Poutine
How about some french fries for breakfast!? Sounds too good to be true? Well then you clearly you haven’t tried Poutine! Originating in Quebec, Canada and taking the world by storm, Poutine is a must try for all breakfast enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Made from fresh cut french fries, melty cheese curds and topped with a silky and savory brown gravy this dish will leave you so satisfied you may need an after-breakfast nap.
Poutine is ubiquitous in Canada and can be found on breakfast, lunch and dinner menus in establishments that range from hole-in-wall to fine dining. In fact, Poutine’s scrumptiousness has spread so far and wide that it has now infiltrated much of the unsuspecting USA leaving us teased and unfulfilled as we Americans only have access to the most basic version of this dish.
Our most memorable Poutine experience was at the Diner Deluxe in Calgary (check out their menu here) We thoroughly enjoyed the crisp fried potatoes topped with chorizo, creamy cheese curds, a perfectly poached egg and a bright and velvety hollandaise sauce. Can you think of a better way to start the day?
Dutch Pancakes
For a truly one of kind food experience in Calgary, CA you must visit the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus. As whimsical as it’s name, this breakfast and brunch spot is best known for showcasing authentic Holland cuisine namely in the form of their famous Dutch pancakes or pannenkoeken (check out the menu here).
Resembling a crepe more so than a traditional pancake, the pannenkoeken is a build-it-your-way dream come through. With tons of savory and sweet toppings ranging from bacon and ham to ice cream and chocolate syrup you’re guaranteed to need at least 20 minutes to make a selection. If the choices seem too overwhelming then you can skip the make-your-own pancakes and try one of the ready to go concoctions on the menu! We particularly loved the spinach, egg and mushroom pancake and the chocolate whipped cream and fresh strawberries pancakes. We understand if you’re judging us right now for not adding a luscious scoop of vanilla ice-cream to our sweet pancake but in our defense it was breakfast and each pancake was the size of a large pizza! Anyway, make sure you don’t miss this Pfanntastic restaurant the next time you’re in Calgary!
Alberta Beef
Can you think of a better way to end a long day of hiking in Banff National Park than with a superb cut of red meat? We can’t! And if you agree too then you’re in luck because, as it turns out, Calgary is a hotspot for legendary beef!
Being proud cattle country, the Alberta region is known for its family owned and sustainably operated ranches producing grass fed beef of almost unmatched quality. As such there was no dearth of steakhouses to choose from. We opted for try out the Modern Steak Kensington (check out the menu here) where we quickly learned just how little we knew about the beef we had consumed up to that point in our lives (check out the menu here)
After serving us a bowl of the best truffle popcorn in possibly the entire world, our waiter proceed to describe not only all the cuts of steaks available but also which ones came from cattle that were fed particular sections of grass from particular pastures within the Alberta region. Slightly panicked and more than a little dazed after the detailed presentation, we opted for a ribeye from a ranch of our waiters choosing. The steak arrived flawlessly seared and seasoned. We were overcome by the succulence, pure flavor and the perfectly melt-in-the-mouth tenderness of the meat. Our only regret here was not taking advantage of the Tomahawk Tuesday special! We can honestly say that we have never again encountered grass-fed beef of this quality and, given the opportunity, would return to Calgary just to savor this again!
