Rarely do I blog about a non-local eatery, unless it is so delicious and blog-worthy that to not do so would be a travesty.
Allow me to introduce you to Urban Baker.
Truthfully, until today we always thought the place was called "the place beside Diner Deluxe" since that's where it is located, and we had never bothered to learn its name even though we've been there several times, always to get the same delicious item: chocolate cranberry sourdough bread.
Today Hubbs & I stopped in on our way out of Calgary. We not only picked up a loaf of bread (it is already half-consumed now that we're mid-way through the day), but we also tried their wood-fire-grilled sandwiches. At $9 a sandwich, we were expecting a lot. We weren't disappointed, either. My spinach and chicken sandwich was crispy and cheesy and delicious, and Hubbs was so eager to eat his tasty tomato and cappicola ham sandwich (while driving) that he almost missed a green light. ;)
The place is small, it's not meant to be dined-in at, but it is one of my favourite bread places ever. In fact, I know of no other that sells this amazing chocolate cranberry sourdough bread. We stop in every time we're in Calgary, and for good reason. I highly recommend that if you're needing some sweet chocolaty goodness or just a good sandwich or light pizza fix, that you pay the Urban Baker a visit. :)
Rating: 10 / 10
So Hubbs and I haven't been terribly adventurous in our dining lately, the result of both laziness and a general unwillingness to venture into the unknown.
However, on Friday night we decided to go out on a date, and do the "Whyte Ave." walk. I was starving, as was he, so we thought we would find a quiet, tasty place to enjoy a quick meal. When our walk took us past Flavours Modern Bistro, I decided to stop and gawk at the menu. The restaurant seemed quiet (particularly in comparison to Julio's Barrio, or Yianni's), and I figured a bistro would serve healthier fare.
After a quick perusal of the menu, our decision was made. We were hungry, the place looked nice, and we thought we could afford a bit of "adventure" on this date. We were seated immediately upon arrival, in a quiet two-person table near the bar. The seats were made of a velour-style fuzzy material, and had a deep seat and high back that seemed to wrap itself around your body. Me likey right away. :) There was a mural of old Whyte Ave. painted along the top of the bar, as well as dark wood furnishings and tea lights on each table. The general ambiance was cozy, modern, and very intimate. The only decor choice I did not agree with were the two green ceiling fans that hung above their high ceiling; those things were hideous and the green did not coordinate with the remainder of the furnishings.
The server came by in an appropriate amount of time to get our drink order, but it took him a bit to return with our actual drink (I was the only one who had a drink). It seemed the man was pulling double duty as bartender *and* server, and there appeared to be only 2 servers on the floor (though there were only about 5 tables of people, so the load for these servers was hardly unbearable). There was also a fellow who presumably worked there; he was lurking around the bar area and chatting with the servers but he neither served nor mixed drinks, and I never saw him run any food. I didn't appreciate his presence; it seemed he was distracting my server, and that (in part, anyway) led to the very slow service that followed.
The menu was small, and made our decision-making process efficient - a few choice starters, and about 10 entrees to choose from. Hubbs and I decided to share the gnocchi with roasted tomato pesto as our starter; it is normally an entree but we convinced our server that we could share that instead of each having an app. We also ordered a lamb shank entree (for Hubbs) and a Hungarian goulash with potato pancakes for me. This was when the wait began. We strained our necks every time the servers came out with food, hoping it was ours. I am convinced there must have only been one or two people in the kitchen, preparing each dish individually. It must have taken nearly 20 minutes for our "appetizer" to arrive! We gobbled that thing up quickly; it was delicious and the pine nuts sprinkled on top of the gnocchi gave the dish a fantastic texture.
Fast forward another 15-20 minutes before our entrees were served. By now I was salivating like Pavlov's dog, so hungry I could run into the kitchen and make myself a sandwich! The gnocchi, which we had devoured nearly half an hour prior, was not so filling when shared as to truly satiate our hunger. Our dishes came out together, and Hubbs thoroughly enjoyed his lamb shanks. My choice had been a riskier one, and I wasn't entirely sure what Hungarian goulash was going to look or taste like. Thankfully, as described, it was a tomatoey beef stew served on top of a folded, crisp potato pancake. The crispy edges of the pancake were delicious, and the stew, hearty. I could not finish the entire dish.
After we had inhaled our entrees, we were stuffed. My hunger dissipated, and my sanity returned. The jazzy music in the background, the hug-me chairs, and the relative quiet of the place (compared with the rest of Whyte Ave.) was a welcome retreat for us, and we were very glad to have dined at Flavours, in spite of the slow service. The delicious food and the look-and-feel of the place were reminiscent of some of our better dining experiences in Vancouver, and so we appreciated having a bit of a "Van experience" in E-town. If you're looking for a romantic, but casual dinner date location, and you are in no hurry, do try to give Flavours Modern Bistro a try!
Rating: 8 / 10
To celebrate Easter and my awesome mother-in-law's birthday, we headed to the newly-opened Wildflower Grill, located at the former Inn on 7th, now renovated and renamed the Matrix Hotel for brunch. I really had to use the bathroom when I got there, so I quickly chatted with the host, found out where our party would be seated (did I mention we were the first to arrive?!? It's an Easter miracle.), and dashed to use the bathroom.
I was impressed; you learn a lot about a place based on its bathroom. Dark stained woods, 2 stalls, a touchless tap and paper towel dispenser (too bad the dispenser wasn't working properly), and a funky trough-style sink gave me the impression that this place cared about impressions.
I wasn't wrong. Our host, a Tim Gunn-lookalike fellow with a very friendly and professional table-side manner, cracked a few tasteful jokes with our party as people trickled in. Our server was diligent and prompt, and neither intrusive nor invisible.
The decor of the restaurant was upscale understated chic; lots of dark stained wood, whites and neutrals accented by bright splashy paintings of wildflowers. Our tables were set with mesh-link mats (that weren't obviously mesh, but a far softer material) and a hand-blown, fiery-coloured bowl containing an orchid bloom. When I ordered a coffee to start, I was served a French-press urn - my personal pot of java! Our meal began with freshly-baked cornmeal gouda muffins and whipped butter - a tasty, moist opener to our meal.
Hubbs had the seafood frittata, which came with a bowl of fresh fruit and homemade yogurt. Every part of his meal was served on a smaller square plate placed within the larger plate; the presentation was fabulous. The taste, so Hubbs tells me, was also fantastic; he had no complaints whatsoever with his meal. Other members of our party had eggs benedict, steak and eggs, or fresh fruit crepes, all of which (so I hear) were phenomenally tasty. My meal of Alberta "prime" roast beef (served in a Yorkshire pudding bowl) was accompanied by some "dirty fries" served with a delicious aioli dip; the fries were delicious (but as a low-carbbing fiend I couldn't really indulge myself much), and the roast beef was tender and tasty. I'm not a Yorkshire pudding girl but I thought the presentation (again, on separate little square plates fitted onto a larger square plate) looked great.
At the end of the meal, we were so impressed with both the food and the service that we asked to look at the dinner menu - not to eat again but to plan our return to the restaurant sometime in the near future.
It is rare to find a nice, upscale, quiet restaurant that offers brunch entrees costing less than $20/plate. It is even more rare to find one that isn't snooty, and knows what it means to offer first-class service. The Wildflower Grill is all of these things, and made such a positive and lasting impression on our entire table that we are determined to return again very very soon.
Rating: 10 / 10
Having had the privilege of living in Hong Kong, I have been able to travel to parts of southeast Asia that I would have never otherwise considered going. One such place is Thailand. While I was spending the Christmas break on the beaches of Koh Samui and the shopping districts of Bangkok, I was able to sample some seriously kick-butt authentic Thai fare. This has ruined me for most Thai places in the capital city. That is, until now. :)
I introduce you to Boualong Laos & Thai Cuisine, a true hole-in-the-wall, Mom-and-Pop run restaurant that serves the best Thai food in the city. Its appearance offers little insight into the delicious, affordable cuisine offered behind its doors. Don't be thrown off by the raggedy looking white building with the peeling paint, or the dimly-lit, narrow hallway in which you will find yourself (and several others) standing for up to 45 minutes in wait for one of their 6 tables. Once you finally get seated, you will be in for a treat.
Hubbs and I checked out this gem of a place one Friday evening. Having been warned that the little eatery keeps erratic hours and often boasts a line-up of folks waiting for a table, we arrived early in the evening and braced ourselves to stand in line. Good thing we were in our comfy shoes; we waited a good 30 minutes before we got a table. The three other couples ahead of us in line had obviously waited for a while, and the 4 other parties waiting behind us bore testimony to the unsung popularity of this restaurant.
While we were waiting for our table, I peeked from the hall into the room-sized restaurant. There were indeed 6 simple tables, each set for 4 people. The tables had three different types of hot sauce on them (which brought the ranking of the place up several notches in Hubbs' mind), and little more. The walls were decorated with a few framed photographs, but were minimal in their accessories. The entrance leading to the kitchen was divided from the restaurant portion of the place by a dense beaded curtain. The floors looked worn, the furniture looked older, and the general feel of the place was cozy and humble and a little bit run-down.
When we finally got a table (the one nearest the kitchen entrance on the right hand side), the lone server at the restaurant promptly dropped off some water for us, and took our drink orders (green tea). Considering that he was the only fellow working the floor, his speed of service was definitely acceptable. He returned to take our food order: a plate of yum-dip salad rolls (which I thought were a Vietnamese specialty but is apparently one of the most popular dishes at Boualong), the panang curry, the green curry, and two orders of coconut rice.
Our salad rolls came out quickly, and were generous in size and delicious in flavour. Packed with shrimp and some sort of mysterious meat, these rolls were nearly twice the size of ones that we are accustomed to getting at most restaurants. Even with its notable size, we gobbled up the rolls greedily. We then had to wait a bit to receive our curries, which came out piping hot and served in funky leaf-shaped dishes. The panang curry was bursting with flavour, just the right amount of sweetness, and enough spicy kick to give the dish some attitude. The green curry was mild, sweet, delicate, and aromatic. The coconut rice was steamed to sticky perfection, and was prepared in such a way that Hubbs remarked on its fluffy texture and distinctiveness from other coconut rice that we've tried. This, he declared, was his favourite, and the best he has had.
We took our time enjoying the meal, which was so ample in portion that even after gorging ourselves, we had 3/4 of a bowl of rice and a lot of curry left over. The grand total of our appetizer, tea, and curries? A very affordable $33.00. The cash-only policy initially had us worried, but given the affordability of our meal we definitely had more than enough to cover and to tip our server generously.
I told some of my friends about this place, including a certain colleague of mine whose hubby lived in Thailand for nearly 2 years. The two of them then proceeded to check the place out, and he apparently also gave Boualong the seal of approval for authenticity and delicious cuisine. Their party of 3, incidentally, only paid $44 for a hearty meal for all of them.
The long wait aside, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is craving real Thai food. You may be a little creeped out by the location of the place, or the worn-out look of the facility, but you will definitely not be disappointed by the food.
Rating: 10 / 10
Hubbs' Rating: 10 / 10
