alloy

on this particular night, we were dining with our foodie friends, s and a. the purpose of our evening was to see how well alloy would work as a wedding venue. my goodness, it feels like ages since that time when we were planning our wedding.

after enjoying our first experience back in nov. '12 we went back with friends and we're quite disappointed. i ordered the shellfish dish and the scallops were under cooked while the prawns were over cooked. we won't be returning for a third time.

by far in the city so far, this is the nicest room i've been in. the ambience and the service staff are crisp and professional. our server was well spoken and knowledgable about the food and drink and was a refreshing change to a lot of the incompetence in many of the top rooms in this city.
we had a truffle gnocchi and the bruschetta with house made cheese to start and both were nicely presented and flavoured perfectly.
both entrees were again on the mark.
my highlight i the night was the lemon grass pannacotta with 3 jellies.
all i have to say is even though the price is a bit elevated so is the skill and taste behind the food.

i feel bad saying this, but the meal left me wondering -- how the hell do they have the exposure and ratings they have???
this is a fine dining restaurant (i think) with great service and the food was exactly average, like a meal at earls or in my kitchen.
other reviews have mentioned this ... yes, it is loud -- but for good or great food i can live with that.
i had the special, which was highly recommended. it was nothing that i wouldn't have at home and i am a pretty average cook.
the food was either greatly over or under seasoned. the steak was tough, sauce broken and the sides didn't match the dish.
i hate eating a restaurant like this -- it screams laziness, or at least that someone running this needs to be more interested in striving for perfection. it is a fine dining experience???
and this is a very silly complaint but again it is a $40 dish... te dished paired with cutlery caused my knife to slip in my food every time i put my knife down after sawing my chewy steak. seriously no one who works there has noticed -- ha ha!

for $40 you can get a better steak almost anywhere.

alloy is strictly average. i had the special which was a steak: it was cooked well, but the cut was tough and chewy. the hummus starter was probably the best part of the meal. i think i could have had an equal or better meal at a lot of places for a fraction of the cost.

i have gone several times with different people and we all agree the food is delicous. the atmosphere is very relaxing yet trendy and the service is great.

excellent food and service. certainly would recommend alloy for a nice evening out.

interesting. alloy has a nice atmosphere, though it seems loud no matter how many people are around.

food - the most important part and this is where they suffer a little. it wasn't anything bad, other than the cilantro in the tuna tartare so watch out for that, but it wasn't anything special either. plus side is the server took the tartare off the bill so that was nice.

the complimentary appy was the best part of my meal and is quite good. lots of types of olives, good hummus, and nice pita (it's not naan)

i had the pickerel and it was good, but i've had the same or better at the side of a creek in a frying pan. the sides did not really compliment the fish and did not get finished. my wife had the lamb which was excellent, but for some reason came with shredded lamb as well...weird.

for dessert we had the banana & dulche de leche banoffee pie and white peach panna cotta...they were okay at best.

wine - just like the food. nothing to write home about. i had a glass of cote du rhone which was....drinkable. the wife had a glass as well and said she could/will/would drink a whole bottle.

overall: i'd try alloy again in awhile, but there are just too many other restaurants to settle for okay food and a loud (but interesting) dining room.

i have been coming to alloy for years and have always had amazing experiences. the ambience alone is reason to check it out! nothing like this exists in calgary! it is so unique! the service is top notch, and the staff is always friendly and knowledgable! some of my favourite menu items include: the crab cakes, truffle gnocchi, roasted beet and goat cheese salad, and the surf &turf. an absolute must for fine dining in calgary!

exceptional food and service. went there for valentines day, staff was very accommodating with menu options despite being a set menu. lovely romantic atmosphere and excellent drink selection. definitely worth the money, more than i can say for other high end calgary restaurants.

amazing. really loved alloy! great environment - beautiful decor. staff was friendly and efficient. variety of menu options so it was easy to find dishes that i was eager to try. great fine dining.

great as always. great food, good wine as always. definitely one of my fav restaurants!

great food and a nice wine menu.

love, love, love alloy! this is one of my favorite spots in the city. it has the whole package. great service, atmosphere and food! it is great for meeting up with friends and business meetings. update from my review in 2013. i took a client to this spot again today and as always amazing service and food. i tried the gnocchi and a salad. so good!

tasty tasty tasty.... need one say more...?