It's hardly a binary rating system when you'd screw any chick you see... but I like that we're in agreement with this binary, spit or swallow rating system. No need to confuse our numerous number of readers.
OK, hmm, where to start... The Belvedere had a nice stench of snobbishness to it. By keeping the Belvedere sign the size of a bumper sticker and hiding the location deep in Stephen Ave, the Belvedere is obviously attempting to spread their name by word of mouth, but only within the social mass with class (the rich asses in our society). As Zarkotic has mentioned, their dress code is smart casual. I just take that to mean "better than casual". So in my point of view, Zarkotic is delusional. Anyways, I hate all this "business casual/ smart casual" bullshit when it comes to restaurants. As long as you don't look/smell like a hobo and have the $$$ to pay for the shit you're eating, who the hell cares whether you look casual, only slightly more pristine, or you look like you skinned a fucking penguin; you're eating the same shit. So for the cocks who snub me because I'm not in a frilly dress, they're only making it worse for themselves, because if I get that impression, I'll comfort myself with their tips. (.... if that sounds erotic to you, grow up)
I also found it entertaining when the waiter was trying to describe foie gras to someone sitting at a table near us. It's fatty duck/geese liver. Not some "extravagant combination of whatever-the-hell the waiter was trying to say". Get to the point and stop wasting my air, if the person wants to try fatty duck liver - great, if she doesn't - fine. Don't give her some flamboyant speech about everything OTHER than the actual content of the dish... Go back to being a used car salesman. Seriously.
Enough bitching, moving on to the food. We started off with a bottle of the "G wine". I've tried other Gewurztraminer wines, however, none had met my expectations - they all tasted like common table white wines. Interestingly enough though, Wolfberger ‘Steingrubler’ Grand Cru Gewurztraminer (Alsace 2003) tingled my taste buds. With 13% alcohol, there was only a subtle hint of it, the rest was just... sweet. But not overly sweet as you would find in some Rieslings or icewine. So now, my search continues to find other "G wines" like it (stfu, I'm no alchy, nor was there any blackmailing... unless you really want me to drown my sorrows with the Rieslings we have for our tasting, then I'll fully admit).
Onto the main entree. Zarkotic got it right, I like my meat rare. Just throw that cow on the grill until you hear the last faint "moo" and it's good to go. In due time, I will bring Zarkotic down to medium rare - the most any beef should be cooked (aside from burgers... for obvious reasons). Though I think this has already been accomplished because I swear that elk Zarkotic tried was cooked rare. Anyways, I had the Braised Alberta Bison Short Ribs. So this short rib, was cooked to perfection in terms of how short ribs should be cooked (meat sliding off the bone), however, the meat separate from the bone lost it's tenderness. Because this dish is similar to a Chinese dish I have tried, I was not ecstatic about it, nor am I disappointed. Dessert was... interesting. I have never appreciated the whole "complementing" thing until now. The flourless Cuban Chocolate-Hazelnut Torte on its own was bitter for me, but, pairing it with the Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream made it very good. So overall I'd still swallow, though maybe next time, I'll swallow some other dish.
The Belvedere
107-8th Ave SW
Calgary, AB
tel: 403-265-9595
Rating: Swallow
(Spacing decided to fuck up on me here, that's why the addy looks so weird)
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