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

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

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

Rockin Robyns Diner – Edmonton, Alberta

I love diners and when I saw there was a 50’s inspired diner not far from me in Edmonton, Alberta I knew I had to keep this on my radar and make it there the first opportunity we had. A few weeks ago our friends that we travel with said they’d love to do a day-trip roadtrip with us and I asked them if Rockin Robyns Diner would be something they’re interested in and they were just as excited as I was! We got here and the place was still busy as it should be just after their lunch rush, and we waited about 20-25 minutes for the table. Not too bad as we can keep ourselves entertained!

I knew I had to eat a burger, and I burger I got! I tried their Great Canadian Burger which came out the size of my head! The patty was thick and juicy and very well seasoned! It was as though we were eating a mini-meatloaf in a burger. My burger was topped with back bacon, cheddar, cheese curds and baconnaise! It wasn’t as messy as you’d think it would be but it was massive and delicious! Our friends also devoured some sort of burgers as well.

We had also ordered some old style Strawberry Milkshakes because for my history and growning up adventures, I always had a strawberry milkshake. I think everyone just enjoys one with me as that’s our thing to do now. The milkshake was very delicious, still a thick and rich one but not as thick as I would have expected. The strawberry flavour was awesome and of course it was very pretty!

The only oddball order at our table was the Chicken and Waffles and I must say that was really good! The chicken was crispy on the outside and very tender and juicy on the inside. The sauce they used was perfect with an amazing waffle to accompany the chicken!

Overall, it was a fantastic stop to Rockin Robyn’s and we had a lot of fun there! The food was amzing, the portions sizes were huge, and the service was top-notch! We really wanted a piece of pie, even if it was one slice for all 4 of us to share.. however we were already rolling around as we were stuffed. We said next time, we’ll come back just for pie and coffee!

(picture from AY)

Rockin Robyn’s Diner

16604 109 Ave NW,
Edmonton, AB
780-756-5656

Sweet Capone’s – Red Deer, Alberta

I’ve been eyeing a small little cafe called Sweet Capones in Red Deer, Alberta. When I found the perfect time to drag my girlfriend there to eat cannoli, I did! We found this little store front off a main road but through industrial access roads. There’s at least lots of parking and the place is adorable!

It’s during this COVID time where we never know if these plans will fall through but luckily they allowed for seating indoors. The place was tastefully decorated and it warmed up the entire place. I can’t wait to see how they decorate the place through the seasons of the year!

I actually watched their social media posts and when they announced they had their Pumpkin Spiced Cannoli, it was really the main catch of us planning a date to make this visit happen!! So, here it is, I ordered their beautiful cannoli, with a delicate crispy shell filled with light pumpkin spiced cream. What a perfect treat! I had their cinnamon french toast latte as well to warm me up as it’s getting cold in these shoulder seasons. The latte was very comforting!

We had 3 of us on this trip, and I just want to show a picture of our three cannoli’s that we enjoyed in the cafe. We had their Vanilla cannoli and their salted caramel cannoli which all of them were delicate and quite perfect.

We didn’t mind a heavier price tag as these were absolutely specialty items that are hard to get. Especially for the size of them and the taste and texture. We brought some extra ones home and ended filling the table with awesome treats that I would recommend anyone to make this stop!

Sweet Capones Cannoli

6206 67 St #2
Red Deer, AB
403-986-1501