My husband and I were chatting the other day about how when we were in our early 20s (I’m dating myself here), we were always hard pressed to find places to go and things to do. It was always either a movie or hang out at each other’s places. It’s nothing like how Calgary is today with all the amazing cocktail bars, lounges and restaurants. I guess we’re sort of trying to make up for what we didn’t have and I’m glad that he’s with me in wanting to check out new places. So we were super lucky to be invited down to the new Mister Chen’s to check out their amazing new space!
Atmosphere: An asian inspired dining room with a loungey vibe.
Price Range: Mid $10s - $20+
Food & Drinks: I often struggle with what to order off of a menu, so I was excited when the server told us that the chef was going to put together some plates for us that evening to showcase their cuisine. We started with the Ahi Tuna Tataki with citrus and jalapenos, black sesame topped with ponzu foam. It was right up my alley because I love raw preparations and this dish was packed with flavour. I enjoyed the crust of the sesame with the spicy jalapenos. I thought the spiciness always adds a nice little punch and wouldn’t even mind a bit more of a kick.
We were also treated to an array of dumplings such as the Mushroom Wonton with a sesame emulsion. I really like the texture and flavour of the wonton, however the wrapper did fall apart a bit, which might be due to the fact that it was sitting in the sauce. The added chili oil here was a great addition. The Wild Boar Pot Stickers were a hit, they had a great crust on the outside and a lovely black vinegar dipping sauce. Overall a great bite! Lastly the “Shumai” Agnolotti with humbolt squid in a miso umami broth was another tasty dish where that miso broth was the star. We enjoyed the flavour of it so much that we kept it as a dipping sauce for the octopus that we had later.
The appetizers that we shared so far was tasty but nothing prepared us for the fabulous Pork Belly dish that came next. The dish came with 6, that’s right 6 pieces of melt in your mouth pork belly. Served with a sweet Indonesian soya and a crunchy salt and vinegar Chicharrón. My hubby couldn’t stop raving about it. The chicharron was puffed perfection and the pork belly was tender, definitely a winner. It’s a great sharing dish, if they’re nice and you’re in a sharing mood!
Next we were served the Crispy Octopus with crunchy red pork, avocado chimichurri and smashed potatoes. I enjoyed the texture of this dish, I was expecting a charred octopus, instead the octopus is deep fried giving it a crispy exterior while the interior remains tender. The avocado chimichurri and the pickled radishes worked for me as well as the smashed potatoes. The hubby enjoyed this dish with the umami broth from the agnolotti as mentioned above, either way I thought I would definitely order this again.
After all those plates we were pretty full and ended the meal with a cooling Yuzu Tart made with condensed milk and accompanied by a cultured butter cream. I did find the tart a bit sweet, but I’m not a huge fan of citrus desserts, my husband liked it. The cream on the side helped.
The cocktails were tasty that evening as well. We had the bartender surprise us and it was as if he knew us! The hubby got The Pleats made with wild turkey bourbon, cocchi storico, amaro nonino and it tasted like a lighter old fashioned, my husband’s favorite drink. I had the Don’t Blush which reminded me of a sweeter negroni featuring aperol, strawberry sake, orange bitters, prosecco and soda water. Its perfect for summer and can definitely be dangerous since it goes down so easily.
My Pick(s): Tuna Tataki, Pork Belly
Overall: We had a great time at Mister Chen’s with their tasty cocktails and some tasty dishes. The vibe was really cool and I enjoyed the look of the dining room. I’m glad my husband and I can still sneak away from the kids from time to time and check out some great places in town. At least now we get to do it in cool surroundings with delicious food and drinks!
Mister Chen’s
2004 4 St SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 764-2436
Website: misterchensyyc.com
Comments
Post a Comment