CALGARY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 486

Tucked away across the railway tracks from downtown is M Thai Sa-On (351 10th
Ave. SW, 403/264-3526, dinner nightly, $12-20), a small space that's big on the tastes
of Thailand. The menu offers a great variety of red and green curries, but I tried the red
snapper—medium spiced, baked, and served whole—and couldn't have been happier. The
prices? For downtown dining, the food is ridiculously inexpensive, with a whole steamed
fish with garlic-lime sauce costing just $20.
KENSINGTON
Across the Bow River from downtown lies the trendy suburb of Kensington, which is
home to several coffeehouses and restaurants. One of the nicest cafés is Higher Ground
(1126 Kensington Rd. NW, 403/270-3780, 7am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-midnight Sat.,
8am-11pm Sun.), a specialty coffee shop with a few window-front tables and wireless
Internet. Head to Jugo Juice (1154 Kensington Crescent NW, 403/270-0120, 7am-close
Mon.-Sat., 8am-close Sun.) and enjoy freshly squeezed juices and a great variety of
healthy smoothies outside along a narrow sidewalk.
The casual, two-story M Pulcinella (1147 Kensington Crescent NW, 403/283-1166,
11:30am-11pm Mon.-Sat., 11:30am-10pm Sun., $15-27) has the most traditional pizza you
will find in Alberta, right down to an oven constructed of stone imported from the slopes
of Mount Vesuvius. Pizzas have perfectly formed crusts and chunky ingredients, many of
which have been imported from the mother country.
When you enter Sultan's Tent (4 14th St., 403/244-2333, 5pm-11pm Wed.-Sun.,
$18-28.50), a server appears with a silver kettle and basin filled with orange-blossom-
scented water with which to wash your hands. It's all part of Moroccan custom and part of
the fun. The restaurant features swinging lanterns, richly colored tapestries hanging from
the walls, piped-in Arabic music, and, most important, delicious Moroccan delicacies. If
you're hungry, try the Sultan's Feast ($55), a five-course dinner.
A few blocks toward the city, Kensington's busiest intersection offers a bunch of eat-
eries, including another Italian restaurant, Osteria de Medici (201 10th St. NW, 403/
283-5553, 11am-11pm Mon.-Sat., 4pm-10pm Sun., $21-36). Although still traditional, the
atmosphere is more refined and the menu more adventurous than Pulcinella, but service is
friendly and prices not as high as they could be.