Bar Milpa Calgary: Quesabirria, Seared Cabbage and $12 Cocktails

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For our monthly girls’ night, we picked Bar Milpa. We’d heard Duncan Ly and a new crew had taken over the kitchen. And days earlier, The Herald ran a piece on the restaurant shakeup, which I took as a sign from the culinary gods. Before Milpa, we’d had wine at my place. I poured Kournikova, Betty, and Québécoise wines from my recent Metrovino tastings. For this post, let’s listen to Tame Impala – Dracula.

The room itself surprised me; it was a dark teal and quieter than I expected for a Friday. The last time we were here, we were stuck in the back corner by the bathroom, which felt like I was sitting in WestJet’s ultra-basic economy. This time we sat smack in the middle of the room.

Milpa focuses on Latin-inspired beverages. Betty, Kournikova and I started with Pineapple Nom-Nom, cold and bright, and refreshingly priced at only $12. I always order whatever Kournikova selects, as she knows her cocktails and doesn’t like them sweet. Québécoise picked Blue Drank with Tito’s vodka ($12).

The first dish to come out was the Tuna Tostada ($16). The tostada was crunchy, loaded with fresh tuna. It made for a great bite, salty, saucy, with a little heat underneath. I was pleased to see how much tuna they piled on. With seafood prices what they are, most Calgary restaurants aren’t this generous. This was everyone’s favourite dish of the night.

Betty’s second favourite dish was the Scallop Crudo ($22). The scallops were clean-tasting and not fishy. The pickled chilis added heat, and the rhubarb leche de tigre gave it a nice pop.

The Elote ($15), which is a shaved sheet of corn, came piping hot. Crunchy and cheesy, each nibble gave way to sweet, salty kernels.

For our second drink, Betty, Kournikova and I had the Patrón Margarita ($19), while Québécoise chose a Ma-W-Eh Hi-Ball ($12). The margarita was good too; citrusy, salty on the rim, potent yet smooth.

We ordered the 6 oz Flank Steak ($22) medium rare. It came out closer to well done, though the presentation was beautiful.

The Seared Cabbage ($17) fires off on all cylinders. The cabbage was hot and tender, yet still crispy. The whipped feta was decadent, the salsa macha smoky, and the candied peanut sweet. Nom, nom, nom! Milpa serves one of the best versions of charred cabbage in the city. I made a mental note to bring my friend Lululemon to Milpa. She’d appreciate the vegetarian dishes and the cocktails.

Another must-order is the Quesabirria Taco ($14). I dipped the taco into the steaming-hot consommé and bite through the crackly shell. I loved the blistered edges of the taco and the flavour bomb of the meat, salsa, and cheese. I had to suck back juices from the beef brisket. It was messy in the best possible way.

We were all happy with our experience. What I appreciated most was how hot each dish was and how fresh the raw appetizers were. It was also nice to enjoy twelve buck Pineapple Nom-Nom instead of the standard $20-and-up cocktails at most bars. Don’t get me wrong, I know alcohol is expensive, and restaurants need to make money to keep running. But whenever I see a well-priced drink, the inner student in me squeals with glee.

On the way out, we ran into Trevor Nguyen, the general manager, and André Bueno, the bar manager. We chatted with them briefly and thanked them for such a great meal. Congrats to Duncan and the team on the delicious revamp of the menu.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

Bars/Lounges · Cheap Eats · Happy Hour

Mount Pleasant Vintage Calgary: Happy Hour Review

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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.

For more budget-friendly finds, see my guide to Calgary’s best cheap eats.

Bars/Lounges · Italian · Seafood · Special Occasion · Vancouver/Richmond

Water Street Cafe in Vancouver: Dinner and Live Music in Gastown

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My sister, Me Shell, invited Chew Steel and me out to celebrate Kevin’s birthday at Water Street Cafe in Gastown. We sat on the second floor, where the restaurant features live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Let’s listen to “Hotel California” for this post.

Water Street Cafe attracts tourists with its prime location across from Gastown’s iconic Steam Clock. Built in 1977 by horologist Raymond Saunders, the clock doubles as a steam vent. Every 15 minutes, it whistles and releases steam with a shrill pwee-pwoo-pwee-pwooo. Having grown up in Vancouver, I know the sound well.

The musician, Sean from the Yukon, had such a good voice that both Kevin and Chew Steel remarked on it. Meanwhile, a table of American tourists in the corner was determined to record the Gastown Steam Clock. They shushed everyone in the restaurant and even asked the musician to stop playing. My gosh, all that fuss for a wheezing whistle that sounded more like a malfunction than a musical performance. By the third pwee-pwoo, I was cringing in my seat.

Me Shell ordered a whole whack of appetizers for the table: Bison Carpaccio ($25), two orders of West Coast Crab Cakes ($27), two orders of Garlic Cheese Toast ($14), two orders of Lemon Pepper Fries ($13), Burrata & Pesto ($21), Burrata Caprese ($26), and a Caesar Salad ($20). For our mains, Chew Steel and I picked the Seafood Gnocchi ($38), Me Shell selected Mushroom Gnocchi ($33), and Kevin ordered the Maple-Bourbon Short Rib ($48). The kids ordered the seafood gnocchi and the Rigatoni Arrabbiata ($36).

I was really impressed with the appetizers. The bison carpaccio was a rich bite. The meat was paired with Grana Padano and creamy truffle aioli. With the addition of spring greens and crispy capers, each bite was a satisfying contrast of soft and crunchy.

Chew Steel really enjoyed the garlic cheese toast, which is made with the restaurant’s signature house-made focaccia. The bread was ultra light, crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside. The decadent cheese was a mixture of garlic butter, Parmesan, mozzarella, and chevre; it was hot and gooey.

I tried both the burrata with pesto and caprese-style. The latter was my favourite of the two; the fresh milky white burrata contrasted with juicy, tart tomatoes and balsamic drizzle.

Kevin and Chew Steel raved about the West Coast crab cakes. Crisp on the outside, the filling was a soft mixture of blue crab, baby shrimp and saffron aioli. I liked the pop of corn and distinct crab flavour.

The Caesar was very tasty. The house-made dressing was heavy-handed, garlicky, and covered every Romaine heart crevice. Chew Steel isn’t a fan of garlic, but I am.

The lemon pepper fries were surprisingly good. The fries were puffy and extra crispy, like Costco’s battered version, dusted with a subtle but bright lemon pepper seasoning. The potato filling was soft and fluffy.

Kevin picked the best-looking entree. The portion of the short rib and whipped potato was generous. He gave a piece to all his kids to try, and offered us a bite. We were so full from the appetizers, we declined.

The gnocchi was exceptionally soft and almost custardy, collapsing against my teeth rather than offering any chew. My favourite seafood was the jumbo tiger prawns, which had a satisfying snap. The Manila clams were tiny, while the baby scallops tasted fresh. The lemon-dill sauce was velvety and rich.

The 2022 Blue Grouse Ortega from the Cowichan Valley ($58) paired well with our gnocchi. After a bite of the creamy seafood, the Ortega tasted especially crisp and refreshing.

Baby K kept working his way through the rigatoni while Me Shell repeatedly warned him to stop before he made himself sick. His eyes were huge, and each forkful seemed harder to swallow than the last, but he kept shovelling pasta into his mouth as though finishing it were a moral obligation. When I asked why he wouldn’t surrender, Me Shell explained that he couldn’t bear to waste food. Eventually, his big sister staged an intervention and pushed the plate out of reach.

Chew Steel was particularly taken with both the food and the live music. Thank you to Me Shell for treating us to such a lovely evening, and happy birthday to Kevin. Between the talented musician, delicious meal and far too much rigatoni, it was a memorable night.

Want more travel recommendations? I keep a running collection of restaurant and travel guides organized by city.

Bars/Lounges · Wine tasting

Juice Imports at Unfiltered Wine Bar: Testalonga, Jochen Beurer, and Cirelli

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I saw on Instagram that Mark Couillard from Juice Imports was showcasing three wines from their portfolio at Unfiltered Wine Bar. I immediately texted Divine Offering to see if she wanted to go. Lucky for me, she’s always game for my pour decisions. Let’s listen to Passin Me By for this post.

I arrived early. Too tired to walk or shop, I figured I would get a glass of wine and do a little reading. At the door, I was welcomed by one of the owners, Haafiz Hasham, who introduced himself. His partner and wife, Nina, was at the bar.

I ordered a glass of La Spinetta Il Rosé di Casanova ($13 HH, Reg $17), which was on happy hour. The rosé was pleasing, light, a tiny bit tart, with a finish that left no aftertaste. Haafiz pointed to the notes of tangerine and said it tasted like peach iced tea.

When Divine Offering arrived, we ordered Mark’s wine flights ($32), which consisted of 3 oz pours of Testalonga ‘Keep on Punching’ (Swartland, South Africa), Cirellli ‘Orange’ (Abruzzo, Italy) and Jochen Beurer ‘A Nice Red Wine’ (Wurttemberg, Germany). Mark walked us through each tasting.

Testalonga is one of Juice Imports’ longest-running producers. Mark described the environment at Testalonga’s farm as dry, arid, and desert-like. He mentioned that the chenin blanc was whole-cluster pressed and fermented in stainless steel, which imparted freshness and minerality to the wine. Mark noted the soft fruitiness and characteristics of green apple, white peach, and chamomile. The wine smelled like juicy fruit to me.

The second wine, Cirelli’s ‘Orange’, opened with a beautiful floral fragrance. Divine Offering said it smelled like orange blossom. Mark’s tasting notes were orange blossom, dried apricot, orange marmalade and almond. He mentioned ‘Orange’ flies off the shelves. I liked that it felt distinctive without being difficult to drink. Divine Offering said it was the most approachable wine of the evening.

I asked Mark who was carrying Circelli. He paused to think and confirmed Vine Arts, which is only five blocks away from Unfiltered Wine Bar. I called the store immediately and found out there were just five bottles left at $37 each. I asked them to hold the remaining for us, which we picked up after the tasting.

The last wine, Jochen Beurer’s ‘A Nice Red Wine,’ was a little dry yet surprisingly punchy. Mark pointed out that the pale colour didn’t match the wine’s intensity. The tasting notes were ‘tart cherry, raspberry, strawberry, earthy’. At $18 a glass and $81 a bottle, this was Beurer’s entry-level wine. That was the moment I realized their top bottles likely belong to a different tax bracket than mine. Mark was especially excited that the label artwork was created by Calgary artist Katie Green. I’m a fan of her work, having seen her murals around Calgary’s East Village.

It was a fun evening. I’m glad Unfiltered Wine Bar hosts these events with Juice Imports. It gives me the opportunity to try new wines and learn a little more about Juice Imports’ portfolio.

Bars/Lounges · Restaurants · Seafood · Special Occasion

Crazyweed Canmore Review: Happy Hour and Mountain Views

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On our way back from Banff, I suggested we stop at Crazyweed in Canmore. The last time I ate there was probably around 2010. Back then, having moved from Vancouver, I found Calgary’s restaurant scene underwhelming. Chew Steel insisted I simply wasn’t going to the right places. Early in our relationship, he introduced me to restaurants like Wa’s Japanese, Petite, and Crazyweed. Let’s listen to Espresso for this post.

I tried to make reservations, but everything between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. was booked, likely because happy hour runs daily from 2-5 p.m., with 50% off drinks and 25% off appetizers. An employee initially asked if we were okay sitting at the bar. I was disappointed, but I said yes. She paused, then offered us a table with a view instead, explaining she would need it back by 3:30 p.m. for another reservation. We assured her we’d be gone within the hour.

I was thrilled with our table. The oversized leather chair overlooked the mountains and was comfortable enough to settle into for the hour. The blue and brown room was filled with large, healthy tropical plants, giving the space a relaxed energy.

On the menu, I noticed bottles priced around $50, with many more in the $60 range, making this a surprisingly affordable place to share wine. I was impressed with the wine program, particularly because the list was written in layman’s terms. I’m not at the point where I can scan a wine list and instantly understand the selections. However, I can read. Below is the menu’s description of the Kir Yianni 2022 Naoussa Cuvée Villages Xinomavro, a wine our server recommended:

Vibrant red + black fruit on the nose w/ aromas of strawberries, cherries + plums. A crisp & forward mouthfeel with delicate notes of sweet spices and tobacco, full body with good acidity and smooth tannins that add structure and lead to a pleasant finish. Distinctions Cold Medal 95 points, the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025!

We shared three appetizers: the Pickle Brined Fried Chicken (HH $18, Regular $26), the Burrata (HH $19.50, Regular $26), and the Beef Tartare (HH $20.24, Regular $27).

The first dish we tried was the beef tartare, made with Alberta Sterling Silver tenderloin. I enjoyed the cool, creamy richness of the beef and its soft, slightly chewy texture. The tartare was well-balanced, seasoned with curry leaf aioli, crispy capers, and lemon zest. My wine (HH $10, reg. $20) seemed to bring out the dish’s black pepper notes. Crazyweed does one of the better beef tartares I’ve had in a while.

Divine Offering’s favourite dish of the afternoon was the pickle-brined fried chicken. The lemon and butterleaf help cut into the richness of the hot, crunchy chicken and the decadence of the garlic aioli. Absolutely scrumptious. I would get the fried chicken again.

I find burrata is either a hit or a miss. There are so few ingredients that if anything is off, the whole dish fails. This version was a winner. The grilled crostini was toothsome yet crunchy, the ideal backdrop to the cool, clean softness of the white cheese and fresh tomato. I loved the occasional pop of salt. Everything turned luscious once the bread was dredged through the green oil.

The food was so good we ate in silence, chewing slowly to stretch out the meal for as long as possible. I made a mental note to return to Canmore for Crazyweed alone. Hitting the Sauce gives Crazyweed two phat thumbs up.

Want more travel recommendations? I keep a running collection of restaurant and travel guides organized by city.