Making Tracks: Canmore's Sage Bistro

The big log cabin has sat beside the railroad tracks on Canmore’s Bow Valley Trail since the mid 1980s. Brought in by train as a load of pre-cut logs from British Columbia, it was first a show home for log buildings, but it soon became a restaurant and quickly went through a number of identities. For a while, it even suffered the indignity of being painted black — inside and out.

Then, having been purchased by the Kunst family in 1989, it settled into a phase where it was The Kabin, a haven for tour buses passing through the area. Nice view of the mountains, decent lunch at a good price, quick on-and-off-the-bus access, loads of parking — it fit the bill for tour groups.

But even that grew tired over time, so second-generation owner Todd Kunst reconceived his family’s restaurant in 2001 and created Sage Bistro. It is now what they call casual, contemporary and Canadian. The focus is on Canadian ingredients (Alberta venison and trout, P.E.I. mussels, B.C. salmon) combined with bistro techniques (braised lamb shank, onion soup, quiche). Throw in some global influences (risotto, curry bowls, satay) and a fine wine list and you have the makings of a popular place.

Sage Bistro is filled with good ideas — a great weekend brunch menu, most wines under $40, a nice selection of teas — that are well executed. The food is fresh, lively and well-presented, hot when it should be, cold when it’s supposed to be. That all the meals are under $30 doesn’t hurt, either. It’s amazing how the little things work.

The result for Sage is a growing list of loyal customers, some of whom take advantage of the “locals club” discount program. In order to keep his customers happy and coming regularly, Kunst — who doubles as the chef — has started a 10 percent rebate for patrons once they have spent more than $200. Twice a year, they receive a gift certificate to use toward their next meal. It’s a popular program.

Two of the most frequent of frequent diners are the co-author’s parents. Catherine’s mother Sally always has the braised lamb shank; father Keith, often the chicken and prawn curry bowl. Good choices, both.
Sally, a regular lamb-braiser herself, declares Sage’s shank to be “absolutely lovely.” (Though she’d prefer it served with Yukon gold potatoes like it used to be, instead of the sweet potatoes. Who are we to argue?) Keith, meanwhile, enjoys the abundance of perfectly cooked chicken and prawns combined with the creamy yellow curry over jasmine rice. (Again, no argument from us.)

Keith and Sally are at that comfortable point where the servers know them so well they don’t even require menus. Some of Sage’s servers, contrary to frequent mountain itinerancy, have been there for at least three years, some since Sage first opened.  

As for us, we may ramble farther afield into the venison meatloaf or the seared maple-soy salmon, but we’re happy with the lamb and curry, too. Unless we’re there for brunch when the Three Sisters breakfast of three eggs, three sausages,
three slices of bacon, multigrain toast and whole wheat pancakes calls to us, especially to Catherine.

Contrary to popular belief, we don’t think the plate is named after the peaks overlooking Canmore. We figure it’s been christened for Catherine and her two sisters, because it’s enough to feed all three.

Why else do we like Sage? Their wine list only marks up bottles to $8 over retail. Smart move. So a Sumac Ridge private reserve gewürztraminer is $28, a Louis Latour pinot noir is $27 and a Seghesio zinfandel is $39. Decent prices. And if you’re a “bring your own” type, corkage is free on Wednesdays. (It’s $20 other nights, so why bother?)

And lastly, there are the trains. For train buffs, there are few places to enjoy the sights, sounds and internal organ vibrations of passing trains better than Sage. The cars rumble by mere inches away; park yourself on the deck and you can almost shake hands with the engineer (don’t try that, though). Considering the frequency of trains through the Bow Valley, any given meal will likely bring two or three past your table.

Sage Bistro is the big log cabin on Bow Valley Trail with, mercifully, the paint of past transgressions removed. Tell them Keith and Sally sent you.

Sage Bistro is at 1712 Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, 403-678-4878.

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