SNAPSHOTS | CALGARY | APR 2019

 
A rare Saturday off in April could only mean one thing: ROAD TRIP! We spent the day in Calgary doing what we do best. Eating, as per usual.

Itinerary

• Big Fish
• Made by Marcus
• Butter Block & Co.
• Finesse Desserts
• Katsuten

B I G   F I S H

1112 Edmonton Trail
Calgary, AB
(403) 277-3403

Brunch in Calgary, sort of a big deal. I'm not one to enjoy hour-long waits for some eggs in the morning, so I found a place that I thought would be relatively low-key.

Located on Edmonton Trail, Big Fish, as the name implies, is a seafood restaurant. It's a casual place, small, cozy, and quiet. It almost felt like dining in someone's living room (you know, if they're into nautical decor and have a giant octopus painted on their wall).  

The brunch menu has a good amount of options, from basic breakfast fare to those with a little bit more flair.

SC ordered their daily special, smoked trout hash. I almost expected the fish to be chopped up and mixed in with the potatoes, but there was actually a whole fillet on top.  The dish is finished with a couple poached eggs and some hollandaise sauce. They also give a side of toast, complete with homemade jam, and some homemade ketchup for the crispy potatoes.

Whenever soft shell crab is on the menu, you know I'm ordering it. The soft shell crab club ($19.00) comes complete with BLT trimmings -- organic tomatoes and a couple strips of double smoked bacon. You also have a choice of side: yam chips, brunch potatoes, or salad. 

The soft shell crab was fried perfectly; it was crispy and well-seasoned. Unfortunately, the bread was almost too toasted for my liking. I think a soft bun, like a brioche, would've been a better choice. I also could have done without the bacon in there. It was just way too tough and almost impossible to chew. A couple changes and the sandwich could have been a winner.

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M A D E   B Y   M A R C U S

#121, 1013 17 Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 452-1692

As we made our way to our next destination, we made an impromptu stop at Made by Marcus' 17th Ave location. What cemented our decision? Only the fact that April's soft serve flavour was carrot cake!

For $4.00 a cup, you do get a lot of ice cream for your buck. The soft serve is creamy and the carrot cake flavour really does come through. SC ordered one scoop ($5.00), but two flavours: the malted mini egg and the Chinook bee pollen & lavender (both seasonal). The malted mini egg tasted exactly as advertised! Sweet milk chocolate in a malted milk base. The bee pollen and lavender was a more subtly sweet flavour, with floral and honey notes.

Super stoked that Edmonton is also about to have their very own Made by Marcus! Summer 2019 will officially be known as the renaissance of ice cream.

 

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B U T T E R   B L O C K   &   C O

The Devenish Building
Suite 111, 908 17 Ave SW
Calgary, AB

Our original destination before our unplanned ice cream break was Butter Block & Co. Located in the historic Devenish building, this small little bakery emits the most unreal smell through the hallways. I contacted them through Instagram and they were so kind to set aside the baked goods I wanted in case they sold out by the time I got there.

The bakery specializes in croissants -- whether they're plain, double-baked, stuffed, or made into sandwiches! They also do scones, cookies, buns, and danishes. Every Tuesday, they also feature a "test run" treat for only $2.50!

I ordered a bunch of goodies to bring back home. In a clockwise direction, I got their ham & cheese croissant, a zucchini & brie danish, a spicy cheese knot, a stuffed matcha croissant, and a double-baked black sesame croissant.

Although all of them were delicious, my particular favourite was the double-baked black sesame. Super nutty, toasty and fragrant!

If you can't make it to the bakery, Butter Block also sells their pastries at a few coffee shops and pop-ups throughout Calgary.

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F I N E S S E   D E S S E R T S

#32, 7337 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB
(587) 777-8010

It might seem like we just went from one bakery to another but I promise we did go shopping in between!

Located close to Chinook Centre, Finesse Desserts is a relatively new bakery. It's absolutely gorgeous inside, with a wall decorated entirely in roses. There's a lot of sweet, ornate details that just goes to highlight how pretty their desserts are.

SC got two of their individual glazed cakes ($7.75 each). The red cake was named passion, with raspberry mousse, passion fruit, and a pistachio base. The pink cake was the fairytale, with vanilla mousse, pineapple, and a coconut sponge base. The two macarons ($2.25 each) were mini egg and papaya & Prosecco.

Although the desserts were really pretty, they were just too sweet for us (and I have a pretty sweet tooth). The macarons especially almost didn't have any flavour besides sugar.

However, we did very much enjoy their canelés ($2.25). It was our first time trying this small French cake but I could see them quickly becoming my new obsession.

Canelés are flavoured with rum and vanilla and baked in a fluted mold. The outside is crunchy and caramelized while the inside is soft and almost custard-like.

Too bad I can't find any bakery that makes them in Edmonton T_T.

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K A T S U T E N

3220 28 St SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 475-1677

Dinner came next, so we were off to a very unassuming strip mall in southwest Calgary. Katsuten specializes in Japanese katsu, or deep fried cutlets.

Although many characterize it as a hidden gem, the secret is definitely out. Because it's a small restaurant, it was packed when we arrived. Make a reservation or get there early!

AL joined us for dinner and ordered the yaki udon ($12.90), stir-fried udon noodles with carrots, mushrooms, onions, and your choice of chicken or beef. Katsuten seems to have taken this dish off their menu recently, but it looked like a pretty tasty, solid bowl of noodles.

SC and I both opted for the assorted katsu plate ($18.90): two pieces of cheese cutlet, two pieces of prawn, and a smaller pork tenderloin cutlet. It also comes with a bowl of rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage, and sauce. 

Katsuten uses fresh breadcrumbs from Glamorgan Bakery (who also sell amazing cheese buns fyi) and you could really taste the difference it makes. The breading is crispy but it almost has a fluffy, airy texture. I'm the type to get tired of eating one thing easily so it was nice to have a variety with the assorted plate. With the cheese cutlet in particular, it was almost too rich so I couldn't imagine ordering the full entree portion to myself.

Overall, Katsuten lives up to the hype. They stick to one thing, and they do it well.

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That concludes another gluttonous day in Calgary! Until the next one!

- CT

SNAPSHOTS | MONTREAL 2019 | DAY 6

And just like that, our Montreal trip has come to an end.

On our last day, we woke up early as MH had a Toronto-bound train to catch at Central Station. The station was within walking distance of the apartment so we decided to escort her there.

It snowed overnight so the sidewalks were slushy and wet. Thankfully it had snowed on the day we were leaving!

This beautiful bakery display is brought to you by Boulangerie Première Moisson. They're a bakery chain with dozens of locations across Quebec. I didn't realize it at the time but we already came across two of their locations (in Atwater Market and Jean-Talon Market). Their location in Central Station seems to be a popular pit stop for commuters on the way to work.

MH has a penchant for almond croissants so she picked up one ($3.50), as well as an almond chocolatine ($3.60) for the road.

 

After we said our goodbyes, LT and I walked back in the direction of our apartment, before making a stop at nearby Crew Collective & Café.

The building was once the corporate headquarters for Royal Bank, and they've repurposed it into a really cool cafe/co-working space. The high ornate ceilings, grand columns, and the bank teller counter make it one of the most beautiful cafes that I've ever seen.

Fun fact, we even saw A&W filming a taste test commercial inside. 

 

I ordered a hot chocolate ($6.75) while LT got a latte ($5.75). The hot chocolate uses a dark chocolate ganache mixed with steamed milk but it was wayyyy too bitter. LT's latte didn't fare much better. A shame, especially at those prices.

 

We had brought our drinks back to the Airbnb, where we also ate a breakfast of leftover dumplings and baos. We stayed at the apartment until the very last minute before we had to check-out at 11. 

There's a few things that you absolutely have to eat if you find yourself in Montreal. Bagels (check!), poutine (check!), and smoked meat. It seemed fitting that smoked meat would be our final meal before heading home. We wanted something less touristy than Schwartz's, so we found ourselves at Snowdon Deli, which Eater claimed was the best smoked meat in the city.

Having been around for over 70 years, Snowdon definitely has a local community feel. It's a traditional Jewish deli, split into a deli counter and a restaurant. They serve everything from breakfasts to deli meats to a classic matzo ball soup.

We were still a little full from breakfast, so we decided to share the smoked meat platter ($16.00). The platter comes with a plate of French fries, rye bread, and dills (which we asked to be omitted since we're not pickle people). The French fries were crispy with a soft potato inside. For some reason, they also tasted slightly sweet.

You order smoked meat in terms of fattiness (lean, medium, or fatty). For the best experience, get the old-fashioned. You'll get a thicker cut of meat in both medium and fatty.  

By ordering the platter, we were able to make our own sandwiches. Meat, mustard, bread. That's it. And it's really all you need. I don't have much experience with smoked meat but I loved it! Super delicious; the meat was soft, tender, and succulent. We came in not really hungry, but we had no problem polishing off the entire plate of meat.

 

After lunch, we headed straight to the airport. Although our flight wasn't much later in the evening, we didn't know what else to do since we had our luggages with us and it was snowing pretty hard. Oh well.

Until next time Montreal! Au revoir!

- CT

SNAPSHOTS | MONTREAL 2019 | DAY 5

One of the main reasons we went to Montreal was to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday (yes, she's old old). So on our last full day in the city and LT's actual birthday, we spent the day eating and doing all of her favourite things.   

Starting with the most important meal of the day!

Le Passe Compose is a popular French bistro located in Montreal's Gay Village. Closed on Tuesdays, they're open from 8:30am to 2:30pm the rest of the week. There's no shortage of brunch restaurants in Montreal, but I was particularly drawn to the elaborate and generously portioned plates served here. I heard that the restaurant gets pretty busy so although I suggested an early start, we had no problem with crowds on a weekday.

A good portion of the menu is dedicated to "poached eggs," their riff on the classic eggs Benedict. Most of their poached eggs can be ordered in quantities of one or two. One poached egg is already a good amount of food, especially because of how rich the components are, but larger appetites would probably appreciate the second.

I got their rural poached egg ($18.00) which starts with a thick toasted brioche base. Parsley pesto, wild mushrooms, Gaspor pulled pork, and a poached egg get smothered in a rich and creamy porcini sauce. The plate is rounded out with a couple fresh fruit ramekins and a smoothie shot. It was such a composed and well-balanced dish -- the perfect brunch plate!

LT ordered the foie gras poached egg ($19.00), an even more decadent creation with pancetta chips, caramelized onions, foie gras sauce, and a piece of pan-seared foie gras. LT gave me a piece of the foie gras to try; it reminded of a creamier, more robust bone marrow. It was buttery, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth, certainly not for the faint of heart.

MH ordered the vegetarian poached eggs ($23.00), which by default comes with two eggs. It was served on a wooden platter, with two squares of toasted brioche, a variety of buttered root vegetables, carrot and masala velouté, crumbled feta, pickled croutons, and sorel sprouts. Despite being vegetarian, it was a filling dish just because of its sheer size.

Don't forget to order a side of their famous panko French toast ($6.00)! I normally don't like French toast because to me, it's just soggy, eggy bread. However, I make an exception for Hong Kong-style French toast and now the panko French toast from Le Passe Compose! No joke, it was one of the best things I ate on this trip. Crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and sweet with a drizzle of pure maple syrup. It was worth all the delicious calories.

After brunch, we walked over to the Old Port of Montreal. Because we were right by the riverfront, the air was much more brisk. I don't understand how people were able to ice skate outside but I figure a few laps around would warm you right up. 

We wanted to ride the La Grande Roue de Montreal, the iconic Ferris wheel overlooking the St. Lawrence River. I thought it was a bit expensive for what it was ($25.00/person), but it was still a fun time with great views of the city. Because there wasn't that many people in line, we were also able to get a private gondola to ourselves.  

The wheel went around five rotations for about 15 minutes. It's been a while since I rode on a Ferris wheel so it was actually a little scary at first. At the beginning of the ride, my knees turned to jello and I couldn't sit all the way back on the bench.

We also explored the rest of Old Montreal that we didn't get to see the day before. Seeing all the old architecture was neat -- like a little slice of Europe in Canada.

We also paid a visit to the Notre-Dame Basilica. There was a $8 admission fee but it was worth every penny once you step inside. It's one of those sorts of places where a picture doesn't quite capture all of its beauty and splendor. 

After a defrosting break at the apartment, we went out in the late afternoon to explore Chinatown. Montreal's Chinatown is not huge by any stretch but I liked how pedestrian friendly it was.

We were getting a bit peckish but we also didn't want to spoil our dinner plans later than night so we decided to get some dumplings! I was surprised at how many restaurants there were in Montreal that specialize in dumplings (although they call them ravioli, how cute). We went to Qing Hua, one of the OG dumpling shops.

We made it it in time for their lunch pricing which was really affordable. There were all sorts of fillings, from pork, beef, chicken, lamb, and vegetarian options. With each protein, there were also different ingredient combinations, like cabbage, corn, coriander, and mushroom. Each order comes with 15 dumplings, your choice of boiled, steamed, or pan-fried (+$1.50). You could also mix and match two kinds of dumplings for an extra $0.50. On the table, there are three types of sauces you can use -- soy sauce, black vinegar, and chili oil.

We made the mistake of getting an order each (I guess you are what you eat), but at least we had leftovers for breakfast the next day. LT and I shared an order of steamed curry beef dumplings ($7.49) and an order of the pan-fried pork and cabbage dumplings ($7.49 + $1.50). Both of them were well-seasoned and juicy! MH got two varieties, one vegetarian and one shrimp (couldn't remember which exact ones they were), pan-fried ($8.99 + $1.50 + $0.50). 

Another stop we made in Chinatown was Patisserie Bao Bao Dim Sum. It shares a space with Patisserie Harmonie, which is your typical Chinese bakery. On Bao Bao Dim Sum's side, it's a takeout counter selling steamed buns, dim sum, Hong Kong-style snacks, and bubble tea.

We couldn't resist the cute characters and bought two baos ($2.50 each) to save for breakfast the next day. The Hello Kitty bao was filled with custard while the panda bao was stuffed with a black sesame paste. The baos are huge but it's deceiving since the ratio between filling and bun is way off. I also found the black sesame paste to be really gummy in texture without much black sesame flavour. Let's be real, you're only buying these for the gram.  

For LT's birthday dinner, we had made reservations at Park, one, if not the most, premium sushi restaurants in the city. It's headed by Antonio Park, who is almost like a celebrity chef around these parts. Reading his biography, he's Korean in ethnicity, but born in Argentina. He immigrated to Canada when he was young and later on in life, went to culinary school in Japan. All these cultural influences are apparent in the restaurant as well as his other projects.

Park is a higher-end restaurant with a price point to match. The interior is elegant and refined, with white cascading flowers dropping down from the ceiling. We were seated by the entrance so it did get a bit chilly every time someone new walked through the doors.

It was a special occasion so LT and MH both ordered a drink. The one on the left was a lychee cocktail and on the right was a yuzu gin & tonic. I hate the taste of alcohol so I don't normally drink but I had a sip of both (peer pressure, I tell ya). I didn't like the lychee cocktail but the yuzu gin & tonic was actually not half bad. It was refreshing and didn't have the astringent taste I usually associate with alcohol. 

Instead of the omakase tasting menu, we decided to just order a la carte. Starting with the sashimi moriawase ($45.00), a beautifully presented bowl with 18 pieces of assorted sashimi. Our order came with albacore tuna, Japanese mackerel, salmon, hamachi, bluefin tuna, and sea bream. Instead of just soy sauce, they also provide a trio of different sauces, including a chimichurri, basil, and carrot onion. Of the sauces, I liked the carrot onion the best as it had a sweetness to it that complimented the sweetness of the fish.

Next, LT and I shared the nigiri moriawase, while MH also had an order to herself ($45.00). There was two pieces of six different kinds of nigiri, making for a grand total of twelve. Our server went through every fish and garnish but he went through his spiel too quickly that I couldn't quite remember much of it.

Some of the garnishes included French caviar, shishito pepper, chimichurri, and jalapeno. My favourite piece was definitely the salmon, dressed with maple and soy and then lightly torched.

Our last dish of the evening was the braised kalbi short ribs ($43.00) with roasted vegetables and a sweet vegetable puree. A knife and a fork wasn't necessary because the meat was breaking apart just by using our chopsticks. Super tender with a sweet, soy-forward marinade.



So was it worth it? I'm not sure. In hindsight, we should have gone all out and treated ourselves to the omakase, seeing as our bill was roughly the same price as the tasting menu would have been. The food was good and the fish was fresh, but somehow I didn't leave feeling like I had the best sushi meal of my life. With all the different sauces and garnishes, it almost felt too ... complicated.   

Rather than going straight home after dinner, we found ourselves at gaZette in the Westin Hotel, just a few doors down from our apartment. We must be the most gullible people in the world because when we mentioned to the host that we were there for dessert, we totally believed him when he said they ran out. 

We each ordered a dessert each, mine being the white chocolate and Irish cream crème brûlée ($10.00). It was sweet, smooth, and crackly, everything a good crème brûlée should be. MH got the deconstructed carrot cake ($10.00) with mascarpone cream and coffee ice cream. Deconstructed is sort of a funny term -- in this case, it's a lazy presentation shortcut. You can never go wrong with carrot cake, but I didn't feel like coffee ice cream is a complementary flavour. Finally, LT ordered the molten chocolate cake ($10.00) with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel. They over-baked it as the inside wasn't really molten but it didn't matter to LT as she was the only one to polish off her entire plate.



We ended the night doing some packing as MH was going to be leaving in the morning and us in the afternoon. Before we knew it, the trip was already coming to an end. Sad times.

Fin!

- CT