July 1, 2007
It's Canada day, and the celebrations don't start til noon. The 14 year old volunteer that wouldn't give me a lick-on tattoo because it was only 11:26 said so! What were we to do!?! Naturally, we headed for the rustic comforts of the best part of Prince's Island Park....the River Cafe. My office is only a few blocks from this lively, yet tranquil restaurant, so I've visited a few times for meals. "Slow food" as opposed to fast food, is the name of the game, and the River Cafe prides itself in using locally grown, fresh, seasonal ingredients for their very "Canadian" menu. The staff are always uber-friendly and I come to the River Cafe just for the laid back, homey atmosphere. I find the quality of the appetizers and main courses are inconsistent. Most times, it is very good, but once in a while, an average dish does not justify its price tag. On this relaxing weekend however, we had already enjoyed some dim-sum and had worked up just enough room for some bubbly and dessert. The River Cafe has a HUGE wine selection... Much to our surprise, they carried the "gentle sparkling moscato" by Mionetto from the Veneto region in NE Italy. And for $30! It retails at the Kensington wine market for $17.49... that is great, considering most "fancy" restaurants have a 200+% markup on their wines. Here's another tidbit for the Oenophiles... no corkage fee on Sundays! (excluding December) The moscato was intensely floral, which matched the delicate fresh fruit and honey tones on the palate. Best served chilled, the tiny bubbles and slightly sweet flavour of the wine paired perfectly with the Lemon Tart topped with wild BC huckleberries, fennel ice cream and a toasted almond drizzle. So relaxing and delicious...you don't even realize you're getting a sunburn on the patio!
9/10
River Cafe
http://www.river-cafe.com/
Prince's Island Park, Calgary
403-261-7670
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