First, its proximity to the majestic Rockies – what a major breath of fresh mountain air:

Canmore with “finger painted” sky.

Next, I was reminded of Calgary’s diverse, quality eating options. Oh my, how I fantasize about Alberta beef. In my two-week visit, I went to my very favourite restaurant Safari Grill, twice. I could eat heaps of their barbecued short beef ribs (nyama ya mbavu, $12.50) seasoned with a zingy and savoury blend of African spices. Also love their deep fried cassava (masala mogo, $7.50) with its crispy and chewy texture and drenched in crushed tomatoes…I wish owner Ali did transatlantic deliveries. Suffice it to say, if you haven’t been to Safari Grill yet, go, go, go.

Eating in Calgary makes me think of the time I went to an actual bingo hall for my 22^nd birthday with bingo dauber in hand, sans lucky troll. Now I can play it online without inhaling decades of stale smoke. But I digress. Like a game of bingo based on random luck, you could make your way around the restaurants in town, be quite entertained by the process, and perhaps even win a few jackpots.

I also made sure to pick up about a dozen packages of Sweet Georgia Browns ($4.00/package of 2) to take back to London. From Vancouver-based Purdy’s Chocolates, these accessible yet gourmet treats are the definition of instant gratification. Comprised of salty, roasted Georgia pecans encased in a gob of sticky caramel topped with milk chocolate, SGBs are good enough to cause an embarrassing foodgasm in the middle of an English pub during open mic night (also true, happened last week).

Moral of this post – if you know what you like and you’re across the world from it, overindulge when the opportunity arises, otherwise you’ll be in a sad state of longing (and salivation) like I currently am.

Happy eating, wherever you are!
-Anh

Well, this is beyond embarrassing. When I moved to London in September 2011 I had every intention of blogging about my eating experiences in the land of fog, and also of catching up on a rich backlog of Calgary posts.

Clarion call of London, where I dream awake and sleeping.

I dutifully captured dishes with notes and photos whilst missing my favourite Calgary restaurants and bemoaning my UK state of lack. I went in search of good, cheap eats, the best coffee (incidentally these are run by Aussies or Kiwis). Got disappointed with how challenging it was to find consistent quality food at reasonable prices (the set lunch at dinner by Heston Blumenthal is an absolute-must for affordable fine dining).

Much of it has to do with scale and the sheer number of restaurants found on every street. In Calgary I was connected to the eating scene and had to be as a food writer and critic. Here I was formless, free-floating and woefully, no longer upper middle class. And upon touching down at Gatwick airport, still not exactly sure of why London was calling. I just knew it had. And I had listened.

Other things happened that I couldn’t anticipate. In London, I resolved to write plays, fiction, scripts — to indulge in the things I’d always wanted to write but couldn’t while scrambling to meet editorial deadlines. I embraced this selfishness, because let’s face it, life is short. I’ve also been fulfilling a previously closeted dream of acting for theatre, film and TV (still can’t believe it). Been wooed by the innumerable free museums and galleries. Trying to settle in, re-frame, transform.

While this all sounds very vague, what it simply comes down to is a distinct, unexpected disconnect from wanting to relive the experience of eating as I was once apt to, in order to doubly enjoy what was. I realized that in some ways, I had filled a void with food, literally and metaphorically, the space being taken up now by art: a different kind of feeding of the soul.

The pure sensorial overload, instant gratification and being-in-the-moment-ness of eating and subsequent reflections that was essential to my life in Canada is no longer the foreground. It’s now rounded out by the very breathing in of myriad fantastically ineffable experiences of 2012. Here, I’m finding clarity within the London fog and the ether trail left by literary giants of western civilization, immersed in stunning architecture, rich history, easy connections to exotic locales.

I very quickly became unrecognizable to my former self…less critical, less anxious, less meat-eating. Although I feel more alive than ever, greedy to take it, and more, all in — it is my most sincere wish that each of us can pursue and find our calling — I’ve also, paradoxically, become way less hungry. One thing’s certain: I did not come to London for the food! Like many things you say goodbye to, goodbye is never forever.

Thanks for understanding and hope to eat again for you soon,
Anh

One of my biggest foodie friends, Chris, goes on and on about one thing at London’s famous Borough Market: raclette. As annoying as Chris can be, he is hardly ever wrong about anything food-related.

By definition, raclette can mean, a) a semi-firm cheese meant for melting, or, b) the brilliant Swiss and French invention of “roasted” cheese that is scraped atop some boiled potatoes or vegetables. Raclette comes from racler, the French word for to scrape.

Who knew crusty cheese was so divine?

The raclette at Kappacasein in Borough Market is made from Ogleshield, a non-pasteurised cheese made from the fatty milk of Jersey cows which is usually reserved for milk or cream. Ogleshield is the brainchild of Jamie Montgomery of cheddar fame, Randolph Hodgson of Neal’s Yard Dairy, and William Oglethorpe, Neal Yard’s affineur.

At Kappacasein, the queue is at least 20-deep. For £5, you get a small plate of boiled baby potatoes and tiny gherkins topped with melted Ogleshield cheese. Check out the video.

Raclette at Kappacasein, Borough Market

While the plate is small, it is surprisingly heavy. The melted cheese is simultaneously gooey and chewy from the burnt crust, pairing nicely with the soft potatoes. While the pickles are neither crunchy nor sour enough for my taste, they do a fine job of cutting into the fat.

That description doesn’t do justice to the orgasmic experience you’ll feel in your entire being. Kappacasein is a must-have, at least once. I’d recommend going for a jog or four after eating this raclette. Or if you’re a glutton like me, you’ll be going back at least once a week to have some scraped cheese. Nom nom.

This is where your cheese dream will come true.

Kappacasein, which also does a mean grilled cheese, has a stall at Borough Market.
Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, London.
Thursday 11 am to 5 pm, Friday 12 pm to 6 pm and Saturday 8 am to 5 pm.
Closest tube station: London Bridge.

Comedian Joanne Lau and I at The Ritz for high tea.

Wishing you all had a Merry Christmas! If all went well, you should still be digesting. My flatmates and I didn’t have a tablecloth so we used one of our curtains instead. On the menu? Bacon wrapped turkey breast roll, roast veg, Yorkshire pudding and my flatmate’s too-amazing-for-words goose fat potatoes.

Recently, I was interviewed by Ian Doig of Calgary Slop about the future of this very blog. Here’s an excerpt:

On why I started this blog:
There were no food bloggers who specifically covered cheap meals for real people. All the same restaurants with PR expertise seemed to be getting all the press, which seemed unfair given the hidden gems in Calgary.

Calgary Slop: Now that you’ve moved to England, what’s the fate of I Came for the Food?

I Came For The Food: I have a few ideas for the blog, but they haven’t been executed yet. Settling in to a new country, getting sick twice in as many months (update: make that three times in three months!), not to mention an unfavourable conversion-rate, are but a few factors that have resulted in a lack of posts of late!

I may broaden the scope of my posts, so it’s not so review or location-specific, but speaks to the universality of food and how it acts as a bridge to bring people together. The fact that meals are not merely about eating fascinates me. All this said, the blog is constantly a work-in-progress….Continue reading

At the famous Ritz in London for high tea. The picture is blurry from my excitement.

I feel I owe you an explanation for my absence over these last two weeks.

I moved to London, England at the end of September. Since then, I’ve been enmeshed in a flurry of activity. Everything here seems to take longer, especially the basics, like getting internet, a bank account, mobile phone, accommodations. That’s not to say I haven’t been eating out, because rest assured, I still get hungry.

Amidst all the crazy logistics of moving to a new country, wrapping up my Metro Calgary Lunch Rush column and other assignments, I’ve also been hard at work, curating a Calgary food tour for a food app launching December 1st. More details to come, soon!

Just so you know, I am alive, kicking, and eating as much as my former cheapassness in Calgary is affording me in expensive London-town with its overwhelming dining options.

Thanks for your patience and I hope you keep checking back here for more reviews and food-musings.

Happy eating, whereever you are in the world,
- Anh

For its Fall issue, Where (Calgary) Magazine compiled a list of 75 Tastes of Calgary. You know, those unique dishes that define a city; the must-try foods you think about even when, or especially if, you are away from home. Now that I live in the UK, I’m craving EVERYTHING Calgary!

Shiraz's eggplant dip topped with whey made the top 75!

I — along with notable Calgary food critics John Gilchrist, Andree Lau, Karen Anderson, among others — contributed some favourite eats. Where editor Laura Pellerine and staff writers Dan Leahul and Alison Onyett filled in the rest. Dare I so flagrantly admit that we all have great taste?

You might recognize some of my previous posts on the rich DeVille latte (#8),  the indulgent duck confit poutine at Laurier Lounge (#12), or the pitch-perfect kashk-e-Bademjam at Shiraz (#41). Can you guess my other picks? (Hint: They include #19, 33, 57, 61 and 69).

Please eat some extra portions on my behalf. And enjoy
- Anh Chu

The food at Rouge is, in a word: stunning. The dishes lived up to my high expectations of the place bestowed by S. Pellegrino as one of the world’s best 100 restaurants in 2010. The setting: the historic Cross House in Inglewood just minutes from downtown.

This was my last Lunch Rush column for Metro Calgary before I moved to London, so I decided to splash out. Funnily enough, it was actually cheaper than lesser restaurants I’ve dined at. Why didn’t I eat here every week?

I started with the seasonal soup creation, a roasted cauliflower and yellow zucchini with scallion oil ($10). The soup was comforting and gourmet. At $10 bucks a pop, it’d better be good, and believe me (cheap-ass that I am), it was well worth the price.

Pureed soup at a nice restaurant is one of my favourite things in the world.

Jason had the couscous salad with almonds and cranberries, with a side salad of shaved fennel and orange vinaigrette ($10). The light citrus flavour lent a refreshing tone. I particularly enjoyed the crunchy toasted almonds and the fennel salad accompaniment.

My, what refined presentation!

The main entrée was a seared halibut in seasonal mushroom broth ($20). The halibut featured a light crust and was perfectly moist and tender. The broth was delicate yet flavourful. The style is reminiscent of Japanese cuisine — subtly complex and clean yet obviously well-crafted.

From the melon ball potatoes to the fresh peas, this dish was brilliant.

Service: While the service was professional, formal and knowledgable, it tapered off as a large group arrived, which unfortunately meant we ran out of time for dessert. This, after I closed the menu, put it halfway off the edge of the table and played the game where I tried to catch the server’s eye. Then we had to ask for the bill and rush out of the restaurant. It was a somewhat disappointing end to an otherwise lovely meal.

Last Impressions: The subtlety of flavours and textures makes the dishes impeccable. There is an emphasis on local ingredients, with many picked fresh from Rouge’s large onsite garden. This is fine dining, but it’s not overbearing, as in dishes are not just laden with truffle oil.

For the quality of food and service you receive, the value is excellent, especially when you consider how many restaurants with similar price points can’t even come close to measuring up.

Just minutes from downtown, with ample parking and a gorgeous patio in the summertime, visiting Rouge is an absolute must.

Rouge, 1240 8 Avenue S.E., Calgary, Alberta. Phone: 403-531-2767
Hours of operation: Lunch: Monday to Friday 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Dinner: Monday to Saturday 5:00 pm to Close

Price range (for lunch): ($16 to $20)
Low: ($16 Croque Madame)
High: ($20 Seared Halibut)
Reservations: Yes
Licensed: Yes

Is this restaurant appropriate for:

Client negotiations: Yes
Lunch with co-workers: Yes
Social lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: No

Time in: 12:30 p.m.
Time out: 1:40 p.m.

At Juree’s Thai Place, the service is personal, the food is fragrant and the atmosphere is zen-like.

The beautifully decorated restaurant on 16th Avenue fills the void of a former Burger King and gives diners the royal treatment. Read my Lunch Rush column in Metro Calgary or continue reading for the expanded version…

We shared a Tom Khaa Kai Soup ($8) with coconut milk, chicken and mushrooms. The tangy soup flavoured with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal left a slightly pasty residue on the palate. Also, I found the small bits of lemongrass (which has a tough texture) difficult to manage. I’m particularly picky with this soup because I make a kick ass version of it that is bold yet complex. Here, it tasted predominantly of coconut milk and fish sauce.

The Tom Khaa Kai soup can be described as very "bitty."

We continued with the Matsaman Curry with beef ($14). The creamy curry with coconut milk, potato, onions and peanuts featured a nice, smooth consistency and a pleasant nuttiness. The earthy, complex flavours were spot on, complementing the fluffy coconut rice well (large, $6). The coconut rice actually tastes like coconut (big ups).

Although I prefer this dish with cubed beef, the flavours are wonderful.

We ended with Pad Thai ($13), a staple noodle dish. The mild, smooth rice noodles with pork, prawn, tofu and bean sprouts boasted sweet tones (soy, brown sugar, tamarind). I’ve never eaten sweet pad thai and although I prefer a bit more heat, spice-wise, I loved the glossy but not too oily texture of the noodles.

Pad Thai, you are the ginger beef of Thai restaurant menus. Yum.

If you’re looking for extremely spicy Thai food, you should make this explicit to your server as all of the dishes we tried were surprisingly mild. Although it’s not cheap-cheap for the quantity of food you get (as Thai food in Calgary never is), Juree’s offers a relaxed setting and delicious meal out.

Just be careful if you have an incredibly adorable baby like my friend Colleen does. If you do, the owner Juree might get handsy with lil’ Bob or Sue. (Sidebar: To deter well-meaning folks from touching those baby cheeks, have baby wear a full-face helmet or give the touch-er a dirty glare/hiss combo. Don’t smile on the outside and be passive-aggressive like we were).

Juree’s Thai Place, 2055 16 Avenue N.W., Calgary. Phone: 403-264-6477
Hours of operation: Monday to Thursday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm; Friday & Saturday 11:00 am to 11:00 pm; Sunday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Price range (for lunch): ($12 to $18)
Low: ($12 vegetarian fried noodles)
High: ($18 Juree’s Thai Place special, fish with tamarind sauce)
Reservations: Yes
Licensed: Yes

Is this restaurant appropriate for:

Client negotiations: Yes
Lunch with co-workers: Yes
Social lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: Yes

Time in: 12:40 p.m
Time out: 2:00 p.m

Cassis Bistro offers fare inspired by the South of France. Cassis is helmed by executive chef Dominique Moussou of L’epicerie (and formerly of Teatro). The decor (mostly white walls) is sparse but the rich food is anything but.

To start, lamb merguez (sausage) with grainy mustard and baguette ($5) whet our appetites.

The sausage was piping hot, balanced by an acidic, grainy mustard.

My friend ordered the quiche of the day which was goat cheese ($16). The quiche was rich but boasted a superbly light, airy and fluffy texture. Read my Lunch Rush column in Metro Calgary, or continue for the expanded version…

Apologies to Jason who loves to make quiche--the one pictured above is one we should all aspire to.

I went with the pickerel grenobloise seasoned with capers, lemon, parsley, green beans and potatoes ($23). The fish was cooked to perfection, with a savoury, buttery sauce.

Pickerel perfection and loaded with butter. J'taime.

Our dishes were quite rich for a noontime meal, leaving us feeling totally full; an occurrence so rare it must be noted.

That said, we couldn’t turn down a lemon tart with a meringue topping ($8) for dessert. While it was a nice cap to the meal, we wish the lemon was more tart.

A lemon tart with raspberry speckles that needed more tartness.

You can expect a short yet scrumptious menu with French home-cooking like warm ham and cheese sandwiches (croque monsieur and croque madame). Cassis Bistro, located at the Casel Marche condo complex, is a bit of an indulgence calorie-and wallet-wise, but you’ll leave happily stuffed.   

Cassis Bistro, #105, 2505 17 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB.  Phone: 403-262-0036
Hours of operation: Monday – Closed; Tuesday – Sunday Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm; Dinner: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Price range: ($8 to $29)
Low: ($8.00 mixed salad)
High: ($29.00 steak frites)
Reservations: Yes
Licensed: Yes

Is this restaurant appropriate for:

Client negotiations: Yes
Lunch with co-workers: Yes
Social lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: Yes

Time in: 12:30 p.m.
Time out: 1:20 p.m

The recently opened Blue Star Diner in Bridgeland, from the owners of Dairy Lane Cafe, is working from a proven and popular concept of a solid lineup of breakfast and lunch dishes. While there are some Dairy Lane repeats like the standout DL burger, new offerings abound as well. Read my Lunch Rush column in Metro Calgary, or continue for the expanded version…

We ate a grilled cheese sandwich with slices of Granny Smith apple, sautéed onions and Sylvan Star Gruyere ($12.95) with skinny fries and baked beans. The thin apple slices served primarily to add texture rather than enhance flavour. Everything tasted fresh, but the neutral colour palette lacked “oomph” presentation-wise.

If not for the pickle and a few pokey apple slices, this plate would make the colour beige jealous.

Next was the gluten-free Huevos Rancheros ($12.95). The crispy corn tostadas, warm refried beans and two sunny-side up Sylvan Star eggs were complimented by some cool black bean cilantro salsa and avocado slices. The hash browns were peppery and soft on the inside but could have used a crunchier outside.

Look how vibrant those egg yolks are.

Next time, I’d be curious to try BSD’s vegan scramble, the braised beef and tomato eggs benny and lamb burger.

Blue Star Diner is sparsely decorated with a banquette along one wall; a short bar for solo diners along another. The diner seats 38 and like its counterpart, takes no reservations. Just one month after opening its doors, diners already line up around the block on weekends.

My only complaint? Although it was a hot day out, our window table was uncomfortably warm, as in, I was sweating like I was vacationing in a non-air conditioned tropical locale. I suppose that’s one way to prevent diners from taking their sweet time…

Otherwise, our food arrived in ten minutes, flat. Blue Star Diner is already a well-oiled machine with recipes that emphasize local produce from Gull Valley, Sylvan Star, Spragg Farms, Missing Link, to name a few. The longest part of your meal will be deciding what to order from a delectable menu with plenty of gluten-free options.

Blue Star Diner, 809 1st Ave N.E., Calgary, AB. (403) 261-9998
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 7:00 am to 3:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

Price range: ($9.00 to $15.00)
Low: ($9.00 Two eggs, any style)
High: ($15.00 Bison burger)

Reservations: No
Licensed: Yes

Is this restaurant appropriate for:

Client negotiations: Yes
Lunch with co-workers: Yes
Social lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: Yes

Time in: 12:25 p.m.
Time out: 1:10 p.m.