KAIN TAYO — Restaurant in Alberta

Visited Canmore to celebrate my Mother in Law's birthday and chose Kain Tayo for our lunch spot due to the great Google reviews it has received.

Tucked away on a quiet street in the town center, Kain Tayo serves up great fusion street inspired dishes all wrapped in a modern and relaxing atmosphere. The lunch menu is not large, but contains a good selection of intriguing appetizers and mains, ranging from steak, fish and some vegetarian options. We ordered a few items from the lunch menu and were not disappointed.

Starting with the Filipino Ahi Tuna Ceviche, it was delightful and light. The sweet Asian pear and radish gave hints of an elevated Waldorf Salad. It was refreshing and really wet the appetite.

The Queso Fundido Burger was juicy, and the mushroom queso sauce really gave the burger a great hearty flavour. We upgraded to a side of Ramen Noodle Salad, which paired really well with the burger. It was a light cold noodle salad and the peanuts and mint combination kept us wanting more.

The Thai Chicken Sandwich was parked with the Hand Cut Sukiyaki Fries and was absolutely delicious. The chicken was perfectly cooked, crunchy and juicy and the right amount of spicy punch. The Sukiyaki fries were also amazing and definitely would have been an amazing dish on their own. It was a perfect blend of savoury and creaminess combined with a great crunch. Texturally amazing on the pallet.

The New Delhi Steak Sandwich was another home run. Ordered rare, the steak came out perfectly juicy, and the marinade gave it a very nice distinct flavour. The onions and paneer also lent great flavours, and we forgot this was actually an open faced sandwich dish. It felt much more elevated.

Finally the Korean Fried Chicken Wings and Waffles. Crispy, saucy and some good heat due to the Gochujang glaze. A nice slow burn with a nice finish. The kimchi ranch adds another dimension and serves to help tone down the heat a little. The scallion waffles were also a nice touch, slightly savoury, but still light and fluffy, they went well with the wings and glaze sauce.

The kids menu items we ordered were excellently prepared as well. The Tomato and Cheese pasta and the Corn dogs were thoroughly enjoyed by our kids.

The portions are generous, and the atmosphere is relaxing, with large windows for the dining area, and the patio looks it an enjoyable spot to eat as well. The facilities are well stocked and clean, and the staff is amazingly friendly and knowledgeable.

Parking was a breeze, with street parking all around and a pay lot across the street. Our server was delightful and had great recommendations, and the food was brought out and presented, perfectly timed.

We will return to try the dinner menu at some point, but do yourself a favour and give Kain Tayo a go. A delightful and unique dining experience, and a place where you will leave with a full belly, and...

To be honest, my family and I were hopeful coming to this restaurant. From the outside it looked welcoming, and we saw great food pictures posted online.

Unfortunately, we felt disrespected even before stepping inside.

#1) We arrived an hour before close. The doors were locked when we arrived. A staff member watched us try to open the door multiple times and ignored us despite making eye contact with us. Only when I called to confirm restaurant hours, did she come to open the door for us. She apologized, saying another customer must have accidentally knocked the lock into place.

#2) Once inside, she looked for a spot to place us (4ppl). She began to offer a place at the bar, but when she saw the lone gentleman sitting in the middle of the rest of the empty chairs, informed us it would be approximately 15min for a table, as a group before us had paid and just needed to head out. Sure thing. But after waiting for 5-10min, another waiter came to ask us if we were looking for a seat, and told us that they were closing in an hour and the wait would be a minimum of 25min "to be upfront" before resuming her duties. No offer to rearrange seating, to see the menu, nothing else.

The staff just seemed to want us to leave.

Why watch us, watch you, watch us struggle at the door, and not do anything until we call into the restaurant?

If the wait cuts close to last-call, why not be "upfront" about last-call, and instead tell us you close in an hour before we even have the chance to sit? Why imply a problem but not tell us the problem?

If anything, we would have still felt respected being told to try again another time if the wait wouldn't guarantee a seat or a meal.

Unfortunately, we won't come back to this restaurant given the attitude of the staff out front. Doesn't matter if the food and aesthetics are great if we feel like a nuisance for showing up in the...

Was missing Asian food on our skip trip so came upon this gem on Google. So good we ended up coming back a second time to try other things!

First visit we had the kung Pao brussel sprouts which had a unique flavor other than the typical caramelized bacon and vinaigrette you'll find at any other restaurant. For entrees had the Korean fried chicken and waffles and the lechon kawali (pork belly). The fried chicken was cooked perfectly and had the perfect amount of sweetness to go with the waffle. The lechon kawali was crispy and full of flavor served on top of a bed of monggo beans. This dish was very homey for me and I enjoyed it big time. For dessert, had the turon sundae which did not disappoint.

The second time we came back for the queso fundido burger with the sukiyaki fries, and the special of the day, five spice ribs. The burger had an Asian flare and cooked to perfection. The fries- who knew veggies and French fries would go well together? The rib meat fell off the bone and had great flavor. It was the last one left for the day so glad we were able to try it!

Will be coming back again on our next...