I'll take you places you ain't ever been

Trying to avoid shopping while waiting for Daisy to meet me downtown, I plucked up one of those free reads to pass my time. While sorely missing my weekly dose of Savage Love on the weekly STRAIGHT, FFWD just doesn't cut it. Anyway, since I had already read FFWD for this week, I came upon a different read: WHERE Calgary. WHERE is all about "Shopping, dining, entertainment & maps" re: my fair city. Perusing through this lil gem, I came to realize how much I appreciate C-spot for all it has to offer. Sure, there's not much to do late at night if you don't want to go dancing, drinking, or eating...but I'm certain that will all change in due time. And I will be there to witness its metamorphosis.

Upon getting home, I decided to be a big geek and highlight all the Calgary attractions and venues that I have come to experience thus far. I was further impressed by my highlighted list of culinary experiences I have enjoyed. For now, here is my take on the establishments I knew off of the WHERE 2002 Most Memorable Meal Award list.

1. Smuggler's Inn: A runner-up in the Best Brunch category. This has always been a favorite amongst my family and all our close friends. I dragged my friends there for our recent Christmas get-together. While I was disappointed in the new re-configuration of the restaurant, their food never ever disappoints me. At $12.95, their price is competitive with a lot of the other brunches running in the city, but the value is unsurpassed in my opinion. Not to mention that the seating is more intimate and quiet. It doesn't get any better than that.
   

2. Calgary Tower: A runner-up for Most Romantic. While I wasn't up there with romance in mind, I can definitely see how it would be romantic. I recently had the pleasure of joining Daisy and Lethal and Daisy's family at the top of the tower to celebrate Daisy's university convocation. It is a shame that the tower has been overshadowed by several downtown skyscrapers. Like several towers around the world, the Panorama Dining room revolves an entire 360 degrees per hour. While it is a bit disorienting coming and returning from the bathroom :o) the food there is exquisite and should definitely be reserved for those special nites out on the town. And for tourists? They provide the best regional ingredients within the most delectable offerings.
   

3. Good Earth Cafe: Runner-up for Best Cafe/Bistro. We've been going there since the unifriends were still a unified foursome. I recently went back there after the Christmas brunch and nothing has really changed, and that is definitely not a bad thing. Gotta love their steaming mugs/bowls of hot mocha. And that chicken salad sandwich? Yummy.
   

4. The James Joyce: Runner-up for Best Pub. It was too noisy for my taste, but hey, what else can you expect at a pub? The food was a bit classier than your typical pub fare, but it was worth the extra coin.
   

5. Joey Tomato's: Winner for Best Casual. The NE location was the venue for our Christmas get-together last year. Food was great and the round table was excellent so that nobody got left out of the conversation. I appreciated the coziness of the NE Joey's. The one in the SE, however, is pretty noisy. Not only that but the design is fairly bare so there is nothing to really absorb or muffle any of the noise. Food is still good in the south.
   

6. Earls: Runner-up for Best Casual. In general, I find Earls food overpriced and their menu offerings completely lacking. At Earls Tin Palace it's a completely different story. I love their Martini Nights on Fridays. We've been on several occasions. Their food, while still not very imaginative, is wonderfully prepared. I like the Tin Palace so much, I gave Civic a gift-certificate for the Palace as part of his Christmas present. However, it wasn't my intention for Daisy to get a free martini out of the deal. *slightly jealous her friends went without her*
   

7. Moxie's: Runner-up for Best Casual. Another unifriends standby. Gosh, I miss the days when the 4 of us would shoot the breeze with a White Chocolate Brownie shared amongst us. Their Philly Cheesesteak (one of my fave sandwiches in the world) is pretty good here as well. And their bellini is the 2nd best one I've found in the city thus far.
   

8. Peter's Drive-In: Runner-up for Best Bargain. Now, any Calgarian worth their salt ought to know all about Peter's Drive-In. I even had a conversation in Toronto (opposite end of the country) with this couple who did a cross-Canada roadtrip to Vancouver and felt compelled to stop by Calgary to sample what the hype is all about. Their burgers aren't the best I've ever had, but they're far from being the worst. Their shakes are sooooooo good. A couple words for Peter's rookies: 1) Expect long lineups and traffic on weekends and lazy summer days. 2) Their large fries can feed a family of 4. Order as you see fit.
   

9. Perkins: Runner-up for Best Bargain. I don't think this should count since it's an American staple but I can't argue with the value. We've ended up there numerous times on a late night. Their food is always good, price is always right, and service is always terrific. We never have to wait to get seated, it's a lot quieter than Denny's, and it's just plain closer to home. Not that I don't enjoy Denny's, but this is Perkins shining moment.
   

I'll leave you all with that for now. Next time I get around to it I'll talk about my personal finds which I feel have been sorely overlooked.