New vegetarian restaurant in the NW? Yes please. But even better than just any old veggie restaurant White Rose is created by some of Calgary's culinary wizards that have opened a few popular places around town and have worked in some other local institutions.
Anyway, I've been waiting for them to open and I've managed a few trips in already. Outside you hardly would recognize that it's a renovated garage, it's set back a bit from the road but the big old time green trolley is really hard to miss. Inside it feels like you're over for a special dinner at grandma's house. Some of the tables are dining room tables, the glasses are like grandmas's crystal, and the little service items are all reminiscent of the good silver that came out for important meals. Everything is a little mismatched so not to be mistaken for the fine dinnerware you might get at a super posh french restaurant - just a little Grandma's house like.
I've tried a couple branches (available on Sundays only): My husband loves going out for breakfast on weekends and often my options are limited since I'm vegetarian so I kind of hate morning offerings and often I order lunch for breakfast depending on where we are. Well, White Rose made my brunch a bit more exciting. None of the offerings were insanely revolutionary but they are a twists on some favorites and executed well with great attention to detail and top quality ingredients. So far my favorite is fried oatmeal - weird name but so good (and I'm not an oatmeal person)
I've also tried a dinner: first of all, the grilled cheese is where it's at. I sampled a number of the dishes at the table but I never thought the only thing I could think about after would be the grilled cheese. What could be done to make a grilled cheese worth it you ask? ohhh well... the bread has a flavored oil, the cheese is good cheese, it's covered in a delicious chutney like topping and omg... so good. We'll just say after mine came out the table ordered 2 more.
They have had a couple bugs to work out, but I trust at this point they will resolve. The negatives would be portions are a bit small (it's all I hear about from my mom - expensive for such small portions). I see brunch to be a bit better for portions and dinner to basically require 2 plates per person. So that's basically $30-40 pp so you know what you're in for.
I've been here with 3 omnivores that have enjoyed themselves but if your omnivore friends can't get over the menu they can visit the coal shed outside for all things bbqed meat. The hours aren't overly long (I've still have never seen it open) but the vegetarians can sit at the window to look out at their carnivore buddies eating outside like savages - ha! Actually.... there is a big old trolly outside White Rose that will become seating for the Coal Shed so they can be a but more civilized soon!
Anyway, worth a go for sure!