The Big Taste
The Big Taste is a good time to try Calgary restaurants as they offer prix-fixe menus. It’s also a good time to postpone any pre-spring diet with options like deep-fried cheese curds and chicken and waffles floating around. Here are some dishes to keep an eye out for.
1. Mood Ring
Chef’s pasta (mood-inspired) is an amusing option on the 1912 Inglewood Dining and Attic Lounge’s dinner menu ($35). Consider starting with a loaded salad supreme (pecans, raisins, blue cheese, bacon and a berry vinaigrette on mixed greens). The mood will likely be positive at the renovated restaurant (formerly The Carmichael), which opened under its new name on Valentine’s Day. Reservations required. 1219 9th Ave. S.E. 403-265-1005, 1912inglewood.com.
2. Artichoke
The edible thistle is featured on the menu at a couple of pizza purveyors. The bikable Alforno Bakery & Cafe offers it on its dinner menu ($25) roasted on pizza with béchamel, spinach, provolone cheese and Grana Padano, while Cibo goes whole ’choke: at lunch ($15) get it fried with radicchio for the first course and in bruschetta for course two, and for dinner ($25) order it with mint on a chickpea pancake. Alforno: 222 7th St. S.W. alforno.ca. Cibo: 1012 17th Ave. S.W. 403-984-4755, cibocalgary.com.
3. Chicken and Waffles
It was big on last year’s menu, too. This year, Burger 320 takes advantage of its fancier digs in Kensington to go high class on its dinner menu ($25) with what it’s calling fungi and pollo: buttermilk fried chicken, mushroom waffle, jackcheese brûlée and truffle drizzle. There’s even a recommended wine pairing, which would feel out of place in the humble confines of its Bridgeland location. 126 10th St. N.W. 403-515-0035, burger320.com.
4. Deep-Fried Cheese Curds
The Big Taste is not the time of year to be counting calories. Especially when meals start off with the option of deep-fried cheese curds, as they do on the Swine and Sow’s lunch ($25) and dinner ($35) menus. You could keep it healthy by starting your meal with a spinach salad, but if you wanna live large, pick the curds, which are fried in rosemary batter and come with house-made ketchup. Reservations required. 131 6th Ave. S.W. 403237-9585, swineandsow.com.
5. Espresso Crème Brûlée
A good meal needs a good finisher. Both Bocce and The Beltliner offer the classic sugar-caffeine combo in one delicious dish. Get it after a main course of house-smoked pork chop, crispy potato pavé, roasted heirloom carrots and tomato shallot jus on The Beltliner’s dinner menu ($35) or after lunch ($25) or dinner ($35) at Bocce in Mission. Bocce: 110, 2207 4th St. S.W. 403-516-6162, eatbocce.ca. The Beltliner: 243 12th Ave. S.W. 587-955-1555, thebeltliner.com.