The Chick Pea
120-732 8 Avenue SW
403-264-9299
Hours of operation: Mon- Fri, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Rating: *** 1/2
Price range: $
Reservations: Yes
Client negotiations: Yes
Lunch w/co-workers: Yes
Social Lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: YNo
Time in: 1:00 p.m.
Ordered: 1:05 p.m.
Food arrived: 1:10 p.m.
Time out: 1:30 p.m.
Total time: 30 minutes
Low $: Baklava, $1.25
High $: Chicken Plates, $9.50
Lunch menu: Same Menu
Licensed: Yes
Sometimes, the best lunches are the simplest ones, and lunch doesn’t get much simpler than at The Chick Pea. This great little spot in the heart of downtown welcomes hungry Calgarians with its minimalist aesthetic and straightforward menu.
Lunchers can choose from sandwiches, salads and plates — all of which centre around classic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes and the mighty chick pea, of course. I opted for the Falafel ($7.50), which was a massive beast of a meal in itself. A large pita stuffed with hummus, hot sauce, lettuce, cabbage, pickles and the falafels themselves, which are fried ball-shaped patties made out of chick peas.
Mediterranean food is a treat when done well, and it is done very well at The Chick Pea. The fresh, simple ingredients are put together quickly in assembly line fashion, but also done so with great care.
The Chick Pea services a very large and hungry lunch crowd daily, so be prepared for a line if you arrive at noon.
Even though the falafel I got was large enough to fill me twice over, I couldn’t resist getting a piece of the Baklava ($1.50), because it looked so perfect. Crispy, yet filled with succulent sweet sauce and nuts, it was the perfect end to a very filling, fast and healthy lunch at The Chick Pea.
