CHAR|CUT, Calgary, AB

CHARCUT has been receiving a lot of publicity due to Chef De Sousa being on Top Chef Canada.  A lot of buzz in Calgary!  I want to give a good review as most reviews are quite positive for this place which would suggest it is top notch.  Well I was in for quite the experience.  Let's dive into this one and start with the food!

There were three of us and we shared the Pig Head Mortadella, Bone Marrow au Gratin and Kielbasa for starters.  I grew up with my mother using bone marrow in soups so I knew it would be flavourful.  There were escargot baked into the bone marrow and it did not disappoint.  As for the kielbasa and mortadella, both tasted fine but nothing that left me craving for more.

Main entrees consisted of the 6oz dry aged butcher steak and grilled fish.  Sides we shared were the duck fat fried poutine and grilled asparagus.  If there was one word to describe the steak, poutine and broccolini - salty!  I'm not sure if they were having an off night and someone was going happy on the salt or if it was normal.  All you could taste was salt and nothing else.  Which was too bad as the steak was tender, cooked perfectly but all you could taste was salt.  This was the same for the poutine and asparagus.  The grilled fish was definitely the better entree as it was not over salted.  It did not leave me wanting for more and it was likely due to the salty sides and steak.  My dining partners did not want to 'complain' about it, otherwise I would of turned back all the sides and their steak without any question.

We figured that we mine as well go through the rest of the menu and onto dessert.  The good news - dessert was the best part.  The two we went with was the creme brulee and preserved apricot in the jar.  Creme brulee was simple and served with two warm chocolate chip cookies that really added to the whole experience.  Again, simple but really good.   Preserved apricot in the jar was layered with cheesecake and graham crackers.  Definitely creative and not something you normally see.  The textures, sweet to tart flavours all served in a cute little jar made for a solid dessert.

So that was the good.  Unfortunately for us the bad did not end here.  Later on that evening all three of us were sick to our stomachs.  This continued throughout the evening and into the early morning.  I felt horrible the next day.  I thought it would only be right to report this to CHARCUT incase others reported this as well and also anyone who has a weakened immune system could result in much worse.  The owner contacted me promptly and took the matter seriously.  Obviously it was a food borne illness from something the three of us shared.  I will say from my conversation with the owner they certainly have high standards as far as food safety and follow-up procedures.

Again, I want to say great things about CHARCUT, but my experience both during and after leaves me with little to praise about.  Is it just me or has someone else experienced similar food quality?

Jelly Modern Doughnuts - Calgary, AB

Well... a review on doughnuts!  On my visit in Calgary I had to visit this hot spot that has created some local buzz in the sweet tooth arena.  Greeted by a clean, modern, open space and of course the case that contains a well organized display of doughnuts.  I had to have them all!  For $24.95 you could have a dozen which would cover it all - let the games begin!

This was Sunday's spread, consisting of everything from maple bacon, marshmellow to the classic jelly.  With only so much real estate in the stomach, between 3 of us, we had to strategically do a tasting to get a good feel for Jelly Modern Doughnuts.  

Carrot Cake Doughnut

The first bite was into the classic jelly.  My first thought was fresh.  It certainly didn't disappoint, but it didn't sent me to another stratosphere.  I continued my journey through a few more different doughnuts including the espresso, lemon curd and carrot cake.  I made a conclusion that everything was good, fresh and unique in it's own way.

Is it worth $24.95 a dozen? Maybe. They claim to use local ingredients, organic and all that good stuff. It's a refreshing change to the cupcake scene I suppose and definitely has the fun factor. I really like the concept and the branding they have done.  My one negative is the coffee. I was really hoping for a nice americano to balance it all out, but it was mediocre. Lacking crema and served in a small paper cup. Nonetheless,  a good Sunday afternoon experience that did leave me scraping off some chocolate! 

Saskatoon Berry Barn

A rainy gloomy Sunday in the city called for the first trip out to the Saskatoon Berry Barn.  The Berry Barn as we know it has become a popular tourist spot and a regular visit for a lot of locals.  Located 10 minutes outside the city and situated along the river banks of the Saskatchewan River, it is easy to understand why it is a popular escape.

Upon walking into the barn you are greeted with a very well stocked gift shop full of local Saskatoon berry products and souvenirs.  If that wasn't enough, there is a greenhouse and berry patch that you can dive into after your meal inside the barn.  So let's focus in on the food!

I had the 'Berry Barn Burner' that included borscht, perogies, farmer sausage, vegetables and dessert.  The borscht was confusing as it wasn't what I expected.  It was tomato based with carrots, cabbage and a lot of dill.  Definitely too sweet for my liking, but I have had the borscht with beets in the past that was a lot better.

Next was the main course that came with farmer sausage, cottage cheese perogies, and vegetables.  Farmer sausage is one of my favourites and it didn't disappoint.  Lean and flavourful as expected.  The perogies on the other hand were cooked from frozen, resulting in more moisture inside than cottage cheese as it was disintegrating.  It came with a sauce that was too rich when combined with the perogies.  Vegetables of the day were asparagus - blanched and that was it.  All in all, wasn't the greatest meal, but I do know the greatest part of the Berry Barn is the pie!

Save the best for last.  The pie never disappoints as it is the best seller at the Berry Barn.  It comes in a Splenda version which is great for those who are diabetic or just don't want the sugar!  I had the Splenda version which has a crust on top.  The regular version does not, but both are equally good.  I have yet to have a Saskatoon berry pie better than what they do here.  It certainly will not disappoint and something that you can count on.

It's a unique part of Saskatoon and a must for tourists.  For the locals, it's a great escape from the city on a Sunday to enjoy the peaceful view and pie!!

Fortune House - Saskatoon, SK

Dim sum has become quite popular in our little city of Saskatoon.  Until now, there has really been only 1 place to go for dim sum that is good, fresh and authentic - Yip Hong.  Now there appears to be some legitimate competition located on Avenue C.   This location as most will remember was for the longest time Saskatoon Garden and now recently made numerous ownership changes to finally end up with Fortune House!  Owned and operated by a small army originating from Toronto. By army I mean a group of Chinese people.


Let's talk dim sum!  I have been here numerous times now since the new ownership and it's good enough to keep me coming back.  On this weekend visit we had Leen Yong Bao (lotus paste steamed buns), Preserved Duck Egg & Pork Congee, Chicken Feet, Steamed Beef Balls and a BBQ rice plate (which doesn't count as dim sum!

The buns came out steaming hot as it should be. The lotus paste was very sweet.  If you have the need for a sweet bun this is your best bet.  They do have chicken, bbq pork and custard steamed buns as well.

Congee exceeded my expectations as it was slow cooked which made for a nice slightly thicker and flavorful congee.  Unlike the main competition in Saskatoon, the ingredients were fresh.  I can't tell you what a relief it is to have fresh pork in your congee versus the multi-day old pork that the other places use.

Chicken feet, everyone's favourite right?  Maybe not, but it is a staple item when it comes to dim sum.   It's also a good indicator of how skilled the dim sum chefs are.  The flavour is sweeter and also spicier than normal.  That said, the chicken feet itself were cooked to perfection with the skin practically falling off the bones!

I want to make a mention about the BBQ variety they have going on at Fortune House. No where in Saskatoon can you get anything remotely close to this.  Duck, chicken, roasted pork, bbq pork & ribs all hanging in their cabinet made fresh daily.  I have had all except the ribs, and I will say the chicken, bbq pork and duck are all good.  It may not be at the same level or consistency of Calgary, Vancouver or Toronto but I still love it! Definitely worth while having it in on rice or in a soup noodle.

Hopefully this place stays open for awhile as it is tasty alternative for Chinese food in Saskatoon!

  

Qing Hua Dumpling - Montreal, Quebec

Montreal for Chinese dumplings?? Yes!  I was a bit surprised to see the top 3 restaurants on Urbanspoon for downtown to be Japanese, Chinese, then Japanese.   That said, I was dying to check out Qing Hua Dumpling for some authentic dumplings that would taste like "Siu Long Bao" - traditional dumplings from Eastern China.   

I was at a conference with limited time between sessions.  My first window of opportunity was shortly after lunch for a few hours.  I thought, what better way to experience Montreal then to eat some Chinese dumplings - nothing like local cuisine? 

I made my way on foot from the Delta Centre-ville to Lincoln Avenue through pouring rain.  I was on a mission!  After 25 minutes of walking I was completely drenched and had over- walked the address.  I turned back around to see that it was a tiny location sunk down below ground level.  You can see the not so amazing advertising on the window for ATM Cash and their dumpling logo.  By this time it was after 3p.m. and I was seated right away as there was only 2 other tables.  The decor was modern and as comfortable one would expect for a dumpling house.  The server wasn't pleasant or unpleasant but she got the job done.  

Now the food! After reviewing what seemed to be a hundred different combinations of ingredients for the "Soup Filled" dumpling I ordered (2) kinds steamed for a total of 15 pieces.  I ordered a pork & squid + pork, egg, zuchinni variety.  The dumplings came after 15 minutes and at first it didn't appear to be anything special. 

In fact, they looked extremely ordinary, but I was so very excited to anticipate the first bite.  My excitement led to making the rookie mistake.  I gave one solid bite into the dumpling and the explosion of the broth inside landed in a nice puddle - short of my pants.  I was surprised but shouldn't have been because that is what these dumplings are all about.  I recommend eating these in two different ways. First way is to bite a corner and suck the juices out first OR put the whole thing in your mouth and bite.  Remember to close your mouth or you will experience what you see on the right!


After 13 dumplings I ran out of room!  The experience was so fulfilling and easily better than any Siu Long Bao I have had in Hong Kong.  This place is the real deal.  It's authentic, the people are authentic, and they are skilled at making these soup filled dumplings!  Next time you are in Montreal, plan a trip to Qing Hua Dumpling - you won't regret it.