On Friday evening, L and dropped by Pigeonhole for some wine and cheese. I wasn’t aware that Pigeonhole offers 50% off all bottles of rosé from Monday to Friday, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm till close. I asked L if he would share a bottle with me. He said that rosé was too feminine for him but he would do it for me.
I asked our server if she could recommend a wine that wasn’t sweet or dry. She picked two bottles for me to try – Raventos La Rosa 2015 (Pinot Noir/Garnacha/Xarel-lo, Penedes, Spain, $64) and Broc Cellars Love Rose 2016 (Valdiguie/Zinfandel, North Coast, California, $70). The La Rosa was an easy sipping, mild-mannered rosé. I preferred the Love Rose as I found it more interesting.
I like Pigeonhole’s playlist. I wish I had asked our server who was the artist. The closest thing I could compare it to is Sophie Milman but without any lyrics. L and I sat by the patio, which meant we were afforded the street view and breeze, but sat in the comfort of the inside chairs. Let’s listen to La Vie En Rose so you can better imagine my dining experience.
We picked three cheeses – one hard, one blue and one soft ($25). Oh my! The brie was creamy and mild, best with the apple butter, as the honey overpowered the cheese. The apple butter was more apple than butter, the texture was like pudding.
The honey was incredible. I think we liked it more than the cheeses. The honey paired best with the blue and hard cheese. I didn’t think I would like the papadum, but it turned out to be the perfect vessel for the cheeses and home-made preserves because it lent a blank slate.
We ordered two plates – Springs Peas with Foie Gras ($15) and Fava Beans ($11). The spring peas tasted like an early crop – it was light and fresh. The grapefruit wasn’t overpowering and binded all the ingredients together. The compressed foie gras had a clean taste and melted on your tongue. The pistachios lent a savoury crunch.
I’m glad we ordered the fava beans as the sourdough bread helped to soaked up all that alcohol. L liked the addition of strawberries and said it was a nice summer dish.
I’ve been to Pigeonhole three times and each time I’ve been impressed with the food and service. I’m keen to try the caviar and champagne soon. For date night, I can’t think of a better place to set the stage for romance. Pigeonhole makes it on Hitting the Sauce’s list of favourite places to eat in Calgary.
Hitting the Sauce 