Food – Page 48 – Elsie Hui

July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Saigon Maxim Vietnamese Cuisine – Calgary, AB

I was actually boycotting the Vietnamese restaurant that we’ve been going to for awhile… we stumbled into Saigon Maxim as an alternative, and we’re glad we did! The food was amazing! With tons of parking, good food, and other amenities – it’s an ideal place to eat!

We started with some Chicken Wings as I’m normally in search for wings on Wednesday. The wings were fried really well here, even though there wasn’t a lot but it was good quality! The wings were a little small as well, but the skin was really crispy!

I ordered rice vermicelli with lemon grass beef, chicken & prawn. It was a large bowl of vermicelli with tons of meat. I’m always nervous about ordering shrimp or prawns or seafood in general at a restaurant I’m not familiar with. The prawns were decent here and the chicken and beef was really good.

Rare beef Noodle Soup and it was exceptional! It really was as flavourful and delicious as it looks! The beef was tender and actually juicy, and there was a lot of them too!

Overall, we loved our experience here. It was close to home and it tastes really good. We’ve been back numerous times already since we’ve experienced it! I recommend this location for Vietnamese food!

Saigon Maxim Vietnamese Cuisine

8338 18 Street Southeast
Calgary, AB
(587) 353-0033

July 9, 2014

Club House Family Restaurant & Lounge – Calgary, AB

We met up with a friend for Korean food one evening and we ended up at Club House Family Restaurant which was attached to their lounge. The space was big and there was plenty of parking. The interior of the restaurant was spacious and clean. The workers are actually Korean, so I applaud them for making the food they’re best at!

Right after we ordered, we got our kimchi selection which was unlimited. The servers do come by and ask if you want more, so that’s very nice!

We started with some soup and so we ordered Kal Bi Tang made with a beef broth with beef rib broth and noodles. The soup was so flavourful and the beef rib was tender.

Then, we ordered some Korean BBQ, and choose to have their Bul Go Ki which was marinated beef with gogung special sauce and they bbq’ed it! It was absolutely delicious, tons of flavour and it was tender and perfect with rice.

Lastly, we ordered a dish that I loved the most in the evening. I ordered the Jap Chae which was clear noodle mixed with beef and vegetables. I love noodles and I especially love clear noodles or glass noodles. The taste was just amazing and I could order a order any time and eat it up.

Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here. It wasn’t very busy that night but it was quite late when we got there. The food was tasted absolutely amazing. The prices were a little high, and service was minimal, but the food tasted amazing, and that’s all I’m worried about!

Club House Family Restaurant & Lounge

5012 16 Ave NW
Calgary, AB
(403) 288-5656

July 9, 2014

1886 Buffalo Cafe – Calgary, AB

I wanted to go somewhere special for breakfast this one morning and my husbands coworker really enjoys 1886 Buffalo Cafe and so we decided to give it a try. Located right at Eau Claire, its a neat vintage looking place!

The interior also is still antique looking and the space is just fun! There’s subtle things around the restaurant that makes you feel like you’ve been transported back into time.

I ordered the Ed’s Benedict which has 2 eggs that I enjoy soft, with tomatoes and cheese with toast and hashbrowns. This meal is very hearty and delicious and you can taste that it’s home made and made with love!

My husband ordered his Steak & Eggs which has always been something he truly loves. It was honestly an awesome breakfast and with large portions, it is very filling. The steak was grilled to perfection, and it was soft and tender.

Honestly, we really enjoyed this place. The atmosphere was cute and the food was soo good. The prices were a bit high, but due to the location, and the quality of food, it was justifiable! The restaurant is small, and very popular, so chances are, you’ll have to wait for a table and service!

1886 Buffalo Cafe

187 Barclay Pard SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 269-9255

July 9, 2014July 9, 2014

Shanghai Classic Restaurant Ltd – Calgary, AB

While I was making some dumplings at home, I really wanted to eat some Chinese food for lunch. We did some searching and found Shanghai Classic Restaurant which we were confused as it’s name says it’s both Shanghai and Peking style Chinese food. It didn’t matter though, we still went in for food!

We went at an off lunch (late) time, and we were surprised with the amount of customers they had inside! It was very exciting that they were pretty much packed!

We sat down and ordered all the things I love. We started with Pan fried dumplings which was really nicely done. The flavours weren’t the best, but we have had worse! So, we were still really happy. The skin was a bit thick but the filling was really good.

Then, we had an order of Shanghai Noodles which has been one of my favourites for a long time, and I still liked it here. It was too greasy for my liking, but it was well flavoured and tasted good regardless. At the end, we just picked out the noodles, pork and mushrooms, and left the grease with everything else.

Finally, I like anything with condensed sweetened milk, and I ordered some Steamed Mantou with the condensed milk. My favourite is when we fry it, but it was a greasy enough meal. The bun was supposed to be a “silver thread bun”, but as you can see, it didn’t have too much “thread”, so I’m calling it a mantou. They were quite stingy on the condensed milk too, which was disappointing as that’s usually my highlight!

Overall, it was a decent meal. We enjoyed it, we were happy and full. However, it isn’t worth my trip there as it is at the other side of the city.

Shanghai Classic Restaurant Ltd

8282 Centre St N
Calgary, AB
(403) 295-1323

July 9, 2014

Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe – Calgary, AB

I really enjoy simple Hong Kong style breakfasts and lunches and Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe is in the old location of Happy Valley Restaurant, which is on the top floor of this building.

They have newly renovated the place so it looks simple, masculine and clean actually! It’s very comfortable and you still get the Hong Kong style ambiance.

This visit, we went quite late for breakfast and yet too early for lunch… so we just ordered whatever we felt like. I ordered one of my favorites which is with preserved vegetables (zha choy) with pork in rice vermicelli! I have always loved this dish and I ordered it – and loved it!

My husband ordered what he loves most – which was stuff from the BBQ, where he picked roasted duck with roasted pork belly over rice. It’s normally called a 2-item combo from here. The BBQ wasn’t the best but its’ always a delicious treat to have anything from the Chinese BBQ! Overall, he inahaled his dish as I inhaled my bowl. We loved it!

We have actually been back a few times since this place opened. The food is decent and the prices are really good. It’s a Chinese place, so we got the Chinese service! It was a good time!

Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe

100D 3 Ave SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 237-7321