pleasant place to get tasty but ultimately rather ordinary food. Good vegetarian selection. | 7207 Fairmount Dr. SE 403 252-2083 | |||||||
| Croatian Canadian Cultural Centre Calgary www | Banquet | As formal as you want to make it. | What you will find here is a comfortable setting with friendly staff and good food. There is nothing spectacular, but it is a fine place for a large gathering. | 3010 - 12 St. NE (403) 250-9821 | |||||||
| Extreme Bean Café | General | Informal | As the name implies, this started as a small coffee house just outside of the downtown area, but has grown over the years to a spot frequented by Foothills Hospital staff, residents of the area and many downtown drones wanting to escape the usual eateries in that area. It has become known as a place of sandwiches—hot and cold—soups, salads, smoothies, milkshakes, and daily specials of all kinds. Unfortunately for this review, we had been told that the wor won ton soup was the best in Calgary, so we all tried it. It wasn't. But we have promised ourselves to return and try some of the other goodies and maybe up the rating a bit. Good vegetarian selection. | 3303 - 3 Ave. NW (off Memorial Drive just below Foothills Hospital) 403 283-6820 | All Day Every Day | ||||||
| Dragon Palace | Chinese | Buffet | A old-style Chinese restaurant, for those who remember Chinese food as it was served in the 1950's. | 2754 Glenmore Tr. SE Tr. 403 279-4471 | |||||||
| eat! eat! in inglewood | Diner | Informal | The day beings with breakfast and then runs into the usual selection of soups and salads, burger and sandwiches, drinks and desserts. The food was good, but not outstanding. The service, however, was depressingly slow. In fact, our server told the people at the table next to us that she had waited until Boxing Day to have her Christmas dinner. We thought she must have eaten at her own restaurant. It would probably have taken that long. Good vegetarian selection. | 1325 9 Ave. SE 403 532-1933 | |||||||
| Garden Cafe | General | Fast Food | This probably isn't a restaurant that you would set out to discover, but there will probably come a time when you will eat here. It is in the General Services Building at Foothills Hospital serving fast, inexpensive, bland, predictable food to the staff and visitors. Surprisingly there doesn't seem to be any stress on wholesome choices. But then again if you eat wholesome food, the hospital won't get you as a patient as often. Wear your CRHA badge and get 10% off. | Foothills Hospital (Frist Floor in the Special Services Building) | 24/7 | ||||||
| Glory of India www | East Indian | Informal | The service is friendly. We though it was OK. Good vegetarian selection. Reservations recommended, especially at noon Click here to make reservations through Open Table. | 515 - 4 Avenue SW 403 263-8804 | Su & Hol Closed Buffet M to F 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dinner M to Sa 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Take out M to Sa 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. | ||||||
| Hi-Ball Restaurant | Chinese | Informal | Their $6.50 lunch buffet has a wide variety and their food in general is good at a low price, but unfortunately quantity and cheapness come at the expense of quality and taste with too much batter and dough and not enough meat and vegetables. Good vegetarian selection. | Stadium Shopping Centre 29 Street & 16 Ave. NW 403 284-3324 403 284-3325 | Su and Holidays 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. M to Th 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Fr, Sa 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. - midnight | ||||||
| Joey's Only Seafood Restaurants www | Seafood | Informal | From their original emphasis on seafood, they have now branched out into Tennessee Jack's Rotisserie Chicken & Ribs at many locations. This attempt to be all things to all people seems to have lowered the general quality over the years. Even the original fish and chips are becoming more and more like a packaged frozen entrée you might heat up at home. | Too many to list here now both in Calgary and beyond. See Locations. | |||||||
| La Tavola | Italian | Informal | The décor is smart and inviting. The food is good, but overpriced. The service is passable. Reservations recommended during the noonhour. | #210 513 - 8 Ave SW (2 floor Penny Lane) 403 237-5787 | M to F 11:30 a.m. - close Weekends 11:30 a.m. a.m. - 10:00 p.m. | ||||||
| Nellie's | General | Informal | With or without the apostrophe in it's name, this local chain offers good–sized portions of average food. | Nellies in the Loop 2015 - 33 Ave. SW | Nellie's on Fourth 2308 - 4 Street SW 403 209-2708 Nellie's Kitchen 738B - 17 Avenue SW 403 244-4616 | Nellies on Kensington 1414 Kensington NW 403 270-0173 | |||||
| Papa John's | Pizza | Take Out | Good pizza, a little over–priced for what you get. | #230 177 Country Hills Blvd. NW 403 567-2000 |
3172 Sunridge Blvd. NE 403 219-8400 | Westmarket Square 1851 Sirroco Dr. SW 403 217-7373 601 - 17 Ave. SW 403 693-7272 | Bonavista Square 12101 Lake Fraser Dr. SE 403 271-5757 | ||||
| Peters' Drive-In | Hamburgers | Fast Food | In every city, there are certain restaurants that for whatever reason seem to tug at the heartstrings of the populace. In Calgary, Peters' is one of these. The line–ups are long, and the crowds are enthusiastic, especially for the milkshakes. And what brings out the multitudes and the fans? Average steam table hamburgers and good milkshakes. Why is it so popular? That, my friends, is a mystery of pop culture. | 219 - 16 Ave. NE 403 277-2747 | |||||||
| Pizza Hut www | Pizza | Informal/ Take out | The crust is actually quite good, though as with most party pizzas on the market the toppings are less than spectacular and leave a wide margin of naked crustiness around perimeter. There are also other pasta dishes and extras all with the same eat–me–as–you–watch–the–hocky–game quality. You can create your own pizza, so you can be as vegetarian as you wish. | 403 310-1010 | Dine in - Take out - Delivery 3802 Brentwood Rd. NW 11 Castleridge Blvd. NE 11440 Braeside Dr. SW 4710 - 17 Ave. SE 14935 Deer Ridge Dr. SE 108 Edmonton, Tr. Airdrie, AB | Take out - Delivery 6 Crowfoot Cricle NW 5012 - 16 Ave. NW 11 Hidden Creek Dr. NW 1818 Centre St. N 1440 - 52 St. NE 1062 - 17 Ave. SW 4604 - 37 St. SW 1919 Sirocco Dr. SW 10233 Elbow Dr. SW 4600 - 130 Ave. SE | |||||
| Pulcinella www | Pizza | Informal | The bright, contemporary setting, friendly service, fresh ingredients and ovens lined with stone from Mount Vesuvius unfortunately ultimately still deliver an ordinary, rather bland thin–crust pizza at a somewhat elevated price. | 1147 Kensington Crescent NW 403 283-1166 | |||||||
| Ricky's All Day Grill | Grill | Informal | The setting is homey; the service is fine; the food is good. All in all, though, this is a pale imitation of other better rib places, and the difference in price would make us shun the pale and take the real. | See Locations. | |||||||
| Simply Good Eats | General | Fast Food | All day breakfast is their speciality, and they have it from Belgium waffles to French toast. Then you may linger on through the day to try burgers, fish and chips, phily cheese steak and a host of other fast food favourites. The ingredients are of high quality and the cooking methods are fine, but there is not really anything outstanding. | Calgary Farmers' Market H6, 4421 Quesnay Wood Drive SW | |||||||
| Singapore Sam's www | Chinese | Buffet | This favourite with the noonhour crowd has a large buffet, including some items not found in many spreads like sticky rice and french fries. The Mongolian grill selection is small, but provides a pleasant addition to the mix. However, in spite of our first pleasurable impressions, we found many dishes cool and were not offered anything to drink until we had been there for about 20 minutes even though the evening crowd was not large. A good vegetarian selection. | 555 - 11 Ave. SW 403 234-8088 | |||||||
| Smuggler's Inn www | Sunday Brunch | Informal | This is a usual Sunday brunch boasting all the obligatory dishes from eggs benedict to bacon and sausages with omelettes made to order. There is nothing really outstanding but it is a good, filling basic brunch. We did, however, think the table service was rather slow. Good vegetarian selection, if you stress the salad bar. Click here to make reservations through Open Table. | 6920 Macleod Tr. S 403 253-5355 | Sunday (obviously) 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | ||||||
| Stage West www | Dinner Theatre | Formal Buffet | First you must realize that this is not a review of the current presentation at Stage West. We leave that to theatre critics, though we do have our opinions. We're looking at the buffet which is large and from a technical point–of–view well–handled with very few empty or cold trays. From a culinary perspective, however, the food is wholesome but rather forgettable. There are few dishes that one would want to line up for again to get seconds. Good vegetarian selection. | 727 - 42 Ave. SE 403 243-6642 | The dress is semi-formal. Grant tried a dress shirt, tie and sports jacket with pyjama bottoms, but this didn't seem to be the kind of "semi" they meant. | ||||||
| Sun's BBQ Restaurant | Chinese | Informal | The setting, the staff and the food are quite authentically Chinese (with a bit of Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese thrown in to make it interesting). This is good, especially if you want to try pig ear, pork intestine or pig stomach. Unfortunately authenticity has another side as well. The dishes were good, but nothing really captivated our taste buds, and there was just a little too much oil and fat for our taste. Can this be found in many "authentic" south Asian haunts? Yes, and we have eaten in them. Do we look for it here? No so much. Good vegetarian selection. | 1413 Centre Street NW (403) 230-8890 | |||||||
| Dragon Gate Restaurant | Chinese | Buffet | The service was non-existent, except for a point in the general direction of our table. We weren't even asked if we wanted a menu or to try the buffet, and no one offered us tea or anything else to drink. We did venture to the luncheon buffet, and found it to be well stocked with lukewarm bland food which had to be eaten with a fork as chop sticks were not an option. | 2024 - 33 Ave. SW 403 242-2210 | Su, Holidays
4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. M to Th 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4:00 - 11:00 p.m. F 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. - midnight Sa 4:00 p.m. - midnight | ||||||
| Home Food Inn Peking Cuisine www | Chinese | Buffet | An overpriced buffet of mediocre dishes with the Western pallet in mind. | 5222 Macleod Tr. S W 403 259-8585 | |||||||
| Manies Pizzeria and Greek Cuisine | Pizza / Greek | Informal | You can get pizza and Greek food here or look for some place better. Good vegetarian selection. | 811 - 17 Ave. SW 403 228-9207 | |||||||
| La Dolce Vita | Italian | Formal | Good Italian food, unfortunately poorly served in a smoky atmosphere. | 916 1 Ave. NE 403 263-3445 | Wkdys 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. M to Sa 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. |
