We love MasterChef, and we think the judges are the bomb-diggity! When we heard that Chef Bonacini's company, Oliver & Bonacini, opened a restaurant in Calgary, we had to try it.
The atmosphere is best described as man cave chic. There are flying birds made out of wire, various animal heads, horns, and display cases with pounds of cured meat. It's hard to believe it used to be a part of The Bay! The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The manager even visited every table - not something you see very often anymore.
P got the Last Best Porter, always a great drink. V got the best goddamn Caesar she has ever had! It was smooth, thick, and ridiculously flavourful. We asked the server what was different about the recipe and we were told it was all organic ingredients. The clamato base was exceptional. To top it off, it came with a slice of bacon. Beauty!
This was one of those restaurants that made choosing our dishes nearly impossible. We wanted to order one of everything. Unfortunately, neither our waist line nor our wallets would allow for that. The menu showcases some unique ingredients and dishes. It's not your typical upscale American food, it's beaming with culinary creativity.
We got the Steak Tartare and Roast Bone Marrow to start. It came with a side of bannock bread. It's refreshing to see bannock on a menu at a mainstream restaurant! The tartare was packed with crispy capers, chopped pickles, great quality beef, and garnished with egg yolk and, what the menu calls, "crunchy stuff". The bone marrow underneath was velvety smooth with rich roasted flavour. Our server mentioned that so many people who order this dish leave behind the marrow - for shame, Calgary!
We got our mains to share, and they brought out small plates to divide it all up - a nice touch. We ordered the Lamb Shank with braised cabbage, turnips, smoky mash, dandelion greens and a sweet rosemary sauce. THAT SMOKY MASH! The rest of this blog will be dedicated to that mash. Well, not literally, but it was oh so incredibly good! It was a smoky, creamy, smooth masterpiece. The lamb itself was tender and fell right off the bone. The dandelion greens were surprisingly sweet, with just a hint of bitter. Everything on the plate was thoughtfully composed and the dish came together in complete harmony.
Our other main was the West Coast Octopus. It came with black barley, bacon-steamed clams and samphire (we had to google it - think of it as baby asparagus from the sea). The black barley, with chunks of thick bacon, came in a sauce that our forks couldn't stay away from! The star of the dish was, without the doubt, the generous portion of octopus. Octopus can be a tricky protein to cook and they nailed it! Served fashionably in a cast iron pan, the octopus was sweet, with a hint of citrus. A delightful dish that you don't see very often.
The final course was, of course, dessert. We ordered the Sticky Maple Butter Pudding. It was warm, gooey and sweet. It came with fancy apple sauce, crème fraîche ice cream and some candied nuts. A nice way to end a great meal!
V's Final Word: I'm going back for the Caesar... tomorrow.
P's Final Word: I take a lot of pride in my mashed potatoes. After the smoky mash that came with the lamb, I definitely need to up my game!
Price Range: $120 for a nice dinner for two
Address: 200 8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 1B5
Website: http://www.theguildrestaurant.com/