Dining
BY S ILV I A P I KA L
NEW
TRIED AND TRUE
Caesar’s Steak House and Lounge (page 49) has
been a downtown staple since 1972. For more than 40
years, Caesar’s has stayed true to what keeps customers
coming back year after year—nostalgic décor, tableside
preparation and enduring menu favourites.
A family business through two generations, you’ll
see original owner Constantinos Giannoulis greeting
customers as the y walk in, and daughter Connie
Giannoulis-Stuart and Gerry Stuart, her husband,
popping in and out of the two locations. You won’t get
anything frozen or from a boxed mix here. “Everything
is done from scratch,” Connie says. “ When they start
cooking bacon bits in the morning I can always smell it.”
5 PERFECT
OLD FASHIONEDS
Two Penny Chinese (page 48) is the latest restaurant
from Thank You Hospitality Management, the team behind
popular eateries Native Tongues and Calcutta Cricket Club.
Owner Cody Willis says the teams are inspired by Calgary’s
diverse food scene. “The underlying concept has always
been these foods we’ve grown up eating and loved,” Willis
says. “What carries over between the three restaurants is
passion for the food and adding our own touch and creating
fun and engaging spaces.” The food is served family style.
Start your meal with the crispy mushroom dumplings
with black truffle soy mayo; they’re seriously addictive.
The elegant space throws back to traditional Chinese
architecture and was designed by Sarah Ward, who is also
behind the look of Proof Cocktail Bar and The Nash.
The Old Fashioned cocktail is a classic typically made
with whisky, bitters, water and sugar. Here are five
places that do them particularly well.
Barcelona Tavern The glass here is cedar smoked by
the bartenders. Drop by on a Friday after work and
you’ll smell it in the air (page 48).
Hayden Block Come for the house-smoked, Texas-
style BBQ, stay for the smokey Old Fashioned with
burnt orange bitters (page 42).
Hy’s Steakhouse Enjoy live music in the comfortable
lounge on weekdays from 3 to 7 pm while sipping
their Old Fashioned (page 49).
One18 Empire Try the black walnut Old Fashioned.
They char the cask and capture the smokiness in
the glass before adding black walnut bitters for a
distinctive flavour (page 48).
Wednesday Room Feel like Don Draper by settling in for
a drink at this unique ‘60s-style lounge (page 48).
MARCH/APRIL 2018
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