Chic Soirée – Francine’s

May 18, 2024May 20, 2024 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Kournikova, Lululemon, 47, and I met at Francine’s for a long-overdue dinner. Francine’s is a French pop-up bar housed in Meat & Bread. I’ve meant to check out this bar for ages, but circumstances prevented me until our girls’ night. Let’s listen to “Cherry Pie” by Sade for this post.

The bartender makes a mean cocktail! These weren’t the watered-down concoctions from a dive bar. I ordered a Francine’s 75 ($16), Lululemon picked the Bois Sacre Margarita ($17), and I forgot what Kournikova and 47 selected. Our drinks were excellent. The flavour in each drink was smooth and fruity, and it tasted like it was from fresh ingredients rather than concentrated juice. For example, I could taste the passionfruit in the margarita and the basil in my cocktail. The cocktails at Francine’s are on par with Klein/Harris and Paper Lantern.

Forty-seven wanted to try the cheese puffs ($4 each). The little puffs were so delicate that the warm, soft innards melted in my mouth. The butter, with the addition of honey, was surprisingly light and sweet.

The Smoked Sturgeon ($19) was a nice bite, a rich, mousse-like dip that was invigorating to the tongue. A fresh cucumber topping tied well with the sturgeon’s smokiness and the Ritz crackers’ sweetness.

Kournikova suggested we get a salad, and we landed on the Baby Romaine ($16) because the other option had bacon, which Lululemon doesn’t eat. I was shocked at how much I loved this dish. This isn’t your chain restaurant Caesar salad, but an impressive array of flavours. I enjoyed the ripeness of the olive and the addition of fennel, juicy orange slices and garlic crumbles. The layers of crunchy lettuce were cold and crunchy, gloriously refreshing. I would get the salad again.

The girls ordered a glass of prosecco, but I asked our server for a recommendation for a wine that would pair well with the steak. She suggested the Altugnanc Pinot Noir ($18) to complement the beef and gnocchi. Generally, I’m not too fond of pinot noir, but this wine was delicious. It was very grapey.

I didn’t want to eat the Parisienne Gnocchi ($32) because I wanted to leave it for the vegetarian and 47. However, both were light eaters and insisted I try some. The texture of the little nuggets was pillowy despite the seared edges. I liked the addition of slivered pea pods, as it brought out the buttery, herby sauce.

The Steak Au Poivre ($46) was so good that I wanted to bring my brother here to try it. Each piece of beef was tender and succulent. The meat was soft, and the flavour was intense, like rich caramelized fat. The pepper in it was phenomenal. In my minimal steak-eating experience, Francine makes the best steak in the city, beating Caesar’s Steakhouse and Hy’s and nudging past Cassis by millimetres.

Lululemon ordered French Toast ($17) and insisted everyone try a bite. She pressured Kournikova to try some, but Kournikova was firm. Both are persistent individuals, and Lululemon was motivated to share the deliciousness. However, I know Kournikova’s resolve is as firm as her posture, and I advised Lululemon that her attempts were fruitless.

Lululemon ate the first bite and sighed how the toast went well with the aged cream cheese and honey ice cream. I tried her dessert because my resolve dissolved when I heard Lululemon’s exclamations of delight. Yes, it is worth it, even if you are lactose intolerant.

We split the bill, and only after did I realize Lululemon overpaid, as she didn’t eat any of the steak and put the dessert on her tab. I’ll have to get her an extra delicious treat from my upcoming trip to compensate for the discrepancy. Hitting the Sauce gives Francine’s two phat thumbs up.

Restaurants · Seafood

Salt & Brick – Girls’ Night

February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For our monthly girls’ night, we picked Salt & Brick, a hot spot that just opened up. Unfortunately, Betty was sick, so it was just Kournikova, Quebecoise and me. Let’s listen to “Confident” by Demi Lovato for this post.

We were seated on the main floor, near the front door. I liked our spacious table and comfy seats, which looked more comfortable than the low-riding tables in the lounge. We started with cocktails ($17) and admired the high ceiling and fun vibe.

Based on our server’s recommendation, we tried the Beef Picanha ($42), Okonomiyaki Cabbage ($20), Brussel Sprouts ($23), Scallops ($35), and Cod Cheek Tempura ($28). Quebecoise selected an easy drinking white wine ($60), which went well with all the dishes we tried.

The now closed Foreign Concept made the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever tried, and Salt and Brick come in a close second. The sprouts were charred, salty, juicy, and sweet from the pickled grapes. The beer cheese sauce was rich. Kournikova commented that she could do without the buttery popcorn, which she thought didn’t add anything to the dish. The next set of pictures are better, as Quebecoise had the good sense shed some light from her phone for the photos.

Next was the okonomiyaki cabbage. The softness of the cabbage and the creaminess of the sesame aioli and bulldog sauce were delicious, reminding me a little of Pigeonhole’s version, as both are decadent. Kournikova preferred the cabbage over the Brussels sprouts because she found Salt & Brick’s version unique.

The scallops were large and meaty. I enjoyed the sweetness of the heirloom carrots, while Quebecoise noted the smokiness from the bacon. Kournikova moaned that all the dishes were so rich. Of the three of us, I’m the least healthy and happiest from the night’s overindulgence of cream, butter and oil.

The green papaya salad accompanying the cod cheek tempura stole the show. The nuac cham dressing was refreshing and tart, while the roasted peanuts added a pleasantly dry crunch. Wholesome, so simple, but so good. We all raved about that salad.

My favourite dish was the beef picanha. The edges of the steak were smoky and charred, and I enjoyed chewing the little niblets of hot fat. The steak itself was nicely spiced and tender. The mashed potatoes were thick and creamy, heavy and well-seasoned. I would order this again.

Service was attentive and knowledgeable, and always on hand to discuss the food and wine we ordered in detail. I’m glad we checked it out, and I can see why Salt & Brick is such a popular spot. I’m looking forward to our next outing, perhaps hitting up an oldie but a goodie like Klein/Harris.

Japanese · Seafood · Special Occasion · Steakhouse · Sushi

OMO Teppan & Kitchen – Celebration dinner

February 19, 2023February 21, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I accepted a position in a cool, entirely new (to me) industry! To mark this happy event, L and I went out to celebrate. I wanted to go somewhere fun and boisterous to unleash my glee with gay abandon. I immediately thought of OMO Teppan & Kitchen. For this post, let’s listen to “Worth It” by Fifth Harmony.

OMO specializes in teppanyaki, a cooking style involving a chef who cooks your food on the grill, along with some entertaining displays of fire and knife skills. In Calgary, there are three teppanyaki restaurants, Japanese Village, OMO Teppan and Kitchen and Tobe Teppanyaki Lounge. Japanese Village is the oldest, with a reputation for curt servers and being rushed to finish your meal. Tobe is the newest, located in Deerfoot City. OMO has been around for about five years and has over a thousand glowing Google reviews raving about the fun entertainment.

As we walked in, the most delicious smells wrapped around us. I was surprised that at 5:30 pm, the restaurant was already full of families. Robots zoomed in the background, bringing chefs meats and vegetables. Periodically, a recording of a birthday song would pop up in the background noise. While we sat and waited for our table, we watched a chef delight small kids with tricks and shouts of “party, party!”.

Our server Ari asked our table if we were celebrating a special occasion. I mentioned I accepted a new job. Another person was celebrating a birthday. The other four were a family, and even though they didn’t say so, it looked like they were meeting the daughter’s boyfriend for the first time.

We ordered a Sake Bomb ($9), Asahi ($9), Wagyu Gyoza 5 pcs ($10), Japanese Wagyu Sushi (2 pcs, $25), Brant Lake Wagyu Sushi (2 pcs, $12), New York Steak 6oz ($40) and Rib Eye 10 oz ($58). All the teppanyaki meals include a shrimp appetizer, soup, salad, grilled vegetables, rice and ice cream.

The Wagyu gyoza is worth ordering again. Be careful, as these dumplings are messy. Hot juices would squirt onto the table when I bit into the plump gyoza. The beef tasted rich and intensely flavoured. L noted the liberal amount of spicy chili oil in the meat filling.

The Brandt Lake wagyu nigiri was leaner and had a cleaner flavour profile than Japanese wagyu. Of the two, I prefer Japanese wagyu for its tender, silky texture and deeper flavour. Next time, I would opt for OMO’s number one-selling sushi, the Flying Dragon Roll ($23).

When Chef Kenny arrived at our table, I knew we were in for a treat. First, his sharp eyes cooly assessed our table, taking everything in. Next, he carefully stretched out his muscular, tattooed arms and kindly greeted everyone, customers and staff. Then, he started the show.

Chef Kenny exhibited impressive juggling skills with sharp objects and fire. He fired broccoli pieces into our mouths, flinging each piece with his spatula like a missile. Birthday Boy and his spouse caught it. What a power couple. Even though Chef Kenny had a great aim, both L and I missed; somehow, the broccoli bounced off my mouth. I told L we needed to practice our food-catching skills at home.

Watching Chef Kenny cook the rest of our food was a delight. Birthday Boy was so excited when Chef Kenny generously squirted his beef with a sauce he shouted in encouragement, “Yeahhhh! Yeahhhh!” Wow, he sure likes his sauce! The Father ordered fried rice, and it was neat to see Chef Kenny crack an egg and then toss it back and forth through the air like a hacky sack.

Chef Kenny nailed our food. The vegetables were hot and crunchy from the grill and well seasoned with fresh pepper. L doesn’t like mushrooms, and he even ate them. Part of the magical flavour of the food is the amount of garlic butter Chef Kenny used. He caught my expression when he put a huge chunk of butter on my steak; he reassured me and joked, “Don’t worry – it’s good cholesterol.”

My ribeye was rich and buttery in texture, a perfect medium rare. The New York is less moist and rich than ribeye, but it has a beefier flavour and more of a chew to it. I enjoyed the “magic sauce” side, which tasted like a yummy blend of sesame oil, soy, mustard and mayonnaise. I would get the ribeye and NY steak again, though I might try the filet mignon on my next visit.

Birthday Boy at our table got cake and a song. Ari asked me if I wanted a cake and apologetically informed me that they didn’t have a song to sing for a new job. Instead, Ari offered to take our picture to remember the night.

Throughout the evening, I observed all the staff working as a team to ensure customers were happy and entertained, particularly the children. We also had a genuinely good time and enjoyed the food. Hitting the Sauce gives OMO, Chef Kenny and Ari two phat thumbs up.

French · Seafood · Special Occasion

Pat & Betty

May 3, 2022May 4, 2022 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For our monthly girls’ night, I picked Pat & Betty. We started the party at my house with a bottle of sparkling cider I picked up at Vine Arts. Kournikova enjoyed the dry, unfiltered bubbles so much that she snapped a picture. For this post, let’s listen to “Bread and Butter” by The Newbeats.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to receive the best table in the house. Usually, I get the worst table when I visit a new restaurant. Our spacious booth looked out onto the restaurant on the second floor. Québécoise liked how the top of the booth was arm’s length so that she could hang her arm around it.

Kournikova and I asked Québécoise to pick the wine, as she knows what we like best. Québécoise recognized several wines from her favourite French regions at prices far less than she would expect to pay. I felt so giddy that I wanted to call my father up and tell him there is heaven on earth. It’s called Pat and Betty.

The first bottle we tried was the Clos Bellane Cotes Du Rhone Valreas (Rhone Valley, $67). We sipped away while snacking on the Roasted Eggplant Dip ($9.50). These are some of the best potato chips I’ve eaten – thick, crunchy, and with enough salt to bring out the full flavour in the potato. The eggplant was cool and light, with a consistency like whipped cream. The fried capers added a tart saltiness to the dip. Kournikova mentioned the chips went well with the wine.

My favourite wine of the night was the Domaine Tremblay Petit Chablis (Burgundy, $59). I noticed that this wine was lighter and had less acidity than the first white wine. Québécoise, you did your magic again.

Betty mentioned the Country Beef Tartare ($25) was even better than the other versions we’ve tried in Calgary. The beef tartare was saucy and silky. This tartare was unique in that the addition of the devilled egg aioli and sunflower sprouts added some Southern comfort. I loved warm, soft buttered toast. To me, it smelled like old-fashioned goodness.

Betty and Québécoise enjoy a good pasta, so I recommended the Crab and Shrimp Tagliatelle ($26). Oh, baby, this dish was rich and spicy. Betty noted you could tell the pasta was homemade. I thought the prawns were perfectly cooked, soft with no snap. Québécoise liked the addition of the fennel and dill.

Kournikova picked the Chilled Baked Beets ($15.50). The beets and ricotta were cool, light and refreshing. I could taste orange in the salad dressing. I loved the addition of dill, mint and pistachio but wished our dish came with more mint, as it went so well with the salad. Betty thought this dish was a good palate cleanser after the crab and shrimp tagliatelle.

I requested the Broccoli Puttanesca ($17). Man, oh man, this is a winner! The spicy tomato ragu and lemon aioli offered a nice acidity that contrasted with the broccoli’s smokiness and the umami from the anchovy and parmesan. In addition, the garlic bread crumbs added a delicious crunch to it.

I thought of L when I tried the Angus Beef Striploin ($44). The meat was so tender and buttery smooth. The chimichurri sauce was salty and accentuated the juices from the steak. He would love this dish. I was impressed that the sides weren’t just a side thought, so fabulous I had to pause and think, which bite do I want next? The steak or crispy duck fat potatoes or the butter roasted radishes? The correct answer is all three. I would order the steak again.

The dish I was most excited to eat was the Pork Belly and Scallops ($42) with caviar ($19). Kournikova mentioned the scallops were perfectly cooked. I could taste a slight sweetness from the Quebec maple. The moment I bit into the pork belly, I immediately worried I would come down with gout the next day. The pork fat was so hot, rich, and melted in my mouth. The exterior was seared to a dark caramel brown and crispy. The caviar was soft and so subtly flavoured, that I couldn’t detect the flavour. Kournikova mentioned this dish would be too rich for one person. With that bad attitude, no wonder she’s so thin. Québécoise tapped out, so I ate her portion.

We shared the Carrot Cake ($10.50). This is no ordinary carrot cake. The cake itself was fresh and moist, intensely flavoured with spices, sweet from caramel and crunchy from the candied pecans. The cream cheese was a little sour and sweet from what tasted like confectionary sugar.

I enjoyed our feast at Pat and Betty so much that I wanted to return for our next month’s dinner. Québécoise said we could come back, but after we try a new restaurant. I wanted to protest but then I remembered about my potential case of gout, so I agreed to book our next outing at Ten Foot Henry, as requested by Kournivoka.

Restaurants · Seafood · Special Occasion · Steakhouse

Ranchmen’s Club

April 2, 2022April 2, 2022 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Wonderland and Double 07 invited us to The Ranchmen’s Club for dinner. Since I first met Wonderland, she has consistently praised the executive chef, sommelier and staff at Ranchmen’s, so I was curious and excited to go. For this post, let’s listen to the James Bond theme song.

We met in the lobby and then moved into the Samson Lounge for a cocktail. When I sat down by the fireplace, the first thing I noticed was the deer mount. The room itself has a heritage vibe, like the Lougheed House, located across the street. Wonderland told me she often drops by the lounge to play bridge or to read a book.

Double 07 ordered a round of French Cowboys. I found this cocktail delightfully tart and refreshing. I loved how the bubbles fizzled on my tongue. Before I knew it, Double 07 told us it was time to go for dinner in the Mary Dover room, and we could bring our cocktails inside. Before finishing his sentence, I had already gulped my drink down. L has been trying to break that bad habit of mine since we met. Good luck with that, L.

I wasn’t expecting to dine in a private room, making the dining experience more intimate. We started with small cubes of cheddar cheese and French bread. The bread innards were silky, and the crust was chewy and flaky. Wonderland received gluten-free bread, as the staff are familiar with her dietary restrictions. Wonderland mentioned the cheddar was either two or three years old. L liked the intense, nutty flavour. I enjoyed the cheese, but I would have been content with the bread and butter because the bread was that good.

Double 07 picked out fantastic champagne. Wowee! The bubbles were tiny, with a soft, mellow flavour. I thought this champagne was really something special.

I ordered what the maître d’ recommended – the Caesar Salad, AAA Tenderloin Steak, and the Crab Hasselback Potatoes.

L and Double 07 picked Foie Gras and the Roast Duck Breast, and Wonderland ordered Oysters and the Rack of Lamb.

The lettuce in my salad was crisp and cold, with none of the bitterness I usually find in romaine leaves. I enjoyed the saltiness and softness of the whole sardines and the balanced flavour of the dressing. I thought Ranchmen’s makes a better Caesar than Caesar’s Steakhouse, which was previously my gold standard.

The red wine Double 07 picked out was phenomenal. The smell was so beautiful. I could sniff this wine all night long. The wine was smoky, smooth, with no sweetness to it. I was glad I was sitting down, or I would have been swooning from sheer ecstasy.

The knife crackling through the salty, charbroiled steak sent shivers down my spine. The texture of the meat was so luxuriously tender that I almost wept from the sheer bliss. I’m not exaggerating. I was quiet the entire time I ate, just marvelling at the pairing of the wine with the beef and the sweetness of the tomatoes and the crunch of the pickled onions. I grow my tomatoes, and even when I pick them at the optimal ripeness, they don’t taste this good.

I requested the bearnaise sauce as Wonderland recommended, but I didn’t have to choose, as I received the peppercorn Armagnac and the bearnaise sauce for my steak. The peppercorn and bearnaise added this rich, hot layer of flavour that coated the beef. The Hasselback potatoes were buttery and soft, topped with generous amounts of sweet, flaky crab.

Double 07 picked a 13-year-old dessert wine. The fragrance of the wine was earthy, like a garden in the morning. I’ve never smelled anything like this.

L picked the Spiced Meringue for dessert. The chef split L’s portion in half so I could sample it. I tasted a little clove in the spices. I thought the sour cherry granite nicely balanced the sweetness of the walnut nougatine. I loved the crumbly bits that melted in my mouth. My favourite component of the dessert was the rich smoothness of the birch creameaux.

This meal was something I could never prepare at home. I wouldn’t even know where to get these ingredients, let alone find the wines. What was different about this meal was that I didn’t get tunnel vision like I usually do. There wasn’t one dish that overshadowed another item. Every component worked well together, so I enjoyed the entire progression of the meal.

When I thanked our generous hosts for such an extravagant meal, I mentioned I didn’t know what to do when they came to our place for the next get-together. Wonderland genuinely stated that this was not a competition. I said that was good because there was no way I could ever top the chef’s talent or the sommelier’s skill. I’ll have to think of something special for when Wonderland and Double 07 come over for dinner. Perhaps I’ll have to enlist some professional help.

I ate my breakfast and mid-morning snack the next day. I usually enjoy my chicken and green onion congee and local boiled eggs with cracked pepper and salt. However, the morning after such as epic feast, I have to say my food did not taste as good as it usually does. Hopefully, my tastebuds will revert to their old self, or I will have to do some real soul searching. Thank you, Double 07 and Wonderland, for the excellent company and hospitality.

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

Bar Modern – No Man’s Dinner #2

May 3, 2019February 1, 2020 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For our second No Man’s Dinner meetup, our supper club met at Bar Modern on Stephen Ave. L was initially hesitant to join our club due to a past negative experience. In 2012, I dragged him to a food event. We learned years later that one of the guests we met was charged for child luring and sexual touching of a minor. C came to L’s defense and said she doesn’t blame him, as she too would be jaded if she accidentally met a pedophile. For this post, let’s listen to “Heebie Jeebies” by The Bosell Sisters.

Bar Modern offers a daily happy hour menu from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. For six bucks, you can choose from house red or white wine, beer, highballs and some snacks. I detest house wine so I ordered a 5-ounce glass of Cabernet Sauvignon (Submission, Napa Valley $12.25). The wine was plummy and jammy, with a sweet vanilla aftertaste. I preferred my second glass of wine – a light and peppery Pinot Noir (Spy Valley, New Zealand $9.75).

wine

Our server Jordan gave us a rundown of the menu. His mouth-watering description of the Modern Smash Burger ($19) sold us. L liked the ratio of meat to produce. The double patty was crispy on the outside and the meat melted in your mouth. L described the burger as a sophisticated Big Mac but with top quality ingredients.

burger leighton

I’d recommend you add bacon ($2) and upgrade the fries to truffle ($2). The bacon was crisp and arrived still glistening. Every element in the burger was excellent. Even the slice of tomato was a treat – so sweet it tasted like it was plucked from a garden.

I announced that L’s burger was one of the best I’ve tried in Calgary. Seashell said she is wary when people claim something they have eaten is the best, because what is that based on and how can you compare that to someone else’s experience? Someone at the table clarified that I said it was the best burger I had in Calgary. C said she needs to eat more burgers before she can decide. T was impressed the bun held up to all the juices and sauces in the burger. @pak_to_eating_yyc tried a bite of her boyfriend’s burger and wished she ordered that instead of the beef rib. All I know is that if we spent this much time talking about a god damn burger, it must be something special.

C enjoyed her New York Striploin Steak frites ($34). She thought the striploin was nicely cooked and simply seasoned. I tried a piece of C’s meat and I could tell the difference between Modern Steak’s beef and what L normally buys on sale from Safeway. The flavor of the steak and the juiciness was superior. @kimrobynyyc ordered the 7 oz Flat Iron ($29) and she thought it was yummy.

kim

I ordered the Steak Tartare ($18). Lately, I’ve been on a steak tartare bender. The tartare was both tender yet chewy. I forgot to give C a piece to try.

artartar

C permitted Seashell to pick the next venue. I suggested that she pick whatever she liked – be it the Ship and Anchor or some other Calgary institution. She nodded and said she would need some time to think about it. I just hope Seashell picks a restaurant with a decent wine list. Otherwise I’ll be irritable and likely focus my negative energy on L.

tartar

Thanks to the members of No Man’s Dinner for the good company and fun. I’m looking forward to the next meet-up.