Local Restaurant Thread

[Weitz]

^^Hopefully way closer to downtown if they expand

[VladtheImpaler]

Went to the Elbow Room in Britannia Sunday - excellent. $25 corkage. The agnelotti and the chicken main were superb. I think first time I have ordered the "chicken" dish anywhere.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Went to the Elbow Room in Britannia Sunday - excellent. $25 corkage. The agnelotti and the chicken main were superb. I think first time I have ordered the "chicken" dish anywhere.

We've had a brunch at Elbow Room a couple times and really enjoyed it. Planning in heading there this weekend for dinner.

[EldrickOnIce]

Was in Cochrane a couple weeks back for niece's wedding and took the opportunity to eat at My Greek Plate.
Fantastic, fun experience and great Greek food! I swear that yia-yia was in the kitchen.
Highly recommended

[troutman]

Not local , but interesting:

San Francisco Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work.

The city offers a case study of how high housing costs alter the economics of everything else, including restaurant service.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/d...s-service.html

Restaurateurs who say they can no longer find or afford servers are figuring out how to do without them. And so in this city of staggering wealth, you can eat like a gourmand, with real stemware and ceramic plates. But first you’ll have to go get your own silverware.

Such hybrid restaurants are spreading to other high-cost cities, and they fit what analysts say is growing demand for more flexible dining options. But here, the extreme economics have rapidly made the model commonplace.

Many workers say they can’t afford to live here, or to stay in the industry. And partly as a result of those benefits, restaurateurs say they can’t afford the workers who remain. A dishwasher can now make $18 or $19 an hour. And because of California labor laws, even tipped workers like servers earn at least the full minimum wage, unlike their peers in most other states.

“If we were to pay what we need to pay people to make a living in San Francisco, a $10 hamburger would be a $20 hamburger, and it wouldn’t make sense anymore,” said Anjan Mitra, who owns two high-end Indian restaurants in the city, both named Dosa. “Something has to give.”

[Fuzz]

$10 hamburger? That'd be the dream...

[EverfresH15]

Food trucks have no waiters and they are still a rip off.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by EverfresH15

Food trucks have no waiters and they are still a rip off.

Even at those high prices most of them are failing. They don't do enough business to make them a viable business. I expect we'll be back down to 5 or 6 trucks in the city within a couple years.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Even atBecause of those high prices most of them are failing. They don't do enough business to make them a viable business. I expect we'll be back down to 5 or 6 trucks in the city within a couple years.

I'm not sure they will drop to 5 or 6, that sounds a bit low but there are probably to many right now. Though it would help if they didn't all cluster in one spot a long ways from me around the Westin.

[Table 5]

The other day I walked by a food truck that was selling ice cream for $8. I'm assuming they are all so pricey because that's what it takes to make a profit... but yeah, good luck with that.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The other day I walked by a food truck that was selling ice cream for $8. I'm assuming they are all so pricey because that's what it takes to make a profit... but yeah, good luck with that.

You can get a nutella churro at the churro truck for $8.

One churro.

Food trucks originally became popular in other markets as a cheaper alternative to sit down restaurants. Here they seemed to charge more for the hype of it being a food truck from day one.

[droopydrew19]

Anyone listening to Bo Levi on the Fan Yesterday? He was raving about a restaurant. I cant remember the name?

[EverfresH15]

Originally Posted by droopydrew19

Anyone listening to Bo Levi on the Fan Yesterday? He was raving about a restaurant. I cant remember the name?

Hayden Block

[Robbob]

Love that place.

[Cantrader]

Originally Posted by tete

We've been frequenting the new Paros on 8th Street SW in Beltline and really enjoy it. I think the pork pita wrap is the best one, and really like the calamari. I find you do have to watch the tzatziki, you end up tasting garlic for days.

Speaking of 8th St Restaurants, we've tried the other two in that little strip - Noodlebox and Little Lot Diner. Noodlebox is good, big portion sizes, but a bit expensive. Little Lot Diner is neat, I've had a chicken sandwich and a rueben and both were good. It's nice to have a few more quicker eating places that aren't big chains here in the neighbourhood.

I tried the burger at little lot diner and it was really good. I like it better than Clive burger.

[calf]

Originally Posted by tete

We've been frequenting the new Paros on 8th Street SW in Beltline and really enjoy it. I think the pork pita wrap is the best one, and really like the calamari. I find you do have to watch the tzatziki, you end up tasting garlic for days.

Speaking of 8th St Restaurants, we've tried the other two in that little strip - Noodlebox and Little Lot Diner. Noodlebox is good, big portion sizes, but a bit expensive. Little Lot Diner is neat, I've had a chicken sandwich and a rueben and both were good. It's nice to have a few more quicker eating places that aren't big chains here in the neighbourhood.

I found Noodlebox to be good, but they are light in the meat when you order it.

Little Lot is great. Have only had breakfast there but would put it right near the top of my list of breakfast places in the city

[calgarywinning]

Tavernetta was amazing last night. Their summer tapa type menu, a few STELLAR pasta's in the back yard. Yum. Highly recommend.

[Amethyst]

Went to Foreign Concept for dinner tonight. It was great! Favourites were the pork and foie gras steamed buns and the trout. Apparently some of the menu is changing next week for the season, but those two item will remain, as they are favourites.

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I frequent Jerusalem Shwarma in Royal Oak and I think it is amazing. I had no idea Paros existed until I read your post.

I tried Paros yesterday and was underwhelmed. Had a roasted lamb pita. Cost wasn't bad, $10, portion was quite a bit smaller than Jerusalem but not undersized for the cost. The pita is thick and tasty and the lamb was good but it seemed like they went light on the toppings. There wasn't much lamb in there. I think most of it was pita and the fries they stuff in there. Overall it was good but not great.

However what ruined it was the calamari. They claimed it was their homemade special and it was beyond awful. It is only rings and they looked and tasted like it came from a box from walmart. Not even the expensive brand though, the walmart brand stuff. A complete waste of $11. Dry, flavourless (except salt), hard and chewy. So bad that it makes me question the quality of the pita that I kind of liked.

I'll probably give them another shot and get a plate instead of just a wrap but definitely will never touch their calamari ever again. Gross. 0/10.

Are you sure you went to Paros Souvla? I have been going there regularly since they opened in 2012/13. Their Calamari is amongst the best I have had, and that includes Calamari at many restaurants in Canada & the USA. If a restaurant offers Calamari, I order it. Very odd as you are the first I have heard describe it in any negative manner. Ironically, I always have many tentacles and not just rings as you describe...

I have friends who live in Corpus Christi, Texas and they must have Paros Calamari every time they are here.

So, whom do you consider to offer 'great' Calamari in Calgary?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by FLAME ENVY

Are you sure you went to Paros Souvla? I have been going there regularly since they opened in 2012/13. Their Calamari is amongst the best I have had, and that includes Calamari at many restaurants in Canada & the USA. If a restaurant offers Calamari, I order it. Very odd as you are the first I have heard describe it in any negative manner. Ironically, I always have many tentacles and not just rings as you describe...

I have friends who live in Corpus Christi, Texas and they must have Paros Calamari every time they are here.

So, whom do you consider to offer 'great' Calamari in Calgary?

Lol wow. Calamari is serious business I guess. Do you own Paros or something? No need to take it personally. It was crap, there’s just no other explanation. I don’t know maybe it isn’t always crap but what I ate was Walmart quality.