The Shoe and Canoe Public House — Restaurant in Calgary

We went here for dinner during the Food and Drink Experience for the $30 prix fixe menu.

The soup of the day was a vegetable lentil, which was good but fairly unremarkable. The spinach salad with brown butter broccoli was a bit odd, all the makings of a classic spinach salad with a few pieces of blanched broccoli added on top... would've liked the broccoli to be sauteed or roasted at least.

The tree glazed boneless shortrib was tasty, nicely braised with a yummy sweet glaze (still not sure what "tree" refers to).

The coq au vin was a disappointment. For a dish called "chicken with wine", it had very little chicken, only 2 bite sized morsels in the whole dish. The papparedelle was a touch undercooked with a couple bites bordering on raw where the pasta had clumped together, and the whole dish was swimming in oil. On a positive note, it did have a generous amount of beautifully caramelized mushrooms and bacon.

My 4 year old enjoyed the orecchiette which we ordered for her from the regular menu. For a hotel restaurant, some kid friendly choices/portions would be well appreciated.

For dessert, the Valrhona brownie was dense and rich, and not overly sweet. The kitchen was kind enough to prepare a fruit bowl to accommodate a dairy restriction.

The service had a couple highlights with the server expediting my daughter's meal and accommodating a dairy restriction, but aside from that was quite inattentive, especially given that there were only 8 other tables of guests in the whole restaurant.

Lastly, the atmosphere was inviting and the beer list had a good number of...

From the moment we stepped into Shoe & Canoe the other day, we knew we were in for a treat, but it was our server, Cheryl, who truly elevated our experience to an extraordinary level. Her warmth and enthusiasm were palpable, instantly making us feel welcome and valued. Cheryl was not only attentive but also incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. She provided insightful recommendations that perfectly matched our tastes. What truly set Cheryl apart was her genuine passion for service. She consistently checked in on us, refilling our drinks with a smile and ensuring that our luncheon experience was flawless. It was evident that she took pride in her work, going above and beyond to create a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. In addition to her stellar service, Cheryl radiated positivity and created a lively rapport with our table, which added to the overall ambiance of the restaurant. Her attentiveness combined with a joyful demeanor made our luncheon not just a meal, but a memorable experience. As we left Shoe & Canoe, we could not stop talking about the delicious food, but it was Cheryl who truly won our hearts. If you ever find yourself at Shoe & Canoe, do yourself a favor and ask for Cheryl. You won't just have a great meal; you'll enjoy exceptional service that makes dining out a delight! Thank you, Cheryl, for making our lunch so special! We can’t...

For NYE, my friends and I spent our last few hours of 2024 at Shoe and Canoe before we headed to the fireworks on Prince’s Island.

I ordered the Cast Away ($16), Pesto Gnocchi Pomodoro ($24) and the Red Sangria ($19).

I’ll be the negative out of the way first. The Red Sangria was very large. However, I fully expected a sweet taste as it was their holiday special. But the red wine that was chosen was over powering. It was described as Fruity and Refeshing. I didn’t get that vibe, it was much too rich and overpowering for my taste. I didn’t finish it.

As for the cast away, that was amazing. I could have drank 2 more of those. It was creamy, sweet and tropical, exactly as described.

Now for the Gnocchi, it was really good! I’m not a huge fan of red sauce, but pair it with pesto and I’m sold. It was a great choice for dinner. If you want protein, it’s optional to add. However I just got the dish as is. I thoroughly enjoyed the high quality ingredients and harmony of flavours. The capers were a great addition and the manchego cheese was delicious.

The restaurant is located in the Delta Hotel, and I think this restaurant represents the hotel well. You won’t be disappointed with the flavours here, nor the quality. I can happily say this restaurant lives up to my...