| The Blue Parrot a friendly neighborhood pub
Why is it that there aren't more independently owned neighbourhood bars in Calgary? Nearly every other city in Canada, let alone anywhere else, has a surfeit of them. We, on the other hand, seem to attract large soulless theme parks which serve tons of fried whatever.
This is why I like the Blue Parrot, a new bar and grill on Edmonton Trail next to Lombardo's (the corner of 12 Ave. and Edmonton Tr. N.E.), which feels comfortable and genuine and not corporate in the least – it's been a long time since I've been served by a bar owner wearing Birkenstocks.
The place is inspired by the Caribbean, both by the islands and by the Mexican Riviera, but you could run across a small owner-operated bar like this anywhere in the tropics. It's painted in bright colours, the chairs and tables are slightly mismatched, the ceiling fan works overtime and, in the evening, the sun streams in the west-facing windows. There's also a little room off the bar which groups of eight or so seem to take over. The place is slightly down-at-heel, and I like that a lot.
When I phoned for a reservation, I was informed that the Blue Parrot serves "pub food." I think that's a bit uncharitable. It's straight-ahead roadhouse fare, but the food's hot and the chef uses fresh ingredients, although a little more heat (spicy heat, that is) would improve some of the dishes.
We began with a quesadilla with peppers, cheese, olives and tomatoes, which was good and fresh, although it could have used a bit more oomph. The small caesar salad included crisp lettuce and a homemade creamy dressing – and it wasn't goopy, which is a common fault.
The main courses were also good, hearty, middle-of-the-road fare. The barbecued beef ribs were the highlight of the meal – the beef was tender and the homemade sauce was rich. We substituted onion rings for the potatoes, and they were fresh, hot and crisp. The braised lamb special was marinated in olive oil and garlic, and although it was tasty, a little more drama wouldn't have hurt. Still, we thought, it's a neighbourhood bar and grill – it's reasonable to expect the food to be good, filling and not too expensive, and it was all these things.
You can probably eat dinner at the Blue Parrot for $15 to $20 per person, without booze. I'm looking forward to returning on some frigid winter night.
BLACKFOOT'S BEST
The Blackfoot Farmer's Market on (11 St. and 58 Ave S.E.) has lots of good stalls, but the most popular by far is SK Gardens from Vauxhall. And it's no mystery why – white potatoes that are fantastically sweet and tender, Swiss chard, beets, onions, zucchini, carrots, fresh herbs... and everything is unbelievably clean. The only problem is that it's very popular, so you have to get there by 10 a.m. on Saturday or they're sold out. Trust me, though, it's worth rolling out of bed for SK Gardens.
SLOW FOOD UPDATE
The Calgary Convivium of the Slow Food Society will host a fabulous afternoon at Princes' Island Park on Sunday, September 29 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. You can taste basically every great bit of food the city has to offer for $50 per person. It's a steal. |
