I keep a low profile as a food blogger. Only because I don’t have much time these days to pursue my passion. I was surprised to receive an invite from the restaurant owner to visit his cafe. I couldn’t visit in person, so I ordered from Skip The Dishes.
Food trends come and go all the time. Some have staying power, like ramen. Noodles for me are always a classic, never out of style. Asian cuisines doing a take on western cuisine is not new. But this is the first that I have heard of Japanese spaghetti. Intriguing. I’m all for fast, good quality and affordable food.
I ordered the Japanese chicken spaghetti, with a salad and the carrot and lemon zest soup. The spaghetti tasted like roasted chicken with a slightly asian style soy sauce flavour. Like home cooked food. The carrot and lemon zest soup had vibrant flavours and color. Pasta was done al dente. Hubby had the spaghetti carbonara. I had a taste, it was good. The portions are really generous and it is good value for the price.
I could see my old, super active self hitting this place after a session at the climbing gym or day out in the mountains. Now I can see myself halving the portion and saving it for lunch the next day.
I like it. I’ll be back. Thanks for the invite, Takeshi!
Spaghetti CarbonaraJapanese Chicken Spaghetti, Carrot and Orange Zest Soup, Salad
Fact. I’ve never tried Filipino food. Ok, maybe once, when a friend brought over some cassava cake. Neither have three of my friends. So we all went down to Adobo Experience to give it a try.
We went early, around quarter to 6. The place wasn’t busy and our server was eager to take our order. We needed more time. To explore this exotic to us cuisine. We finally went with his suggestion of crispy pata which is deep fried pork hock to share as an appetizer. Mmmm, crispy pork skin. Three of us choose different versions of adobo, which is a meat stew. Hubby was the odd one out and went with the kare kare which is a peanut sauce based stew. The food was tasty. They also have a meal for a large group called Boodle Fight Experience. Google it. It’s now on my bucket list.
The food came reasonably quickly. But after that, the service fell down. The restaurant got really busy and it turned into Chinese style service. Where you play hail the waiter. If they see you. We decided to share the halo halo dessert which is more than enough for the four of us. It was pretty tasty. But it took a long time to order and then to arrive. Food is good, service not so much.
Feeling hungry after a session at the climbing gym, hubby and I decided to check out Red’s in Ramsay. It is really hard to find a brunch spot on weekends in Calgary, but Red’s uses the NoWait app which piqued my interest. It worked out really well for us. We arrived; we were seated ahead of a few other parties that were waiting. I wish that busy restaurants would use this more often. You don’t have to be at the restaurant to reserve your place in line. It’s real time, unlike Open Table.
I dug into one of the specials of the day, turkey and bacon on marble rye with creamy chicken and vegetable soup. I found the food pretty average, but it was enough to satisfy a climbing appetite. Service was friendly, but a little spotty as they were busy. Nice location and definitely a neighborhood eatery.
Turkey and bacon sandwich with creamy chicken and vegetable soup
I had a craving for ramen. It is a craving if I always want ramen? I dropped by Umami Noodle Bar to try their wares. First thing I noticed. The stroller parked in the foyer. As a MoM (Mother of multiples) family friendly restaurants now interest me.
The aroma of full bodied ramen broth was wafting through the air enticing me like Pavlov’s dog. The space was small, but not crowded for a midweek lunch. The server was very friendly and helpful. I like that.
The ramen arrived in short order with a head of steaming broth. The broth was rich and had a full flavour. Noodles were chewy firm; the way I like them. The chashu buns I ordered to go. I reheated them as a snack later and they tasted pretty good. I think I will return.
I was looking for a restaurant for date night on a Sunday. My first choice wasn’t Modern Steak, but I was enticed by a 1,000 point reservation on Opentable.
I suspect that this was the former location of The Muse, as I remember the multiple levels and uniquely shaped downstairs dining area. We were seated downstairs, in a quiet corner. So far, so good. Hubby started off with the steak tartare. The beef was assertively spiced and the chips were nicely crunchy. Anticipating the meat fest ahead, I ordered the wedge trio salad. The salad looked massive; containing three quarters of an iceberg lettuce. All the dressings were house made. I especially enjoyed the green goddess dressing.
Hubby had the 10 oz Wagyu striploin for his entree with a side of brussels sprouts with maple and bacon. He thoroughly enjoyed his steak. I ordered the 7oz Ben’s filet. It was done to a turn (medium rare) and was flavorful. I had asparagus parmesan with a poached egg on the side. I also ordered Bearnaise sauce. It was rich and velvety.
We shared the crème brûlée for dessert. It was traditional and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The service was attentive, but not disruptive. The decor is modern and I do prefer that to the traditional 70’s wood paneled steakhouse decor.
Definitely recommended for that special occasion dinner.
Steak Tartare with dijon, caper, gherkin, farm yolk, truffle oil and chipsModern Wedge Trio with 1000 Island & tomato, blue cheese and bacon, green goddess and red onionL-R 10oz Wagyu New York Strip, brussels sprouts and bacon, Bearnaise sauce, asparagus parmesan with 63 degree egg and 7oz filetClassic creme brulee
I haven’t had a dosa in a long time. So when a friend of mine mentioned that Madras Cafe was having a dosa festival, I just had to go. They had a special menu that featured 100 dosa and dosa variants.
We started off with the podli idli. Idli is a savoury rice and fermented black lentil cake that is steamed. This version was subsequently fried and mixed with spices. It had a tang of heat and the fried onions added a nice crunch. I ordered the mix vegetable dosa for my main dish. It came with a side of soup and a couple of dipping sauces. It was quite tasty. Hubby asked the server for his recommendation. Our server, who I assumed was also the owner had a thick accent that I found difficult to decipher. Hubby accepted our server’s suggestion. It was a vegetarian dosa, bursting with vegetables and flavour.
I love hole-in-the-wall family run places. This is the sort of place that I would come back to, if I found myself in the area again.
I made deviled eggs yesterday and finally figured out how to hard boil them and make them easy to peel at the same time. The eggs also do not have a grey ring around the yolk, which is caused by overcooking. It takes about half an hour, but the results are worth it! This is a combination of two methods, both which are referenced below.
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water so that there’s 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes
After the eggs have simmered, pour out the hot liquid, and shake the pan to crackle the shells. Next rinse it in cold water for about a minute. Leave the eggs in the cold bath for 15 minutes, enough time to allow the eggs to cool and the stinky sulfur inside the eggs to dissipate into the water. Peel the egg, under a stream of water if you prefer.
I was in search of brunch with little to no lineups. It’s quite a feat in Calgary to avoid weekend brunch lineups. Which brought me, to the Fine Diner in Inglewood. The restaurant was full when we arrived. We were third in line; the estimated wait was 15-20 minutes. They took my mobile number and would text me when a table became available. No sooner then did we cross the street, I received the text. It turned out the the party ahead of us didn’t show up for their reservation. We were seated in separate dining area in the back of the restaurant. It was nice that they had an overflow area. It was quiet, with just a few tables.
Hubby ordered the croque madame and I had the stuffed french toast. Hubby really enjoyed his dish. It came with a side of fruit and roasted potatoes. Both of the dishes used house made brioche which was delicious. The french toast was stuffed with orange marmalade and cream cheese. I found the first half delightful, but was wanting some relief from the sweetness by the time I finished. It was served with caramel sauce and whipped cream. The only knack was that our meal took a little longer to arrive, and the kitchen apologized for the wait.
We enjoyed our dining experience and we will be returning.
STUFFED FRENCH TOAST House baked brioche stuffed with our kitchen team’s latest creationCROQUE MADAME Home made brioche stuffed with gruyère & bacon. Topped with a poached egg. Served on creamy mornay sauce
I’ve always enjoyed the food from CRMR and was less than happy when they vacated The Ranche. I finally made it to The Lake House where they have set up shop. I really wanted to see the view of the lake, but having dinner in late fall means none of that. The dining room is decorated in Rocky Mountain style, complete with the antler chandeliers. The dining room has a nice, romantic ambience, complete with a wood burning fireplace.
Back to the food. The charcuterie platter was my favorite at The Ranche. They have reincarnated here, complete with the pickled melon which I adore. The half platter was more than enough for the three of us. I had the black cod for my entree. It was done to a turn, fork tender and full of flavor. The shiitake mushroom and bean stew lent an earthy flavour to the dish. The raspberry tiramisu was a light and refreshing finish to the meal.
The service was good; attentive, but not intrusive. The next time I come back, it will be during the day when I can take in the view.
Rocky Mountain Charcuterie Platter A Selection of Regionally & House Made Charcuterie, House Made Accompaniments & Pumpernickel BreadPan Seared Black Cod Calypso Bean & Shitake Stew, Salt & Pepper Cuttlefish, Miso Butter, Yuzu GastriqueRaspberry Tiramisu Mascarpone Cream, Mandarin Coulis, Pistachio Dust
As a foodie, I blog about everything food related. Including the good and not so good. I had a hospital stay for about a week back in January due to my new arrivals at the Foothills Medical Centre. Here is a recollection of what I ate.
The food was Ok. My first meal was lunch which was basically my first solid food in over 24 hours. Tasty when one is starving.
But let’s get back to breakfast. I could choose my menu some days, when the sheet came around. Just the basics. Toast, egg, usually scrambled, some kind of fruit, yogurt, milk and juice. Occasional muffin, pastry or hot cereal. Good enough for me. I’m not usually a milk drinker but I did during my stay because I was always hungry.
Apparently they had a small kitchen full of snacks which mostly consisted of peanut butter toast, yogurt and juice. Apparently, as I never made it there; I only asked the nurses for the above items.
The lunches were usually sandwiches with a salad, vegetable or soup. The sandwiches look like they might have been prepared in house. For dinner, there was always a hot entree. I was pleasantly surprised one night when I got a cabbage roll. I’m not really into the idea of having my meal produced in say, Ontario, freezing it and shipping it here to be rewarmed as typical in some healthcare settings. This is known as rethermalizing. I was tired of the obviously thawed from frozen peas, corn, carrots and beans, but hey, this is a hospital not a fine dining establishment.
It wasn’t a horrible experience, except for what happened below in the next paragraph. I’ve had airplane food, although not recently and I can say that it is still better than hospital food. I did supplement my diet with fresh fruit from home and some oat bars from Fraiche Desserts. But I can see how if one were used to more culturally diverse foods how one would encourage their family to bring in what they prefer to eat.
My last dinner was clear liquids, thanks to a bout of ileus. I was so hungry and looking forward to some food. The real (as opposed to plastic) knife and fork that came with it was an additional insult. Thank goodness it resolved by next morning so I could have real food for breakfast.
I wonder what would happen if they let patients order from say, Skip the Dishes? Of course keeping in mind dietary restrictions.
Menu 1Menu 2Breakfast Orange cranberry pop tart, toast with peanut butter and jam, yogurt, hard boiled egg, apple slices, milk and apple juiceBreakfast Scrambled egg, toast, bran muffin, yogurt, mandarin orange, milk and apple juiceBreakfast Toast wit jam and honey, scrambled egg, cream of wheat, yogurt, mandarin orange and apple juiceBreakfast Scrambled egg, toast with peanut butter and jam, yogurt, apple slices, oatmeal, milk and coffeeLunch Deli meat sandwich, beef stew with rice, roll with butter, milk, apple juice, fruit cup and rice puddingLunch Chicken sandwich with side salad, green beans, carrots, consomme, milk and teaLunch Chicken sandwich with cucumber, peas, butternut squash soup, milk,orange juice and rice puddingDinner Cabbage roll with mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, fruit cup and teaDinner Poached salmon with green beans, peas, carrots, carrot sticks, berry crumble and milkClear Liquids for Dinner Tea, fruit juice and consomme
