On my first visit, I was with two coworkers as we decided to order the Dinner for 3 ($40), which included 1 California roll, 1 Dynamite roll, 1 Rodeo Rider roll, 1 Spicy Tuna roll, and 1 Passion Sunrise roll. We also shared an order of the Toro Sashimi ($7.50 for 5 pieces). The Rodeo Rider roll consisted of tuna, salmon and tempura bits topped with spicy sauce, garlic chips, green onions and sesame  while the Passion Sunrise roll consisted of crab and avocado topped with salmon, green onions, tobiko and volcano sauce. Out of all the rolls, our favourite by far was the R0deo Rider. The crispy texture and flavour of garlic chips really made the roll unique.

I was impressed enough with the food, especially the toro sashimi that I went  back again the next day with my friend M. I was particularly interested in trying the custom order items as I had learnt that Big Catch will make items upon request that are not on the regular menu as long as they have the ingredients.

We started off with a few pieces of Seared Salmon Nigiri ($1.70 each). This is not on their regular menu and has to be special ordered. Usually, I’m not a big fan of just regular salmon nigiri but I absolutely adore seared salmon. The slight searing changes the flavour of the salmon and makes it more creamy. There aren’t that many places that offer Seared Salmon. Before this, I’ve only ever had it at Sushi Boat here in Calgary. In Vancouver, I’ve had a variation of this, the Seared Salmon Oshi Sushi, at my favourite sushi restaurant, Miku, and also, at Kishimoto Japanese Kitchen & Sushi Bar. These pieces of Seared Salmon Nigiri at Big Catch were tasty and my friend M loved it. Personally, I just wish that they could sear the salmon a touch more for a slightly stronger charred flavour.

We also asked them to do a custom item for us and they made us a Special Roll ($8.95). This roll consisted of salmon, tuna, cucumber, and tobiko wrapped in rice paper instead of sushi rice. It was served on a bed of spicy miso sauce. To me, the spicy miso sauce wasn’t that spicy at all. The roll was interesting as it was reminiscent of a Vietnamese salad roll except with sushi.

We also ordered a Spicy Salmon Roll ($5.50), Spicy Tuna Roll ($5.50), and Unagi Roll ($5.50). There is actually a bit of a discount when you order 3 of the regular rolls such as these. As a combo set, these three rolls combined ended up being $14.25. Again, I didn’t find the spicy sauce for the Spicy Salmon and Spicy Tuna to be all that spicy at all. Overall, these rolls were pretty tasty.

Lastly, of course we had an order of the Toro Sashimi ($7.50 for 5 pieces).
The toro was of a decent quality. It actually is a bit of a steal considering the price as I often pay almost $4 of a piece of toro at other sushi restaurants. Since I’m a huge toro fan, I’d definitely be back often to get my fill.

A couple of weekends ago, my friends went to Kingsland Farmer’s Market to check out Big Catch. While they were there, I asked them to pick up some take-out for me as I was really curious about the Meteor Rain Roll ($11.75). It consisted of crab meat and wild salmon, and was topped with torch seared salmon, onion, mayo and mixed spice. I really wanted to try this roll because I love torch seared salmon. The roll was tasty although I wished the salmon on top would be seared more so that it would have more of a charred flavour.

I again had an order of the Toro Sashimi ($7.50 for 5 pieces). The Toro was again pretty decent although there were a few pieces that were a bit chewy. Still, I think it’s good value considering the price.

Overall, considering this is take-out sushi, I would say Big Catch is one of the top places in Calgary for take-out/food court sushi. It certainly beats other places in this category. I liked that everything is made fresh to order. And the prices are really reasonable, which is really good as I can eat there often without going broke. I’m really looking forward to trying more of their special rolls as well as their custom order chirashi.

Big Catch
Kingsland Farmer’s Market
7711 Macleod Trail S
Calgary, AB
(403)708-5555
http://bigcatchcalgary.com

Seated on the patio on this warm spring evening, we each started off with a Thai Iced Tea ($4). This orange-coloured beverage is traditionally made with strongly-brewed ceylon tea. However, due to the high price of ceylon tea, nowadays, plain black tea along with red and yellow food coloring is used instead. Other common ingredients include orange blossom water, star anise, and crushed tamarind seed. The Thai iced tea is usually sweetened with sugar and condensed milk and served over ice.

For starters, we shared an order of the Poung Chom-Poo ($8), which are steamed dumplings stuffed with minced ground chicken, roasted crushed peanuts, and Thai spices.

I was in total awe at the beautiful presentation. Each dumpling was topped with a dollop of minced garlic oil in the center. The flower-shaped dumplings were almost to pretty to eat. I’m really happy that my friend Anna suggested that we order these. This was my first time trying these dumplings and I loved them. The slightly sweet filling reminded me a little of the filling for Chinese bbq pork buns (char siu bao).

We then shared an order of the Khao Soi Gai ($16), which is often known as Chiang Mai Noodle Soup. I fell in love with this dish after trying it for the first time at Jackie’s Thai in the Eau Claire food court. This version at Khao San Thai Kitchen consisted of chicken thigh, egg noodles, yellow curry, coconut milk and was served alongside a dish of condiments which included pickled cabbage, shallots, a wedge of lime, and a dish of chili oil.  To me, this version tasted a little more refined than the version from Jackie’s Thai and rightly so, as it is almost double the price of the one from Jackie’s Thai. This version was really tasty and I liked that the chicken pieces were really tender. If I was craving Khao Soi Gai and wanted to dine in a little more upscale environment  than a food court, Khao San Thai Kitchen would be my best bet. I’d definitely order this dish again on my next visit. Don’t let the portion size fool you. My friend Anna and I were quite full after sharing this dish along with the Poung Chom-Poo.

Overall, we loved our experience at Khao San Thai Kitchen. We weren’t sure what to expect at first as they seemed to cater to a Western clientele. We  were really happy that the food tasted really authentic. It was an added bonus that we got to enjoy this delicious meal on the patio and take in the gorgeous weather. I can see myself coming back here often this summer to satisfy my Thai food cravings.

Khao San Thai Kitchen
1314 17 Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(587)353-2668
http://khaosanthaikitchen.ca

We started off sharing an order of the Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad ($11). I have been a huge fan of quinoa salads ever since trying the Peruvian-style one from Pio Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken last year. Compared to the version from Pio, I thought this one tasted alright though the quinoa was a tad too soft for my liking. It a personal preference since my friend M prefers the quinoa in this version.  Personally, I like the quinoa to be slightly more al dente like the version from Pio. I liked that the roasted vegetables were still crunchy but flavour-wise, I wished that this salad had a bit more acidity. When it comes to quinoa salads, my favourite is still the Peruvian-style one from Pio.

We also shared an order of the House-marinated Olives ($7), which were as good as always. Both my friend M and I are huge fans of these olives ever since we tried it on our first visit to Without Papers. For us, this is now a must order item on every visit.

We then shared The Prosciutto Happiness ($19). We were both sad to learn that the Shroom Pizza is not available at the moment as apparently, they’ve had problems with the mushroom supply. The Shroom has by far been our favourite pizza at Without Papers. The Prosciutto Happiness  consisted of prosciutto cotto, fresh pea shoots, fresh mozzarella, pecorino, and tomato sauce. This was a tasty pizza and an adequate stand-in for the Shroom. I liked that the toppings were really fresh and light and the pizza was not greasy at all. The crust was light and crisp with a slight chewiness as always. It’s great to see that the pizza at Without Papers is just as good as before. If the Shroom is not available, I would order The Prosciutto Happiness again on my next visit. But I really do hope they are able to bring the Shroom back soon.

Without Papers Pizza
Upstairs, 1216 – 9th Ave SE
Calgary, AB
(403)457-1154
http://www.wopizza.ca

Han’s is a tiny eatery with only about eight tables and is located inside the City Plaza strip mall in the heart of Calgary’s Chinatown. They serve up both Taiwanese and Szechuan fare. Note that their Szechuan fare is stylistically different from the authentic Szechuan (Sichuan) fare one might get from restaurants like Szechuan Restaurant or Delicious Country. I would consider Han’s style to be Taiwanese-influenced Szechuan cuisine. Taiwanese-Szechuan cuisine is actually quite unique and hard to find so we are very lucky to have one such restaurant in Calgary. In the whole Vancouver metro area, the only Taiwanese-Szechuan place that I’m aware of is Kalvin’s Szechuan Restaurant.

This post is a cumulation of my many visits to Han’s over the past half a year. Over the countless visits, I’ve pretty much tried every dish on their menu that I would want to try. I’m not usually a fan of offal so there are a few items that are off-limits to me.

One of my all-time favourite dishes at Han’s is #4. Wonton with Spicy Sauce ($10.50). The wontons are topped with a housemade garlic chili oil. This dish isn’t as spicy at it looks. Instead, it is very garlicky. I would say this is one of the “milder” spicy dishes at Han’s. I totally fell in love with this dish ever since I tried it for the first time. I know that not everyone is as crazy as this dish as I am. There are some that are like me and are totally addicted to this dish while others think that it’s just ok. For me, this is a must order item at Han’s and I actually have cravings for it.

I’ve also tried #5. Kongpao Chicken ($13.50). This dish consisted of chicken stir fried with chilis and peppers. It was executed well but wasn’t as spicy as we had hoped it would be.

Next is the #7. Chicken with Spicy Sauce ($13.50). I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect for this dish. The Chinese name for this dish is La Zi Ji (辣子鸡), which is the same name as the dish that I had at Delicious Country, and Szechuan Restaurant, as well as countless number of authentic Szechuan restaurants in the past. At all these other places, the dish always consisted of dry fried chicken and tons of chilis. This version at Han’s is slightly different as the chicken is tossed in a spicy sauce. This was one of the few times where the English translation for the dish was actually a more accurate description. To be fair though, the menu did not specify which style of La Zi Ji. I just assumed it would be the Szechuan (Sichuan) version since Han’s serves Taiwanese-influenced Szechuan cuisines. This version with the spicy sauce is actually the Hunan-style La Zi Ji.

Another one of my favourite dishes is #9. Stir Fried Pork with Topan Sauce ($13.50). This dish is often known as Twice Cooked Pork or Huí Guō Ròu (回锅肉). This is another classic Szechuan dish.  The dish is called Twice Cooked Pork because the pork belly is first simmered and then sliced into really thin pieces, almost like bacon. It is then stir fried along with cabbage and peppers in a spicy topan sauce. I had already anticipated that this version would be stylistically different from the version that my coworkers and I had at Szechuan Restaurant, which was done in authentic Szechuan style. The topan sauce is a Szechuan-style hot bean paste and is used in a number of dishes at Han’s. I like that the cabbage is still slightly crunchy and the flavours of the pork belly can’t be beat.

On one of my visits, I tried #13. Kongpao Beef ($14.95). This dish is quite similar to #5. Kongpao Chicken, except that beef is used instead of pork. I like that the beef slices were really tender. However, like the Kongpao Chicken, I didn’t find it to be very spicy at all.

Another dish that I really enjoy is the #16. Szechuan Style Oxtail ($16.50).
Again, this is one of the dishes that uses the topan sauce (Szechuan-style hot bean paste). I like how tender and flavourful the oxtail is. The only downside is the bones, which you have to eat around in order to get at the meat.

On one of my visits,  my friends and I had the #19. Fish Fillet in Topan Sauce ($16.50). This is a dish that we order from time to time. It is quite tasty with rice and not as spicy as it looks. Even though it’s so tasty, my friends and I tend to favour the Spicy Hot Pot Fish instead out of habit and also, because we are addicted to it.

This dish,  #22. Spicy Hot Pot Fish ($15.50), is the one that actually keeps my friends and I going back for more is.  It is better known as Water-Boiled Fish or Shuizhuyu (水煮魚) in Chinese. My first introduction to this dish was actually at Han’s back in 2009.  At that point, I had no idea that there are different variations or interpretations of this dish. The version at Han’s is more like a bouillabaisse or fish stew.  Since then, I’ve tried various versions of this dish at different Szechuan restaurants in the Vancouver area as well as in Calgary.  Interestingly enough, most of them do not resemble the version from Han’s. I really like the complexity of flavours in this dish – the tongue numbing Szechuan peppercorns along with the pickled cabbage and leeks. Of all the versions of this dish that I’ve had, I would say this version from Han’s is by far my favourite.

One dish that I recently re-discovered is the #26. Spicy Thin Bean Noodle with Minced Pork ($11.50). This classic Szechuan dish is sometimes known as “Ants Climbing Up A Tree”, which is the literal translation from the Chinese name.  The minced meat clinging on to the bean thread noodles supposedly evoke an image of ants climbing up twigs. I’ll admit that in the past I wasn’t a huge fan of this dish because I didn’t think that the noodles had much flavour. However, since my friend R and I have been ordering this dish “extra spicy”, I’ve totally fallen in love with this dish. When made “extra spicy”, the noodles have so much more flavour to them. It’s gotten to a point now where this dish is almost tied with the Spicy Hot Pot Fish for being the favourite.

In terms of vegetable dishes, one of the non-spicy dishes that I really like is the #31. Fried Green Bean with Minced Pork ($13.50). My friends and I order this non-spicy dish frequently to give us a break from the spice in the accompanying dishes. I liked that the beans are fried till they are slightly puckered thought still a bit al dente. The caramelization from the stir-frying really helps to contribute to the flavour.

There are actually two eggplant dishes at Han’s that are really well executed. The first is the #32. Eggplant with Spicy Sauce ($12.50). This dish is Han’s interpretation of classic Szechuan dish better known as Fish-Fragrant Eggplant or 鱼香茄子 in Chinese. Despite its common name in both English and Chinese, it actually doesn’t contain any fish. I like that the eggplant is cooked perfectly al dente. I find this dish to have flavours quite similar to the topan sauce. Depending on what the flavours are in accompanying dishes, I order this spicy eggplant dish from time to time if the flavours in the other dishes are not similar to this one.

The second is the non-spicy version, #33. Eggplant with Soy Sauce ($12.50).
This is actually one of my favourite dishes at Han’s. I love how they are able to cook the eggplant perfectly al dente on each visit and how hot (temperature-wise) the eggplant is even after it’s been at our table for several minutes. The Thai basil really makes the dish. Without it, the dish doesn’t taste quite the same. I’ve always been amazed at the depth of flavours in the sauce combined with the flavours of Thai basil. My friends and I usually like to order a few non-spicy dishes such as this one to give us a break from eating spice bite after bite. I would say it was this dish back in 2009 that got me to totally love eggplant. Up until that point, I hated eggplant as it was more often than not, mushy and overcooked.

For noodle dishes, I’ve tried both versions of the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. The first (left), is the #35. Spicy Beef Noodle Soup ($9.50). The second version (right), #36. Beef Noodle Soup ($8.95), is the non-spicy one. I still remember the first time we tried these noodle soups. Both my friend R and I had been going to Han’s regularly at this point so our server knew us quite well. When we ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, she asked whether we were sure that’s what we really wanted as apparently this version is “VERY spicy”.  After having the Spicy Hot Pot Fish countless number of times and she knew that was a dish we loved, it made us wonder just exactly how spicy this noodle soup was going to be. She planted enough doubt in my mind that I suggested we order one of the spicy and one of the regular. That way if the heat got way out of hand we could dilute the spicy broth with the regular one. It was a bit anticlimactic when the bowls of noodle soup arrived. After taking the first bite of the spicy one, my friend R and I looked at each other and wondered “Where’s the heat?”.  Surely, we must have been missing something as neither of us could barely detect the heat on our tongues. We later learned from the owner that they actually use a different chili oil in this dish than the one for the Spicy Hot Pot Fish and she was a little surprised that we didn’t find it to be spicy at all. Regardless, I’m still not sure why they made a big deal about the beef noodle soup being that spicy. It was actually from this day onwards, we’ve been asking for all our food to be made “EXTRA SPICY!!!” whenever we go.

Comparing both noodles soups, I, of course, prefer the spicy version, especially now when they make it “extra spicy” for us. The regular Beef Noodle Soup is still very tasty. The non-spicy broth has a much richer beef flavour. What I really like about both noodle soups is the pickled cabbage. Without it, the dish just isn’t the same. Han’s is one of the few, if not only, places in Calgary where you can get Taiwanese beef noodle soup.

Last, but no least is #39. DanDan Noodle ($8.00). Though this may be an authentic preparation, I’ll admit that this is not one of my favourites as Han’s. It’s tastes ok but I find the noodles to be too soft for my liking. I usually prefer my noodles to be more al dente. Also, even with the sauce, I didn’t find the noodles to be that flavourful compared to my favourite dishes.

There is no doubt that the current Han’s, with the original owners back at the helm, is a hidden gem and is by far, my favourite Chinese restaurant in Calgary. Whenever my friends and I have a hankering for spice, Han’s is automatically the first place that comes to mind. Most of the dishes are very well-executed and delicious. My favourites are #4. Wonton with Spicy Sauce, #9. Stir Fried Pork with Topan Sauce,  #16. Szechuan Style Oxtail, #22. Spicy Hot Pot Fish, #26. Spicy Thin Bean Noodle with Minced Pork, #31. Fried Green Bean with Minced Pork, #33. Eggplant with Soy Sauce, and #35. Spicy Beef Noodle Soup.  We’ve developed such a tolerance for spice from our multiple visits that lately, we’ve always been asking for the spicy dishes to be made “EXTRA SPICY” whenever we go as I find that the heat level in many of their dishes may have been toned down to suit the average patron.

Han’s Restaurant
City Plaza
#116 – 303 Centre St SW
Calgary, AB
403-514-0456

I can’t think of a better way to spend the Sunday evening of a long weekend than to spend it with friends over tacos, bourbon, beer, & hip hop. What’s even more awesome is that everything on the menu for this event is 5 bucks! Yes, you read this right… $5 Tacos, $5 Chips & Pico, $5 Churros, and most importantly, $5 Booze! I was actually quite impressed with the booze selection they had for this event. There was sure to be something for almost everyone as there was  beer, wine, margaritas, bourbon, and of course, tequila and mezcal. My friend Anna decided to try the Red Pig Ale while I decided to pair the tacos with a glass of white.

When my friend Anna of Anna’s Appetite and I arrived a couple of minutes after 6pm, the place was already hopping. Luckily, we managed to snag one of the last available two tops. It didn’t take long for the place to be lined up out the door. If it wasn’t for this being the long weekend with many of the local foodies being out of town, I’m sure the line up would have been down the street and around the block.

We started off with an order of the Chips & Pico ($5). The housemade chips were perfectly crispy and perfectly seasoned. They were not greasy at all. The accompanying Pico de Gallo was delish! It was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of acidity. This Pico brought back memories of the tasty versions that I’ve had while visiting California in the past. I can easily say this was one of the best versions of Pico that I’ve had here in Calgary.

We then each had an order of the 3 Tacos ($15).  An order came with one of each taco – Oyster Po Boy, Tongue & Cheek, and Pig. No substitutions were allowed. This was fine by us as we wanted to try one of each anyways.

My favourite of the three was the Oyster Po Boy. This one was the West coast influenced taco. It consisted of house smoked fried oysters with a spicy buttermilk slaw, and was topped with a peanut and pumpkin seed macha. I loved the contrasting textures and flavours. In particular, the house smoked fried oysters were a stand out. Being an oyster lover, this was a taste of heaven for me.

A close second for me was the Tongue & Cheek, which consisted of braised beef cheeks topped with crispy fried duck tongues along with some wild spring salsa verde. I loved the bold flavours of the tender beef cheeks contrasted by the crispy duck tongues.

Last, but no least was the Pig taco. It  consisted of confit pork shoulder along with a spicy garlic and red chili salsa and was topped with crispy pieces of  chicharone (pork rinds). The crispy chicharone provided  great textural contrast to the meaty pork while the spicy red chili salsa awoke our tastebuds. On paper, I would have expected this to be my favourite taco as I LOVE chicharone as well as spice. This taco was tasty but it was hard to compete with the amazing flavours of the braised beef cheeks and house smoked oysters. Overall though, all these tacos were really well-executed and easily some of the best tacos that I’ve had in Calgary to date. My friend Anna and I loved them so much that we ended up ordering another 3 tacos to share between us. It was at this point that local foodie and Yelper, Terry (aka Calgary Dreamer) popped in to join us for some beer and tacos.

The three of us finished off the evening with an order of the Churros ($5), which were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. 

Simply put, this was some of the best Mexican-inspired fare that I’ve had in Calgary to date. I still can’t stop thinking about those tacos. With this Pop-up Taqueria being such a huge success, I sure hope that they plan to have more of these #TACOORNOTACO nights in the future.

#TACOORNOTACO Pop-up Taqueria
(@ Taste Restaurant)
1210 1st St SW
Calgary,​ AB​
http://tacoornotaco.com

My friend M and I decided to share the burger along with a few appetizers so I wouldn’t get “burgered out” before the week was done. We started off with an order of the Tuna Salad ($16), which consisted of BC Albacore tuna, Poplar Bluff potatoes, a hard-boiled egg, and heirloom tomatoes in a tarragon vinaigrette. The salad was tasty but didn’t have much of a wow factor. I was happy with it nonetheless as it served its purpose. I was looking for lighter fare to balance out my week of burger eating.

For our second appetizer, we shared the Carpaccio ($16), which consisted of thinly-sliced Olson’s High Country bison topped with brioche croutons, wild juniper, and dollops of burnt shallot aioli. This was easily our favourite dish of the evening. I really liked the bold flavours of the tender bison against the contrasting textures and flavours of the accompanying condiments. I would definitely order this dish again on my next visit.

For our main, my friend M and I shared the Dirty Burger, which was Market’s creation for YYC Burger Week. It supposedly consisted of a patty made with a mixture of brisket and short rib and was topped with house-made beer cheese (made from Sylvan Star Gouda), house-cured bacon, veal sweetbreads and a foie gras emulsion atop a house made brioche bun and was finished with a roasted tomato jam and pickled cucumbers to offset the richness of the other components. The burger was served with a side of house made potato chips.

I really liked the texture of the patty in the burger. It was easily one of the best burger patties I’ve had texture-wise. In terms of flavour, I could taste some beefiness but it was not as flavourful as the Wagyu patties in downtownfood’s Double Down Burger and Anju’s BiBim-Burger. I liked the house pickled cucumbers and the tomato jam but found the overall flavour of the burger to be rather one note. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t taste any of the foie gras emulsion that was supposed to be on the burger and as well, don’t recall tasting the house cured bacon as well.  I was glad that my friend and I decided to share the burger as it was quite rich. .

To go along with the burger, I decided to try one of house made sodas at MARKET. I decided to try the MARKET Rootbeer ($3.25).  I really enjoyed it though I’m normally not a huge fan of rootbeer. It had really interesting flavours and did not that artificial root beer taste that I usually don’t care for.

MARKET Restaurant
718 17 Avenue SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 474-4414
http://www.marketcalgary.ca

The Bi-Bim-Burger ($15 during YYC Burger Week; $18 regular) was created by Chef Roy Oh especially for YYC Burger Week. It consisted of a Brant Lake Waygu short rib patty with a galbi marinade and was topped with gochujang sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, and mozarella on a sesame bun. We asked to substitute the regular fries with Anju’s signature yam fries, which were tossed in truffle oil and served with gochujang aioli. The truffle yam fries were delicious! They were easily some of the best yam fries I’ve had and were extremely addictive, especially with the slightly spicy gochujang aioli.

The BiBim-Burger itself was flavourful and juicy. I loved the combination of Korean-inspired flavours and textures in this burger. The beefy flavour wasn’t as pronounced because  of the galbi marinade but it was still very tasty. My friend Anna and I loved this burger so much that we actually went back to Anju later on  that week hoping to have a second. We were lucky. Due to its overwhelming popularity, Anju has decided to put the BiBim-Burger on their regular menu.

My friend Anna and I also shared an order of the Fried Chicken and Pa-ffles ($18), which consisted of fried chicken tossed in a spicy gochujang sauce, a fried egg, green onion cornmeal waffles, and a side of soy butter maple syrup. This was fusion perfection on a plate! I’m fiend for fried chicken and loved the slightly sweet and spicy gochujang coated crispy chicken. It paired perfectly with the savoury green onion waffles, which were really tasty and had just the right amount of crispiness to them. I loved the soy butter maple syrup, which was served on the side. Because I don’t have a sweet tooth, I was pleased that the syrup was served on the side so that I could drizzle the amount I wanted as I don’t care for my food to be drowning in syrup.

Both of these dishes paired really well together with the Shin Ramen Caesar ($8), which consisted of vodka, shin ramen soup base, and clamato. Since both the BiBim-Burger and the Fried Chicken and Pa-ffles had elements in the dish that were sweet, the spicy and savoury Shin Ramen Caesar was perfect to balance out the sweetness.

Overall, this was a perfect meal at Anju. It was just the right amount of food for the both of us. Both the burger and the chicken & pa-ffles had us dreaming for more. There is no doubt these are my two new favourite dishes at Anju. As for how the BiBim-Burger stacked up against the Double Down at downtownfood, it’s a really tough choice and depends totally on personal preferences. But for me personally, I think the Double Down, edged out the BiBim-Burger slightly with the crispy poached egg and their DTF Bacon.

Anju Restaurant
507 – 10 Street SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 532-9419
http://anjurestaurant.tumblr.com

The Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival is back again in Banff this Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11! As with previous years, the Grand Tasting Hall will be at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – Conference Centre. The Grand Tasting Hall will feature food samples from some of the best restaurants and eateries in Banff including The Bison Restaurant & Terrace, Rimrock Resort Hotel, Sunshine Mountain Lodge, Balkan – The Greek Restaurant, Bear Hill Brewing Company, and many more. There will also be a wide array of wine, scotch, beer and other libations available to be paired with these delicious food samples. I’ve only ever been to the Calgary event but from the looks of it, this one is really popular too as the Saturday evening session is already sold out!

Thanks to Brookline Public Relations, I have two(2) admission tickets to give away for this event. The giveaway tickets are for the Saturday, May 11 afternoon session (2-5 PM). When presented at the door, these tickets will allow for complimentary access into the Grand Tasting Hall at the Banff Springs Hotel. Please note that tasting coupons are not included and all attendees will need to purchase tasting coupons separately at a cost of $0.50 cents each to use for obtaining food, wine and other beverage samples.  These admission tickets are not transferable to any other session. This is an adult only event. All attendees must be 18 years or older. Minors (including infants) are not permitted to attend.

To enter into this draw for the Wine Festival tickets (Prize worth $54-$64), simply leave a comment in the section below telling me “What is your favourite wine, beer or cocktail drink?”. You will need to put a valid email address in the appropriate box when telling me about your favourite beverage (not to worry, your email address will not be published), so that I can contact you if your name is drawn. This giveaway contest will close on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11:59PM MST. I will hold a random draw and one winner will be chosen. I will contact the winner via e-mail that evening as well as post the name of the winner here.  

If you need to purchase additional admission tickets, they are still available for the Friday, May 10 Evening Session (7-10 pm) and Saturday, May 11 Afternoon Session ( 2-5 pm).  The tickets are $27 each online, or $32 at the door. As I mentioned previously, the sampling coupons are $0.50 each and can be purchased (by cash only) at the Grand Tasting Hall.  The samples can range from 1 to 20 or more coupons, depending on the item.

For more information, visit http://www.rockymountainwine.com/banff.html.

Good Luck!

Our mission yesterday was to try the YYC Burger week feature burger, which was the Nainalicious Burger.  Having experienced a Naina’s stuffed burger before on my previous visit, I suggested to Anna that we share this burger. I know it’s a bit of a cop out but I don’t want to get “burgered out” before the week is over. This was only Day 2 and I still have many burgers that I want to try.  I’m sure it’s also to the relief of our hearts and arteries as it’s probably not the smartest nor healthiest thing to be eating a burger almost every day for a week.

The Nainalicious Burger ($15) consisted of a 1/2 pound burger stuffed with pulled pork, caramelized onions, aged cheddar, and slices of Granny Smith apple. The burger came with a choice of homemade fries, soup, or salad.

The burger didn’t look all that massive from the outside. But once we cut it in half, we saw how monstrous the patty was.  The burger itself was really moist and juicy. The slices of tart Granny Smith apple nicely balanced the cheddar and the pulled pork. I liked that the bun was nicely toasted and was sturdy enough to hold all the components together well. For a diner-style burger, this one was top-notch.

For our side, we decided to have the Mushroom Barley Soup. The soup was delicious and easily one of the best Mushroom Barley soups that I’ve had. It definitely tasted homemade. I’d definitely order this soup again if it was on the menu during my next visit.

For our second item, Anna and I decided to share the Pork and Apple Salad ($9.25). It consisted of crisp romaine topped with pulled pork, chunks of tart Granny Smith apple, pecans, and croutons. It was served with an apple cider vinaigrette. The salad was really refreshing  and the perfect accompaniment to the Nainalicious Burger. I’m so glad that Anna agreed to share the burger and salad with me. It was just the right amount of food for the both of us. We left full but not overstuffed nor guilty of having totally pigged out.

Since my last visit, Naina’s has changed their hours. They are now open Wednesdays to Fridays from 8 am to 3pm and on the weekends from 9 am to 2 pm. They are closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and holidays.

Naina’s Kitchen
#8, 2808 Ogden Rd SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 263-6355
http://nainaskitchen.com

With downtownfood being one of my favourite restaurants in Calgary, I was super excited to try Chef Darren MacLean’s special burger creation for YYC Burger Week. I’d already missed out on the Calgary Poutine Crawl 2013 the previous weekend and so did not have an opportunity to sample his winning Bacon Mushroom Melt Poutine. This time, I wasn’t about to let another opportunity slip by so I made reservations far in advance for the first lunch of YYC Burger Week after learning that downtownfood was a participant. Boy, was I sure glad I had made reservations as it was a full house at downtownfood for lunch last Friday.

My friend and I shared an order of the Crispy Eggplant Wontons ($13) to start.  We had been really looking forward to try this appetizer on a previous visit but ended up being sidetracked by the specials they had on that day. Hence, on this visit we were determined to try these wontons that I kept on hearing rave reviews about. These Crispy Eggplant Wontons were indeed delectable. The were filled with creamy Noble Meadows goat cheese and served atop a pickled eggplant tapenade along with some edamame puree and finished with a bit of sweet mirin. The eggplant wontons were perfectly crispy on the outside. I loved the contrasting textures and flavours.  All the components came together to create a harmonious bite.

When we found out what was in the YYC Burger Week feature burger, we were super excited. The  Brant Lake Wagyu Double Down Burger ($15) consisted of a 4 oz sous vide ground Wagyu patty, house cured and smoked Wagyu pastrami, DTF bacon, truffle cheddar, a soft poached crispy egg, Broxburn tomatoes, arugula, garlic aioli and pickled wild leeks. What are the chances that this burger would have all the components that we’d been really wanting to try for the last while. First, it was house made pastrami. After learning last month that Chef Darren was making his own house cured and smoked pastrami for the spring menu, I’d been really looking forward to try it.  Also, up until this point, I  hadn’t had the opportunity to try the famous house cured DTF bacon either and I’ve been hearing rave reviews about it again and again. Then there was the soft poached crispy egg. After having seen it in an Instagram photo by downtownfood a couple of weeks back, I was intrigued and was really hoping I would have the opportunity to try it on a burger one day.  It was like our wish had come true. This was the perfect burger! We are able to try all the things we’ve been wishing to try all in this one burger.

When the burger first arrived, my friend and I were in total awe. I stared at it for several minutes trying to figure out what was the best way to eat it so that I would get a little of all the components in every bite while at the same time, I wanted to be sure that I wouldn’t be “wearing my lunch” afterwards. Stacked together, this burger was almost 8 inches tall. There was clearly no hope that I could open my jaw wide enough to get it all in one bite. Hence, I needed to come up with a strategy to compress it down to a manageable height. Who knew that eating a burger would be such a challenging feat! But I was definitely up for the challenge though I must say this is the first time I’ve needed to devise a strategy on how to eat a burger. It’s definitely not as straightforward as it seems. You can’t just press down hard on it to try to compress the bun because the soft poached egg will burst, as my friend found out the hard way. My secret approach was to remove some of the pastrami. I left enough of it on so I would still get the taste but I managed to reduce the height the burger by a bit.

The combination of flavours in this burger was just out of this world.  The DTF bacon alone was enough to knock my socks off. Both my friend and I agreed that as bacon lovers, we’ve had really good bacon before but this DTF bacon is in a category of its own. I will never look at bacon the same way again after this. The house made pastrami was flavourful and delish! And then there was the perfectly soft poached crispy egg. I loved the runny yolk contrasted by the crispy exterior and the tender egg white. I wish I could have  my eggs prepared this way from now on. The sous vide ground Wagyu patty was on the mark. It was perfectly cooked to medium rare and the flavour of the beef really sang through. Even the tomatoes were spot on. The flavour was sweet and bright. It’s the way tomatoes should taste, not like the flavourless varieties that we often find at the local supermarket. I also loved the fluffy house made bun. It was soft but yet sturdy enough to keep everything together. The one component that really surprised me was the pickled wild leeks. When I read the menu, I didn’t think too much of them initially. But boy, did they give the burger that extra punch of flavour. Without a doubt, this burger had wow factor. Off all the burgers I’ve eaten to date, I can easily say this was one of the most memorable. It was also definitely the tallest. All of the components worked really well together. They each played a role in making this to be a foodie’s dream burger.

Initially, the burger didn’t seem all that big by appearance as it was only slightly larger than a slider. But don’t let the appearance food you. With all the toppings combined, it turned out to be really filling and I probably wouldn’t want it to be much bigger than what we were served. It was the perfect portion without feeling like you’ve overeaten afterwards.

The burger was served with double blanched fries and housemade spiced ketchup along with a Broxburn strawberry shake. Even though I’m usually not a huge fan of fries (as it is a bit too much in carbs for me), I really enjoyed these fries. They were perfectly crispy and not greasy at all. I liked that the housemade ketchup had a spicy kick to it.

As the first of many burgers that I plan to try for YYC Burger Week, this Brant Lake Wagyu Double Down Burger definitely set the bar quite high.  The flavour of the sous vide Wagyu beef patty alone is hard to beat. Never mind the DTF bacon, which I reckon will be Chef Darren’s secret weapon to winning the hearts and tastebuds of all the burger tasters. Then there was the soft poached crispy egg, which was totally unlike anything that I’ve had before. Without a doubt, this Brant Lake Wagyu Double Down Burger will be one of the contenders for my vote on best burger for this event. I can’t wait to see what some of the other competing restaurants have in store. If you do want to try this Brant Lake Wagyu Double Down Burger, there is one catch. As of right now, this burger is only available for lunch at downtownfood. I don’t know if that will change in the next few days as downtownfood hinted in a tweet yesterday about a “surprise announcement [this] week”  so keep checking on twitter for updates.

downtownfood
628 8th Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(587)353-3474
http://www.downtownfood.ca