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Food by Beth Weisberg Stephen Avenue nearly burned down in 1886. The wooden structures that had been strung along the dusty road soon reappeared as solid sandstone edifices, and Calgary became known as Sandstone City. The nickname may have faded away, but many of the buildings still stand. Martin’s on Eight is the latest incarnation at 121 - 8th Avenue SW, a building constructed in 1889, and is marked by a banner fluttering over the doorway. The new restaurant bears little resemblance to its predecessor, Criterion, having replaced the stylish white interior with warmer tones and divided the (locally) famous unisex washroom. In addition to the poster-sized black-and-white photos of early Calgary hanging throughout the wood-paneled dining room, Martin's reflects another part of the city’s history: love of meat. Steaks and chops appear to be the primary reason to dine here, although that’s not to say the other main course choices of chicken, swordfish, sole and salmon ($15 to $27) aren’t tempting. The starters are perfectly suited to precede a big feed. There's spicy tomato soup with vegetables or a sausage medley ($5 to $6), and salads like the Thai spicy prawn version (up to $8.25), as well as appetizers such as artichoke and goat cheese pizettes, and beef and mushrooms in a puff pastry cup ($7 to $8.50). My friend and I had the country paté with apple chutney ($7) – three large slabs of paté circled by an assortment of crackers and melba toast. Disappointingly, the crackers and toast appeared to be straight off the supermarket shelves, and the paté was just average. The chutney was good, but we would have liked more with all that meat. The menu is streamlined, covering just two pages, but portobello mushrooms are clearly a favourite of whoever planned it, so we tried some in an entrée. The chicken breast stuffed with portobello and boursin cheese ($19) was huge and fairly tasty, but the abundance of mushrooms on the menu led us to think there would be an abundance in the dish – we would have liked more. Our other choice, the lamb chops with oven-dried tomatoes ($20) was also very nice. Unfortunately, however, the vegetables that accompany both entrées – mashed potatoes, green beans, baby carrots and red pepper – seemed to be treated with indifference. The dessert menu ($5 to $10) is short and sweet with choices like tiramisu, crème brûlée, and a cheese and fruit plate. We tried the chocolate paté with raspberry sauce, and while the dense, dark chocolate slices were generously portioned and fudgy, we would have enjoyed more of the raspberry sauce that dotted the plate. Martin's on Eighth (121 - 8th Ave SW, phone 232-8080) has the atmosphere of a men's club – the paneling, the dine-in vault at the back, the smoke rising over the intimate booths – but the lighting and the paler walls give it a more relaxed feel. There is a non-smoking section, and if you start feeling too relaxed you can always hike up the stairs to the great view from the bathrooms, located on the second floor. The restaurant is still fairly new, and although the service was already good, there are likely some tune-ups to come elsewhere. There are no real surprises in the flavours or presentation, and while the main portions were generous, we’d be happier if the sauces and other enhancements flowed more freely.

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