The Street Eatery is the kind of place we really enjoy. They have interesting, creative, globally inspired food with a menu that's also friendly for the budget-conscious. Their dishes draw primarily from the street food flavours of Mexico, India, and Korea, with some Southern USA flair as well - all cuisines that pride themselves on bold flavours and lots of spice. We dove right in and made sure to try something from each of their regions of inspiration.
We started our journey around the globe with the Indian inspired Macaroni Makhani. This dish was bursting with creamy tomato flavour and deliciously gooey cheese. Luckily for us, it wasn't too spicy, something Indian dishes are sometimes famous for (Something P's dishes are famous for too, so much so that often V cant even eat them... one day he'll learn that a pinch of chili powder doesn't mean a tablespoon.) We opted for the pure mac and cheese experience, but if you want to bulk up the dish, you can also get it with chicken.
Up next, we hopped on a flight to Mexico, but not without picking up some punchy Korean spices on the way. Sunday at the Street Eatery features an all day happy hour - and on that all day happy hour - tacos! We tried one of each of their taco creations. The first was topped with gochujang prawns, kimchi apple slaw, and guacamole. Gochujang might just be one of our favourite condiments. We already gushed about it in our review of Anju's spectacular chicken wings, and here it makes the prawns come alive with its bold spicy flavour. The second taco was filled with pork belly, pickled cucumber, mint, chili lime aioli, and also topped with guacamole. The aioli was an overall superstar with the tacos, and added a nice creamy, delicate, sweetness to the tacos. We were happy to have some extra on the side!
Korean and Indian flavours made up our final dish, the Korean Stone Bowl Stir-Fry. It comes with a choice of protein, and we jumped at the chance to have some more deliciously fatty pork belly. It was all stir fried together with some fresh vegetables with gochujang, and topped with a fried egg and cilantro. One of the best things about a bibimbap, a traditional Korean dish that typically comes in a stone bowl, is the crispy rice that gets fried on the side of the stone bowl as it cooks. But remember, this isn't a bibimbap. This rice bowl was made with aromatic fluffy Indian basmati rice. While initially we missed the crispy rice, ultimately the flavours all ended up working very well together, especially as the runny egg yolk blended it all into one cohesive delight. Pro tip: if you have any extra sauce from the tacos, add it to your bowl!
Our trip around the world wouldn't be complete without some dessert. Because really, everything good always ends in dessert! The Street Eatery specializes in the epic milkshake trend. We went with the Sweet N' Salty. It was a delicious salted caramel and peanut butter shake, served in an M&M rimmed glass and topped with whipped cream, a slice of salted caramel cake and a profiterole. The shake was incredibly rich and creamy, and the salted caramel and peanut butter flavours proved to be a winning combination of, you guessed it, sweet and salty. It was a dessert that could easily be split between three or four people, but hey, we're not complaining, even if our waistlines might be! Overall, it was a very satisfying end to our trip around the world of global street food flavours.
V's Final Word: If you're looking for a casual spot, a treat for the taste buds and a break for the wallet, I would recommend Street Eatery. If you're looking for a giant milkshake to help make your day better, I would also recommend Street Eatery. And you know what makes a milkshake (that makes your day better) even better?! Booze! Street Eatery has got you covered with boozy treats to spike any shake. Enjoy!
P's Final Word: The location of the Street Eatery is pretty unassuming, tucked away in a quiet part of downtown. Unless you work downtown, it's one of those places you have to make a point to visit, because you won't just walk by it as you would a restaurant on 17th ave or in Kensington. That said, check it out! You'll be glad you did.
Price Range: $45 for a filling meal for two with a massive milkshake for dessert.
Website: http://www.thestreeteatery.com/
Address: 890 4 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0K4