Calgary's theatre scene has a new star. Located in the historic Burns building on 8th Ave. S.E., Juilliard Restaurant and Lounge is a great choice for a pre-theatre meal or drink, whether you're heading over to the adjoining Epcor Centre, or anywhere else in the downtown area.
Built in 1913, the same year as the Palliser Hotel and the Hudson's Bay department story, the Burns building has played host to many famous Calgary facades over the past 95 years, with Juilliard opening its doors last October. Owned by Jesse Glasnovic, owner of Auburn Saloon and co-owner of Saint Germain, its head chef is Andrew Kazakoff (formerly a chef at Blink). Calgary's newest face in the theatre district has been described by Glasnovic as "an elegant atmosphere with quality food at a reasonable price."
This is a fair assessment of the well-designed room, which crosses into fancy without feeling stuffy or boring. The food is also quite nice, and the theatre-going crowd would be inclined to agree that the prices are reasonable.
I figured that Juilliard was doing OK for itself when it took two tries to even get a reservation. When I was finally able to secure a table for two on a Friday evening, I was asked by the hostess if we had theatre plans that evening. As it was explained to me, they note your reservation so that your server knows whether to get you in and out in a comfortable timeframe without causing you to miss your other engagement. This was a nice touch.
Once seated inside the large room, which boasts a colossal two-story ceiling, we were presented with our menus by the manager. He explained that our server was just wrapping up with a larger table, and that she would be with us shortly. It was subtle but, again, a nice touch, earning extra points in the customer service category.
The wine selection is as large as the food section, with a choice of 21 reds, three sparkling and 21 whites. About one-third of the options are available by the glass as well as bottle.
We kicked off our meal with the baked brie ($15) that came wrapped in filo, topped with roasted pears, house-made crisps and spiced walnuts. It’s more than enough as a starter for two and is delicious.
Another option that caught my eye was the Juilliard crépes, consisting of duck confit, ricotta cheese and a sambuca cherry glaze. Something to try the next time I'm there.
There were several tempting options but, for my main, I chose the seared Arctic char topped with chipotle beurre blanc and sides of steamed vegetables and fingerling potatoes ($27). Upon ordering, I was advised that they were out of the char and that rockfish would be substituted. Again, the honest and knowledgeable service was refreshing.
The meal was just about the perfect serving size — enough to fill you up without overdoing it, especially if you're off to sit in a theatre for a few hours.
I would have preferred the chipotle sauce to be a bit spicier, but it has enough heat for most people. My guest sampled the vegetable gnocchi with grilled vegetables ($22). The gnocchi were coconut-infused and smothered in a light yellow curry sauce. Cooked to perfection, that meal was on par with mine, as far as serving size and quantity were concerned.
For the dessert menu options, there were three: vanilla bean cheesecake with dark chocolate ganache, panacotta (an unbaked vanilla custard served with seasonal fresh fruit) and chocolate crème de pot, a dark chocolate baked custard, served chilled. I went with the cheesecake, and my guest ordered the crème de pot.
Both were excellent. The cheesecake ($8) was served without a graham cracker crust, which I thought might take away from my enjoyment, but really, it didn't need it. It was smooth and creamy and the chocolate ganache was amazing.
I would suggest that Calgary's newest addition to the theatre scene is definitely worth checking out, even for repeat performances.
Juilliard is located at 105-237 8 Ave. S.E.; phone, 718-9066.
