Calgary Dining: National on 10th, Simmons Building Cafe, and Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse

National on tenth was a convenient choice for our first night in Downtown Calgary. We were tired from the day’s travels and starving. It was located a brief walking distance from our hotel.

On arrival, we were greeted by a very polite hostess. She gave us multiple sitting options despite not having a reservation. We chose a window seat. Unfortunately, that seat had some dirt, so we switched to another window seat. The waiter showed up pretty quick to greet us and ask for our order. After expressing that we needed some extra time, she left and returned a short while later. For food, we ordered the New School pizza, and some chips and guac as a backup in case the pizza took too much time to make. We also ordered an IPA called Belgian Moon and the Dark & Stormy cocktail drink that was recommended by our server.

The drink showed up pretty quick. The cocktail was delicious. Loved it! The IPA was meh, but it tasted terrific after dropping the wedged orange into the glass. Who would have thought such a small thing would make such a huge difference.

The pizza had a rich texture and was delicious. The chips and guac were also a great snack choice, even for my partner, who hates the texture of avocado.

This pub has a lot of other things like a patio that we didn’t experience on this visit. It also has fun activities like bowling and ping-pong that are ideal for date nights or family and friend gatherings.

Simmons Building Cafe

Most people fall to one side of Tea versus Coffee. We fall on both. Weeks ago, Blake had said over the phone, “I found the best chai tea. I have to take you there when you visit.” So, although it was hot as f***, Tracy still wanted her promised chai tea. 

It was a red brick industrial-style building once home to a mattress factory. The glass room on the right side of the entrance housed some heavy-duty coffee roasting machines. On the left was a kiosk where barristers waited to take coffee and tea orders. “Can you do the chai tea on ice?” Tracy asked, knowing a hot cup of tea in 32-degree weather was unrealistic. She was happy when the answer was positive. 

Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse

It was our last day in Calgary. After hours of exploring the city, Tracy would have been more than happy with another bar experience or room service. But Blake wanted us to have a different kind of dining experience for the grand finale of our trip. It makes me smile to think that after over a year of dating, Blake still treats date night like he treated our first date.

Two days before, thanks to the uneven pavements in downtown Calgary that seemed the norm, Tracy tripped in front of a restaurant. We continued to our destination after wiggling my ankle to ensure nothing was broken. Maybe this was when Blake chose PAMPA BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE for our last date night of the summer.

We had never been to Pampa. Reservations were made online, and we had a choice of two adult packages, an all-inclusive option called THE PAMPA EXPERIENCE and the FULL DINNER RODIZIO.

We arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early and were led to a waiting area while our table was prepared. A few moments later, a host led us to a window seat that gave us great city views and, in true Alberta fashion, some roadside construction, too.

Moments later, a host came to our table and explained the rules. Our dining experience would start with drink orders. We could choose our sides from the buffet in the middle of the restaurant, and our unlimited meat options would be served at our table. We were given a paper coin with a green and red side. Leaving the green side face-up means we are ready to be served meat, and the red side means taking a break. The host also advised that we take advantage of those breaks to enjoy the experience for longer. “Think of it as a marathon, not a race”, he said.

For drinks, we ordered Mojitos, and our sides were a selection of bread, salads and cheese. We tried every meat on the menu except chicken and caramelized pineapple. The most unique item for us was the PAMPA PICANHA, SIGNATURE CUT. It was a very delicious yet very stinky meat.

We were too full for dessert by the end of dinner and were offered some tea. We chose peppermint tea, and although we expected teabags, we were served loose tea, to our pleasant surprise.

Our experience at Pampa was terrific. The ambience was great, the service was A1, and the view was amazing (save for the rude interruption of construction). I look forward to future visits when we can try the rest of the menu.