Calgary, AB - September 2022
Here again.
Travel Dates: September 3 - September 5, 2022
I came to Calgary with my boyfriend last year and discovered many amazing restaurants to satisfy our appetite. This time, I’m back with my siblings to show them what I was raving about. I brought them to three restaurants I had already visited when I came with Chris. Pho Dau Bo, Shokunin and LuLu Bar. I had such a positive experience and the food was amazing, I had to repeat these spots once again.
A couple new places we tried during this trip included Italian fare at Bonterra Trattoria; refreshing cocktails at Calcutta Cricket Club; and authentic Chinese food at Great Taste Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. Again, I only scratched the surface with the restaurant scene in Calgary. Since Calgary is a three hour drive from Edmonton, I would love to frequent here more often so I can try the restaurants which made it in Air Canada’s Canada Best New Restaurants which are: Major Tom, Một Tô and Roy’s Korean Kitchen.
For shopping, I wasn’t expecting to do much but I definitely left a dent in my wallet. Such lovely consignment pieces to add to my wardrobe from various vintage and consignment stores. My best find, a soft green double-breasted blazer from prairie BAZAAR located at Tigerstedt and Friends Gift Shop. It’s such a beautiful colour and I can wear it as a blazer dress. Another great purchase of mine is a MANGO oversize denim jacket found at The Bay in Chinook Centre. It’s such a lovely staple piece minus the sand found in the pockets. I bet you anything, someone bought the jacket for a beach photoshoot and refund it after they were done!
Overall, a wonderful bonding trip with my siblings. We had a lot of great laughs, enjoyed delicious cuisines and explored a little more of what Calgary had to offer.
Restaurants To Visit
Bonterra Trattoria
Address: 1016 - 8 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1K2
A contemporary Italian fare with a great emphasis on simplicity and the use of fresh, local ingredients. Bonterra Trattoria is the perfect place for a romantic date or to bring friends and family for a big celebration. A great casual dining atmosphere, attention to detailed servers and I’m in love with the beautiful Tuscan terrace. We were fortunate to get a table at the terrace and it made our dining experience, that much better.
We wanted to try a little of everything so we ordered family style. I most enjoyed the carpaccio with Alberta beef and the two pasta dishes we ordered which were the Linguine alle Vongole and Tagliatelle Bolognese. If I had to choose between the two pasta, I would highly recommend ordering the Tagliatelle Bolognese. The pasta dish was rich, it was cooked al dente and the sauce was flavourful.
Website: www.bonterra.ca
What we ordered: Local Burrata, Carpaccio, Calamari, Linguine alle Vongole, Tagliatelle Bolognese and Tuscan Sun cocktail.
Shokunin
Address: 2016 4 St SW, Calgary, AB T2S 1W3
I’m back here once again and made an earlier reservation compared to last year's visit with my boyfriend. It is with sadness that I once again missed out on the chicken ass. Ass is in high demand! LOL. A very sought out dish indeed. I don’t know if third times a charm or I should just stop my pursuit of chicken ass.
Always a pleasant experience at Shokunin. Our server was friendly and informative; the atmosphere was lively; and the food were fresh and delicious. Again, my favourite has to be the cold shucked scallop with the yuzu koshu nuoc cham sauce. The scallop was fresh and sweet while the sauce was sour and citrusy. I cannot forget about the hot and juicy skewers. The three types of skewers we ordered were the bomb! Simple but utterly fantastic! I most enjoyed the oyster skewers. Another great experience at Shokunin and this time, I’m very happy I got to share it with my lovely siblings.
Website: www.shokuninyyc.ca
What we ordered: Assorted Sashimi, Cold Shucked Scallop, Grilled Napa Cabbage, Oyster, Skin on Thigh and Skin on Breast Skewers and Wagyu Pastrami Caesar.
The must try item: Cold Shucked Scallop
Lulu Bar
Address: 510 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B1
Lulu Bar is such a vibe! Every time I pass by, it is always full of customers. Last year was my first time at Lulu and I only ordered cocktails. This time I made sure to come during happy hour so I can enjoy their food items while enjoying a cocktail. I settled on three items since I needed to save my stomach for dinner. I ordered the Thai Sausage, Beef Tongue Skewers and Fried Coconut Squid. The skewers were grilled to perfection, juicy and full of Thai flavours. For the Fried Coconut Squid, the server had advised us we should drizzle all the sauce on the squid rather than dip it. We complied with no regrets. The squid was tender with a nice chew and we thoroughly enjoyed it with the sauce and garnishes of green onion, cilantro, sliced jalapeños and pineapple.
Lastly, I cannot forget about the delicious cocktail I finally got to order. The very popular, Coconut Cooler. On my previous trip, I swear every table was ordering this drink. When I see anything with coconut I assume the drink would be very sweet and I’m more of a citrusy type of drinker. I still ordered the Coconut Cooler to see what’s all the hype and I completely understand. The hype is real! The cocktail was delightfully refreshing and not too sweet! I would definitely order a couple next time I’m here so I can enjoy a nice buzz.
Always a great experience when I visit Lulu Bar. Great atmosphere and a wonderful happy hour menu for delicious food and cocktails.
Website: www.lulubar.ca
What we ordered: Thai Sausage and Beef Tongue Skewers, Fried Coconut Squid and Coconut Cooler cocktail.
Calcutta Cricket Club
Address: 340 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0A8
Website: www.calcuttacricketclub.com
We didn’t get an opportunity to try the menu over here since we made reservations at another place but we had time to kill and wanted to quench our thirst with a cocktail. Calcutta Cricket Club is a modern Indian restaurant with a vibrant and tropical inspired ambiance serving their take of classic Indian food with their own modern twist. Even though we did not order any food, we got to enjoy their beautiful, well-decorated outdoor patio and I ordered the GOGO #8 cocktail which consist of chili and fennel infused Ketle One, Cointreau, guava, rose, and lime. A very nice and refreshing drink to enjoy on their stylish patio.
What we ordered: GOGO #8, Crushable Gin & Tonic and Ice Chai.
Enjoying the lovely patio while sipping on GOGO #8 cocktail.
PORCH
Address: 730 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B7
My sister and I enjoyed PORCH’s laid back West Coast summer vibes on a hot, sunny late afternoon. Dinner was creeping around the corner so we decided we would share a beef tartare and sip on a cocktail. I ordered myself a refreshing Moscow mule. We were here for a short time but thoroughly enjoyed the care-free vibe PORCH had to offer.
Website: www.porchyyc.com
What we ordered: Beef Tartare, Moscow Mule and Non-Alcoholic Beverage.
Great Taste Chinese Restaurant
Address: 123 2 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0B2
We had to fulfill our soup dumpling cravings so we hit up Great Taste Chinese Restaurant. A nice family atmosphere in Chinatown and there were some decent amount of people dining in when we arrived for lunch. The menu was pretty extensive so we asked our server for help and she was very helpful. I enjoyed the steamed pork dumplings, Dan Dan noodle, Chinese broccoli and I can’t forget my favourite drink to order, Hong Kong lemon ice tea to quench my thirst. Overall, a pleasant place to visit to satisfy your Chinese food cravings.
What we ordered: Steamed Pork Dumplings, Dan Dan Noodle, Beef and Cucumber Roll, Chinese Broccoli & Garlic, and Hong Kong Lemon Ice Tea.
Pho Dau Bo
Address: 4909 17 Ave SE #110, Calgary, AB T2A 0V5
If you want your Vietnamese cravings fulfilled, you have to come to Pho Dau Bo. It is a staple restaurant for me to get my pho fixing when I come to Calgary and I bet its going to be yours too. Their phos are outstanding. Nothing much to say here and my siblings can vouch for it. I brought them here for lunch when we touched down and they are hooked!
For the pho broth you can taste the beef flavour, the aromatics of the spices and the umami. Adding extra condiments to your soup is not required as the broth is already balanced and well-seasoned.
Pho Dau Bo is always busy and bustling so make sure you come early. And great news! They have a sister company, Một Tô which newly opened and has already made it on Air Canada’s Canada Best New Restaurants.
Website: www.phodaubovietnamese.com
What we ordered: Bone Marrow and 3 Pho Dac Biet
Milk Ice Cream
Address: 2614 4 St NW, Calgary, AB T2M 3A1
I saw positive online reviews about Milk Ice Cream so I had to come here to try it for myself. Milk serves locally, handcrafted ice cream with diverse flavours catered to the seasons. While I was there, the person taking our order informed me they make small batches every Monday therefore, some of their popular flavours does run out at the end of the week. That’s what happened to me. I was looking forward to ordering their popular Viet Coffee flavoured ice cream but they sold out. I went with the classic and tried the Fudgesicle and Chamango sorbet as my second scoop. The flavours chosen were delicious indeed. What a great treat! I did like that the ice cream shop was located in a neighbourhood. It was cute to see the little kiddos waddling down with their parents and lining up for delicious ice cream. At that time, I got the last scoop of Fudgesicle so I hope I didn’t make any little ones cry!
Website: www.milkicecreamshop.com
What we ordered: Chamango Sorbet, Salted Yolk Custard, and Fudgesicle
Amato Gelato 17th Avenue
Website: 602 - 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB, T2S 0B4
Established in 2003 with their first location in Kensington, Amato Gelato is a go to favourite with the locals. Rain, shine or snow you can get your gelato cravings fulfilled. The newest edition is their cafe in the heart of 17th Avenue. Serving amazing gelato flavours on rotation, delicious Apertivo and authentic Italian food such as grilled panini, Roman Pizza and Fiori Di Zucca Fritti.
We ordered two scoops to share and my favourite has to be the passion fruit as I prefer something more fruity. So funny but there was a particular flavour that had to be covered. It was durian!!! One might describe durian as having a funky smell. Some describe it as a wet baby diaper smell! I have to be honest, it does stink but it’s tasty. We didn’t order the durian but vowed to come back the next day but completely forgot. Hopefully next summer the durian flavour is still there.
Website: www.amatogelatoalberta.com
What we ordered: Passion Fruit and Black Sesame.
Things To Do
Calgary Farmer’s Market West
Address: 25 Greenbriar Dr NW, Calgary, AB T3B 5X4
This is a new farmer’s market that just opened its doors on August 12, 2022 in the new northwest community of Greenwich. It was twenty minutes drive from our hotel in 17th avenue. The farmer’s market is open from Wednesday to Sunday and is busy and bustling with an array of good eats from the Food Hall such as bagels, pizza, Thai, Indian, Korean, Mexican and Greek food. Great selection of items are found here and we purchased a bag of corn, pears, apple, peaches and cherry tomatoes. Highly recommend this spot to come with your family for fresh produce, baked goods, meat and poultry, dairy products and more!
Website: www.calgaryfarmersmarketwest.ca
Steeling Home
Address: 1010 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0A5
I’m glad I found this place because it’s amazing for little gifts and home decor. I can spend hours here looking at the many selection and knick knacks for the house. I really wanted to purchase a plant pot but the selection were more catered to small plants and I needed a big pot. All good because my sister spotted the most perfect mustard yellow canvas bag with a crane illustration for me. My sister knows me so well! I also purchased a cute mustard yellow salt and pepper shaker. You can see how much I love mustard yellow! There was a section for pet lovers and I saw a coffee mug with a Tuxedo cat illustration and had to get it for my girlfriend, Cheata since she has two Tuxedo cats of her own. My sister wanted to buy something for Melo, our cousin, Destiny’s dog. With my help we were able to pick out the cutest bow tie for him. I was satisfied with my purchase at Steeling Home and we made my friend and cousin happy by gifting them the cutest gifts.
Website: www.steelinghome.ca
Besties Floral Cafe
Address: 920 Centre St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 2P7
When you’re in Calgary, you have to make your way to the community of Crescent Heights. And when you do, visit Besties Floral Cafe. It is so beautiful inside. Not only is it a floral shop where you can purchase grab and go hand tied bouquets but they have a micro cafe inside serving pastries and beverages. They have a little corner for cherrytree lane selling children’s toys and you can purchase dried flowers, vases and little gifts and trinkets. The owner was very helpful and so sweet. I purchased a vase and she gave me a little dried flower arrangement. Make sure to check out their Instagram page for inspiration and updates on workshops they’re hosting at: @bestiesfloralcafe
Tigerstedt and Friends Gift Shop
Address: 918 Centre St N, Calgary, AB T2E 2P7
A great place for gifts, vintage finds and Japanese goods. This place has two levels and you can spend a good amount of time exploring. I was so close to purchasing some lovely Japanese dish ware but I had to hold myself back because I have too many. I am known to be a hoarder of pretty bottles and let’s just say the family is not too impressed with my growing obsession with dish ware! I didn’t leave empty handed but found the best item during this trip. It was a light green oversize blazer from prairie BAZAAR. You will see in my future fashion shoot, I wore the blazer as a blazer dress while posing in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Look out for that very soon!
Bù Vintage Shoppe
Discovered this gem in Chinatown when we came here for lunch. A very new vintage store as it was expressed by the salesperson. Spacious shop with a great selection of fashion items from women’s blouses, jeans and fashion dresses and accessories. They also have a selection of men’s items.
I was able to find an indigo blue shirt dress with white florals. It’s a boxy dress so I’ll probably wear a waist belt to create a waist line. Another great find is a Tanjay peacock inspired blazer. It’s very old-lady vibes therefore, I’ll probably rock it with a white tank and distressed light wash denim to keep the look young and fresh.
A great addition to Chinatown and I will definitely come here again!
Address: 110 3 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0B6
