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| - Came back a year later, and still, heavenly. Happy Birthday to me.
This time, we started with mushroom soup and a beet salad. The beets, while something I usually hate, were prepared so well that I was willing to negotiate. The mushroom soup, a perfect earthy and creamy prelude to dinner. We went with three amazing dishes for mains. First, a chanterelle gnocchi hit all the marks, with the right texture of dumpling supporting the amazing local fungi. Local "Peking" duck was presented in thin, rare slices, lightly sauced, and convinced a skeptical Russian duck fan that this high-end cuisine was indeed worth the effort. Since it was my birthday, I went with the tenderloin, medium rare, with a lovely risotto side. I rarely order pure steak at restaurants, but this had the quality, saucing, and presentation that exceeded what I could do at home. The desserts were heavy on the nuts so I could only taste the sauces and icing, but my companions were extremely happy with everything.
The wine list was great, selection was good, and the pairings were well-advised. Service was friendly and accommodating (we showed up 30 minutes early due to the difficulties of coordinating three people from three hotels, yet our table was already waiting for us).
This place is indeed a destination. Every trip to Calgary demands a visit.
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