Finding a weekend breakfast in Calgary can be a bit of a struggle. Most of the good places are always busy and being impatient I usually find myself cooking at home, just to avoid the hassle or waiting in line.
Today I was determined to have someone else make breakfast. So around noon I took a drive through Marda Loop, and with a line-up out the door at the Belmont Diner, I thought I would try out a new spot.
Located in a small strip mall, next to an independent convenience store, a shop that offers angel readings and a hair salon is The Altadore Dining Lounge (4824 16 St. S.W. MAP.) I had driven by many times and always wondered about it. The sign was nice and compared to the other businesses it had been "spruced up" and was enticing. It was not until yesterday after taking my dog to the River Park off-leash and seeing a sign out front that I learned they served brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Inside an open room with a long banquette on one side and a mixture of high and low tables did fit the "dining lounge" part of the name. Feels like an upscale neighbourhood pub.
The brunch menu was quite large and had more than your typical breakfast fare. Breakfast calzones, a variety of french toasts, unique hashs and about 5 or 6 different styles of eggs benedict were a bit of a surprise.
In the end after much mulling, I settled on the Sweet and Sour Hash. Sweet Potato hash browns with spicy chorizo sausage and a poached egg on top. Very tasty and while the portion was not huge, it was enough. Especially for the $8 price tag and the fact that it included coffee and a smal bowl of fruit. I'd also award points for that bowl of fruit, which was fresh strawberries and blueberries, not the "melons out of the bucket" fruit salad you find at many breakfast places.
My companion chose the Norwegian Eggs Benedict, which was fitting given that as we dined we watched some Olympic biathlon on one of the two big screens. An English muffin top with poached eggs, smoked salmon, capers and a dill hollandaise with a side of hand made hash browns. $12 with coffee and a side of fruit included.
My one critique is that the there was a bit of a wait for our food, but that was understandable as it looked like a couple large tables had just left and it remained busy the whole time we were there. As a former brunch cook myself I know how hard it is to get backed up on breakfasts. Even though it took a little longer the quality of both of the meals were excellent.
For a total bill of $21 it was certainly worth it. In fact I may have a new go-to spot for brunch in the southwest. And I'm looking forward to stopping in the evening to try out its other fare or watch a Flames game in the relaxed atmosphere.
While they don't have the breakfast menu on their website yet, you can take a look at their lunch/dinner menu at thealtadore.com. I would certainly recommend trying it out.
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