My mother and I will be in Calgary for a few days in September. My mom is the perfect travel companion in that she's happy to go wherever I choose, however, she is an extremely picky eater. She doesn't have an adventurous pallette in the least. Continental and seafood restaurants are the order of the day with her.

We will be staying at the Marriott and won't have a car, so I'm looking for modestly priced restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. One restaurant that looks promising is Murrietta's West Coast Grill. It's only a block from the hotel and the menu includes foods that we both like. Is that one any good? How about Trader's Grill in the Marriott? Also, is the food in the Calgary Tower restaurants actually bad, or just not worth the price?

Murietta's has good food and a delightful ambience (old sandstone building, or at least old by Calgary standards, and a lovely skylight in the roof). It is not, however, what I would call a medium priced restaurant. I haven't looked too carefully at the prices when I've gone there a couple of times, because they've been corporate events (farwell lunch for someone from the office or whatever). However, I would call it more of an upscale restaurant (in a smart casual sort of way).

Am not familiar with the restaurant in the Marriott, but I'm sure it would be a safe bet.

I would not call the food at the top of the Calgary Tower bad. It's quite acceptable, and there certainly are enough menu choices for an non-adventurous diner. However, they do capitalise on their monopoly position at the top of the Tower, and that is reflected in their prices.

Across 9th Avenue from the Marriott is the old (by Calgary standards) and elegant Fairmont Palliser. Its dining room, the Rimrock, is good. It too would be at the upscale end of the spectrum. It's famous for its clam chowder (don't ask me why -- we're a 12 hour drive from the sea -- but there you have it).

Thomsons at 112 - 8th Avenue S.E. (note, east of Centre Street) is a pretty good, conventional restaurant a couple of blocks from you. It would have some offerings that would be acceptable to your mother, e.g., salmon.

In the reasonably priced range, you'd have the James Joyce Irish Pub & Restaurant about a block away from you at 114 - 8th Avenue S.W.

Very reasonably priced, not fancy but very acceptable, and also about a block away from you, is Ciliberti Italian Bistro at 205 - 8th Avenue S.W.

Thanks. This is very helpful.

I was looking at Murrietta's menu earlier today and most of the entrees seemed to be priced between $15-$25. That's my threshold unless it's a special occasion. I guess that I should have said reasonably priced instead of modestly priced.

I'll look up the other restaurants that you suggested.

Thanks again.

We only had breakfasts at the Marriott and they were just fine. Back down the street at the side of the hotel, and around the corner from the horse sculpture we found a casual little cafe that had inexpensive lunches. Peanut butter sandwiches weren't on their menu but they made them for us anyway.

And if anyone could tell me the name of the sculptor of that horse I'd be ever so grateful. The name can be found down by one of the hooves.

Hi April,

Does the horse to which you're referring appear on this website (under the heading of City Core)?

http://www.westerntour.com/Calgary/

Anyway, I'll try and walk to the Marriott during one of my lunch hours and look for a horse sculpture and check out the scupltor's name.

Yes, in the third picture down on the left, the one made of tractor parts. The name might be on a hoof closest to the wall. I thought it was something like Jewel but lost the piece of paper I wrote it on. If you find out, you could email me at [email protected]. Thanks.

April, I just passed the horse sculpture during my lunch hour. The name inscribed on the hoof was Dixie Jewett.