Local Restaurant Thread

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by Slava

They're (the chef and co-owners) going to the Ranchmens Club.

I heard, I wonder if Ranchmen Club people are open to the cuisine fare they produced or it's a situation whereby the salary is > the hassles of running a small business in Calgary and also through the pandemic.

Ranchmen's strikes as steak and potato place. However, I did do some research and quite a few famous/quality Chef's has worked there.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Ranchmen's strikes as steak and potato place. However, I did do some research and quite a few famous/quality Chef's has worked there.

It takes real skill to make Budweiser taste good.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

If we are talking Ranchmens Club, and not the honky tonk place, then yes, it has very high end dining. More of an old man club so I am not sure that would be a great place for anything avant garde, but still, they would have a good steady gig.

[troutman]

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

If we are talking Ranchmens Club, and not the honky tonk place, then yes, it has very high end dining. More of an old man club so I am not sure that would be a great place for anything avant garde, but still, they would have a good steady gig.

Thanks for this, because I assumed it was the place on Macelod and had never heard of the Ranchmen's Club. TIL.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Just saw that Von Der Fel's is closing at the end of July. What a shame.

This spot, through several chef iterations has been pumping out unique food that has most always been superb and won them Canada wide recognition.

They tried to mobilize through the pandemic and thought they would survive. Sad to lose this place which has been a door into another place in the world in YYC for sometime.

Von Der Fels has been the very best experiences dining in Calgary for me. The food was creative but what my wife and I loved was the experience. The ambiance, the wine selection, and the food. Such a trifecta when it was firing on all cylinders.

Reminded me of El Ideas in Chicago another open kitchen food lab that is probably among the best places there.

Simply put I wouldn’t run to influence getting a membership over this. They’ll elevate the food no doubt and it should be excellent. However unless their getting a down to earth wait staff and a dude cooking 10 ft from you it will lack something.

I wish them the best and understand the move, yet saddened that my biggest irk in dining, accessibility has hit the best place in Calgary. Funkin COVID I swear to….

Anyways I am still praying Nights and Weekends comes back and emerges to take the mantle. One can hope.

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Von Der Fels has been the very best experiences dining in Calgary for me. The food was creative but what my wife and I loved was the experience. The ambiance, the wine selection, and the food. Such a trifecta when it was firing on all cylinders.

Reminded me of El Ideas in Chicago another open kitchen food lab that is probably among the best places there.

Simply put I wouldn’t run to influence getting a membership over this. They’ll elevate the food no doubt and it should be excellent. However unless their getting a down to earth wait staff and a dude cooking 10 ft from you it will lack something.

I wish them the best and understand the move, yet saddened that my biggest irk in dining, accessibility has hit the best place in Calgary. Funkin COVID I swear to….

Anyways I am still praying Nights and Weekends comes back and emerges to take the mantle. One can hope.

You hit every nail on the head about Von Der Fels. We loved taking international guests to this restaurant to blow their mind.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

You hit every nail on the head about Von Der Fels. We loved taking international guests to this restaurant to blow their mind.

I don’t remember the guy who works there and kensington wine market. He’s with Pizzaface now. Muscle man guy. Anyways he was one of our favorites. You’d come in and sit and he’d be like “tell me what you like”

We would be like something light and dry but not too dry… he’d nod and come back with a wine from Moldavia or something and just say try this.

Then the food would come.

Its a dining fanatics heaven and we have it. 2 years ago summer I can remember that experience vividly.

[DownInFlames]

Good news! Smugglers is coming back with new ownership. Bolero too along with Open Sesame renamed Monsoon.

https://calgaryherald.com/business/c...ck-in-business

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Good news! Smugglers is coming back with new ownership. Bolero too along with Open Sesame renamed Monsoon.

https://calgaryherald.com/business/c...ck-in-business

That's nice. So, I gather the Tango Bistro will be re-absorbed back into Smugglers?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Good news! Smugglers is coming back with new ownership. Bolero too along with Open Sesame renamed Monsoon.

https://calgaryherald.com/business/c...ck-in-business

Smugglers, what an overhyped poop hole.


yuck

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

That's nice. So, I gather the Tango Bistro will be re-absorbed back into Smugglers?

Yes, except it was called Frank's now.
I actually liked that place more than Smugglers!

[Kiran403]

The original version of Tango Bistro where it was all just shareable items was the best. Great for a couples dinner. My wife and I along with her brother and his wife used to go there pretty regularly when the menu was that format.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Smugglers, what an overhyped poop hole.


yuck

In their heyday they were quite good imo. But the quality went down hill and the salad bar went to hell.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Kiran403

The original version of Tango Bistro where it was all just shareable items was the best. Great for a couples dinner. My wife and I along with her brother and his wife used to go there pretty regularly when the menu was that format.

Agreed. I went there for lunch often. Their mushroom soup was amazing.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

In their heyday they were quite good imo. But the quality went down hill and the salad bar went to hell.

When would you put their heyday?

I can’t think of a time they were good.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Von Der Fels has been the very best experiences dining in Calgary for me. The food was creative but what my wife and I loved was the experience. The ambiance, the wine selection, and the food. Such a trifecta when it was firing on all cylinders.

Reminded me of El Ideas in Chicago another open kitchen food lab that is probably among the best places there.

Simply put I wouldn’t run to influence getting a membership over this. They’ll elevate the food no doubt and it should be excellent. However unless their getting a down to earth wait staff and a dude cooking 10 ft from you it will lack something.

I wish them the best and understand the move, yet saddened that my biggest irk in dining, accessibility has hit the best place in Calgary. Funkin COVID I swear to….

Anyways I am still praying Nights and Weekends comes back and emerges to take the mantle. One can hope.

Fully agreed. We only made it once just before Covid, but it was a fun and fantastic experience.

I'm just putting this out there, and I realize I have no one but myself to blame - I dragged my feet and now it seems every reservation slot until they close is taken. If anyone here has a reservation that they can't make, I'd appreciate an opportunity to take it... I'm not sure what sort of financial hold they're asking for, but I'll gladly pay that or make whatever arrangements needed. Long shot, but thanks in advance.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

When would you put their heyday?

I can’t think of a time they were good.

1985ish

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Kiran403

The original version of Tango Bistro where it was all just shareable items was the best. Great for a couples dinner. My wife and I along with her brother and his wife used to go there pretty regularly when the menu was that format.

Yeah, we used to go pretty much weekly for a while. They had a low corkage fee ($15 I believe), so we could have great wine in a really nice setting and some of their dishes were really good - I remember I really liked the bone marrow, the bone-in pork chop, and the tartare...

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Yeah, we used to go pretty much weekly for a while. They had a low corkage fee ($15 I believe), so we could have great wine in a really nice setting and some of their dishes were really good - I remember I really liked the bone marrow, the bone-in pork chop, and the tartare...

The Tapas was amazing. I remember I had been hyping it up to my parents for some time and we took them for dinner and it must have been right after the format changes and it was super disappointing.