Ten Foot Henry and Shelter

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Lululemon and I met up on Saturday for dinner. She said there was one stipulation: I wouldn’t fight her for the bill. I said sure, only if I got the next one. We debated which restaurant to visit and ended up at my recommendation, Ten Foot Henry. I like this spot for the wine list and the vegetarian options for Lululemon. Let’s listen to Mr. Sandman for this post.

I wanted to try the cauliflower gochujang ($23) and the gigli pasta ($25). Lululemon added the charred cabbage ($21) and the tomatoes with feta ($18). I told her this was too much food for the two of us. She ignored me and over-ordered. I informed her that she must have been Asian in her past life. Lululemon mentioned she had a Chinese childhood friend, and she did pick up on some traditions from her.

For drinks, she ordered a flute of Tomato Wheel Lambrusco ($15), and I ordered a glass of Chablis ($17). Lululemon enjoyed her sparkling red, and I told her that all the wine peeps, such as Vine Arts, Business and Pleasure, and Juice Imports, recommended Tomato Wheel. I read that the person behind the label is a Calgarian, and she buys the wine from Italy.

The tomato appetizer came first; this dish is a crowd-pleaser like all previous visits. I could smell the smoky char from the thick slices of warm bread. Blistering hot and sweet tomatoes mixed in with the feta made for total comfort food. All I needed was a small bowl of tomato soup, and I’d be in heaven.

I heard a lot about the gigli kale pesto pistachio pasta. The noodle itself was soft and wet. I liked the pop of flavour from the nuts and what I thought was lemon and cheese. The woman sitting next to me asked if she should order it. I nodded enthusiastically but later questioned my judgment when Lululemon noted that pasta had only one note and needed something sharp, like garlic or onions, to punch it up. After her comment, my bites of the pasta became less enjoyable.

We had another drink. Lululemon picked an orange wine while I tried a sparkling rosé wine from Maloof, a winery Juice Import brings in. This wine was just right; it tasted like strawberries.

The cabbage dish arrived, piled high and lusciously sauced. The leaves were soft and charred, tangy from the walnut vinaigrette and rich from the cheese. Lululemon loved the cabbage and confided it was the Ukrainian in her. I get her—rice is life for me.

We both thought the cauliflower was the best dish of the night. The gochujang sauce was thick and savoury, with a dry heat and notes of ginger and sesame. This dish was so good that I felt it could compete against any Korean restaurant in Calgary. I would order this again.

We weren’t done for the night. After dinner, we moseyed across the street to Shelter. We scored a seat at the bar, and Lululemon and I ordered some stellar cocktails. The bartender slayed, creating cocktails tailored to our whimsical requests. We oohed and awed as he poured a liquid into the glass while igniting it aflame. Thank you, Lululemon, for a fun night.

High Line – Veggie Dogs & Craft Brews

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Lululemon and I met up for brunch on Saturday. As I was already in Inglewood getting my hair lopped off, she met me at the salon, and from there, we looked for a suitable eatery for our mood. Let’s listen to “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks for this post.

Lately, Lululemon has been a big influence on what I eat. She’s introduced me to Vegan Street, DJ’s Market, Italian Centre Shop, and a soon-to-be-sampled bean curd banh mi at Nhu Y Sub. Lululemon suggested we get hot dogs and beer at High Line Brewing. I was game because there’s nothing better than the simplicity of a dog on a bun.

High Line Brewing is larger than it appears from the outside. Once you pass the front bar section, there are several rooms to sit and sip the afternoon away. You pay at the bar, grab your beer and then find a table. We first sat inside in a nook under a large tree before moving to the patio.

We ordered a vegetarian Chicago Doggo ($11) with chips and some beer.
I sampled four beers: CLUB MATE+, Dadge, Wabi Sabi, and Heartless Romantic. What I liked about these beers was that they felt like an eclectic sampling of sodas and cocktails. The Dadge, a cucumber ale, had a fresh, mild melon taste that reminded me of the refreshing cucumber water you get after an Eucalyptus steam.

The Club Mate+ reminded me of a cherry cola but sweeter. The hard tea and yerba mate were so mild that I could hardly detect them, though I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have a sensitive palate.

The Wabi Sabi was my favourite of the flight. It reminded me of all the sparkling lemon sours I consumed in Tokyo. The sour tasted like bright, tart lemon and tea. The Wabi Sabi was also noticeably bubbly, which I prefer over the more softly carbonated beers.

The Heartless Romantic was another cherry sour but more tart and less sweet than Club Mate+. I would order this one again, but I preferred the Wabi Sabi.

The outside of the bun was grilled and crunchy, while the interior was soft and fluffy. The temperature of all the ingredients was perfect. Warm bun, steaming hot dog and cold, crisp condiments. The vegetarian weiner tasted like a regular hot dog but lacked that elastic snap. Proportionally, the ratios were perfect. Each bite has some sausage, bun, and a delicious hit of mustard, pickles, onion, and banana pepper. The tomato was fresh and juicy, the sweet flavour highlighted by the hit of celery salt and the heat and crunch from the banana peppers. Oh, this dog just hit right.

Though I was full, I insisted on getting the next round of drinks and some chips and salsa ($9) because I know Lululemon likes to snack while she drinks. The corn tortilla chips were gluten-free, cut thick, and crunchy. Salty and well-seasoned, the corn chips paired wonderfully with the tangy pineapple salsa. There were way more chips to dip, so next time, I’ll request more salsa and sour cream so we don’t run out. I also made a mental note of the selection of gluten-friendly beers for my celiac friends.

Lululemon sipped on Zing, a ginger beer infused with lemongrass, lemon, and lime. The lemongrass flavour was particularly noticeable. I tried Honeybush ($7) from Ol’ Beautiful, and it was one of the best hard teas I’ve ever tasted. I loved the dry, rich notes from the black tea.

Thank you, Lululemon, for lunch and your excellent company. I look forward to our next vegetarian and gluten-friendly adventure.

17th Ave · Burgers · Vegetarian

V Burger – Vegetarian Delight

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

After our wine tasting at Vine Arts, Lululemon suggested we get something to eat. She recommended V Burger. I was game, since I’m a social vegan, I avoid meet. I’m so glad she recommended this place because I finally found a vegetarian burger I love. Let’s listen to “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye.

At 2:00 p.m., I was surprised to see so many people still eating there. The place appears popular with families and groups. We picked the Big Kahuna Burger ($12) and shared a side of Tater Tots ($5.50). I also ordered burgers and tots for takeaway for her fiance and my husband as we opted to eat inside the store.

Holy veg, the pea protein burger is as good as beef burgers. The hefty patty was meaty and juicy. The only thing missing was that crusty charbroiled exterior, but the texture mimicked beef well.

I liked how the glossy brown brioche bun held up to the wetness of the teriyaki roasted pineapple and juicy tomato. The bac’n tasted similar to bacon, but the texture was more like salami. The green lettuce was wilted, which was a shame because otherwise, this would have been a near-perfect burger. When L ate his burger, he didn’t know it was plant-based until I told him. I bragged to L that eating meat is so yesterday and plant-based food is way more v-edgy.

Don’t pass on the tater tots, which were gloriously hot, crunchy and munchy. Done right, tater tots done well are such a satisfying snack.

My friend Beep Beep is coming to visit me soon. I’m tempted to take her to V Burger because she’ll be impressed with the food and their food philosophy. Hitting the Sauce gives V Burger two phat thumbs up.

Patio · Vegetarian

Vegan Street (Beltline)

August 27, 2022August 27, 2022 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

To celebrate Summer’s successful internship, we went out to celebrate. I checked around, and most places couldn’t accommodate a group of our size. Sunflower mentioned Vegan Street is one of Summer’s favourite restaurants. I called, and they were happy to accommodate our group. For this post, let’s listen to “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams.

Vegan Street reserved two tables for us in one room. Our table was between the bar and the patio. It had just started to rain, so with the open door, the air was cool and fresh.

On Wednesday, wine by the bottle is half off, and appetizers are three dollars less. I ordered a bottle of Landlust Organic Dry Riesling ($39, HH $20) to share with Dalhousie. We debated a little as to if the wine was tart or sweet. As we are both pretty chill people, we decided we found the wine acidic and/or sweet.

Sunflower and Queen’s Gambit ordered a Virgo cocktail ($15, HH $10). Queen’s Gambit mentioned she always gets the featured drink because it is seasonal and won’t be on the menu for long. She remarked her cocktail wasn’t overly citrusy and nicely balanced with matcha tea’s flavour.

When the rest of the crew arrived at our table, I recited the specials and gave my recommendations: the kalamari and fish tacos. I mentioned the fish is made from heart palm, which gives it a creamier, smoother, superior texture than fish. I also said that I heard the Chickin Bites ($16.50, HH $13.50) were supposed to be very tasty, as well as the mushroom tacos and truffle mushroom burger. Field asked if I had shares in the restaurant because I knew the menu so well. I said no, I just had a deep love for delicious food.

Vegan Street makes its Kalamari ($16.50, HH $13.50) from local blue oyster mushrooms. The firm texture mimicked squid’s bounciness but without any fishy flavour. The batter was light and melted in my mouth. The best thing about the kalamari was the flavour of the seasoning and the creamy, zippy tzatziki sauce.

There were pops of flavour from the pickled capers, spiciness from the jalapenos, and aromaticness from the onions. This dish is so good that I could happily eat this vegan version over any other ‘real’ kalamari.

I tried Dalhousie’s sweet chilli chickin bites. I thought the outer skin layer of the tofu imitated the toothsome texture of real chicken. Lighty breaded and heavily sauced, the tofu bites were finger-licking good.
I want to take L here for the fish tacos and the mushroom truffle burger, even though I know he will resist. He’s a die-hard meatatarian. However, if Vegan Street can make a version of calamari and fish better than the real thing, they can convert anyone. Hitting the Sauce gives Vegan Street two phat thumbs