Elsie Hui – Page 72 – Calgary Travel Foodie

November 1, 2013

Caffe Artigiano – Calgary, Alberta

We were downtown running a few errands this one afternoon, and walked into Caffe Artigiano for a quick bite and some coffee! The cafe was beautiful on the outside and welcoming, so we walked in!

We had ordered a Latte which was not only made to perfection, but they topped it off with foam art. It was really rich, but luckily it wasn’t my cup!

I got to enjoy a cup of Chai Tea Latte which was really good here. It ranks on the top for one of my favourites, although not at the top, it’s still really high up there!

Then, we decided to grab a quick lunch as well, so we ordered their Cranberry Smoked Turkey Panini, or something like that… anyway, they heated up the panini and brought it to our table. It looked and smelled absolutely amazing, and I’m soo glad we ordered this! It had the perfect balance between sweet and savoury!

Our overall experience here was just top notch! The environment was great, service was really awesome, and the location is quite optimal! Best of all, their stuff tasted great! I’m sure when I’m in the area again, I’ll try to stop in for another delicious treat!

Caffe Artigiano
100-332 6 Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 699-9855

October 31, 2013

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters – Calgary, Alberta

I was trying to be lazy and just have a nice cup of coffee. We figured we’d try Phil and Sebastian over at Marda Loop… so we drove all the way there for a cup of latte! It was a busy Saturday afternoon, so the wait was lengthy and there weren’t enough tables and chairs as most of the seating was taken up by people on their laptops.

We eventually found a spot near the front, by the window. I think it’s a winter syndrome when everyone’s got their winter gear out and it takes up a lot of room. So, you gotta get cozy in this busy cafe! At least everyone was friendly!

I just ordered a latte, it was pretty dark, but it’s okay! I love that they always do the foam art on top! It makes me think my drink tastes a million times better with it!

Overall, my experience was a positive one! I really enjoyed my latte, the area was awesome, and the people were great! I do like this location over their Chinook Centre location — even though Chinook does have covered parking and a mall!!

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters

2043 33 Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 686-1221

October 28, 2013

John’s Breakfast & Lunch – Calgary, Alberta

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day… well, that’s a lie! ALL meals are my favourite, but I do enjoy a great breakfast with my husband. We found this place called John’s Breakfast Lunch and we just assumed they do breakfast and lunch only from their name! We were right! It looks like a popular place, and when we got there, the lineup outside the door proves to me it was popular! Too bad we just went during the rush peak time, but it’s all good!

I sat down and ordered myself a hot tea. I love tea and I loved their tea pots! I saw another table with these tea pots while I was waiting in line – so I thought I had to get one myself!

For breakfast, I ordered their Loaded Omelette which had ham, bacon, cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers and tomatoes in it! The bacon was really delicious as it was really crispy and had lots of flavour. It was a great omelette and it looked beautiful as well! My picture doesn’t do it justice, but it’s an omelette! 🙂

My husband ordered their special Two Eggs! He probably did it as it was on sale — same price as it was on the menu! LOL! But, it had 2 eggs, sausage and hashbrowns and toast. Sounds simple and it was. At least they didn’t goof it up, so we were very happy!

The meals come out a little slow, but it looks like a family owned and ran restaurant – which they’re doing an amazing job! The food was quite good, no better or worse, but it was a fun environment. We had fun and we left happy and satisfied. What more do you need/want!?

John’s Breakfast & Lunch

A-2614 4 Street NW
Calgary, AB
(403) 277-0255

October 28, 2013

Lazy Loaf & Kettle – Calgary, Alberta

It was a cold and snowy afternoon when I wanted nothing else besides a nice hot soup and sandwich, so we did some research and learned about Lazy Loaf and & Kettle that’s located in the Northwest part of the city, just off Memorial Drive. The actual building is a bit hidden, but it’s not too bad.

We got in, and I was confused, naturally. I guess I was already in line, and right in front of me was a sandwich form where you fill out what you wanted and with what on top. It was pretty cool – after my brain started working. You get one form per person in your party. So, we started off with our sandwich on white bread, Montreal Smoked meat with mustard and pickles! Then, we added a bowl of chicken noodle soup and I was content! The sandwich was really delicious and the soup wasn’t bad either. I wished the soup was hotter on such a cold day, but it might have just been me taking forever in general!

We also ordered their lunch special, which was Pesto Apple Sausage Penne with Garlic Toast and this was very enjoyable! I really enjoyed their Apple Sausage, and I was really lucky as they were really generous with the portions of both pasta and sausage!

We were so stuffed by the end of this meal, but I really wanted to purchase some of their baked goods… but I know I would exploded if I did. I now know I will have to make a return trip to induldge!

Lazy Loaf & Kettle

8 Parkdale Crescent NW
Calgary, AB
(403) 270-7810

October 27, 2013October 27, 2013

Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine – Calgary, Alberta

I’m not sure where it came from, but my husband has had a craving for Laksa noodles, so we ventures to the North and ended up at Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine The location isn’t hard to find, yet it’s at a strange place. It’s at the intersection of 32nd Ave with 32nd Street, in an area where you would think it’s all automobile stuff. But, this means there’s lot of parking!

We got inside and was seated in no time. They were busy, but they managed it really well. We did order some drinks, and I ordered their Honey Lemon Tea which tasted a lot like a lemon iced tea! Go figure! It was decent.

My husband on the other hand ordered their Soy Milk with Grass Jelly and he really liked it. It’s a combo that we never would’ve thought of, but now, I’m sure I can make it at home too!

The actual food here was absolutely amazing! We ordered to share their Seafood Curry Laksa with their yellow noodles as I thought it was more authentic, but who knows. It’s quite a spicy bowl of noodles with tons of flavours. It was quite amazing if you’re into this kind of Malaysian cuisine!

The other dish we ordered to share was their Hainanese Chicken Rice which was also a hit! It had a big mountain of ginger fried rice, a large piece of chicken, with their sauces! It wasn’t spicy like the laksa, but it was quite delicious. A tad on the greasy side, but overall an excellent dish!

Overall, this restaurant was a great stop! The prices were very reasonable, the food was delicious and the portions, well, they were huge! It’s a small shop with just a handful of employees, so be patient, and hopefully they’ll serve you up something amazing too!

Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine

3330 32 Street Northeast
Calgary, AB
(403) 450-3880