| The Holiday Inn in downtown Calgary has long been a forgotten hotel, and I must say I really like what Hotel Arts has done with the place. Not only do travellers rest their weary heads here, but the parties it hosts make this boutique hotel a fabulous nighttime playground. The last phase in the gentrification of the building was the complete overhaul of Mountain Jack’s Café.
The original space was demolished in September and renovations began two months later for the new 95-seat fine dining bistro, Saint Germain, named after the artistic neighbourhood in Paris. In fact, the smell of new paint is ever so detectable when you enter the handsomely elegant dining room where you’ll find a contemporary spin on the classic bistro look – there are nail-studded chairs upholstered in gold velvet, frame tables dressed in white linen and long rectangular mirrors above dark chocolate leather banquettes. An impressive wine cellar is on view behind a glass partition. Jazz warms the moodily lit room.
Executive chef Paul McGreevy, formerly of Teatro and Il Sogno, has created a menu specializing in regional offerings with a French twist. Hors d’oeuvres feature such classic bistro dishes as onion soup, foie gras, duck confit in a sherry gastrique and walnut vinaigrette, oxtail and duck terrine, and steak tartar. We began our meal with two light salads. The pear salad was dressed in a lovely white port vinaigrette with candied walnuts and velvety mâche leaves ($10). The roasted beet salad was presented as a mould of chilled beets, topped with crushed pine nuts and drizzled in Carmeli’s yogurt goat cheese from Kelowna ($11).
The entrees showcase some serious cuisine, like the roasted sablefish with a saffron-infused parsnip purée, a grilled striploin marinated in 25-year-old balsamic vinegar, and braised bison short ribs with pomme purée. In addition to the Valta bison, the restaurant supports other agricultural operations within the province, such as the organic duck and chicken from Sunworks Farm and organic beef from Hoven Farms. Main courses range in price from $26 to $39. Diners can also order prawns, mussels, scallops, lobster and oysters from the seafood bar.
We ordered the succulent duck breast, its natural flavour enhanced by the rosemary and brandy duck jus ($26). The accompanying toulousse cassoulet, an earthenware dish of white kidney beans, sausage, duck confit, duck jus and veal jus that’s sprinkled liberally with breadcrumbs, is a dish you either love or hate, though I appreciated the history of this dish that hails from southwestern France. From the seafood bar, we ordered the meaty half- lobster (market price, $12) and a side dish of the delicious whipped squash with sage ($7).
I do have to say that I was disappointed with the service. In this fine dining establishment, not only did we have to ask our waiter for a basket of ‘breadlings,’ ground pepper and more drinks, but he pretty much neglected us and ultimately handed us over to the owner. It was a quiet night with only five other tables of diners and a couple of people at the granite bar in the bistro’s lounge. Perhaps even worse than being abandoned was that, whenever the bartender or owner did appear, they were cold, prickly and lacked personality.
This is surprising, since Saint Germain has only been open for a couple of weeks and its owners are restaurant veterans (Ritchie Breen, formerly of Teatro; Jay Daniels, formerly of Muse; Jessie Glasnovic, Auburn owner; and, McGreevy). Unfortunately, this attitude spoiled my experience.
Saint Germain may be visually beautiful and there’s definite talent in the kitchen, but what makes a place soar is some heart.
Saint Germain is located at 119-12th Avenue, S.W.; phone 921-8999. |
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