Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The Pho Files: Saigon Taste

Pho! Medium rare beef. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

Although I have passed it many times on my journeys back and forth from downtown, I never set foot in Saigon Taste until a few weeks ago when I was in the area for a while. I found the place clean and bright, with good service, and started off with an onion cake. How was it? It was an onion cake. It didn't really stand out to me one way or the other. The soup was a good portion of meat and noodles (I always try the Pho Tai first whenever I try out a new pho place), but the broth was rather one-note. It wasn't bad, just bland. I would come here again if I was in the area, and perhaps try one of the vermicelli bowls instead.

The Pho File: Spring Roll Kitchen

I am in the deep southeast and found pho! #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

A meeting brought me to the Century Park area a few weeks ago, and I wanted to grab some supper first. I discovered Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street) not too far from the LRT station. The place was extremely large and spacious, and decorated very tastefully. My bowl of Pho Tai was huge, with a broth that had some depth to its flavour. The vegetarian spring rolls were among the best I have ever had: large, crispy, and filled with different kinds of vegetables. If I am ever back in this neck of the woods I would try Spring Roll Kitchen again.

New York Mama Calzone from Battista's Calzone

New York Mama calzone #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on

The annual Kaleido Festival brought me to 118 Avenue where I had supper at Battista's Calzone. I had the New York Mama, which I have always wanted to try. The balls of meatloaf had a slightly smoky, rich flavour and was smothered in cheese and marinara sauce. The crust is really a star here too - crispy and solid enough to hold up to the filling without disintegrating. It was an all-beef delight and extremely hearty. Comfort food at its finest - I am already fantasizing about my next trip to Battista's.