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View Full Version : Review: Da Guido



cityhunter2501
06-12-2009, 10:44 AM
Address : 2001 Center St. NW, Calgary T2E 2S9
Tel: (403) 276-1365
Website: http://daguido.ca/

On my crusade of finding the best seafood pasta in Calgary for my partner (her favorite is still Moxies), a couple of Beyonders recommended to check Da Guido out for authentic Italian cuisine.
Mercato, Il Sogno, Il Giardino are in the near future.

I've always passed through the restaurant every day on my commute to downtown but never paid any attention to it as I assumed it wouldn't be great, however I'm glad that I gave it a chance.
Called them yesterday afternoon at 5pm to reserve a table for 2 for 7pm as I didn't know if they would be full.

Upon entering, it felt like being in Italy again, externally alone it reminds me of Italian houses, interior was bright and mellow, mediterranean music on the background, comfy seats.
Only thing I didnt really like was the table, the for 2 we were accomodated was really tiny and crowded.

Complimentary bruschetta was served, along with bread and butter.
I dont know if all foods were pre-cooked/made already but wow their service was really fast.
For appetizer we ordered calamari fritti, and it was in our table in 5minutes, nice and hot.
No dips were given other than a slice of lemon, my lady was looking for ranch or any dip but they didnt have any other than tomato sauce.
This might be a pro or con for some but for me it was a pro. Growing in rural Italy I got used to taste the actual ingredient itself instead of relying to condiments.
For main course, we ordered Risotto ai Fritti Di Mare on red sauce and Linguine Pescatora on white sauce, both were done in 10-15min and served in piattofondi (soup bowls). It didn't look much but the bowl was pretty deep and we were full at the end, sea food was really fresh too.
I was craving for Risotto alla Milanese e Salsiccia which to my surprise the chef could make, the waitress recommended me to try the Risotto ai Fritti Di Mare 1st since it's good, and I agree with her.
For dessert we had Tiramisu and I had a caffe latte

Staff was great, always made sure our glasses were filled with cold water, always checking on us, total of 3 servers were assisting us. Also a nice touch the waiter calling my partner signora.

Their price is standard for Calgary restaurants, which means I will be coming back here in the future.
Total for 2 was around $65 and I gave them a $13 tip

Overall, I'm really happy with this restaurant and will be coming back again.

Ambience/Atmosphere: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Pricing: 10/10
Overall: 10/10