REVIEW | CHEFBAR | CALGARY

** This restaurant is now closed. **

Eating essentially two brunches earlier in the day (cc: T. Pot and Beltliner), the word "full" was an understatement. Thus, it was appropriate to burn off all those calories with shopping, and more shopping. After consecutive trips to the CORE and Chinook, we finally settled in for a late-ish dinner at Chefbar.

Chefbar is the brand new baby and brainchild of chef/owner Shaun Desaulniers. Reading his little autobiographical blurb on the restaurant's website, he's certainly accomplished and a veteran of the industry.  Having been opened for just four short months, the restaurant is small and intimate, with an outdoor patio spilling out on 11th avenue. We had a little trouble finding the place since it doesn't exactly stand out against the building it shares with various other businesses. Their signage is small, so just look out for the Gerry Thomas Gallery awning and you're golden.

Menus are strapped to wooden boards and features only a small sampling of dishes. Less items = better quality? Let's hope.

Before we decided on what to order, the waiter let us know that all the plates on the menu are meant to be shared, and recommended that we split two mains and a side between the 3 of us. We heeded his advice, although I took on a main by myself (albeit a lighter one) and SC and EC shared a side and a main.

Chefbar also has a sizable drinks menu, consisting of diverse cocktails, beers, and wines. SC and EC started with the Perfect Margarita ($12.00) which was a blend of El Jimador Blanco tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, mint, and orange juice. I don't drink so I passed on trying a sip, but SC and EC really enjoyed it.

The waiter didn't know that we weren't sharing everything, so all the dishes came out in a haphazard fashion. 

First to arrive on the table was the roasted cauliflower steak ($8.00) flavoured with smoked paprika oil, capers, and flat leaf parsley. A really simple dish but quite flavourful. 

For my dinner, I chose the salmon belly & lobster cake ($19.00) which featured two small salmon and lobster cakes, topped with arugula, fennel, and apple in a lemon dressing. A smear of sriracha aioli and a grilled half lemon completes the dish. The cakes were borderline burnt, but I do prefer them having a crispy crust than nothing at all, even if it meant that the innards were slightly dry. The srirachi aioli had a really nice flavour, but the salmon and lobster cakes themselves were suuuper salty. A lighter touch with the seasoning and the dish would have been a winner for me.

To end off the dinner, SC and EC shared the braised short ribs ($24.00?) which came on top of a mushroom shallot risotto, with roasted carrots, and natural jus (see first photo). Apparently they took it off their menu because I can no longer find it on the website. When the dish first came out, we all had a try of the risotto and collectively agreed that it seemed a little undercooked as the rice was a bit hard. When the waiter came by to check on us, SC mentioned it to him and he told us that risotto is traditionally served "al dente." Sure, I can understand al dente, but the rice wasn't tender and really was too hard for it to be enjoyable. No matter, he took the dish back asking if we wanted the rice cooked longer or the dish substituted with another item on the menu.

Not wanting to make any more unnecessary fuss, SC and EC asked that the risotto just be cooked longer, although I assume the restaurant made a fresh batch as it took quite a while for the plate to come back. By this time, I was already done eating and excused myself to the washroom (which is really teeny tiny by the way) and wasn't there when the waiter brought the dish back out. Apparently he had mentioned (again!) that "risotto should be cooked al dente" and "understand that what we had now was overcooked." Overcooked or not, SC and EC had no problems with the new plate.

I'm sure it wasn't his intention, but the waiter's comment left us with a bad taste in our mouths. Go ahead, defend your philosophy and vision, but you don't have to do it in a derogatory way by insinuating what the customer prefers is actually wrong since the dish is now "overcooked." I'm not usually one to make negative comments about service (if you know me, I'm not a confrontational person -- like, at all), and for the most part, service was friendly and fine, but it's not our first rodeo, so get off your high horse.

ChefBar

www.chefbar.ca 

602 11 Ave SW

Calgary, AB

(587) 353-1299

  

- CT

REVIEW | THE BELTLINER | CALGARY

Weekend brunch in Calgary is a cult favourite. Compared to Edmonton, Calgary's brunch scene is literally its own culture. Anywhere you go, expect hour long waits with a side of man buns. I mean, our water came in mason jars if that tells you anything.



Having said that, the Beltliner is a relatively new brunch contender, having just opened 4-5 months ago. It's located right next door to the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites on 12th avenue in the Victoria Park neighbourhood of downtown Calgary. It boasts unique breakfast and lunch options available until late (or until their dinner menu starts). The interior of the restaurant is cool and hip, with a grab-and-go coffee counter right when you walk in, a bar with plenty of seating, tables along the windows, and booths running right down the middle of the restaurant. There really is no privacy sitting in the booths, as the partitions are quite low. All the servers are also dressed in some form of plaid, which can sometimes get confusing as they easily blend in with the crowd that they are serving. 

Right after dim sum with my family, they dropped me off at SC's downtown apartment where I met up with her and her boyfriend EC. SC's days in Calgary are dwindling as she returns to Edmonton for school in September so we had to make the most of our time. We had a marathon day of eating and shopping planned (with me being the third wheel. I've come to accept it as my forever role in life). And despite having just eaten a mere hour before, I was really excited to try the Beltliner, as it was my suggestion to try the food here just based on the menu alone.

We arrived around 1:00-2:00 and the place was almost all full. We didn't have to wait for a table, although I'm sure you would have to if you came a bit earlier. Service was a bit slow however, and the food took a while to come out. Don't come here if you're in a rush.

SC's brunch pick was the lobster benedict ($19.00), which came with fresh lobster, cream cheese, and tobiko. There are 3 varieties of eggs benedict on the menu, and they all come with poached eggs on a grilled English muffin with Beltliner hollandaise and hashbrowns.  I tried a small bite of the dish and for a bite, it was quite good. The hashbrowns were also quite unique, featuring stacks of thinly sliced potatoes, and then deep fried into triangular wedges. I'm not sure if I enjoyed this interpretation since the ratio of crunch to potato was simply too much potato for me.

From the urging of SC, EC chose the fried chicken and waffles ($19.00) which came with crispy thighs, buttermilk waffles, and white gravy. It's a pretty large portion so the price tag seems justified to me. I believe all of the chicken was boneless and dark meat. EC and SC both mentioned that the waffle was super soggy, which wasn't helped by the white gravy that was drenched over top. Although on a positive note, the homemade hot sauce supplied in bottles on the tables was quite nice (a little spicy for me), as EC used a lot of it to liven up the chicken. 

For my dish, I chose the crème brûlée french toast ($10.00, see first picture) which came with vanilla cream and fresh fruit. Now I'm a little biased since I don't really enjoy french toast to begin with, but the concept of the dish enticed me to order it. I thought maybe the Beltliner may change my mind about french toast. Plus, it was the most picturesque dish for Instagram. #priorities. 

Unfortunately, the burnt sugary crust wasn't enough to help the soggy, eggy interior. Although I guess that is exactly what french toast is, and I'm just not a fan. The vanilla cream was alright and I wish there just a little bit more fruit on top. I ate one slice and took the other to go. Knew I should have stuck to a savoury option. 

Overall, I really really really wanted to like the Beltliner, but my thoughts can only be summed up in one word: ehhh. Their menu sounds amazing so I think it's mainly an issue with execution. My experience was nothing special, although I think I should try their other menu options before dismissing Beltliner forever. Although it may take me a while to come back... there's just too many good places in Calgary to try.

The Beltliner

thebeltliner.com

243 12 Ave SW

Calgary, AB

(587) 955-1555

  

- CT

REVIEW | T. POT CHINA BISTRO | CALGARY

Driving into Calgary off highway 2 and Deerfoot Trail, my family and I always make a detour for dim sum at T. Pot China Bistro before heading downtown. The restaurant itself stands alone in a Country Hills strip mall anchored by T&T Supermarket and a variety of other shops and restaurants.
 

On weekends, the large, modern space is loud and bustling with families and patrons, which speaks volumes of its popularity. There's usually a line at the door during peak times, but they provide you with a pager which flashes when your table is ready. 

Instead of push carts, ordering is done on a tick sheet, written in both Chinese and English. I actually prefer ordering dim sum this way, as it ensures the food is fresh and hot, and that you actually get what you want. No more lukewarm, leftover food on the cart that everyone else has rejected on the way over! Prices are also listed on the sheet and range from 1 star to 4 stars, corresponding to prices that start at $4.25 to $6.50 which I feel is pretty reasonable, albeit on the higher side for dim sum. 

Once the sheet is all ticked off and ready, one of the waitstaff will input your order into their computer and provide you with a receipt stapled back onto the menu. They'll cross off the items as your food arrives to ensure you receive your full order.

Unfortunately, since I had a food marathon planned for the rest of the day with SC (multiple blog posts to come!), I only managed a couple of bites of some of the items, so I can't comment on every single thing. Do know that the food is generally very fresh and tasty, and if it's any indication, my family comes here every single time we drive into Calgary on a day trip, sometimes even twice in one day. It's definitely a problem I wish to rectify, since variety is the spice of life! (Also for the sake of my blog.)

In order of their appearance on the table, we have:

Deep fried shrimp dumplings ($5.75)

I generally prefer a thicker wrapper but these were still decent. Fresh out of the fryer and steaming hot on the inside.

Steamed beef tendon & beef tripe with black pepper ($5.75) and steamed chicken feet in special sauce ($4.99)

Deep fried eggplant with shrimp paste ($7.50)

I thought it was really cool how they prepare this as most places just portion it out into small slices. Here, they give you almost the full eggplant!

Steamed scallop and shrimp dumplings ($6.50)

Pan fried taro cake ($4.99)

Steamed shrimp dumplings ($5.75)

Instead of the usual portion of 4, you get 4 regular-sized dumplings and a baby dumpling (so cute!). Wrapper wasn't too gummy and the shrimp were nice and fresh.

Rice crepe wrapped Chinese dough with crispy dried pork on top ($6.50)

One of my favourite dim sum dishes! A little hard to break apart with chopsticks so they can cut it a little better but that's grasping at straws here. They provide you with a trio of sauces -- sweet soy sauce, hoisin, and peanut sauce. I'm a traditionalist so sweet soy sauce all the way. Only wish they gave a little bit more sauce for the amount of ja leung there is on the plate.

Steamed ground beef ball ($4.25)

 This was my auntie's favourite. She literally ate the entire steamer herself.

Crab meat and pork dumplings ($5.75)

Like the shrimp dumplings, they give you 5 which is handy for my family. No more fighting over who gets a piece. They're smaller than most places, but you do get 1 more than usual. Nice and meaty, although I'm not sure if they actually contain any crab besides the shrimp on top. They can probably do with updating their menu descriptions unless they'd like to get sued for false advertising (kidding of course).

Overall, it's my family's go-to in Calgary and it's a decent spot for dim sum and dinner as well. I've read many things online about their service but it's what I've come to expect from any Chinese restaurant. It is what it is.

T. Pot China Bistro
www.tasteofasiagroup.ca

9650 Harvest Hills Blvd NE

Calgary, AB

(403) 532-3982

 

- CT

REVIEW | THE COMMON | EDMONTON

The Common is hard to describe. For one, it's a hipster's heaven. Eclectic, vintage decor with an equally trendy, young downtown crowd. I'd bet that 50% of the males in the restaurant had at least a man bun, a beard, or both. 

But to their credit, The Common is not pretentious at all, and I think that's what makes this self-described gastro-lounge "cool." 

Located in between a tire shop and a liquor mart, the restaurant doesn't exactly stand out along 109th street. In fact, it's a bit unassuming. Parking is also extremely rare in these parts, as I found out when circling around the area twice, finally settling for a parking spot 4 blocks away... After working a full day without any lunch break, I was definitely #hangry when I finally walked through the doors.

We came by on Friday mid-afternoon around 3:45 and the place was decently full. We were celebrating AL and KN's last weekend of freedom as they start school a week early ahead of everyone else (losers! lol jk, don't hate me).

The Common is known for offering elevated comfort food, serving both a lunch and dinner menu, with lunch ending at 4:00. More popular items (such as their famous chicken and waffles) are served all day, but their dinner menu certainly has more appetizers to choose from, as well as heartier entrees. 

Do note that the restaurant is 18+, and the waitstaff checked our IDs even when we didn't order any drinks. I bet I'll be asked for my ID until I'm 30 at least. Perks of being Asian?

Since I was running a bit late, AL and KN went ahead and ordered a half portion of the Cheddar Poutine ($11.00 / half portion $8.00) to share. The poutine had Quebec curds, Irish cheddar, green onions, and white gravy smothered over top. The cheddar was a bit of a surprise, and at first glance looked like tiny cubes of cantaloupe. The portion was a bit on the small side, but it is the half portion, so I can't say what the size of the full dish would be. The poutine was not overly salty and the fries were tasty enough, but the dish could probably do without the green onion. No green stuff in my poutine please!

For the main event, AL and I both chose the chicken and waffles ($17.00), which had bacon waffles, blueberry ancho sauce, goat cheese, and watermelon. This is pretty much the signature dish of The Common. The bacon waffles were more sweet than I was expecting, but the saltiness of the bacon did make it pair well with the fried strips of chicken. Strips isn't exactly the right word, since the two pieces would probably combine to make one full chicken breast. They were fried well, as the crunchy breading helped seal in the juices of the chicken. Doesn't that sound appetizing? Chicken juices. 

I'm great with words.

Moving swiftly on... the blueberry ancho sauce was a bit of an afterthought, but it was also quite sweet. This was also my first time having goat cheese, and surprisingly, I didn't dislike it. The creaminess worked in the dish, although you have to be pretty careful with how much goat cheese you spread onto the waffle or else it easily overpowers everything. The piece of watermelon is also kind of random, but I won't say no to any watermelon.

Overall, $17.00 is a bit pricy for the dish in my opinion, so be sure to come by on a Monday, when the dish is on special for $12.00.

KN decided to be different and ordered the smoked salmon waffle ($14.00). It was an open-faced waffle, with cream cheese spread, trout roe capers, smoked salmon, Saskatoon berries, and red onion. The dish also comes with fries, soup, or salad. KN went with the soup, which the waitress said was a corn chowder, but either she was mistaken about what the soup choice was, or KN was given a tomato soup by accident. Technically the soup could still have corn blended into it, but all she tasted was tomato. Still, KN thought the soup was hearty, and liked the tanginess of the cream cheese paired with the smoked salmon on the waffle. It is a classic combination after all.

Overall, service was nice and attentive. I think I would have to try more of The Common's menu offerings to pass judgement on the food. Other reviewers say it can be a hit and a miss here, but I'm just glad that today was mostly a hit.

The Common

www.thecommon.ca

9910 109 St NW

Edmonton, AB

(780) 452-7333

  

- CT

AT HOME | TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Between being sick and starting a new job this past week, I haven't had much time to blog, let alone breathe. But instead of resting during my rare Saturday off, I instead decided to devote it to one of my first loves -- baking. 

Baking has always been my form of therapy. When I'm stressed out, I bake. Feeling anxious? I bake. Sad? I bake. Happy? I bake. Coughing and dying? I will still bake.

On the menu today: triple chocolate cookies à la British YouTuber and blogger Tanya Burr! The recipe itself is pretty basic but since it is entirely in weights instead of cup measurements, it took considerably longer to make.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (or 390°F according to North American standards).     

Ingredients

• 200g butter (essentially 2 sticks)
• 300g granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg
• 275g self-raising flour (basically all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder and salt - you can find the ratio online)
• 75g cocoa powder
• a dash of milk 
• a large bar of milk chocolate
• a large bar of white chocolate
• a large bar of dark chocolate 

Cream the butter and sugar together. Unless you want to exercise your muscles, make sure that the butter is at room temperature.

Once the butter and sugar is somewhat blended together, add a single egg and then the rest of your dry ingredients. If the dough is a bit dry, add a dash of milk.

For the final step (and definitely the hardest!), try to resist eating all the chocolate and add it to the dough.

The dough will make about 10 to 12 tennis ball sized portions. 

There's no other way to make these cookies. They have to be the size of tennis balls.   

Flatten them down a tiny bit and bake them off for 11 minutes. The cookies won't look fully baked when they first come out of the oven but let them cool for 30 minutes and they should come together in the end. 

And the money shot:

 
 Worth it.

- CT

REVIEW | KOBE JAPANESE BISTRO | EDMONTON

Kobe Japanese Bistro is a small, nondescript restaurant nestled on the outside of a Callingwood strip mall. GY introduced me to this place early in the year and I have been back numerous times. It's sad when you can actually track the number through Instagram posts, but through the photo evidence, it's quite clear that I mostly come for two specific items on the menu.

If you trust my judgement (which you should), order these two items and consider yourself a new regular. 

The restaurant is pretty casual and laidback, though it can get busy during dinner on the weekends. It's never too long of a wait for a table though, and service is always quick and friendly.

My family and I came to Kobe for my dad's early birthday dinner. We ordered my must-haves, as well as some new items to share.

A bowl of miso soup comes if you order any of the dinner combinations. Pretty standard bowl filled with green onions, seaweed, and tofu. 

I normally don't like beef tataki, but Kobe's version is pretty good. Served on a bed (more like mountain) of shredded cabbage dressed in Ponzu, the rare slices of beef are both tangy and buttery.

My family loves raw oysters (I don't, because slimy should never be an adjective when referring to food) but they didn't have any available that night. The waiter instead recommended the kaki fry, basically 4 deep fried oysters coated in panko, and served with a ponzu salsa.

To close off our round of appetizers, one of the items that I always get no matter what: the grilled squid with gesos. Squid is a highly underrated seafood, and it is weirdly one of my favourites if it is prepared right. Forget lobster and crab, it's all about the squid.

Here, the squid body is grilled to smoky perfection. Gesos, which I believe translates to the squid's tentacles, are deep fried in a tempura batter. The dish is served with a ginger dipping sauce and a bowl of cabbage dressed in ponzu. Both squid variations are incredibly tender and incredibly tasty. A must-order.

 
The next items on our list were two of their dinner combinations (or their version of a bento box but displayed much more pretty). We ordered both their chicken teriyaki (above) and their beef teriyaki (first photo). Served with a medley of tempura and a variety of sashimi cuts, the dinners are pretty good value and acted as our fillers for the dinner. 

Out of the two, I much prefer the chicken teriyaki, as I found the beef slightly overcooked and a tad chewy. The sashimi is also pretty fresh and sliced not too thin. The tempura was okay, not bad but not too memorable either.

Moving onto sushi rolls... 

I believe this was called the deep fried spicy salmon roll. My sister wanted to get this because it had the essence of a Dragon Eye roll, basically a deep fried roll with salmon and served with a spicy mayo. There were also shreds of fried potato sprinkled over top, although I didn't think they were necessary. It certainly didn't add much when the sushi is already fried and crunchy.

Kobe does serve a larger Dragon Eye roll, but my sister was disappointed by the skimpy portion of spicy mayo they used the last time we ordered it. I guess it varies depending on the person making it. My sister lives for spicy mayo apparently.

And finally, saving the best for last: 

So picturesque. The Sweet Passion roll, which consists of eel and shrimp tempura, topped with salmon belly and then torched and drizzled with a creamy sauce. I don't know what it is about torching sushi (there's a term for it: aburi), but the smokiness brings the entire roll together. So harmonious. So amazing. GET. GET. GET. 

To recap, grilled squid with gesos and the sweet passion roll. That's all you need to order here.

Kobe Japanese Bistro

japanesekobesushi.com/

6655 178 St NW Unit 516

Edmonton, AB

(780) 444-7878

  

- CT