Seoul Korean BBQ – Buffet

March 16, 2018May 23, 2018 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Monday, the sun was shining and the snow was melting. I was feeling celebratory and told L that I was taking my man out for dinner. I suggested BBQ. Unfortunately, Paddy’s BBQ + Brewery was not open. We opted for Seoul Korean BBQ. The rating for this place was pretty good on Yelp, so off we went. For reason that will soon follow, let’s listen to I’ve got that tune – by Chinese Man.

When we arrived, we found out that Seoul Korean BBQ has changed into an all-you-can-eat buffet style format. I dislike buffets and I prefer to order a la carte, but since L seemed excited, we stayed. For $30 bucks per person, we had the choice of the following meats: pork ribs, marinated rib-eye, pork belly, beef short ribs, beef bulgogi, spicy chicken, spicy pork, pork side ribs, and deep fried chicken.

side dishes

L went to select the raw meats while I picked up banchan (small side dishes): bean sprouts, kimchi, potatoes, spinach and tofu salad, and pickled vegetables. Normally banchan is the favourite part of my meal. These side dishes weren’t well seasoned and lacked flavour. I was disappointed.

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The hot food selection was vast: various soups, two types of rice, fried rice, noodles dishes, two types of fried chicken, dumplings, battered shrimp, mussels, vegetables, rice cakes, seafood pancake and many other dishes. All the hot food was cold or at best, room temperature. Of the bunch, the only one I liked was the pork dumplings and japchae (glass noodles). The shrimp was not properly deveined. I would skip the hot section.

The pork belly was flavourless and tasted like it had been frozen for too long. I did enjoy the pork ribs, marinated rib eye, beef short ribs and beef bulgogi. L liked the spicy pork and beef ribs the most. For most of the time we were there, our grill wasn’t that hot. It turned out that the gas needed to be replaced.

There were lots of groups of families and friends enjoying themselves. There was one group of older women having a hoot. They were loudly complaining about coworkers and relatives. I heard one lady say, “Oh God. But the Chinese are the worst.” There was a couple of laughs followed by dead silence.

BBQ Service was good. Someone was always around to pick up plates and answer questions or refill the tea. I can see the appeal of Seoul Korean BBQ for families that want to enjoy a lot of meat. Note that if you have any unfinished food, you’ll be charged $10.

Brunch

Stage West – Hollywood Hits

November 29, 2016November 29, 2016 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

The girls from work organized a night out at Stage West to watch Hollywood Hits. I went online to check out the prices and I saw that tickets were going for just over a $100. My friends managed to get a deal and we paid about $78 each, which included the buffet and the show. Dinner starts at 6:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. Drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic are extra.

I’ve been to Stage West before to watch the 80’s Solid Gold Show. The music is nostalgic for me and I found the food tasty. Parts of the show are corny, such as the MC’s jokes, but they cater to their crowd. One tip – don’t use the washrooms later in the evening. Large crowd +small washrooms + all-you-can-eat buffet = gross.

You want selection in a buffet? You got it here. For salad and cold food, you can choose from: Caesar Salad with Stage West Garlic Anchovy Dressing & Parmesan Cheese; Fresh Vegetable Florets, Celery Sticks with Blue Cheese Dip; Russian Potato Salad with Dijon Mayonnaise & Hardboiled Eggs; Athens Greek Salad; Roasted Beet Root, Orange, Fennel and Bocconcini Salad; Cranberry Coleslaw; Spicy Beef Salad with Crispy Vegetables; and Festive Hawaiian Chicken Salad.

At the make your own salad bar, pick from the: Taco Bar; Baby Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette; Taco Shell; Nachos (Red, Green and Yellow Corn Tortilla); Tomato Salsa; Guacamole; Sour Cream; and Jalapeño Cheese Dip.

For seafood, you can try: Cold Shrimp; Ancas de Rana (frog legs) Creole Honey Mustard Aioli; and Alaskan Snow Crab Legs. Sushi and sashimi offerings include: Atlantic Salmon, Albacore Tuna and Ahi Tuna Tataki Sashimi; Yellow Pickled Daikon and Cucumber Maki Rolls; Tempura Crab Stick and Carrot California Rolls with Togarashi Aioli; Tri-colour Tobiko Roe with Wasabi & Pickled Ginger; Boiled Edamame with Sea Salt and Seaweed Salad.

There were two carvings stations: Herb-Crusted Turkey with Fresh Cranberry Sauce and the Roasted Alberta Baron of Beef with Merlot Jus (aged 15 days). At the sauté and grill section, options included the Escargot and Baked Polenta.

Hot foods included: Roasted Rosemary Parisienne Potatoes; Baked Sweet Potato with Cinnamon Sugar; Stir Fry Vegetables with Shitake Mushrooms; Lobster Mac and Cheese; Roasted Garlic and Smashed Potato with Bacon, Cheese and Green Onion; Turkey Gravy; Apple and Cranberry Stuffing; Butter Nut Squash Ravioli with Tomato Cream Sauce; Chicken Breast en Croute (Mushroom Duxelles and Aged Cheddar); Roasted Pork Loin with Roasted Pepper Relish; Garlic Peppered Black Harbor Salmon (Crisp Batter with Spiced Pepper) and Sautéed Red Thai Curry Jumbo Prawns.

Dessert options included: White & Dark Chocolate Dipped Florentine Cookies; Chocolate Rum Balls; Pumpkin Cheesecake; Cranberry Yogurt Parfait; Mocha Latte Parfait; Assorted Fruit Tart and Cheesecake Squares; Chocolate Fudge Cake; Caramel Chocolate Cake; Cranberry Butter Cookies; Eggnog Mousse Cake; Chocolate Mint Cake; Holiday English Trifle; Chocolate Christmas Log; Warm Christmas Pudding, Rum Sauce and Chantilly Cream; Assorted Canadian & Imported Cheese and Fresh Fruits.

The selection varies seasonally. I ate mostly the sashimi, ravioli, escargot, lobster macaroni and cheese, caesar salad, crab legs, and the Thai curry shrimp. I ate all three plates, but only one piece of the ravioli as I found the pasta undercooked. I also didn’t finish the crab legs because I didn’t like the way it tasted. The sashimi wasn’t expertly cut but it tasted fresh and it was nicely chilled. The escargot was delicious, buttery and heavy on the garlic. The curry shrimp was crunchy and not overcooked.

The food is better than what you get at places like Chili’s Texas Grill or Boston Pizza. I thought the selection was better than all the buffets I’ve sampled at all-inclusive resorts, but then again, I go to 4-star resorts, not 5.

The Hollywood hit songs ranged from James Bond Films, Saturday Night Fever, 8 Mile, The Breakfast Club, A Hard Day’s Night, Despicable Me 2, The Graduate, Top Gun, Easy Rider, Ghostbusters, Dirty Dancing, Frozen, The Bodyguard, Titanic and more. The only songs I didn’t enjoy listening to were Gangsta’s Paradise (Coolio) and 8 Mile (Eminem) mostly because the singers tried to sing the lyrics instead of rapping it. For the full list, click here.

Who would enjoy this sort of venue? Middle-aged people looking for a night out with a lot of food. I can see my parents’ friends really enjoying themselves here or the type of people who like to eat at casinos. The show is entertaining and some of the cast have an amazing set of chords. Who wouldn’t enjoy this place? My husband would find the show corny or anyone expecting to see a Broadway show. If I get an invite from my friends at work for another show, I would happily go again.

Bars/Lounges · Burgers

Chrysler Club in the Saddledome

July 16, 2016July 18, 2016 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Every year, Mindy organizes our annual Stampede office luncheon at the Saddledome. The previous year, she asked me for my honest feedback on the food and service at the Chrysler Club. I told her that the salmon was inedible and our server had a bad attitude that put a damper on the mood of our entire table. Mindy told her contact at the Chrysler Club and that was that. I wasn’t expecting much this year. In fact, I had already planned to head over to Pure Contemporary Vietnamese after checking out the grounds.

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I was planning on eating a bit of salad and beef to tie me over. Chef David Petruic was overseeing the buffet and employees. He told me that the poached salmon was particularly delicious. I was sceptical based on my previous experience but I took a piece.

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Soft and moist, this salmon was far superior than I can make at home. I really liked the seasoning of black beans, green onions and white sesame seeds. The combination of ingredients was delicious. The salmon was perfectly poached.

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The smoked roast beef was tender with a nice marbling of fat on the top. Everyone at our table thought this was one of the best items in the buffet. I didn’t even need the condiments of gravy and horseradish, as the beef was flavourful enough.

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I’m not a baked bean lover, but the house made version at the Chrysler Club has converted me. The beans weren’t the gross mushy metallic canned beans that my brother Narc loves to eat with boiled wieners, a taste he cultivated from his air cadet camp days. Nasty.

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Asian Persuasion raved about the potatoes, which were soft and silky. It tasted like the potatoes were generously buttered and salted. Just potatoes, I know, but when done right, it’s a simple pleasure.

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The buffet also included green salad, steamed vegetables, bread and buns, and a few other things I’ve forgotten as I wasn’t planning on blogging about the buffet at the Chrysler Club.

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My server saw that I gave my tart to What’s Up Hamsup and asked me if she could get me something else. She offered to bring me some mixed fruit instead. I was very appreciative of the offer and the fact she even asked me.

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After my meal, I asked Petruic for his name, so I could credit the positive change in the food. He gave me executive sous chef James Haacke’s business card and told me to cite Haacke. If you are planning on hosting a fun and convenient lunch for a work event next Stampede, give the Chrysler Club a try. I was certainly impressed with the improvement from the years prior.