Mermaid Inn
Danish Canadian Club
727-11th Ave. S.W., Calgary
403-261-9774
www.danishclubcalgary.com
Signature Dish: Marinated herring
Rating: *** 1/2
Dinner & drinks for 2: $60
Hygge is a Danish concept which roughly describes that warm and fuzzy feeling when you’re surrounded by good food and good company.
This is easily achieved at the Mermaid Inn inside the Danish Canadian Club.
The huge dining room is old-school, in that visiting your grandmother or Fawlty Towers kind of way. Staff are fortunately much more gracious than Basil Fawlty.
Not surprisingly, traditional Danish dishes are the stars of the extensive menu.
You can’t go wrong with any kind of cold fish appetizer. Herring marinated in juniper berries and onions ($5.95), and gin and dill gravlox ($8.95) are delicious. Particularly refreshing is a plate of sliced hard-boiled egg, tomato and anchovy ($6.95).
The wiener schnitzel ($15.95) is very traditional, a generous breaded veal cutlet with a silver boat of gravy. Danish pork sausage ($10.95) sticks to your ribs with braised red cabbage and potatoes.
To get off the beaten track, try the Pariser Bof ($13.95), a kind of hamburger steak with a raw egg, onions, capers, horseradish and Danish pickles.
The wine list is basic; a glass of house is $4.95 and bottles are about $23.
Check the website for monthly specials, Danish buffet, and Saturday brunch details.
