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M Palace – Calgary, Alberta

I like that there’s now more dim sum options in the South as we found M Palace on Macleod Trail while going for a random car ride. The place was quite busy when we got there, but we didn’t need a lot of space so they had a table for us.

We ordered some random things that are our typical standard dim sum for us to compare and contrast. I knew I wanted Beef tripe as it’s often one of my favourites because it’s something I wouldn’t make! It’s got great flavour here, but it was a bit chewy. Just a bit more time in the steamer would’ve made it amazing!

I know a lot of my co-workers think I’m absolutely disguising as I like eating Chicken Feet and they keep reminding me what chickens step in. Guess what, I don’t care! I actually like eating this so I will continue! I only live once, and I’ll fill my belly with what I want. This was pretty good here and I think I’ll take an order back to the office next time!

A dish that is so simple that I enjoy would be Rice Crepes and it’s something I’ve tried to recreate at home. It’s so different homemade, but not really worth all that effort. It’s fine getting it fresh from elsewhere like the restaurant! It was smooth and thin here and that’s almost the only requirement! Simple and perfect.

Something I make every year near Chinese New Years would be Shanghai steam buns and it’s a pork dumpling with actual soup in it made with bone marrow. It’s time consuming but I like that ones I make as it’s actual soup and not full of oil. It’s not bad here, but it’s a lot of hot dripping oil that leaks from the dumplings here.

The last thing we ordered is definitely something I make a lot during the winter months, also hugging Chinese New Years as it’s got great symbolism and tastes great. I love trying everyone’s own recipes and it’s not something we can compare, no matter how much you eat of it. Pretty darn good here!

Overall, it’s a decent place! Not bad for dim sum without going to Chinatown or up North. It’s a great place to go if you’re looking for a quick fix for dim sum!

M Palace

10400 Macleod Trail SE,
Calgary, Alberta
(587) 333-3088

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Heartland Cafe – Okotoks, Alberta

I’ve been eyeing going to Heartland Cafe for a very long time. There has been previous occasions where I’ve been there and no one seated us so we walked away. Finally, we went there one afternoon and there was actually some service!

It took awhile before the waitress came give us our menus let alone take our order. So, be prepared to spend an afternoon here if you’re going for lunch, but the food is worth it! I already went there with the anticipation it’ll take a long time from previous times so I started with a drink. I did order their Flat Iron Steak Sandwich with their soup of the day and it was something worth the wait!

We also had a their Ahi Tuna Tacos but we ate it like a lunch and it was really fresh and light. It was mouth watering and tasty.

The environment was great as we sat outside on their patio. It was fun to watch the people go by and I guess it was a car show that weekend so we got to watch unique cars go by. The food was amazing and worth every second!

Heartland Cafe

46 McRae St,
Okotoks, Alberta
(403) 995-4623

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Eclair De Lune, Calgary, Alberta

We had a fun little stop before heading out to the mountains and went to a “bakery” was the request. We ended up at Eclair De Lune at their new location off of 32 Ave NE.

The staff here are so passionate about their creations and their customers are excited as they’re purchasing their treats. Randomly other customers started chit-chatting with me about how much they bought and how it’ll all be gone within a day. I’m just sitting there enjoying my own treat, the Cinnamon Raisin Croissant but I guess I must’ve been smiling at them as everyone seemed to smile back at me. The croissant was so light and crispy and just the perfect amount of sweetness. The raisins were actually plump and delicious.

We also ordered their Pear Maple Danish which was a delicate dessert that wasn’t sweet or messy. The walnut on top was amazing, the pastry cream was smooth and light, and the pear was still tender yet had a crisp. This is something you’ll need to try and I know I’ll be back. Maybe I’ll get my birthday cake from here next year!

We had so much fun here and like I said all the other customers did as well. It’s a place I can see us returning to for a long time!

Eclair De Lune

4127 6 St NE,
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 398-8803

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Indian Flavors – Calgary, Alberta

There seems to be a good handful of change around the area lately, and most recently I found Indian Flavors where Ricky’s used to be on 130th Ave SE. We entered this restaurant on a chilly afternoon when I wasn’t feeling the best and just wanted something to warm me up.

Unable to decided what I really wanted, I just opted for their buffet as it was there and the other table didn’t look disappointed as they were having a great time! What was neat was they had lamb option and fish in their buffet which isn’t something I normally see.

I just had a plate of sampler basically of the things I wanted to try with some rice. The food smelled amazing, but it was definitely much milder than I’d like to satisfy the general crowd. It was strange as there was spice, but it just seemed a bit watered down for me.

What I truly appreciated was them bringing a basket of fresh naan instead of just picking some out of the buffet area. It was delicious fresh and I was really glad they did that special touch!

Just as I was about to leave, the staff told me to go have some dessert. You tell me there’s dessert and tell me to have some, it’s a done deal! So, I tried both their mango mousse which was awesome with a bit of sour from lemons! It was a fresh an amazing twist on the normal light mousse!

It was a decent buffet, the service was fantastic and there was definitely parking! The buffet was just under $17 an adult and with the selection, it was pretty good!

Indian Flavors

4307 130 Ave SE #207
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 460-9700

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Broken Plate – Calgary, Alberta

It was a special day, and we chose to celebrate it at Broken Plate on Macleod Trail. We lucked out with the table without reservations as the place filled up quickly on a Friday night.

We sat down and the service was amazing and prompt! We ordered our drinks and appetizers and they came out relatively quick. We decided to start with their Prawns Santorini which was like a soup with bread and prawns. I wasn’t sure how to eat it, but I ate all the bread and prawns. It was amazing! The prawns were large, fresh and delicious. The soup was not a soup but a sauce, but we ate it like a soup. It was roasted red pepper sauce and that was full of flavour on it’s own.

I ordered their daily special which was the Steelhead Trout which was as perfectly cooked piece of fish on the grill, over a bed of risotto with seasonal vegetables. The trout was topped with a citrus and blueberry sauce which was absolutely divine! The sweetness of the blueberry with the tartness of the citrus on the fish was a unique and delicious combination.

Lamb seems to be a thing for Greek cuisine, so we also ordered their Leg of Lamb roast which was a hearty main dish, but it wasn’t too rich or heavy. The chunks of lamb was tender and flavourful, great lamb flavour on it’s own as well. Mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables accompanied this perfectly cooked lamb.

Overall, the experience here was perfect. We didn’t even let them know it was for any occasion and everything was amazing on it’s own. I would definitely recommend Broken Plate for any night, but a comfortable and semi-casual place.

Broken Plate

10816 Macleod Trail SE
Calgary, Alberta
403-225-9650