Calgary Food, coffee, etc. - Page 217

Calgarian · #**4321** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 3:34 PM**

I tried the India Dark Ale from Village at the Blind Monk on Friday, now that's a tasty beer! it's very dark, pretty much like a porter, but is also fairly hoppy. Kinda like a dark ale meets an IPA (hence the name), right up my alley.

Rusty van Reddick · #**4322** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 5:03 PM**

Thanks for the review, Jimby, but it's "Borgo." Means "village" apparently.

Partner took me to Zipang for my birthday dinner Saturday. Extremely average. O Shima is much better and would have been cheaper too.

Jimby · #**4323** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 5:12 PM**

oops I meant to change it because I had a look at their website and realized I had spelled it wrong.
Belated happy bday Rusty and gung hay fat choy everyone!

fusili · #**4324** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 5:24 PM**

Borgo is awesome. My girlfiend and I go there quite often. Quite a few of the waiters are from Italy, which is great. Food is great.

Sorry to hear about O&A and Una. Those places are always busy. What I like about Borgo, is there are no reso's. If you have to wait, I usually just go somewhere close to grab a quick drink and come back.

Rusty van Reddick · #**4325** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 7:44 PM**

Just checked its fb page- Model Milk reopens tomorrow. Didn't think it was possible for a new place that's been doing roaring biz to have closed already!

Innersoul1 · #**4326** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Partner took me to Zipang for my birthday dinner Saturday. Extremely average. O Shima is much better and would have been cheaper too.

Hey Boys, thanks for all of the suggestions for Charcut. Funny Rusty, we were talking about you at dinner and wondering if you were having a fancy dinner foy your Bday.

I did quite enjoy Charcut but I would say that it didn't wow me. Given that Mrs. Innersoul is preggo the bartender did an outstanding job of making her inspired non-alcoholic bevies. Really impressive and tasty. Our waitress was knowledgeable and very helpful with navigating the menu and I was very appreciative of the wine menu (I had a Tancredi, which I have never had before).

We started with the Pig Head Mortadella, very tasty. I think that the Charcuterie board is an outstanding deal, and will likely delve into that on a future visit.

I went with the Butcher's Steak and the Duck Fat Poutine. While the steak was very flavourful, which I liked, it was quite salty. More salt than I would like. The chimchurri (sp) sauce was a very nice addition. The poutine was awesome, however, I felt that there was a bit too much gravy on mine. My fries were drenched. Don't get me wrong that gravy is outstanding but it just turned into a mess. I like a little of the crispiness of the fries to be preserved.

Kristen had the Pork Crouquettes with walla walla onion rings and the slow roasted beets. She just couldn't stomach the croquettes, nor could I. Combined with the onion rings the whole dish is quite heavy and greasy. It just wasn't that good and seemed amateur for a place like Charcut. The redeeming part of the dish was the Dsousa family Aioli which was very tasty. The beets were very good, however, we found that the goat cheese was just too mild. We were expecting them to be paired with a stronger goat cheese. That might just be personal preference.

Overall our dining experince was good. We just weren't wowed the way we expected to be given all of the buzz we had heard. We both agreed that next time we would try the charcuterie board and stick to the appies and share items....and yes, the Prime Rib.

The only downside was that our table was surrounded by odd folk having odd conversations. We were right next to Michael Green and his family. If you think his perfect day is strange (see Pg. 52 + 53: http://cdn1.avenuecalgary.com/avenue...012/index.html ) you can only imagine what his dinner conversation was like. Plus he couldn't stop watchin videos on his iPhone through the whole meal

Ramsayfarian · #**4327** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 9:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Just checked its fb page- Model Milk reopens tomorrow. Didn't think it was possible for a new place that's been doing roaring biz to have closed already!

I was thinking the same thing. It's either issues with the building or the Health Board shut them down. My money is on the building.

jeffwhit · #**4328** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 10:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

The only downside was that our table was surrounded by odd folk having odd conversations. We were right next to Michael Green and his family. If you think his perfect day is strange (see Pg. 52 + 53: http://cdn1.avenuecalgary.com/avenue...012/index.html ) you can only imagine what his dinner conversation was like. Plus he couldn't stop watchin videos on his iPhone through the whole meal

A few years ago I got completely shitfaced with Michael Green (we don't know each other) in a townie bar in Drumheller. That was an.... interesting night.
I ended up at a pallet burning party out in the middle of nowhere with some guy who was on the lamb from the RCMP, as it turned out. And that was after fending off what seemed like half of the local cougar population.

Innersoul1 · #**4329** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 10:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

A few years ago I got completely shitfaced with Michael Green (we don't know each other) in a townie bar in Drumheller. That was an.... interesting night.
I ended up at a pallet burning party out in the middle of nowhere with some guy who was on the lamb from the RCMP, as it turned out. And that was after fending off what seemed like half of the local cougar population.

That totally made my day.

My wife and I were totally having WTF moments listening to their conversation. Green and his wife (I assume) were practically making out while thier 13 year old daughter sat there. We could only imagine what the hell the story was there.

freeweed · #**4330** Posted **Jan 23, 2012, 11:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

And that was after fending off what seemed like half of the local cougar population.

Were they at least hot?

jeffwhit · #**4331** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 12:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeweed

Were they at least hot?

Why would I have to fend off hot cougars?

Jimby · #**4332** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 12:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

Why would I have to fend off hot cougars?

maybe you're afraid of pendulous breasts? (Robin Quivers' line)

Ramsayfarian · #**4333** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 6:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

A few years ago I got completely shitfaced with Michael Green (we don't know each other) in a townie bar in Drumheller. That was an.... interesting night.
I ended up at a pallet burning party out in the middle of nowhere with some guy who was on the lamb from the RCMP, as it turned out. And that was after fending off what seemed like half of the local cougar population.

I saw on the National Geographic channel that The Cougar is attracted fresh to meat. The less populated their area, the more the attraction.

Ramsayfarian · #**4334** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 6:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

We were right next to Michael Green and his family. If you think his perfect day is strange (see Pg. 52 + 53: http://cdn1.avenuecalgary.com/avenue...012/index.html ) you can only imagine what his dinner conversation was like. Plus he couldn't stop watchin videos on his iPhone through the whole meal

Did you read Bill Brook's perfect day? His ends with "smoking gaggers" on a beach. I've now have some respect for BB. Mind you that depends on his definition of gaggers.

Innersoul1 · #**4335** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 4:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimby

maybe you're afraid of pendulous breasts? (Robin Quivers' line)

Quoting the Stern Show! Brilliant!

Jimby · #**4336** Posted **Jan 24, 2012, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

Quoting the Stern Show! Brilliant!

Satellite radio has changed my life. Now I swear all the time!

Jimby · #**4337** Posted **Jan 28, 2012, 6:42 AM**

I haven't had Moroccan in years so my friend suggested The Casbah in the basement of 720 11 Ave SW as she has been there and likes it.
It is apparently Calgary's most romantic restaurant 4 years running, and V Day is approaching rapidly...
I enjoyed the food. We had the full meal deal for $48 each which came with soup, 3 salads on one plate, a choice of 4 appies, and a choice of couscous, rice, or tajines with chicken or lamb, and dessert. Maybe not the best I have had, but the flavours were good and different from the usual. I didn't leave anything behind on the plate.
I didn't care for the plastic greenery and every time I sat up straight, the plastic palm frond behind me tickled my noggin. Ok my bald spot.
I had a bunch of Stellas to cope with the fake ivy and palms and I finished off with a Moroccan coffee which was like espresso with cinnamon.
Because of Stella, I had to wander off to the men's room
which is a surprisingly long way from the restaurant!
The owners, Carrie and Rani, are very charming and hospitable.

Jimby · #**4338** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 12:07 AM**

I had lunch at Cravings today which is kind of an odd place in a strange location, but very popular.
The deal with Cravings is you get a swipe card, order food from different stations, and then pay what is on the card on the way out. I believe Sunterra Marche in Transcanada has a similar set-up.
I wanted to start with a salad, but the workers at the salad station were determined to ignore me. I felt like an idiot standing there with my card hoping for service. No one acknowledged my presence or said they would be right with me. It seemed they weren't really doing anything but avoiding me/us.
Other people came and waited and left and so we left and went to the grill station. It seemed we were invisible for a few minutes there too but finally a human took our order.
We shared calamari, and vegetable gyozas to start.
The calamari was good. I love it when it is good and hate it when it is rubber so I'm always leery of ordering it.
The gyoza were very good, they looked like they were handmade dumplings.
We both had the fish tacos which were ok, but nothing compared to fish tacos I have had in Orange County.
The 2 tacos came with a side of really good caesar salad from those hardworking salad girls.
They have a coffee station where they serve Starbucks, and the desserts looked really tempting but we didn't try any of them.
The nightly dinner specials sound good and if I lived near there I would do take-out on a regular basis.
I'm craving one of their lobster roll sandwiches now...

bigcanuck · #**4339** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 2:59 PM**

So, any shops in downtown using a Clover? Or something other than the typical drip?

Ramsayfarian · #**4340** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 3:27 PM**

Globe and Mail has a story about Calgary's growing beer scene. I found it amusing that they mention in trying times folks will drink beer as it's cheaper. I don't think $8+ for a pint is that cheap.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...rticle2321223/