Most Exclusive Restaurant in Calgary

[Foxy]

Vintage Chophouse
The Belvedere
The River Cafe
The Ranche (In Fish Creek Park)
Sugo
Rouge

I've recently had very good experiences at Catch both in the downstairs casual part and the upstairs fine dining room. They seem to have found their footing after Michael Noble left and realized he wasn't the be all and end all for chefs.

No offence to anyone who mentioned this, but for the love of God, do not go to the Owl's Nest or the O.N. Grille or whatever they are calling it these days. It's awful. I'm a chef, as is my brother, and he used to work at the Westin, so I know from personal experience. Frozen vegetables, prepackaged sauces.. it's low budget food for high prices. If it's old school hotel type dining you're going for, you're better off at the Rimrock Room at the Palliser Hotel.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by SpitFire40

No offense Dion but Bonaventure Drive isn't exactly a nice area of town to go to if you want to impress someone.

/just me

No offence taken. Willow Park is a nice area of town. but, the resturant is upscale and serves awesome steaks and roast beef. IMO the quality of the resturant is more important to me as opposed to location.

[metallicat]

Someone's getting engaged!!

[Otto-matic]

My most exclusive restaurant is my kitchen. IMO home cooked food tastes 100 times better then any restaurant, But I would have to agree with the crowd and say the Chicago Chophouse is a very exclusive restaurant.

[PsYcNeT]

Teatro. Fancy power-dining at it's most snobby.

[getbak]

Is LaCaille still a hoity-toity place?

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

But I would have to agree with the crowd and say the Chicago Chophouse is a very exclusive restaurant.

Are you guys serious? My office is next to the Chophouse and I'm forced to go there for lunches there at least monthly as it's convienient. I was just there last Tuesday, let's review my ribeye steak...

- Burnt so bad, all I could really taste of my steak was carbon.
- Cut was terrible, grisly, nowhere near marbled properly.
- Done medium, not medium rare. It's clear the flame was too hot.
- Negligible seasoning. Then again, it was probably carbonized if there was any.
- $35 to boot.
- Debateable creame brulee. The raspberry made it taste funny...

It's pretty clear Angelino is after the cream de la crop with no holds barred. From what I've seen, Shazam's list is probably closest. On that list, I'd take out Buchanans (not swank enough for this purpose) and Pulcinella (previously debated here on CP - it's crap and not swank in the least. I'd add Il Sogno for Italian and Vintage if you really want a high end steak experience.

La Caille doesn't even exist anymore. Condo building is apparently way more profitable than owning a restaurant. Isn't it Q or something now?

But if venue is as important as the food - I'd have to give it to Teatro.

[browna]

Yes, Teatro is right up there. La Chaumiere too.
Caesars beats the Chophouse in everyway. Food, being most important in quality, consistentcey, and amibience.

Not really any "exclusive" restaraunts that Joe Public can't walk into, unless you want to include Calgary G&CC, or any other golf clubs, or most exclusive technically would be the Ranchmens Club, and to a lesser extent, the Petroleum Club.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

La Caille doesn't even exist anymore. Condo building is apparently way more profitable than owning a restaurant.

Obviously, I don't go out high-end dining (or downtown) very much. The fanciest restaurant I've gone to in recent years is Joey Tomato's.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Are you guys serious? My office is next to the Chophouse and I'm forced to go there for lunches there at least monthly as it's convienient. I was just there last Tuesday, let's review my ribeye steak...

- Burnt so bad, all I could really taste of my steak was carbon.
- Cut was terrible, grisly, nowhere near marbled properly.
- Done medium, not medium rare. It's clear the flame was too hot.
- Negligible seasoning. Then again, it was probably carbonized if there was any.
- $35 to boot.
- Debateable creame brulee. The raspberry made it taste funny...

It's pretty clear Angelino is after the cream de la crop with no holds barred. From what I've seen, Shazam's list is probably closest. On that list, I'd take out Buchanans (not swank enough for this purpose) and Pulcinella (previously debated here on CP - it's crap and not swank in the least. I'd add Il Sogno for Italian and Vintage if you really want a high end steak experience.

La Caille doesn't even exist anymore. Condo building is apparently way more profitable than owning a restaurant. Isn't it Q or something now?

But if venue is as important as the food - I'd have to give it to Teatro.

Well I'm glad someone else hates Chicago Poserhouse. Didn't want to say anything because, well, something seems to be wrong with the taste buds here

Unfortunately I can't stand Vintage Chophouse. Totally screwed up my order last time I was there, and the waiter was a snarky SOB that *refused* to fix my order even though I was totally right.

I can't really think of a steakhouse here in town that's all around great - either the food's good and the place is a dump, or vice versa.

I added those other choices so that he had some places to go for lunch

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by getbak

Is LaCaille still a hoity-toity place?

It's not La Caille anymore. Now it is Q Haute Cuisine. It is much smaller - only about 25 tables total.

Vintages Chop House is very nice.

Belgo is pretty good.

Riverfront Cafe

What's the place down iby Fishcreek park?

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Given that Angelino has an "India" userbar.... not sure if a steakhouse is what they're after....

[Sylvanfan]

So did I get this right....the type of food, and the quality isn't important. But the fact that the place is expensive and makes you look high class is?

Just asking.

[P-Diddy]

La Dolce Vita is, for my taste, the best Italian Restaurant in the city. The Chef, Franco, regularly visits with the guests prior, during and after their meals. Their ravioli is incredible.
La Chaumiere is the most exclusive from my experience, Fine Dining for sure. Went there before an Aerosmith concert and was dressed for the concert, jeans and shirt. Needless to say, I was totally underdressed and somewhat embarassed. Oh well...

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I can't really think of a steakhouse here in town that's all around great - either the food's good and the place is a dump, or vice versa.

Has anyone been to the new Japanese Village location? For my money that is the best steak in town.

Originally Posted by getbak

Obviously, I don't go out high-end dining (or downtown) very much. The fanciest restaurant I've gone to in recent years is Joey Tomato's.

getbak =

[vanisleflamesfan]

Originally Posted by Angelino

Hello,

I will be in Calgary in the upcoming future and was wondering what the most exclusive and expensive restaurant in Calgary would be. Any ideas would help out. Thanks!

I think that Ranahans is technically the most exclusive and expensive restaurant in Calgary.

However, if you are not going to Calgary during those ten days that it is open...

River Cafe
Bears Den
And one for the old schoolers... Hy's.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

And one for the old schoolers... Hy's.

Hy's is closed now.

[vanisleflamesfan]

Originally Posted by icarus

Hy's is closed now.

OMFG are you serious!!!

I loved that place. Too bad.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

And one for the old schoolers... Hy's.

Didn't Hy's recently close down (with a promise to reopen in a new location)?

What about the Tower? That's probably the most expensive place I've eaten in Calgary (but I've already exposed my lack of style and class - a cold beer and a hot steak are all I ask for).

[getbak]

Originally Posted by icarus

getbak =

Hell no. Hair's too short and the pants aren't tight enough.