3.25.2011

charcut, calgary's best bang for your buck

charcut burger, duck fat fries, and lemon preserved tuna

I'm just going to say it. I really like CHARCUT. And from what I can tell, given the cult-like status of their alley burgers, a lot of others like CHARCUT too. Yes, their burger is one of the best in the city, and yes, their meatball sandwich is awesome, but great food becomes even better when it is prepared and served with passion.

One thing that I quite like, is that CHARCUT can be a bit of a restaurant chameleon. It can be what you want it to be. Need a burger lunch in jeans and a t? Sure. Want to have a girlie night out for drinks? CHARCUT fits the bill there too. Yearn for a romantic dinner? CHARCUT is a great bet. There are a lot of restaurants in town, but there aren't many that I can say are versatile enough for multiple occasions. It takes the guesswork out of eating. No more, "Where should we go?", or perhaps more importantly, "Where should we send the out-of-towners to eat?" It's easily settled, because there is something for everyone, and nothing is too bland or boring or poorly done.  In fact, quite the opposite.

Oh, and did I mention the value? The "CHARCUT Lunch All at Once", can give you a soup, sandwich, and warm chocolate chip cookies for FIFTEEN BUCKS! We're not talking about a chain-quality sandwich here. We're talking about REAL food made by real people! I have to admit, I kinda drooled just rereading that from their menu. Like I said, I like this place.

Here's a bit of a recount of a visit from a recent lunch.

It is hard to go wrong with pork, if that is your kind of thing, and this pork terrine is no different. A little pork with a little preserves.  Sure, it is a bit indulgent, but there is a lot to like. Salty and sweet. Crispy and silky too. It seems quite simple, in fact, there is a lot going on.
pork terrine and preserves at charcut

Great burger. Great fries, fried in duck fat. Enough said. Perhaps the best burger in the city. Just saying. I was quite taken with the lemon preserved tuna (in the mason style jar). This is not your Mom's canned tuna. It hardly resembles anything we first think of tuna, it is in fact, so flaky and so tender, that it is of course impossible to stop eating. It is something you would never expect at a "Roast House", and somehow that just makes it that much better.
charcut burger, duck fat fries, and lemon preserved tuna

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I ordered the meatball sandwich. But I'm sure glad I did. Why didn't I ever think of adding a side dish of tomato sauce to dip the sandwich into. Brilliant! Especially, when the sauce is just exactly the tangy complement the hearty meatballs deserved. And thankfully, the meat was flattened, so I could easily gobble this down.
Meatball Sandwich at Charcut

CHARCUT is located in the St. Germain building, downtown Calgary. I've eaten there a few times, and definitely recommend it. I need to try the rotisserie chicken....NEED.

Have you been to CHARCUT?

101, 899 Centre Street SW
(403)984-2180
Hours: Mon - Tues: 11am - 11pm, Wed - Fri: 11am - 1am, Sat: 5pm - 1am, Sun: 5pm - 10pm

5 comments:

Lisa T said...

Charcut is at the top of my list for our next date night (which are a little few and far between!). I just cannot handle chain restaurants anymore. If we're spending our hard-earned money and have ditched our kids for an evening, it better be worthwhile! ;)

George said...

How awesome does this food look!? I could eat the screen looking at it!

Mom of two said...

Yup, been there but not overly impressed. Too salty for my taste, also not a huge fan of deli meats, no matter how carefully or close to home they are made. Would recommend to meat lovers who don't mind a bit of grease, but I personally won't go back.

Calgary Bucket Truck said...

Dang that burger looks great! I have to make a trip to Calgary if for nothing else, that restaurant alone. Wouldn't mind seeing a hockey game up there either.

Indira said...

Cool!

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