Avenue Magazine Calgary

Beauty in the Beltline

La Vita e Bella is a small restaurant located at the end of a row house near the newly built Stampede Casino.

Inside, the white and brick walls and small number of tables make a great setting for a relaxed intimate meal. Start with a salad like the Caprese ($14) with buffalo mozzarella, tomato medley, basil and balsamic reduction. Antipasta selections include bruschetta ($8), calamari fritti ($11) and polpette (meatballs stuffed with asiago and warm roast pepper coulee, $14). The menu also includes pasta dishes (gnocchi with double smoked bacon, onion and tomato fresca, $17; manicotti, $18; tortellini, $17) and a few entrées (veal topped with lemon sugo, $24; herb crusted lamb striploin, $30). While not huge, the menu offers a good cross section of Italian dishes and the wine list is excellent.

A bonus is the excellent and friendly staff who will inspire you to return just as much as the food. (401 12 Ave. S.E. 403-264-6046)

A Touch of Europe

Artisan Bistro has been open for two years at its Bridgeland location, and with its high quality food and service, should remain open for many more.

The French and Spanish influenced brunch menu (Serrano ham, café con leche) will have you coming back for more. The large variety of tapas items including a daily quiche selection ($10) and cheese empanadas ($8.50) are great for sharing.

Try the crepes with grilled bananas, maple syrup and crème chantilly ($9) or the Buenos Dias Benny ($11) if breakfast is your thing. Artisan also has a number of sandwiches available with the soup of the day and mixed greens for $16 including Capri (chicken), Artisano (grilled beef) and Athena (lamb).

From the white tablecloths to the really good homemade jam that comes with the toast, the attention to small details is an indicator of the overall quality. (809 1 Ave. N.E. 403-263-3727)

Travelling with Taste

On the surface, the simple foods of the Mediter-ranean appear easy to make, but quality authentic flavours like those found at Aida’s Mediterranean Bistro can be tougher to master than you might expect.

From the delicious starters (hommos, $6.50; mouhammara, $7; grape leaves $5.50) to the salads (tabbouli and fattoush, small $6; Greek, small $7; white bean, $7.50) and platters (shwarma, $12; falafel, $10.50; shish kabob, $16.50) the quality and taste is great.

You can also choose from sandwiches (lamb kabob, $7.75; herbed lemon chicken, $7), one of the couscous selections (chicken $12; curried lamb, $15) or entrees (Middle Eastern lamb chops, $21; spiced halibut, $17; Mediterranean chicken, $17).

Located on 4th Street S.W. Aida’s always seems to be busy, so you might want to make a reservation. (2208 4 St. S.W., 403-541-1189) 

More than a Liquid Lunch

The Wild Rose Brewery Taproom can be found in the old Currie Barracks site, beside the Calgary Farmers Market in a large Quonset that also serves as the brewery for the Calgary-based beer company. And given that, many of the menu items not only use Wild Rose brews in their recipes but also items from the nearby market.

Items like the Brown Ale pie ($8) made by Simple Simon Pies or the Brats n’ Beer ($10) with bratwurst from the Old Country Sausage Shop cooked in a special broth and Wild Rose IPA. If you are looking for something lighter have the ploughman’s lunch — a cold plate of ever-changing meats, cheese, veggies and homemade bread ($10), veggie wrap ($9) or the featured salad ($8).

Top off your meal with the Wraspberry cobbler ($5) made with Wraspberry Ale or one of the many fine pints available on tap. (Building AF23, 2, 4580 Quesnay Wood Dr. S.W., 403-720-2733)

A Garden of Simple

The original location of Zen 8 in the Penny Lane small was torn down. It’s now back in a new, but still downtown, location. It features all the sushi selections that one would want and regularly flies in fish to ensure freshness.

The spicy gyoza soup ($8) is a good start to a Japanese meal that might also include appetizers like wasabi aeh (wasabi marinated ahi tuna tossed with ripe avocado, $12) or beef tataki ($17). There are tempura (asparagus, two pieces, $3.50; shrimp, two pieces, $5.50) and kushiyaki (grilled skewers — chicken, $10; scallop, $15) to choose from and a number of other entrees to try (teppan salmon, $23; Fujiyama steak, $32).

But really, it is all about the sushi by the piece (sockeye salmon, $3.50; red tuna $3.75), sashimi (BBQ unagi, two pieces, $7.50; steamed prawn, two pieces, $6) and rolls (dynamite roll, $9.75; California roll goma, $6) at this bright sushi restaurant. (103, 414 3 St. S.W., 403-237-8884)

Night Spot

It’s routine to see a lineup of movers and shakers outside of Bungalow Lounge; it is a place to see and be seen on 17th Avenue. The stylish modern decor is chic and the soft lighting is bright enough to check out who might be sitting next to you, but soft enough for that relaxed urban lounge feel.

Their specialty grilled flatbreads ($16) include six different variations such as the carnivore (bison, bacon, genoa salami) or tandoori chicken. They have also added old classics like calamari, pork dumplings, salmon rolls and a seven-cheese truffle fondue. The real selection to be made at Bungalow is what kind of cocktail to have. Perhaps a mojito, lycheetini or sangria ($11)?

Or, for the high-roller, how about a bottle of Dom Pérignon ($400)? (524 17 Ave. S.W., 403-209-5005)

Game On

The Ranche Restaurant, located in Fish Creek Provincial Park’s Bow Valley Ranche House, was originally built in 1896 by William Roper Hull.

A part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts ownership group, The Ranche has elegant rustic dishes with modern twists. There are a number of game dishes to try, many of which come from the group’s ranch. Start with the charcuterie board ($24) if you are looking for a meaty appetizer or the heirloom tomato salad ($13). There are entrée selections like ranch-raised bison rib-eye with Gorgonzola cipollini onion butter, sweet potato and bell pepper hash and cabernet glaze ($38), or the pheasant breast, roasted corn and aged white cheddar quinoa and apple sage reduction ($35).

The flavours in these and other dishes made with lamb, caribou and pheasant are as complex and appetizing as their lengthy names. (15979 Bow Bottom Tr. S.E., 403-225-3939)

It Takes a Village

For a landlocked city, there is no shortage of Japanese restaurants in Calgary. Oishii Village is located just steps from the intersection of 14th Street and 17th Avenue S.W., with good quality sushi at great prices. Start with an appetizer like beef tataki ($10) or agedashi tofu (tempura-style crispy fried, with Oishii special toppings, $5.50).

If you are in the mood for sushi or sashimi, Oishii has all the usual suspects (salmon, $1.70 per piece; spicy tuna roll, $5.50) and interesting giant rolls (soft shell crab, $15).

The menu also includes rice bowls (unagi don, $15), noodle dishes (chicken udon, $9) and a wide range of combos and specials (sushi and sashimi for two, $29; sushi and teriyaki chicken served with miso soup, salad and rice, $16).

While the interior of Oishii is nondescript, there are a couple of couches where you can wait for a takeout order for a fall picnic. (1604 14 St. S.W., 403-229-2881)

Hurry for Curry

With its small location on the main floor of an apartment building on 12th Avenue S.W., it is easy to overlook Mirchi, but from this tiny location it serves up delicious Pakistani and Indian food.

While there are only a few tables available, it makes for great takeout when you have an urge for a curry (butter chicken, $10; daal, $6) or one of the kebab specialties (shish kebab, $7), and it’s too hot to cook at home. Mirchi also has a number of appetizers (vegetable pakora, $4; vegetable samosa, $4) and tikkas (chicken, $10; prawn, $12.50).

It also offers a couple of combos (one meat and one vegetable curry with rice or naan, $14) that are great for a quick meal on the run. Mirchi is open until 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. (101, 825 12 Ave. S.W., 403-245-3663)