Sushiyama

Posted on November 12, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Sushiyama Japanese restaurant

 

Address: 371 East Broadway (at Kingsway), Vancouver

Tel: 604.872.0053

Get anything, it’ll be dee-licious! Sushiyama’s menu is six long pages of fresh eating goodness. The maki listing is longer that what you’d find at most places — including items that, in an ideal world, you’d be able to find anywhere; like the asparagus, spinach, or mango rolls. The prices on the 38 types of maki rolls range from $2 for the kappa, tuna, and salmon rolls to $6.75 for the spider roll. The rest of the menu is pretty standard: sashimi from $6, loads of different types of nigiri ($1-2), donburi ranging from $6-9, breaded deep fry ($7), noodle soups ($6-9), tempura choices ($4-11), plus appetizers and soups/salads.

The nigiri and maki are fantastic here – big pieces and amazing fresh tastes with browned sesame for added crunch and flavor. The sashimi is delightful – the huge slabs are still delicate.  The hunks of fish rival the enormous mouthfuls found at Samurai (on Davie).  Oh! the miso, the gyoza, the donburi, the tempura….let’s save time — everything I’ve tasted at Sushiyama was fantastic and my wandering eyes kept encountering plates at every table that looked terrifically tasty. 

This hot spot is always busybusybusy — and there’s a reason. The food is fantastic and the prices are certainly on the low end. The value here at Sushiyama is terrific — especially for lovers of sashimi. But then there’s a downside to a cheap place that’s always busy — poor service. Not unpleasant or rude, just overworked. It’s hard to get a hold of a server and it’s unlikely that they’ll have time to check up on you. But don’t just sit there feeling snubbed — jump into the action, be a little assertive, wave your arms like a maniac, shout, get into the game. Is this the type of place I’d bring my grandma to? no…my kids? hell no. It’s not classy, it’s not attentive, but it’s everything else you’ve ever wanted. The sashimi melts in your mouth, the fish is fresh and the cuts are good, the gyoza is hot and crispy, the veggies are surprisingly  fresh, and the portions are ample.

Rating: It’s worth the bus ride. Four and a half stars from kelly and leanne. 

Open: 11.30am – 10.30pm Monday thru Saturday

Reservations: Make one! This place is always hoppin’.

Bonus: The bathroom is spacious and it’s always clean!

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Perfect pairing:

Band of Horses – Cease to begin

Indie rock with a dollop of Southern. A soothing and relaxed album that is as melancholy as it is graceful. 

or

Attack in Black – Marriage

Modern indie punk that doesn’t totally suck….except it sorta sounds like Seth Rogen’s the singer. I like that they’re not “indie pretentious” they have a mere four members and the only extra instruments are an occasional trumpet, piano, and sax. No additional percussionist, violins, 9 keyboardists, or back up dancers. Sorta like the get up kids…but not as amazing.

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Red Robin

Posted on November 5, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Red Robin – Robson

Upstairs at the corner of Thurlow and Robson St, Vancouver

Website

Welcome to the land of: Burgers! Burgers! Burgers! of every imaginable variety…beef, chicken, fish, or veggie. Topped with everything from pineapples to guacamole to fried eggs. Yep, you can get it here at Red Robins. Need a tower of onion rings or a bottomless glass of strawberry lemonade? You can find it here. You can also find terrible service in the form of waitresses who sorta toss plastic menus your way and forget to bring you most every beverage your table orders. But at least they’ll admit to your face they’ve been ignoring you and promise to be better next time. What next time? I will actively try to avoid this hellhole in the future. 

Okay…why do places like this exist? It’s simply disgusting garbage paired with horrid service. How a place like this can stay open and flourish is beyond me. What you’ll be seeing here is the influx of the American invasion of Canada. Fatty meats of every sort in huge portions that all seem to be bottomless. Why?! If you can get full for around $10 why does it have to be “free refills” of EVERYTHING?! Aren’t we fat enough already? Seriously, they now have 250 locations on this god forsaken continent! Boo-urns! Plus, they have 4 “core values” one of which is the ever important ‘having fun’ — a definite must have in an establishment where the focus should probably have something to do with preparing food. 

Are we at a carnival or some sort of outdoor picnic that is mandatory for work? Get the chicken wings or the corn dogs. 

The wonderful state of Washington has given us so many great things: Sub Pop records, the Boeing company, amazing wines, sweet walla walla onions…..but this travesty of a restaurant is not one of those great things. 

This “restaurant” is a perfect dinning destination for teenagers, dirty breeders with their rugrats, and the unemployed obese. 

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Perfect pairing:

Fergie – The Dutchess

Much like Red Robin’s this album is tasteless and annoyingly popular.

or

Anything by Rob Van Winkle

Again, like Red Robin’s — it’s laughably bad. Ewwww, I think the 1990’s just barfed all over the place.

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The Winking Judge

Posted on November 5, 2008 by Lynn Bee

The Winking Judge Pub

888 Burrard (at the corner of Smithe), Vancouver

604.684.9465

Website

The decor at the Winking Judge might be a muddled mash up of leather and mirror balls, but the service and food help make up for their interior design faux pas. This little pub is warm and friendly – perfect for an after work drink and some rich hearty eats. 

Once we’d sat down, ordered the beer, and opened our menus, our mouths began to water. Though the food is fairly standard pub fare — there’s something more to it at the Winking Judge. The menu has quite the variety: from the Broccoli and Stilton soup ($6), to the Mediterranean vegetable tartlet ($11) and the Sherry trifle ($6) — everything on the menu looks tantalizing. 

As for the appetizers, the nachos ($10) are huge and tasty with loads of cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream piled on. The fries are huge and perfectly crisp. The calamari…is…well, chewy and not worth the $9. For the mains, we ordered the Tower of Yorkshire ($12) and the Spanish Armada ($12). Though the food came at different times – that wasn’t exactly a bad thing. The Yorkshire was ready in under 10 minutes and it was quite good. The pudding was flat and crispy — like a Yorkshire tortilla and it was piled high carrots cooked to the point of sweetness, a mountain of mashed potatoes rich with thick buttery goodness, and marinated roast beef. Though the meat was a little tough and overcooked – it was still acceptable. The Spanish Armada was also decent – the penne is served in a creamy tomato sauce that’s filled with spicy sausage and covered with grated parmesan.

The Winking Judge was obviously thrown together quickly; however, the food servings are affordable and very generous, so I say go if you’re walking by in the rain, because it’s really decent all-around. With the exception of the bathrooms*. 

*End note: I have been to the Winking Judge several times now; and let me tell you — the bathroom experience is always unpleasant. Something unsavory will occur: perhaps no paper towel, no soap, no toilet paper, a urine soaked floor or some combination of the above mentioned. 

Open: 11am -2am daily

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Perfect pairing:

T-Rex – Electric warrior

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Simba’s

Posted on October 25, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Simba’s Grill

825 Denman St (near Robson), Vancouver

604.974.0649

Website

I’m exhausted from eating too much meat. No, that’s not secret sex lingo…apparently African cuisine involves eating multiple types of meats. 

This restaurant is considered African fusion…the other part of the fusion must be Indian. Simba’s is a solidly good choice for lovers of Indian cuisine who are looking for a twist to jazz things up. Many of the dishes are cream curries and meat centered platters. The selection is fairly limited, there are plenty of curry, chicken, prawn, and lamb centered dishes. Occasional beef, goat, hen, and ostrich meals are also sprinkled throughout Simba’s menu. All the entrees fall within the reasonable range of $11 to $22. At the $22 level you’ll be shelling out for the intriguing ostrich skewers or the tomato spiced Halibut.  Don’t be turned off if you’re a veggie — they have a decent number of meat-free dishes. Like the mushrooms in cream curry or okra with ladyfingers in a tomato spice sauce (both $11). Do be turned off if you’re vegan, I doubt there is a single thing on the menu that will meet your needs. 

We ordered the special for 2 ($39) which was a barbecue platter including skewers of prawns, chicken, beef, lamb, and ostrich served with naan and saffron rice. All the meats were excellent cuts and there is most certainly enough food for 2…or maybe even 3 people. The prawns are huge, the chicken is tender, the lamb is lovely with the most distinctive flavor of all, the dark meats are spiced heavily with a tasty rub. And the ostrich is….a red meat?! Why didn’t I know that? Red meat that is ultra chewy. The mango chutney goes well with the chicken and the red meats are absolutely mouth watering when you pair them with the tamarind sauce. Yum! Spicy, honey, good tamarind.  Ahhh skewers, maybe you want to avoid eating out with me — about 2 minutes in I abandoned my utensils along with my western civility and it was messy sticky hands for the rest of the night. 

For an extra $5 you can end it all with one of their desserts: ice cream, cheesecake, or baked ricotta –here’s hoping you like products straight from the cow (or sheep, in the case of ricotta). But I’d recommend saving the $5 and instead putting towards a tasty refreshing Tusker beer. At Simba’s, bottles of Kenya’s finest lager are almost always available. A light beer that’s a real easy one to down — perfect for putting out any spicy flare ups you weren’t expecting brought on by…say, the abnormally spicy mango chutney. Sure, it starts off tasting like oil, then mango, then suddenly your mouth’s on fire and your nose is running and you think there’s no way mango did that…but it did. Don’t shy away from it though — load that stuff on if you’re getting the barbecued chicken. 

 The meals aren’t exactly over-priced; they’re neither cheap nor expensive. The portions are large. The service is fast and friendly. So why don’t I love this place? I dunno – it just doesn’t “wow” me. Nothing bad, nothing amazing. I’ll have to give this place one and a half ivory tusks up. But I probably won’t be back anytime soon because there are so many amazing places out there and Simba’s just doesn’t make the cut. Hey, I’m a snob — I’ve learned to deal with it; and so shall you. 

Open: until 10.30 nightly — closed on Mondays. 

Reservations: Are recommended — but will only be held for 10 mins. Don’t complain if they give the table away, instead grow up and learn to be timely, damnnit!

Additional location in Burnaby on Edmonds

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Perfect pairing:

Elliott Smith – Either/Or

Quite possibly the best album from my favorite artist. A lyrical genius acts out a battle with himself via acoustic guitar. 

or

At The Drive-In – Vaya

This beautifully aggressive e.p. will blow your mind. Vaya was put out during the boys’ transition from disorganized screamers into songwriters. Post-hardcore rocks my world.

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Dulcinea

Posted on October 6, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Dulcinea Chocolate Cafe

1118 Denman, Vancouver, BC

604.689.2699

After my favorite chocolate cafe, Koko, closed it’s doors earlier this year – I was heartbroken. To my relief, it finally reopened on October 1st. Well, not exactly – it’s still a chocolate cafe  – but the new place has different owners, a different theme, and a different name: The Dulcinea. I no longer have access to Koko’s  amazing premier chocolates, but something good has taken its place. This new chocolate cafe has a strong Spanish streak running through it and staff that know what they’re doing when it comes to chocolate.

The Dulcinea offers a variety of desserts, espressos, spanish chocolate drinks and a selection of tapas. The prices at first glance may seem a little steep – but are actually reasonable considering the excellent quality of their offerings.

The dessert menu includes a variety of chocolate cheesecake desserts, flan, cookies, biscotti, breads, and fondues for $2-6. Beware – these desserts are VERY RICH which makes them ideal for sharing (though you won’t want to) – do your waistline a favor by resisting the urge to stab your companions with your fork if they veer towards your plate.

The espresso options are pretty standard from $1.70 for the teeniest coffee ever to $5 for a 16oz mocha. Dulcinea really shines in the spanish coffee area. For around $4 you can have happiness in a cup – a direct result of the real spanish chocolate that is melted down and blended into every drink; making the beverages smooth, rich, and 100% deeeelightful. Options on the spanish coffee menu include: banana with cream and caramel, amaretto paired with cloves and vanilla, or orange with espresso and cream. But, PLEASE do yourself a favor and order the scrumptious Chocolate Chai which comes topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It is to die for – even when it is accidentally served at 130 degrees (not exactly a crowd pleaser).

The tapas on the menu include: sopa, beef empanadas, ham patel, chorizo, omlettes, sandwiches, and a variety of meat and cheese platters. (All of which have undetermined prices, thus far – which is acceptable given the shop’s only been open for 6 days.)

The service is quick and uber-polite. The staff is trying real hard to iron out the little unexpected problems with a new business. The kids running the place and the Spanish flair certainly cement Dulcinea’s early reputation already making them more lively than surrounding shops. Hopefully they’ll flourish.

I’ll always mourn the loss of Koko’s mochas and brownies – but Dulcinea will definitely cushion the blow.

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Perfect pairing:

Cake – Fashion nugget

An amazing album that is silly fun from beginning to end. The songs range through country, funk, lounge, and classic rock. Plus, there are trumpets! Man, fashion nugget’s got it all.

or

NoFX – Punk in Drublic

Whether you take it seriously or not this album is amazing. It’s filled with both talent and hilarity. For some reason I just can’t get enough of NoFX’s inter-scene snide remarks and slides.

Both these albums are good fun – so’s eating excellent quality chocolate.

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Blueberry

Posted on September 29, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Blueberry World Natural Premium Frozen Yogurt

Address: 1703 Robson Street (near Denman), Vancouver, BC

Tel:604.288.2523

This bright Korean shop has super yummy frozen yogurt with a vast array of crazy topping options. The available yogurt flavors are smooth and creamy original or smooth and tangy green tea. It’s a little pricey but a million times better than say…the Dairy Queen around the corner.

The sizes begin at 5oz  for a mere $2.75 and fly up to a ridiculously big 13oz for $6.75. The toppings are 95 cents each or 3 for $1.50. Unlike the lame and overrated yogen fruz; Blueberry doesn’t cram the ingredients together via a machine. Blueberry piles the toppings around the edges so you can appreciate each lovely flavor on its own good merit. From red bean and tiny rice balls, to fresh strawberries and blackberries, to fruit loops and gummi bears – the endless topping possibilities are a tasty brain teaser. Okay, not endless – but there are 23 different options. So, if you’re getting 3 toppings…that’s 10626 possible flavor combos. If you can’t find something you’ll like from that….well you’re too damn picky. If you’re unsure what to get – the friendly, efficient staff will be quick to help you out with a suggestion or a sample. 

The nutritional information posted on the wall is slightly misleading as it’s based on a 1oz serving. But still, in 1oz there are no trans or saturated fats, low levels of carbs and sodium, and 5 grams of sugar — for a total of 25 calories (which is a helluva lot lower than an ice cream). 

My only real complaint is that the cute white and green shop can only seat a maximum of 12 and there are only 2 seats outside (even during the summer). But who really cares, you can always wander around Denman with it or take it 3 blocks down and sit in the park or near the harbor.

The fruit’s always fresh, the shop’s always spotless, the service is always friendly. High fives all around! Blueberry’s perfect for a refreshing sweet treat that’s not too bad for you (depending on your choice of toppings). They also offer smoothies and snowy ices for somewhere between $5 and $8. 

Open: Sun-Thurs 11am – 11pm, Fri and Sat 11am – 2am

Additional location: 1517 Broadway

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Perfect pairing:

Pinback – Summer in abaddon

This indie-pop album is my favorite of Pinback’s — it’s catchy and moody while still being chill. 

or

Hot Chip – Made in the dark

I can describe both this album and myself with the same line: good fun that’s lacking focus.

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ReaL restaurant

Posted on September 28, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Please note: This restaurant has since closed


Address: 1795 Pendrell Street (corner of Denman), Vancouver.

Tel: 604.676.3056

ReaL opened in January 2008 referring to itself as Urban Chinese Savour – and it is. It finds a gentle combination somewhere between dim sum and jazz bar. Inside ReaL restaurant the chocolate leather chairs and flooring punctuate the upscale mood. The service is slow and relaxed – but they can get away with it – because it’s rarely, if ever, busy. 

ReaL has a variety of traditional chinese-canadian dishes. A million types of fried rice and chow mein ($8-11), vermicelli and rice noodle dishes, stews and soups ($6-11), an array of seafood dishes, beef, pork, chicken, tofu, and a decent assortment of veggie options. The most expensive items on the menu are the prawn/calamari mains and they will run you $17. But for the west end – that’s nothing too crazy. The dishes are tasty and are a decent size. You won’t be blown away – but you won’t be pissed off either. And isn’t that the point of going out to eat? We all have the same goal,  not to be pissed off. This common goal will be met with success at ReaL. 

But forget all that other stuff, the specialty at ReaL is dim sum. Something that is lacking in the west end. So here we go! From $4-6 each dish comes with something between 2 and 8 pieces. Everything I’ve tried was light and delicious in its flavor combos. ReaL ain’t serving up that 40 cent slimy grease-ridden gristle you would get in a cafeteria style slop house. The Crispy Chicken is tender, lightly battered and served with dark basil and a delightful plum chili sauce. The bbq pork buns are the soft, white, steamed sort. And the red wine vinegar goes wonderfully well with the pot stickers.

Damn, come to think of it — now as I’m looking over their menu, I’m oohing and awwing and wondering why I didn’t order the deep fried wonton…or the crystal crab buns.  Maybe I’ll have time to stop in for a quick bite tomorrow before work. 

The food is good. That’s about it – it’s not amazing, not terrible, not expensive, not cheap. All around good. But seriously, what’s with the capitalization of the ‘L’?

Open: 11am – 11pm daily (10am – 10pm on Sunday)

Reservations: They couldn’t hurt

Bonus: Small patio open on the sunny side of the street!

Other Bonus: They have all sorts of specials (10% off pick up, free delivery, free spring rolls and soup with large delivery orders, 20% off dim sum during the week from 2.30-5.30pm)

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Perfect pairing:

Greg Friedman – Souls of passing feet

Southern California’s sweetheart brings to the table a set of tunes that perfectly define your depression and heartbreak with quiet guitar and soothing melodies.  

or

Nina Simone – Little girl blue

A debut album that puts all others to shame. Truly a lovely showcase of her training as a classical pianist. 

or (can I increase this to three albums? Is that too ridiculous?)

Okkervil River – Down the river of golden dreams

This album comprised of sad magic is deadly. You’ll fall in love as you float along in this sea of dreams and spun gossamer.

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Dan’s Minocqua Fudge

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Dan’s Minocqua Fudge

Address: 521 Onedia St, Minocqua, Wisconsin

Tel: 715.356.2662

This place has an amazing selection of fudge which is sold by the half pound slab. But Dan’s is also known for it’s taffy, ice-cream, and chocolates. 

The fudge is second to none. I’ve never, EVER had fudge this creamy and good. Seriously – I’ve had lots of fudge from many tourist spots (Banff, Grandville Island, the Calgary Stampede, etc.), specialty shops, groceries stores and so forth — but Dan’s fudge is consistently of the very best quality. As with all good fudge – it’s pure without the slightest hint of wax. Dan’s has many, many flavors (vanilla, marshmallow, chocolate, mint, maple, turtle, and various combinations involving nuts). It’s made in a very old-fashioned way (copper heaters) right before you in the shop. The chocolate fudge is the best in the world – it just melts and then flows down your throat in a wave of cocoa-y goodness. The peanut butter fudge is light and almost fluffy – I never imagined that peanut butter in any form could be this airy. The mint is strong – sort of like what I imagine toothpaste in heaven to be like. And I love any of the flavors that are also packing hidden walnuts. 

The old-fashioned ice cream parlor in the back is both endearing and delicious. The parlor offers shakes filled with chocolate syrup and whipped cream, ice cream cones piled high, and the works in general. The taffy bins stretch on and on with amazing flavors ranging from caramel to banana to cinnamon. The taffy is smooth, chewy, creamy and addictive. The selection of chocolates, like the taffy and fudge, is extensive. From bear claws to truffles — they’ve got it all. Including sugar-free options. 

Dan’s will show you that the US not only invented – but also perfected fudge. This place is worth every pound you’ll gain from stopping in for a sweet treat. 

They also take mail orders – so call ’em up! 

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Perfect pairing:

The Archies – The very best of

Enjoy a fun spin of bubblegum. ‘Sugar,sugar’ among others.

or

The New Pornographers – Mass romantic

The New Pornographers first album thrust them immediately into Canada’s musical limelight. This enthusiastic headstrong uber-pop is over-the-top with its relentless quality. Neko, Dan, and Carl never cease to impress.

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Paul Bunyan’s

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Paul Bunyan’s Northwoods Cook Shanty

 

 

Address: 8653 Hwy 51, Minocqua, Wisconsin (also located in Wisconsin Dells)

Tel: 715.356.6270

Paul Bunyan didn’t get to be a giant by eating tiny portions. And if you too want to grow up to be a giant you won’t be disappointed at the cook shanty. This place offers all-you-can-eat breakfast and all-you-can-eat double main entree dinners.

I dunno where they got ‘cook shanty’ from because it’s a HUGE log cabin through and through. There is much more effort put into the decor than any other aspect of the restaurant. There are plaid table cloths, fake pine trees strewn between the tables, and metal plates and cups to add to the feel. There is also old time memorabilia from the north slathered all over every available wall space: lumber jack equipment, old-fashioned cooking utensils, antlers, wagon wheels, lanterns and everything in-between. 

The lunches are a varied selection of salads and sandwiches. The double main entrees are a double serving of fried chicken and one other entree (either prime rib, seafood, or pasta) The dinner also comes with bread, salad, coleslaw, potatoes, and veggies. And of course, since it’s the North — Friday is the fish fry. The cod is served with potato pancakes, coleslaw, chicken, pasta, applesauce, and fries. Heck yes – potato pancakes! 

Ohhhh – my stomach is getting stretched just thinking about it. 

I’d have to recommend the breakfast because for a mere $9.75 you can have as many deeeelicious sugary, crumbly, buttermilk doughnuts you want! Mmmmmmm…. you can also have as much as you want of the following: pancakes, pieces cinnamony french toast, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham, hash browns, and gross gross wet balls of flour they refer to as “biscuits and gravy”. 

Everything is good – though fairly bland. If you’ll be wanting a flavor added to your food that’s not salt, pepper, or ketchup – you’d best be bringin’ your own hot sauce and rosemary to jazz up the eggs and potatoes.  

All the meals are served by overly sweet waitresses — the warm, friendly quick type you thought only existed in diners and truck stops on american made for tv movies. 

Paul Bunyan’s blandness can be made up for by the warm glow you’ll be leaving with. Partially from a comfy fullness and partially from being reminded of your wholesome all-american roots. 

This place is amazing — in a sort of disgusting way. 

Also on site: a bakery and excessively large gift shop.

Open: Breakfast is served from 7am to noon – lunches and dinners begin at noon and end around 9pm.

Parking: Sure – the lot’s virtually a football field. 

Reservations: No way – first of all; it’s family dining and secondly this is one of the biggest restaurants I’ve ever seen. 

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Perfect pairing:

Okkervil River – Don’t fall in love with everyone you see

Upbeat folk. The sounds and stories that are produced by Will Sheff’s broken soul will make you wanna dance while you cry. If you love Black Sheep Boy or the Stand Ins- this is the next logical move.

or

The National – Alligator

This album is some well executed indie-rock. These simple sounding songs manage to resonate. Imagine if Leonard Cohen and Interpol had a sexy baby.

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The Grizzly House

Posted on August 20, 2008 by Lynn Bee

Grizzly House Fondue Restaurant

207 Banff Avenue, Banff AB

403.762.4055

Website

Being an omnivore pays off once again! The Grizzly House – this place lives up to the hype. And it’s worth the price. Sure, it may look like a teepee cafe from the street, and it resembles a dank basement when you first walk in, but it’s a really cozy old lodge style restaurant with KICK ASS fondue!

First: The drinks. The beer selection is a good one. They’ve got something for everyone; from Moosehead to Guinness to Checkvar. If wines are more your deal – don’t worry. They have plenty of top BC wines (Golden Mile, Burrowing Owl, Laughing Stock), and their Ontario wine list includes Le Clos Jordanne and some yummy ice wines.

One of the first things I noticed at the Grizzly House was the tantalizing smell wafting through the restaurant and into my nostrils. Mouth-watering meat sizzling away in garlic butter. Ahhhh fondue, the Swiss are geniuses! At the Grizzly House the fondue option are pretty well covered with oil, hot rock, cheese, and chocolate.

I’ve been to the Grizzly before and I can make most fondues at home – but I cannot concoct a 600F rock – so I opted for the hot rock fondue…well, actually I wanted to try every kind of fondue so I ordered the complete fondue dinner (4 courses, 4 different fondues for $53). Whoo!

The first course soup/salad was fine. Nothing too jazzy in the salad department – the house dressing added a bit of zing to the dull green salad. The ‘soup of the moment’ was a rich and clear chicken tortellini. The next course was the cheese/oil fondue. The cheese fondue was cubes of bread are dipped into a mixture of gruyere and emmental with kirsch and garlic. This combo is amazingly good! The oil fondue was also great. Veggies are cooked in a bubbling pot of oil, garlic mash and other spices. The flavour soaked up by the broc, cauliflower, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes is sublime.

For the main course we had the ‘Hunter’ plate which consists of wild boar, bison, and elk. We also grabbed a bit of lobster and beef to try. Plates come out with 5 different dipping sauces: onion-bacon, spicy tomato, horseradish-dijon, teriyaki, and honey-garlic. All of the meats are excellent cuts and only need 3 minutes to cook on the sizzling hot rock.

The boar is amazing – and was a favorite at our table. The bison was delightful, as always. Bison is like a tender, lean, flavorful version of beef. Once I started eating bison burgers – I began to secretly despise beef burgers. Anyway…the elk was also fabulous! Seriously, when do you get to eat purple meat?! And for future reference – elk meat pairs wonderfully well with hollandaise (or béarnaise) sauce. The Atlantic lobster is sweet and tender, and the beef was…well…beef. An excellent cut, though, it was sort of like eating a tiny steak.

Alllllllright, at this point we are all super full and have agreed that this was well worth $50 each – but there is still a dessert fondue coming. The chocolate fondue comes with a selection of fruit for dipping and…I’ll just admit it: I’m a chocolate snob. At the Grizzly, in keeping with the Swiss fondue theme, they use Toblerone for the chocolate and it works really well.

If you’re not really into the super exotic meats they have here (shark, alligator, rattlesnake, ostrich, frog) you can stick with chicken, beef, veggies, or get a steak ($30-50). The fondues vary in price ($18 and up) depending on which meat you want – so choose wisely (the rattlesnake tops out at $80 for an 8oz portion).

If you can afford it – go. If you can afford it it’s amazing here – but not everyone has $60 to drop on dinner. Maybe go for their lunch instead. You could get a tasty burger (buffalo or steak) $14 or a hot rock lunch ($17-24).

The servers …as in all of Banff are very experienced and excellent at their jobs without being snooty about it. But unless your face is blown off by the awesome service don’t tip extra! They’ve already added 15% to your bill.

Open: 11.30am – 12am daily

Reservations: Make one! Even a few hours notice is better than nothing!

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Perfect Pairing:

Led Zeppelin – II

This album was #1 on the Billboard Pop Chart spanning over 2 decades (’69-’70). And is arguably more influential than their debut album. RAMBLE ON!

or

Old 97’s – Fight songs

Pop with a bit of twang. The lyrics, hooks, and melodies are all solid. Plus, you’ll love Rhett Miller. His lonesome desperation is so witty it’s somehow uplifting.

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