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1888 Chop House – Banff, Alberta

We delayed our anniversary a bit while we waited for COVID to settle down and when it did, we made it into 1888 Chop House inside the Fairmont Banff Springs for a dessert. We actually stayed at the hotel for this special occasion and even though everything was perfect and professional, I realized that staying home was where I wanted to be. We came downstairs from our room, masks and all and they seated us quickly by the giant fireplace. It was really lovely!! We ordered our fancy drinks and then ordered some late night desserts.

I knew once I sat down that I wanted to enjoy their Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake which was beautifully presented! The cheesecake was coconut which I loved, light and creamy but not heavy. The crust was an oreo crumb and it was the perfect vehicle as it added the texture of crunch!

Just for something different, we ordered the Baked Alaska which was awesome as there was that table-side interaction where they still did the flambe and it looked amazing! I know it doesn’t look great in the picture, but it had amazing ice cream and berry compote. When it’s simple, it has to be perfect and it was! I actually think they called it Baked Alberta, but I don’t have record of it so who knows!!

From our drinks and dessert experience here, I know we’ll have to book in for an actual meal! Hopefully in the near future as I would love to experience this chophouse and honestly it’s always our gift to each other, the Fairmont experience!

1888 Chop House

405 Spray Ave,
Banff, AB

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Graze Food and Drink – Canmore, Alberta

Breakfast is the most important part of my day. I can’t do anything without breakfast and we stumbled into Graze Food & Drink as we watched a bunch of people leaving this restaurant super happy so we walked in and waited for the next table! The wait wasn’t bad as it was relatively consistent of people coming in and customers leaving. They did an amazing job staggering the kitchen with the customers!

Once I sat down, I ordered a normal coffee. It was one of those mornings where you really don’t want to deal with me until I have that boost of energy. I ordered their Braised Beef Brisket Benny and this was absolutely amazing! They had a few slices of thick brisket that was so tender and amazing. Stack that on top of my favourite go-to breakfast meal and I was so happy! This dish definitely doesn’t disappoint!

Then we couldn’t go without trying their Poutine and we settled for their Canadian Eh! poutine which was huge and hearty! In a large bowl put pieces of seasoned potatoes in with bacon and sausages, then put cheese curds on and cover it with their hollandaise sauce. It was divine! To top that off, they added a fried egg and it was rich, creamy, flavourful and just amazing! I’m not sure if it’s for everyone as it really left you feeling stuffed but an amazing way to start your day!

This place was spectacular! The food just makes you smile and it truly tastes as great as it looked. There’s nothing negative I can think of as everything added up made it a special time!

Graze Food & Drink

102-717 8 St,
Canmore, AB
403-675-5550

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1890 Smokehouse – Canmore, Alberta

We went for an afternoon stroll through the quiet town of Canmore and got hungry near the end of our walk. 1890 Smokehouse in the Canmore Hotel was right in our face and they’ve taken huge precautions with COVID so we entered and got seated. The space was big and the tables were really spaced out making it really easy to social distant.

I sometimes hit a wall and get really sick for no reason. It happened while I was here and it was kind of funny as the lunch took so long to come out that I didn’t miss anything besides time while I was by myself recovering. I ordered myself Pulled Pork Sandwich and wanted to compare it with mine! It was very tender and flavourful, the bun they used was perfect and was called schiacciata bun. It was soft but it held up to the handfuls of pulled pork inside it. It was fantastic! Because I wasn’t well, I actually brought the other half home and it still held up and was very tasty afterwards.

We also ordered a Brisket by the pound and that was fun! The smoked meat on a tray with coleslaw was perfect! It was tender and juicy as well, with the perfect amount of sauce where it doesn’t cover the taste but keeps it fresh!

Overall this was a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat! The prices were very reasonable for the portions and quality! The service was great and they were friendly and knowledgeable!

1890 Smokehoue

738 8 St,
Canmore, AB
403-675-0462

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Chef’s Studio Japan – Canmore, Alberta

We’ve tried to eat here at Chef’s Studio a few times over a few years and we finally made it to Canmore for a meal during it’s hours! It’s a little space but it’s right by the public parking lot which is useful for them!

We started with their Tuna Sushi – Tekka Maki as I never turn down sushi from a Japanese place even though my main craving was a nice hot bowl of ramen soup. The sushi was quite standard so that’s a good thing!! It’s a basic sushi!

I get laughed at for the amount of kimchi I eat and how I like it so much. So, I decided to order their Kimchi Ramen and I must say it would’ve been nice to have more kimchi. It does get lost in the soup so I’m not sure how you’re supposed to enjoy it. The actual bowl of ramen was really good and the price is very comparable with others.

The other bowl of ramen ordered was the Shoyu Ramen which was actually on special and it was pretty good. They keep their basic stuff basic so it doesn’t ruin a good and simple dish.

Overall it’s a nice place to enjoy a bowl of ramen. It takes awhile but when in the mountain cities, it’s always nice to slow the pace down and it helps here. We did enjoy our experience here and got to go for a nice walk along downtown Canmore afterwards to help us digest

Chef’s Studio Japan

108-709 Main (8th) Street,
Canmore, Alberta
403-609-8383

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Pho 26 – Calgary, Alberta

After a road trip, we came back to the city and stopped at Pho 26 as my girlfriend I was with recommended it. It’s in a small strip plaza and the place looks like it used to be an Italian restaurant or something. The space inside is huge and there was plenty of space even with Covid!

I often do an order of Spring Rolls no matter where I go unless I’m not wanting the grease. This day after a road trip, I wanted it with my hot tea and I’m sure glad I did. Although they didn’t look like much or anything special, it was one of the spring rolls that is packed with flavours. It was really good and the skin was thin and crispy!

I ordered a nice warm bowl of Satay Beef Noodle Soup and it wasn’t the peanut satay. It had a kick to it but it wasn’t overwhelming. The portion size was quite large as I barely finished it – but I do eat a tad less after a day sitting in the car. They had a generous portion of beef as well where I didn’t feel like it just wasn’t enough, or it wasn’t fair.

So, overall, it was an enjoyable time and I’m glad my girlfriend told us to go here! It was good and they didn’t judge me for taking soup home. I seriously just asked for a container for just the soup.

Pho 26 Calgary

4019 17 Ave SE,
Calgary, AB
403-457-2636