Cowboys, horses and fine restaurants, oh my.

1. Brava Bistro, 723 17th Ave. S.W.


I don’t know if I’ve changed or if the city has changed. Back in the day, a visit home to Calgary did not imply fine dining -- a dinner out meant either Earl’s, or the pizza place down the street (the now defunct “Willow Park Pizza” made the best pizza I have ever had). These days it would seem that Calgary has a multitude of fine dining establishments and where once it shunned its culinary prairie roots, you can now find any number of excellent restaurants specializing in local game (and prairie oysters). This could have a lot to do with the large influx of 20-30 somethings now taking advantage of the job boom (the local chicken-on-the-go joint was offering $16/hour to sling chicken thighs). Regardless of the reason, I welcomed this burgeoning dining trend and spent some of my recent holiday sampling these new offerings.

Located on 17th Avenue in an unassuming spot between a Starbucks and a Subway (?), Brava Bistro has quickly made a name for itself as one of the trendier restaurants in the city. For over a year now, my brother has been heckling me to try this classy restaurant located but a stone’s throw from our high school. From their outdoor patio (not that we were trying it out in frigid December), you can see the front lawn of the school where I played hacky-sack in my army boots so many years ago. Nostalgia aside, the restaurant interior is chic in taupe, with a mixture of high bar-style tables and low tables with both banquettes and chairs. As is the recent trend, the restaurant also features a long bar at which many lone businessmen and groups of ladies sat for both dinner and drinks. My brother and I were quickly seated at what I considered to be the best table in the house, and what my brother saw as the worst table. This demonstrates my wish for privacy when it comes to dining out and my brother’s wish to see and be seen.

We began the meal with a cheese plate (my dining companion would scoff at our audacity to start the meal with cheese -- how very gauche and Western Canadian!), which was paired with a wonderful Oregonian wine. After a recent road trip down the West coast, I opt for Oregonian wines whenever possible. The cheese selections were unique and varied. While my brother preferred the soft, mild cheeses, I preferred the strong, old cheeses (my brother turned his nose up at some Oka cheese I offered up for Christmas dinner). As for our main courses -- when in Alberta, order beef! We both had the beef tenderloin which was cooked perfectly to the requested medium rare. It is such a treat ordering beef in Alberta – mad cow be damned! The beef was accompanied by some of the best mashed potatoes I have ever sampled (this might have to do with the addition of truffles) and steamed spinach. We rounded off the evening with espresso (excellent) and a piece of lemon tart.

All in all a most enjoyable evening out. The food was delicious, the prices were fair and the service was excellent (our Jared Leto lookalike waiter was attentive and knowledgeable).

Mains: $15-35

8.5/10

Next post - review of Alloy: Blue-collar meets white-collar meets California.

Back from the land of pierogies and kielbassa!

Part I

Well, this is not entirely true, I only had a brief sojourn in the "big onion." While in Edmonton, I took my dining companion on a tour of the more salient culinary institutions, such as Marchyshyn's - the only place for Ukrainian food (hmmm, Stawnichy's is also pretty good). Sadly though, we visited too close to Ukrainian Christmas and nothing was left on the shelves but a few robust Kielbassa rings and vats of poppy seeds and wheat. To amp up our Ukrainian Christmas dinner, we hit the Edmonton Farmer's Market and procured home-made pierogies and holubchi from a great Baba with dyed black hair and a Christmas sweater.

We also visited some of my favourite Edmontonian haunts, including The New York Bagel Cafe, which has since relocated to a larger space on Calgary Trail. While it lost some of its cozy atmosphere, it still makes great bagel platters, including one featuring Russian caviar which will set you back $96. We settled for the home-made dill cream cheese and rye bagel, which comes with excellent potato salad and a dill pickle. My dining companion opted for the pickled herring, which apparently doesn't lend itself well to a bagel sandwich. I should make brief mention of the reading material available for perusal. The cafe features many window wells holding many books, including a treatise on the psychoanalytic analysis of the vegetarian and a book of erotic dance positions.

We also visited one of the University of Alberta's mainstays: The Sugar Bowl. While they have since instituted a weekend brunch which makes it impossible to get a seat, we did grab two espressos for the long drive back to Calgary. This kept my dining companion awake until we experienced the one curve in the highway at Red Deer, after which he promptly fell asleep. I drove on listening to the new Christine Fellows cd, which is a great accompaniment to a prairie drive.

I have featured a photo of the world's largest kielbassa ring, located in Mundare, Alberta.

Restaurant Review - Orexi, 1270 Avenue Bernard, Montreal

If there is one thing that Montreal is certainly not lacking, it is the Greek restaurant. Living in a predominantly Greek neighourhood, I have an unending plethora of tavernas -- from greasy, but affordable Arahova (my dinning companion swears by it), to pricier endeavors, such as the crème de la crème of Greek restos – Milos. So, it was with a weary eye that I watched the arrival of yet another Greek restaurant, Orexi, in Mile End/Outremont. While initially deciding to ignore it for the time being, I was recently persuaded to visit by a positive review in the Montreal Gazette, attesting to the good food, fine ambiance and personable staff.

To begin, my dinning companion and I chose to visit the restaurant on a blustery, snowy December evening. While snow and wind might not encourage one in the direction of grilled fish and other Mediterranean delicacies, it was, in fact, just the thing to counter the crappy weather. The interior of the restaurant is warm, boisterous and certainly Mediterranean – blue lights play off of exposed stone walls which are lined with fabric banquettes and light-coloured pillows -- not to mention the fully-stocked bar to the back of the restaurant. While I did find the requisite Greek statue, the rest of the resto was surprisingly un-tacky. In addition to the warm décor, I must say that the staff was certainly friendly. We were welcomed by no less than three fellows, all seemingly from the same jovial family.

It should be said at the outset that I think this restaurant fares best when ordering share-ware. Many serving dishes went by with entire grilled fish, family-sized portions of rice, potatoes, calamari, octopus and other sea-worthy items. We began by sharing a plate of feta and olives, which was very simply prepared, but with top-of-the-line ingredients. Surprisingly enough, the hit of the dish was the dried oregano, which the owners of the restaurant bring back from the family stead in Greece. We then shared a plate of grilled octopus. Now, I am only recently embarking on the seafood/fish train and even I could tell that this was delicious. The meat was tender, moist and with a light grilled flavour. It was tossed, seemingly, in olive oil and lemon, which played off the tender meat. In terms of main dishes, my dinning companion ordered the swordfish steak. With regards to my current introduction to fish, I am finding that I can handle most shellfish, but actual fish seems to be more of a problem. This swordfish though, was light, moist and fresh-tasting, nothing like a fishy tire. My lamb, the grandmother’s “special of the day,” was a little over-done for my taste. While it was a braised leg of lamb, it tasted like it had been recently reheated and lost a bit of its lamb-y flavour. The accompanying potatoes and rice (potatoes for the lamb and rice for the fish) were quite delicious. We finished off our meal with a nice glass of ouzo.

It would seem that the seafood is definitely the way to go at Orexi. In addition to the grilled fish, the appetizers, with their ample size, are perfect for sharing with a large group of people and could certainly constitute a dinner. One last thing -- the service remained attentive, energetic and Greek throughout the evening. As the evening wore on, large groups of women came in for martinis and a little male attention from the staff – they were more than obliging.

Mains: $18-30

7/10

Album Review - Kevin Drew, "Spirit If", Arts and Crafts Records, 2007.

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Restaurant Review - Pushap

Pushap, 975, rue Jean-Talon Ouest, Montreal (one of three locations)

As many a Montrealer know, Park-Ex is a hot-bed for excellent and reasonably-priced (and by reasonably-priced, I mean downright cheap) Indian food. Everyone has their favourites and so it was last week that I forewent a trip to my usual Indian spot (I’ll save that review for another time) and tried Pushap, a restaurant recommended by several of my cohorts. Known for its vegetarian fare, Pushap also houses a remarkable dessert counter, with many a brightly-coloured treat. Arriving at the restaurant for lunch on a chilly Saturday afternoon, we found ourselves among the first guests in an otherwise empty restaurant, with things seemingly just getting underway in the kitchen. First impressions: while no one is going to return to Pushap simply for the décor, we were met by a friendly hostess who had our meals served to us within ten minutes of arrival. We both opted for the thali plates which were designated on the menu as a “house specialty.” My dining companion chose the more expensive thali plate, which came with an “appetizer” of papadum and raita. The thali plates themselves were spicy, delicious and filling. Each “prison tray” (the thalis are perfect for anyone who likes compartmentalized food), contained three different kinds of curry – lentil (or chickpea) , mixed vegetable and a somewhat mysterious one which was most likely eggplant, onion and maybe tomato? While each curry was quite good, it was the latter - the mystery curry, which stood-out – it was rich, without being greasy, quite spicy and boldly flavoured. Each thali also comes with rice, cabbage salad and fried, or non-fried, naan-like bread. Having sampled the two, the non-fried is the way to go.

Following this more-than-ample lunch, we tried two of the mystery desserts. As a result of a communication breakdown, we never did find out what we were eating, but the first dessert was a small honey and milk-soaked, coconut-covered dessert ball and the second was a bright green diamond of perhaps almond/chickpea paste and rose water. Both desserts were absolutely delicious, with each of us preferring our own dessert over the other. These desserts were accompanied by a healthy serving of Indian tea. Towards the end of our meal the place became quite busy, with a long line-up for take-out samosas and sweets. I won’t even mention how much we paid for lunch for two, sufficed to say it was under $15 – highway robbery! Will Pushap replace my regular stand-by for Indian fare in the Ex? No, but is it still worth a return visit? Most definitely.

Thali plates: $5-7

7/10

Restaurant Review - The Good Fork, Brooklyn

3) The Good Fork - 391 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY

In getting back to the original intent of the last post, my dining companion and I wanted to treat ourselves to one of the many restaurants featured on the pages of the various cooking magazines to which we subscribe. Due to time constraints -- i.e. trying to see everything/everyone we wanted in such a short period – we were forced to make a reservation the morning of our desired evening out. After many attempts, we finally secured a reservation at “The Good Fork,” a small restaurant in the burgeoning neighourhood of Red Hook in Brooklyn. This restaurant had been featured in one of the latest issues of “Bon Appetit” in a section devoted to various small up-and-coming restaurants. Given the choice of a 6:30pm or 11:00pm reservation, we opted for the earlier of the two, which meant leaving “the city” at least an hour beforehand.

Getting to the restaurant was the first adventure. Our hostess had suggested against walking the 20 minutes from the subway stop, as this area of Brooklyn is mostly a collection of warehouses and housing projects with a couple of tony streets thrown in for good measure. We ordered a car service (de rigeur for Brooklyn) and made it to the restaurant only a few minutes late. First, let it be noted that the décor in this place is incredible. The restaurant is a mixture of exposed brick and copious amounts of blond wood. As you enter the restaurant you first notice the molded wood ceiling/wall piece which curves from the ceiling down onto the brick. The effect is not unlike a ship’s warm interior and adds to the cozy feeling of this little romantic restaurant. As for the service, it was likewise warm and attentive – we were given, in my opinion – the best table in the house, a little cozy window alcove near the front of the restaurant, but far enough away from the door. We began our meals with cocktails, I had a lemon gin drink (the name of which escapes me, although I think it might have been French) and my man friend ordered a “Dark and Stormy” his new drink of choice, since sampling it at a yachting event. As for our starters, we tried the roasted beets (which were perfectly done and nicely enhanced by walnuts, shallots and ricotta) and the featured appetizer which were sweetbreads, also quite delicious. For our main courses, we sampled the seared duck breast with French lentils and the homemade ravioli with radicchio ricotta filling and mushroom chestnut cream sauce. The duck was perfectly done with an accompanying red wine reduction and the lentils were out of this world (which are strong words for lentils). The ravioli was equally as satisfying and the perfect amount of pasta to boot.

On the whole, this was one lovely dining experience. The only off-note came when we ordered a 2004 bottle of California cabernet, only to be brought the 2005 without explanation. Although, in a night filled with plusses, this was really the only minus. Two last things: upon perusing the list of main courses, I was thrown off by the “Korean-style steak and eggs” and it was only upon later reading the magazine article that I found out that the owner’s wife, and chef of the restaurant, is Korean, which would explain the faint Korean leanings in an otherwise fairly bistro-esque menu (next time I will definitely try the steak and eggs). And finally, I want to mention that although we had an early dinner reservation and presumably they had the table booked for a later reservation, we never felt rushed and loitered for two and a half hours capping off our evening with a piece of key lime pie and excellent espresso.

8.5/10

Mains: $10-20

New York City - Part III

So… dinner in the city. What to do with so many options? Stay in Brooklyn, that’s what I say. Looking at three potential dinners out, we decided to take advantage of the all-mighty Canadian dollar, do a little bit of research and treat ourselves to one “fancy-ish” meal out (keep in mind we are still dining on quasi-student budgets) – more on that in a minute.

1) Flatbush Farm - 76-78 St. Marks Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn

For our first evening out in Brooklyn, our hostess brought us to Flatbush Farm, a small, stylish restaurant, a mere stone’s throw from her apartment. With the darkly-lit interior, warm candles and dark wood, this restaurant set the tone for a perfect autumn dinner out. Bearing in mind that this restaurant’s raison d’être is organic farm fresh produce and given that we were plum in the middle of root vegetable season, I was surprised at the lack of produce (seasonal or otherwise) on the menu. There were a number of bar-food options (easily explained by the fact that the restaurant also comprises a bar next door) and a couple of bistro stand-bys. We began our evening with the charcuterie plate which was quite delicious. I then opted for a main course of duck with potatoes, while my dining companion sampled the Hungarian goulash. Both dishes were good, but not great and once again, given the fact that this restaurant calls itself “farm,” there were surprisingly few vegetables. Ho-hum.

Mains: $15-25

6/10


2) Raymunds’s - 124 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn

When searching for the address of this place, I stumbled upon a review which referred to Raymund’s as the “Polish hooters.” While it is true our waitress was wearing a snug sweater, I can’t say the rest of the décor (white stucco walls, timber beams, 1970s design) fit the bill. Actually, in re-reading that last sentence, it does sound like an Eastern European equivalent. Anyways, barring the décor, and the somewhat slow, but capable service, the food is all about Polish grandmotherly love. We all began the meal with a Polish beer - something like a pilsner - the name of which I only partially remember and have no clue how to spell. Knowing that the portions were likely to be large, we forewent the requisite beet or tripe soup and headed straight for the main courses. Between the lot of us, we were about nine, we sampled most of what was on the menu. I ordered the pierogi plate, which was delicious -- the dumplings were moist, tasty and served with the requisite fried onions, apple sauce and sour cream. Each dish also comes with two sides, so having skipped the borscht, I chose the beet salad and hot cabbage – both of which were homey and hearty. I rounded off the plate with a piece of smoky, garlic-y kielbasa, which was definitely overkill, but enjoyable all the same. So, if ever you find yourself in Williamsburg with a hankering for some hearty home-cooked fare, this restaurant is a must – both delicious and affordable.

Mains: $8-15

8/10