Cravings Market Restaurant


I’ve had my eye on Cravings Market for a while. Probably since it opened quite a few years ago. Since I was in the mood for vegetarian and hubby steak, I choose a place which could accommodate both our desires. When we left our place, it was lightly snowing. More on that later.

The restaurant has an interesting format. It’s laid out like a market with stations catering to different types of cuisine. For example, salad, stir fry main course and dessert. Each diner is issued a card. Walk up to the station, order, present the card. Servers will bring it to the table. Go right to the hostess stand to pay, no need to ask for the bill at the table. They also do take out.

I had the three salad sampler with mixed vegetables, quinoa, roasted beet and mandarin with a skewer of shrimp. Hubby had the prime rib special with roasted potatoes, carrots, zucchini, yorkies and gravy. For dessert, I had tiramisu and Rosso’s decaf. The coffee was heavenly. Hubby had chocolate mousse. Everything was delicious and freshly made. Their chefs can customize your selection and cook to order. There was enough variety for even the pickiest of eaters. Even though they don’t have a kids menu, my kids could easily eat from the regular menu. Beware though, the portions are very generous.

The service was very good. I do recommend this restaurant for special occasions. It is family friendly, so there might be an element of noise if kids are there.

We stepped out to a heavy spring snowstorm. We would learn later, that many cars had gone into the ditch on highways around town. We had about 25 cm of accumulation that didn’t melt right away. We made it home safely with careful driving.

Cravings Market Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mi Noodle

I had a chance to go out to dinner with friends who liked to try different foods. We settled on Mi Noodle. I’ve had my eye on this place for a while, but wasn’t comfortable ordering it for a family meal. As I am a mom to picky kids and wife to a hubby with less adventurous tastes.

Calgary’s foodie scene has really evolved with the arrival of lesser known Chinese cuisines. Besides the well known Cantonese and Szechuan, there is Yunnan, various northern styles (I love Lanzhou La mian), and here, Taiwanese. I love the diversity of noodle shops that have popped up in town in the last few years.

We decided to eat family style as we could try the maximum number of dishes.

We started with the green onion pancake. It was delightfully thin and crisp served with a soy dipping sauce. Next up were the wonton in a chili sauce. The chili sauce tasted of chili oil in a thin sauce. It had flavour, with a touch of spicy.

The beef stew was delicious. Notes of five spice transcended the broth that carried deep, rich flavors. The beef stew was suitably tender. The noodles were the perfect bite; chewy and a little firm. It came with some Shanghai bok choy, carrot, daikon and green onion.

The variant on xiao long bao (soup dumpling), made with kimchi was interesting.  The flavour was a bit subdued, due to broth, but still quite tasty. I just had to try their century egg and tofu dish. It seemed to be overpowered by the seaweed and bonito flakes, but still really good. I seem to recall the flavour of the century egg being more subtle than I remembered. But mine sit at home for a long time before I get around to using them all. It’s not a dish that I would recommend for not so adventurous eaters.

I was curious about the salted egg yolk custard buns. My mom introduced me to these while I was in Halifax earlier this summer. The filling had a nice salty sweet flavour. It’s a bit of an acquired taste, but I really liked it.  Sort of like a spot of sunshine in a bao. Something that Calgary could really use these days.

On a side note, the washroom had an interesting sign. There was a note, both in Chinese and English, that the toilet was not for standing.

Service was good, the food arrived really fast. We could have easily finished in about half an hour if we didn’t go for the second round.

Original broth noodle soup

Kimchi soup dumplings

Green onion pancake

Wontons in chili sauce

Century egg and tofu

Salted egg yolk custard

Mi Noodle Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Calan Beef Noodle

I rarely get a chance to go to restaurants sans kids in Calgary, so I took advantage to go with a friend to Calan Beef Noodle. Hand pulled noodles are all the rage in Toronto at the moment. I saw something similar with the ramen trend when I last went to Toronto in 2014. It took a while before taking off in Calgary.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the “noodle-slinger”. He was pulling a large ball of dough, twisting it and thumping it occasionally on the counter. It was a lot of fun to watch.

This is northern Chinese food, which is not common in Calgary. The handmade noodles can be pulled into four different variations. Thick, thin, flat and narrow and flat and wide. I ordered the Hand-Pulled Noodles in Beef Soup with Pickled Sour Mustard with thick noodles. I ordered it in a combo which includes a tea boiled egg and beef tendon.  The first thing I noticed was the flavour. The noodles had a nice springy, chewy texture. The broth had a nice beefy taste. Then I was slammed by the chilis. The soup came with bits of beef and I suspect possibly century egg. The pickled mustard greens added a nice tang.  The tea egg and side of beef tendon brought back memories of childhood Chinese banquets and home cooking.

I would usually comment on my dining partner’s dish, but we both had the same thing. He thoroughly enjoyed his meal. Service was quick as we enjoyed a leisurely late lunch around 2pm.

The noodle soup was hugely satisfying and comforting on a cool rainy day.

Hand-Pulled Noodles in Beef Soup with Pickled Sour Mustard, tea egg and beef tendon

Calan Beef Noodle Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Spaghetti Cafe Prairie

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 Carbonara
Spaghetti Carbonara

Japanese Chicken Spaghetti, Carrot and Orange Zest Soup, Salad
Japanese Chicken Spaghetti, Carrot and Orange Zest Soup, Salad

Spaghetti Cafe Prairie Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

A Visit to the Hospital

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 1
Menu 1

Menu 2
Menu 2

Breakfast - Orange cranberry pop tart, toast with peanut butter and jam, hard boiled egg, apple slices, milk and apple juice
Breakfast
Orange cranberry pop tart, toast with peanut butter and jam, yogurt, hard boiled egg, apple slices, milk and apple juice

Breakfast Scrambled egg, toast, bran muffin, mandarin orange, milk and apple juice
Breakfast
Scrambled egg, toast, bran muffin, yogurt, mandarin orange, milk and apple juice

Breakfast Toast wit jam and honey, scrambled egg, cream of wheat, yogurt, mandarin orange and apple juice
Breakfast
Toast wit jam and honey, scrambled egg, cream of wheat, yogurt, mandarin orange and apple juice

Breakfast Scrambled egg, toast, yogurt, apple slices, oatmeal, milk and coffee
Breakfast
Scrambled egg, toast with peanut butter and jam, yogurt, apple slices, oatmeal, milk and coffee

Lunch Deli meat sandwich, beef stew with rice, roll with butter, milk, apple juice, fruit cup and rice pudding
Lunch
Deli meat sandwich, beef stew with rice, roll with butter, milk, apple juice, fruit cup and rice pudding

Lunch Chicken sandwich with side salad, green beans, can, cantaloupe, vegetable soup, milk and tea
Lunch
Chicken sandwich with side salad, green beans, carrots, consomme, milk and tea

Lunch Chicken sandwich with cucumber, peas, butternut squash soup, milk,orange juice and rice pudding
Lunch
Chicken sandwich with cucumber, peas, butternut squash soup, milk,orange juice and rice pudding

Dinner Cabbage roll with mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, fruit cup and tea
Dinner
Cabbage roll with mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, fruit cup and tea

Dinner Poached salmon with green beans, peas, carrots, carrot sticks, berry crumble and milk
Dinner
Poached salmon with green beans, peas, carrots, carrot sticks, berry crumble and milk

Liquids for Dinner Tea, fruit juice and consomme
Clear Liquids for Dinner
Tea, fruit juice and consomme

Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus

I went to the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus for brunch a while ago, it has taken me this long to follow with the post. When we arrived, it was a Saturday around lunchtime. As expected, the place was fairly busy. I ordered the herb butter pannenkoeken. It made for a substantial meal. The side salad was a nice fresh accompaniment to the substantial pannenkoeken. Hubby preferred mine over his Mediterranean.

The icing on the cake (literally!) was the Black Forest pannenkoeken. It was big enough for three or four people to share, after the main meal. It came with a cupful of liquor in a chocolate cup! Good thing I was driving home, as hubby had it all to himself. It was definitely a chocolate and cherry lovers dream. Need to go back…

Kruidenboter (Herb butter) Ham, mushroom, onion and cheese served with a herb butter patty and a small house salad on top
Kruidenboter (Herb butter)
Ham, mushroom, onion and cheese served with a herb
butter patty and a small house salad on top

Mediterrian (Mediterranean) Chicken, spinach, olives, feta cheese, house blend cheese, garnished with fresh tomatoes and red onions
Mediterrian (Mediterranean)
Chicken, spinach, olives, feta cheese, house blend
cheese, garnished with fresh tomatoes and red onions

Zwarte Woud (Black Forest) Warm cherries, ice cream, whipped cream, Kirschwasser in a chocolate cup and chocolate sauce
Zwarte Woud (Black Forest)
Warm cherries, ice cream, whipped cream,
Kirschwasser in a chocolate cup and chocolate sauce

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The Block Kitchen and Lounge

Looking for dinner one night, hubby, MIL and I went to The Block Kitchen and Lounge. It’s located on a section of 4th St. NW somewhat known for its turnover in restaurants. I would say it has the potential to become a nice neighborhood restaurant. We went early on a Sunday night, as expected the place was just about empty.

We ordered appetizers to share. The charcuterie was tasty. There were homemade bread and butter pickles and lap cheung. It also came with date jam,  honeycomb,  grainy mustard, cured meat and bread. We also had the sweet potato perogies. They tasted hearty and delicious.

I had the lobster pot pie which stayed steaming hot throughout my meal. Hubby enjoyed his steak and hubby’s mum, her burger.

Dessert was lovely. I had a rich butterscotch pie and Hubby the s’ mores crème brulee.

The service was a bit slow to start, but we mentioned we were in a hurry as we had a sitter at home. Our serv was appropriately quickened. Our server was nice and friendly.

Menu
Menu

THE “BLOCK” CHARCUTERIE cured meats, artisanal cheeses, pickled vegetables (for two)
THE “BLOCK” CHARCUTERIE
cured meats, artisanal cheeses, pickled vegetables (for two)

SWEET POTATO PEROGIES double smoked bacon, crème fraiche, fried sage, brown butter, gruyère
SWEET POTATO PEROGIES
double smoked bacon, crème fraiche, fried sage, brown butter, gruyère

LOBSTER POT PIE poached lobster, atlantic cod, peas, shellfish gravy, house salad
LOBSTER POT PIE
poached lobster, atlantic cod, peas, shellfish gravy, house salad

BUTTERSCOTCH PIE toffee crumble
BUTTERSCOTCH PIE
toffee crumble

Click to add a blog post for The Block Kitchen and Lounge on Zomato

Saffron Mantra

I’ve been ordering a lot of delivery of late; the latest foray was to Saffron Mantra last month. The concept sounded intriguing; a fusion of Indian and French cuisine. We started with the tandoori chicken tikka. It had layers of complex flavours which blended together well. The taste was sweet, smokey and spicy. For my entree, I had the Himalayan lamb burger which was spicy, yet creamy with the citrus mint aioli. The dressing for the house salad tasted of Indian spices and citrus. Hubby had the chicken fritter burger. I thought about ordering the wicked ghost pepper burger for him, but thought better of it. Someday, I will visit to dine in.

Himalayan Lamb Burger with starter house salad and Sizzling Tandoori Chicken Tikka
Himalayan Lamb Burger with starter house salad and Sizzling Tandoori Chicken Tikka

Saffron Mantra on Urbanspoon

The Himalayan

We went to The Himalayan a couple of months ago, on the recommendation of a friend.  It’s hidden away in a strip mall by the Westbrook LRT station. Easy to miss. It looks like a family run operation, and a busy one at that. Seating is limited, so best to go in the off peak hours. Hubby and I went early on a Saturday for their lunch buffet.

They have a good selection of vegetarian dishes, along with some meat. Everything was extremely tasty. Some of the things I tried included: pappadam, saffron rice, dal, butter chicken, Everest lamb and chili tofu. They also had a salad bar and a few desserts. The mango pudding, fruit salad and halwa were good. They also serve naan on the side.

The service was prompt and friendly. Well worth a return visit.

 

Lunch buffet
Lunch buffet

The Himalayan on Urbanspoon

Reader's Garden Cafe Revisited

Reader’s Garden Cafe certainly can’t be beat for atmosphere. This is a return visit, as I was originally here last year for my birthday. The food was good last year, but simply out of the ballpark this year. Thanks to a change in chefs.

We started with a complimentary appetizer from the kitchen. Popcorn mixed with flowers and herbs from the garden. A nice way to wake up the tastebuds. My friend and I split an order of eggplant soup and tomato & watermelon salad. The soup was flavourful and smooth. The salad was out of this world. The sharpness of the granita went well with the coolness of the watermelon. I could eat it all day. Hubby had the smoked salmon salad. It was beautifully presented. There were these tiny cucumber balls, and a mysterious olive shaped fruit. Hubby thought they were tiny watermelons, but I’m not sure what they are.

Onto the entrees. My lamb was succulent. It was nestled in tasty garlic broth. The cabbage rolls filled with lamb were delightful. My friend also enjoyed her lamb and hubby found his chicken tasty.

For dessert, we all shared the beet root mouse. I found the taste unique, and enjoyable. The meringue and sesame seeds added a nice contrasting texture.

I still love that their veggies and flowers are from their garden. I love their food even more now and expect to return.

Popcorn Appetizer with Herbs
Popcorn Appetizer with Herbs

Eggplant Soup
Eggplant Soup

Tomato & Watermelon Salad-Watermelon granita, pickled watermelon rind, chilli
Tomato & Watermelon Salad-Watermelon granita, pickled watermelon rind, chilli

Smoked Salmon Salad - Spring greens, cucumber balls, crisps and mysterious olive shaped fruit
Smoked Salmon Salad – Spring greens, cucumber balls, crisps and mysterious olive shaped fruit

Alberta Lamb Cabbage Rolls-Lamb & garlic broth, wild rice filling, roasted root vegetables
Alberta Lamb Cabbage Rolls-Lamb & garlic broth, wild rice filling, roasted root vegetables

Roasted Chicken Breast-Toasted barley & sweet onion ragout, seared Brussel sprouts, natural jus
Roasted Chicken Breast-Toasted barley & sweet onion ragout, seared Brussel sprouts, natural jus

Beet Root Mousse - Apricot, meringue and toasted sesame seeds
Beet Root Mousse – Apricot, meringue and toasted sesame seeds

Reader's Garden Cafe on Urbanspoon