Calgary Food, coffee, etc.

[Surrealplaces]

I'd love to see the city allow some of these empty lots around the core to be used as a place for food trucks.
I can understand them not allowing them for use as a parking lot, but food trucks would make the lots viable until proper development. In particular the empty lot at 17th ave and 11th street Here Would be a great spot for food trucks. Or the NW corner lot at 17th ave and 4th street SW Or the one on fourth in Mission Here

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

The more we talk about food the hungrier I get. I have been hoping and craving that Calgary get a food truck or cart system like those popularized in LA. It really could spell a food revolution for this city.

With the recent failure of Toronto's "a la cart" system (http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Cit...407/story.html) What kind of hurdles to we face as far as a food cart/truck system in our city?

I imagine that parked trucks along Stephen Ave. during the lunch hour could mean some major success.

[DizzyEdge]

I liked this idea

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...6&postcount=49

[Calgarian]

I went to the soft opening of Ki Sushi in the base of Jamieson on Saturday night. Very good sushi there, though it is pretty expensive. Our tab came in just under $110, and that was for 4 rolls, assorted sashimi (which was about 15 pieces) and 2 pints of Sapporo. Since it was invite only and my gf worked on the project, our tab was comped, but I would definitely go there again.

The decor is really nice in there, though it's a bit dark. The inside is all dark wood paneling with faux marble panels covering the lights at the top of the sushi bar and at a couple other places. The space is very modern feeling and has fairly a fairly good atmosphere, but like i said, it's kind of dark in there.
http://kijapanese.com/

[Rusty van Reddick]

Little correction- it's called Ki Japanese, not Ki Sushi. I'm intrigued in that we're finally getting some Japanese places that DON'T focus on sushi.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Little correction- it's called Ki Japanese, not Ki Sushi. I'm intrigued in that we're finally getting some Japanese places that DON'T focus on sushi.

Yeah, Ki Japanese. Their menu seems about half focused on Sushi, but they did have lots of other stuff to choose from.

[Jimby]

Wasn't Hy's going to re-open in Jamieson?

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Jimby

Wasn't Hy's going to re-open in Jamieson?

I remember something about that, wonder what happened. Bentall, also did the CBE building, maybe Hy's will take one of the CRU spaces in that building instead.

[polishavenger]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Yeah, Ki Japanese. Their menu seems about half focused on Sushi, but they did have lots of other stuff to choose from.

If you are looking for Japanese places that dont focus on Sushi I would recomend Muku (former site of globe fish on 14th) or Shikji on center street and 15th Ave NW.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I have ordered Indian from Green Chili for the past two Sundays, I must say that I am really impressed with the food and the quantity for the price. That being said we order from the Bow Trail location and due to the fact that the chefs are sourced from various parts of South asia there is a lack of consistancy from location to location. Still, when i am not venturing to the NE or downtown, Green Chili is always a good choice for me.

Odd.

I ordered Green Chilli last week from the 17th/14th location and was completely disappointed. Ordering with the GF, we weren't too adventurous, but I wasn't happy with anything. The filling in our samosas was burnt and gross, the processed chicken in our butter chicken was gross and the amount of chicken was pathetic... How sad would you be to dig into left-overs for lunch the next day and realize there's only one piece of chicken left! Same quantity issues with the amount of meat in the lamb vindaloo, though it was at least real meat. Lastly, for a $2 order of naan bread, I was expecting more than 1 piece... Expensive and bad. Won't order again.

Can anyone recommend a good Indian delivery in the South Calgary / Marda Loop / Bankview area?

[Wooster]

For food carts to work, bureaucracy has to get out if the way, plain and simple. This is where Toronto failed.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Wooster

For food carts to work, bureaucracy has to get out if the way, plain and simple. This is where Toronto failed.

+1

I wonder what regulatory model New York uses? Seemed to work whatever it is.

[Jimby]

Originally Posted by Me&You

Odd.

I ordered Green Chilli last week from the 17th/14th location and was completely disappointed. Ordering with the GF, we weren't too adventurous, but I wasn't happy with anything. The filling in our samosas was burnt and gross, the processed chicken in our butter chicken was gross and the amount of chicken was pathetic... How sad would you be to dig into left-overs for lunch the next day and realize there's only one piece of chicken left! Same quantity issues with the amount of meat in the lamb vindaloo, though it was at least real meat. Lastly, for a $2 order of naan bread, I was expecting more than 1 piece... Expensive and bad. Won't order again.

Can anyone recommend a good Indian delivery in the South Calgary / Marda Loop / Bankview area?

I have enjoyed GC's lunch buffet - not too many items so they can keep it replenished.
For Bankview you can't beat Moti Mahal and I'm sure Waiters En Route or one of those services delivers for MM.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by Me&You

I ordered Green Chilli last week from the 17th/14th location and was completely disappointed. Ordering with the GF, we weren't too adventurous, but I wasn't happy with anything.

I had a similar experience at the Green Chili up in Crowfoot a couple months back. Took my fiance and her sister there for dinner one night, portions were small, and wasn't the greatest. Still better then the experience at Wicked Chili, but only just.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Jimby

I have enjoyed GC's lunch buffet - not too many items so they can keep it replenished.
For Bankview you can't beat Moti Mahal and I'm sure Waiters En Route or one of those services delivers for MM.

Ah, Moti Mahal... Slipped my mind when I wrote my response, and I know they're in my Waiters En Route

Mersar - Too bad my experience wasn't an isolated incident

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by Me&You

Odd.

I ordered Green Chilli last week from the 17th/14th location and was completely disappointed. Ordering with the GF, we weren't too adventurous, but I wasn't happy with anything. The filling in our samosas was burnt and gross, the processed chicken in our butter chicken was gross and the amount of chicken was pathetic... How sad would you be to dig into left-overs for lunch the next day and realize there's only one piece of chicken left! Same quantity issues with the amount of meat in the lamb vindaloo, though it was at least real meat. Lastly, for a $2 order of naan bread, I was expecting more than 1 piece... Expensive and bad. Won't order again.

Can anyone recommend a good Indian delivery in the South Calgary / Marda Loop / Bankview area?

Like I said, consistancy is an issue. The portions at the Bow Trail location, for take-out are HUGE. loads, of chicken, shrimp and lamb. It certainly is a problem tha that chain needs to deal with.

I would also suggest Moti Mahal. The food there is always fantastic.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Moti Mahal is overrated. I live close enough to smell it from my front porch and go only rarely. I took a job candidate there and the three of us had a fairly big spread but nothing popped- it was all bland. Lunch buffet is a massive rip-off seeing as it's $15.95 and they never put out anything top-shelf. Keema is cheap (ground beef), only two veggies, that sort of thing. I do not get how it's always voted top Indian when I can think of a dozen better places around town.

Me&You- try something besides butter chicken at Green Chili on 17. This has become my go-to place and I'm almost always thrilled with it. Last time we got takeout I got the chili chicken and it's the best rendition of this Hakka dish that I've had in Calgary- imagine the best General Tso's Chicken you've ever tasted; that's what this stuff is. Their aloo gobi is also fantastic, in fact everything they do with potatoes works beautifully. We also got a chickpea dish that was packed with flavour. We make our own rice, usually, so I got naan and those three things plus naan were less than $40 and Peter gave me some rasmalai for free. This was enough for THREE meals. Not just not a bad deal: a great deal. But you have to try other things besides butter chicken. Please. Ya basta with the butter chicken, guys.

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Me&You- try something besides butter chicken at Green Chili on 17. This has become my go-to place and I'm almost always thrilled with it. Last time we got takeout I got the chili chicken and it's the best rendition of this Hakka dish that I've had in Calgary- imagine the best General Tso's Chicken you've ever tasted; that's what this stuff is. Their aloo gobi is also fantastic, in fact everything they do with potatoes works beautifully. We also got a chickpea dish that was packed with flavour. We make our own rice, usually, so I got naan and those three things plus naan were less than $40 and Peter gave me some rasmalai for free. This was enough for THREE meals. Not just not a bad deal: a great deal. But you have to try other things besides butter chicken. Please. Ya basta with the butter chicken, guys.

Well, like I said, I ordered with the GF and the first thing she wanted was BC, so we got BC. We did also get the aloo gobi and you're right, it was great. Everything else was somewhere from a solid "meh" to terrible and I was surprised that a single order of naan was a single piece... for $2. Our order was just under $60 and we each got one solid meal out of it with barely enough for me to have a small lunch the next day. You sound like a regular and get free stuff, so maybe there's some favoritism at play here... Can I have you call in my order next time?

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Me&You

Well, like I said, I ordered with the GF and the first thing she wanted was BC, so we got BC. We did also get the aloo gobi and you're right, it was great. Everything else was somewhere from a solid "meh" to terrible and I was surprised that a single order of naan was a single piece... for $2. Our order was just under $60 and we each got one solid meal out of it with barely enough for me to have a small lunch the next day. You sound like a regular and get free stuff, so maybe there's some favoritism at play here... Can I have you call in my order next time?

LOL! Happy to help!

Pizza 17, which is a couple of doors east of American Apparel on 17th, is adding donair/shawarma to their menu and I've had a donair and a chicken shawarma plate (chicken is their only shawarma right now) and both were pretty good. But they also have butter chicken and the owner gave me a sample yesterday. It was actually... pretty fucking awesome. Tons of chicken, really chickeny chicken, not yesterday's dried-out tandoori leftovers (I'm looking at you, Tandoori Hut), with a rich sauce that was great on its own. That and some of the turmeric basmati rice they have there would be a great meal. BTW the shawarma plate was $11 (the owner guessed at the price because I was literally the first platter he's put together) whic is almost as good a value as Great Canadian Pizza and Chicken up by Bob the Fish, which makes a superb shawarma BTW. And it's much, much better value than the plates at Shawarma Knight or Tarboosh, both of which are terrible rip-offs. Anyway- butter chicken there looks promising is what I wanted to add.

OH one more tip- there's a new fast-serve (counter service) TURKISH joint downtown, where the original Atomic was on 1st SW north of the Bay. It's called "Saray." No they don't have döner kebap; they have more authentic turkish food. But the link between them and what I just wrote is that there version of falafel is freaking amazing. Every one is fresh-fried, house-made and they're a beautiful shade of green from ground-up green onion tops and parsley. One of the best versions of falafel I've ever had. Free tea at the end of your meal too.

[Deepstar]

Unfortunately Butter Chicken is by far the most popular Indian dish for North Americans, so it's kind of the gold standard for Indian food.

As cliche as it is, it's still my favorite Indian dish.

P.S. I totally agree about Moti's being overrated. I've been there three times, and each time I expect it to be better but it's not. Tandoori Hut's another over-rated place. It used to be good, but they must have changed cooks or something. It's just not that great anymore.

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

But you have to try other things besides butter chicken. Please. Ya basta with the butter chicken, guys.

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

. Every one is fresh-fried, house-made and they're a beautiful shade of green from ground-up green onion tops and parsley. One of the best versions of falafel I've ever had

This is the single most important thing ever posted on this forum. So there for lunch tomorrow.