This week was the once-in-a-year dining opportunity to experience intoxicating variations of some of Calgary’s best chef’s dishes. The Big Taste dining festival is an extraordinary event for anybody who wants to dine out in Calgary for a reasonable price, and experience a menu that is usually reserved for occasions like Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the end of a long and cold winter than a week of indulgence.
I started my week with a lunch at Rush. I was pleasantly surprised at the flawless service and the mouthwatering food. We were seated right away, our order was taken within minutes and our food came out with perfect pace. The Big Taste menu was a small, two choice combination of classics with little twists to entice your palate. I was drooling while the server described the butternut squash vinaigrette, and the slow braised chicken with mushrooms and bacon.
I would have loved to try everything but I’m only a single man. Lucky for me, I was with my stunning, ever intuitive girlfriend Morgan who ordered the other two options on the menu. Together we were able to try the entire Big Taste Calgary Menu. The soup and salad; and the roast rib-eye, and braised chicken.
The soup and salad were delicious. Although tasty, the butternut squash dressing I was so excited to try, tasted like little more than oil and vinegar. The soup was a simple tomato soup with some crème fraiche. It reminded me of being a young boy, and made me yearn for a grilled cheese. Alas, I would have to settle for braised chicken.
When the entrees arrived we thought the presentation was stunning. Both dishes were rich and complex. The rib eye which was carved from a roast perfectly cooked, and placed above “pomme purée” - a perfect french style mashed potato. The little pieces of zucchini nestled around the plate were the ideal accompaniment. The braised chicken was tender and full of the smokey, deep flavor from the bacon and mushrooms. The entrees were flawless. I think that the recipe for success that chef Andrew Stevens is using works.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone at Rush. This lunch really represented what The Big Taste is all about. Big tastes.
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Lack of parking… and Rush.. too pricey!