Restaurant Review: Deane House

Father’s day is literally just around the corner and I’m trying to decide what to do to celebrate the amazing day. My son is almost one so this is my husband’s second father’s day since he was born before father’s day last year. But officially it’ll be his first time celebrating (since sitting in a hospital without any sleep wouldn’t really be classified as a celebration). It also got me thinking of all the amazing times we’ve had to far this past year with our son, which made me look back on the amazing valentine’s meal that we enjoyed and had baby L along. It was the perfect evening because he was quite the pleasant company while we enjoyed our delicious meal.

Atmosphere: Dining in a beautiful historical setting with a cultural significance in the city. Elegant and romantic – the perfect combination.

Price Range: $20 - $30+

Food & Wine: The set menu that evening looked incredible and I couldn’t wait to start my dining journey. One of the things I enjoy most about a chef’s tasting is the slow progression of every plate which peaks with the main entrée and then finishes with a delectable dessert. We began the meal with an amuse of oysters topped with a tangy mignonette. Being a lover of oysters it was a perfect way to kick off the night.

Our first course was the Smoked Beets with crème fraiche, a mustard vinaigrette, and topped with dill, trout roe and a rye crumb. The dish had a symphony of flavours from the sweetness of the beets to the tangy vinaigrette and the roe to little bits of dill on top. The crème fraiche added the creamy texture that brought the whole dish together. My only complaint was that there wasn’t more of it!

Next was the Sunchoke Veloute with a wonderful herb pistou and hazelnut gremolata. I’m not one to order soups very often on my own but am glad this was part of the menu. The dish had amazing punchy flavours while being incredibly velvety smooth. A nice lead in to the next course which was the 7K Longhorn Beef Carpaccio topped with northern divine caviar, smoked aioli and pickled shallots. Nothing beats a well done carpaccio and this one was it. Well balanced between the tender beef and flavourful accompaniments. Another winner here.

For our mains we had the Seared Rabbit Saddle with pan seared gnocchi, wilted winter greens, lacto fermented carrots and the Haida Wild Black Cod with braised white beans, celeriac puree, pickled seaweed and a dashi broth. Out of the two, I leaned more towards the black cod because the rabbit was a bit gamier than my liking. Even though I really enjoyed the gnocchi and veggies that came with the dish. The black cod itself had a very nice sear and was nicely paired with the white beans and celeriac puree. The addition of the dashi added an extra depth of flavour to the dish.

To end our meal we had the Theo Organic Chocolate Pate served with vanilla ice cream, sponge toffee and salted caramel. This was a decadent dessert with the creamy smooth chocolate pate to the sweet and salty caramel and the crunchy toffee. Not to mention it also came with ice cream, which is always a plus. It definitely satisfied anyone with a sweet tooth!

There were amazing wine pairings for each course but I kept to the 2007 Lan Gran Reserva Tempranillo since I was craving red that evening. It had lovely notes of blackcurrents and chocolate with a full bodied finish. It went very nicely with the carpaccio and chocolate courses.

My Picks: Everything! But if I had to pick…the Sunchoke Veloute or the Black Cod

Overall: Beautiful surroundings and a delicious meal. It was a wonderful evening and I’m glad we were able to share it with our son. I can definitely see myself going back for more chef’s tasting meals or even to try their a la carte menu. It would also be a lovely place to take father’s to celebrate their awesome day. I also recently read that they have a pastry brunch buffet? Sign me up!

Deane House
806 9 Avenue SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 264-0595
Website: deanehouse.com

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