Cucina

Hubby wanted to head out for breakfast one Saturday and originally wanted to go to OEB Breakfast Co. I warned him about the ridiculously long wait times and suggested Cucina instead since I’ve been dying to try their brunch menu ever since I had dinner here. He insisted on swinging by OEB first to see what the wait was and was told an hour so we headed down to Cucina. We were seated immediately upon arriving and quickly decided what we wanted to order.

Hubby ordered coffee and the server dropped off this pretty little sugar bowl. He’s a fan of Phil and Sebastian’s Coffee so he quite enjoyed the brew.

We started with the Ricotta Fritters ($6). These were deep fried to order and served with an apricot jam. I took one bite and immediately fell in love with them. They were light, fluffy and had that melt-in-your mouth quality to it. They are seriously the best fritters I’ve ever had and I could’ve easily polished off the entire serving. Very dangerous!

Hubby ordered the Feature Benedict which was a take on Chicken and Waffles ($18). This was an extremely well done eggs benedict. The waffles were light and fluffy, the chicken well seasoned, the eggs cooked to a perfect soft stage and the hollandaise sauce was to die for. Hubby couldn’t stop raving about this dish and I couldn’t help wishing that I had ordered it instead.

I had the Cucina Skillet ($17) with sunny side eggs, pulled short rib, crispy gnocchi, roasted squash and arugula. This dish was also really good; the short rib was very tender and flavorful, the gnocchi was tender, crispy and perfectly al dente and the squash was toothsome and not mushy. I loved cracking the sunny side eggs over everything and drowning it in the egg yolks. This dish was on the rich side so by the end of it I was super stuffed.

We really enjoyed brunch here and I think we’ll be heading down more often seeing as the food is absolutely fantastic. Service was also attentive and everyone was friendly. We were surprised when the bill arrived that they didn’t charge us for coffee. What a nice gesture!  And, a side note to the moms and dads out there, they don’t have high chairs so if you’re planning on dining with your little one they’ll have to sit in your lap.

I decided to stop over at their grab and go counter before heading out and picked up a Lemon Saskatoon Ricotta Muffin ($3). The muffin was fantastic – I just love it when the entire muffin has that crusty muffin top texture and the inside is fluffy. The lemon really shined and the Saskatoon berries were plump.

Cucina

515 8th Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2P 1E3

Sushi Bar Zipang

My friend W and I met up for lunch recently and decided on going for sushi. I’ve wanted to try Sushi Bar Zipang for the longest time and suggested that we go there. They were great at accommodating a baby and a toddler and even had baby utensils and plates set out for us.

We both decided on their Sushi and Sashimi Lunch Combo ($16.50). It comes with miso soup and a choice of salad or rice. We both opted for the salad.

The miso soup was really good and had a healthy serving of tofu and seaweed.

The salad was refreshing and dressed perfectly. One of my pet peeves are overdressed salads as I find it completely masks all of the ingredients and is completely unnecessary.

When our sushi and sashimi arrived I was surprised and impressed with the thick cuts of tuna and salmon on the platter. The fish was all super fresh and had a nice sweetness to it.  The natural sweetness in the salmon was present and the tuna was creamy and soft.

We both love Special Scallop Nigri ($3.50/pc) and agree that a sushi meal would not be complete without it. To date, this is by far the best Special Scallop Nigiri I have ever had. The scallop was super fresh and I could taste the sweetness of it coming through the mayo. I also loved that there was an ample amount of the scallop mixture with only just enough rice to support it. It is on the pricier side but I feel it’s worth every penny as you’re definitely paying for quality here and the freshness cannot be beat.

We also tried a few appetizers from their dinner menu. The first to arrive were the Deep Fried Oysters with Ponzu Sauce ($6.80). These were deep fried well with a light batter and were crispy.

When I read that there was Deep Fried Eggplant with Sweetened Miso Paste ($6.80) on the menu I was quite intrigued and interested on trying it as I love eggplant. When the server set this down in front of us we both exclaimed that this was not what we were expecting. We thought the eggplant would be cut into strips or cubes and served with a sweetened miso paste. The eggplant itself tasted great and was creamy however there was way too much sweetened miso paste on it. It completely overpowered the eggplant and practically made the dish inedible.

We really enjoyed our meal and I was definitely impressed with the quality of the fish that was served. Their lunch combos are also a better value than their dinner menu. Service was pretty attentive and they stopped by to check up on us several times. W insisted on paying for our meal despite argument from me but she said that we shouldn’t argue about the bill like Chinese people – haha ok then!  So next time, lunch is on me!

A week later I was craving for more sushi and returned for lunch again. My friend Peaches texted me about half an hour before I was heading out to see what I had planned for lunch and since her plans fell through we were able to meet up.

We started with the Maguro Yukke ($5.50). We were informed by the server that everything was to be mixed together with a splash of soy sauce. I really enjoyed this and thought it would be particularly good served onto a bed of rice.

We also decided to share a hot item and thought that the Sweet Potato Tempura ($6) was quite good. The batter was light and crispy – a true sign that they were deep fried well. The sweet potato was still toothsome and not mushy. The tempura dipping sauce was a tad on the bland side though and could stand to be a bit more seasoned.

Peaches decided to have the Sushi and Sashimi lunch combo but since I had that last time I went with the Sashimi Lunch Combo ($18.50). It also comes with miso soup and a choice of rice or salad.

Since I was having sashimi I went with the rice as I need to have some sort of carb in my meal. Hey, I’m Asian can you blame me?

The sashimi was really fresh. The scallop had a sweetness that I’ve never tasted elsewhere in Calgary. The tako was actually tender, sweet and crunchy not chewy like I’ve had elsewhere. The salmon with its natural sweetness and fattiness was a joy to eat and the tuna was creamy and soft. I was once again really impressed with the freshness and quality of the fish here.

Naturally, we had to order Special Scallop Nigiri ($3.50/pc) since we both love it and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. It’s so good that I actually cave for this all the time!

Peaches decided that she wanted to try one of their rolls so she ordered the Negihama Roll ($6). I tried a piece and really enjoyed it as well. The hamachi tasted great and had a buttery mouth feel.

We had a fantastic meal here and it has become one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Calgary. The prices are on the high side but their lunch combos are a pretty good value given the quality of the fish.

Sushi Bar Zipang

1010 1 Ave NE
Calgary, AB T2E 7W7

Brava Bistro

I immediately think of their famous lobster poutine whenever Brava Bistro is mentioned. It really shouldn’t be a surprise considering that they won best poutine in the 2012 Poutine Crawl. Yet, all this time and I haven’t even tried it. Well, that all changed when hubby and I headed here for dinner last Saturday.

We opted for an early dinner and arrived to a mostly empty restaurant with the exception of a few tables. They were awesome with accommodating a toddler and thankfully have high chairs. All of the staff were so friendly and welcoming; they even offered to give my toddler toys to play with which we kindly declined because he’d most likely just throw them all over the floor.

Complimentary bread and butter was brought to our table while we waited for our food. The bread was fresh and soft.

We started out with their famous Lobster Poutine ($16) and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was despite being so different from your average poutine. The fries were done really well and I always have a soft spot for shoestring fries. At first I wasn’t sure about the shellfish butter sauce but it grew on me and I enjoyed the lightness of the dish if you can call poutine light. I wished there were larger chunks of lobster but given the price point I can’t really complain too much.

Hubby decided to go with one of the features which was a Striploin ($30) served with pomme frites and a Mediterranean salad. The steak was cooked just a tad over medium rare but still good. The Mediterranean salad was refreshing but hubby didn’t like the cheese in it; he thought it was too strong. I tasted it and thought it was fine but I’m more of a cheese fan than he is. The pomme frites were crispy and hard to resist.

I wasn’t feeling very hungry so I had their Feature Salad ($15) which consisted of arugula, spinach, chicken, cucumber, chick peas, crispy artichoke in a Mediterranean dressing. I really enjoyed the salad; it wasn’t heavy or a very large portion but was still pretty filling.

The restaurant was filling up halfway through our meal and had a very lively atmosphere. The service was attentive and we felt welcomed and comfortable dining there with a toddler. You’ll definitely want to try their lobster poutine if you haven’t already.

Brava Bistro

723 17 Ave SW
Calgary, AB

White Elephant Thai Cuisine

My brother and his girlfriend were interested in trying White Elephant Thai Cuisine and invited me to join them since they knew I wanted to try it as well. We ended up booking our reservations about 2 weeks out because they were so booked up. I had to look around upon stepping foot into the Pointe Inn hotel cause I didn’t see any signs for the restaurant itself. I ventured down the hallway and began to hear the clanging of dishes and chatter. The restaurant itself isn’t the nicest to look at and honestly could use a makeover and some decluttering. I had requested for a high chair when we made our reservations and to my surprise they don’t carry your typical wooden chairs that most restaurants carry. Instead, they have the style of high chair that one would have at home like this. It really wasn’t an issue except that it was super filthy, sticky and covered with grim. I wiped down the tray with a wet napkin and it turned black so I was really hesitant to put my baby in it. I tried anyways but he must’ve known it was filthy because he cried and and refused to sit in it.  A warning for all those moms out there cause you know how it difficult it can be to try to eat with one hand while holding a very active baby with your other arm.

Well, on to the food. The menu is huge and we really had a difficult time trying to decide what to order. There were so many dishes that we wanted to try but not enough stomach space for it all.

We settled on two appetizers; the first to arrive was the Papaya Salad ($9.50). It was refreshing and had the salty, sweet and sour taste combination. I did wish it was a bit spicier though.

Shortly after, the Thai Chicken Satay ($12.50) arrived. 6 chicken skewers served with a peanut and cucumber sauce. This dish was a winner and really really good. The chicken was moist, flavorful and I loved the drizzle of coconut milk on it. The peanut sauce was peanutty and had a good depth of flavor. The cucumber sauce was refreshing and helped to cleanse our palates.

The Tom Yum Goong ($10.95 for large) with shrimp was flavorful but a bit too sour for our tastes. It was so sour it actually made our mouths pucker and by far the most sour Tom Yum soup I’ve ever had. The soup was loaded with lots of ingredients and the shrimp was not overcooked.

The Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken ($13.95) was really good and we could clearly taste a nice sweetness from the pineapple.   We loved the taste of this but wished all the ingredients in the fried rice were more uniformly cut. The carrots were thinly sliced and diced, the cabbage in large pieces and the chicken sliced and diced. I understand that fried rice is usually made to use up odds and ends sitting in your refrigerator but when dining in a restaurant I expect the fried rice to be of a higher quality.

The Peanut Sauce Stir Fried with Mix Vegetables and Beef ($12.95) was our least favorite dish. The peanut sauce was the same as the one served with our Chicken Satay and actually tasted quite good with the vegetables. However, the beef slices were so tough and chewy that it was nearly impossible for us to break it down enough to swallow. What a shame!

We couldn’t leave without trying one of their curries and decided on the Red Curry with Bamboo and Beef ($13.95). The curry was filled with beef slices, bamboo shoots and and bell peppers. The curry tasted great over rice but the beef was a bit chewy. I was hoping the curry base had more depth to it – perhaps next time I’ll try ordering it hot and with chicken to avoid the chewy beef.

The restaurant was really busy and they were turning away lots of walk-ins. Service was poor and practically non-existent. We sat there for a really long time looking for someone to flag down to take our order. When we finally did flag down one of the servers, she couldn’t take our order and had to grab a gentlemen to do it. Food was brought to our table and no one returned to ask how the food was. When we finished our meal, no one came by to clear the dishes so we had to flag someone down as well. Overall, the food was good but we had really high expectations based on all of the incredible reviews so we were left a bit disappointed.

White Elephant Thai Cuisine

1808 19 Street N.E
Calgary, AB T2E 4Y3

Pho Anh Huyen Noodle House

I’m always on the search for that perfect bowl of pho. Thin, fresh noodles sitting in a clear lightly spiced broth filled with slices of beef brisket, tendon, tripe, beef balls and rare beef slices. There are some pretty darn good ones in Calgary but I’m always looking for a new favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

My hubby is sick of trying new Vietnamese restaurants only to be disappointed – he only likes to stick to old favorites now so it’s pretty much impossible for me to convince him to go with me.  So this time it’s my brother that falls victim to my search.  When I first walked through the door I wasn’t greeted by the smell of simmering pho or the lingering smell of grilled Vietnamese pork vermicelli.  Instead, the restaurant had a very strong washroom smell.  No, not the stinky you-know-what kind but the kind of odor that hits you when you walk into the public washrooms at the mall.  My immediate thoughts were uh-oh but it was too late to turn back now.

We started with the Spring Rolls ($6.25). These were pretty good – fried well and the filling was substantial but I still think nothing beats homemade spring rolls.

My brother had the Chicken and Beef Sate Noodle Soup (XL for $9.50). When we dived into our noodle bowls we immediately noticed that the noodles were in one huge clump and it took some maneuvering with our chopsticks to break it apart.  The noodles were not soft like they were boiled fresh, but rather hard and cold.  There’s no excuse for this as even if the noodles were pre-boiled it would only take a few seconds to bring them back to their soft supple state.  I tried some of the broth and it did have a nice kick to it.  My brother mentioned how small the portion was for a XL and I have to agree.  There wasn’t very much noodles or meat at all which was disappointing.

I went with the Special Beef Noodle Soup (L for $8.25).  This version of the special beef noodle soup did not wow me.  As mentioned above, the noodles were hard and clumped together and the broth tasted very odd and different to me.  It seemed to me that either old stale spices were used or a store-bought pho spice packet was used in the broth.  The serving was also on the small size as their L size was comparable to a small elsewhere.

Honestly, I was quite disappointed with this place considering the high ratings and reviews from others on Urbanspoon.  Service was also a miss. I had my baby with me and we were seated for 10 minutes and ordered our food before they asked if I wanted a high chair.  I didn’t see one in the establishment so I assumed they didn’t have one but they pulled one out from the side room.  Other than that, the service is pretty much the same as other Vietnamese restaurants where they only stop at your table to take your order and bring you your food. So I guess the hunt for that perfect bowl of pho continues.

Pho Anh Huyen Noodle House

1403 Centre St NW
Calgary, AB

Calypso’s Taverna

As a family we really enjoy Greek cuisine and Mediterranean flavors.  It really shouldn’t be a surprise though as hubby loves lamb. Our favorite Greek restaurant in Calgary is a small family-owned place called Calypso’s Taverna. It’s part of a strip mall on Centre Street and admittedly not much to look at from the outside but this Restaurant serves up some amazingly delicious and authentic Greek dishes.

One of the appetizers that we always order are the Greek Style Ribs ($10). These are charbroiled with lemon and oregano and are super tasty. We love the char on these and the flavors are spot on! A squirt of lemon really brightens up the whole dish.

Hubby wanted to order the calamari for our second appetizer but I suggested that we try the Stuffed Calamari ($10) instead. This is a whole calamari stuffed with lean ground chicken, pine nuts, leeks and served in a cayenne champagne sauce. This dish was really good – the squid was cooked perfectly, the stuffing was light and we enjoyed the slight crunch from the pine nuts. The cayenne champagne sauce was a nice accompaniment and would’ve tasted wonderful over plain rice.

All of their entrees are served with your choice of Greek salad, Caesar salad or soup. The both of us went with the Greek salad which comes with a huge slab of feta cheese. I was busy feeding our son and forgot to take a picture before I dug in.

I always order the Moussaka ($18) every time I dine here. I know I should try something new but I really love their Moussaka and it’s the thing I crave most. Moussaka is layers of grilled eggplant, zucchini and sliced potatoes layered with meat sauce and topped with bechamel. Calypso’s is the best that I’ve tasted and has the perfect blend of ingredients. Their entrees also come with a side of rice, vegetables and potatoes which makes for a really large portion. Usually I can only finish half of it and get the rest packed up. The moussaka tastes just as good reheated the next day, if not better.

Hubby ordered the Kleftiko ($19) which is a slow roasted lamb and he absolutely loved it. I didn’t taste his dish but according to him, the lamb was ‘fall off the bone’ tender except there wasn’t any bones to contend with. He managed to finish his entire plate and was stuffed beyond belief.

Just as we finished our meals, one of the owners stopped by our table and mentioned that they have a belly dancer showing up in 5-10 minutes and asked if we’d like to stay. She thought that our little one would love it and indeed he did. He was mesmerized and could not take his eyes off of her (pretty girl dancing and shaking her hips – who can?).

We had an excellent meal and really loved the atmosphere.  Everything on the menu is super reasonably priced for very decent portions – you definitely won’t leave hungry.  Service was superb and and everyone was really friendly and attentive.  They’re also really baby/kid friendly so it’s a great choice for families looking for a night out.

Calypso’s Taverna

2101 Centre Street NW
Calgary, AB

Meyer Lemon Tart

We had a nasty snow storm in Calgary on the weekend and it’s left us all wondering when Spring will actually arrive.  I thought I’d share this meyer lemon tart recipe with all of you to brighten up your day cause I’m sure longing for some sunshine and blue skies today.

Meyer Lemon Tart (adapted from Anne Burrell)

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 stick of cold butter, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
• 1 egg yolk
• pinch of salt
• 2 – 4 tbsps ice cold water

Lemon Curd

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice
• zest of 3 meyer lemons
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, cut into 1″ pieces

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. For the dough: Put the butter, sugar, flour, egg yolk and salt in a food processor and pulse for 30 to 60 seconds or until the mixture has a grainy consistency, or what I like to call the “Parmesan cheese” stage. Add half of the water and pulse the food processor 2 to 3 times. The dough should start to come together, add the remaining water if needed. Check the consistency of the dough by clenching a small handful in your fist. If the dough stays together it is the proper consistency. If not, pulse the dough with a little more water. When the dough has reached the proper consistency, dump it out on a clean work surface. Using the heel of your hand, schmear the dough straight forward and roll it back with your fingertips. Repeat this process 1 to 2 more times, dust with flour if needed. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch in thickness. Lay the dough in the tart pan. Push the dough into the sides of the tart pan by rolling a small scrap of dough into a ball and pushing it into the dough. Roll over the top edge of the tart pan with the rolling pin to cut the extra dough from the pan and create a crisp edge. Cover the dough with aluminum foil and gently poke the foil into the side edges to fit the pan. This will help to keep the sides of the tart tall and straight as it cooks. Fill the tart shell with the dried beans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the foil and beans and bake for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the tart shell from the oven and cool. The dough should be golden and crisp.
4. For the curd: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
5. In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs and salt and whisk to a homogeneous consistency. Place in saucepan and bring to a medium heat. Cook, whisking, constantly until the mixture has thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, 2 pats at a time until it’s incorporated and has a silky consistency.
6. Pour the lemon curd into the prepared tart shell and bake in the preheated oven until the lemon curd has set, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

If you want to try something different like me, coat the top of the tart with granulated sugar and using a propane torch, lightly torch the top until the sugar has caramelized.  Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.  This creates a beautiful brulee topping to the tart and adds a nice crunch.  Enjoy!