Sunday, May 31, 2015

We gettin' fancy up in here!

I love surprises. I like being surprised, and surprising others. In this case M surprised me with a new place to try and I was very excited! He had only given me a few hints, things like: it’s a bit classy but not a full dress up type place. Jeans and a nice shirt will be fine. I asked if I’d ever heard of it, or seen it and he was confident that I hadn’t. He learned about it after reading a Reddit post on Calgary’s favourite places to eat. He read some reviews, checked out the website and made the plan. The day we went was beautiful, warm and sunny, and when we arrived the first thing M noticed was the patio.

M: We have to come here in the summer… on a night off when its hot out and just drink on the patio all night.
T: Are you feeling okay? You don’t normally like patios.
M: I do like them if its night time and it’s here.

Here is Cannibale. Newly opened in Bridgeland it’s not that easy to spot actually. We passed it the first time by but found it once we were heading westbound. It’s a small building on the corner lot and the signage outside isn’t obvious. You enter off the street through the patio and it opens up into the bar portion of this restaurant. I use that term loosely though. It’s very small inside. Maybe eight chairs at the bar, three two person tables and then maybe eight more tables on the lower level across from the barber shop. Yup, you heard me right. There is a barber shop as the street-facing store front. I honestly don’t know if I understand why. It gives the vibe of a Mad Men-ish era, the fifties even: get a shave and a haircut then stop over for a tumbler of whiskey. (Is that even a thing? A tumbler seems like that would be a lot of whiskey). Regardless. There’s a barbershop inside, and I find that strange.

Sitting at the bar, we are greeted right away by a young bartender who seems a bit disinterested. Maybe it’s just because we were the first table there for the day (it opens at 4 everyday) and he wasn’t done prepping his lemon wedges and orange twists? Once was had a look through the menu and started asking him questions he opened right up. M’s first drink was a beer (which I thought was cheating) but it was one he hadn’t tried before: CoCoNut Porter, Maui brewing Co. He has raved about this beer since we left that day and sadly, we haven’t’ been able to find it in stores. Which might be a good thing really. He could drink the store dry of their stock!

I really was torn. The drink menu is very large, very cocktail focused and labour intensive. I asked for a recommendation, which I usually regret. Only because I will offer up the suggestion of, let’s say, a gin based drink, not sour, not spicy. Giving free reign to the bartender who will do their best, it’s always a bit tart, or made with a juice I don’t like (pineapple) for example. I certainly don’t blame them though, and frankly typing this out has made me realize that I should be way more specific when I’m ordering. Next time I will say, gin based, sweet flavours, no pulp juice. I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up drinking a lot of gin and gingerales :/. Today though I went for the: MALACHI CRUNCH Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Giffard Pamplemousse, Lime. Gin, good. Cachaça, wtf is that? Grapefruit and Lime, sour. Overall, probably not a great choice for me, but granted he did a great job of making it. Half the fun in a place like this is sitting at the bar (which I usually bitch about) and watching the bartender create. The effort and care that goes into each drink is fabulous to see. In our daily pub adventures the most effort we get out of the bar staff is throwing an orange slice on a pint of Shocktop.

My second drink was a Pimmy Gibbler. Pimm’s No. 1, Oloroso Sherry, Lime, Angostura Bitters, Apple Cider. There are a very small group of people that will understand that reference, and if you do then you know the reason why I chose that drink. This drink was better than my first, much less sour. It was good enough that I recall commenting “I should have had this first, it was my gut instinct” and “Are we staying for more because I could keep drinking these”.

The food menu here is…small. And that’s okay, it truly is going for the drinks vibe, not so much a 3 course meal type atmosphere. Once we were happily drinking we browsed the food options. Because it was early in the day, and M had already looked at the menu online, he gave me an out.

M: If you don’t like any of the food here, that’s okay we can just drink and then go on our way.
T: No, no. That’s not fair! You went to the trouble of finding this place so we should try something! It’s fine, there’s quite a few things that I would have.

I settled on the beef carpaccio. I love beef. I love all of these things combined (except the pickles): SILVER SAGE BEEF CARPACCIO Hickory Smoked Tenderloin, Mustard Aioli, Cured Yolk, Garlic Chips, House Pickles, Smoked Salt, Crostini and it was delicious. The best carpaccio I’ve had. And surprisingly, a very large portion. (I suppose I thought for eighteen bucks in a joint like this that it would be tiny). The garlic chips were outstanding. So thinly sliced and just crispy enough. Might be my love of garlic talking there. If I did have one critique it’s the toast serviced with it. Don’t get me wrong, I know what crostini is. This however was not crostini. This was hockey puck sliced up. Could have even been a rock. What it should have been was not served. I have read other reviews that ditto my sentiment. It’s actually inedible. So after cutting the roof of my mouth all open on the bread I gave up on it and just ate slice after slice of the best beef I’ve had in a long time.

M’s appetizer was the PEASANT CHEESE BOARD A Carefully Curated Selection of World Cheeses, Appropriate Accompaniments, Rosebud Honey, Crostini. Oh look, more crostini. My husband loves cheese boards, and I think secretly he’s glad that I don’t, this way he doesn’t have to share with me! As I glance over at his plate of triangles and squares he offers me a bit that I quickly decline. I do appreciate the offer but I know that I’m not into it and I won’t enjoy it. I’d rather him enjoy his and I enjoy mine. (That’s code for me not sharing). His second round drink was the WIL WHEATON Village Wit (10 oz) & Maker’s Mark. A beer and a shot, a very common combination, but in this case he “may” have chosen it due to the Star Trek actors name in the title. Hey, look at that! I didn’t screw up Star Wars & Star Trek! See babe, I pay attention.

Looking at the rest of the menu, nothing else was catching my eye. We contemplated another round of drinks but really, I just wanted a regular pint of beer (there’s no pints of Canadian or anything). I can only drink so many girly fruity drinks before I start wearing fake eyelashes and taking my dog for pedicures.

The more I think about it, the more he’s right. We do need a patio night there. And coming up to the summer months, it’s going to happen sooner than later. I can’t wait to go back!! :)


Cannibale on Urbanspoon

1 comment:

  1. That's sounds awesome! My definition of fancy is saltlik, which don't get me wrong it is quite fancy but it's still a chain. We're the drinks reasonably priced? And said patio have the potential of some shade? Apparently I can't be trusted to use sunscreen :(

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