eating out

trunch at pampa

May 4, 2016 by Fareen Leave a Comment

Looking for something a little different than the traditional Mother’s Day lunch? How about Trunch? Available at Pampa Brazilian Restaurant, Trunch is the perfect blend of brunch, lunch and tea.

I was invited to Pampa to check out what they were cooking up. This is no ordinary brunch!

Pampa has an amazing salad bar featuring fruit and charcuterie platters, fresh house breads with jams and cheeses along with 40 salads, dressings and sauces. I loved the beef carpaccio and the fresh mint dressing was amazing. I may have used that with my meat.

They also have some hot selections like french toast, brazilian crepes and eggs. Meat is carved tableside, and you can enjoy a limitless amount. For Trunch, you can enjoy Pampa sausage, leg of lamb, chicken, marinated pork loin, barbecued pork belly and my favourite, Picanha or the rumpstake. Your delicious meal will be followed by freshly brewed House Apple tea.

This is a unique experience to celebrate with the people you love. My 7 year old loved everything about Pampa, enjoying every juicy bite of meat and even eating some vegetables.

Trunch is offered every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning with a special Mother’s Day Trunch on May 7th and 8th, which will include a surprise gift for each mom. Pampa is also offering a Victoria Day Trunch on Sunday, May 22nd and on Monday, May 23rd, which will feature a unique cheese bread-making demonstration at noon. Don’t worry dads, a special Father’s Day Trunch will be served on Sunday, June 19th. Adults can enjoy Trunch for $29.50 per guest while children aged 12 and under can dine for only $15.95 per child. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling (587) 354-3441.

Cheers to all the fabulous mothers!

via cibo

March 19, 2016 by Fareen Leave a Comment

Via Cibo has opened it’s second location in Calgary. Having heard great reviews about the first Calgary location in Deerfoot Meadows, I was excited to see what the Italian restaurant had in store.

Inspired by Italian street food, Via Cibo is a chef-driven fast food restaurant, meaning high quality food but fast casual service. You order and pay at the counter but your made to order food is brought to you. From salads and sandwiches to pasta and pizza, there is something for everyone.

The Tuscan Fries sounded very tempting and I just couldn’t resist. With rosemary sea salt, truffle oil and shaved grana padano cheese, they were decadent and perfect for sharing.

For the main, I tried the Pasta Al Ragu Di Ossobuco. The penne was served with a braised veal ragu and cheese and a side of garlic bread. Comfort food at it’s best!

If you’re looking for a sweet ending, Via Cibo has an assortment of gelato. The Nutella with the coconut sorbet was the perfect combination.

I definitely will be coming back to Via Cibo to try their other offerings.

modern steak

March 14, 2016 by Fareen Leave a Comment

Modern Steak has been on my list of places to go for a really long time. Everyone had raved about the food and I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself. I finally had a chance to go yesterday to celebrate an early birthday with friends. Since The Big Taste was going on, we decided to do that menu. It was amazing!

We started out with the best server who was very attentive all through dinner. Our meal began with truffle popcorn which was a fantastic treat. I love truffle oil and paired with popcorn, well, it was delish.

The first course was the Prawn Bong – grilled spicy prawns served with a cooling mint creme fraiche. The prawns were cooked to perfection and paired well with the creme fraiche. It took a lot of will power for me to not drink the minty sauce.

Our second course was the Brant Lake Wagyu. The petite tender steak was sliced and served with chimichurri on top of mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans and topped with crispy fried onions. The steak was cooked to medium rare and was so tender and flavourful. The potatoes were creamy and the beans were crisp – it was a delicious main course.

The meal was rounded out with a bowl of gelato. Great food and great friends – it was the perfect evening.

If you haven’t been to Modern Steak, it is definitely worth checking out. Owned by Stephen Deere, the restaurant has been rated the top steak place in Calgary, and now I know why. I can’t wait to go back soon!

sky 360 and the big taste calgary

March 11, 2016 by Fareen Leave a Comment

It’s time for The Big Taste in Calgary – every foodie’s favourite week! Hubby and I checked out Sky 360 for lunch last weekend and it was great. It had been years since I’ve been to the Calgary Tower and this was a nice treat. As we lunched on our 3 course, $25 menu, the floor of the restaurant rotated and we got an amazing view of our city.

The first course for The Big Taste was either a soup or a salad. We both went with the Greens Salad which contained carrot chips, cucumbers, shave radish and topped with a pomegranate and pink peppercorn vinaigrette.

For the second course, I went with the Grilled Blackened Chicken sandwich which was served on fresh focaccia. The bread was so good and the chicken had a nice kick to it. The fries that were served on the side were cooked to perfection. Hubby went with the burger which was also very good.

We ended our meal with a cream cheese gelato served with strawberries.

After the meal, we were able to enjoy the tower from the observation deck. The glass floor was kind of scary – I had to not look down in order to take this picture.

It was a great meal, definitely worth a visit. Considering a trip to the top is $18, the lunch during The Big Taste is a great deal!

al’s grill at amato gelato (chestermere)

February 29, 2016 by Fareen Leave a Comment

As great as it was to escape to paradise, it was nice to come home on the weekend. Sure we came back to a little cold and snow but there’s no place like home.

Since we hardly slept on the way home, we were exhausted and all of us had a nice long nap. We were starving when we woke up but had no desire to cook. Amato Gelato to the rescue!

Amato Gelato in Chestermere has opened a side business in their gelato shop, Al’s Grill. Al’s Grill features East African specialties like fried cassava, pili pili fries and chicken poussin.

We ordered the mishkaki chicken combo which came with 3 skewers of marinated chicken, salad, fries and naan. It was delicious! The chicken was flavourful and moist and I loved the skinny fries that it came with. The best part was that Z, who had refused to eat anything for a few meals, loved the chicken and devoured a couple of sticks of chicken. Made this mamma very happy!

We also had the fried cassava which was cooked to perfection. It was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and perfect with the tamarind chutney that it came with.

We can’t wait to go back and enjoy some more of their delicious food. Next time, we will have to leave room for dessert! We are definitely lucky to have this gem in Chestermere. With great service and friendly owners, it’s definitely a business that deserves support.

moderne sushi and bbq

February 19, 2016 by Fareen 1 Comment

Since moving to Chestermere over nine years ago, we have seen the city grow. We saw the food scene grow with the addition of a few pizza places, family restaurants, fast food joints and coffee shops. One thing that was missing though was sushi. Until now.

Moderne Sushi and BBQ opened last month, making all the sushi lovers ecstatic. I checked out the new restaurant a couple weeks ago with the kids and was so happy that I did.

Moderne is quite large taking up the whole space left behind by the Bargain Shop. It has been renovated into a very beautiful restaurant with great light fixtures and lots of seating.

For me, two things make a restaurant worth going back to – the service and the food. The service was incredible! The staff were super friendly and very accommodating, making sure that both kids were happy and comfortable.

The food was great! We tried the salmon and the scallops, both of which were fresh and delicious.

We tried a number of rolls and they were all good! The ingredients were fresh and the cooked items were perfect. Both kids ate very well.

Overall, I was very impressed with the restaurant. We didn’t try the Korean bbq that they offered but it gives us a good excuse to go back. This place is definitely worth checking out.

banff springs hotel eats

March 18, 2015 by Fareen Leave a Comment

After a hard week of moving, I am dreaming of an escape. I loved my little getaway last month to the Banff Springs Hotel. Although I was there for work, I was able to enjoy a lot of what the beautiful hotel had to offer. Finding a place to fill your belly was an easy task with all the dining options available. There were so many places to eat, there are still a lot more places I have yet to visit. Here are the few I was able to check out.

In-Room Dining
I was exhausted my first night and in-room dining seemed the way to go. I made a great choice with the Grown-Up Mac and Cheese. The decadent pasta contained lobster, foraged mushroom and truffled Boursin cream. It was rich and was the perfect bowl of comfort food.

Samurai Sushi Bar and Restaurant
This popular sushi restaurant located close to the spa is one you definitely want to make reservations for. I was able to get room at the sushi bar and enjoyed a couple of rolls. Definitely helped with my sushi craving.

Castle Pantry
This deli in the hotel was perfect for grabbing something quick and delicious. I had heard lots about the seafood chowder – filled with fish and shrimp. Definitely a must try. Hubby had the chili and was delighted with the meat-filled dish.

Rundle Lounge
Afternoon Tea is a must try, located on the second floor of the Rundle Lounge. It’s a great way to spend the afternoon. Read more about it here.

The restaurant is also a great place for lunch. We ordered the Lamb Donair Flatbread which had hummus, onion and was topped with yogurt. It was cheesy and delicious. We also tried the Surf & Turf Roll, minus the bacon. The sandwich was filled with lobster, shrimp, scallops and smoked salmon – the perfect dish for seafood lovers. Served with a side of sweet potato fries, our meal was filling and delicious.

I’m looking forward to my next visit to the castle in the mountains!

joey’s urban – chestermere

March 17, 2015 by Fareen Leave a Comment

It’s been a crazy week! We sold our house and had just a week to pack up, put our things in storage and move out. It’s amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in nine years! I am so thankful we had our family to help us out. I think we all agree that moving is not something we want to do again any time soon!

We were lucky to have Joey’s Urban open up in Chestermere last week. Dinner most days was take out, something fast and easy. The new addition to the neighbourhood gave us a new place to try out and order from.

I stopped in to pick up our order and was greeted by the owner, a friendly face behind the till. The place smelled great and just walking in made me hungry!

We ordered fish and chips and fish tacos. The food was great, the fish nice and light and crispy. The tacos were packed with flavour, topped with a delicious pico de gaillo. Everyone was impressed with the taste and quality.

Looking forward to going back!

pampa brazilian steakhouse

February 24, 2015 by Fareen 1 Comment

We are so lucky to have some great new restaurants in the city. One of the new additions to Calgary is Pampa Brazilian Steahouse. I was lucky to be invited to a media dinner for the new restaurant and try out their amazing offerings. This restaurant is every meat lovers dream!

We were greeted by owner Oscar Lopez, who welcomed everyone with a drink – either Caipirinhas or Guarana, Brazilian sodas.

Chef Joao gave us a bit of history before we were treated to a delicious meal. The buffet was unlike any one I have seen at a Brazilian steakhouse. The variety of items was astonishing – from salads and vegetables to beef carpaccio and a wheel of parmesan. Definitely something for everyone.

The meat – oh my! Here’s some of what we enjoyed: marinated chicken thighs, garlic steak, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, ribeye and lamb chops. My absolute favourite was the house specialty – Picanha. Also known as beef rump, it was sooooo tasty and melted in my mouth. The food was delicious and the meat made everyone at the table quite happy.

The evening ended on a sweet note – passion fruit mousse with a red wine reduction and chocolate mousse with an orange and star anise reduction.

The place was fantastic, the food was delicious and I can’t wait to go back for more!

corbeaux bakehouse

January 17, 2015 by Fareen Leave a Comment

After seeing all the delicious pictures being posted on Instagram about Corbeaux Bakehouse, I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself. Located in the former Melrose, the space had been transformed and it looked like a little bit of Europe in Calgary.

We arrived early on Friday and were happy to be seated right away. I had a cup of hot chocolate while I decided on breakfast. There were a lot of choices!

We knew we had to try the bread so we shared the bread basket which contained a few varieties along with butter and jam. The bread was so good and comforting and way more than two people needed to eat.

I was happy to see the buratta on the menu and we definitely wanted to try that. The cheese was soft and paired well with the tomato jam that it was served with. The jam was our favourite, sweet with a kick of spice.

I opted for the duo of poached eggs with salt, pepper and gremolata. We also ordered some bakehouse potatoes to go with our eggs. The potatoes were cooked up in duck fat with some caramelized onions and green onions. They made the perfect accompaniment to the eggs.

We also indulged and ordered some hollandaise sauce for the eggs. Definitely worth the splurge!

Our very delicious and filling breakfast was finished off with brioche donuts with lemon curd which were served nice and warm.

Along with their sit down menu, Corbeaux offers a huge variety of pastries and cakes that you can enjoy. With his sweet tooth, I knew Q would love the almond croissant which he devoured after dinner.

It was a great morning and I can’t wait to go back to try out all their lunch and dinner offerings. Definitely a place worth checking out!