bridgeland – Elsie Hui

December 22, 2014

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

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

January 4, 2012January 5, 2012

OEB Breakfast Co.

We made it to OEB Breakfast Co for breakfast this one Sunday – and it was a cute little place where a lot of people seem to gather. Immediately once in the door you’re in their coat room – where we had to wait for a table. Eventually, the line went right out the door, and even thought it was a cool morning, it didn’t stop their hungry guests from waiting outside!

When we finally got seated, we were actually at a table instead of the central common table – which is a neat way to seat a lot more in a smaller space.

I ordered The One That Did Not Get Away North Pacific smoked cod & egg scramble, green onions, crisp potatoes, brown butter Hollandaise, vegetarian kelp caviar. This was a fun dish as everything was in a giant bowl! I tried to eat it graciously and orderly, but I found more fun and flavour when I mixed up the entire bowl and ate whatever I had in my spoon! The smoked cod was a great choice as it added just the perfect depth of flavour with a hint of smokiness! I absolutely loved their potato wedges – they were cooked perfectly and had a nice crisp outside of each wedge, yet it was soft and fluffy in the inside.

We also ordered a delicious Smoked Steelhead Salmon, a three egg scram-blettes With green onions & Spanish capers. The omelette was perfect as it was full of flavour and veggies – it was perfect on it’s own. But, to top it off a few notches, the smoked steelhead salmon really made this feel like a five star breakfast!

This was a fun breakfast place, where the prices are reasonable – especially for it’s portion sizes and the amount of food and flavour you get! It’s a small restaurant, so be prepared to wait! It was sure worth it though! Everything was super delicious and I am sure I’ll be back someday soon!

Oeb Breakfast Co.

824 Edmonton Trl NE
Calgary, AB T2E3J6
(403) 278-3447

August 31, 2011March 17, 2019

Sushi Bar Zipang – Calgary, Alberta;

After just over a year of wanting to try Sushi Bar Zipang I finally went! It was great, the fish was fresh and reasonably priced.

The sashimi slices were really thick as well – which made it really good, and justified the price! The location is a little restaurant, and with constant customers – they’ve built a reputation for success here!

I would definitely go back given the opportunity! The restaurant had a dining area and a sushi bar area, and the overall ambiance was very quiet and casual. The service was alright, but the food was just excellent.

I love starting with Gyoza’s, and oddly enough, they don’t have any here! They have quite a large selection of appetizers, but they just didn’t have dumplings — unless of course, I just missed it.

We ordered from the sushi/sashimi sheet, and from there, we selected sushi such as hokki – surf clam,
smoked salmon and hotate – scallop. All of these were really good as well. We had no complaints at all during the entire time we were at Zipang.

We ordered spicy salmon roll which consisted of salmon, spicy sauce, lettuce and the spiciness was just right, you still get the salmon flavour without the spiciness to overwhelm the entire sushi. It was well balance and one of my favorites for the evening.

Then, we ordered an Alaska roll which was sushi wrapped with smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese and this wasn’t as flavourful of an Alaska roll as some other places I’ve tried. It seemed to be lacking some flavour, but you definitely got the cream cheese taste. I think they may have put too much cream cheese in.

Just to have a wider selection of sashimi, we ordered their Special Assorted Sashimi and this assortment had salmon, tuna, octopus, and scallops. It was actually really good, and this plate came with 14 pieces of sashimi for $19.50, which is quite a good deal!

And, at the end, we ordered an order of Agedashi Tofu, and it wasn’t really a good deal at all. It was $5.00 for only 2 pieces of tofu, and we all know tofu isn’t expensive. It tasted good, but it wasn’t worth it in my opinion.

Overall, I will be back, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the sushi, and the sashimi… and that’s all that matters in a Japanese restaurant when we’re out for sushi! 🙂

Sushi Bar Zipang

1010 1 Ave NE
Calgary, AB
(403) 262-1888