The Coup on the Company

Business travel can have it's perks, especially when the destination includes veggie restaurants and the tab isn't on you!! I am spending the week in Calgary, home of the Stampede (more on the rodeo in Houston in a few days), Alberta beef, and big (heavy) oil. Amidst all of this is The Coup, a mostly organic &local, vegetarian establishment with a devoted following. I was so impressed the first night, I went back for seconds. There is something kind of fun about sitting alone in a bustling restaurant, ordering multiple courses all the while jotting down notes and reading a book. Made me feel like and undercover food critic (and in some ways I am!). Since both nights I ordered a starter, main course, and dessert, I'll present them in a head to head comparison. But first, a Calgary photo montage for fun...

And the restaurant entrance, adorned with a recycled metal sign and the only bike racks I saw on the block.
First up, drinks. Now this wasn't much of a competition, because I got ginger ale both nights (best I've ever had!), but I thought the pictures were kind of cool.

I had read several online reviews raving about the pseudo sushi, so on Night 1 this was the first thing I tried (though I'm not sure what was pseudo about it). I have always wanted to make my own brown rice sushi because of it's healthier attributes, but have feared it would just fall apart mid-roll. Their rolls were filled with yam, tofu, veggies, and, according to the menu, seasonal fruit (which I couldn't quite place). I had to hold myself back from gobbling these up in a matter of minutes! Night 2 I had a craving for some protein, so I chose the cajun tempeh sticks, served with a side of dijon maple sauce (which I swear had wasabi in it, but maybe it was just the dijon). These were lightly battered and fried (I think) on the outside and moist inside. Although I didn't really get the cajun flavor, these were quite enjoyable and hit the spot. Winner? The sushi.

On Night 1 I had a major hankering for sweet potatoes (aka yams here in Canada). The upstream burger is a blend of yams, tofu, and pumpkin seeds, plus it came with a side of yam fries! The fried were a bit of a disappointment; they were wedges, i.e. no crispy outside. The burger had a wonderful blend of flavors, especially with the garlic aoili and dill, but it kind of fell apart in my hands. Still a great alternative to the standard veggie burger. For Night 2 I was in the mood for pasta, probably due to the disappointment at lunch where I was supposedly served a vegan meal that was pasta laden with a creamy, parmesan scented sauce. My waitress promised me a very creamy (thanks to coconut milk), guaranteed vegan sauce on the magic mushroom pasta. Along with the sauce and kamut noodles was spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and cubes of smoked tofu. I struggled a bit eating pasta with chopsticks, but I managed. The verdict? A draw.

I had to stop short of finishing both meals in order to save room for dessert. With several vegan desserts to choose from, on Night 1 I had the waitress pick her favorite. She must have been reading my mind because she picked the chocolate torte. Made with silken tofu, but you'd never know because it was so rich and chocolatey. I especially enjoyed the accompanying raspberry sauce that I dipped each bite in. Now I must be honest, if I wasn't doing this for research (i.e. blogging) purposes, Night 2 would have been a dessert repeat. But for those readers who aren't chocoholics like me, I had to be fair and give the apple pie a chance. I actually wrote most of this post on the back of my printed Calgary maps while waiting for this to be baked in the kitchen, listening the the girl at the table next to me snort with laughter :-). Topped with tofulatti soy ice cream, I appreciated the temperature contrasts and the fact that I was eating fiber via apples... but I think you know where I'm going with this. The chocolate torte won over my taste buds for sure.

Whew! I'm full. Good thing though because tomorrow night is a work dinner at some steakhouse I'm sure, so I need to store some extra calories. Back to my home, kitchen, and honey in Houston on Friday.