Any suggestions on a great retaurant in Calgary?We are in town for several days and staying at the Westin.I know the Westin has a restaurant but am unfamiliar with it. Members of our party are craving a great steak in a higher end restaurant atmosphere.

Walk out of the Westin, turn left, walk 20 paces, and walk into Hy's.

After you've had your steak "fix," another restaurant you might consider is River Cafe. It's in the park on Prince's Island. To get there you would walk northwards from the Westin till you reach the path along the Bow River. Turn east and walk a short distance till you reach the Eau Claire Market complex. Cross the foot bridge onto Prince's Island. River Cafe is in a rustic looking building, but it's actually a high end restaurant. It has an eclectic menu that concentrates on Western Canadian ingredients -- beef, lamb, salmon, etc., as well as wild fowl and wild game. It's expensive, but part of what you're paying for is the ability to sit on a patio by the river almost oblivious to the fact that you're in a city.

Another lovely restaurant that has a menu similar to River Cafe's (that is, locally sourced farm produce and wild meat) is La Caille. It's on the banks of the Bow River, at the west end of downtown. It has <b>just</b> come under new management, and I have not tried it in its current incarnation. However, until now it has been great. The atmosphere is elegant but not stuffy. You don't need a coat and tie, but you must wear a shirt with a collar. A golf shirt is okay. Well at least those used to be the rules.

Actually the Owl's Nest at the Westin is a good restaurant. But, with it being summer and all, you might prefer a restaurant where you can sit outside, have a bit of a view, etc.

Find your way to Smugglers Inn on the McLeod Trail, on the south side of town.

It's hard to beat this plac ce, anywhere in Canada, for roast beef.

BAK

If you are staying at the airport Judy would the River Cafe be the place you recommend. Is it the &quot;place&quot; you would pice to eat if it was your one night in Calgary?

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;If you are staying at the airport Judy would the River Cafe be the place you recommend. Is it the &quot;place&quot; you would pice to eat if it was your one night in Calgary?&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;

Hmmm ....... Maybe, maybe not.

I really like River Cafe, as you may have gathered. But it is expensive, and it is downtown, which involves negotiating one way streets. It may or may not be worth going to that trouble and expense for the sake of a specific restaurant.

I think it depends to some extent on what time your plane will get in, how long you will have flown, how tired you'll be and another important factor, what time of year it will be.

The northeast quadrant is not my home turf. I live at the opposite end of the city from there. Besides that, some of the northeast quadrant near the airport is occupied by commercial zones. Those two factors make it difficult for me to suggest something.

The northeast quadrant is known for having some excellent ethnic restaurants -- East Indian, etc. They would not be in a scenic setting like River Cafe, but the food would be good. If I knew your price range and what kind of cuisine you like, I could make some enquiries.

Oh yes, there is another factor. Will you be using the airport accommodation on your way into Calgary or on your way out of Calgary? The reason I mention that is that, if you are staying there on the way out of the city, you will not have been flying that day, presumably you won't be as tired, and you'll have more options if you are driving into the city. If indeed you will be driving into the city, it would help to know from which direction you'll be approaching.

Sorry to raise so many questions, but one set of circumstances could make one restaurant more suitable while another set of circumstances could make another restaurant more suitable.

As a self confessed &quot;Foodie&quot; who loves a well prepared steak I would say DON'T go to BAK's recommendation of Smugglers. I've been there twice in the past year the first time because like &quot;misterb&quot; we were looking for a great steak -- the decor needs to be updated, its dirty, and the wait staff are not career waiters. The prime rib was so marbled that half of it (the marbled part) remained on our plates. The salad bar was something out of the 1970's and the wine list pretty slim.

The second time was because we commented about how terrible the experience was (one of our party members knew management) and they offered a gift certificate so we could try them again. Second time -- same experience except this time they ruined a nice piece of tenderloin.

So take Judy's suggestion and walk the 20 paces to Hy's -- or further down 4th Avenue to Cesar's.

If you want something other than a steak house but one that will still have beef on the menu I would recommend these restaurants in the downtown core. All are within walking distance of the Westin: Teatro, Tribune, Divino (more bistro -- less high-end) and Judy's suggested River Cafe.

Restaurants just outside of the core would be Il Sogno in Bridgeland and Capo in Inglewood.

Reservations required at all.

Thank you all! We are in town for several nights and will try several of your suggestions.