Divine Offering wanted to check out Mount Pleasant Vintage, a new restaurant that took over the former Home and Away space in Victoria Park. I’m glad she suggested it, as it’s a refreshing addition to Calgary’s restaurant scene. Let’s listen to A Bar Song (Tipsy) for this post.
Mount Pleasant Vintage is both a restaurant and a shop selling second-hand furniture, décor and merchandise. Even the table and chairs we used were for sale. I settled into a comfy green leather chair overlooking the patio and front of the restaurant.
Divine Offering ordered a cocktail and was ID’ed by our server. She was flattered, while my mind drifted far, far back to the days when I was last ID’ed. I ordered the Colterenzio Pinot Grigio (HH $8; regular $14), a full-bodied, fruit-forward wine with a sharp tang on the finish.
The music didn’t match the crowd’s age. I recognized an old Usher song playing in the background. The customers, much like the staff, skewed young, mostly mid-twenties and under with a few old fogeys scattered about. The menu is priced accordingly, with some mains in the low $30s and sandwiches and casual plates in the low $20s. I recognized two bottles on the wine menu: Testalonga Stay Brave Orange Chenin Blanc ($15, $68); and Clos Chibonne Tentations Rosé ($15, $68), both from Juice Imports‘ portfolio. The latter retails for $35–$40, making its $68 restaurant price a relatively low markup.
We ordered the OG Snappy Dog (HH $1.50, Reg $6), Tater Tots (HH $4, Reg $7), Beef Tartare (HH $10, Reg $21), and Aguachile Verde (HH $12, Reg $24), as well as sides of cheese sauce ($2), onions (50 cents) and sauerkraut ($1). Happy hour runs daily from 2:30–5 p.m. and again after 9 p.m.
The juicy, flavour-packed OG Snappy Dog is a must-order. Topped with onions and sauerkraut, it reminded me of Costco’s all-beef dog, only grilled instead of steamed. During happy hour, it’s the same price, too. I’d pass on the cheese sauce for the tater tots though, as I found it pretty bland.
The beef tartare was tasty. The dark orange egg yolk was incredibly thick, coating the well-seasoned beef as I mixed it in. The beef had a pleasantly chewy texture, though the grilled sour dough bread could have been crispier. I preferred using the chips from the aguachile verde, as their crunch provided better contrast and brought out the beef’s smokiness. I would order this again.
For my second drink, I picked Campo Viejo Tempranillo (HH $8, Reg $14). The red wine was drinkable, with berry notes and tannins that puckered my mouth a little. It was served a bit warmer than room temperature, and I would have preferred it to be cooler.
The tuna aguachile verde was another hit, layering soy sauce, avocado, garlic aioli, cucumber, pickled and raw red onions, citrus and heat with the tuna. We preferred it with the bread from the beef tartare, as its simplicity allowed the tuna’s texture to standout.
The service, from the hostess to the bussers to our server, was exceptionally friendly and efficient. Despite the packed restaurant and constant turnover, staff kept everyone’s water topped up and checked that we were happy with our food.
Divine Offering loved everything about Mount Pleasant Vintage and plans to return this week with her friend. Maybe they will get ID’ed again.
If I were younger, this is where I’d regularly hang out. It’s lively rather than shout-to-be-heard loud, though anyone who relies on a hearing aid may find it challenging. Regardless of age, there’s a lot to like about this new addition to Victoria Park. I’ll be returning, as I’d like to try the main dishes, like the charcoal-grilled chicken teriyaki ($30) and the teriyaki chicken thigh banh mi ($21). Hitting the Sauce gives Mount Pleasant Vintage two phat thumbs up.
Hitting the Sauce 