alloy

wow, wow, wow! loved it! went for lunch, and had steak frites and was very pleased with quality of meat and the frites where delicious - i realize it’s unusual to comment on fries, but they were really good!! place is tucked away and unassuming, but as you walk in, it is very classy and you instantly forget where you are. we didn’t sit in the patio, but looked very nice as well. i will be back!!

this is a place i’ve been meaning to go for quite some time. unfortunately i was wildly disappointed on all fronts. the chefs tasting menu was what we opted to go for as a table. the food itself was generally good, but by no means something i would go back for. four courses, with a particularly good seafood course but was juxtaposed by an exceptionally bad course of unimaginatively flavoured shoe leather tough steak.

here is my issue with this place. it’s the value part of it. the food was good, but the thoughtfulness of each dish was a bit lacking. moreover, our waitress was horrendous; condescending, pretentious, and not attentive. when asked basic questions about drinks, “is this drink boozy,” rather than getting an answer, i was fed more of a politically spun answer that was laden with cues that i was though a bit of troglodyte. “we don’t do boozy, we do balanced drinks that showcase the liquor”... throughout the meal we were never checked on, glasses of water were rarely (at best) filled and when the bill was finally delivered it was done with a curt remark, pulling the card from my father in laws hand and shoved back towards him.

the bottom line: from a food standpoint - it’s fine. service - terrible. for the money that you work hard to earn, spend it somewhere else.

i love the place and ambiance. the food was great too. nice and friendly staff. i would like to try here on summer. this is a nice place to celebrate special occasions.

the food is very delicious. their signature dish is the beef rib. this is fantastic. it's braised for 8 hours and served on a bed of mashed potatoes and grilled green beans.....what more could you ask for? the beef falls apart and is seasoned perfectly. the staff are friendly. the only thing keeping me from going back is how far away it is from everything, but certainly worth a try.

what a wonderful experience this was. we sat by the water feature outside, it was so serene and peaceful. the waiter was extremely knowledgeable in gluten free options for my friend. the food was heavenly, really a treat!will visit again and again.

arrived at the restaurant with excitement and high expectations, i was a little disheartened by our experience that evening. given the chefs' background, i was anticipating an array of ground-breaking, innovative dishes. we participated in the chef-tasting menu, however, besides the seared tuna with thai curry sauce and lamb kefta, there wasn't much chemistry going on between the different types of cuisine to create truly bold flavours. yes, it has a nice ambiance and the service was flawless. but, i wasn't quite sold on the food.

decor, presentation and concept are highlights of this restaurant. service is friendly and professional. food preparation could be improved. the food is not awful, but it isn't outstanding either. the main pork dish was cold and under cooked. many of the dishes were either over salted (eg. lobster risotto and lamb main course) or lacking in flavor (prawn appetizer, pork main dish). ordered dessert (hot brownie with coconut gelato) and coffee. desserts arrived without coffee. server came by 5 minutes later to tell us he was in the process of making the coffee. asked him to take back the dessert in the meantime. coffee eventually delivered with dessert. the brownie had been reheated but the coconut gelato had clearly not been replaced. dessert ended up being a $10 gloppy mess as a result.

this is a hidden gem!! the meal was amazing! creative and flavorful. will definitely be back! the service and atmosphere only added to the great experience. had the gnocchi as an appetizer and the short rib for a meal 💣

i've been lucky enough to eat at alloy a number of times including their new years eve set menu last december which was fantastic.  as it was my birthday dinner i had high expectations and as usual alloy did not disappoint.  we were shown to our table, a booth with that silky smooth white leather.  atmosphere was great for dinner out with your significant other.  as our drink order was taken we were offered tap, still or sparkling water. we had some trouble deciding on what appetizers as everything looked great, settling on the lobster risotto and crispy pork belly.  meanwhile we had the fresh pita bread, olive and hummus basket set out. normally we clean this up quick smart but that night someone had a heavy hand with the cumin and it was overpowering and not so good.  the appetizers arrived and as we were sharing these, started on the pork belly first.  one word for this dish, amazing!  my wife avoids pork belly normally as it can be quite fatty. i chose this one and she was glad i did. it was the highlight of the dinner. not too much fat, a nice caramelisation on the outside and soft and melt in your mouth inside. the portion was generous and well worth what they ask. the lobster risotto was creamy, tasty and generous with the lobster. couldn't have asked for a better start to the meal. the mains we ordered were beef short rib for my wife and lamb chops for me.  the server (who was great all night) made sure to let me know they serve the lamb medium rare which i'm fine with.  nice that she gives a heads up on that.  the size of the mains was very generous. the beef short rib was fall of the bone and melt in your mouth. my lamb was juicy and also melt in your mouth delicious. have to say, alloy you guys do a great job with portion size. the only people who should be going home hungry after a meal here is a sumo wrestler. we finished with coffee and dessert.  mini doughnuts with dulce de leche for me and orange creamsicle crème brulee for my wife.  loved my dessert in fact loved the whole meal.  this is becoming one of my favourite places to eat out.thanks alloy!

the pork belly appetizer was delicious. i could eat it with a salad and make it a light meal. the beef short ribs was very tender and melt-in-mouth juicy. the beef tenderloin was cooked medium rare just as i specified it. the portion size is good. good service.

alloy-us to take you on a journey

alloy - govna! originally we were both a little nervous meeting ken and crystal from instagram... being that they operate a cross fit gym... and we just had ice cream for lunch... but it was an absolute pleasure!

webster’s dictionary defines “alloy” as “a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal intimately united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten”… we can only assume the visionary behind the name was going for the alternate definition of “a compound, mixture, or union of different things”, and i gotta say, a lot of different things were being compounded here.

right when you park you think to yourself, “hmmmm, this is likely a place for a murder or diabolical plan to occur”. when you walk in you feel like you are on the set of “mad men”, compounding both style, class, and a subtle hint of fear. the combinations didn’t stop there! the flavor combinations were exceptional, tuna and cantaloupe, vanilla and duck, and olives and hummus! it was a non-stop flavor explosion.

now, everything about it was high on all fronts, however, to be fair to our readers, this is very much one of those “quality over quantity” places. we did the tasting menu and it was phenomenal but the price tag was also one of the more exceptional yet. definitely worth a try, but i want to make sure our readers know what restaurant they are getting themselves into!

alloy would be highly suggested as a classy date or a celebration of a historic event (anniversary, bonus, or kids moving out) but i would caution inviting all your friends for your birthday party, because they may hesitate in footing the bill for you. however, for our readers seeking some of calgary’s classiest establishments, check this 4.4 gem out!

follow our instagram (@a.couple.of.couples) and our twitter (@foodie_foursome) for more reviews!

p.s. if you are out of hand towels at your house you can easily steal some from alloy... the paper towels in the washroom... felt like the finest silk linens from egypt.

i  had dinner here with my boyfriend about a week ago.
very nice décors, the place did smell like tuna when we came in, but the food and service makes up for it.
there's a cute little dining area outside i think would be perfect for dinner when it's a bit darker out. so cute.
we started out with two appetizers to share, the pork belly with pomegranate glaze, and the crab cakes.
there was something that tasted pickled that accompanied the crab cakes which i wasn't a big fan of. they were not bad, just okay.
the pork belly was amazing, one of the best things i have ever eaten. texture was perfect and the coleslaw that came with it, complemented it well.
 
for the main course, we both ordered the beef short ribs. it was served on top of a ragu, and a dallop of what i believe could be sour cream on it. 
i loved everything about it, everything about it just worked. my boyfriend however did not care for the ragu.

we then ordered dessert to share, the creme brulee, it was very good as well.

overall the dinning experience was good. portions are a bit small for the asking price, but quality made up for it.
i would definitely come back just for the pork belly.

been a few times. all times were great except for my last. our meals were presented nicely, however mine was severely undercooked. they took my meal back and reheated it rather than providing a new dish. however, the reheated dish came back out very overcooked.

i can't tell what i like most of alloy - the delicious food or beautiful decor! went here for a tasting menu, and i honestly felt like i was a judge on top chef canada. their food presentation is amazing and their service great. 

location is a bit odd since it's located in an industrial-like area but as soon as you step in, you completely forget where you are :) perfect restaurant for date nights and celebrations!

i love alloy such good food decent price and a nice venue for a nice night out. we have gone here a couple times and they change up the menu