Travel – Page 34 – Elsie Hui

December 7, 2014

Applebee’s – Calgary, Alberta

I actually use to go to Applebee’s in Harvest Hills a lot in the past. We decided to go back, but this time for lunch. We use to go with some friends for dinner all the time, and figured we’d go back. It’s not a bad place and now they have 2 Can Dine for $30 special – that’s what we went for!

This special comes with an appetizer where we ordered the Chicken Wonton Tacos which was wonton skins deep fried to make a taco shell, stuffed with seasoned chicken and topped with an Asian Slaw. It was a neat take on a taco and at first bite, it seemed a little flavourless, but when you ate the entire thing together, it was really tasty as the chicken was really well seasoned.

The first entree we ordered with this special was their Classic Meat Lasagna which was like your typical lasagna with pasta sheets and meat sauce, topped with mozzarella and ricotta and marinara sauce and baked till golden and delicious.

The last entree we got was the Fiesta Lime Chicken which was grilled chicken with rice and tortilla strips. The chicken was a large piece of chicken breast with a ranch sauce and cheese. There was salsa on the side and thankfully they put it in a separate dish as it was really watery.

Overall, it as a pleasant experience here and the special made it a really good deal. Service was a little slow, but the food was hot, fresh and delicious. We didn’t have much complaints at all, so it was good in general.

Applebee’s

707 388 Country Hills Blvd
Calgary, AB
(403) 226-6160

December 7, 2014December 7, 2014

ABC Country Restaurant – Calgary, Alberta

I’ve been to ABC Country a few times now and I really enjoy their breakfasts! The staff is always friendly and quick, and the food is always excellent. The portions are quite large and everything tastes really fresh! The location is easy to find with plenty of parking – which makes it ideal any time of day!

On this visit, I decided to try their Western Omelette and it was really delicious. The egg on the omelette was made really nicely, and it looks so perfect. The omelette was stuffed full with ham, mushrooms and cheese! It was a delicious masterpiece!

My husband ordered their Steam & Eggs and he kept the order at 5oz sirloin and added a side of sausage. The steak was cooked well, although the shape of the steak was really uneven, causing the doneness to be uneven. The edges were really thin while the centre was thick. The steak was tender and juicy – so at least that! The sausages were pretty good as well! I was raving about their farmers sausage and forgot to ask for that – but their regular sausages was quite delightful!

Overall, we had a great breakfast here and I’m sure I will be back! It’s a nice cozy place with large portions of delicious food and friendly staff.

ABC Country Restaurant

11520 24 St SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 720-6600

December 7, 2014

Magpie & Stump Restaurant – Banff, Alberta

We’ve been heading to Banff a lot more recently to get away from the city and this time we went to enjoy the Banff Santa Claus Parade of Lights. We stopped for dinner before the parade and went to Magpie & Stump where we enjoyed a fantastic dinner! Once inside, the place was already packed, and tons of tables were trying to get in-and-out before the start of the parade. We didn’t care if we missed it, but we were advised their kitchen was a little backed up from the amount of customers.

I felt like a sugary drink, without the alcohol so I got a Virgin Pina Colada which is one of my favourite drinks! It wasn’t the best one here, as it was fully of ice and watered down even at the start – so by the end, it was really quite flavourless.

We ordered their Spicy Shrimp Tostadas which was basically a large salad in between to large crispy corn tortillas, topped with a bed of pulled pork and spicy prawn. Then, it was topped with some delicious bbq sauce and lime crema. It was a large dish and very refreshing.

We also ordered their El Pollo Piquante Fajitas which was spicy grilled chicken with tomatoes, peppers, onions, queso and salsa on the side for you to build on flour tortillas. It was a fun, interactive dish which was delicious and quite spicy!

Overall, we loved this place, the service was quite good even when they’re so busy. The food was fresh and delicious and the location is really good as they’re right next to public parking. The food came out fast enough that we were able to eat, pay and get outside in time for the parade even though they warned us they’re backed up! So, they did an amazing job!

Magpie & Stump

203 Caribou Street
Banff, AB
(403) 762-4067

December 4, 2014December 5, 2014

Elk & Oarsman Pub & Grill – Banff, Alberta

Every once in awhile we like to go into a local pub or bar for lunch. This time while traveling through Banff, we went and sat on the patio of Elk & Oarsman which was really nice. Although I don’t have a picture of the place, the view was phenomenon!

We sat down on this bring afternoon where I ordered myself a Virgin Caesar as it’s become a drink I love, especially if it’s spicy. It’s definitely spicy here with tons of flavour!

I ordered their Elk Poutine which was thick cut french fries with gravy, braised elk and cheese curds. A delicious combination of things I love! It was the perfect combination for this particular lunch! There was actually a lot of french fries in this order and we didn’t actually finish the entire plate – we did eat up all the elk though!

My husband ordered the Lamb Shank and it was a giant piece of braised lamb in Cabernet honey jus. It was tender, juicy and tasty! Although the picture doesn’t look as appetizing, it was a great piece of lamb shank!

Our overall experience here was phenomenal and it’s no wonder why they’re always so busy! They have great food and service and the location is ideal – right on Banff Ave!

Elk & Oarsman Pub & Grill

119 Banff Avenue
Banff, AB
(403) 762-4616

December 4, 2014December 5, 2014

Cafe HK – Calgary, Alberta

This side of the restaurant is a portion of T.Pot China Bistro and it’s just off to the side – but they have their own name and different style of Chinese food. Cafe HK is a cafe style whereas TPot is your sit down meal type food and a bit more traditional.

We really like it here although we don’t come here often, I like to think I don’t come here enoough! This particular visit, we started with Jelly fish, Surf Clam and Seaweed Salad appetizer which sounds kind of strange, but it’s got all the things I love on 1 dish! It was meant to bed. The surf clams tasted great, they’ve cleaned it well and prepared it to perfection!

Then, because of the hour we dined, it’s a late lunch/early dinner, they still had their afternoon specials on – which came with drinks! We both ordered their Almond Drink which was amazing! It smelled good and tasted great! My husband loved it more than I did, as I prefer mine to be sweeter.

I had a crazy craving for Beef Fried Ho Fun so I ordered that as it as still on special. Surprisingly, it was quite a large dish and it tasted great! Just the way I expect it to taste – and since I was craving it, it as even better!

As we weren’t expecting the dishes to be so large, we also ordered on their menu Chicken and Pineapple Rice Bake which was also really a large dish! With rice at the bottom, topped with chicken, pineapple and cheese – then baked… this ooey gooey goodness hit the spot for both of us!

We love this place, and we’re glad we stopped in again! I’m sure we’ll be back when another craving kicks in! It is your typical Chinese place, so service is decent, it’s quite clean, and the food is fantastic! Of course, prices are reasonable as it is competitive in a Chinese populated neighbourhood.

Cafe HK

Unit 100, 9650 Harvest Hills Blvd NE
Calgary, Alberta
403-532-3982