A790
08-06-2008, 08:53 AM
Mercato - 224 4th St S.W. - (403) 263-5535
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Summary: A great restaurant with a solid menu that departs from the traditional Italian fare- just don’t expect intimacy with your companions.
Introduction:
A good friend of mine and I like to dine out. It’s our “thing”, and our once-a-week ritual has shown us some fabulous restaurants that many people in Calgary haven’t heard of. Mercato is one such restaurant that is trendy enough to be inviting for today’s “entitled” patrons, but also established enough to survive the long haul.
Unlike many restaurants that are just a flash in the pan, Mercato has the flavour and the image to serve a dish that will last.
Service:
I arrived, as usual, before my companion. This is nothing new, and as usual, I was shown to my table. This is when I first realized that tonight was going to be something a bit different: there are no tables, but rather counters, and you sit next to anyone else who might be dining that night.
Our server (well, MY server until my companion arrived) served me from across the counter. My companion had reserved a spot that was directly in front of the open kitchen, and while it was very cool to be able to see everything being prepared, it also got quite warm. Apparently, grills can get hot.
From across the counter I learned that Mercato does not have hard liquor, so cocktails, martini’s, and anything other than beer and wine are simply off the menu. She did know how to correctly pour a Stella, and she knew her wine as well.
While nothing that I would say was above and beyond what was expected, our server did her job well and with the right amount of jive in her step. There were no complaints from either one of us.
Atmosphere:
Mercato is best described as modern Italian dining with shopping and groceries thrown in. Seriously. There is a small market in the back of the restaurant where you can purchase bread, cheese, sauces, and just about anything and everything else you’ll need to recreate one of their amazing dishes for yourself at home.
The counters are a great way to fit more people into the restaurant, and surprisingly I never felt cramped. However, there was little in the way of sound barriers and it did get quite noisy, especially being seated directly in front of the grill.
I am one for privacy when I’m out, and so I felt a bit distracted by the set up of the restaurant. However, given how well everything was implemented it was easy to overlook, and eventually, forget.
Food:
This is what defines a restaurant, and Mercato was able to hit some real winners home. Their menu, which has some traditional favourites as well as modern fusions, is exceptional. There is a little something for everyone, and I’ve made a point of reserving a table next week so I can go back and try some of the other dishes that I was considering.
I started with the Carpaccio ($9), which had just enough spice to highlight the flavour of the meat without overpowering it. As well, it was small enough that I was anxiously awaiting my meal.
I followed the Carpaccio with Agnello ($38), which was cooked perfectly. I can remember my first bite delivering such a rush of flavours that I was nearly overwhelmed (in a good way). This was one of the only meals where I literally had to force myself to slow down to enjoy it, as my first instinct was to gobble it down as quickly as I could. I can’t recall, in recent memory anyway, a meal that I enjoyed as much as that one. It will be hard NOT to order it again when I go back.
Following the Agnello was Insalta ($5), a pretty basic salad just to settle everything.
Conclusion:
We had a great time, despite the fact that I was unable to order cocktails and that we were sitting at a counter. The ambiance may not be suitable for all occasions, but Mercato is definitely a restaurant worth checking out. You can expect to pay around $150 for two, including appetizers, mains, and a couple of drinks.
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Summary: A great restaurant with a solid menu that departs from the traditional Italian fare- just don’t expect intimacy with your companions.
Introduction:
A good friend of mine and I like to dine out. It’s our “thing”, and our once-a-week ritual has shown us some fabulous restaurants that many people in Calgary haven’t heard of. Mercato is one such restaurant that is trendy enough to be inviting for today’s “entitled” patrons, but also established enough to survive the long haul.
Unlike many restaurants that are just a flash in the pan, Mercato has the flavour and the image to serve a dish that will last.
Service:
I arrived, as usual, before my companion. This is nothing new, and as usual, I was shown to my table. This is when I first realized that tonight was going to be something a bit different: there are no tables, but rather counters, and you sit next to anyone else who might be dining that night.
Our server (well, MY server until my companion arrived) served me from across the counter. My companion had reserved a spot that was directly in front of the open kitchen, and while it was very cool to be able to see everything being prepared, it also got quite warm. Apparently, grills can get hot.
From across the counter I learned that Mercato does not have hard liquor, so cocktails, martini’s, and anything other than beer and wine are simply off the menu. She did know how to correctly pour a Stella, and she knew her wine as well.
While nothing that I would say was above and beyond what was expected, our server did her job well and with the right amount of jive in her step. There were no complaints from either one of us.
Atmosphere:
Mercato is best described as modern Italian dining with shopping and groceries thrown in. Seriously. There is a small market in the back of the restaurant where you can purchase bread, cheese, sauces, and just about anything and everything else you’ll need to recreate one of their amazing dishes for yourself at home.
The counters are a great way to fit more people into the restaurant, and surprisingly I never felt cramped. However, there was little in the way of sound barriers and it did get quite noisy, especially being seated directly in front of the grill.
I am one for privacy when I’m out, and so I felt a bit distracted by the set up of the restaurant. However, given how well everything was implemented it was easy to overlook, and eventually, forget.
Food:
This is what defines a restaurant, and Mercato was able to hit some real winners home. Their menu, which has some traditional favourites as well as modern fusions, is exceptional. There is a little something for everyone, and I’ve made a point of reserving a table next week so I can go back and try some of the other dishes that I was considering.
I started with the Carpaccio ($9), which had just enough spice to highlight the flavour of the meat without overpowering it. As well, it was small enough that I was anxiously awaiting my meal.
I followed the Carpaccio with Agnello ($38), which was cooked perfectly. I can remember my first bite delivering such a rush of flavours that I was nearly overwhelmed (in a good way). This was one of the only meals where I literally had to force myself to slow down to enjoy it, as my first instinct was to gobble it down as quickly as I could. I can’t recall, in recent memory anyway, a meal that I enjoyed as much as that one. It will be hard NOT to order it again when I go back.
Following the Agnello was Insalta ($5), a pretty basic salad just to settle everything.
Conclusion:
We had a great time, despite the fact that I was unable to order cocktails and that we were sitting at a counter. The ambiance may not be suitable for all occasions, but Mercato is definitely a restaurant worth checking out. You can expect to pay around $150 for two, including appetizers, mains, and a couple of drinks.