Good restaurants in Calgary

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by fotze

Things that are not pizza are ######edly expensive. They have souvlaki and rice (I think it was). It was something like $29. No better than M and M meats for almost 10 x the price. Wasn't even good, pretty sure it is a instant rice like 'minute'.

Pizza good there (overpriced). Other stuff is criminally overpriced.

Yeah we had pizza & one or two appetizers and we pushing $60 for the two of us. Think I had one beer with the meal and the misses was drinking water.

Like I said, it was good, the pizza was even above average, but if I'm spending $60 on pizza I should be eating leftovers the next day and/or drinking a bottle of wine with the meal.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by fotze

Instead of pizza head up 17th to Donegal so the waitress can call you an alcoholic when she doesn't understand you are speaking with an accent.

"He's German"

"He's DRIVING!?!?"

[wireframe]

Originally Posted by me_dennis

I really like the pizza at Without Papers, in Inglewood.

Their crust is comparable to Lombardi's pizza in NYC (my favorite pizza in the world) and their Shroom pizza is amazing. Lots of wild mushroom, truffle oil, garlic, and baby arugula. Not your usual pizza, but very delicious. If you're looking for your standard pizza, try the Hutch. It's got some kick to it, with spicy genoa salami and other cured meats. My only complaint is there is never enough cheese, which I find to be a common complaint with all these new "hip" pizza and wine joints.

Without Papers might be the worst restaurant experience I have had in Calgary. My parents told me it was terrible but I though I would try it myself. We had pretty bad service, but I can excuse that because the waitress was new. I ordered a pizza with three ingredients: arugula, prosciutto, and bocconcini. About a minute before the pizza arrived I was told that they had run out of arugula and I would not be getting any. Bummer, but I wasn't thrown off yet. When the pizza did come it has no bocconcicni. After about 25 minutes the waitress came back and I complained that my pizza had only one of the advertised three toppings (33% is a bad score for any test). She came back minutes later and argued with me that there was indeed bocconcini on the pizza and that the taste was masked by the prosciutto. Eventually I told her that I grew up in an Italian house and I know what cheese tastes like. It doesn't count as a topping if the slice is so thin that I cant taste it. My companions also had bad pizza. The highest score goes to the mushroom pizza - 5/10. None of us will ever go back.

[Table 5]

Come to think of it I had pretty air-headed service at Without Papers as well. I thought the pizza itself was pretty good though....nice atmosphere as well. My only complaint was the ridiculously high price (sorry if I'm starting to sound like a broken record but a personal-sized pizza should not be anywhere close to 20 bucks).

Have to say I'm pretty impressed with how far Calgary has come from even 5 years ago in terms of pizza...there's some really solid stuff out there these days. Nobody I've tried has perfected the crust just yet though (especially that nice coal-oven char). I think the closest thing I've come to Naples pizza is Famoso. I remember the first time I had it, I had to phone my wife to tell her about it....Naples effin ruined my NY pizza experience, but the sauce at this place was about as close as I've gotten to recreating that experience. Crust was still a bit of a miss though.

[malcolmk14]

That's funny. New York ruined my Calgary pizza experience.

[MRCboicgy]

I know Kinjos is whitewashed, but dammit, if I don't find myself in there (Macleod) once a month just for the moving boat. After grabbing some nice sushi in Seattle, I can attest to the difference, but Kinjos is what it is - 20 bucks or so, and I'm pleasantly filled.
Plus, the atmosphere has calmed a bit since the younger Kinjo has taken over that location.

[CedarMeter]

Anyone know a restaurant in Calgary that's makes good perogies?

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by fotze

Odyssey was good, but last time I went there, the prices had jumped, the person on the phone didn't understand english and the pizza sucked, it was similar but had cheaped out obviously. Pretty sure it got bought out.

Yeah, I heard Odyssey us under new ownership and it's gone down hill. No matter, I'll just go to A Plus. Basically the same thing a couple of blocks away.

[malcolmk14]

I've eaten more than a few times at most sushi places in Calgary and I can categorize a few of the places mentioned here.

Globefish - overpriced and overrated. Eaten at the various locations probably 25-30 times. Have only been once or twice in the past year. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but it's not nearly as good as a lot of people say it is.
Misato - good quality and generally fairly priced, sometimes on the expensive side. Probably been about 10-15 times.
Wa's - good quality and I can't remember pricing, only been 1 time.
Kinjo - below average quality and just generally tacky and not very good. Visited 3-4 times.
Zipang - tried it for the first time on Thursday and was impressed. It's expensive but it's very traditional and they seemed to have more specialty fish than I've seen anywhere else.
Hibiki - only been once, maybe slightly above average. Nothing outstanding or I think I would have been back.
Shibuya - A good late night izakaya option. On occasion they've been better than Globefish, and I've also had a couple nights where the fish was frozen or other mistakes were made. Been about 5 times.
Shikiji - Used to be good but has gone downhill. Stick to the Ramen. Visited 3-4 times.
Sushi Club K'z - Solid, expensive, visited 1 time.
Momoyama - Good, similar to Misato. Had one bad experience a couple of years ago but the last few months my visits have been excellent. Roughly 10 visits.
El's Japanese Fusion - Solid korean-style rolls across from Globefish. Cheaper and not quite as good. Still an ok option. 4-5 visits.
Towa - Eaten here about 15 times. It's tacky but generally quite delicious if you can get past the completely ridiculous and obnoxious size of everything they serve. If you've never been, order less than you think you'll need.
Hana - Overpriced, average quality, 1 visit.
Wasabi - Average, cheap, 1 visit.
Yume - $1 nigiri but it isn't very good, about what you'd expect for $1. 1 visit.
Sushi Boat - Overpriced and not as good as Kinjo. 4-5 visits.
Ichi Rock - Korean style izakaya restaurant with decent sushi, pretty pricy but good quality. Horrible location. Visited 3 times.
Haru (Springborough) - Expensive and gimmicky. Probably won't go back although it's closest to my house. 2 visits.
Sushi & Co. - Essentially a take-out counter staffed by Koreans on 10th st SW. Favourite place in the city. It's cheap and the quality has only faltered once or twice. Probably visited about 20-30 times.
Amici - Another $1 joint. Bad. 1 visit.
Hanami - completely unmemorable. Forgot I even visited but on Urbanspoon it's a thumbs down from me.
Sushi Bar Ren - Pretty bad sushi on a boat place. Good temaki for a great price but that's their only redeeming quality. 3 visits.
Haru (Mackenzie) - Decent, didn't hate it. 1 visit.
Sakana grill (Chinatown) - their happy hour was a go-to place until they discontinued Toro for $1.10. They had it at 9 pm one night and by 9:30 when we tried to order a second round they no longer offered it at that price. It's still on the menu but they won't sell it to us. Visited about 10-15 times but won't go back until toro is back.
Li-Ao sushi - just opened, gimmicky like Kinjo with the Pocky and obnoxiousness, but they make pretty decent sushi. Nothing outstanding but it is ok for the location it's in. Eaten there twice.
Kawa - nah. 1 visit.
Hot Stone Rice Bowl - Just opened a few months ago on 37th St SW. Very good sushi, two out of the three visits I've made have been top notch. Similar to Sushi & Co with more diversity, similar to Globefish with less cost. Careful, their crazy buster roll isn't the same as Globefish's.
Sushi Motto - only ever eaten there with a dealfind voucher and found it pretty average. 1 visit.
Uptown Sushi - used to be great but gone downhill lately. 5-7 visits.
Sukiyaki house - expense account place. Tacky, gimmicky, and not worth the cost. 1 visit.
Macleod Sushi & BBQ - only place I'll go for all you can eat, as the other few in the city suck. 3-5 visits.
Umi (U of C) - terrible. just terrible. 3-4 visits.
Sushi Q (chinook) - see above. 2 visits.
Yamato (7th Ave) - been twice, it's average quality wise, but nothing special especially with Sushi & Co only one train station away.
Blowfish - Ridiculously expensive, but they've got a cool menu.

[malcolmk14]

Damn I eat a lot of sushi.

[Pizza]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Damn I eat a lot of sushi.

I aspire to eat like that one day

[GomerPile]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Damn I eat a lot of sushi.

But apparently you have not ate at my favorite place.

Sushi BBQ Inn - 16th Ave accross from SAIT. IMO the best in the city.

[Pizza]

Originally Posted by GomerPile

But apparantly you have not ate at my favorite place.

Sushi BBQ Inn - 16th Ave accross from SAIT. IMO the best in the city.

Get out of here, Troll!

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by GomerPile

But apparantly you have not ate at my favorite place.

Sushi BBQ Inn - 16th Ave accross from SAIT. IMO the best in the city.

No, I have, I just left it off my list. I'm sorry that you think that is good sushi. But keep eating there, more seats at the good places for me!

You've got to be joking.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by GomerPile

But apparently you have not ate at my favorite place.

Sushi BBQ Inn - 16th Ave accross from SAIT. IMO the best in the city.

Yeah that place is probably the worst restaurant in North America. Nobody should ever have to eat such garbage. I remember my friend used to love that place and would refuse to eat any other sushi. He didn't ever try another sushi place until he got a new girl friend that threatened to break up with him if he ever took her back there again.

Try any place on the list above and I can guarantee you'll like it more than that crap.

[Nuje]

Tu Tierra - It's on Heritage and Fairmount (where China City once was). Great Mexican. I haven't been to the Southern US, or really eaten anywhere in Mexico off a resort, but this place has flavours I've simply never tried before. Every other Mexican place in the city tastes like cardboard imo. Great little unassuming place.

[Bunk]

O Shima on 17th Ave just west of 14th street is pretty good for sushi.

A lot of people think Globefish is overated, but I still think it's good. Their Agedashi Tofu is outstanding and love the Beef Tataki. Their fancy roles like the Crazy Buster are a bit pricey (so is most sushi in Calgary) but is really good. I find the Marda Loop location the best one.

[GomerPile]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Yeah that place is probably the worst restaurant in North America. Nobody should ever have to eat such garbage. I remember my friend used to love that place and would refuse to eat any other sushi. He didn't ever try another sushi place until he got a new girl friend that threatened to break up with him if he ever took her back there again.

Try any place on the list above and I can guarantee you'll like it more than that crap.

Fair Enough, but unfortunatley the worst sushi I have ever had was in Japan, so I judge according to that experiance and sadly yes the BBQ Inn is better then that.

[flamesflames444]

I just moved to Wildwood just around the corner from Odyssey so I can't comment on what it was like pre-ownership change, but I find it pretty decent, but not the best in the city. Takeout is 20% off so a large is around $16, but it is super filling.

My usual go to pizza is Pulcinellas or Famoso.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Nuje

Tu Tierra - It's on Heritage and Fairmount (where China City once was). Great Mexican. I haven't been to the Southern US, or really eaten anywhere in Mexico off a resort, but this place has flavours I've simply never tried before. Every other Mexican place in the city tastes like cardboard imo. Great little unassuming place.

Agreed - this is a good Mexican place. Honourable mention to the Los Compadres food truck - excellent tacos.