Italian in Calgary: Bonterra Trattoria

Bonterra Trattoria - 1016 8 Street SW, Calgary AB

Regardless of where you are, there will always be delicious food to be had. Calgary is no exception; I came here a few weeks ago with two other friends, and I have to say my expectations of one of the best Italian restaurants in Calgary weren't disappointed!

We came at around 1230 - 1 and it was fairly crowded as it was the lunch hour.The inside was nicely laid out (sorry forgot to take a picture). There was a giant shelf full of wine, and the restaurant itself had a old building feel with bricks visible along the walls. The outside patio looked to be a pleasant place to have a meal when the weather is nice and hot outside.

Tagliatelle con Vongole - Clams, White Wine, Chilies, Lemon & Prosciutto Bread Crumbs ($24) 
I had absolutely no idea of what to order (the lunch menu itself had about 12~ items and then there were 4 lunch specials as well) so I asked the waitress for recommendations and this was one of the most popular dishes so I decided to try it. Overall it was quite yummy as there were a lot of clams (I think about 20?) and the wine added enough flavour without being too overpowering over the chilli and lemon.

Proscuitto avvolto Fichi - Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Gorgonzola, Orange Blossom Honey ($16)
This was one of the lunch specials that were available, and I have to say this didn't taste too well (in my opinion). The prosciutto tasted yummy, but it just didn't seem to mix too well with the gorgonzola and honey. The tastes seemed to clash with each other and the after-taste wasn't tasty at all.

Panino Bisonte - Open-faced Bison Flank Steak, Tomato, Mustard Aioli, Grana Padano, Green Bean Red Onion Arugula Salad with White Balsamic ($16) 
I was only able to try a bit of the bison, but the little piece I had was nicely cooked in a medium rare and... well can't really say much else when I only had one bite! It looked good at least!

Overall I enjoyed coming here! A few of my Calgary friends recommended this place, and Urbanspoon had a pretty ridiculously high rating for so many votes (I believe there were at least 600+ people who rated it). The restaurant was nice and was a good place to have lunch/supper, and although some dishes won't meet some people's expectations, there are enough items on the menu that may give you a hard time deciding. The service was quite good, although the lady that helped us out didn't seem too happy to be helping us despite being quite knowledgeable about the restaurant and the menu.

Value 8/10
Food 8.5/10
Service 8/10

In the end I would definitely come back again to have more delicious Italian food!Chance of Coming back? 10/10 

Long But Worthy Drive to the Café

Café Haven - 9 Sioux Rd, Sherwood Park AB

In my mind, cafés are the best places to sit back, relax, and have a nice cup of coffee. Most people go to the generic places like Starbucks or Second Cup, but there are some hidden gems in the city! Even with it's location being quite far from the majority of Edmontonians, Café Haven was recommended as being worth the drive by many so I decided to check it out with my friend.

The café was quite easy to find, and once inside, it had a nice homely feel to it. Everything was arranged nicely and the people working at the café were really nice, helpful, and knowledgeable about the menu when I had questions. 

I was really tired when I got here so I got an Espresso ($2.75). On a side note, all the coffee they use for their beverages are Transcend branded. The espresso was probably the best one I've had in a while; it had a rich taste, and it was probably one of the stronger espresso's I've had in my short coffee drinking life.

My friend had the Chilled London Fog  - Earl Grey, Vanilla, Cold Milk & Ice ($5.25). I have to say, it was a interesting drink, but was perfect for the weather that day (I swear it was like 25 but I'm told otherwise...)

 Breakfast Wrap - Ham, Eggs, Cheddar, Red Onion & Peppers in a Wrap ($6.50)

 Sweet Potato & Portobello Mushroom Wrap - Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella & Red Onion in a Wrap ($8)

Overall the food was delicious. I thought the Breakfast Wrap I got was a bit too small, but after taking a few bites, realized it was quite filling. It was perfect for breakfast and was really yummy. The wrap my friend got probably tasted even better. The taste of the red peppers and red onion blended well, and the Sweet Potato added a bit of sweetness to the wrap.


Value 8/10
Food 9/10
Service 10/10

Chance of Coming back? 9/10 

Café Haven was probably one of the best cafés I have been to. Although it is quite far for a lot of people, I would definitely recommend to check it out!