Sumo Lounge, Eau Claire Market: Their sushi is pretty good for the price and I have been pleasantly surprised. Their sushi bar boat experience leaves a lot to be desired but if you grab a table and order off their menu you'll have a much better time. Their rolls are large and tasty...I especially like the spider roll. Their tuna, tuna belly, and red snapper are really good and the unagi is excellent. I have not been impressed with their tako and find it chewy which is a sure sign of improper handling somewhere along the line. Overall it's quick and good value so you could do a lot worse with all the bad sushi in Calgary these days.
Ganga, 221, 8th Avenue SW (where Casa de la Salsa used to be): A nifty Indian restaurant that...god forbid...serves a decent lunch buffet with separate curries you can distinguish between. There are so many bad Indian buffet restaurants these days that it's nice to find one downtown that is inexpensive and delivers good food. If you like your Indian food "Westernized" then don't bother going here. If you like some spice, MOIST tandoori chicken, and are willing to try things like curried goat (which is excellent), then this is the place for you. The decor is dumpy and given that it is located below ground it's dark but this spot offers good value and kicks the curry out of places like Chutney (Sun Life Plaza). I wouldn't go here for dinner but am happy to spend a lunch hour underground. Cheers!
Juan's Mexican Restaurante, #7, 232-8th Ave SW - This is the best Mexican food in Calgary. While there are not many mexican restaurants around, Juan's is very good and provides excellent value to customers. Juan and Donna Cruz are the proprietors and are committed to turning out great food at reasonable prices. The space is small, simple, and usually full of people enjoying true Oaxaca (a region in Mexico) cuisine. As I stated, the food is authentic Mexican. The mole sauces are authentic and offer a great variety of flavors. Juan's is a great place to relax, eat great food and drink cold beer or margaritas without spending a fortune. The food is very fresh, quickly prepared, and represents one of the best values in Calgary. Juan always seems to be working and that means great service. He is quite a character, cares about his regulars and is always quick with a smile, a kind word, and shot of tequila. The combo platter for one, or two, is the way to go! Ph: 266-0045
Mango Shiva - Mango Shiva Indian Bistro and Chai bar offers one of the best lunch buffets in Calgary. This wonderful restaurant is always busy during lunch. People come for the well prepared sampling of various dishes that range from their tandoori oven specialties (chicken is always served) to vegetarian dishes. A tandoori oven is a clay oven shaped liked a cylinder that heats up to 1000 degrees Celsius. These ovens cook meats and breads in a matter of minutes. Customers will find Mango Shiva's buffet food quality is always excellent and having eaten dinner there a few times, I can honestly say there isn't a noticeable drop-off in their lunchtime buffet food quality. This restaurant offers a mixture of wonderfully flavorful dishes incorporating various meats, seafood, and vegetables (ranging from spicy to mild) which are good value for your dollar. Their service is friendly and of course there is lots of Indian beer to sample. With a trendy dining room that features an open kitchen it is a nice restaurant to try new foods in. Mango Shiva is a consistently good dining experience that should be sampled for more than their lunchtime buffet. Ph: 290-1644
Maurya, 1204 Kensington Rd NW - A quiet little place in Kensington that serves the best butter chicken in Calgary. It is spicy, zesty, and lights up your mouth. All the food is good, but it is the butter chicken that really shines. As with all Indian restaurants, the service is very polite and the staff really like to see you enjoy your food. The value is good and the setting is great for a romantic dinner for two. Last time I was there I ordered rice pudding and it was a tad runny but without hesitation they removed the dish and then offered a replacement dessert at no extra charge. They could have just taken the pudding off the bill, but they went the extra step to help complete my meal which impressed me. Ph: 270-3133
Misai Japanese Restaurant, #7, 1915-32 Ave NE - Misai offers the most authentic Japanese food I have had in North America. Most people think of sushi or sashimi or noodle soups being the only food Japanese restaurants serve. Misai offers many dishes that remind me of my trips to Japan and the dinners I had with my hosts after work. We rarely ate sushi or sashimi dishes as these were quite expensive. It is very traditional in Japan to go out after work and share many different dishes (Tapas style) and drink lots of beer and sake. Misai offers this same experience to its customers and, while their sushi and sashimi dishes look great (check out their Dragon roll) I have to confess that I go there for the more traditional fare not found in other Japanese restaurants in town. Their menu is quite large (well over 100 selections) so you will find lots of things to sample. The room features a style that is traditional but incorporates the need for Western comforts. You can choose to sit in a Tatami room or you may choose a conventional booth or table. My advice is to go with a group of friends and sit in a Tatami room and enjoy some privacy. Besides the fact that you will have a tremendous Japanese dining experience with great food the best part is the price. Misai provides excellent value for what you are served. Ph: 250-1688
Pegasus, 1101-14th Ave SW - Santorini, saganaki, belly dancing, bougatsa, and roasted pigskin! This place has it all. Pegasus is THE Greek place in Calgary. Always full of people having a good time and enjoying the authenticity of the food. The meals are consistently excellent and the staff is committed to seeing customers enjoy themselves. An extremely good value and another great place to take a date. Rather than ordering off the menu, this is a place where you shouldn't be afraid to just order up some roasted lamb and pig with some vegetables and trust that you will have an excellent meal. The one problem here is that ALL the appetizers look and taste amazing so it is easy to fill up on the first course! Definitely not a light meal but totally worth all the calories. I can't say enough about the gouronaki! Ph: 229-1231
Regency Palace, Top Floor 328 Centre St. SE - Whether you are there for a 12-course meal, dim sum, or the buffet the Regency delivers a good dining experience. Their food represents the closest thing I have seen to authentic Chinese food in Calgary. They have the stand-by Chinese food that most of us are used to, but they also serve up some mean tripe, chicken feet, and other tasty goodies not normally sought by the Canadian palate. I think there is a nice balance between what typical Canadians like in Chinese food and what the more traditional Chinese dining experience provides a diner in Beijing or Shanghai. The Regency provides great value and should not be missed. If you go for dim sum, don't be a coward, try something a little off the beaten path and you probably won't regret it! Suck it up. Ph: 777-2288
Thai Sa On, 351-10th Ave SW -Thai Sa-On is Calgary's premier Thai food restaurant and has received endorsement from Thailand's Department of Export Promotion Ministry of Commerce for authentic Thai food. The food is consistently excellent and the quality of preparation shines through in the wonderful presentation of many of their dishes. Whether you have a traditional Thai style curry, one of their noodle dishes (the Pad Thai is always great) or ANY of their appetizers you will find the food to be full of flavor and as spicy as you like. One of my favorite items has always been the stuffed chicken wings (called Peek Ki Yad Sai). I have no idea how they make them but anyone who goes there simply HAS to have an order. Trust me, you will love them and keep going back for more. Having eaten at Thai Sa-On many times over the years I have never had a bad meal there. The service is very friendly and there is always cold Thai beer to help cool your mouth if you decide to order any of their extra spicy foods. The best value is their wine list. Sam sells his wines at near retail prices and his list is awesome! Ph: 264-3526
Tropika, #171, 1518 Centre St. NE - Serves fantastic Malaysian cuisine at great prices. Eating here always reminds me of my trips to Singapore (they serve Tiger Beer and a great assortment of cocktails without the 95% humidity which is nice!). After being in Singapore I never thought I would find any Malaysian food in Canada that was appealing. Tropika has always impressed me and the only problem is trying to decide what to order because you cannot eat everything on the menu. Their food is full of flavor and while much of it looks very hot the cuisine is actually quite mild. Of course if you like it spicy the chef is more than happy to oblige and turn it up for you. While the menu offers several curries, a variety of chicken dishes and many items flavored using Sambal there is a focus on seafood. Lots of seafood is available at Tropika and I have yet to find something on their menu that I do not think is very good. The peanut sauce that comes with their satay (the lamb is the best) is easily the tastiest I have had anywhere in the world. If you really want to get messy go and enjoy some whole crab (prepared in one of three ways). Tropika typically offers super friendly service, free parking, and an atmosphere that is very elegant given that it is in a strip mall! The only downside is the at-times sketchy service. Ph: 230-3330
Why Not Italian - Located in the mall between Coach Hill and Signal Hill, this place turns out some very good home-style Italian cooking. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is always friendly and relaxed. Excellent value for the dollar and they always have a pretty full house so reservations aren't a bad idea. Their wine is priced very fairly and some great grappa is available if you ask nicely! There is nothing negative about this place and those of you who think that Joey Tomato's or Chianti are good Italian places should really venture out into spots like this for a change. I could live on their escargots and garlic! Ciao!
Zen 8, 513-8th Ave SW - Is it hard to find great seafood in Calgary given our location? No it is not and Zen 8 is THE best sushi place in Calgary. The quality of their seafood is unmatched by any of the competition. Due to the high quality of their food I generally stick with sashimi as pieces are quite large. Beyond sushi and sashimi, Zen 8 offers true "ginjo" sakes (try the sakitinis!) and many neo-Japanese style dishes suited to the Calgary palate. Their tempura is also unequalled and they offer just about everything (vegetables, seafood) you can think of. The "new style" sushi rolls are also something everyone should try. I have had the udon and the soba and both are tasty as are the tonkatsu style curry dishes. Zen 8 can be a bit expensive but it is worth it. Hiro san and his staff do a fantastic job with service and ensuring your dining experience is most enjoyable. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant so enjoy. Kanpai! Ph: 237-8884