Chorney-Sales space: Tiger Okay roars into Kensington with cool cocktails and Korean soul meals

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The gathering of eating places in Kensington is eclectic, to say the least. You’ve bought hopping BBQ joints, a few effective eating rooms, neighbourhood pubs, sushi spots, and a great deal of espresso outlets. For the previous eight years, Sharon Choe’s Ikemen ramen bar stood fortunately amongst all of it as a fixture on tenth Avenue. However after the problem of the previous couple of years, Choe felt the room was too massive to deal with a humble soup store and set to determining a brand new idea for the enviably situated room.

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Choe and her group additionally run the favored Bincho Izakaya in Mission. With two Japanese eating places in her portfolio (Ikemen shall rise once more, albeit in a brand new yet-to-be-revealed location), Choe needed to show her Kensington unit right into a Korean restaurant to mirror her cultural heritage and love of Korean meals. The room bought a facelift and a shiny new bar counter and similar to that, Ikemen grew to become Tiger Okay, a youthfully exuberant Korean lounge and shared plates idea. Choe looped in her pal Clara Montesinos to behave as bar supervisor and the 2 began developing with artistic Korean-themed cocktails and a collection of what they’ve dubbed “Korean soul meals.”

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“We’ve had a lot enjoyable opening this,” Choe says. “I’m actually enthusiastic about Korean meals.”

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The meat rib dish is proven at Tiger Okay on tenth St. N.W. within the former Ikemen ramen store in Kensington. Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim Wells/Postmedia

The meals at Tiger Okay received’t be wildly unfamiliar to anybody with expertise in Korean delicacies. You received’t discover tabletop barbecues, however the menu is stuffed with basic dishes, often with small fusion-conscious twists and trendy shows. All the plates are designed for sharing and pairing with a cocktail or two — the concept is for big teams of individuals to assemble across the 65-seat room’s ample picket tables and benches to socialize over a number of dishes.

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The Mulhwe dish at Tiger Okay in Kensington. Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim Wells/Postmedia

Menu highlights embody clams steamed in soju (the Korean liquor that occurs to look in lots of Tiger Okay’s cocktails) with garlic, butter, and moo dashi ($22), juicy jumbo white shrimp in a candy and spicy discount and a dusting of Parmesan cheese and Korean chives ($24), and a wonderfully crispy Korean pancake full of recent Hokkaido scallops, dan sae woo shrimp, sal ojinguh squid, and clams ($24). The pancake is sort of massive and appropriate to share amongst a minimum of a few folks, however Tiger Okay has much more huge dishes particularly designed for events of three, specifically the grilled complete beef ribs ssam — a DIY lettuce wrap platter — with greens ($60) and the bossam, a ssam variation with braised pork stomach, spicy squid, and greens ($58).

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Cocktails (L-R) natural cocktail, and a Seoul bitter are proven at Tiger Okay on 10 St NW in Calgary on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Jim Wells/Postmedia proven at Tiger Okay on 10 St NW in Calgary on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim Wells/Postmedia

The cocktails are what actually drives Tiger Okay, with a hefty collection of soju taking centre stage. Montesinos will get playful behind the bar, creating sips just like the “Tiger,” a soju model of the Caesar spiked with selfmade chojang, a candy and spicy Korean sizzling sauce ($15) and “Ms. Kim,” an espresso-based cocktail with spiced gyul syrup ($15). There are additionally plans to introduce lunch units and a late-night snack menu.

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Tiger Okay is situated at 217 tenth St. N.W. and might be reached via Instagram @tigerkyyc. The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to shut with lunch service anticipated to launch within the coming weeks.

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Inside minimalist design is proven at Tiger Okay in Kensington. Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim Wells/Postmedia

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In different meals information, the rising native pie empire often known as Pie Junkie is increasing its providing with a sequence of take-home gadgets excellent for these needing a little bit little bit of assist with their house pie making. First up, the corporate has launched a frozen model of its well-known all-butter pie crusts. When you’ve mastered the artwork of tasty pie fillings however can’t get the crust proper, these will likely be a welcome addition to the freezer, particularly with Thanksgiving proper across the nook. Packs of two pie shells promote for $12.95.

Secondly, Pie Junkie is now promoting a modernized model of the great outdated TV dinner with ingenious little trays that characteristic a savoury pot pie on one aspect and an apple or blueberry crumble on the opposite. Savoury choices embody butter hen pie, hen pot pie, bacon mushroom pot pie, and cauliflower potato and cheddar pot pie as a vegetarian possibility. The dinners promote for $15 every. For extra data, go to piejunkie.ca.

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And, if soup is your fall warm-up selection, don’t miss Highfield Farm’s third annual Soupalicious occasion. As a way of celebrating the autumn harvest, this cool city farm gathers a few of its favorite restaurant cooks to collaborate with neighborhood meals growers to provide you with scrumptious one-of-a-kind soups. Professional judges and a public vote decide who’s awarded the Golden Ladle for the tastiest soup of the occasion. Company can even discover and study extra concerning the farm, play video games and revel in reside music, and store at an area market. Proceeds from the occasion will help the operation of the farm and enlargement of its packages.

Soupalicious will happen on Oct. 1 at Highfield Farm, situated at 1920 Highfield Crescent S.E. For tickets and extra details about Soupalicious, go to highfieldfarm.ca.

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

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Inside minimalist design is proven at Tiger Okay on10 St NW in Calgary on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Jim Wells/Postmedia Jim Wells/Postmedia

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