Eat Well: #abcsofyyc #Anju

ABC's of YYC (Week 1: A)

Anju
344 17 Ave SW

Started off our adventure at a popular spot on the busy street of 17th Ave, Anju! Seeing as Super Bowl XLIX was happening tonight, the restaurant wasn't very busy. We were seated promptly and served water. Seeing as we have dined at Anju multiple times (both the old and new locations), we tried to order things we haven't tried before. John got his lovely Hitachino beer and the waitress took our order; and thus our first adventure begins! 

Tuna Poke Hand Cones- Avocado Mousse, Cucumber, Sushi Rice, Tobiko, Nori

Hit of freshness when you bite into it!  The rice was soft and delicious and the nori held up.  All the components were there and recognizable.  A lovely balance of flavour and fresh ingredients.  Great start.

Grilled Asian Eggplant- Soy, Gochugaru, Rice Vinegar

A lovely simple dish that had great consistency and was cooked perfectly (even John liked it).  John usually does not enjoy eggplant whatsoever so I was quite happy when he said he liked it.  It was seasoned well and the sauce was oh so fragrant.  

 

Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)- Pork Belly, Wagyu Beef Hot Dog, Kimchi, Black Bean, Kraft Singles, Ramen

Everything together was good, well seasoned and balanced.  However, John usually enjoys drinking the broth of noodle soups and this one was quite salty. Nevertheless, the stuff inside tasted great.  The pork belly was on the leaner side, but John did not mind too much (he usually loves the super fatty stuff).  The cheese made the noodles feel thick and creamy.  The wagyu beef hot dog just seemed like a generic hot dog.    

Oxtail Tortellini- Soy Sauce, Truffle Oil, Grana Padano

The veteran from the old Anju!  The sauce was a tad on the salty side, but overall the dish was delicious.  The aroma and flavours intertwined beautifully with the contrasting textures of the pasta and the filling.

Sweet Potato Panna Cotta- Puffed Wild Rice, Yuja and Black Pepper Anglaise

This dessert was a lovely surprise.  The Panna Cotta was light and smooth, providing a refreshing flavour, while the Creme Anglaise and basil leaves jolted our taste buds.  The only comment however was the puffed wild rice.  The contrasting texture with this dessert was creative and nice, however, the rice was hard to the point that it created an unpleasant stale crunch.

Overall, the meal was quite enjoyable with our favourites being; Tuna Poke Hand Cones, Grilled Asian Eggplant, and Sweet Potato Panna Cotta.  In terms of fullness, I was happily satisfied where I didn't reach the dreaded food baby stage.   

The food came out quickly, we finished in approximately 30 minutes and made it back home to watch the end of the Superbowl!  Mind you, this was a quieter night at Anju.

Our previous meal at Anju from their past menu (no longer have mussels or wagyu skirt steak).  Oxtail Tortellini, Hitachino Red Rice Ale Beer (fantastic beer), crispy tofu and refreshing oysters.

Enjoy!