Thursday, April 21, 2011
After a day skiing at Lake Louise...
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Restaurant review: Alloy (Calgary)
On my birthday, Friday, April 15, Rod and I decided to try Alloy on 42nd Ave SW (just off Macleod). Since it was only nine blocks from our house and the evening was bright, we decided to walk. Really, when we're in NYC we sometimes walk 15-20 blocks to a show and then dinner and back to our hotel, so this lovely stroll through Stanley Park wasn't too far at all.
The location of this restaurant still boggles us. It's flanked by the train tracks and a wood shop (not the Cedar Shoppe, but it's only about a block away!). The place was packed! I had often noticed on the drive home from work that the parking lot is full, no matter the night or the time. Around dinner hour Alloy draws a crowd.
The ambiance is lovely, very "me and Rod" as most of our friends (thanks to the Flegels and Duncansons for recommending!). We we seated along the wall in the main dining room (where a colleague of Rod's suggested he request a table). This pic shows the view from our table:
We each had a cocktail to start. For me it was a glass of Californian sparkling wine (sorry, can't remember the label, it was the same price as the Prosecco though, $10) and Rod had the "root beer float" which was so yummy! It was topped with house-made vanilla gelato instead of whip cream ;)
For appetizers we ordered the prosciutto pockets (roasted Asian pear and brie stuffed, with fig mustard spread and caramelized walnuts $15). They were good, very rich though. We also ordered the seared scallops (pistachio crusted with corn cream and yam crisps $18) The scallops were AMAZING and by far one of the meal highlights in our opinion.
The extensive and high end wine list included two pages of "alloys" - red blends from all over the world. Having discovered blended reds while in Paso Robles last fall we poured over this section of the wine list in delight. In the end we settled on Novella Synergy (by Eos) from Paso Robles. A blend of 45% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Sangiovese, we'd never had it before and it was very good :)
Our mains were good, not outstanding though. I had the roast chicken with goat's cheese bread pudding, dried fig and port demi-glace ($26). The chicken was a little over cooked for me - just a tad dry. Rod had seared duck with pomegranate reduction sweet potato dumplings ($32). We're not sure if the sliced duck breast on his plate was from different breasts but the first piece was very tough and the second was succulent. Not sure what happened, they looked to be cooked identically...
We didn't order dessert and opted to enjoy the end of our wine. To my surprise the waiter delivered a special birthday dessert with a candle in celebration of my birthday. It was the chocolate trio (chocolate coffee cake, chocolate pâté and chocolate gelato). On the house for me but regularly $9.
So would we go back? For sure! Would I bring my family there or meet friends there? Totally.
The location of this restaurant still boggles us. It's flanked by the train tracks and a wood shop (not the Cedar Shoppe, but it's only about a block away!). The place was packed! I had often noticed on the drive home from work that the parking lot is full, no matter the night or the time. Around dinner hour Alloy draws a crowd.
The ambiance is lovely, very "me and Rod" as most of our friends (thanks to the Flegels and Duncansons for recommending!). We we seated along the wall in the main dining room (where a colleague of Rod's suggested he request a table). This pic shows the view from our table:
For appetizers we ordered the prosciutto pockets (roasted Asian pear and brie stuffed, with fig mustard spread and caramelized walnuts $15). They were good, very rich though. We also ordered the seared scallops (pistachio crusted with corn cream and yam crisps $18) The scallops were AMAZING and by far one of the meal highlights in our opinion.
The extensive and high end wine list included two pages of "alloys" - red blends from all over the world. Having discovered blended reds while in Paso Robles last fall we poured over this section of the wine list in delight. In the end we settled on Novella Synergy (by Eos) from Paso Robles. A blend of 45% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Sangiovese, we'd never had it before and it was very good :)
Our mains were good, not outstanding though. I had the roast chicken with goat's cheese bread pudding, dried fig and port demi-glace ($26). The chicken was a little over cooked for me - just a tad dry. Rod had seared duck with pomegranate reduction sweet potato dumplings ($32). We're not sure if the sliced duck breast on his plate was from different breasts but the first piece was very tough and the second was succulent. Not sure what happened, they looked to be cooked identically...
We didn't order dessert and opted to enjoy the end of our wine. To my surprise the waiter delivered a special birthday dessert with a candle in celebration of my birthday. It was the chocolate trio (chocolate coffee cake, chocolate pâté and chocolate gelato). On the house for me but regularly $9.
So would we go back? For sure! Would I bring my family there or meet friends there? Totally.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Beef Bourguignon
Inspired by Julia Child, recipe from Williams-Sonoma cookbook. It was G-O-O-D!
Ingredients:
* 6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 lb beef chuck or other nice stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
* salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
* 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
* 3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
* 1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
* 3 cups Burgundy or other dry, full-bodied red wine
* 1 /1/2 cups beef stock
* 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
* 4 cloves garlic minced
* 1/2 tsp. thyme
* Crumbled bay leaf
* 3 Tbsp. butter
* 1 lb white button mushrooms, quartered
* 7 oz fresh pearl onions, blanched and peeled
* 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until browned but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, setting it all off to the side once it is finished.
Turn heat down to medium, and sauté chopped onions and carrots until onions are lightly browned about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, sprinkle flour and stir. Cook until the flour is incorporated. Add in beef and bacon to pot along with any juices.
Remove from the heat, add the Cognac, and flambé. Return to medium-low heat, add the wine, stock, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and braise, covered, until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup water, cover, cook until the onions are softened. 3-4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms.
When the beef bourguignon is finished, taste and season if needed. Stir in the pearl onions and mushrooms. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Ingredients:
* 6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 lb beef chuck or other nice stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
* salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
* 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
* 3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
* 1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
* 3 cups Burgundy or other dry, full-bodied red wine
* 1 /1/2 cups beef stock
* 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
* 4 cloves garlic minced
* 1/2 tsp. thyme
* Crumbled bay leaf
* 3 Tbsp. butter
* 1 lb white button mushrooms, quartered
* 7 oz fresh pearl onions, blanched and peeled
* 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until browned but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, setting it all off to the side once it is finished.
Turn heat down to medium, and sauté chopped onions and carrots until onions are lightly browned about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, sprinkle flour and stir. Cook until the flour is incorporated. Add in beef and bacon to pot along with any juices.
Remove from the heat, add the Cognac, and flambé. Return to medium-low heat, add the wine, stock, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and braise, covered, until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup water, cover, cook until the onions are softened. 3-4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms.
When the beef bourguignon is finished, taste and season if needed. Stir in the pearl onions and mushrooms. Garnish with fresh parsley.
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