History Bites
canadianCalgary
(Jul.20.07)
Random facts in Canadian history: 
- Sir Wilfred Laurier served as prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911.
- George Stanley, the man who designed the Canadian flag, grew up in Calgary.
- Canadians invented poutine and filet mignon burgers.
- The first three facts are easier to remember after an evening at the newly relocated Laurier Lounge.
In a turn-of-the-century house that was the childhood home of Monsieur Stanley, the lounge is about as historic a building as you can get in oil boom central. The 11th Avenue gem features a killer patio out front and a martini and wine bar on the main floor – a perfect summer venue for quaffing and scoping. Upstairs, diners can linger at dark tables (tucked into the house’s former bedrooms) while savouring the Mediterranean/Canadian-inspired cuisine.
The house specialty? Poutine with foie gras ($29), naturally. Other big hits? The bocconcini salad made with juicy tomatoes ($12) and smoked salmon bruschetta ($10), or for a bigger appetite, the chicken hambourgeois ($13) topped with melted Brie and strawberries. The chocolate fondue ($20) could make any girl sing the praises of old Wilf Laurier.
Last but not least, there’s the house specialty cocktail, designed for the truly adventurous: The Sweet Jamaican martini ($14), made with a pint of Guinness, a shot of port and (brace yourself!) a raw egg.
Now that’s truly one for the history books.
Laurier Lounge
1111, 7 St S.W.
403-228-3771