T O P P I C K S f rom Savour staf f | S A V O U R S E L E C T S
Savour selects
The Guru pizza at Avatara
Avatara Pizza 3406 3rd Ave. N.W. 403.457.4992 avatarapizza.com
For 11 years, Avatara Pizza has been providing Calgarians with authentic- tasting pizza. They started back in the day toting a pizza cart, progressed to the Avatara Food Truck and finally a sit-down restaurant in Parkdale. Three years later, they changed their menu to provide healthier choices and gluten-free pizza increasing their customer following to include those willing to drive across town to indulge. Owner and General Operations Manager Chris Iturbe has a passion for the science behind food and works hard to perfect new recipes using methods he tests many times before adding to the menu. His travels inspire new recipes like the Taco Fiesta pizza he created this year for the (unfortunately cancelled) Calgary Stampede. During a trip to Mexico, he obtained an authentic family recipe for tacos al pastor, this became the inspiration for this pizza available on his menu. Sauces are made in house, ingredients sourced locally, and toppings always fresh. Follow them on social for future expansion plans.*
Wanda Baker
SMALL SPACE BIG HEART
Veg In YYC East Meets West Bowl.
Veg-In YYC 215 6th Ave. S.E. 587.351.5253 veginyyc.com
When Sehra Bindal, a vegetarian, started Veg-In YYC four years ago, she set her mind on opening a restaurant featuring vegan and vegetarian cuisine fused with Indian flavours. With previous experience owning restaurants and hotels, Bindal wanted to create a unique dining experience in downtown Calgary for plant-based eaters. The menu offers vegan burgers, samosa chaat, veggito wraps, bowls, flatbreads and chai tea. Her team is involved in community, supporting local events where there is a fit, has won awards in a variety of categories and is often sought out by celebrities visiting Calgary as her walls are adorned with photos of those who have dropped in for a bite. Bindal also seeks out local bakeries who make vegan desserts to offer in her cafe so she can focus on the savoury items.*
*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story
A NAME YOU CAN TRUST Cal & Gary is the newest brand addition to Calgary Co-op grocery stores and based on the name of our city. The products feature ‘isms’ that Calgarians will understand and appreciate. For example, milkchocolate raisins are sweet, like a game-seven victory. Chocolate bridge mix is finally a bridge we can agree on and kettlecooked peanuts are nuttier than parade day traffic. The Artizan bread is crusty like rush hour on Deerfoot. You get the picture. Cal & Gary knows a thing or two about how Calgarians eat. A line-up of new items includes several of the well-known food items you love to buy and eat, like burgers, utilizing many locally sourced products. Founders & Farmers is the means to providing quality goods in the stores ensuring their products play a role in your food story. A local company, supporting local, bringing you the best of the best, this is what Calgary Co-op is all about.*
Calgary Co-op Grocery Stores calgarycoop.com
A WELL-TRAVELED MENU Accomplished fine dining chef, Ashish Damle, has worked in kitchens around the world over the last 25 years of his career. He left India more than 20 years ago with a few stops along the way before finally landing in Calgary. He spent some time as the chef de cuisine at OEB working in both locations before scooping the empty space they left on Edmonton Trail a couple of years ago. It’s here he and his wife Mira opened Namo Café and Bistro, a breakfast and lunch café that has dabbled in opening for dinner but are currently closed in the evenings. One look at his menu and you will see the inspiration from his travels. The menu is meat based but many of the meals can be made vegan or vegetarian. As they try to navigate these strange times, the plan is to focus more on take-out and delivery in the future and re-open for the evening crowd. We enjoyed the black forest bacon benny and look forward to returning for the marsala chicken and waffles, far east duck bowl and vegan farmers perogies.*
S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020
Wanda Baker
Wanda Baker
GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA NEVER TASTED BETTER
Black Forest Bacon Benny
Namo Café Bistro 824 Edmonton Tr. N.E. 403.475.7010 namonaturals.com
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