A little weekend get-away with my boyfriend to refresh our mind, body and soul. That’s what I was looking forward to when planning this Calgary trip for us. This was our first trip together. I truly wanted to see if we could travel peacefully together or would we be clawing each others’ eyes out?! Please note, we are both Tigers in the Chinese Astrology and I can report to you, we are still happily together!

The process of researching online and asking my one and only Calgary friend, Eunice for input on the best places to visit in Calgary, I completely forgot how much I genuinely enjoy coming up with an itinerary for travelling. I discovered so many amazing and trendy spots for us to check out. I had to find a way to squeeze it all in, since we were only going to be there for Friday and Saturday. Looking back, I can say we did plenty of things and went to approximately five to six places each day! I purposely did that because I truly wanted my boyfriend to experience a city through the eyes of sammysamstyle. I desired for our first trip together to be fun and memorable, something we can look back with appreciation.

The restaurant and bar scene in Calgary are limitless! As mentioned, the difficult part for me is narrowing down the places to visit. I was able to cover most of what was found on my list but there were places like Thai Tai in which we visited on the fly. Every time we passed Thai Tai, we noticed there was a huge line-up out the door and we were curious why. We definitely got our answer! Overall, the best restaurant experience hands down for both of us had to be Shokunin. Reservations were completely booked for Shokunin and I was feeling desperate. I decided to send a message via Instagram to see if we could be on the waiting list if there were to be any cancellations. Luck was definitely on our side because the manager reached out to me while we were en route to Calgary. He was able to reserve a spot for us at 7:00 pm on Saturday. Thank you Shokunin for accommodating our request and for gifting us a memorable food experience!

Our weekend get-away to Calgary was a huge success! I had an amazing time with my boyfriend and I can’t wait for limitless future travels together. After our trip, I felt revitalized and as mentioned, I was reminded of how much I love to travel. How much I enjoy discovering the beauty & flavours of a place. I find happiness in curating a story by selecting the best places to visit and most importantly, to be able to experience it with loved ones. As well, the ability to share my travel experiences with the people whom happen to come across my blog. I hope you enjoy the few incredible places I was able to discover in Calgary, Alberta.

Calgary, AB

Travel Dates: August 12 - August 14, 2021

While we were waiting to get into Monki Breakfastclub & Bistro we were able to enjoy 2 of 11 colourful Beltline Urban Murals Project (BUMP) scattered throughout Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood. BUMP is a community driven initiative which started in 2017 and has been transforming downtown Calgary with its breath-taking open-air urban art gallery. The first exquisite piece, “Surreal Fish and Pigeons” by Katie Green. You can find it on 10 Ave. & 12 Street SW.

I wish I had a full shot of this beautiful mural but cars where in the way and a sign was blocking this lovely piece. The second mural we were able to enjoy is called, “Kneeling Woman with Raven” by Nicole Wolf. I love the colour scheme of this piece. I hope you can catch the full view of this breath-taking piece which you can find on 10 Ave & 12 Street SW.

“Babe, can you take a pic of me in front of this mustard door.”

Restaurants to Visit

Shokunin

Address: 2016 4 St SW, Calgary, AB T2S 1W3

What drew me into Shokunin was their menu. I saw ass on the menu and I knew I had to make reservation. Yes! There is ass on the menu. Chicken ass to be exact! This Japanese restaurant is notable for shared small plates and charred yakitori paired with their crafted cocktails. The ingredients are fresh, locally sourced and the chicken are butchered daily which means quantity is limited. I was curious about all things ass and the wonderful reviews I saw online. In addition to, I didn’t know this but I was told by my hair stylist, the owner/chef competed on The Final Table which you can find on Netflix. I was curious after our trip and caught a few of the episodes. The chef/owner of Shokunin, Darren MacLean did extremely well. I’ll let you find out on your own, how he placed in the competition!

Well, I didn’t get what I was looking for. No ass for us. Our server informed us, ass is a hot ticket item and usually sells out at around 5:00 pm every night. Note to self, get there when they first open so I can get some ass. Luckily enough, our wonderful server was able to provide alternative recommendations and we decided to order: cold shucked scallop; fresh sashimi (Ora King Salmon, Haidacore Tuna, and Ahi Tuna); charred yakitori (shoulder blade, skin on thigh and meatball); and lastly, Hanetsuki Braised Beef Gyoza. I enjoyed a lovely Tokyo Bellini with my meal and also had their custom beer with my boyfriend called Okami Kasu. The World’s First Canadian Sake Kasu infused beer brewed in collaboration with Ol’ Beautiful Brewing. The crisp and light beer paired well with the items we ordered and did not leave an aftertaste.

I was overly impressed by the female chef at the yakitori station. She was commanding and taming the roaring fire at the grill with great concentration and patience. Tickets were spewing at rapid speed of customers’ orders for charred yakitori and yet she moved with precision and ease. We were seated at the bar facing the grill and was able to enjoy her lovely performance.

All the items we ordered were extremely delicious! I wish I had more capacity to devour more amazing items from their menu. If I had to rank my favourite items, first it would have to be the cold shucked scallop. The nuoc cham sauce on the fresh scallop was divine. It was a great balance of sweet and sour. Sweetness from the scallop and the sourness and umami from the nuoc cham. Second would have to be the fresh sashimi especially the ahi tuna followed closely by the charred yakitori and lastly, the beautiful slow-braised beef tongue gyoza. The beautifully presented gyoza were crispy, delicate and chewy at the same time.

I strongly affirm, Shokunin is a restaurant that gives you an unforgettable food experience. I don’t think I would tire of this place and if given the opportunity, I would love to visit many times more. Our overall experience was incredible from our server, the chef at the yakitori station and the beautiful space. Guaranteed, I will be back for a reservation, right when the doors open so I can get their sought out item, ass.

Extremely impressed with this talented chef and her skills in front of the yakitori station.

On the grill: Grilled Napa Cabbage, Steamed Rice (Spiced & Dressed) and Yakitori

A must have. Cold Shucked Scallop - yuzu koshu nuoc cham & cilantro stem salsa

From Left to Right: Ora King Salmon, Haidacore Tuna, and Ahi Tuna Sashimi

Shoulder Blade paired with egg yolk & soy sauce dipping sauce w/ a side of kimchi.

Hanetsuki Braised Beef Gyoza - Crispy “winged” gyoza stuffed with slow-braised beef tongue, ponzu sauce, house-made chilli oil

Tokyo Bellini - Kettle One peach botanical, St. Germain, nectarine syrup, prosecco

Shiki Menya

Address: 824 1 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 0C3

This was our first stop when we landed in Calgary.

When travelling, it’s a must for me to visit a popular ramen spot. Even if it’s 26 degree Celsius out! Just eat inside where there’s air-conditioning. DUH!! I must say, I’m impressed when customers ask to be seated at the patio. The ability to enjoy a hot bowl of ramen in scorching heat. I applaud them. I love patio seating but I don’t think I can enjoy ramen while I’m dripping sweat!

I went exploring online looking for the best spots in Calgary for ramen and I came across Shiki Menya as one of the best spots to go to. It had stellar online reviews. I had to laugh when I went on their website and they posted their bad reviews. A review from Guy on Trip Advisor, “Horrible, annoying very loud “Music.” SOLD!!!! I have to eat here! I always dig a place with good ambiance and it’s even better when they play Hip Hop and R&B music. It truly makes my food experience that much better when I can vibe out while enjoying a delicious meal. My boyfriend was already impressed with their ramen and when he heard a Drake song come on, it made his experience at Shiki Menya a 5/5.

This was our first stop when we touched down into Calgary and I must say, our bellies were very happy. I ordered the Tonkotsu Black which consisted of tokyo negi, tamago, menma, wakame, garlic oil, garlic bomb and char siu. Presentation was pretty on point! The yin & yang symbol and the vibrancy of colours from the toppings made the bowl very appealing to the eyes. The broth was light and slightly oily. Ramen noodles were cook to perfection and the char siu was melt-in-your-mouth good. My boyfriend ordered the Menya Hazy Chicken Shoyu which consisted of tokyo negi, soft tamago, chi-yu, A5 Miyazaki wagyu chashu with truffle salt, shoyu chicken broth. I tasted my boyfriend’s broth and I loved the broth! It was very rich in flavour. I think I prefer his broth over mine to be honest.

Shiki Menya is a hip and trendy spot with innovative dishes on their menu. Their ramen bowls were satisfying and its definitely a great vibe! “Guy on Trip Advisor” was completely wrong about Shiki Menya!!!

Una Pizza + Wine

Address: 618 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B4

I cannot think of a person who doesn’t love pizza! Can you? Especially, a beautiful, crafted pizza from the very popular, Una Pizza + Wine restaurant. Una Pizza + Wine have a few locations under their belt. Three locations in Calgary, one in Saskatoon and one opening soon in Banff! Banff is so lucky to have Una Pizza + Wine and I hope they can expand and make their way into Edmonton! Una Pizza on 17th has a lively patio and it’s a fabulous place to meet up with friends for lunch or dinner over delicious pizza and a glass, or two, of wine from their extensive wine selection.

When it comes to the different style of pizza, I prefer Neapolitan pizza. I love how its light, the crust is pillowy and chewy. Also, you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. I swear I can devour four slices with no problem!! We decided to meet my friend, Eunice at the 17 Avenue location since it was walking distance from our hotel. The three of us were not too hungry, especially since Chris and I came to Una Pizza right after hitting up happy hour at another restaurant, so we decided to share a Wagyu Beef Carpacccio and a Margherita pizza. I wish we came to the restaurant with an empty stomach because the two dishes were fresh and delicious!! We were very pleased and instantly cleared our plates in no time! Next time, I would love to come again and try more of their menu items such as Una Caprese with local tomatoes and fresh burrata; braised pork meatballs; proscuitto and arugula pizza, paired with a glass of wine.

Wagyu Beef Carpaccio w/ fresh arugula grana pradano & truffle vinaigrette.

Margherita Pizza with san marzano tomato sauce, fior de latte mozzarella, grana padano & basil oil.

Pho Dau Bo Restaurant

Address: 909 17 Ave SE #110, Calgary, AB T2A 0V5

You know a spot is good when you run into someone you know from your city! Our first time here and my boyfriend ran into his buddy from hockey with his family. What a coincidence! I wonder how they came across Pho Dau Bo. For me, I crept on a YYC Food Blogger’s Instagram page to see where I can get a great bowl of pho. I know my boyfriend would appreciate it since he loves pho. Scrolling through her page, I came across the trademark green bowl of pho and I knew I had to come here!

We arrived at Little Saigon Centre to Pho Dau Bo just before noon and I’m glad we did. The place immediately started getting full with large groups of family. Who doesn’t love pho on a Sunday?! Real talk! Who doesn’t love to eat pho any day of the week?! For my siblings and I, its our Saturday ritual to go eat pho for lunch. Seeing the flux of customers come to the restaurant, I had to ask our waitress if it’s always like this and she told me they’re always busy, especially, on the weekends from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

What drew me to Pho Dau Bo is their extensive menu items which you rarely see at a typical Vietnamese restaurant. You can get roasted bone marrow served with toast; pho with slow-simmered fall-off-the-bone beef ribs w/ special dipping sauce; fried taro rice cake with eggs, scallions, pickled vegetables and spicy soy vinaigrette; and, rare rib-eye with quail egg, shaved onions, herbs, crispy shallots dressed with house-made lime-chilli vinaigrette. Also, I saw my favourite chopstick donuts on the menu. A great side snack to order as an appetizer but it’s delicious when you dip into your delicious pho broth.

I can see why Pho Dau Bo draws in a large crowd and why they’re busy from open to close. Their phos are heart-warmingly delicious! Order their pho but don’t forget to order the ca phe sua da (Vietnamese ice-coffee w/ condensed milk). I’m not lying to you, every tables were ordering it! I glanced over at the cash desk, and a server was making 10 or more at a time! It’s that good! Pho Dau Bo was our last stop before we headed home. It was a great decision to finish our trip with a tasty bowl of pho and ca phe sua da.

What we ordered: #1 - Pho Dau Bo Dac Biet & #2 - Pho Tai

Thai Tai

Address: 615 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B3

Don’t second guess yourself! When you see a long queue for something, guaranteed, it’s worth checking out. Trust me, I’m not one to wait in line for a grand opening, raffles for anything, or have the desire to be the first to have access to something sought after but if the queue is reasonable, I will line-up for it. That’s exactly what happened here. Walking along 17th Avenue, every time my attention was directed towards Thai Tai, guaranteed there were many customers queuing out the door. Our bellies were full from pizza and beers but we knew we had to grab something from here to see what the hype was all about.

While in queue, I decided to ask someone why this Thai & Vietnamese restaurant was so popular. He said locals love Thai Tai because the restaurant offered delicious eats around the clock and the prices are very reasonable. He loves this place so much, he’s here three to four times a week! He’s completely right! The restaurant is open everyday from 10:30 am to 1:00 am except on Sunday. Sundays they’re open from 11:00 am until midnight.

The hype is real! The banh mi at Thai Tai were incredibly delicious! I think what sets them apart is the spicy mayonnaise they add to their banh mis. As well, the baguette used was a perfect texture with a crispy exterior and slightly moist interior and they were not stingy with their toppings! I hate when restaurants are stingy with their toppings especially, with the pickled carrots and daikons. I love a good amount on my banh mis.

Thai Tai is a worthy place to check out when you are strolling around 17th avenue. A perfect place for lunch and when you are in need of some delicious late-night eats after you leave the bars on 17th avenue.

What we ordered: Salad Rolls, Traditional Vietnamese Cold-Cut and Spicy Sate Beef Banh Mi

Left to Right: Traditional Vietnamese Cold-Cut Sub and Spicy Sate Beef Sub

Monki Breakfastclub & Bistro

Address: 1301 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3C 0J4

This beautiful brunch spot was on my friend’s, Eunice’s list to hit up so I made sure I brought my sleepy bear with me. I always think brunch is a ladies thing. You barely see a bunch of dudes hitting up a popular brunch spot. If you see a guy, he’s probably with his girlfriend who dragged him out of bed for bougee breakfast and mimosas! That’s definitely what I did minus the mimosas.

We opted out for the classic brunch dishes but Monki is well-recognized for their crowd-pleasing signature stuffed french toasts; brisket hash with spiced brisket and valbella pork sausage; and, Monki Chocolate fondue served with fresh fruits, waffle crisps, and three shots of chocolates of your choice. I have to say, what was mind blowing for me and made my brunch that much more better was their HOT SAUCE. The Monki Vampire Slayer hot sauce was to die for!! It definitely slayed!!! What the heck is in it? So damn good. It was garlicky, sweet and had a hint of spice. A satisfying heap of the hot sauce all over my potatoes and eggs made every bite that much better. When you are here, don’t neglect the hot sauce found on your table. You must try it for yourself and if you love it as much as I did, you can purchase it at the restaurant or online.

What we ordered: Morning After Breakfast & Salmon Bene w/ The Monki Vampire Slayer hot sauce

Resting his eyes before his brunch comes out!

Top to Bottom: Morning After Breakfast and Salmon Bene

Cocktails & Beers

LuLu Bar

Address: 510 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B1

I had to squeeze in LuLu Bar for happy hour before meeting my friend, Eunice for an early dinner. I heard great things about LuLu from my hair stylist. She especially raved about a particular pink-coloured drink. She didn’t remember the name but she remembered it being a pretty pink colour. Sitting at the bar and scoping around, I clearly knew what she was talking about. All the ladies at every table were happily sipping on a pretty pink drink. I had to ask a server about the drink and he told me its like a vacation in a drink! Knowing me and not following the masses, I decided not to go with the popular, Coconut Cooler and ordered a LuLu Kakai for my first cocktail while my boyfriend ordered a premium lager from Dandy Brewing Co from Calgary. My first sip of the LuLu Kakai and I was off to a great start! It was tropical, citrusy with a hint of sweetness. It was rather lovely I must say. I was tempted to order another one but I wanted to take a risk and follow the expert recommendation of our bartender. He suggested I order the Venus which consisted of pisco, citrus vanilla liqueur, passionfruit, ginger and lemon. I’m very glad I went with his recommendation. The Venus was a big winner for me between the two cocktails. Definitely, my kind of vibe!

What we ordered: LuLu Kakai, Venus cocktail and Dandy Brewing Co’s premium lager beer

The very popular cocktail, Coconut Cooler at LuLu Bar aka “vacation in a drink”.

Pro/of

Address: 1302 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0V7

Last evening in Calgary and we made our final stop to Pro/of for a cocktail and beer before we headed back to our hotel. Pro/of is a beautiful, stylish space with moody, candle-lit vibes. They have an amazing floor to ceiling display of their finest liquor in which a ladder is used by the bartenders if the liquors are not in reach! Name it and they probably have it here! The cocktail bar is definitely a great date night spot or a place to enjoy with your girlfriends. They have an impressive menu of thoughtfully prepared drinks and shareable eats such as pork bao bun; seared tuna bun; charcuterie boards; and, creole shrimp. Pro/of was definitely a cool vibe and a great ending to our Saturday date night.

What we ordered: Devilled Eggs, Olives, XhAle “See Ya Next Tuesday” beer and Kira Cocktail

Trolley 5 Brewpub

Address: 728 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 4M2

Had to try out a popular brewery in the city!

Left to Right: Tropic Like Its Hot, Watermelon Sugar Mule and A Hazy Shade Nepa Beer

National

Address: 550 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B1

Coffee Break…

Sought and Found Coffee Roasters

Address: 916 Centre St N, Calgary, AB T2E 2P7

I’m always looking for independent coffee shops when I travel because I do enjoy a cup of well-made coffee by knowledgeable and highly-skilled baristas. With the suggestions from my favourite local coffee shop I frequent back home, they highly recommended I visit Sought and Found Coffee Roasters. Sought and Found Coffee is a local coffee shop and roaster in the Crescent Heights community. They have a great passion for coffee and their focus is on curating a sustainable and quality coffee and tea experience for their customers.

Usually I would enjoy a lovely cup of pour-over coffee but the weather called for ice cold drinks due to the fact it was unbelievably hot the weekend we were there. We had a great experience at Sought and Found Coffee Roasters. What a beautiful and open space. A great place to sit down with friends or have a solo coffee sesh! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and we were fortunate to have a lovely chat with the owner. Please make sure to try their specialty tea drinks such as Houjicha Latte, Matcha Latte and Cold Brew Shincha. I heard amazing things about it from my friend.

What we ordered: Ice Americano and Ice Latte