The Very Hungry Kate-o-pillar

Wow… So after starting our day at 4:00am, we made it into...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:38:47 -0700

Wow…

So after starting our day at 4:00am, we made it into Belize! We filled our tummies, set up the space and sat under the stars in the hot tub.

Waking up this morning to the sound of the ocean is so amazing.

The team’s assembled and Colleen, Brett and I are so ready to take on Belize Feb 2013 yoga retreat!!,

There’s something that’s comforting to me when it...

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:51:24 -0600

There’s something that’s comforting to me when it comes to a bowl of instant noodles. Reminds me of mom, grandma and home.

Recipe - Wild rice & Mushroom croquettes

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:16:21 -0700

Photo credit: Cafe Liz (http://food.lizsteinberg.com)

Our wonderful karma supervisor, Lise (@902LMR) is an insanely great cook and a knitter extraordinaire. Really, her food is up there on a restaurant level and her knitting is something you’d see in a store.

Here is a recipe she has shared with me that I thought you might enjoy… AND it’s cleanse diet friendly (minus the mushrooms but as Lise said, there are so few it’s alright to indulge). Keep reading for Lise’s recipe below and her cliff notes along the way!

Let me or Lise know what you think!! :D

Wild Rice & mushroom croquettes served on a bed of pureed sweet potatoes with a roasted tomato sauce

Ingredients:

- 1c wild rice

- 2c water

- 5 or 6 large roma tomatoes

- 1/2cup chopped green onion

- tiny sprinkle of sea salt

- 7 brown or white button mushrooms

- 1/4 small red onion

- 2 egg yolks

- 1/4c spelt flour for the wildrice/mushroom mixture

- 50g crumbled feta (or to taste… I probably would add more next time… or use Parmiggiano- Reggiano or Asiago)

- clove, allspice, pepper, rosemary, garlic for spices along the way

- 1/4c Almond milk for potatoes, and 1/2c almond milk for dredging croquettes

- 3/4c spelt grain bread crumbs

- 1/2c spelt grain flour for dredging

- 1c frying oil: (I used sunflower)

- more chopped green onion for garnish

Step one:

1c wild rice

2c water

(bring water and rice to boil and then cover - simmer for 40minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed… remove from heat source and let stand for five minutes… uncover and fluff with fork

Step two:

One large sweet potatoe - peeled and chopped

- put into pot with water on the stove and boil until sweet potato is soft and mashable :)

- add 1 Tbsp real unsalted butter, and 1/2c almond milk, dash of clove and allspice (just a small amount)

- pepper to taste (no salt)

- mash and stir around until the potato mixture is smooth (or you can use a hand mixer to make it ultra smooth)

While rice is cooking
- cut 5 or 6 roma tomatoes in half and roast in a 405degree oven until skins start to peel back

-when done, remove skins and put tomatoes, green onions and touch of salt in a blender with about 1/2c of water… blend until smooth

- dice 7 brown button mushrooms and 1/4 of a small red onion: sautee in pan with minced garlic, pepper and rosemary… place in large mixing bowl when done. Add about 50g of crumbled feta/parm/asiago when mushroom/onion mixture cools down

- when rice is done cooking and has cooled slightly add to mushroom mixture

- add 1/4c - 1/2c spelt flour and the 2 egg yolks to this mixture (you want it to be able to stick together)

- place frying oil in deep pan and bring to heat over medium high temperature…. you want everything to sizzle when you put it in the pan otherwise it will fall apart :) )

- form mixture into 1.5inch disks and dredge… first roll in spelt flour coating the disk… then dip into the almond milk and then roll in the spelt grain bread crumbs covering the whole disk…

- place into hot oil and cook until golden brown and then flip… cook until golden brown… remove from oil and place on a plate with a paper towel (to absorb excess oil)

- my pan can cook three at a time… you want to be able to cook the croquettes without one touching the other……

To plate:

Place about 2tbsp of sweet potato puree in the centre of the plate and smoosh to make a nice .5inch think circle…. place fried croquettes on top (two or three per plate depending on the size you actually get) and top with tomato sauce

Garnish with a beautiful green onion because otherwise the plate looks really yellowy and drab… lol not very rainbow like… I’ll have to work on that part

We ate this alongside a sliced salad of fennel, red onion and honeycrisp apple with a sweet lemon thyme dressing and sunflower seeds.

I think Ive covered all of the bases

Enjoy!!!

Recipe - Masala Chai

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:52:00 -0700

Here’s a story for you.

Back in university, I started developing a serious fancy towards chai. That was getting to be an expensive habit… especially as a poor university student. I had an East Indian friend reprimand me for spending so much money on something and asked why I didn’t just make myself a to-go mug before leaving home.

I thought, he’s right! So I went to the grocery store and bought myself a package of “chai” tea. The morning after, I steeped myself a tea bag in my to-go mug, added the milk and sugar and off I was to uni. Upon tasting it, it still didn’t match the Starbucks variation I was getting. Regardless, I was proud to show my friend that it was in fact a to-go mug and not a Starbucks cup.

The conversation went something like this…

K: Look! I made my own cup of tea today… aren’t you proud of me?

S: Good. Now you don’t have to spend so much money. *double take at the mug with the tea bag string hanging out*

K: What?

S: KATE!!! Did you buy the pre-made chai?

K: How else am I supposed to make chai tea?

S: First of all, chai means tea. When you say chai tea, you are saying tea tea. Masala means spiced so you are referring to masala chai.

Anyways… long story short… I was taught how to make Indian tea. ha!

Here’s how you’ll do it…

Masala Chai

Orange pekoe tea 1 tea bag

Cloves 4-7

Cardamon (the green pods) 1-2 (squished open)

Cinnamon 1 stick

Black peppercorns 2-4

Milk to taste

Sugar to taste

1. In a small pot, bring a generous mug of water to boil with the tea bag, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon and black peppercorns.

2. When the tea is to your taste, add the sugar and the milk.

3. Strain off the loose bits and enjoy your masala chai!

Shikiji

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:40:00 -0600

Shikiji, a small restaurant tucked on the side of centre street and a hop, skip and jump from the transcanada highway… I’ve been coming here for years now. I wouldn’t list this as my “go-to” place for amazing sushi but I would list it as my “go-to” place for noodles ranging from soba, udon and ramen. I find it much better, actually way better, than Muku, Globefish’s second venture.

The service has ALWAYS been amazing… always! In the years that I have been there, this has never changed.

In terms of eating here at night, the prices go up substantially and while i wouldn’t mind paying but I don’t think the price matches the quality or creativity from places like Towa and Kawa (die-hard Sushi kawa fan). There have been only a handful of times I have come to eat here at night and usually it’s because a friend has chosen it. But, if I’m there for dinner, I will venture off their sushi menu and explore their other options like donburis and noodles. I do love their ten don and find the tempura perfectly cooked with the right amount of crunch. I’m still looking for the perfect katsu don that I used to eat all over in Japan… I still haven’t found anything similar but Shikiji probably has the version that looks like it at least. I’m probably much too picky and have glorified the authentic Japanese katsu don. Their noodles are spectacular and I would say this is their claim to fame! The udon, miso ramen and soba are wonderful. It’s the closest I have come to the noodles I’ve had in Japan in this city of ours.

There’s no hate for Shikiji of course… I am probably once or twice a month for lunch (sometimes more). It is the place to go for some of my co-working yogis after teaching given the proximity from Sanguine Yoga and Yoga Santosha. Their bento box is just about $12 for rice, miso soup, salad, two pieces of sashimi, two small sections of a maki roll and two pieces of sushi (salmon, tuna). While it’s not a lot, it’s enough and the quality is there as well as the convenience of the location.

The rolls that I have ventured to get include the seasonal autumn crunchy roll which sports a tempura battered yam across the top, avocado and salmon (I couldn’t see or taste it). So for me, thumbs down on this roll… I will say however I am extremely bias and fiercely loyal to Sushi Kawa. I do love their calamari roll though… they have really perfected their deep fried items. It’s never too greasy, heavy, thick or soggy. So thumbs up for this one. The sushi itself is really fresh which I can’t say for other sushi places all the time… especially the bentos. Usually, I find restaurants will try to pawn off their old fish in the bentos which is definitely not appreciated.

So conclusion?

I still go there… I like the convenience of the location… I like the freshness of the bento and I like their noodles. I would say this place is known for their noodles though and not their sushi.

Bon appetit friends!!

Dairylane

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:38:37 -0600

A long time fan of Dairylane, located in Hillhurst on 19th street and 3rd ave. During my days in the lab I often came here to take extended lunch breaks with fellow lab rat friends. Be prepared to arrive very early on the weekends or to wait 15 - 30 minutes for a table if you sleep in. The wait staff and the food is always exceptional! You can enjoy a coffee while you wait for your seat and enjoy conversation with your friends or catch up on some reading. Full parties must be there to be seated or you run the risk of losing your table to the one after you.

Let’s talk food… pictured above is the breakfast burrito with the option of breakfast sausage or spicy chorizo to be added (I opted for the latter). The hash browns that come with it are great, I just wish there were more of them.

I’ve had their carribean jerk vegan scramble after watching many people get it over the course of two years and finally decided to have it. I was pleasantly surprised that the vegan counterpart to the other breakfast options was just as tasty. You don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy it and would suggest that everybody give it a go.

While the eggs benedict is good, I wouldn’t say that it’s my favourite thing to get at Dairylane. It doesn’t really stick out in my mind as something memorable.

However, what *IS* memorable to me and one of the reasons I keep going back is because of their burgers. They are absolutely amazing… while it is no longer offered, their three cheese pork burger used to be my absolute favourite! Their milkshakes are great and even good to share between two people as it is both rich and generous in portion.

The prices run the same as other breakfast joints around town… $13 - 15 with coffee at ~$3. While the price is a bit higher, it’s also on par with the other peeps.

In any case, enjoy the eats peeps!!!

The Coup

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:08:53 -0600

More specifically… The Coup white chocolate cheesecake.

It is my absolute favourite and I love how each time you go, it’s always going to be a surprise. You always have the white chocolate cheesecake base but from there the chefs get creative and change it up.

I was hooked the first time with their blueberry white chocolate cheesecake with what seemed like honey drizzled over the surface. It was perfection down to the creamy texture and the perfect crunchy crust and while I’ve been waiting for it to come back again I have not had the luck to run into it again. I’ve also had strange flavours like their chocolate balsamic version with chocolate balsamic reduction drizzled over and garnished with a mint leaf. While this one was not quite to my liking, I have to commend them for thinking outside the box and trying two combinations that don’t typically go together. Their Saskatoon berry edition was also quite nice (berries and cheesecake are always good) but found it made the cake a little more on the wet side. I’ve also had the chocolate chip variation which is pretty plain but pretty good too. I’ve had their creme brulee once and believe it was lavender creme brulee but was disappointed for the first time when it came to desserts there… the portion was tiny (points for creativity in serving it in a tea cup though) and my main complaint was the creme brulee was seemingly cooked too quickly, didn’t have sufficient water in their water bath, didn’t get even heating (tea cup) or got contaminated with egg whites because it was really lumpy instead of the smooth luscious custard typically found under the shell of caramelized sugar.

I’ve also been in to get their messy jane, falafel quesadilla, dragon bowl as well as rabbit pâté and yam fries paired with an iced maple macha. While their vegetarian fare has wonderful taste and variety for meat eaters, I would say that the prices are definitely a little bit more for what you get. I’m happy with what I order when I eat there with the falafel quesadilla as my favourite to order it is definitely the white chocolate cheesecake that continues to bring me back to The Coup.

A friendly note to you… they get quite busy and if your entire party is not present, your name is skipped and the next group will get your table. So to your tardy friends, tell them to show up on time! You can of course, always head into Meet, which offers The Coup appetizers, drinks and desserts while you wait for a table.

Have fun! Bon appetit fellow hungry caterpillars!

Vendome Tucked away in Kensington is this renovated cafè...

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:45:59 -0600

Vendome

Tucked away in Kensington is this renovated cafè (formerally, the Heartland cafè). I came here after having a few bites from a variety of sweet things a friend brought.

Pictured is their salted caramel chocolate tart. I generally do not like chocolate flavored things and for me sing praises should definitely help illustrate just how seriously wonderful this is. Decadently rich, perfectly smooth thick and luscious. You hit the sticky salted caramel as you dig the fork down into the buttery tart. It’s layered on the bottom layer but doesn’t cause the tart to lose the flaky texture.

Go! Have a cup of coffee and enjoy some decadence by yourself or with a friend!

Dough

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:38:00 -0600

The donut is certainly nudging the cupcake out of the spotlight and Dough is bringing that kind of donut to you.

From the outside, it looks like a quaint neighbourhood bakery. And of course it is, but bringing you a simple but well made version of the artisan donuts coming into the epicurean’s world.

They are priced at $2 a piece but it is a very generous size that probably equates to nearly two Tim Horton doughnuts. It’s been much to the delight of my tummy to try a few of these over the course of a few days. Dulce de leche, chocolate earl grey, cafe au lait, chocolate, lemon poppyseed and the lemon meringue. Out of those, I’d say the cafe au lait stands out the most and will be the one that keeps me coming back to Dough.

So let’s talk about it, the donut itself is light and so soft that even taking it out of the bag seems like a delicate task. The cafe au lait dipping was perfection with bits of cinnamon like crumble stuck on the top. The light plain donut plays nicely to balance the sweet icing which is definitely one for the sweet tooths out there. The dulce de leche donut was sprinkled with silvered almonds and much like it’s cafe au lait cousin… The icing is pretty sweet and having two in one sitting definitely does send you over the moon on sugar. This dipping reminds me of a childhood candy and is a very good representation to the dulce de leches I have had in Mexico and South America. I love the almonds on top for the texture and taste! The lemon meringue donut takes the cake… Piled high with drama and taste. The huge fluffy cloud of meringue lightly toasted on the sides and the tart lemon curd deep inside the donut. Yum! It’s not my first choice but it’s still very delicious. I’ll have to let my readers know of this strange tidbit about me. Maybe you’ll agree? I absolutely love chocolate to the ends of the Earth! But when it comes to chocolate flavored things, I’m not a big fan. Chocolate cake, chocolate ice-cream, chocolate cheesecake, etc… So, I got the chocolate Earl grey because the Earl grey is the flavor I was intrigued by. The hint of Earl grey was there in the chocolate but wish that it was more pronounced so that chocolate was the background flavor as opposed to the dominant. It was still good but my next visit will likely bring me back to good old cafe au lait. The lemon poppyseed is wonderful and slightly tart with poppyseeds sprinkled in the dipping. I would have liked to have the poppyseed in the actual donut as I have had in my own hometown Calgary.

Other flavours I can recall off the top of my head include hibiscus, blood orange, nutella (presumably a fave since they were all gone), coconut, sugar cinnamon, plain glazed, lemon poppy, passionfruit and of course classic chocolate. Grab one with your daily cup of joe and you won’t be disappointed.

Five Leaves

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:34:00 -0600

Bustling with people and delicious food! My friend told me that the late and talented, Heath Ledger, was a part owner to this place.

The menu is simple but when good food stands for itself, you don’t have to complicate matters… Do you? We went for breakfast and had the sage scrambled eggs. It was delectable! The eggs perfectly fluffy but creamy with parts of ooey cheddar cheese throughout. Sharp enough to distinguish but not so much that the egg gets drowned out. The bun the eggs were served on had a spread of this mayo-like concoction that added to the creaminess of the eggs.

It says panini on the menu but it resembled a crusty bun to me with the crunch and rounded crust with the soft bread on the inside. Served with homemade spicy tomato jam… It was perfect. I added a side of avocado while my friend got the side of kale. Both were great compliments to the sage scramble. You get the full avocado, lightly drizzled with oil and seasoned. The kale, perfectly cooked and lightly seasoned. They serve dinner too so hopefully I return one day again to make my tummy happy!

Aroma Espresso Bar

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:34:00 -0600

Freshly made sandwiches, coffee and praline chocolate in a nice cool place. A great escape to the heat my friend likens to being in a hair dryer.

The heat is thick in NY and I felt that right when I got off the plane… yikes! I was waiting for my friend in Aroma on the upper west side and thought to order a personal sized sandwich, a coffee and a ginger ale to a) satiate my hunger b) satiate the sleepiness and c) satiate my melting body.

Let’s talk food… the grilled halloumi sandwich. Halloumi, the popular middle eastern and greek cheese comprised of goat and sheep’s milk, was introduced to me by an Australian friend but only by description. So I finally have the great pleasure of trying it paired with cream cheese, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes. The combinations were so great. The halloumi definitely was crispy and soft from being grilled with a consistency much like Quebec cheese curds found in poutine. It was a generous helping of tomato rounds and I wish there was more lettuce and pickles. I like the cream cheese and thought it offered a different texture to the whole thing. The bread was pillowly soft and indicative of freshness… I could’ve just had bread and would’ve been happy.

I thought the coffee was pretty run of the mill. I will definitely admit that I am not a coffee aficionado and just like the taste. I like the complimentary praline chocolate that comes with it… probably because it’s complimentary.

All in all, it was a clean space, friendly and efficient staff with good food. You can’t complain. Happy eating!!!

Kate’s yoga page

Jelly Modern Doughnuts

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:29:00 -0600

It’s not just a doughnut… it’s an oblong circular piece of fresh ooey gooey heaven! Step aside kiddies, this game is for the big leagues!

I have passed by this shop a few times and even came one time too late and found the doors locked. :( After, I got a request to review the place I finally decided to make my way after teaching a yoga class. In a way, I wish I didn’t because it is SO good that I know I will validate frequent visits by walking 12 minutes from the studio to Jelly… that’s not bad, right? Haha… At the end of the day though, if it can bring a smile to your face, then why not enjoy your life?

Located on 14th ave and 8th street this cute little place definitely offers the chilled out ambiance to catch up on work, school, friends or all of the above over delicious bites. The staff is incredibly friendly and the place is nice and tidy and showcases the artisan doughnuts very nicely. I love their commitment to help the community… the doughnuts you see are fresh from the morning with all the 1-day olds going to the food bank and other local charities. In addition to that, good karma continues with monthly charities featured and supported. What goes around, comes around… in a doughnut. Har har har… but let’s carry on and talk food.

So where do you start? How do you pick? Of the 10+ offered, I was only able to try three… and if I had known how wonderful they would be, I would’ve ordered the 3 bite over the regular size (~1.5x larger than Tim Horton’s) so that I could have more! Next time, but readers… now you know. *pictured below lemon curd 3 bite size*

Pictured at the very top are the two doughnuts I tried today… On the left is the Mayor Nenshi salted caramel and on the right is the season’s favourite, a delectable concoction of lemon/poppyseed/blueberry mix. The three bite is the lemon curd (unfortunately, no reference to gauge the size except for the display with the minis on the left). With the exception of four flavours (chocolate, coconut, maple bacon and flavour of the month), the doughnuts will vary every day of the week. Menu

The salted caramel. Incredible… an uncanny resemblance to the French butter salted caramels from Brittany I love so much. The cake is dense enough to give you bite but soft to yield to pressure. The salted caramel dipping is the absolute perfect balance between sweet and salty. Plays nice on the palate without being overly sweet which is a pitfall of many doughnuts you find in the city.

Season’s favourite is one I hope will reappear on the regular menu. I don’t even know what it was called but it was a poppyseed doughnut which was crispy on the outside and super buttery soft on the inside. The doughnut is spilt in half and filled with crème chantilly with fresh blueberries sprinkled throughout. I squeezed the lemon slice over the top of my doughnut to give it citrus flavourings. This is so good and blows all conceptions and ideas I have of doughnuts straight out of the water.

The lemon curd is delightfully tart but still sweet enough that your eyes aren’t watering with pursed lips. The curd is made on site and so creamy and playful in zing. The same dough for the salted caramel was used here and served well with such a creamy centre. Definitely, could have gone for the whole thing but happy to have only the 3 bite. Especially after having two full sizes.

It is so good to the point of being ridiculous! I never knew what I was missing and certainly happy to have this establishment in Calgary as it serves as a nice treat that goes beyond expectations. Happy eating fellow caterpillars!

Kate’s yoga page

Purple Perk

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:24:00 -0600

Ambiance, coffee, desserts, food and more… great! A review that is long overdue as I have been a happy customer for years! I started coming here when I was sitting and waiting in between teaching and for the occasional coffee date with friends.

Long time friend and resident of mission told me that their carrot cake was in fact one of the best in the city. I was more of a Good Earth Coffee carrot cake fan when it came to coffee shops. So I tried it out and since then have been hooked on it! I wish I had a picture but I seem to get too excited and eat it before I even remember to take a picture of it.

Most recently, I started going to Purple Perk for breakfast and pictured above is their guadalajara breakfast… a fluffy three egg omelette stuffed with delicious beans, salsa and sausage. Served with skillet potatoes tossed in a zippy BBQ sauce, four slices of buttered toast, guacamole and salsa. It is a big generous breakfast to be enjoyed over a lengthy period of time whilst people watching or in the company of good friends.

I love their salads and find the portions generous and the price extremely fair. Often times, coffee shops seem to overprice their food and Purple Perk definitely stands away from that. I can’t get enough of their salads and even though only two are pictured, I’ve had them all and love them all!

A great place to catch up on work, reading, studying and friends… filled with delicious eats and drinks! Don’t pass it up!

Kate’s yoga page

Boxwood

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:01:00 -0600

I’ve been meaning to go to Boxwood for quite some time and finally after meeting up with some friends for coffee we decided to enjoy the sun and stroll to Boxwood. It reminds me so much of New York and definitely offered the same relaxing vibe in the middle of the city. I was charmed by the decent sized restaurant set in the middle of Central Memorial Park with the sound of water fountains and the city sounds.

We arrived early afternoon whichmeant that they had run out of a few items on the menu. I can understand that and at least know that they are offering quality versus quantity. And quality it is, with organic and local fare as much as the can… even with their own personal garden!

So… I will definitely be back, especially since they have a rotating weekly menu. Armed with the company of really lovely friends we embarked on a delicious and slightly gluttonous afternoon… let’s talk about the grub now, shall we?

Our entire table of four ordered the same entree for lunch… the porchetta sandwich (*Pictured above). Porchetta… a filipino’s dream according to one of my friends, coincidently all filipinos. A succulent and savory spit fired piece of deliciousness with the meat, fat and skin properly in perfect ratio. This sandwich is certainly not for vegetarians or people who do not enjoy the fat with the meat… but if you’re like me and enjoy the occasional indulgence, then this is perfection to a tee when paired with a fresh house made ciabatta with a grainy mustard spread with apple and cabbage slaw. The acidity is a perfect balance to the generous portion of porchetta.

Maintaining on the theme of good friends, good conversation with good food in a beautiful setting we embarked onto the dessert menu. They were all so delicious and I don’t believe it would be hard to “pick the wrong one”.

Pictured above is their Farm cheesecake in a cute little jar… a fun deconstructed way to eat a cheesecake. The tart cranberries on the top helped to cut through the rich creamy cheesecake on the bottom. With the crispy bits of hazelnut / oat granola on the top… it was perfect! While all the desserts were great… this one was easily the “winner” if we had to pick one.

They ran out of the other icecream flavours but the mint ice-cream sandwich was so perfect. The homemade cookie had a little bit of bit but definitely offered the luscious gooey cookie feeling. This reminded me of the childhood days of eating messy ice-cream sandwiches from the ice-cream van on a hot sidewalk. :)

If you have ever had the chance to have a Juliet Et Chocolat brownie in Montreal… I would say that this stands its ground alongside it. Sinfully rich and moist with the zing of raspberries. It was served slightly warm and this one small serving was certainly rich enough to satisfy the table. I couldn’t really pick up the caramel notes but the brownie certainly didn’t need to have that layer to make it delicious.

So all said and told… I am so happy that I finally got the chance to go here. It offers such a nice atmosphere that is lacking here in Calgary and will certainly serve as a romantic spot for lovers as well as a chilled place for friends to meet.

Kate’s yoga page

Famoso

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:30:00 -0600

You may be impressed by the imported 00 flour low in gluten, the imported tomatoes from the Campania region, the bell shaped oven the artisan nature of the pizza… but you’ll probably just be impressed by the delicious, light pizza offered at Famoso.

I was skeptical of trying the place because I have been to Pulcinella Pizza in Kensington several times to have their “authentic Napoletana” pizza. I have been disappointed several times and dread going every time it is somebody’s birthday. The last time, I asked them to undercook my pizza so it wasn’t burned on the bottom and so that flavour wouldn’t carry out and drown out the other ingredients. But it wouldn’t matter anyways, the prosciutto pizza I ordered once was like deli meat from the grocery store, canned mushrooms and really blanched out artichoke hearts (canned as well?).

Needless to say, when the new kid on the block sporting authentic Napoletana pizza came around… I hesitated for a few months before trying it. I am so glad that I have because it really is a great place to get a light pizza where flavours speak. Great food is when the ingredients are kept simple but fuse together to work in a blast of flavours.

I do enjoy going for a quick bite during lunch because of their lunch pizzette option where you choose any pizza off the menu and pair it with either salad or soup. I wish I could mention about the soup or the other salads other than Caesar but I absolutely love their Caesar salad and can’t bear to order anything else. I would love to hear from you if you have had the others. :)

Fire-Roasted Tomato Bisque Soup 11
Caesar or Napoli Salad 11.75
Gorgonzola Walnut or Caprese Salad 13.75

Pictured is their Primavera pizza… mozzarella, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, roasted mushrooms (real), kalamata olives and red onion. YUM!! I have had this pizza many times and never disappointed.

Other pizzas I have tried also include the classic margherita, pollo, proscuitto arugula and vesuvio. They are all wonderful but I do keep coming back for the Primavera.

I have yet to try their tiramisu or their gelato… by the time I finish, I am stuffed! I have tried their Italian sodas and will say that I am not too impressed with them and find them to taste slightly medicinal.

Further than that… I would recommend this place and if you were like me and turned off of Napoletana / Neapolitan pizza because of the Kensington location… let this place be the one to change your view as it did with mine.

* Photo credit to Eat in Calgary Blog

Kate’s yoga page

Phil & Sebastian / Chachi's

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:50:00 -0600

Mall rat days…

So reminiscent of my days in junior high and high school. Between my 0615 Santosha class and my 1200 Moksha class, if I haven’t taken a class I can certainly be found in the Mission area or around Chinook Mall. Oh, what it is to be a mall rat… In any case, I do like going to Phil & Sebastian for the ambiance and you can find this place in the new wing of Chinook closer to Sears. Especially, if I am trying to catch up on some work with my laptop because it’s less crowded and certainly not as noisy as Starbucks in Chinook.

As an aside, if you’re wondering how did Kate manage to take a picture like that on her iPhone? Then I will advise you to download Photosynth by Microsoft for your iPhone. Knowing the results of seamlessly woven pictures to create panorama shots and even 360 degree shots, I would pay up to $10 for this app but it’s FREE! It is by far the easiest photo app of this kind to use and the results are so incredible! I love it.

*Picture above is actually from Calgary Reviews as I spilled my coffee and the table and lost the heart they made me. :(

So today, I decided to go for something other than tea and drip coffee and ordered a dulce which was said to be the most similar (but not the same) to the caramel macchiato offered at Starbucks. The small is about $4.75 and although it was good, I did find it lacking in flavour. I know that Starbucks is using syrups of artificial flavours and by no means am I claiming to be a coffee connoisseur. Perhaps I can’t appreciate the depth of what Phil & Sebastian has to offer because I can say that I would choose McDonalds if they offered a space of the same ambiance. Yikes! Is that blasphemy to talk smack about P&S?? Are there people cringing at their computer screens at the very mention of McDonalds uttered in the same breath as P&S? I do like my coffee and not very picky and happy with most coffee I get… I would say that The Roasterie gets my top vote for their coffee (drip, espresso and the like).

In any case, I do enjoy going there but the major pulling factor is the ambiance and the quiet space… not the coffee.

So hunger strikes and so I head across the hall to Chachi’s to have their breakfast sandwich. I like the way it looks and the prices are reasonable. I got the short at $5.95 which falls just short of a foot. It is as tasty as it sounds… Cheddar, basil pesto spread, red pepper spread, scrambled eggs and spicy capicollo. The one thing that threw me off was that the egg and cheese mixture was popped into a plastic container and then into the microwave to cook. BUT, it tasted great so can one really be concerned with how it was cooked? After all, you’re standing in line for fast food not sitting at a restaurant for a sandwich.

I ate it all without a complaint and a few days later my bf would order the same one and have the same positive reaction to it. I like that the bread is soft because I don’t like toasted sandwiches… it cuts the side of my mouth! Take smaller bites, Kate… NEVER! haha. I like the little kick that it has and the spreads are super tasty and inspire me to make my own!

So there went my morning… mall rat out.

Kate’s yoga page

Sushi Kawa

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:31:00 -0600

Sushi Kawa

A friend introduced me to this place probably around 2005 and I have been a loyal patron since then… it is hands down one of my favourite sushi places in Calgary. Having lived in Japan for a year, I do find that this is the sushi that represents that cuisine the most. Japanese restaurants have exploded on the scene in Calgary over the course of the last 10 years. But here’s the thing… how many of these restaurants have certified Japanese sushi chefs? Sushi chefs in Japan do not just go on the job and it can take up to a decade to become a sushi chef. One of my friends in Japan said that in his first year, all he did was cook rice! We don’t find that attention to detail in most of the restaurants in Calgary.

Needless to say, I am one of their biggest fans and will frequent that place at least once a week… if not two or even three. YIKES for the wallet!

I read some reviews that didn’t fancy Sushi Kawa and certainly sad to see that they did not have an enjoyable time because in over the last decade I have had nothing but stellar service and amazing food. I read a nasty review on Urbanspoon that complained about aspects of the restaurant that pertained to Japanese culture. I am sad to see the Japanese art, Japanese magazines and the Sumo go. But the food still stands for itself and am not too bothered about what a restaurant looks like. Although, the update to the decor is nice.

In any case, pictured above is one of my favourite rolls. The Kamakaze roll made of spicy tuna with tempura bits. Not pictured is the Scud nigiri or sashimi… the same delicious concoction of spicy tuna and tempura. Certainly, not to disappoint. Pictured alongside on the left is the yam tempura roll and the dragon roll. The yam tempura roll, I will say is usually a little bit too al dente for me and while other may like the bite, I do like my yams cooked through to yield. The dragon roll is amazing good times of unagi, cucumber with a blanket of avocados and drizzled with unagi sauce. My mouth waters just thinking of it. The second picture on the right is one of their new rolls… Crunch dragon roll. Blending together shrimp tempura, unagi and avocado with wasabi mayo overtop. It is as delicious as it looks.

Don’t read into negative reviews too much… because those who have been to Japan will surely agree this is as close to the real deal as you can get without having to venture out to Vancouver or Toronto for that calibre.

Bon appetit my fellow caterpillars.

Kate’s yoga page

Sushi Ichiban I’ve rushed past this restaurant on busy Macleoud...

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:18:00 -0600

Sushi Ichiban

I’ve rushed past this restaurant on busy Macleoud trail numerous times. I recalled visiting it way back in 2005 (the year before I left for Japan) for their all you can eat sushi. I don’t recall being overly amazed at quality but also don’t recall being completely turned off.

In any case, between buzzing from class to class and studio to studio. I decided to meet up with the man to have their lunch special which I scoped out online.

The price is fair with lunch bentos starting at $10.95. They have a long list of menu items and you have your choice of two plus miso soup and salad. If you want to pick teriyaki steak or sushi, additional $0.50. If you want to pick sashimi, I believe it’s $1.00 extra. I believe the price is still fair especially given the portions. The yam tempura was 50% off the two days I went back. Making it only ~$3.

The service is incredibly fast and efficient. Near the end of our meal, we felt a bit rushed to leave. The restaurant was busy but not full with no line-up. It didn’t ruin the experience but felt uncomfortable after being asked ~5 times if we were done and wanted things packed up. I can only attribute it to how restaurants run in places like Hong Kong where people for the most part eat and want to leave. Not socialize. The temperature of the restaurant is pretty cold and my only real complaint would be that my food got cold pretty fast because of that. Maybe the Kate-o-pillar has to work on eating faster! Haha.

In any case, the tonkatsu was wonderfully fried without being too thick with batter. The teriyaki steak was incredible. Not pictured, but the second time back the chicken kushi was amazing with the tempura batter giving it a crispy texture. The sushi, soup and salad were pretty standard for lunch bento boxes… Actually, I would liken the quality and taste to that of Globefish minus the hike in price for their overrated sushi.

Would I go back? Yes, for a quick, easy, delicious and cheap lunch. :)

Kate’s yoga page

Overeasy Breakfast Pictured above is the a delightful lamb...

Mon, 23 May 2011 15:48:00 -0600

Overeasy Breakfast

Pictured above is the a delightful lamb burger served with their famous herbed potatoes and bean salad.

This new breakfast joint has certainly joined the ranks of one of my favourite places to go for early morning grub. This was actually the first time I deviated off their breakfast menu and into their lunch menu… I am a huge fan of their Soul in a bowl which is a delectable mix of herbed potatoes, bacon pieces, curds with two poached eggs served on top and drizzled with hollandaise (I just made myself hungry). *Do ask to get the soul in a bowl in an actual bowl… unless you like eating it out of a paper chinese takeout box.

Cannot believe how wonderful this burger is. I am always quite cautious of getting lamb as I have yet to become accustomed to the sometimes gamey flavour. The patty is spiced with something akin to an Indian restaurant with a tangy yogurt tzaziki type sauce. I actually had to come back to order this because the first time I gobbled it all up and forgot to take a picture!

Would highly recommend coming to this place but be sure to arrive early on the weekends or be prepared also to wait a worthwhile line for some good grub.

Kate’s yoga page

Be kind...

Mon, 09 May 2011 15:56:00 -0600

As the studio reached the last day of a Living Social deal we ran over 6 months ago. It has been a very trying ordeal at times for teachers, staff and even the students! There has definitely been patience exercised all across the board by the entire community and it is certainly something I know the entire Sanguine staff appreciates and does not overlook.

I am however, very surprised and a bit disappointed in some of the attitudes, words and behaviours that I either witnessed on my own behalf and that I heard of after.

In a world that needs more love, patience and understanding… it starts on a small scale. Day-to-day interactions with your grocery cashier, the customer representative on the other end of the phone, your coffee barista, your waiter/waitress, reception staff… the list goes on.

Is it worth it to get so riled up and to argue/complain and resort to being rude, sarcastic and downright childish? I have been in those situations in the past and do not make myself out to be perfect… and so I know there is truth to be found in that acting that way does not make anybody involved feel better (and to be honest, it probably won’t help your case).

Inevitably, these situations will happen to us all where our patience will be tried. It is important to remember though, rules are rules and sometimes the other person on the end of things isn’t in charge of those rules. The old adage, don’t shoot the messenger, certainly comes into play. But moreover, the person on the other end could be your friend, your sister, your brother, your mom, your dad, your partner and maybe even you! So demonstrate kindness even if you have no idea who that person is… because they ARE somebody’s friend, somebody’s sibling, somebody’s child and somebody’s partner.

A little goes a long way…

We all have a responsibility to act as positive instruments in the world.