A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from a co-worker. It went something like this:
“You guys are invited to a very special gathering I am planning this week. Many of you have expressed that you want me to show you what real Chinese food is. I have decided to organize a trip to the famous Calgary Court Restaurant. Just show up, and I will decide what to order. The likes of ginger beef and deep-fried squid will not be ordered, but you can rest assured that the food will be good. Please prepare yourself physically and mentally for this gathering!”
With an invitation like this, how could I not accept?
We arrived at the Hong Kong-style café on a Wednesday night, about 8:30 p.m. The place was bustling with patrons — always a good sign. We grabbed a table for five and let Joey, our host and tour guide on this culinary adventure, work his magic. I made sure to sit next to him in order to get a running commentary as the meal progressed.
The Calgary Court menu features more than 350 options divided into 21 categories — not including daily specials. Everything but the soups is served family style. Everyone gets their own small bowl and a pair of chopsticks.
Of the dishes we ordered, two really stood out: No. 166, baked rice with pork chop in tomato sauce ($10.50) and No. 267, shredded chicken fried lai fan in black-pepper sauce ($10.50). The pork chops are cut into bite-sized pieces, breaded, then deep-fried. They came served on top of rice and smothered in tomato sauce, which really tasted more like a mild barbecue sauce. A handful of vegetables were added for colour. As a final touch, the whole thing was covered in cheese and then baked.
It was rich, filling and deeply satisfying. Without a doubt, it was my group’s top pick. I returned to Calgary Court a few days later, ordering a No. 166 to go, justifying it as “journalistic research.” My conclusion: more research will be needed. And often.
The lai fan (rice noodles) was the very last thing ordered that evening. Even though we probably didn’t need it at that point, we decided to give one more dish a go before calling it quits. I’m glad we did. It was favourably spicy but not too hot, and the noodles were cooked perfectly.
Other dishes we shared and enjoyed included: No. 168, baked rice with chicken in mild coconut curry sauce ($10.50); No. 103, shrimps and egg-fried ho fan ($12.95), which, although I realize it was labelled as mild, really could have used more heat; and one of the daily specials, the Korean-style short ribs with deep-fried scallops ($10.95). The breaded scallops were well prepared, but the ribs didn’t thrill me.
The number of menu options is completely overwhelming. It could take you years to eat your way through them all, and I’m sure people have tried. On the beverage front alone there is a ton of options. As per Joey’s recommendation, I thoroughly enjoyed a chilled drink — a sweet mix of tea, coffee and milk. Another tasty option is the hot Coca-Cola served with lemon and ginger.
As I sit here, staring at Calgary Court’s menu, I can only imagine that I’ll be back, dragging as many people as I can in an effort to try every one of its seemingly endless list of Chinese comfort foods.
Calgary Court Restaurant is located at 119 2 Ave. S.E.; phone, 403-264-7890.
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