Farm
1006 17 Avenue SW
403-245-2276
Hours of operation: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 5 p.m. to close
Rating: ***
Price range: $$
Reservations: Yes
Client negotiations: No
Lunch w/co-workers: Yes
Social Lunch: Yes
Quick solo lunch: No
Time in: 12:30 p.m.
Ordered: 12:50 p.m.
Food arrived: 1:05 p.m.
Time out: 1:40 p.m.
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Low $: House root slaw, $3
High $: Large Mac and Cheese, $13
Lunch menu: Same as dinner menu, specials
Licensed: Yes
Farm. The name evokes images of an earthy, down home ode to the simple life. The restaurant is not quite so, but not too far from that either. Owned by Janice Beaton, whose cheeses are well known in Calgary as some of the most meticulously sourced and unique in the city, the dishes at Farm incorporate fresh local ingredients.
My friend Megan and I are seated at the bar area of the busy little restaurant, where we have a great view of the cooks working away in the kitchen. We start by ordering off of their cheese and meat menu — three selections for $15. We choose a gouda, a stilton and the prosciutto (from Valballa, in Alberta). The blue cheese was delicious, but the prosciutto basically tasted like smoked Canadian ham without any Italian flavour.
I was also disappointed that most of the cheese selections on the list were from either Canada or Holland, especially since the Janice Beaton cheese shop imports cheeses from all over Europe and the world.
For my main, I ordered the JBFC’s famous goat fritter salad ($12) which came with young spinach, shaved fennel and local beets.
While the dish was colourful, it was also assaulting to the palate and the dressing’s fennel and garlic combination was overpowering. The “fritter” was a goat cheese patty covered with breadcrumbs, and did not do much to compliment the dish. Megan went with the salad that was on special that day, which had a mild yoghurt-based dressing, and was much happier with her selection.
The atmosphere is comfy, eclectic and inviting, and Farm’s French press coffee is delicious.
