Big Taste Calgary Festival - Market

Foodies Unite! It's currently The Big Taste Calgary festival... so Anita and I went out for a dinner that wasn't Pho or Vermicelli (I sort of have an addiction to Vietnamese cuisine). We hit up one of Calgary's newer joints, Market, on 17th Ave SW. It's located in the space of the former Yardhouse, and is decorated in a chique but minimalist black and white scheme, and features a menu from Executive Chef Geoff Rogers. Top Chef fans will soon be able to catch this guy in action on the latest season of Top Chef Canada.

As part of The Big Taste festival, Market was featuring a special 5 course dinner for $85, with wine pairings. The courses progressed from light and refreshing to hearty and meaty, capped off with a rustic-ly elegant dessert. I'm not a food blogger, so I won't bore you with my tasting notes on each of the dishes, but they were mostly spot on great. Green salad with honeycomb vinaigrette, butternut squash soup topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and chives, Pork Belly served on a bed of beans and topped with octopus, Bison Flank served atop pressed potato with onions and crispy roasted Brussel sprouts, followed by Chocolate Pot Au Creme. The servings were just the right size to leave you satisfied without feeling like a gluttonous pig. The wine pairings were decent Okanagan area offerings, complementing the locally sourced - within a province to either side - ingredients in the dishes. Overall, an enthusiastic two thumbs up! Calgary's dining scene continues to grow, and Market is a welcome addition to the casual but upscale set.