Restaurant Review: Alforno Bakery and Cafe

There is something about bakeries that just make the kid in me smile. Nothing beats the smell of baked goods. It literally is one of my favorite smells in the world! Which is probably why I try to always visit a bakery no matter what country I’m in, how could I resist the urge to taste specialty treats such as flaky croissants, cakes and more? So how excited was I to find out that there was a new bakery in town and not only did they serve delectable treats but also appetizing savory dishes as well. I couldn’t wait to stop in at Alforno Bakery and lucky for me it was a beautiful day to do.

Atmosphere: Bright, spacious and open dining area with a great patio for the summer

Price Range: Mid $10s

Food & Wine: The format is easy here, order your food, grab an available table whether you want to be inside or out and they’ll bring you your order. When our food arrived, I was pleasantly surprised at how generous the portion sizes were! The House Made Bread Basket, which I assumed would probably be 4-5 slices of bread was instead a whole assortment of different types of bread they had in house and served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dipping. I was ecstatic! You can never go wrong with more bread in my books.

We started off with the light Mixed Green Salad, they were unfortunately out of the beet salad. I really enjoyed the mixed green salad overall. It was fresh and light with a nice assortment of greens topped with cherry tomatoes, grana padano cheese and a tangy roasted garlic vinaigrette. This would be perfect for a hot summer’s day or someone who isn’t a huge fan of overly dressed salads. There was just the right amount to elevate the greens without making them soggy.

It was hard to decide between pizza or pasta for the main and we ended up with the Orecchiette, little ear like pasta cooked with Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and a bit of chilies. They also served the dish with a side of toasted focciacia. The pasta was perfectly al dente and really was the star of the dish. The sausage and broccoli is only there to provide a bit of extra flavour to the dish. It reminded me of traditional pastas in Italy where the pasta is allowed to shine. I enjoyed the flavour of the dish overall and again the portion here was very generous.

I couldn’t wait for dessert. We decided to go back up to the counter after our meal and order dessert opposed to doing one big order at the very beginning. There were so many choices but my eye was drawn to the Dulche de Leche Cream Puff and the Lime Bar. I was extremely happy with my decisions. The cream puff had an unbelievably crispy exterior with a light drizzle of dulche de leche on top and creamy filling. I was afraid that it would be too sweet with the dulche de leche on top but it was very much the opposite. Just talking about how velvety and delicious it is now makes me want another one this minute.

The Lime Bar was a nice play on the typical lemon bar, the lime providing a different tanginess than lemon but without being overpowering. It’s the perfect dessert for those who love something tart. The base of the lime bar itself was a nice short crust pastry, I actually liked that it was a bit thicker since I love shortbread. Overall, I really enjoyed this with a coffee just to balance out all the flavours.

If you’re looking for something aside from coffee they also have a nice wine selection, especially for all those great summer patio days that are coming our way!

My Pick: Dulche de Leche Cream Puff

Overall: You can never go wrong with any baked goods in my books and Alforno has done a great job of combining savoury and sweet. Everything is well organized and they use their space well. I enjoyed the bright interior and can’t wait to visit their patio over the summer to enjoy more of their delicious baked goods and hopefully with a glass or two of vino!

Alforno Bakery and Café
222 7 Street SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 454-0308
Website: alforno.ca

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