Disappointing bruch – Nellie’s on 4th November 9, 2009

Had brunch in Nellie’s on 4th St the other day and I should say right from the start that I won’t be going there again. I am not a big fan of Nellie’s in the first place – the menu is a bit too heavy for my taste, but that’s more of a taste-buds  thing (I could never understand the idea of potatoes for breakfast…). But that’s not the reason I disliked the place: it’s crowded in the sense that there’s no room to move around the tables and you’re practically spitting on the person at the next table… And it’s filthy. I mean, really filthy. Everything is dusty; our cutlery, mugs and dishes were dirty and stained. So, no second trip for us there…

For a party of two, we paid $31 (tip included) for two omellettes, tea and coffee. I got the Californian omellette, with avocado and cheese; it turned out that the ingredients were not mixed, so half of my omellette had avocado inside, and half had cheese. My party got an omellette with spicy sausages. As usual, the meals come with hasbrowns and greasy toast (they put some margarine on the toast before they bring it to you).

Lunch in Banff – The Old Spaghetti Factory October 26, 2009

I should probably confess right from the start that I won’t be going there again. Although the service was good, the food was way below expectations. We also didn’t get spaghetti – so take this with a grain of salt if you are in love with the carb-rich pasta. The place itself is your usual chain restaurant – nothing special. The menu features a wide variety of pasta, with a few salads and a few other options (like veal, chicken and steak). We both had the veal parmigiano with fries and spaghetti respectively. All entrees come with a choice of salad or soup, and icecream – so if you’re looking for a whole meal, this is a good spot to get it. The veal was extremely disappointing – my hunch is that it was cooked beforehand, then re-heated with some tomato sauce and a huge slice of cheese (cheese is great for taste – you cannot taste anything else but the cheese!). My party got the spaghetti as a side-dish and again, not impressive: they simply boiled the spaghetti in water, than dumped a huge tablespoon of tomato sauce on them. The dish was $14.25 and, with a glass of house wine and a fountain pop, the cost of our lunch went up to $38.68.

Lunch in Banff at Melissa’s October 18, 2009

Lunch for two in Banff, under $50: Melissa’s Restaurant is located one one of the streets parallel to the main one (218 Lynx St, Banff). It’s a very nice place, with a wooden-chalet feel inside and quite popular for both lunch and dinner. I for one prefer their dinner menu, which features some European-style plates like pork schnitzel and cordon bleu. But if you are looking for a place to have lunch, Melissa’s is a good option too. The lunch menu is quite varied – omellettes, sandwiches, and burgers. For lunch, we had an 8oz steak with french fries and tea/ coffee, and the bill came up to $30 (before tip). A bit pricey, I would say.

Biscuit and Cocoa Dessert October 15, 2009

This dessert is quite popular in different parts of the world under different names: for instance, in Eastern Europe it’s known as a ‘potato‘ while in the Arab world, it’s called a chocolate biscuit dessert.  Regardless of the name, the point is this is a delicious and easy to make dessert that requires ZERO cooking (as in ’stove/oven cooking’). You’ll need: 500 gr social biscuits (the very plain ones, no flavor, no filling), walnuts, raisins, rum, vanilla, milk and of course, cocoa (powder).

Instructions:

1. Break the social biscuits with your fingers. Place in a large bowl.
2. Soak raisins into rum for 10-15 minutes.
3. For extra taste, warm up the walnuts in a frying pan.
4. Pour some milk over the biscuits and, using a fork, mash/crush the biscuits until you get a thick paste (add milk gradually, you do not want to have a watery paste but a very thick one).
5. Add walnuts, raisins with rum, vanilla and 1-2 tablespoons cocoa. Mix.
6. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes .
7. Take out from the fridge. Prepare a separate plate with 1-2 tablespoons cocoa. Using a spoon, shape the mixture into balls then roll them in the cocoa powder. Place on a separate plate, cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.

I’ll tell you where to go for the best lunch, but keep it a secret… October 5, 2009

If you work in NE, you’re lucky. You can get a cheap but delicious lunch at the newly renovated ethnic food store, Maria Market (42-2770 32 Avenue NE). And by cheap, I mean soup $2.50 and a cooked meal $5.99… Now, I dare you to find a better deal than this… The only drawback is that once word gets spread about this place, it won’t be long until it will be packed for lunch. You can only take lunch with you, but you should probably be there a bit early if you want to eat in.

We ate there during the weekend, and it was very relaxed. For a party of two, we paid $20 for: 1x meatball soup with a slice of bread, 2x chicken with cream sauce and polenta, 2x tomato salad, 2x small coke bottles (the best coke ever if you ask me). All food is cooked that day and the lunch menu changes daily.

Lunch for under $30 in Banff: Balkan October 2, 2009

The recently renovated Greek restaurant Balkan is located in downtown Banff, right on the main street. It features a lunch menu which can be a cheap alternative for a yummy lunch.

For a party of two, we ended up paying $18 before tip. We got the steak sandwiches, which included a choice of either salad or soup. The portions were decently sized, so if you are looking for a huge meal you’ll be disappointed. The lunch menu is decently priced, and you can get appetizers like tzatziki or humus, and entrees like souvlaki and mousaka.

For lunch, try Primal Grounds September 25, 2009

Primal Grounds is a ‘cappuccino bar and eatery’ in SW Calgary (3003-37St S.W., your best bet is to drive there but if going for lunch, try to go a little bit before noon as it tends to get busy). The place itself is nice, but the tables are pretty small and when the place gets packed, you can hardly hear each other. Nice patio, but right by the road… Fresh lunches and homemade soups and desserts’. For a lunch, expect to pay around $15. I had their “famous turkey sandwich” which was indeed delicious (10.50) and a pop, which came to $13. You can also get a soup and sandwhich combo or pasta for lunch. Definitely try the zucchini cocolate cake ($5.75) – yummy…

Eating Out under $50 – Kinjo Sushi and Grill September 21, 2009

Even if you don’t like sushi, you should go for the show! The owner/chef is hilarious! We went there for a b-day, and the chef sang ‘Happy B-day” accompanied by a chorus of helpers and gave us chocolate sticks. We also liked the sushi boats – sushi plates are placed on boat-trays on a moving belt. You pick what you want – each plate is a different color. Each color is a different price. In the end, they just calculate how many plates you had. You can also order tempura dishes from a menu.

All in all, the place is worth at least one visit! For a party of two, expect to pay something around 35 – 40 (before tip). We had: assorted veggies tempura (3.70), assorted seafood tempura (4.80), and sushi plates (ranging from 3.25 to 3.75). Try the Japanese beer (5) or sake. And yes, there are options for those who are not huge fans of raw fish – like the delicious smoked salmon sushi or the tempura dishes.

Kinjo Sushi and Grill is on Macleod Trail (7101 Macleod Trail S, calgary).

Little Lebanon: Pita Pies and Donair August 26, 2009

If you are around 17th ave SW (3515 17th ave SW) and you’re hungry, you may want to try Little Lebanon. It’s a small, mostly take-out donair place, with just three or four chairs. Besides donairs, you can get really good pockets – basically a pocket pie filled with goodies like cheese, mushrooms, or chicken. I have tried the spinach and feta pocket ($4.5), and the chicken shawarma (small $6). They also offer a selection of appetizers like hummus, baba ganoush and tabouleh. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $3 for the appetizers to $8.50 (a big shawarma).  Oh, did I mention they also make delicious baklava ($1.25/ piece)? Open weekdays (9am-9pm) and weekends (9am-8pm on Saturday, 9am-6pm on Sunday).

Eating out under $50: The Coup August 22, 2009

For the hidden vegetarian in you, try the Coup on 17th ave (924 17Ave SW). The menu is quite interesting (at least for non-vegans), with some items that would make you curious enough to want to try them. Prices are decent, and the place itself is cosy and friendly. The Coup positions itself as a restaurant for healthy and environmentally sustainable options, buying local and organic. There’s a minuscule patio, with three or four tables. However, the patio is right on the sidewalk – all the people and cars passing by get to look right into your plate; not nice. Inside, the Coup is rather small, so there’s usually a lineup. You can grab a drink at the lounge while you wait.

We (a party of two) got the mango juice (CAD3) and the apple-peach-ginger juice (CAD 3.50) for drinks. Both were really good, but the apple-peach (no ginger for us) was much better. We also got the quesadilla (CAD 13) and the taco (CAD 13), both came with a choice of soup, salad or yam fries. I have to say the yam fries were absolutely delicious, with a hint of rosemary and pepper. My party got the soup of the day, a broccoli cream which was smooth and tasted really good (to someone who otherwise doesn’t like broccoli). Personally, I liked the quesadilla better and found both quesadilla and the taco a bit too hot for my taste (but ate them anyway). They were quite interesting for a meat-lover like me, filled with pickles, shredded carrots, red cabbage, olives and hummus. We paid 36 CAD (with tip).