| With 17th Avenue being one of the city’s top dining destinations, restaurants that succeed amongst the masses do so because of qualities like great food, spectacular service and cool atmosphere.
Laurier Lounge owners Martin Maheux and Kyle Wheeler have focused on French-inspired tapas dishes and fondue combined with personalized service and a seductive urban décor in their small, 32-seat restaurant. By doing something a little unique on the strip, Wheeler feels they stand out from the self-described "cutthroat" competition of such a restaurant-saturated area.
Inside the lounge, bright green walls offered a punch of colour next to the heavy, dark wood furniture and black and white checkerboard floors. Mirrors framed in thick, dark wood expand the long, narrow room while small vases of fresh cut flowers punctuate the black linen-covered tables. Mellow trip hop and ambient house music complete the stylish cosmopolitan vibe.
The long bar was almost full with the after-work drinks crowd perched atop tall, wooden bar stools when we arrived. The one-man show consisted of Wheeler filling host and serving duties as well, moving quickly and easily through the small space to chat, drop off food and refill drinks. Having inspired the name of the restaurant, paintings of the man himself, Sir Wilfred Laurier, adorned the walls.
We sat near the front floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which were open, fully exposing 17th Avenue’s street traffic. It was a cooler evening, a welcome change from the heat we’d been experiencing and it soon started to rain, sending cool breezes through the room. The armless leather chairs were soft and comfortable. I enjoyed a glass of Wolfberger Gewurztraminer ($9) from the small but appealing wine menu, while my dinner companion chose the mojito ($7.50).
Quebec-born chef Maheux’s menu featured an array of appealing tapas dishes. From stuffed mussels ($8) and truffle risotto croquette ($10) for a quick bite, to the more decadent filet mignon Montreal hambourgeois ($12) or lobster ravioli ($18) if you’re feeling extra peckish. Arrays of mixed tapas platters were also available for sharing ($12 to $20 per person).
We ended up heading straight for the fondue experience ($35 per person), having heard through the grapevine of its divinity. My companion and I had eaten lightly that day in anticipation of the feast, and by the end of the evening, we would be very grateful for our rationing.
The three-course fondue meal started with a Swiss cheese blend. Warm and creamy, the cheese was lightly thinned with white wine and herbs, and we dunked our small squares of fresh French bread and savoured each heavenly bite. It was clear there wasn’t going to be a doggie bag tonight.
This was followed by the 30-day aged-beef fondue and paper-thin slices of beef we were to cook in a steaming pot of Asian-style broth. It was accompanied by a juicy baked tomato with cheese topping and light salad greens. The pieces of beef were quite big and a little tricky to manoeuvre on the fondue fork, but they cooked quickly and were tender and flavourful, without the excess fat that usually accompanies an oil fondue.
At a perfect pacing, we were served the grand finale, chocolate fondue for dessert. With small chunks of seasonal fruit, including strawberries, bananas, pineapple and orange, we dipped into the bowl of warm, melted Bernard Callebaut chocolate with abandon. We were also given small squares of banana loaf for dipping, which was incredibly dense and rich when topped with the chocolate.
Inconspicuously funky without the grandeur of the larger rooms in some downtown restaurants, the Laurier Lounge is a sophisticated new dining spot worth visiting on your next dining excursion to 17th Avenue.
Laurier Lounge is located at 917-17 Avenue S.W., Calgary; phone, 228-3771. |
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