Chorney-Sales space: The Continental goes old-fashioned with traditional advantageous eating fare

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When restaurateur Eric Chabot was eight years previous, his father handled him to dinner in a grand previous restaurant in Quebec Metropolis known as Le Continental. The younger boy was enchanted by each element of the advantageous eating icon, from the crisp white tablecloths to the traditional tableside service. He instantly knew that he needed to work in eating places and progressively shaped a dream of opening a spot of his personal that may pay homage to this formative expertise.

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After working in a sequence of advantageous eating eating places, together with Q Haute Delicacies and Chairman’s Steakhouse right here in Calgary, Chabot and his spouse Daybreak opened The Continental (sure, named after his beloved Quebec restaurant, not the key underworld lodge and bar within the John Wick motion pictures) earlier this spring, with him working the bar and entrance of home and her appearing as chef. The restaurant has been within the works for years they usually first deliberate to open in Canmore, however ultimately settled on an upper-level area within the coronary heart of Kensington that ran efficiently because the Brasserie for a few years earlier than morphing into the comparatively short-lived Eat Crow Snack Bar.

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The Chabots did a comparatively fast renovation and the beauty modifications have made a big effect. The 30-seat eating room is snug and fashionable, channeling the nostalgic really feel Eric at all times dreamed of with an unbiased mother ’n’ pop intimacy. The acquainted bar and open kitchen nonetheless stand alongside one wall of the restaurant with a extra informal lounge space with a high-top banquette within the again, however every thing is barely extra polished and refined. The Continental additionally took over the alley patio previously often called Container Bar (the downstairs Wine Bar is underneath a special possession), giving patrons a extra informal spot to sit down whereas having fun with Daybreak’s meals and Eric’s expertly combined drinks.

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Unsurprisingly, the meals matches the room with a menu unapologetically constructed round French-inspired advantageous eating. Every little thing is made to order in-house with recent seasonal substances, and Daybreak purposely sticks to the classics, filling a little bit of a void within the metropolis after the closure of eating places like Q Haute Delicacies and La Chaumiere. Whereas the meals is traditional, the Chabots work onerous to maintain it from feeling too fussy.

“We’re simply easy human beings,” Daybreak says. “Our idea is okay eating, however some folks discover that intimidating. We would like folks to know we’re not too costly. We’ve a quite simple menu and we’re old-fashioned, however the flavour is there.”

That is the sort of place the place you’re going to seek out dishes like escargots de Bourgogne, with the snails swimming in a plate of house-made garlic butter ($18), pan-seared sea scallops in an fragrant amaretto creme sauce ($21), recent Caesar salad made tableside ($18), show-stopping beef wellington with a foie gras paté and mushroom duxelles ($55), and Brome Lake duck breast à l’orange with pomme purée ($45). To take care of its standing as a neighbourhood joint, The Continental additionally has a extra budget-friendly lounge menu with extra informal gadgets like brisket poutine made with Quebec cheese curds ($19), a pretzel bun burger ($21) and a collection of 12-inch pizzas ($21 to $27). For these eager to go in the other way with an evening of pure luxurious, the restaurant presents a five-course chef’s tasting menu for $105, with an non-obligatory wine pairing for $70.

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Eric is a mixologist by commerce and expresses his ability by means of a boutique wine checklist and and expansive array of cocktails, together with all of the requirements one would anticipate in addition to some inventive riffs on previous favourites (that is the place John Wick’s title does seem within the type of a formidable smoked old school).

The Continental is situated at 1131 Kensington Rd N.W. and is open Tuesday by means of Sunday from mid-afternoon onward. The restaurant could be reached at 587-319-6776 or by means of continentalyyc.ca.

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In different restaurant information, Inventive Restaurant Group, the corporate behind fashionable Calgary eating places like Bonterra, Posto and Free Home is increasing its attain within the Banff market, the place it already owns the Rose and Crown pub. Inventive not too long ago acquired Ticino, a long-running Swiss/Italian restaurant on Banff Avenue greatest identified for its fondue. The acquisition goes to come back with a considerable facelift, anticipated to be accomplished later within the 12 months. For now, the restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, till the renovations get began. Keep tuned to ticinobanff.ca for information on the upcoming modifications and eventual re-opening.

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And when you’re searching for one thing to do right here within the metropolis, the Vietnam Now competition is happening at Prairie Emporium at the moment (Aug. 19). Along with quick movies, DJs, and a market, the night competition will function meals stalls for native eating places Pure Vietnamese and Mot To, and Vietnamese-inspired cocktails made with Empress 1908 gin. The competition goals to increase folks’s notion of what Vietnamese tradition is all about, by means of artwork and, after all, meals.

Prairie Emporium is situated at 334 53rd Ave S.E. Tickets for Saturday’s occasion are $10 per particular person, or free between the hours of 4 pm and 6 pm. For extra info, go to vietnamnowfestival.com.

Elizabeth Chorney-Sales space could be reached at [email protected]. Comply with her on Instagram at @elizabooth.

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