36 Hours, 900 kms, 4 restaurants, 1 tripod, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein...dearest Audrey, your paraphrase could not be more apropos.
In an attempt to regain some sanity in the midst of tax season, we managed to carve out a quick, overnight trip to our favourite Rocky Mountain destination, Banff. With such a short time-line (13.5 waking/non-travel hours only) how much trouble can a couple get into? The answer is a lot when the couple is us and the locale is Banff.
On the recommendation of Sarah's sister Hannah we stayed at the Inns of Banff, the major draw being a roof-top hot pool. It's further from downtown than we normally like; but seriously, roof-top hot pool + a view of Cascade Mountain = worth the 20 min walk. Especially since half the reason we went is for a hot tub (the other half is the food). After a soak to soothe the aches of travel, and our life in general, we made the trek into downtown for dinner. Normally on such a short trip we would rely on established favourites, but we decided to be brave and try someplace new. After much debate as to whether the restaurant in question was the Bear or the Buffalo or the Bear and Bison we arrived to discover two options, one upstairs and one down. The Bear Street Tavern had a 30 minute wait for a table, but The Bison Restaurant and Terrace had a table immediately. Feeling beyond peckish we went for the available table. Hailed by Ginneralo La Giorgia of the Ottawa Citizen as "One of the 10 best restaurants worth traveling the world for" their mantra is "Regional. Seasonal. Canadian." With carpaccio on the menu (in this case bison) the appetizer decision made itself. We asked our server to pair a wine with the carpaccio and she recommended the Catena Malbec. Having experienced the Catena but not the food; this pairing was masterful. This one wine managed to simultaneously highlight the salt of the meat, soften the surrounding chili oil, and bring out the flavours of the manchego cheese as well as the (lightly) pickled sweet peppers. Then, the main event ...
In an attempt to regain some sanity in the midst of tax season, we managed to carve out a quick, overnight trip to our favourite Rocky Mountain destination, Banff. With such a short time-line (13.5 waking/non-travel hours only) how much trouble can a couple get into? The answer is a lot when the couple is us and the locale is Banff.
On the recommendation of Sarah's sister Hannah we stayed at the Inns of Banff, the major draw being a roof-top hot pool. It's further from downtown than we normally like; but seriously, roof-top hot pool + a view of Cascade Mountain = worth the 20 min walk. Especially since half the reason we went is for a hot tub (the other half is the food). After a soak to soothe the aches of travel, and our life in general, we made the trek into downtown for dinner. Normally on such a short trip we would rely on established favourites, but we decided to be brave and try someplace new. After much debate as to whether the restaurant in question was the Bear or the Buffalo or the Bear and Bison we arrived to discover two options, one upstairs and one down. The Bear Street Tavern had a 30 minute wait for a table, but The Bison Restaurant and Terrace had a table immediately. Feeling beyond peckish we went for the available table. Hailed by Ginneralo La Giorgia of the Ottawa Citizen as "One of the 10 best restaurants worth traveling the world for" their mantra is "Regional. Seasonal. Canadian." With carpaccio on the menu (in this case bison) the appetizer decision made itself. We asked our server to pair a wine with the carpaccio and she recommended the Catena Malbec. Having experienced the Catena but not the food; this pairing was masterful. This one wine managed to simultaneously highlight the salt of the meat, soften the surrounding chili oil, and bring out the flavours of the manchego cheese as well as the (lightly) pickled sweet peppers. Then, the main event ...
That, my friends, is Venison Striploin with a cocoa chili rub, squash puree, Brussels sprouts, king oyster mushrooms, and jus. For those of you who are afraid of wild meat, this might be your opportunity to assuage those fears. In a blind taste-test it would be hard to distinguish it from farmed. Amazingly tender, with a nice hard edge from the cocoa chili rub it was delightful on its own, but combined with everything on the plate it was sublime. While this dish could have been paired with a bigger wine, our Malbec worked so we weren't disappointed. After perusing the dessert menu, Mark made a beautiful suggestion, that we take our meal "on the road." The Maple Leaf Grille has a creme brulee trio that is just killer, and well worth the short walk up the street. This combo of maple syrup, espresso, and white chocolate raspberry brulees went wonderfully with a Courvoisier VSOP; while, historically, the espresso is our favourite, the cognac went best with the maple syrup.
Back at the Inn we had another soak in the hot pool, this time monopolizing the overhead jets. It was just what we needed to massage away our everyday cares.
No overnight in Banff is complete without coffee at Wild Flour Bakery. The sign over the order-counter is succinct and accurate
Back at the Inn we had another soak in the hot pool, this time monopolizing the overhead jets. It was just what we needed to massage away our everyday cares.
No overnight in Banff is complete without coffee at Wild Flour Bakery. The sign over the order-counter is succinct and accurate
It would be an extreme disservice to all those who read this blog not to extol the other virtues of this fine establishment. We had a plan for the day and that plan, sadly, did not include their herbed free-range frittata with peppers, onions, and aged cheddar on house-made sourdough bread (add the bacon and the tomato; don't question, just do it) or their granola with compote & yogurt (which looked amazing). However, should your schedule allow for it, order breakfast.
The original, previously alluded to, plan was to go to St. James's Gate (sic) for lunch. For those who've enjoyed their Guinness, crab, and asparagus soup with turkey, brie, and strawberry sandwich totally understand why. However, after walking around for a while, at which time a new tripod was acquired (it's awesome, Mark's totally excited) we tempted fate and went to a second new-for-us restaurant. The sister of our prior night's escapade, The Bear Tavern. Their motto is "ridiculously good pizza" and in this we were not disappointed. Considering his love for donairs it didn't come as a huge surprise when Mark decided to order "The Donair", making it even more appealing it was bison donair meat. Sarah opted for "The Wheeler Hut" and being the carnivore that she is added prosciutto. All pizzas are served with honey and rosemary chili oil to be added at your discretion. "The Donair" already had sweet donair sauce, so no honey was required, but the chili oil gave it some snap; although, the bison was spicier than your local donair shop. "The Wheeler Hut" was the better of the two pizzas, especially with our wine which was Perimeter Syrah/Merlot from Washington. Granted we are biased against sweet donair sauce (long live tzatziki!), and lettuce on pizza is a little weird. Stay tuned for an upcoming pizza cage match, we'll go into more detail then.
Having already frequented our usual shopping haunts: Last Temptation Thrift Store, Rock Paper Silver, and 4 Dangerous Dolls, to name a few; our only option for pre-dinner distraction was the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Northern Albertans will appreciate the fear of sunburn, due to reflection off the water's surface, in March; however, that could not keep us from enjoying the sun and hot water. We then undertook a dangerous mission, we entered the Toys'R'Us for oenophiles that is the Banff Wine Store. You should go, we're not responsible. Our smokin'-hot deal was Finca Nueva Reserva 2007 tempranillo from the Rioja region of Spain, at <$25/bottle. The Crazy 8s should remember this vineyard from our Juniper trip last fall, it's the wine with the bird cage on the label. The selection is eclectic and the staff is knowledgeable. We make a point of going there whenever we are in Banff. The best/worst part of this hidden treasure is you will find things you will not find anywhere else.
The final piece of the Banff puzzle is Saltlik, A Rare Steakhouse. Many years ago this was our introduction to a la carte dining, and for many years since we have continued to haunt their menu offerings. We have never had an improperly cooked steak in all the times we've been here, and beyond a perfect sear every time. The non-negotiable side dish is the scalloped potatoes; ooey-gooey, cheesy yumminess - careful, they're hot. We bounce our green vegetables around, between the garlic broccoli, the asparagus, and the Brussels sprouts; it's somewhat dependent on the season, but none have disappointed. The expansion of our wine repertoire is largely due to Saltlik, and we have benefited greatly from the servers' wine-savvy. This evening's vinicultural safari led us to the discovery of Laughing Stock Vineyard's Portfolio 2012 - a red super-blend from B.C. In order of percentage: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvingnon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and yes, it's as delicious as it sounds with that varietal combo.
That, sadly, brings us to the end of our epic, but short, trip to Banff. Oh, yes, Frankenstein, how could we forget? 8 hours in the car is just barely enough time to read this book aloud. If you haven't read it, but you think you know this tale, you are likely mistaken. It's film derivatives have only glancing snippets of the novel, and you need watch every adaption to glean even 10% of the true story. The narrative is one of a man who, in hubris, succeeds in a goal without regard to the outcome, and resulting aftermath. This work of fiction is not what you think it is ...
Having already frequented our usual shopping haunts: Last Temptation Thrift Store, Rock Paper Silver, and 4 Dangerous Dolls, to name a few; our only option for pre-dinner distraction was the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Northern Albertans will appreciate the fear of sunburn, due to reflection off the water's surface, in March; however, that could not keep us from enjoying the sun and hot water. We then undertook a dangerous mission, we entered the Toys'R'Us for oenophiles that is the Banff Wine Store. You should go, we're not responsible. Our smokin'-hot deal was Finca Nueva Reserva 2007 tempranillo from the Rioja region of Spain, at <$25/bottle. The Crazy 8s should remember this vineyard from our Juniper trip last fall, it's the wine with the bird cage on the label. The selection is eclectic and the staff is knowledgeable. We make a point of going there whenever we are in Banff. The best/worst part of this hidden treasure is you will find things you will not find anywhere else.
The final piece of the Banff puzzle is Saltlik, A Rare Steakhouse. Many years ago this was our introduction to a la carte dining, and for many years since we have continued to haunt their menu offerings. We have never had an improperly cooked steak in all the times we've been here, and beyond a perfect sear every time. The non-negotiable side dish is the scalloped potatoes; ooey-gooey, cheesy yumminess - careful, they're hot. We bounce our green vegetables around, between the garlic broccoli, the asparagus, and the Brussels sprouts; it's somewhat dependent on the season, but none have disappointed. The expansion of our wine repertoire is largely due to Saltlik, and we have benefited greatly from the servers' wine-savvy. This evening's vinicultural safari led us to the discovery of Laughing Stock Vineyard's Portfolio 2012 - a red super-blend from B.C. In order of percentage: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvingnon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and yes, it's as delicious as it sounds with that varietal combo.
That, sadly, brings us to the end of our epic, but short, trip to Banff. Oh, yes, Frankenstein, how could we forget? 8 hours in the car is just barely enough time to read this book aloud. If you haven't read it, but you think you know this tale, you are likely mistaken. It's film derivatives have only glancing snippets of the novel, and you need watch every adaption to glean even 10% of the true story. The narrative is one of a man who, in hubris, succeeds in a goal without regard to the outcome, and resulting aftermath. This work of fiction is not what you think it is ...