I was lucky enough to be invited to my Korean friend’s house for some good old-fashioned home cooking.
I learned how to make dukbokki (spicy rice cakes)!
I looooove the chewy texture of the rice cakes…plus the spiciness from the gochujang (red pepper paste) adds a kick to it!
Yummy samgyupsal (pork belly meat).
It’s so bad for you but sooo good at the same time. Pretty much eating bacon with rice!
After the amazing meal, I learned how to play GO STOP, a famous Korean card game. Let’s just say I won’t be placing any money bets for the time being…
Nothing is better than a hot bowl of ramen to fight off the winter chills…so off to Shikiji it was!
I love how they give you a mortar and pestle to grind sesame seeds for the ramen.
The Miso Ramen ($11.60) consists of a very generous serving of noodles, veggies (bean sprouts, carrots, ginger, onion) as well as pork. The hand made noodles were amazing – they didn’t get mushy, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. The soup was rich and flavorful – a perfect way to stay warm in this weather!
Shikiji can get quite busy, so call ahead and make reservations!
Shikiji Japanese Noodles and Sushi 1608 Centre A Street NortheastCalgary, AB T2E 2R9
(403) 520-0093
Being the “it-spot” for youngsters to hang out, it’s hard to find a table at Dessert House past 9pm on the weekends. With a very extensive list of desserts, ranging from bubble tea to traditional Hong Kong style desserts, there’s something for just about everyone. If you’re not in the mood for something sweet, they also offer a list of hot snacks from satay fish balls to instant noodles!
On this occasion, my friends and I opted to share the House Special ($18.50) consisting of grass jelly, tapioca, cocnut milk, and loads of fruit!
The combination was refreshing with all the fruity goodness.
To satisfy a sweet tooth, be sure to check this place out!
101-111 2 Avenue Southeast
Calgary, AB T2G 0B2
(403) 263-7789
Mmmm what could be be better than ice cream?
How about DEEP FRIED ice cream?
Towa’s Tempura Green Tea Ice Cream ($9) is simply deeeelish!
Calgary, AB T2S 1W7
(403) 245-8585
With the increasingly popular Japanese fusion restaurants on the rise, it was nice to see a change with the contemporary Korean restaurant, Anju.
The Anju Platter ($12) consisted of (clockwise) grilled Japanese eggplant, pickled daikon, spicy cured blue crab, and truffle yam fries accompanied by a mayo dip.
As you can see, the platter is pretty big – perfect for sharing!
Grilled eggplant was a tad salty.
Pickled daikon tasted like the packaged kind…
Yam fries were yummy! The spicy mayo added a kick to it!
…and the star of the platter: the spicy cured blue crab! I looooved the texture of the raw crab (kind of like raw scallop)! The spices used were epic! Warning: this is messy to eat!
I was not a fan of the Kimchi Ramen ($13). They added a crème fraîche to it (maybe I am not classy enough to enjoy it?) but it smelled like…milk vomit to me. I couldn’t stand the smell of it, let alone taste the dish.
The Oxtail Soup ($14) was decent, loaded with meat and green onions.
The Rib Eye Stone Bowl ($14) with egg ($1) was delish! I loved the use of asparagus and red pepper since they’re not usually used in traditional bibimbap! The meat was flavorful and tender – soooooooo good!
This place is definitely worth visiting! Their drinks look very creative – perfect for a girls night out!
Anju Restaurant and Lounge 507 10 Street SouthwestCalgary, AB T2P 2B8
(403) 532-9419
For a quick Japanese meal, be sure to stop by at Banzai! They offer bento boxes, udon, small selection of maki/sushi, and donburi!
The Super Bowl ($7.25) combines the best of both worlds with the beef and chicken teriyaki. I love how Banzai loads up on the veggies with a side salad, bean sprouts, cabbage, and kimchi!
526 4 Avenue Southwest
Calgary, AB T2P
(403) 262-9060
Located behind the 8th St. C-train station lies the small Korean restaurant, Don Day.
After having walked by it many times, I finally got the chance to check it out!
The decor is very cute with Christmas lights and tree decorations everywhere. The stools and small tables give off a street vendor feel.
My Korean friends ordered the large Kam Ja Tang ($36.50) stating Don Day is famous among the Korean community for it.
It was soooooo good! Mountains of potato and meat (I think pork) in a mild soup really warmed us up! The potatoes were soft, meat succulent, while the jalapeno peppers gave the dish a kick.The large size is massive and could easily feed six people!
The cute atmosphere is perfect for warming up with a couple of friends!
Don Day Korean Restaurant 101-909 7 Avenue SouthwestCalgary, AB T2P 1A6
(403) 718-0358
I haven’t been to Wa’s in years, so I was delighted when a friend of mine suggested it!
We were starving, so we each ordered a Katsu Don ($10.95).
The pork was crispy and when mixed with the sweet egg and onion mix…it was heaven.
In order to satiate our hunger, we also shared the enormous Unagi Roll ($23).
This monster has nine pieces and is filled with avocado, cucumber, tempura crumbs, and topped off with unagi. It’s perfct for sharing!
With less than ten tables, don’t forget to call ahead for reservations!
Wa’s Japanese RestaurantBig Fish was the perfect location for my birthday brunch! The inside is cozy and filled with neat knick-knacks (random bowls of goldfish…), perfect for a small group of people.
I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Grilled Flatiron Steak ($14), and it was fantastic!
Two fair portions of eggs benedict arrived with just the right amount of hollandaise sauce. Nothing is worse than an overkill of sauce! The steak was seasoned perfectly and added a smokiness to the benedict. Homemade jam was available for the toast, as well as homemade ketchup for the hash browns. The local ingredients used adds to the freshness of the dish!
For a cozy get together, I highly recommend this place!
Big Fish1112 Edmonton Trail Northeast
Calgary, AB T2E 3K4 (403) 277-3403
