Posted on

Mine Side Diner – Canmore, Alberta

We always go by Canmore and any festive occassion in Camore – the place is packed! This time, we came for a parade and afterwards, the entire town was looking for lunch. We went to the first place we could find that didn’t have a line and that was how we ended up at the Canmore Hotel at Mine Side Diner which was more a burger and fry place than a diner!

We basically just ordered our 2 meals, ate there and left. There’s not too much going on in this place, but the food is made fresh – so it’s quite tasty!

I ordered their version of the Philly Beefsteak with fries and it was really surprisingly quite good! The meat was tender, the bread was nice – so there’s nothing bad about it at all!

I also got their BLT Burger with onion rings and it too was really good! With a perfectly melted cheese on the patty, fresh vegetables and a nice bun that holds up to the burger (and not crumbles) it was a delightful meal!

So, next time you’re in the area and just looking for a decent little place – consider Mine Side Diner! Sure, it’s not fancy or large, but it’s all you need!

Mine Side Diner on Urbanspoon

Mine Side Diner – Canmore Hotel

738 8 Street
Canmore, AB
(403) 678-5181

Posted on

Loko’s Lounge – Bragg Creek, Alberta

We had an opportunity to try LoKo’s Lounge in Bragg Creek before the 2013 Flood. I waited to do this post hoping that it would survive the flood, but unfortunately it is one of those restaurants that didn’t make it. Hopefully with the support it seems to be receiving it will decide to reopen its doors.

It was a beautiful afternoon, pretty much weeks before the flood that we enjoyed this lounge outside on the patio. The river water levels were high, but didn’t think much of it as we started the food adventure with some Chicken Wings which they give you a pound of wings! We got them in Sweet Spicy Thai and they were amazing! The perfect wings, beautifully seasoned and fried with a crisp, even with sauce smothered on top!

We also had some soup – we ordered a bowl of their Joey’s Only Clam Chowder as this location was attached to Joey’s Only and I love seafood! The soup was so good – hot, creamy, full of clams and potatoes!

I was going to enjoy their Crispy Cajun Halibut Burger which to my shock was amazing! It was seasoned well again, and fried really nicely with a large and delicate piece of halibut! It was simple and it was all it needed!

Then, we ordered their Chicken Parmigiana Dinner which was a large meal as this was suppose to be lunch! The sauce was a little watered down, but still amazing! The piece of chicken was very generous!

Overall, we have an amazing time here! The service was friendly, the atmosphere was amazing and the food was perfect! The place is simple but so awesome.

LoKo's Lounge on Urbanspoon

Loko’s Lounge

404 7 Balsam Ave
Bragg Creek, AB
(403) 949-3336

Posted on

Blue Star Diner – Calgary, Alberta

I found myself just looking for anything with the word “diner” in it for weekend brunches when we came across Blue Star Diner in Bridgeland. Parking can be tough if it’s super busy, but we just parked on a side street and walked over as it was a nice day. It’s smart to go put your name down and browse the shops nearby as they seem to always be busy!

It was a cool morning so when we finally got our table, I went inside and order a cup of Hot Chocolate which was fantastic! It tasted good and warmed me up from the inside out!

For breakfast, we decided we were going to try something new oddly… so we went for their Bridgeland Breakfast Sammy which was basically an awesome sandwich built on sourdough toast with bacon & eggs, cheese and some vegetables and a side of hashbrowns! It was really delicious and refreshing and something out of the ordinary that we enjoyed thoroughly!

We also ordered the Chipotle Pulled Pork Hash with tender and juicy pulled pork with a chipotle lime sauce, on a bed of onions & sweet potatoes with vegetables, and topped with 2 poached eggs. It truly was quite an amazing dish and very filling!

We really enjoyed everything here! Although the price is high for a breakfast, the food really does fill you up so it counts as a brunch or even a lunch! The service is amazing as they’re busy yet super friendly. I’m really glad we got to come by Blue Star Diner and try them out!

Blue Star Diner on Urbanspoon

Blue Star Diner

809 1 Ave NE
Calgary, AB
(403) 261-9998

Posted on

Sunshine Vietnamese Restaurant – Calgary, Alberta

We decided to have more Vietnamese food as that’s a cuisine I really like that isn’t as expensive as some other types! So, we found Sunshine Vietnamese primarily by the large amount of positive reviews for this restaurant.

We ordered some Deep Fried Chicken Wings to start, and they give you plum sauce to dip your wings into. As odd as it sounds, we just ate the wings fried with no sauce. As odd as it sounds, I think I would like it more with a sweet chili sauce instead of plum… or a spicy plum sauce would be really interesting as well! The wings itself was fried quite nicely, we enjoyed them!

I ordered their Bun as I’ve been eating a lot of noodle soups lately. I decided to go for their Lemongrass Beef with Spring Rolls and it was a large portion of vermicelli! There was 2 full spring rolls and not too much beef on the top.

My husband has this amazing ability to not get bored of eating the same thing – over and over! So, he always goes back to what he likes, the Rare Beef Noodle Soup! I guess it does make sense if you’re comparing food – you’re eating the same thing at a different place! The soup here was really good and the flavours were deep, so it was better than some places we’ve gone too!

Overall, a great experience with a lot of options on their menu! The food is quite authentic and the service is friendly as well! We enjoyed our time here and hopefully we’ll be returning!

Sunshine Vietnamese on Urbanspoon

Sunshine Vietnamese

380 Canyon Meadows Dr SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 271-2214

Posted on

Pho Chu The – Calgary, Alberta

We were meeting up with some friends of ours where they introduced us to Pho Chu The for really good Vietnamese food at a great rate. The location is on the west side of Macleod Trail and it could be tough to get to if you’re not sure where you’re going.

I ordered the standard Rare Beef Noodle Soup as it was a day I ate dinner before having more dinner. For some reason I thought it was a lighter meal! I did finish the bowl regardless of what I ate – so clearly it was really tasty!

The plate of condiments that came with our noodles were presented really nicely. The beansprouts were fresh and plump (and not brown) while the chilies were cut up for us! It was nice seeing it so pretty!

My husband ordered pretty much the same thing but their spicy version! They looked like they enjoyed it thoroughly and it smelled amazing! Fragrant and flavourful – that’s what you want in a spicy dish… not just pure spice! I did try a spoonful of the soup and it was pretty amazing! You don’t need to add anything else to make it better!

Overall, it was a nice place to visit! The place was really clean, the prices are average, the service is a bit slow, but they’re friendly. There was a parking lot in front of the restaurant, but if I recall, there wasn’t that many spots. We actually walked over so I don’t remember.

Pho Chu The on Urbanspoon

Pho Chu The

4633 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 457-3455