The Calgary Stampede is in session through July 15. It’s the event’s100th anniversary – and that means beef abounds in these parts of Alberta. People ride it, rope it and eat it. While Calgary has its share of good steakhouses, we thought we’d focus on a trio of downtown eateries that serve up beef – and something more.
Shed your Stetson, settle down and enjoy:
- CHARCUT is a newcomer to Calgary cuisine. This chef-driven restaurant specializes in cuisine laced with Italian and country French accents. It butchers and cures its own meats, meats raised by local farmers. That meat is paired with seasonal, regional ingredients for a menu that changes daily. Try the Hotchkiss tomato salad, and perhaps a house-made sausage. “Local” is the culinary language here.
- Blink Restaurant & Bar speaks the same language. Located on historic Stephen Avenue, in the heart of downtown, Executive Chef Andrew Richardson focuses with a passion on local flavors, textures and colors. The wine list is voluminous. In keeping with the tone of this place, it highlights family-run wineries of the Pacific Northwest, California and Europe. The ambience at Blink is contemporary and relaxed.
- If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s literally off the beaten path, head down by the Bow River – and do so on foot. That’s where you’ll find River Café, sitting just next to a lagoon on Prince Island Park. Some restaurants highlight the ambience and skimp on the food. Others make the meal the deal, but the surroundings fall short. River Café manages to get them both right. It’s got the feel of a real fishing lodge, and some consummate cuisine. A suggestion for the main course: the Haida Hawaii Halibut comes with Gull Valley Tomato, grilled cucumber, ricotta dumpling and bacon vinaigrette. Here too the ingredients lean heavily toward the local.
(Image: Calgary Reviews)
