| Restaurant | Rating | Type of Food | Style | Description | Information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & W |  | 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.
www | 4303 Macleod Tr. S 287-7868 9104 Macleod Tr. S 252-5426 6666 Macleod Tr. S 255-2622 Chinook Centre 253-8087 FC14 - 6455 Macleod Tr. S 640-4127 Chinook Station 6666 Macleod Tr. S/ | Southcentre 278-3329 | |||||
| Baskin Robbins |  | Ice Cream | Informal | The fine details of the name of this 31 flavour ice cream parlour vary from the northwest to southeast, but the quality and choice of the ice cream are the same. And there is frozen yoghurt too if you are not of the true faith. (That is an ice cream freak.) | Bay 106 - 4625 Varsity Dr. NW at Shaganappi 288-8790 | 516 10816 Macleod Tr. S in Willow Park 278-6611. | |||||
| Boyd's Seafood Restaurant |  | Seafood | Informal | Good fish, but all cooked with a sameness in presentation. | 5211 MacLeod Tr. S 253-7575. | ||||||
| Broken Plate Kitchen & Bar | | Greek | Informal | Large, tasty portions of good Greek food. Good vegetarian selection. | #590 10816 Macleod Tr. SE (in Willow Park) 225-9650 www | ||||||
| Burger Inn | | Hamburger | Fast Food | This local chain of hamburger outlets wins for the most unusual kinds of burgers made from such interesting ingredients as pork, lamb, turkey, buffalo, venison and ostrich. They also offer cholesterol-free fries, real fruit-flavoured milkshakes, and the convenience of being able to order your burger ahead of time so it will be ready when you arrive. Now that's really fast food. Good vegetarian selection. | 9669 MacLeod Tr. S. Brick Plaza 252-4840 | 2020 - 4 Street SW 244-9293 3829 Bow Tr. SW 685-0825 | |||||
| Café Metro | | Deli | Informal | Good Montreal smoked meat sandwiches. Watch for specials on Monday. And here's a surprise for a restaurant that specializes in meat; there is a good vegetarian selection. | 7400 MacLeod Tr. 255-6537 | Su to Th 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. F 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Sa 11 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. | |||||
| Chianti Café and Restaurant | | Italian | Informal | Remember that we judge restaurants by what they are supposed to be. So with that in mind, we went to Chianti expecting a "reasonably priced" basic meal. And that is just what we got. The service was friendly. The bread was warm and tasty, and the food was good no-frills Italian fare. Watch for their specials, and you can make the experience even more reasonable. Good vegetarian selection. | #444 - 10816 Macleod Tr. S. (Willow Park Village) 225-0010 | ||||||
| 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. | Southcentre Mall 225-2150 | ||||||
| Ciao Baby's Italian Gourmet |  | Italian | Informal | The "Italian" in the name tells you that you are going to have a good selection of Italian dishes, while the "Gourmet" allows the restaurant to add a few specialities with an Italian accent but no real Mediterranean pedigree such as steak and stir fried selections for those in your party who need the variety. Good vegetarian selection. Note: The owner believes in properly pased tranquil dining even at noon hour, so don't rush in expecting some fast–service pasta thrown on your plate. | 5920 Macleod Tr. SW 403 258-0051 | ||||||
| Earl's | | General | Informal | Earl's serves good food at reasonable prices, but among the good dishes are some very ordinary ones, and some of the small details, like homemade fries are missing, and the hamburger buns don't seem strong enough to support the hamburgers. Good vegetarian selection. | 2401 4 St. SW 228-4141 | Westhills Shopping Centre 246-7171 | 315 - 8 Ave. SW (Banker's Hall) 265-3275 | 10640 Macleod Tr. S. 278-7860 | www | ||
| Ginger Beef Peking House | | Chinese | Buffet | A large selection of average Chinese dishes. | 460 - 5255 Richmond Rd. SW 240-4048  | South 252 -10816 MacLeod Tr. S. (Willow Park Mall) 271-2233 | |||||
| Harvey's | | Hamburger | Fast Food | Our favourite we-put-on-it-what-you-want hamburger outlet. Watch though; the rating can fluctuate a little between outlets, but this usually stems from the service, not the food. Good vegetarian selection. | 7218 Macleod Tr. S 258-0132 6500 Macleod Tr. S (in Home Depot) 255-0563 www | ||||||
| Home Food Inn Peking Cuisine |  | Chinese | Buffet | An overpriced buffet of mediocre dishes with the Western pallet in mind. | 5222 Macleod Tr. S W 259-8585 www | ||||||
| Joey Tomato's Mediterranean Grill | | Italian | Informal | The food is filling, trendy "Mediterranean", but the service can be slow. www | 100A 6455 MacLeod Trail SW (Chinook Centre) 692-6626 | ||||||
| Joey's Only Seafood Restaurants | | 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. www | 7521 Macleod Trail SW 252-8557 25- 9252 Macleod Trail SE 252-7060 284-100 Anderson Rd (Southcentre Mall Food Court) | ||||||
| Jugo Juice | | Juice | Informal | The staff is friendly and have a good knowledge of what they are making—especially those strange extra ingredients. If you just want a quick, wholesome drink, or even a complete meal with one of their wraps or sandwiches do drop by. Good vegetarian selection—of course. www | South Centre Mall 225-2214 Chinook Centre 540-6190 Talisman Centre 2225 Macleod Tr. SW 2061559 | ||||||
| The Keg Steakhouse & Bar www | | Steak | Informal | A good medium-priced steak house. Note: They do not take reservations—for reasons we do not understand—so expect long waits at key times. | 7104 Macleod Tr. SW 403 253-2534 | ||||||
| KFC | | Chicken | Fast Food | Some foods are difficult to rate because their taste is unique and can't be compared to anything but other brands that have imitated them. Yes, we know we can't call it "Kentucky Fired Chicken" anymore, because someone might think about the fat content, even though now it is vegetable oil. The gravy and coleslaw have changed from the good old days when the Colonel was alive, but still the taste is addictive, and you get what you expect. | Southcentre Mall 9310 Macleod Tr. SE | Home delivery: 296-0000. www | |||||
| Leo Fu's Szechwan & Mandarin Restaurant | | Chinese | Informal | A family–run restaurant with well–prepared food and friendly service. There is a buffet Monday to Friday at noon. Good vegetarian selection. | 511 70 Ave SW (just off MacLeod Tr.) 255-2528 | S 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. M to Th 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. F 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Sa 4:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. | |||||
| Milestone's Grill & Bar | | General | Informal | What we have here is an upscale Earl's with everything from hamburgers to pasta and steak to nachos—all with a certain sense of style and friendly service. Again though in this mix there are some hits and some misses. Reservations are recommended at peak times. Good vegetarian selection. | Milestones South Centre 225-1150 www | ||||||
| Moti Mahal Restaurant | | East Indian | Informal | This bright, spacious restaurant offers a wide selection of well-prepared Kashmiri food, avoiding the bland spicing of hot dished that some other eateries use to pamper the western pallet. As with many East Indian restaurants, however, we do have some concern with the dish size vs. price ratio, and free fill ups on the coffee might be a good idea. Reservations Recommended. Good vegetarian selection. | Midnapore Mall (Macleod Tr & Midlake Blvd. S 201-7336 www | ||||||
| Moxie's | | General | Informal | With everything from burgers and sandwiches to pasta and pizza on the menu, restaurants like Moxie's are difficult to grade. Often one or two superb items are dragged down by numerous bland ones, or "home style" can mean you should just have stayed at home and made the sandwich yourself. However, we believe the Moxie's does do things well, and deserves a try if you want a wide variety of items from which to choose at reasonable prices. Good vegetarian selection. www | Chinook Centre 6455 Macleod Tr. S 259-5742 10606 Southport Road. SW 225-9598 41 Shawville Blvd. SE 254-5100 | ||||||
| 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 256-4610 | 7 days a week | |||||
| Palatal Yakiniku Restaurant | | Japanese Mongolian | Informal | So when you start your own restaurant with a specialty that is good, do not be tempted to try other things that you don't do as well. The Palatal is a case in point. The oriental setting is quieting and impressive. The Japanese sushi and tempura are good. But when we ventured into the Mongolian grill part of the establishment, we found it sadly lacking in the variety of foods for grilling, the quality of the condiments, and the speed and efficiency of the service. For example on this last point, instead of bringing your plate to your table, servers just call out your number. With the long waiting times, this means that you have to stand in the cooking area for quite a while or go back to your table and chance missing your dish or getting it cold. Good vegetarian selection. | 7425 Macleod Tr. S 252-0188 | ||||||
| Quizno's Subs | | Sandwiches | Informal | They're toasty hot with just enough bread. For a fast sub, they are hard to beat. But don't feel you have to pick the large size unless you want two meals worth or have a Dawson–sized appetite. Good vegetarian selection. The name does vary slightly from one store to another, but let the business people worry about that.  Dorothy and Grant prefer the Angus beef, while Scott, the vegetarian in the family gives his approval to the Cheese Melt.www | Chinook Centre 873-2048 244-10816 MacLeod Trail SE (Willow Park Village) 271-4900 85 Shawville Blvd. SE (Shawnessy Shopping Centre) 201-8800 | ||||||
| Red Lobster | | Seafood | Informal | Sea food, but as with many such Calgary restaurants, deep frying and pan frying seem to be the most creative they can get. | #100 6100 Macleod Tr. SW (across from Chinook) 252-818 | M to Th, Su 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. F, Sa 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | www | ||||
| 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. | 6262 MacLeod Tr. SE 252-2909 Bonavista Sq. SE 225-6534 | ||||||
| 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. | 4351 MacLeod Tr. S. (on the west side) 243-3173 | ||||||
| Starbucks Coffee Comapny Ltd | | Coffee | Informal | For a good cardboard cup of standardized coffee from a limited menu, this is the place to go. Good vegetarian selection. | 321 - 6 Ave. SW 234-9035 404 - 6 Ave. SW 234-9478 723 - 17 Ave. SW 209-2888 411 - 8 Ave. SW 234-8040 #131d 1600 - 90 Ave. SW 252-6512 Westhills Shopping Centre 246-4100 2219 - 4 St. SW 229-3008 9631 Macleod Tr. S. 252-5414 15800 Macleod Tr. S. 254-9824 812a - 49 Ave. SW 214-14440 | ||||||
| Taj Mahal | | Indian | Informal | This restaurant has a long history in Calgary and still serves a fine selection of Indian dishes done to your desired degree of hotness. The buffet is excellent. In fact, the only problem we have had here is the service where there is often an unfortunate forgetfulness on the part of the staff. The food, however, makes up for these short-comings. Good vegetarian selection. | 4816 Macleod Tr. SW 243-6362 | Su 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. M to Th 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. F, Sa 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 5 p.m. - midnight www | |||||
| Tommy Burger Bar | | Hamburgers | Informal | Tommy's prompted a long discussion in our group even after we left the premises. On one side, there were those who appreciated the fact that this was a real restaurant with servers, soups, salads, milkshakes and desserts. On the other side were those who thought that paying a dollar or more for every topping on what they called a "restaurant burger" was a little much. You decide. We ended up on the cusp between the 3 and 4 categories. Good vegetarian selection. | 9629 Macleod Tr. S. 258-0668 | Su to Th 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. F, Sa 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. | |||||
| Tony Roma's www | | Ribs | Informal | Great ribs and other grilled things. What more can one say? | 6712 MacLeod Tr. SE 403 301-7427 #600 - 16061 Macleod Tr. S. 403 873-7427 | ||||||
| Wildwood Grill and Brewing Company | | Gourmet | Formal | The most difficult restaurants to rate are those that should score better, but don't quite make it. This is one of them. The setting is restfully rustic; the staff are helpful; and they even have a welcomed ban on cell phones; but the food is just ordinary. Plain chunks of white bread without enough butter don't make a good beginning and pineapple salsa on a plain piece of pork doesn't make it special. But the stroke of doom for us came with the invitation on the menu to light up a cigar when the meal was finished. Yuck! We shall probably keep an eye on the Wildwood and will expect something great in the future. Reservations recommended. | 2417 - 4 Street SW 228-0100 | Brunch Sunday 10:30 a.m. Lunch M to Sa 11:30 a.m. Dinner M to Su 5:00 p.m. |
