Calypso’s Greek Taverna Calgary Review: A Go-To Greek Spot

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On Sunday, Chew Steel and I met up with Captain M and Dr. V to their favourite Greek spot, Calypso’s Greek Taverna, just north of downtown Calgary. When we arrived, we noticed the restaurant’s sign now reads: Brunch Glory & Calypso’s Greek Taverna. It’s the same room, split across two services: brunch from 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., dinner from 4:00. p.m. –9:00 p.m. It’s a model I’m seeing more often in Calgary. Let’s listen to Opalite for this post.

Captain M booked us a booth near the back, facing the blue and white room. Jennifer, our server, set the tone early and set it high. She’d pause at our table with dishes on the way out, showcasing the bounty before it landed elsewhere. At one point, she floated by with a cinnamon dessert, letting the warm scent drift toward us.

We started with a bottle of Greek red wine ($44) and an order of dolmades ($16.95). For mains, Chew Steel chose the Surf and Turf Beef Tenderloin ($30.95), while Dr. V and I opted for the Lamb Souvlaki ($29.95). Captain M originally ordered the Chicken Souvlaki ($23.95), but at the last minute, he changed his mind and wanted the surf and turf.

Jennifer informed us the dolmades are house made, simmered in beef stock, and finished with a creamy sauce. The still steaming grape leaves gave easily under a knife, revealing plump, cigar-like parcels of ground beef and rice. The lemony sauce stayed light, while the garlic was extra pungent. This is a version worth ordering.

Our entrees came with a salad, and we all went with the Caesar. The dressing was cool and thick, smooth like whipped cream. The salad was built from the best parts of the romaine head: baby leaves with pale green ribs rather than the watery white cores. The ridged edges held onto the dressing, while the mini croutons delivered a dry crunch before dissolving on the tongue. This salad leans hard on garlic, so much that it lingered the next day.

The souvlaki arrived next, four white plates, each with a mound of rice, potatoes, and glistening vegetables, all built around a skewer. There was a small hiccup. When Captain M switched from chicken to surf and turf, Dr. V’s lamb came out as chicken instead. Chew Steel offered to take it, Captain M said he’d share, and Dr. V stated she was fine keeping it. I was the only one who didn’t offer a solution that involved giving up my lamb. Jennifer stepped in with a fix: Dr. V would eat the chicken, and a lamb skewer would follow shortly after.

The lamb kebabs slid easily off the skewer. The exterior had a light, slightly grassy edge while the center was cooked to medium rare. I liked how the silky centre was still pink and buttery smooth. I tried a piece of Chew Steel’s shrimp and sirloin. Compared to the lamb, the beef was tighter with a leaner chew. I prefer the tenderness and juiciness of lamb over beef. I would order the lamb again.

At the end of the meal, Jennifer sent over a large dessert to make up for the mix-up. It wasn’t necessary as Dr. V ended up with both lamb and chicken, plus lunch for the next day. But once the warm fragrance hit us, we weren’t about to refuse. The galaktoboureko, a phyllo-encased custard, finished our meal with restrained sweetness.

The food is worth returning, but it’s the way you’re looked after that stays with you days later. Our server, Jennifer, runs the room with a level of generosity and hospitality that changes the entire experience. If you’re thinking about what to do for Mother’s Day, Calpyso is hosting belly dancing and live music on May 15. Check it out. You won’t regret it.

For more date night options in Calgary, check out my list of where to book.

Vine Arts Wine Tasting Calgary: Franz Weninger (Juice Imports) Review

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My friends Lululemon, Divine Offering, Kournikova, and 47 attended Juice Import’s special event ($60) with Franz Weninger, a winemaker from Austria and Hungary. We arrived at Vine Arts in Calgary’s Beltline District and were welcomed by Erik Mercier and Mark Couillard with a glass of Weinland White. Before I forget, let’s play a little music to go along with this post, Hospital by Sightlines.

We sat at the front of the tasting table closest to Franz. A semicircle of red wines, in varying red jewel hues, surrounded each of us. As we settled in, we nibbled on our cheese-and-meat platter from Peasant Cheese. Lululemon offered me her meat because she’s a vegetarian, and 47 later asked me if I wanted her tomato because she wryly noticed that I enjoyed mine a little too much. I was happy to be the recipient of their charity castoffs. I could taste the warmth of the sun in the sweet tomato. Peasant Cheese uses the best produce on its boards.

Franz wineries were built on his father’s organic farm by converting the estate to biodynamic farming, a practice that treats the farm as a self-sustaining ecosystem to enhance soil and plant well-being. I usually find wine knowledge dry, but he has a Harry Potter way of talking about biodynamics that, well, is lumos!

Right off the bat, he stated he doesn’t like being asked about his favourite wines or to describe a wine’s characteristics. He believes that, as everyone has different tastes, it should be they who describe their experiences, not him. Franz identifies first and foremost as a farmer. He’d rather focus on making good wine, and for him, that begins with the land and seeking balance.

The first wine we sampled was the Rosza Petsovits (Vine Arts discount: $31.48), a blend of Syrah, Blaufrankisch and Merlot. The vineyard was his grandmother’s. She was born in 1921, and he recalled she grew vegetables on the land. The plot was part of Hungary until it became Austria due to regional politics.

I felt energized after sipping this wine. There was a charge to it. I caught Kournikova and 47 looking at each other and nodding in approval. I made a mental note to snag a couple of bottles. I could see myself sipping on this on my patio in the summer.

The next wine, the Balf Kékfrankos (Vine Arts discount: $32.09), caught me off guard. One sip and it opened into something piney, almost forest-like. The Sankt Laurent and Pinot Noir grapes are grown on limestone in Austria, and the Syrah is grown in Hungary. The grapes are grown at a lower altitude in warmer conditions than in the next wine, the Hochaker Blaufrankisch. I bought a bottle.

We compared the Balf to the Hochacker Blaufrankish, which is grown at a higher altitude with colder temperatures, producing a darker wine with more power. I found this wine acidic and thought it paired well with the hard cheese.

The Kirchholz Blaufrankisch (Vine Arts discount: $49.05) was so good, I had to buy a bottle. I found this wine super smooth. We learned it comes from a single vineyard from one of his most prized sites, land once owned by the Church. The 50- to 80-year-old vines grow on stony topsoil.

My favourite bottle was the Saybritz Blaufrankisch (Vine Arts discount: $67.04). I can’t describe the flavour, but I can feel the love in this wine. The land once belonged to Franz’s great-aunt in a northern part of Austria, who grew fruit and vegetables. The 55-year-old vines lie on blue-green slate, under a topsoil of calcareous clay. The plot is so tiny, no machine works the land, and it’s even too small for a horse. I bought a bottle for my friends and me to enjoy.

Next up was the Steiner Kékfrankos. This one felt different right away, impressive and silky. Franz spoke about the long process of learning how to draw the best from his land. Limestone, concrete, and wood all play their part, but for him the real question is where to draw the line between intervention and letting the land speak.

The last wine was the Kalkofen Blaufrankisch. This wine really woke up my taste buds. I found it heavy yet smooth. Kournikova said she could taste smokiness.

Erik peeked in as we were wrapping up. I asked if any of Franz’s wines were available, as I know they’re often sold out. He paused, then said there were only a few bottles of each, though we could order more through Vine Arts.

I immediately reached over and grabbed four from Franz’s tasting display. Someone in the back called out that his credit card was ready too, and it wasn’t fair that I took them all. I pointed him to the shop floor and said there were more there. I don’t go to Juice Imports tastings to make friends. I bring my own.

I was chatting with Jesse, the owner of Vine Arts, and asked if anything else was tucked away. He found one more Rosza Petsovits. Forty-seven clearly wanted it, and since I already had two, I passed it over. Lululemon commended my generosity. I agreed. My good deed for the day was accomplished.

This wine tasting was bittersweet because I had plans to visit Austria with Juice Imports in 2026 with Lululemon and Divine Offering. Unfortunately, our trip was cancelled due to unforeseen obstacles. Thank you, Franz and Juice Imports, for bringing that Austrian / Hungarian magic to Calgary! Hitting the Sauce gives Franz Weninger and his land two phat thumbs up.

Want more wine tastings? I keep a running list of Calgary wine tastings and events.

Mediterranean · Restaurants · Special Occasion · Steakhouse

Park by Sidewalk Citizen: One of Calgary’s best meals

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Five Stars was in Calgary for 24 hours. After reading Elizabeth Chooney-Booth’s praise for Park by Sidewalk Citizen’s aged Alberta beef platter in the Calgary Herald, I booked a reservation. Let’s listen to Gymnopédie No.1 for this post.

This is the second time I’ve ever eaten at Park by Sidewalk Citizen and this experience was the exact opposite. Our server, Phil, showed us a private corner in the solarium. The room itself is beautiful, filled with Calgary’s trademark sunlight and green plants.

We debated on ordering the beeswax Dry-Aged Lamb ($85), a dish Guy Fieri tried that is supposed to be killer. I told him when in Alberta, let’s go with the Aged Alberta AAA Beef, Three Ways ($115). We also added the Tabbouleh ($18) and Parisian Gnocchi ($20).

I’m off the sauce again, so I picked a Ginger-Fig Kombucha ($8) while Five Stars chose the Orange-Vanilla. The kombucha is fermented in-house for two weeks in an oak barrel, then carbonated again to make it bubbly. The orange-vanilla was sweeter than the ginger-fig. Five Stars thought he detected alcohol. I told him, forlornly, that there’s only a minimal amount of alcohol in kombucha, not enough to get you tipsy.

Five Stars described the texture of the gnocchi as a cross between a pillow and cotton candy, as it melted and clung to the roof of his mouth. Delighted, he mentioned he barely had to chew. The gnocchi, according to Five Stars, is a masterclass in how gnocchi should taste.

Crunching into the mushrooms was so sensual, as each meaty bite released a savoury juice. The 12-month Manchego and labneh added creamy butteriness and caramelized nuttiness, while the truffle came through mostly on the nose. The gnocchi was slightly salty, which worked. The dish was served piping hot. The portion was enough for two to split. If you are a larger group, order at least two plates to share. It’s that good.

Our beef platter showcased aged Alberta AAA beef three ways: 45-day tallow-aged short rib, 21-day dry-aged striploin, and 28-day-aged chuck. This should be Calgary’s national dish, not ginger beef. Each steak was its own composition, shaped by technique, flavour, and style. Phil discussed the process of tallow-aging the short rib for 45 days, but with my brain fog, I had difficulty understanding how dry-aging and tallow-aging shaped the flavour.

The short rib was beautifully sliced. The sensation of your teeth slicing through the tender meat was so pleasant that you slowed down, taking your time to chew and linger over each bite. Five Stars noted that the rib’s aftertaste was slightly wild, with a more complex beef flavour. It tasted unlike any steak I’ve had before.

We both loved eating the smoky charred shishito peppers and the pickled onions with the steak, as they just added another dimension. The peppers’ skin was papery-soft, and the innards weren’t too spicy. The shishito peppers were better than I had in Tokyo.

Next up was the 21-day, dry-aged sirloin. One piece had a nice crunch of white fat on the edge. Five Stars said it was what you expect when you order a steak. He regretted eating the short rib first, as it was so outstanding that anything else wouldn’t compare. I disagree. I enjoyed the firmer, cleaner, familiar taste of beef. It was interesting to switch between cuts for comparison.

The 28-day-aged, skewered chuck was a surprise winner, thin, silky, and lightly sweetened by the sauce, with a smoky grill flavour. I haven’t eaten at Shokunin in a while, and I would like to do a cross-comparison. I would order the chuck again.

Five Stars mentioned the tabbouleh was a good palate cleanser between the meats. I enjoyed the salad’s complexity. It was spicy from the jalapeños, cool from the crisp cucumbers, pungent from the red onions, and tangy from the room-temperature tomatoes.

Phil is not only well-versed in the menu and cooking process, but he is also sharp. We wondered out loud whether we were supposed to slice into the meat on the big bone or if it was just there for show. I suspect the latter. Phil handled it tactfully, turning what could have been awkward into something funny. If I were a manager for an upscale restaurant, I would poach him in a second.

This is easily one of the best restaurants in Calgary if you care about both food and room. When the cooking hits this hard and the service keeps pace, it’s hard to forget a meal like this. Hitting the Sauce gives Chef Gusztak and Phil two phat thumbs up.

Bars/Lounges · Mediterranean · Restaurants

The Sound Room and Turkish Kebab House: A Calgary night out

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On Friday, I was feeling spry and suggested to Chew Steel that we start at the Sound Room, then head to Turkish Kebab House in Calgary’s Manchester area. Let’s listen to Colours by Black Pumas for this post.

The Sound Room is my favourite place to decompress. I love the ritual of descending into the dimly lit basement, claiming an empty table, and heading to the bar for a cold beer. A vinyl record spins behind the bar, filling the room with music set just right, loud enough to enjoy every note, yet soft enough to engage in conversation.

Chew Steel ordered a glass of Okami Kasu ($8.50, 16 oz), a Japanese rice lager, while I chose the Honeybush Hard Ice Tea ($8.50, 16 oz). Ol’ Beautiful makes seasonal ice teas, but Honeybush is the only one for me. It’s dry, with subtle stone-fruit notes, refreshing and lightly effervescent with tiny bubbles. It’s so good I bought a six-pack ($16) to enjoy at home, for those times I can’t make it to the Sound Room.

We left soon after to make our reservation at Turkish Kebab. The restaurant is larger than it appears from the outside, filled with groups of all ages enjoying big meals. Without asking if we had a reservation, a manager quickly found us a table.

The service is calm and proficient. Soon after, our order was taken, and glasses of water and bread, hummus, and acili ezme, a spicy vegetable dip, were dropped off. We gobbled down the warm, chewy bread with hummus and tangy vegetable dip. I could really taste the bright red pepper characteristics in the acili ezeme. We didn’t have to wait long before our food arrived.

We shared two platters, the Adana Kebab ($24.95) and the Adana Mix ($24.95). The Adana kebabs contained minced lamb and beef. The latter had an adana kebab and one beef shish. The beef shish stood out for its deep charcoal-grilled aroma, crisp edges, and juicy interior. Each bite reminded me of eating yakitori late at night in Japan, intoxicatingly smoky.

The Adana kebab had a softer, tender texture, yet was rich in taste. I enjoyed the subtle grassy notes of the lamb. All the skewers were served piping hot and nicely seasoned by the BBQ’s char.

Both platters come with buttery rice, green salad and fries. The green salad was so large I couldn’t finish it all. The long, silky grains of rice were a simple foil to all the fire-kissed meats. The fries were battered, similar to those you find at the Costco food court.

I pulled a Peggy Hill social blunder. As we stood up to leave, I noticed the table next to us had ordered the karışık ızgara platter, a glorious mountain of grilled meats. Without thinking, I enthusiastically commented on the bounty. The entire table stared back at me with cautious suspicion. Especially the toddler.

Despite my faux pas, I’d happily return to Turkish Kebab House. Next time I’m ordering the massive platter of meats for two. And I’ll remember to admire with my inside voice.

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

Bars/Lounges · French · Restaurants · Special Occasion · Steakhouse

Francine: A Standout French Restaurant in Calgary

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Divine Offering turned 31! To celebrate this occasion, we went to Francine’s in Calgary’s Chinatown district. Though it was a Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m., the restaurant was packed with customers celebrating, and staff hustling to keep up with the steady stream of drink orders. Let’s listen to Fight Song by Rachel Platten for this post.

When I arrived, a customer at a nearby table looked strangely familiar. I’m notorious for thinking I recognize people I actually don’t know and giving them awkward, puzzled stares. Before I could embarrass myself further, I broke eye contact and headed to my table.

The tables at Francine’s are New York tight. If you’re over a size six, take the outside chair; otherwise, you may find your seat uncomfortably close to the next table. The close quarters also make for good eavesdropping, if you’re into that sort of thing. A particularly loud group of Flames-jersey-wearing diners made it nearly impossible for me to hear Divine Offering. I had to shout several times just to get her to repeat herself.

Perhaps I am so hyper-observant because I’ve been off the sauce for more than half the month due to medical treatments, an adjustment I’m still getting used to. While the birthday girl gleefully nursed a Francine 75 (1.5 oz, $16), murmuring demurely about how strong it was, I, mournfully, made do with a house pineapple pulp soda ($6). I worked my way through the slightly tart, bubbly drink while enviously watching the tables around me happily lingering over their glasses of wine.

We shared the Tuna Tartare ($22.95), silky pink cubes of tuna tossed with bits of apple, crunchy potato chip sticks for texture, and calamansi, an Asian citrus, that reminded me of fresh grapefruit. I preferred the calamansi to lemon or yuzu as its flavour was brighter, slightly sweet, and fragrant. I would order this again.

For our main, we shared the Steak À La Francine for two ($78.95). The generous 14-oz confit Delmonico-style steak was served with potato purée and a little gem salad. I encouraged Divine Offering to order a glass of wine. She ordered Francine’s house red (6 oz, $13). I enjoyed the salad, crisp lettuce leaves lightly glossed with olive oil and brightened with fresh mint. The freshness helped balance the richness of the steak and potatoes. When I order the steak frites ($39.99) in the future, I’ll be adding a salad. It nicely cuts through the richness of all that steak and fries.

The purée was a welcome component for soaking up the saucy steak, though it wasn’t quite as mind-blowing as the ultra-crispy fries. I ordered French fries ($9.95) near the end of the meal because I was craving them. By that point, however, I was completely stuffed, so I brought the leftovers home to Chew Steel.

Our server told us the steak had been braised for three days. That evening, instead of the usual peppercorn sauce, it was prepared with an Asian spin. The meat was ridiculously tender, and the subtle sauce, with its faint hint of five-spice, reminded me of duck. Divine Offering loved the steak’s charred, crispy edges. For a few moments, we ate in silence, listening to the satisfying crackle of the fries.

Now that I’ve tried both versions, the steak frites with peppercorn sauce and the Steak À La Francine with the Asian twist, here’s my advice. If it’s your first visit to Francine’s, go for the steak frites with peppercorn sauce. If you love duck or want something slightly lighter than the peppercorn version or something to think about, order the latter if it’s being featured. Both are excellent, and you really can’t go wrong.

For dessert, I suggested Divine Offering order the French Toast ($12.95). I raved about the soft, eggy toast, covered in honey caramel and topped with cold honey ice cream, and how the salty notes from the sauce and 14-month Comté cheese elevate this dessert to legendary status. Our server thoughtfully added a candle for the birthday girl. Divine Offering sat in quiet concentration, clearly delighted with each mouthful.

The next day, after finishing my workout at the Eau Claire Athletic Club, Robert Jewell, the food and beverage manager at the Exchange, came up to me and asked how I liked Francine’s. Small world! It turns out he was the mystery diner. It seems you never quite know who might be sitting at the next table at Francine’s.

Robert previously hosted TV’s A Is for Apple, worked with Chef Michael Allemeier, and oversaw several Concorde restaurants. I recognized Chef Allemeier’s name from my days in Vancouver, when he was the chef at Bishop’s, an upscale restaurant that was well out of my budget at the time. Robert also explained why I’m so obsessed with the Exchange’s chicken fingers and fries ($15 on the kids’ menu). He states the honey mustard poppyseed sauce is made from scratch, with all local ingredients. I also love the fries, which are clearly homemade and very potatoey.

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