Eat Well: #yycfood #yardarm #12yearanniversary

YYC FOOD

Yardarm
107-535 8 Ave SE

Oh hello beautiful people!  It has been YEARS since our last blog post on my other site that no longer exists.  A little bittersweet because I chose not to transfer the many posts I had on there to this OG site.  I actually did not plan on blogging this, but it was such a memorable meal, I had to share with you guys.

Forgive me guys, because I was not planning on blogging, some of the drinks that were part of our meal, I forgot what they were (sorry @mayabartha).

We decided to go to Yardarm, a cocktail bar located in East Village, for our 12 year anniversary!  A couple months back we made our reservation and decided to go with their God Package.

I really like how they have different tiers of tasting menus.  

Mortal which is $50 per person, you get 2 cocktails an 4-5 bites of food per person.

Demi-God is $70 per person, you get 3 cocktails, 4-5 bites per person and a charcuterie board to share.

Lastly the God Tier which is what we purchased is completely custom to what we wanted!  John and I were talking to Anthony Fiorentino, their maitre'd (@aint.aint.a.word), about what we liked.  We came to talk about Japanese cuisine which is something the chef Alejandro Buzzalino specializes in.  We were sold and so excited! 

GOD TIER

  

Second Drink- Dassai 50 Nigori Junmai Dai Ginjo

For our first drink we started with a refreshing glass of rose.  Clearly I was too excited to snap a photo.

I was actually surprised at first because I was expecting one of Maya's amazing cocktails!  Side note, the reason we went to Yardarm in the first place was because we were following our favorite bartender in the city.  She helped open Shelter YYC and has now moved on to Yardarm.  This sake was so refreshing.  Thank you to my friend Judith of Sukiyaki House for educating me on Sakes!  I have definitely learned to appreciate them more.

Lobster Carpaccio- with sesame oil, ginger and chives

So simple, yet so delicate and delicious!  I can't even describe guys. It was so enjoyable; if you know me, you know I inhale my food!  I was trying to savor this dish as slowly as possible because I was sad to empty my plate!  The lobster melts in your mouth and all the flavors complement each other and with the pairing of the sake, so harmonious.

Lobster Miso Soup- served with noodles

Forgive the lack of descriptions guys, I'm just going by memory now.  This was so delicious and aromatic and flavorful!  I was worried it would be too salty, but was seasoned perfectly.  The saltiness of the broth with the sweetness of the lobster and the noodles were an excellent addition.

"White Boy Sushi"- not my words!  The chef's! 

These bites of omakase were so delicious!  The cones if I recall correctly had salmon and also Korean inspired flavors of Gochujang and Siracha which created the "roe", the middle was beef tartare that they usually serve on their regular menu with house made chili sauce.  Lastly of course, how could you go wrong with those strips of beef tataki with chimichurri!

I can't remember this one- even though I can't quite remember what were in these cocktails, they were all so good, well made and balanced and paired perfectly with our courses!  There were two more cocktails that went with the meal, but because it got dark, the pictures were unacceptable =).

I actually remember this one! - Calvados, Apple Cider Vinegar and Sherry

Foie Gras Spring Roll- need I say more?

This was so rich, delicious and melted in your mouth!  So much flavor and the duck was so good.

Cheese Course- added on top of the God Tier

The Best Carrot Cake

I must agree.  Both John and I dislike desserts and this was not sweet at all and the texture was so great.  Crisp on the outside and oh so moist and soft in the center!  A great end to our meal!

A Sweet Surprise

Not only is the food and drinks amazing at Yardarm, but the staff are exceptional that go above and beyond to make your experience the best.  They surprised us at the end with their honorary VIP Salty Dog key chains, which we appreciate so much and can't wait to attend their future VIP events!

MORTAL PACKAGE

Here are some more photos from our previous visits.  For their Happy Hour (5-7pm), they have 50% off their Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Martinis!

Mortal Package

This was such a lovely course.  It was SO refreshing!  A fresh oyster with a beet shooter.  I can't quite remember the full details of the cocktail, but it contained a hibiscus gin and sage.  It was so tasty, herbacious and refreshing!

Duck Breast with Barley Risotto

This was so tasty!  We did not know what to expect with a barley risotto, but the texture was so good and pleasant and the duck was cooked perfectly!

Coffey and Cigarettes- Mezcal, Butter washed Nikka Coffey Whiskey, Coffee Vodka, Fernet, PX Sherry, Lapsant Tea, Salt, Smoke

Definitely one of my favorite cocktails on their menu!  Think a delicious smoked coffee.  I won't ruin the surprise of how they present their cocktail, can't reveal all of their secrets.  You'll just have to experience it yourself!

Thank you Yardarm for making our anniversary dinner so memorable and special!  Can't wait for our future visits.  Keep an eye out friends for their special events.  I believe they have something for Halloween and New Year's Eve coming up!

Enjoy!

Yardarm YYC

Learn Well: #journeyofwellnessblog

New Site!

Friends!  Sorry for the confusion... I have moved my site here !  I wanted a new change and actually blog more.  Plus the theme is a lot more fun haha.

Thank you Sharon for helping me out!  Check out her blog it's amazeballs!  

Please continue on my journey with me on my other page! Thanks for all your support guys <3.

Enjoy!

Eat Well: #yycfood #anju #brunch

YYC Food

Anju (Brunch Edition)
344 17th Ave SW

A beautiful Saturday where Kim did not have to work!  We took full advantage of this situation by visiting Anju to try out their Brunch menu!

Omu- rice- Kimchi fried rice, prawns, egg crepe, ketchup, nori, hash browns

Love the canopy of egg on top!  The hash browns provides a great crunchy texture with a hint of sweetness.  Only thing in our opinion, was that the rice was a tad under with some harder grains here and there.  Overall, a lovely dish.

Pork Belly Eggs Benny- pork belly, kimchi, kimchi hollandaise, hash browns

The perfectly poached eggs oozed out as you cut into it.  The flavours were wonderful and came together great as the Kimchi provided a punch of acidity without overpowering the dish.  the level of heat was definitely too light for John, but his heat tolerance is rather skewed.  Overall, great considering John does not usually enjoy eggs benny!

The food was tasty and plated beautifully.  The dishes presented a wonderful assortment of flavours and textures.  There were so many more delicious sounding items we want to try!  Definitely have to bring some friends next time so we can try a little of everything ;). 

P.S. The house made hash browns are soooo crunchy and delicious.  Highlight of the meal :D.

Enjoy!

 

Eat Well: #yycfood #regrub

YYC Food

Re:Grub Burger Bar
625 11th Avenue SW

 

Regrub is a new burger joint in town where everything is made in house and all of the ingredients are sourced locally.  The decor just screams at you with bright shades of yellow and blue amidst a back splash of black, white, and lots of wood.  Their mission statements are splattered across their walls for all to see.  The servers are also very friendly and the kitchen was quick!

Ryan's Revenge-panko crusted turkey patty; tabasco turkey bacon, jalapeno jack cheese, arugula, tomato, ghost pepper mayo

Wow.  The turkey was so tender and there was such a welcoming blast of heat from the ghost pepper mayo.  The multitude of flavours mixed together perfectly with the panko crust, providing a bit of crunch.  This burger is incredibly delicious!

Smoke N' Fire- Albertan grassfed beef, smoky potato threads, jalapeno jack cheese, tomato, pickled habanero, butter lettuce, spicy aioli

The beef was juicy and delicious, whilst the smoky potato threads provided a lovely contrast in texture.  There was a bit of heat from the spicy aioli and the pickled habanero, which was awesome.  The whole burger came together very well.

Garden Paradise- mixed greens, cherry tomato, cucumber, carrot, Punabi trail mix, queso fresco, habanero buttermilk vinaigrette

The veggies were fresh and helped to balance out our meal.  There were so many ingredients, we were both able to find things we loved.  The Punjabi trail mix was so delicious and crisp; perfect accompaniment to the salad.  The little cubes of cheese added a light creaminess.  A salad that we both thoroughly enjoyed!

\z

Regrub is definitely one of the best burger joints in town.  the house made brioche buns were soft, flavourful and definitely enhanced the burgers.  The lovely ingredients sandwiched between the buttery buns came together so well.  The wild minds at Regrub have created so many amazing burgers, we can't wait to try them all!

The next day for lunch.... (these will be shorter!  This post is getting long.)

Veggievore- protein packed quinoa and black bean patty, guacamole, tomato, arugula, tomato relish

Delicious and so much flavour from a patty made of black beans and quinoa.  Satisfied my taste buds and I didn't miss the meat!  Fresh and yummy.

Ryan's Revenge... again.

Garden Paradise pt.2

Enjoy!

Eat Well: #abcsofyyc #zipang

ABC's of YYC (Week 26: Z)

Zipang Sushi Bar
1010 1 Ave NE

So the last stop of our ABC's of YYC adventure is Zipang for Z week!  It was one of the first and most memorable fine dining experiences we had on Valentine's Day in 2009 (by fine dining, we mean one of the nicer restaurants).  We were still both in high school and were so giddish when we managed to land a table for their set menu dinner.  It was such a lovely experience that we still remember it to this day; from the beautiful tasty food, to the roses that John had gotten delivered to me at the restaurant, so needless to say we were quite excited.

Ika- Mentai- squid wiht spicy pollock roe

The squid was very tasty and has a unique texture.  There was a nice little addition of heat from the pollock.

Kaki Ponzu- deep fried oysters with punzu sauce

Big and flavourful with a wonderful crunch.  A little bit of acidity from the lemon helps balance out the flavours.  First time trying this and we both really enjoyed it!

Spicy Ebi Roll- prawn, cucumber, spicy sauce and lettuce

Fresh and tasted good, but it seemed a bit lacklustre compared to everything else we had ordered.  The sushi here is not bad but everything else is levels above.

Special Scallop- scallop, flying fish roe, mayo

An abundance of delicious scallops paired with a perfect amount of mayo.  The special scallop here is quite good.

Deluxe Assorted Sashimi- 18 pcs

The sashimi here is always so fresh and delicious.  They provide you with large pieces without sacrificing any quality.  the highlight of the plate was definitely the shrimp.  We had this here many years ago for Valentine's Day, and it's been our favourite since.

Grilled Beef Tongue- nuff said

Perfectly grilled and packed with so much flavour!  the beef has a little chew to it, which allows more flavour to seep out in your mouth.  

Chopped Spanish Mackerel- served with ginger

The Mackerel was fresh and topped with so many goodies.  Quite different than your typical Mackerel as its missing that distinctive savouriness to it.  The texture is also different, but John enjoyed it!

They deep fried both the shrimp heads and the Spanish Mackerel after we finished the dishes.  The shrimp head was so crispy and tasted amazing.  The Mackerel actually tasted even better cooked as the flavours were more prevalent.  We devoured the entire thing (John even ate the crispy bones). 

Midsumame- fruit cocktail with red bean.  Added Anko (red bean paste)

The dessert was so refreshing and light.  The abundance of fruits topped with a lovely red bean paste really hit the spot after the lovely meal.

The dinner was simply wonderful.  The ingredients were fresh and prepared very well regardless of style; raw, grilled, or deep fried.  It was so perfect, yet bitter sweet that we managed to finish our new food adventure #abcsofyyc together at the place where we started our love for food and fine dining more than 6 years ago.

Enjoy!