Dinner – Page 22 – Elsie Hui

October 2, 2014November 10, 2014

Giorgio’s Trattoria – Banff Alberta

I’ve been to Giorgio’s Trattoria in Banff before – a few years ago, but never for lunch. This time, we stopped in for a relaxing lunch and it was great! We got a table outside and it was a great way to spend the afternoon.

We started with an appetizer of Atlantic Mussels which was a big bowl of PEI mussels cooked in a tomato fennel sauce. The mussels were really plump and fresh, so they were really good. The sauce was tasty and not over powering and not water downed either. It was a great dish and set the bar for a really good lunch ahead!

I ordered their Canadian Pizza which I thought was an individual sized pizza. It turns out to be quite large so I ended bringing half of it home. The pizza crust was really good, and hand generous amount of toppings making the pizza quite delightful.

Then, it wouldn’t be an Italian place if we don’t eat pasta – especially they advertise themselves for homemade fresh pasta, so we ordered a bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese where we added meatballs to the meal. The pasta was delicious and the meatballs – tons of flavour. The sauce they used was a meat and tomato sauce which I thought was a little bit watery so it wasn’t as flavourful as it could be.

Overall, we still love this place. Even though so many years has passed, it still has great food, great service and a wonderful ambiance. It’s always worth the price tag for a treat so great!

Giorgio’s Trattoria

219 Banff Avenue
Banff, AB
(403) 762-5114

October 1, 2014

Sushi Bistro – Banff, Alberta

We accomplished a hike up Ha Ling Peak and decided we would reward ourselves with sushi. We got into Banff and stumbled into Sushi Bistro which is just off Banff Avenue – right near Brewster’s Mountain Lodge. We didn’t have to wait too long to get seated as it was tail end of the dinner rush when we arrived.

We sat down and ticked off all the good things we wanted to eat. We started with Deep Fried Chicken which came out in a little plate. The chicken was delicious and juicy and fried really nicely, not greasy.

Then, we got in a little bowl, which we thought was strange, our Salmon Sashimi, the fish was really fresh and the portions was quite generous, especially for the price ($6 for 5 pieces).

We had an assortment of sushi’s that we like so we ordered some Surf Clams, Inari and spicy tuna roll. All the sushi was delicious and fresh and tasted really good!

Our last item we ordered was on their menu under Ramen Noodle and it turned out to be a big bowl of ramen! It was delicious and it only cost $9.50 which is at par with all the other places or cheaper. The soup was really tasty and the ramen texture was nice.

Overall, the experience was amazing. Service was great, food was fabulous and the prices were very reasonable. It’s a nice quiet restaurant tucked off the busy street – but it doesn’t mean the place isn’t busy!

Sushi Bistro

208 Caribou St.
Banff, AB
(403) 762-4000

October 1, 2014

Sushi Sushi – Calgary, Alberta

We decided to meet up with some of our friends and they wanted to try Sushi Sushi in Ashton Square in the Northwest Calgary. It’s not a hard place to find as it’s just off Harvest Hills Blvd.

We started with Beef Tataki which was raw beef with a fancy ponzu sauce. It was pretty good here although sliced a little more thick than usual, and not as chilled, but it was decent!

Our first sushi plate came out which was Teriyaki Niku which was a giant roll with teriyaki beef, cream cheese and cucumbers.

Then, our plate of assorted sushi and sashimi came out which was really nicely displayed on their plate. We had salmon sashimi, smoked salmon sashimi, and surf clam sashimi. On the same plate was our California rolls and some spicy tuna rolls which they gave to us.

Finally, our last dish which had my favourite which was Inari (fried bean curd) sushi and the smoked salmon with cream cheese sushi. I did find there was a little too much cream cheese in the Smoked Sake with cheese roll (which is what they called it), it masked the smoked salmon taste which is a taste I love.

Overall experience was decent. It wasn’t the best sushi nor was it bad. The prices were average as was service. The hours, they are opened 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, although they are closed from 2pm to 4:30pm. It’s definitely quick and convenient!

Sushi Sushi

40 Country Hills Landing NW
Calgary, AB
(403) 457-3738

September 30, 2014

Fisherman Direct Seafood – Salmon Arm, BC

We were recently in BC to watch the Salmon Run around Salmon Arm, when we came across Fisherman Direct Seafood and decided to stop in as we saw some billboards for this place for fish and chips. We wanted to eat seafood so it seemed like the perfect match.

We started with their Calamari which was wonderful! It set the bar high for our expectations as it was lightly battered, tender and fresh. The calamari tasted great we barely touched their tartar sauce and we needed nothing.

I decided to go for their Halibut Burger and I got the seafood chowder as a side instead of more fried food. The halibut burger was so delicious, it was sweet, light, and perfectly fried. The burger didn’t have much besides lettuce and tartar sauce – and it was perfect. The seafood chowder was a bit salty but tons of flavour, tons of seafood and quite hearty.

My husband ordered a Once Piece Cod and Chips and you get 2 sides. He got yam fries and onion rings – mostly because those are my favourites. We really enjoyed the cod, again, it was quite light, portions were large, lightly battered – crispy outside and wonderful on the inside.

We really enjoyed our experience here. Everything seemed to be so fresh and made to order. We even bought some candied salmon on our way out and got a recipe card for their seafood chowder. I can’t wait to try it!

Fisherman Direct Seafood – Salmon Arm

2401 Trans Canada Hwy SW
Salmon Arm, BC
(250) 833-0950

September 30, 2014November 10, 2014

Moraine Lake Lodge – Moraine Lake, Alberta

I’ve been to Moraine Lake a few times and I’ve always wanted to go to the dining room here. Often when I go, the dining room is booked solid. This time, we went for a walk to Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass and then made a reservation for Moraine Lake Lodge – Dining Room. We got in for first seating on a Sunday – so there was room for us!

The dining room is quite small and intimate. It’s a lodge cabin decor and is warmed by a wood burning fireplace. It’s got lovely ambiance – warm and romantic!

We decided to skip on the appetizers this time and go for dessert as I always crave sweet food after a hike. So, my main entree was their Steelhead Trout which was cooked to perfection! The fish was fresh and delicious, with a beautiful crust outside and it sat in a little light broth. It was amazing!

My husband ordered Elk Tenderloin that was cooked with port wine with red cabbage. The tenderloin was tender and juicy with a nice sweetness from the port. It was absolutely delightful, and even the vegetables and potatoes tasted really good. We really enjoyed the sauce and wiped it all up with some bread at the end!

Now, it was finally dessert time. We ordered their Chocolate Torte which was a dark chocolate torte with an amazing sea salt caramel brittle. The dessert was amazing and it wasn’t a sweet dessert which we really appreciate. It’s sweet, but not over the top sweet which makes it truly enjoyable.

Overall, everything here was amazing. The price was a tad high, but the atmosphere, the service and the quality of food is what you’re paying for. This was a magnificent experience and would be perfect for any occasion!

Moraine Lake Lodge

Moraine Lake Rd
Lake Louise, AB
(877) 522-2777