Five Stars and Me Shell visited Calgary to celebrate my belated birthday, which also happened on Lunar New Year. I debated against three options for our dinner – Sukiyaki House, Klein/Harris, and Cassis Bistro. I opted for the latter because Me Shell loves French cuisine. Let’s listen to “Racing Horses” by Cheng² Duo for this post. 

Upon arriving at 7:30 p.m. on a bustling Saturday, the music and energy of patrons lit up every seat in the house. We started our evening at the bar. I selected a glass of champagne, Me Shell opted for a gin and tonic, and Five Stars enjoyed a beer and lemonade cocktail. As we soaked in the energetic buzz, I admired the large white roses adorning the bar’s countertop.

Once seated at our table, we shared a charcuterie plate and a black olive tapenade. Don’t skip on the appetizers; the quality of each ingredient shines through. We relished combining bites from the fresh baguette with duck rillette, ham, and salami, then punctuating every third nibble with some salty tapenade or a tangy cornichon.

Service from the entire staff kept the meal seamless, replenishing our crackers and bread as we devoured our appetizers. We were getting full and wanted to save room for the main course, but we didn’t want to stop eating the charcuterie because it was that good. I know the French don’t do leftovers, but I’m Chinese, and we prefer not to waste food in my culture. The owner, Gilles, understood our dilemma and offered to pack away our appetizers. Thankfully, Gilles is culturally aware and exceedingly gracious. As it was the new Lunar Year, I saw this as a lucky omen for our family’s future dinners at Cassis. 

I recommended the steak frites to Five Stars, and he was thoroughly impressed. Five Stars looked at the ruby center and exclaimed he could tell this was a perfectly cooked steak. He took his first bite, closed his eyes and let out a little moan. I snagged a bite and loved how it was both tender and chewy. The meat itself was flavourful, charbroiled on the crisp edges. The crowning glory of his plate was the peppercorn sauce. The gravy was hot and decadent, soaking up the frites beautifully.

Pro-tip: Always get the featured fish or meat dish. You’ll get something unique and nearly impossible to find in Calgary. Me Shell picked the meat feature, duck breast, accompanied by a cheese sauce-infused potato dish and a flavorful salad featuring pine nuts and pomegranates. I’ve tried duck confit before, which I love for its fatty and crispy goodness. This dish was different. The breast was sliced thin and cooked to a medium rare. The texture was firmer than duck confit, similar to a lean steak. I loved pairing the bubbling hot side of cheesy potatoes with the salad of pomegranate, bitter greens, and pine nuts because of the contrasting textures, richness, and temperatures.

The seafood feature was monkfish with lobster sauce. This was the first time I tried monkfish, and I found the fish dense and meaty, reminiscent of a cross between a scallop and lobster. I liked how the light sauce complemented the fish’s natural sweetness, so I could still appreciate the delicate flavour profile.

The dessert was the perfect finale, solidifying Cassis Bistro as our new family tradition. The creme brûlée was warm and creamy with a delicate sweetness. The top layer was so thin that it shattered from a gentle tapping from my spoon. In contrast, the mousse was so rich from the intensity of dark chocolate. Both these desserts are worth ordering again.

From the hostess to the server and every other employee we encountered, the staff outdid themselves in terms of hospitality and food. The impeccable service impressed my siblings throughout our visit from the moment we entered until we left. Thanks, Me Shell, for taking us out for dinner. I look forward to showing off some of the other Calgary gems when you return in the spring.