Canada – Page 14 – Elsie Hui

September 15, 2015

Smashburger: McKenzie Towne – Calgary, Alberta

We were in the middle of moving and we decided we needed to grab something filling, quick and close as we had a few things lined up that was time sensitive. We decided we would go and try Smashburger in McKenzie Towne and it was amazing! We went at an odd time, so there was plenty of parking on High Street, yet Smashburgers was still busy!

We grabbed a Strawberry Milkshake and they do it properly here! It was thick, flavourful and delicious!! They gave the milkshake to you in the classic tin cup and the glass milkshake glass! It was amazing and totally brought me back in the past with this!

We ordered a classic Smashburger and basically it’s an egg bun with American cheese, Smash Sauce, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles & onion! It was totally an awesome burger, simple yet delicious!

We made a combo/meal for this meal, and we had an order of Spicy Buffalo Fries, and these fries are so well seasoned, crispy and tender, it was quite a treat! These spicy buffalo fries actually tasted like buffalo season!

Overall, it was the perfect snack and an awesome filler! We really enjoyed everything here, and I am sure we will be back for every reason imaginable!

Smashburger – McKenzie Towne

25 High St SE
Calgary, AB
(587) 387-2740

September 15, 2015September 15, 2015

Thai Pagoda – Canmore, Alberta

I was wanting some Thai food, as we recently had some that was quite disappointing. We found Thai Pagoda which is in Canmore on the main avenue of Bow Valley Trail and it’s not a large place and there’s parking outside.

I knew I wanted their hot soup as it was a chilly day, so we order Tom Kha Noodle Soup which is their spicy coconut milk soup, basically like a Tom Yum with coconut milk. We ordered this soup with chicken and it hit the spot. The soup was quite tasty and there was a good amount of noodles too! The broth was really nicely made and the noodles were a little under cooked, but as it socked up the soup, it turned out to be really flavourful.

We also ordered one of my favourite Thai dishes, we got a plate of their Pad Sa Hew and it was pretty delicious here, and it’s quite a simple dish, but it was pretty good! The dish was fresh and it was good! I really love the soft noodles with the sweet soy sauce, and that’s why this item always makes it to the top of my favourite Thai dish list!

We ended with their Sticky Mango and it was amazing! The mango tasted amazing, the rice was nice, and it was just an awesome dessert! Definitely one of our favourite sticky mango dish!

Overall, the food here was amazing! I can’t wait to come back for more dessert! The food tastes quite authentic! We had an amazing experience here!

Thai Pagoda

1306 Bow Valley Trail,
Canmore, AB
(403) 609-8090

August 26, 2015

G-men Nan Chu – Richmond, British Columbia

I’m actually very confused about the name of this restaurant, but the name on the recipet says the restaurant is called Ramen Bar at NanChuu Japanese Izakaya, however it seems to be called G-men and you don’t see that name as the “dominate” name.

We were brought here by my sister-in-law and her husband, and this place was pretty decent! We started with some Gyozas which as usual, is my dish to order when I’m in the mood for appetizers at a Japanese restaurant. The skin here was really thin, and the filling was amazing! They pan-fried it to perfection!

The other appetizer we ordered was something I’ve never had before, and they call it Okonomiyaki which is Japanese Cabbage Pancake, which is shredded cabbage mixed into a batter and made into a “pancake”. The toppings here was pretty basic as I believe it was just bonito flakes! The dish was pretty amazing and it’s going to be something I’ll order more often!

For ramen, I ordered their Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen and this bowl of ramen is massive! It’s got lots of everything, so make sure you come with an empty belly!

We also ordered their Dan Dan Men which didn’t cross my mind as a japanese dish, as I’ve always associated as Chinese or Sichuan. But, regardless, we ordered a bowl, and it was full of flavour and spice! It was different from what I associate Dan Dan Mein to be, but it was a nice change from typical Ramen – although we were at a ramen place!

Overall, an amazing place! The place is pretty busy and pretty small, so be prepared to wait! But, it really helps build up your appetite as you wait so you can finish everything! Food is quite good, and the prices are very good too!

G-men @ Nan Chu

1160-8391 Alexandra Road
Richmond, BC
(604) 276-8391

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015

Great Bear Restaurant – Lake Louise, Alberta

This one afternoon, we ventured onto the Ski Lift for sightseeing purposes and on our way back down, we decided to stop into Great Bear which is on the upper floor of the Lake Louise Ski Resort. There’s lots of parking outside, but I can only imagine how busy they would be during prime ski season!

We really didn’t know what to order, so the first thing that we saw on the menu that was interesting was their Patroller’s Pie, which was ground beef with vegetables, topped with mashed potato. We upgraded the side salad to include a bison chilli, and this was the perfect meal for a cold winter day. The patrollers pie was quite delicious although it was a little dry. The chilli was really hearty and quite enjoyable!

We also ordered their Stuffed Baby Yorkies which is something my husband likes as he likes Yorkshire pudding. These were stuffed with shaved Beef with horseradish aioli & au jus on the side. These were little pillows of awesomeness! The Yorkshire puddies were crispy on the outside, light and fluffy inside, with tender beef and gravy! There’s nothing not good in this combination!

Overall, the views and atmosphere here was really amazing! The log cabin resort feel, with the ski hills right outside. It was a great time even though we weren’t into outdoor sports/activities.

Great Bear Restaurant

The Lake Louise Ski Resort
1 Whitehorn Road,
Lake Louise, Alberta
403-522-3555

August 11, 2015August 11, 2015

Pho Nam Vietnamese Cuisine – Calgary, Alberta

We were seeking for something on the lighter side for dinner when we drove by Pho Nam and it was located right off of Fairmont Drive. It is basically off the intersection of Fairmont Drive and Heritage Drive, with lots of parking.

Once we sat down, we decided to have an order of their Satay Beef Roll and it’s their salad rolls with satay beef instead of shrimp! The beef was actually really delicious, making the rolls incredibly tasting!

I wasn’t feeling the greatest and really wanted “chicken noodle soup” basically, so I got their Pho Ga and the soup was really good. It tastes like they spent a good amount on time on their soup base! The noodles were quite delicious and it’s a great texture!

My husband had their Satay Beef Noodle Soup as he was feeling the opposite of me and wanted something with lots of spice and flavours!! With the same great rice noodles, this soup was another amazing soup. It’s full of flavours, spice, and sauce! It’s quite amazing!

Overall, the place was quite a surprise. The food tasted better than expectations I have set while walking through the doors judging by nothing really! So, it was nice that we were pleasantly surprised.

Pho Nam Vietnamese Cuisine

8302 Fairmont Dr SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 255-6444