Restaurant Review: Workshop Kitchen Culture

There’s something to be said about comfort food on a cold day. It not only warms you up from the inside, but it’s also satisfies the soul and those nagging cravings. It was only appropriate that with our cooling weather we decided to drop by Workshop where they elevate homey dishes to the next level.

Atmosphere: Rustic meets edgy in the dining area right outside the Grand Theatre, the contrast resulting in a cozy place to grab a bite before catching a show or to catch up with friends.

Price Range: Mid $10s - $30+

Food & Wine: The server immediately told us the format of the menu was family style and meant for sharing, which was perfect. Dinner doesn’t feel the same if I’m not sharing plates and chatting about the nuances of each one. To start we had the Albacore Tuna Tiradito, slices of fresh tuna served with a soy and chili dressing and topped with cilantro and pickled vegetables. The combinations of flavours were amazing! Everything on the plate had a purpose. The salty soy coupled with the tangy crisp vegetables really enhanced the tuna without overpowering it. I really enjoyed the pickled vegetables and probably could have eaten a whole side of them!

Next we shared the Roast Organic Chicken with mushrooms, pancetta and kale, truffle and lemon jus. The chicken itself was moist and tender, both the white and dark meat were well cooked. Mushrooms made the dish homey and addition natural addition of the truffle elevated the flavours. A bit of the kale and pancetta with the chicken and mushroom made for a really lovely bite.

We also decided on some sides, which are not to be missed. The Potato Gnocchi was delectable, each one was a fluffy pillow covered in parsley and parmesan cream. Comfort food at its best and perfect for sharing due to its generous portion size. The Roasted Sweet Potatoes reminded me of a thanksgiving dish with the cumin spice and brown sugar. It’s nice to see sweet potatoes presented in a different way other than fries (which are delicious, but variety is key).

It was hard to pass on dessert when we saw the Root Beer Panna Cotta. It came with a white chocolate root cake and pop rock dust. Each element of the dessert was good on its own, but the flavours literally popped when you had them all together. I’m still a kid at heart and anybody that an incorporate pop rocks in to dessert get a big thumbs up from me!

My Picks: Gnocchi, Root Beer Dessert

Overall: Everything was amazing and I’ve already been back to try some of their other dishes since this first visit. Now with winter hitting our city, this is the perfect place to warm up! So grab your friends and family and head over to Workshop and see what they’re cooking up.

Workshop Kitchen Culture
608 1st Street SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 266-7062

Website: www.workshopcalgary.com