Jill Browne, from home and away

Friday, January 7, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today:  Around freezing and overcast all day.  No sun.

There’s lots of choice for Vietnamese food in Calgary.  It’s one of the cheaper lunches, and leaves you full for the rest of the day.

My friend was shopping at Best Buy and suggested we meet at the nearby Pho.  It’s actually called Le’s Pho, 8180 – 11 Street SE, Calgary.  Forget the address.  Get to Heritage Meadows (between Deerfoot and Blackfoot, at the east end of Heritage Drive, down on the flats).  The Best Buy is at the south end.  Le’s Pho is across the parking lot.

I’m actually having trouble figuring out if it’s Le Pho, Le’s Pho, Le’Pho, but I know the location is right.

My friend had a big bowl of beef soup, I had the chicken on top of vermicelli.  We shared an order of salad rolls.  The total bill before tip was $24.05, and as far as I could tell it was a 50/50 split.

It’s one of those Vietnamese restaurants that you find all around Calgary.  Though the outside is kind of featureless industrial, the inside has the unmistakable ambience of “let’s not spend a lot of money on the furniture and decor”, which is fine by me.

I’m not a connaisseur of this food.  I like it once in a while, and I got what I came for.  No complaints.

It was odd that the waiter didn’t want to give my friend a knife to cut the salad roll in half, though.  He seemed to find the request a bit of an outrage but complied anyway.

If this map is ridiculously small, I believe you can enlarge it and it should show you where I mean.  The little arrow may be on the back of the building, though.  That’s just a Google Maps thing and I couldn’t change it.

Thursday, January 6, 2011.

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today: Beautiful sunny winter day, temperature at mid-day just above freezing.

I’m meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow and trying to think of where we should go.  This put me on the track of thinking about coffee and the indy coffee spots I’ve tried around town.

The truth is, I drink a lot of coffee from Starbucks, because I like the taste, and I like the atmosphere, except when it’s crowded.

I also go to The Second Cup, which is a Canadian coffee franchise.  Like the taste, like the atmosphere of my two favourite Second Cup locations.

I know that some people prefer to go indy when there’s a choice, and I agree, it’s a good thing to do.

So, if you love coffee and you wonder where on earth to find an indy coffee place in Calgary, the first place I’ll suggest is Kawa, on 8th Street SW between 13th and 14th Avenue.

Kawa Espresso Bar

Why people like it:  the coffee.  This is for people who really enjoy the taste and smell of good coffee, and at least some (probably all) of their coffee is organic.

I like the coffee, but I will warn you that wherever you find parking around here, you’ll have to pay for it. I am happy with the decor but I don’t find it as inviting as some people do.

Kawa has some devoted, I mean really devoted, fans.  Their coffee is as good as people say.

More coffee places to come.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011.  Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Weather today: about freezing or a little warmer, no wind.  Major Chinook arch.

Breakfast

Breakfast for two was just over $30 with tip.  We ate substantial meals; enough to call it the main meal of the day.

Each had the same thing: a “Blackstone Bowl”, English muffin, beverage (coffee for me, diet cola for my friend).

The “Bowl” is a layer of potato wedges, a layer of chopped tomatoes, some slices of bacon, and scrambled eggs with cheese on top.

Not great, not terrible.  Is it the best you can do for $15?  I doubt it but I’ll have to start paying attention.

I’ve been going out for breakfast about once a week.  Should have a new restaurant to report on soon.

Ricky’s Restaurants, Calgary