Brunch @ Brasserie Kensington

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

I'd heard fantastic things about Brasserie Kensington, and its sister restaurants, Winebar Kensington (the "original", located just below Brasserie Kensington), AKA Winebar (which serves up a decent, classy brunch) and Muse. My perennial brunchmate Tiffany had gone a few times before for supper and drinks, so we decided to check out what their brunch menu was like.

We made reservations for when they opened at 10 AM, which was completely unnecessary as we were the only ones there for the entire time, save for a young couple who came in a few minutes after we did. It was nice having the restaurant (almost) to ourselves - the service was friendly, attentive and efficient and the space itself is classy but cozy, with a lot of dark wood accents and nice, big windows overlooking Kensington Road.

Of course, we have to start with coffee - there is no brewed coffee here; Americanos are your closest bet and they are $3 each. I decided to splurge on a cappuccino for $4, which had a nice, thick layer of steamed, foamy milk. Yum. For those who prefer booze in the morning, there is a short list of classic cocktails for $10, and of course, you can order from their extensive beer and wine lists too.

On the food side, Brasserie Kensington's brunch menu is heavy on the eggs, in the form of classics like Eggs Benedict (always love it when the smoked salmon costs as much as the classic ham!) and Steak and Eggs, sweet dishes like crepes and French toast, and the Brasserie's own creations, like the Vegetarian plate with eggs, grilled tomato, mushroom, fried potato and toast. The restaurant also seems to have a flare for richness, as evidenced by their Duck Fat Omelet, Breakfast Poutine and the option to order Foie Gras as a side ($10 per oz). They also use 100% duck fat in their fryers. Aside from the breakfast options, Brasserie Kensington's brunch menu also offers salads, soups and sandwiches. (Tiffany likes the "Hog Wild", a wild boar burger topped with gruyère, arugula aioli and grainy mustard.)

I went for the Brasserie Confusion ($14), which was essentially an omelette folded over layers of mushroom and green onion, topped with slices of crisp pancetta and creamy Hollandaise sauce.


This dish was so good - there was something about the way all the ingredients were layered together that made everything very rich and umami; I could've sworn there was cheese in there somewhere! Despite the richness it wasn't too heavy, and I managed to finish it all. I also loved the potato - simply cut into thick slices before being fried. Much less fussy and "real" compared to the usual hash browns. The plate was rounded out with some slices of brown (rye?) toast and the bit of fresh fruit was nice light way to end the heavier meal.

Tiffany went for the big guns - Breakfast Poutine ($12).


The fries would probably be considered too thin by "authentic Quebec poutine" standards, but so good for people like me who like their fries thin and crisp, with a soft, fluffy centre. It did look like it could've used more cheese curds, but it was probably for the better as I'm sure when you swirled the egg yolk around the poutine it would've made it quite heavy anyway. I had a bite and was blown away by the duck fat gravy - a very nice touch of booze, and not too salty. As a testament to how good it was, Tiffany ate it all - even before I finished my plate!

If you're looking for a greasy, hangover-curing diner breakfast, Brasserie Kensington is not the place to go. Although the price point at Brasserie Kensington is a little higher than most places, they make a solid, classy brunch.

Brasserie Kensington
1131 Kensington Rd NW
Calgary AB T2N 3P4
(403) 457-4148
Open Tues-Wed 11 AM-10 PM; Thu 11 AM-11 PM; Fri 11AM-midnight; Sat 10 AM-midnight; Sun 10 AM-10 PM. Brunch available Sat-Sun 10 AM-2 PM. Closed Mondays. Online reservations available.

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Uzbek Beer Can Chicken

I am pleading guilty on multiple counts of a major dinner party faux pas:

5. Cooking something that you’ve never cooked before. (I would also say I have been guilty of #8, especially at parties for two.)

And of course, this time I had to drag B. into the mix...

The dinner party in question was for one of B.'s friends, and one of her friends who is here from Japan to learn English. B. wanted to grill something, and somehow that evolved into beer can chicken, then one with a spice rub to boot.

It starts off easy - first you throw a bunch of spices, garlic and oil together in a food processor and whirr it into a fragrant, copper-coloured rub.



Then you spread it all over the insides and outsides of your chicken and wait until all the flavour has had to seep through all the little nooks and crannies in your chook.


When you're ready, you seat it on top of your beer can (we chose Big Rock Gopher Lager - as per my blog browsing, the verdict is still out on whether the beer makes a difference. Thoughts?)


There was a bit of a panic here as we feared that our chicken was too tall. We had to get rid of our beer can holder contraption (but we kept the dish) and flip over our grill, but in the end, it fit. *Phew!*

At the time, we didn't know about these "dinner party" rules, but we may have subconsciously as we paired the chicken with a recipe we are very familiar with - our Greek Orzo Salad, without the chicken.

Photo by Mitsuru Oda

Despite the "faux pas", our dinner was well received (possibly because one of our guests got a little tipsy!) and we were spoiled with dessert - an assortment of cream puffs from Cruffs.

Uzbek Beer Can Chicken
Adapted from Serious Eats/Planet Barbecue
Serves 4-6

• 1 chicken, about 3½ - 4 lb (1.6 - 1.8 kg)
  
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) coarse salt
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) sweet paprika
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) turmeric
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) coriander
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) black pepper
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
  
• 1 can beer, or club soda, if you are not a beer drinker

1. Prep the chicken: Remove and discard the fat just inside the neck and body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set it aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot it dry, inside and out, with paper towels.* Make two deep slashes to the bone in both sides of the chicken breast and in each leg and thigh so that the spices and heat will penetrate the meat more easily.
   
2. Make the spice paste: Place the garlic, ginger, salt, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and pepper in food processor (a mini processor works better than a full-size processor, but you can use a full-size processor if you scrape down the side of the bowl often with a rubber spatula). Run the processor until the garlic and ginger are finely chopped, then gradually add the oil and puree to a smooth paste. If you don't have a food processor, mix spices together in a mortar and pound them into a smooth paste with the pestle, then gradually work in the oil.
   
3. Marinate the bird: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the tandoori paste into the neck and body cavities of the bird, spreading it around with the spatula. Place the bird in a baking dish or aluminum foil pan just large enough to hold it. Spread the remaining spice paste over the chicken on all sides. (Alternatively, you can marinate the bird in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag.) Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 6 hours or as long as 24; the longer it marinates, the richer the flavor will be.
   
4. Prep the grill: Set up the grill for indirect grilling, place a drip pan in the center, and preheat the grill to medium.
   
5. Impale the chicken!: Pop the tab off the can and remove half of the beer or club soda using your preferred method. Using a church key–style can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top. If you are using a beer-can chicken roaster (and your barbecue is tall enough to accommodate a chicken sitting on it), pour half of the club soda or beer into it. Remove the chicken from the marinade, setting aside any remaining marinade. Hold the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and position the bird on the can or chicken roaster so that it fits snugly into the cavity. If you are using a can, pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright. The rear “leg” of the tripod is the can. You don’t need to do this if you are using a chicken roaster. Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chicken’s back. Alternatively, truss the bird with butcher’s string or a bamboo skewer.
   
6. Roast the chicken: Place the chicken-on-a-can in the center of the grate over the drip pan and away from the heat. Spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken, then cover the grill. Grill the chicken until it is handsomely browned and cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or when the internal temperature (insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh) is about 170°F (77˚C). (Please note that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends that whole chicken be cook to 185˚F/85˚C.) If the top of the bird starts to brown too much, loosely cover it with a small piece of aluminum foil.
   
7. Serve and eat the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Carefully lift the chicken off the can or roaster, if using. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

*At this point, you can remove the skin from the chicken, if desired (but risk losing a lot of yummy flavour!) You can pull most of it off with your fingers; use a paring knife to cut the skin away from the wings and ends of the drumsticks.

 

Nutrition Info (per 1/6 chicken, with skin): 328 calories, 21 g fat (5 g saturated, 0 g trans), 87 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrate (1 g fibre, 0 g sugar), 28 g protein, 858 mg sodium. An excellent source of niacin (vitamin B₃), vitamin B₆ and selenium. A good source of pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), vitamin E, iron, phosphorus and zinc.

Photo by Mitsuru Oda

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Culinary Bootcamp for Dietitians

Back in June, I took part in a very exclusive cooking class hosted in the home of one of my dietitian colleagues. The Dietitians of Canada Annual Conference was in Edmonton this year, so Mary Sue Waisman, author of Cook!, the latest cookbook from Dietitians of Canada, swung by Calgary to teach us a few techniques while we tried out a few recipes from the book.

Although Mary Sue is now based out of Halifax, I was surprised to learn that she spent most of her 20+ year career here in Calgary and completed her chef's training at SAIT. Mary Sue's nutrition philosophy is based around the value of family meals, and with that comes a focus on the food and cooking, and returning to dietetics' roots in home economics. Mary Sue emphasizes flavour in her cooking - her first cookbook is actually called Flavour First, and during the class she showed off her copy of The Flavor Bible

Over the course of the afternoon, we chopped, stirred, simmered, roasted and baked our way through 10 recipes while learning techniques like trimming the "silverskin" from meat. Mary Sue's philosophy was evident in the recipes she chose for the class, which either used different spices and herbs to season the food, or cooking techniques that enhanced the natural flavours of the ingredients, instead of straight-up S&P.



Although Mary Sue is credited as the author of the cookbook, the recipes were actually submitted by dietitians across the country and tested by Mary Sue (with the help of some fellow dietitians and interns) in her kitchen in Halifax. It was interesting to see Mary Sue's surprise at how differently some of the dishes were turning out (i.e. thicker batters, different cooking times) here in high-and-dry Calgary.

We started with some appetizers:

    
    
The Holy Smokes Pita Chips were rounds of pita bread brushed with a mixture of garlic, cumin, chili powder, curry powder, black pepper and hot sauce before being baked to a crisp in the oven. They were smoky and delicious, but I think I personally would've opened up the pitas so that the "chips" wouldn't be so thick. They were served with Legume Guacamole, which replaces some of the avocado with green peas for a dip that is lower in fat and calories than traditional guacamole. The guacamole tasted lighter as well, and surprisingly did not have any pea flavour.

I loved the mix of textures and flavours in the Bulgur and Vegetable Lettuce Wraps - the bulgur was cooked to al dente, a nice contrast from the tender butter lettuce, while the onion, bell pepper and lemon juice made the wraps taste fresh and summery. In contrast, the Roasted Chickpeas had a richer, nutty flavour, with a hint of smokiness thanks to the addition of chili powder, cumin and garlic.

A bit more cooking, and it was time to eat again:

    
    

The Barley Terrine was a unique vegetarian main dish, combining barley, wheat bran, sunflower seeds and walnuts into a cheesy loaf that to me, tasted like a healthy mac-and-cheese. Another unique vegetarian main we tried were Pecan Patties; the batter was too runny to shape into patties before cooking, but once they were ladled into the frying pan, they formed up quite nicely, and were oh-so-good with some jams and chutneys our hostess found in her fridge. We gobbled them up so quickly I couldn't even take a picture! These were originally meant to be sort of a vegetarian burger - probably more of a substitute for a lighter burger like chicken or turkey instead of beef.

The Rye Salad, like the filling in the Bulgur and Vegetable Lettuce Wraps, was another interesting blend of texture and flavour. It used rye berries, which seemed to pop in your mouth as you bit into them, mixed with sweet and tart dried cranberries, savoury feta and black bean sauce, crisp cucumber, peppery onion and cilantro, and crunchy and nutty sunflower seeds.

Mary Sue's version of Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup was very simple, emphasizing the earthy sweetness of the ingredients, and using the starchiness of the parsnips to create a creamy texture while still keeping the soup light - very different from my/Julie's version that I made months ago.

I helped make the Pork Tenderloin with (unpictured) Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney. We actually made the pork tenderloin two ways - one we roasted, as was written in the cookbook, and the other we sliced, flattened into medallions with the heel of our hands, then pan-fried with some of the chutney. The latter cooked a little too quickly for us and the pork came out a little tough, but the roasted tenderloin was perfect - it had developed a bit of crust on the outside, while the meat inside was moist and tender. Of course, the strawberry-rhubarb chutney was the star of the show, permeating the kitchen with its aromatic fumes as it simmered on the stove for what seemed like hours as it thickened into a jam-like consistency. The sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb were paired with ginger, garlic, onion, cumin, cinnamon and cloves, giving the chutney a hint of savoury and spice.

We also had dessert (not pictured) and despite what you might think about dietitians, they were not just plates of fruit! The Date & Nut Pinwheels were like refined Larabars, spiced with cardamom and saffron and shaped into delicate little bites before being rolled in coconut. I helped to make the Sweet Barley, which was cooked in milk and flavoured with a touch of anise. It reminded us all of kheer, or Indian rice pudding. It's no surprise that I couldn't get photos of either of them!

All in all, it was a fun afternoon, and I thought it was a great way to really get the feel of a cookbook - perhaps a future idea for some sort of cooking party, or even a Monday Night Supper Club, eh, Dan?

Just for a bit of a teaser, I will share my favourite recipe of that day - the Bulgur and Vegetable Lettuce Wraps. I think the filling alone would make a great grainy salad.

Bulgur and Vegetable Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Cook!
Makes 16 wraps

• ¾ cup (185 mL) bulgur
• ¾ cup (185 mL) warm water
• 1 cup (250 mL) tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup (125 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup (60 mL) parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) green onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
• ½ tsp (2 mL) black pepper
• 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

1. In a large bowl, combine bulgur and warm water. Let stand for 30 minutes, or until bulgur is softened and liquid is absorbed.
2. Add remaining ingredients except lettuce. Stir well to combine.
3. To serve, top each lettuce leaf with 2 tbsp bulgur mixture. Wrap lettuce to enclose filling.

Nutrition Info (per wrap): 51 calories, 2 g fat (0.2 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrate (2 g fibre, 1 g sugar), 2 g protein, 61 mg sodium.

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Q Haute Cuisine

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

B. and I went to Q Haute Cuisine a few weeks ago. It wasn't an anniversary, a birthday, or any other special event... we just had a LivingSocial deal to use.

Q Haute Cuisine is an upscale restaurant in what used to be La Caille on the Bow that serves up French cuisine with an emphasis on local foods whenever possible. Dinner is a rare, expensive occasion for most, but many people who work downtown enjoy their $15 lunch specials. For dinner, adventurous palates can order the Chef's Tasting Menu - you can order from three up to eight courses, with or without wine pairings; a 12-course menu is available upon special request. The restaurant also offers an à la carte menu - two courses for $57, three courses for $73 and four courses for $89.

Although I would have loved to splurge on the Chef's Tasting Menu, this was, after all, not a special occasion, so we decided to play it safe and ordered two courses each from the à la carte menu.

But first, we were treated to an amuse-bouche of smoked tuna on red and golden beets.


The tuna was only lightly smoked, so not overly salty, pairing well with the earthy sweetness of the beets and the tangy vinaigrette. A perfect bite to start the meal.

For my starter, I ordered the Digby scallops, topped with sunny-side-up quail eggs and surrounded by roasted pearl onions and a small bundle of abalone mushrooms.


The scallops were warm and tender, and I liked using them to sop up the sauce from the quail eggs (we had a basket of bread for that too). The onions were little sweet jewels and the abalone mushrooms were meaty but light.

B. had roasted quail paired with white beans and goat cheese in a red wine reduction.


B. shared a bite, and underneath the crisp skin was moist, flavourful meat. After the meal, B. declared that this was his favourite.

For the main course, I had the cardamom-infused venison with grapes in a port jus.


I would say the cardamom was a little too overpowering for me, but it was interesting how it brought out the rich, gamey flavour of the venison. Surprisingly, B. liked the cardamom more than I did. The bold flavours of the meat played interestingly with the sweetness of the grapes and the sauce. I had ordered the venison medium-rare, though it seemed that the chef had put the emphasis on the "rare" - it was still fine; even as I was ordering the waiter warned me that the venison is better when it is less well-done.

B. ordered lamb two ways - a simple roasted rack of lamb, and a leg of lamb stuffed with gorgonzola. Everything was drizzled with a Madeira jus.


Like my venison, the flavours in this dish were bold, but leaning toward a more savoury spectrum. The meat could have been more tender, but overall it was an interesting dish.

If you're wondering how we were able to fill up on this meal, not pictured here was the fact that soon after we were served our meal, the waiter came by with a copper pan of baby vegetables - tiny carrots, golden beets, green beans and summer squash. And a copper pot of truffled potatoes.


I loved these truffled potatoes - rich, creamy and rustic. B. thought the sauce tasted like cream of mushroom soup. Too bad, more for me.

Once we had scraped up the last morsel of meat and scooped up the last bite of potato, our plates were whisked away and replaced with our bill (of course, not before we were tempted again by an offer of dessert, but none of them sounded appealing that day) and a pair of chocolate truffles rolled in shredded coconut.


The smooth chocolate started melting almost the instant that it hit our tongues, finishing with a bit of a tangy note.

Overall, we had a good experience at Q Haute Cuisine. The atmosphere is quiet and formal, with rustic, classy decor and beautiful views of the Bow River and Prince's Island Park. The service was professional but friendly. However, I'm not sure if I'll go back again - although the food was good, considering the cost, I didn't find myself "wow"ed by the meal... the food was just too "precious".

Q Haute Cuisine
100 La Caille Place SW
Calgary AB T2P 5E2
(403) 262-5552
Open for lunch Mon-Fri 11:30 AM-2 PM; cocktails Mon-Fri 4 PM; dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-10 PM. Closed Sundays except for private events. Online reservations available.

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2011 Goals Check-Up: July

We hiked Sundance Canyon in Banff on Parks Day

Here is my monthly check-up of the goals I (should be) working on...

7.5 hours of sleep per night - Not really doing this, but getting there. By the time it's "lights out", I should usually get somewhere between 6.5-7 hours of sleep... and often I'm still dead tired in the morning :(

Drink at least 1 L (one water bottle) of water per day - I am doing this! As I mentioned last month, my previous water bottle was broken and leaked (so I had to carry it upright all the time) and I was on the hunt for a new one. B.'s sister recommended this Camelbak and I love it! Having a straw originally seemed a little sippy-cup-like, but it is easier to drink from and great for kickboxing (can drink without taking my gloves off while not worrying about spills). The only downside is that it doesn't fit in my car cup holder, so I would probably recommend the smaller size (750 mL) to others. The water bottle claims that it helps people drink 24% more, and for me it does - I easily drink more than 1 L every day now :)

Continue increasing number of blog posts per year - I'm failing so hard at this goal it makes me a little sick. A few nights ago I worked it out and I realized if I keep posting at the same slow rate as I have been all year, I will end up with fewer posts than I had in 2008, and my readership is falling with it. When I realized this I actually spent the evening pretty upset; wondering if I was doing the right thing with my time, whether there was anything in my life I can give up so I can spend more time writing... and the answer is, I think I can live with it for now. It's definitely difficult to not write as much as I'd like because it makes people think that you don't like blogging/writing and don't feel that it's important, which is simply not true. The reason that I'm deciding not to scale back on my kickboxing even more for now is because I know I will reach a point in my life where it won't be an option, where I would have to stop doing such an intense, physical sport. And at that point in time, my blog will be there to fill the gap, and the people who will stick around to read it will know that I love food, I love writing, I love photography. And that's all that matters. But I think for now I am ok with striking this goal off the list and working back up from 2008 levels.

Read at least 12 books this year - I finished Outliers: The Story of Success, and now, after falling in love with the TV series (we watched the whole thing in maybe two or three weeks) I'm working on A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One. (Speaking of A Game of Thrones, have you checked out The Inn at the Crossroads or Cooking Ice and Fire? I feel like some nerdy food party needs to happen when the next season starts.) I also bought The Power of Social Networking: Using the Whuffie Factor to Build Your Business for work purposes, and Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is finally coming out in paperback in September! ...At this rate I will still probably only finish six books this year *sigh*

Win a kickboxing/Muay Thai fight - I've totally scaled back on training over the summer, though my trainer added the element of an 8.8 km (and counting) run before my kickboxing class so it's still taking up a good chunk of time, but mentally, I'm so not ready to fight right now. Again, will most likely be tackling this goal in October.

Cook at least one recipe from every cookbook I own - We have been cooking mainly from blogs again lately, so can't say I've made progress on this one.

Put my savings/RRSP somewhere where I can make more money - My original plan was to make an appointment with [one of] my [three] bank[s], but I was always worried that they would only sell me their products and I won't get the full scope. Now with the markets doing what they're doing, perhaps it's even a good thing I have most of my money in a savings account right now. But I was listening to this financial advisor on CBC the other day, and I think that is who I should be looking for. Now... anyone have any recommendations?

Create more/Participate in another creative/reflective project this year - It makes me sad, but I think I have to strike this goal off my list for the year as I have my hands in so many different pots that there's no way this is happening.

Set aside one weekend every month with no commitments - We went on our first hike of the year in July, an easy hike in Banff called Sundance Canyon, by the Cave and Basin, on Parks Day. It was nice - you get a walk along the Bow, waterfalls, short steep sections, forest... we couldn't take a lot of photos because the mosquitoes were out in full force!

Rewards
Despite taking two trips earlier in the year, seeing everyone go on holidays over the summer is making me feel a little left out, so I am taking six days off in November, around my birthday (the way that stats and my schedule works around that time means I only take two vacation days - what a deal!) Talking about going on another trip has been fun, but we're still stuck on where we want to go. Our main criteria are good food (Sorry, Cuba), warm weather (Sorry, Montreal and New York) and sights to see (as opposed to lying on the beach at a resort all day). New Orleans is the current frontrunner - what do you think?

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Monday Night Supper Club @ Anju

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

I wasn't going to write about Anju again since I already reviewed them here after a visit about a year and a half ago. But the meal I had last Monday, as part of my friend Dan's Monday Night Supper Club was so delicious I just had to blog about it.

Some background first about the Monday Night Supper Club (#MNSCyyc) - during the Top Chef Canada run, Dan would reserve the big table by the bar at CHARCUT every Monday to watch the show with a bunch of his peeps and tweeps. By the time the show ended, the group had already become accustomed to having plans on Monday night, and so the Monday Night Supper Club was born. New "members" are always welcome, so if you're interested in joining us, just send Dan a tweet!

We were so lucky to have Anju's Chef/Owner Roy Oh and Manager Dave open the restaurant just for us on the Monday of the long weekend! Before the meal, which was a chef's tasting menu for $40/person, Chef Roy came up to introduce himself and explain the concept for the restaurant - "anju" is the Korean word for small plates of food that you share over alcohol. Anju's dishes uses familiar, local ingredients, but adds a bit of a Korean twist with the use of traditional flavours and seasonings.

First up were two dishes of hoe, or thinly sliced raw meats, topped with sesame, fried garlic chips and thin curls of green onion. The lobster was drizzled with chili oil for some extra heat, while the beef (tataki, so not completely raw) was dressed with plain sesame oil.

    
The lobster was sweet and meaty, while the dressing added richness and a little bit of heat. The more simply dressed beef really allowed the flavour of the meat to shine through. Roy didn't want to leave out pescetarian Chelsea K, so he presented her with a plate of lightly seared tofu as well.

Next up was crispy tofu with sauteed kimchi and citrus aioli. This dish was the first of many highlights that night.


Seriously. I'm sure this dish will convert even the staunchest tofu hater. The crispy breading dressed with sweet citrus gave way to soft, pillowy tofu. I usually don't like the harsh flavours in kimchi, but here, the sauteed kimchi was mild and sweet.


Next, we were presented with a bowl full of mussels seasoned with serrano soy sauce, onions, ginger, sesame and white wine.


These mussels were so easy to eat, and we found ourselves picking at them one by one as we waited for our next dishes to arrive. The light seasoning highlighted the fresh flavour of the mussels, but the best part was when we got near the bottom of the bowl and were able to scoop up some of the boozy broth before nudging the mussels out of their shells.

The following dish was well worth the short wait. Dave grinned as he laid two plates of chicken wings in front of us, "We don't want people to confuse us with fine dining," he said.


We hungrily dug in to the wings, which were fancy in their own way - the gochujang wings were sweet and sticky, with a bit of heat, while the flour-battered salt & Szechuan peppercorn wings were crisp from the fryer, with just a hint of the floral aroma of the Szechuan peppercorn (and fortunately, none of the numbing "mala" sensation). I have totally cut back on my chicken wing consumption ever since I learned that a wing is about 100 calories, but I would gladly use up my daily calorie allotment on these ones!

Finally, it was time for the main course - Bo Ssam, or lettuce wraps.


Large wooden tubs filled with butter lettuce (perhaps Roy read my last blog post saying that romaine lettuce was too crispy?), perilla (better known as shiso in some circles) and Thai basil were brought to each end of the table, along with an assortment of condiments - sliced serrano pepper, fried garlic chips, kimchi, peppery sesame oil, ssamjang and hoisin sauce.

Of course, the star of the show was the meat - first was the Berkshire pork shoulder, which was marinated with traditional Korean seasonings and slow-roasted for 24 hours.


We didn't need any knives for this - as the pork was passed around the table, the meat slid off the bone easily with just a tug of the tongs. The meat was juicy and tender, and I snagged a piece of the crisp, fatty skin as well.

We also shared slices of marinated beef flatiron steak. Usually the restaurant serves up short ribs for the wraps, so Roy made sure to marinate the steak for a shorter amount of time so as not to lose the beef flavour. There was also a slab of grilled mackerel for pescetarian Chelsea.

These wraps were so good, and it was fun to get our hands in and make our own wraps with our favourite flavours and textures - the crisp lettuce, peppery shiso, sweet hoisin, crunchy garlic, spicy and sour kimchi, and of course, succulent meat... I couldn't tell you how many wraps I had!

Of course, this would not be anju if there wasn't any alcohol! Some ordered bottles of wine to share, while others tried their unique cocktails, like the Kimchi Caesar. Dan, of course, had his trusty Steamwhistle. B. and I tried to order a bottle of soju, but Dave only said, "Don't worry about it," and before long, pitchers of lychee-flavoured and yogurt-flavoured soju were brought to the table and passed around. I preferred the fresh and floral lychee-flavoured soju, which hardly tasted like alcohol. The yogurt-flavoured soju was a little stronger, but still sweet and easy to drink - I think everyone at the table was feeling a buzz by the end of the meal! (Everyone except B., who had to drive me home :P)

Somehow, after all that was left of the pork shoulder was bone and the wooden tub that was bursting with greens was bare, we had room for dessert.


There was no introduction for this dish of vanilla ice cream and berries, accompanied by a warm, crispy fried dumpling filled with... Asian pear, perhaps? (There is an Asian pear pie on the regular menu - perhaps this was the filling?) Dan could swear he could taste some star anise. No matter - someone at the table named this the Amazing Wonton of Goodness. (Although, I suppose, "Mandu" would be more culturally appropriate) A satisfying little treat to end the meal.

After the meal, Chef Roy came back up to some much-deserved, thunderous applause. He treated us to a round of a sweet, citrusy shot, and then we all slinked off into the night, our bellies filled with a delicious meal shared between old and new friends, amongst tons of fun and laughter. I won't be waiting another year and a half before I go back to Anju again.

Anju
507 10 St SW
Calgary AB T2P 5B8
(403) 532-9419
Restaurant open Mon-Sat 5-11 PM; Lounge open Wed-Sat 3-Late. Closed Sundays and holidays. Ample street parking (ParkPlus) available along 10 St and 5 Ave.

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