Field & Forge Brewing Co. — Restaurant in Alberta

I was eager to try this place after it came recommended by many. Unfortunately my experience here was very disappointing.

I had the backyard platter with the meat, variety of pickles, olives, and bread loaves. The waitress informed me that they were out of my first choice of meat, so I chose another variety. When my food arrived, I was disappointed to find that a good amount of the meat was nothing but fat. It also contained the BBQ sauce on top and gravy at the bottom; gravy was not advertised on the menu, and combined with the BBQ sauce, was not very appetizing.

Another issue that I had with the menu - it stated that there would be mustards served with my meal. I am a mustard fanatic, and this partially convinced me to order that particular dish. So I was not impressed when the only mustard to be found on the plate was a single container of Dijon. I alerted the staff to this and they discovered that it was a typo on the menu. I then had to ask for the dip that came with the meal.

I had never met a pickle I didn't like; well, that changed after dining here. The pickles that came with the platter were neither sweet nor dill - they had an overbearing taste that reminded me of a very strong batch of sauerkraut. At least the olives and the mini bread loaves were good. But it wasn't enough, and I left the place feeling hungry.

Also was not a fan of the bathrooms - the sinks were incredibly tiny, and arranged so that if you didn't lock the door and someone walked in while you were washing, you'd get hit by it.

At least the service was friendly and the...

Disappointing. Not sure how to describe my experience here. Drove by on the way to Sylvan Lake with my family and decided to stop in on the way home as we love to check out new breweries! Showed up without a reservation so we were seated upstairs, which wasn’t an issue. Unfortunately the server messed up a drink order, the size of my drink (charging me even more than what I asked for and got since I ordered a 12oz cider and got a 14oz lager at the price of 14oz cider). We ordered a main and four pizzas, which took exceptionally long to come out, and two of the pizzas were placed to the kitchen wrong which resulted in an additional 15 minute wait. Of the two pizzas that came out initially, one was average at best and one was had completely undercooked dough. The main was satisfactory. My family is not one to complain and we do not necessarily blame the server (as she made it clear it was her second day), but we had a second server come and she also couldn’t tell us what the different pizzas were. It seems like there is some major issues with training the staff and that lead to a rather frustrating visit. Neither server knew anything about the menus, the food or how to place a correct order through the iPad. While we never expect it, but having multiple family members who have worked in the restaurant industry, typically after such a rollercoaster of an experience you would get at least something complimentary. That wasn’t the case. Unfortunately I don’t see my family coming back here for a prolonged visit with unsatisfying food and...

Field & Forge Brewing Co., the little hidden gem!

Who knew that a small town like Innisfail, right smack in the middle of Alberta, would have hidden gem?!

My daughter had a ball tournament, and we decided to go for dinner at the Field & Forge Brewing Co, thanks to my foodie friend Wanda Baker who is also the editor of the Savour Calgary Magazine (a great magazine about food and recipes, check it out).

When I entered the restaurant, I was impressed with the interesting interior decor of huge stainless steel equipment used to brew their beer. Immediately, the rich smell of yeast evoked powerful, pleasant memories of my childhood that got me excited and salivating!

I ordered the Margherita rustic pizza for $13! It had a great house-made tomato sauce with mozzarella, bocconcini (cheese heaven right here!) and basil pesto. One of the best thing crust pizzas I've had in a long time!

And then, of course, I had to sample their homebrew! I ordered their flight of beer for $8, which contained four different beers. I sampled the Belgian ale, amber lager, marshmallow porter and the dry stout. They all tasted as good as they looked!

If you are a fan of microbreweries, this is a must-visit! The prices are great, the food is delicious, and the beer is perfect! All served by a smiling, friendly server.

Only one hour drive from Calgary, I most definitely plan on...