Calgary Herald

Special spots to treat your mother on her big day

She kissed your skinned knees and applied bandages, read you stories before tucking you in for the night and made you countless meals. While you can’t return the favour of all those books read and bandages carefully put on scrapes, you can thank her, star

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DEANE HOUSE

Two words: pastry buffet.

If that’s not enough to entice, the brunch menu shows executive chef Jamie Harling offers his own take on classic breakfast and lunch fare, from a French toast made with brioche and topped with a Saskatoon berry compote to his version of eggs Benedict that skips ham in favour of rich duck rillettes.

Brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday — if you want to get a jump on Mother’s Day — and Sunday. Take a stroll in the gardens before or after the meal. By mid-May, the 150 tulips planted in honour of Canada’s confederat­ion should be in bloom.

THE LAKE HOUSE

Overlookin­g the waters of Lake Bonavista, the Lake House has a soothing view to go with its hearty brunch menu punctuated by game meat dishes that Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts is known for and cheese and charcuteri­e platters the family can nibble on while enjoying each other’s company. For Mother’s Day, the restaurant is offering an enhanced version of its regular Sunday brunch menu and a children’s menu will also be available. Should brunch not be your, ahem, jam, the Lake House will be open for dinner that night.

Brunch runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Dinner starts at 5 p.m.

OXBOW

You don’t have to be a guest at the Kensington Riverside Inn to enjoy the newly revamped restaurant in the charming hotel — though I’m sure securing a room for your mother to stay the night at this Relais & Chateaux-designated spot could earn you serious brownie points.

With a stylish redesign for the restaurant that’s more inviting than its formal predecesso­r, Oxbow has an equally approachab­le and enticing menu. For brunch, consider the crab and asparagus eggs Benedict or a quiche made with puff pastry and filled with goat cheese and vegetables. Mimosas are, of course, de rigueur for brunch, but Oxbow also offers shareable pitchers of sangria or bourbon lemonade.

Should spring arrive in time, there’s also seating on the patio that looks across to the Bow River.

Sunday brunch starts at 8 a.m. and goes until 1:30 p.m., at which point the lounge menu is available.

ROUGE

If given the chance, opt for the patio to survey the budding, verdant garden that supplies Rouge with some of its herbs, edible flowers and other ingredient­s through the spring and summer months. Wander the raised garden boxes for a closer view of the plants or take a turn on the lawn and under the budding trees before or after settling down for dishes that echo executive chef Paul Rogalski’s ethos of eating local and sustainabl­e, with items like fresh scones with preserved B.C. peaches and an Oceanwise eggs Benedict featuring smoked steelhead trout from Lois Lake.

For Mother’s Day, Rouge is offering brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner, starting at 5 p.m., with an a la carte menu.

VIN ROOM

For something a little different, Vin Room will bring together brunch and fashion for its eighth annual Mother’s Day event.

Besides a three-course brunch with wine pairings — including a requisite mimosa — the event includes a fashion show by the downtown Hudson’s Bay. Nibble on fruit and cheese, a ham and spinach quiche and strawberry crepes and see what’s on trend for Spring 2017. Along with the show, there will be compliment­ary makeup touchups by MAC Cosmetics and a gift bag to take home.

The event — hosted at both the Vin Room Mission and West locations — begins at 11 a.m. Tickets are $60 for adults, $30 for children 12 and younger (no wine pairings for them, of course) and include taxes and gratuities.

Purchase tickets through links on vinroom.com.

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 ?? LEAH HENNEL ?? Proprietor Sal Howell, left, and chef Jamie Harling at the Deane House, which offers a fresh take on classic brunch fare. Check out the gardens while you’re there.
LEAH HENNEL Proprietor Sal Howell, left, and chef Jamie Harling at the Deane House, which offers a fresh take on classic brunch fare. Check out the gardens while you’re there.
 ?? JASON DZIVER ?? Enjoy Rocky Mountain cuisine along with the views at the Lake House.
JASON DZIVER Enjoy Rocky Mountain cuisine along with the views at the Lake House.

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