Vintage Chophouse Tavern
Have you ever had one of those days where all you can think of is how much you’d like a great steak for dinner? Now I know we can all go home and brag about what a fantastic steak we do on the barbeque, but what about that thick juicy cut perfectly aged and grilled that you can only get at a restaurant? Somehow I think that after this some of you are going to head out to the Vintage for just that steak!
The Vintage Chophouse Tavern is located at 320 11th Avenue SW in classic renovated building in Calgary’s old warehouse district. The combination of high ceilings, wood floors, crisp linen and subtle lighting make for a perfect dining out atmosphere. When combined with a background of swing and jazz music you have a setting that begs you to sit and enjoy the evening. Once you are settled but before ordering, your server if you wish, will bring over the Vintage Chophouse platter and run through all the various cuts of meat that are available along with a suggestion on how they are best served. If you weren’t hungry to start, now you’re starved and ready to begin.
As appetizers we decided to begin with house smoked Fanny Bay oysters served with greens and Balsamic vinegar on Crostinis plus French Escargot in marinated mushroom caps with Asiago cheese and a creamy pesto sauce. Now personally I could have just ordered this again and stopped right there but oh yah, ummmm steak!
For a main course we decided on an 8 oz. Filet wrapped in bacon served medium and a 12 oz. Prime Rib medium rare. The Filet came with a baked tomato and Béarnaise sauce while the Prime Rib was served with fresh horseradish and a demi glaze. Now before you start thinking that this is a bit thin, each dish comes with a choice from the side dish list. We picked garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus to round out our meals. Both of these sides are large enough to be shared and in fact could have been split three ways! Perfection comes to mind but since nothing is ‘perfect’ I’ll settle for really close! The cuts were fantastic and prepared exactly as ordered, with the best part being that the whole evening has flowed along without any long waits as you look for your next course. In a word the service was also tremendous.
Now every great Chophouse has to come with a great wine list and Vintage is no exception. The list is extensive covering most of the major wine producing areas of the world and offers many selections but the glass as well as by the bottle. We chose a King’s Estate Pinot from Oregon, which was decanted at our table early and allowed to open up. If you get the chance to do this before drinking a wine you will find that the flavours and aromas are much more evident as you enjoy your choice with your meal.
The final choice was desert and at this point after our feast we decided to share due to the minimal room left in our stomachs. WRONG! The chocolate cake layered with chocolate rum ganache is awesome but huge and after a heroic effort we admitted defeat and asked if we could take the rest home. Next time I’m going to the lounge side, ordering a port and this desert for a truly decadent late night snack!
The Vintage Chophouse Tavern shows that in Alberta not only do we grow great beef but that we can compete with the best when it comes to serving it as well. They are open for lunch or dinner and for a sample of the menu go to their website at www.vintagechophouse.com. As always if you have any comments I can be reached at sgourmet@telus.net. Ummmmm Steak.
Vintage Chophouse Tavern
320, 11th Avenue SW
(403) 262-7262
Food *****
Service *****
Price $24.00 – $49.00
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