Cheap Eats · Indian

Nooren Samosas

I’m obsessed with Nooren Samosas, and I’ve been ordering more often since I learned they deliver city-wide for only ten bucks. If the Calgary Eyeopener ever does another article on Quest for the best: These are the top samosas in Calgary, I hope the critics hit up Nooren Samosas. For this post, let’s listen to “My Name” by Adam Townsend.

I usually buy a dozen ($18) of the chicken, beef and vegetarian samosas and request extra packets of mint chutney. I always buy extra samosas and then do a drop-off for my friends because something this delicious deserves to be shared with kindred spirits.

What sets Nooren Samosa apart from its competitors is the pastry shell, the tastiness of the filling, and the mint chutney. I love taking that first bite into the brittle, crunchy exterior, so thick and decadent it tastes similar to a thin pie crust.

I also like how each type of samosa tastes distinctly different. The beef samosa is a flavour bomb of soft, marinated onions and fragrantly spiced ground meat. The vegetarian version is more toothsome, with wholesome chunks of potatoes, peas, and sweet corn. The chicken is also a winner. The meat is shredded and fluffy, so it soaks up all the flavour of the chutney in each bite.

The green chutney is so damn good, Nooren Samosas should sell bottles of it. The mint is lively and tangy, refreshing and cooling against the spices. I heard from a friend that the owner adds cilantro in the sauce, but I couldn’t detect it.

Pro-tip, if you are ordering for a party, get it delivered right before your guests arrive. Nooren cooks each order straight before it is delivered, which ensures the samosa arrives crunchy and toasty warm. Also, make sure to tip the driver, as he’s making the trip all the way from Erin Woods.

Cheap Eats · Pizza · Restaurants

Red Swan Pizza

L was too busy this weekend to indulge my banh mi fantasies. Instead, we picked up a pizza from Red Swan in Bowness. For this post, let’s listen to “Crimson and Clover” by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

Veggie Girl and Uncle B raved about the pizza at Red Swan, specifically the Three Cheese Pizza (Large $19.95, thin crust option). L wanted a meat pizza but I insisted we try the pizza Veggie Girl recommended. He eventually agreed, which surprised me. Whenever I try to get him to eat something meatless, he looks at me like I’m trying to poison him.

Pro tip – if you don’t eat the pizza immediately, reheat it in the oven. Some pizzas tasted as good or even better when cold. This is not one of them.

One of the best things about this pizza is the crust. I love the light and crunchy texture of the bread. The toasted sesame seeds on the crust added a buttery nuttiness.

The tomato sauce was tangy, and it tasted like there was coriander or some other fragrant spice or herb. The toppings aren’t heavy-handed like a Spiros or Hanni’s pizza. The amount of tomato sauce, feta, cheddar and mozzarella to crust was about 1:1. Personally, I enjoyed the simplicity of the three-cheese pizza. This was a nice change from the Greek-style pizza I normally eat.

We each ate three slices and we were full. The next day, L microwaved the last two slices of pizza and mentioned it reheated well. If I lived in the neighbourhood, I would definitely order again.

Pro tip – Red Swan offers free local delivery (some conditions apply), pick up specials and combo deals. They even make vegan, cauliflower and gluten-friendly pizzas. Give them a try – for the price, you can’t go wrong.