Carino, Calgary’s Japanese-Italian Bistro

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Japanese + Italian. Yes, that’s right! While it may sound a little odd at first (I mean, Asian with European food – that’s almost like pouring spaghetti sauce on a bowl of rice and topping it with wiggly octopus tentacles protruding from raw meat balls), Carino is seriously one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in Calgary. Though I love pasta, sorbet, and other Italian goodies, sometimes it’s easy to get tired of all the cheese-and-carbohydrate-filled dishes and sweets-that-would-guarantee-a-visit-from-Dr.-Tooth-Fairy. As with Japanese food, sometimes that tempura gets a little dry (no pun intended), the rice way too saturated with vinegar you might as well be eating lemon slices; the fish may have been from the Middle Ages for all you know. Needless to say, both cuisines are scrumptious in different ways – which is why I think the fusion combination Carino is serving got the best of both worlds. Let us embark upon the journey…

Carino

DANGER – FIRST WORLD PROBLEM: It’s important to address here the first world problem of dissatisfaction after a meal. Eating is supposed to raise our dopamine levels and thus contribute to our overall happiness. But have you ever found yourself so looking forward to that one meal but then it leaves you disappointed? It’s like a restaurant trend to have amazing appetizers followed by plane – or, rather, palate – crashes. One of the most wonderful things about Carino is that their quality is consistent throughout the appetizer, entree, and dessert!

The Appetizers

Calamari Fritter with Yuzu Zest and Spicy Aioli.
Daily Special.
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Calamari Fritter with Yuzu Zest and Spicy Aioli. A refreshing way to start a meal: delicate balance of savoury and sweetly acidic flavours.
Crostini: Octopus Ragout, Teriyaki Chicken, Tomato Okra.
Crostini: Tomato Okra, Teriyaki Chicken, Octopus Ragout. What more can I say – amazing toppings for bread.
Seared Foie Gras with Braised Daikon and Dashi Broth
Seared Foie Gras with Braised Daikon and Dashi Broth. The fatty foie gras and sweet daikon are perfect counterbalances.

Entrees

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Daily Special; Lamb Ribs with Japanese Pot Au Feu and Mashed Potato; Daily Special: Sizzling Rice. My dad and brother’s entrees on the two occasions we visited Carino. Though I’m not extremely fond of meat, they’re cooked nicely with delicious sauces. Sides are really yummy as well!
Mentaiko Pasta with Pollock Roe, Scallops, and Prawn.
Mentaiko Pasta with Pollock Roe, Scallops, and Prawn. Seafood galore! The spaghetti noodles weren’t too mushy or undercooked, nor were the scallops and prawns, as some restaurants may fault at.
Miso Chicken Supreme with Carbonara Risotto, Corn, and Edamame. Though I thought the chicken was a little too try and perhaps a little too salty with the miso sauce on this one, the risotto made a nice save for being more rich and moist.
Miso Chicken Supreme with Carbonara Risotto, Corn, and Edamame. Though I thought the chicken was a little too dry and perhaps a little too salty with the miso sauce on this one, the risotto made a nice save for being more rich and moist.

Dessert

I have to admit, I detest a lot of desserts – from cakes to ice cream (yes, ice cream!) – because I simply cannot stand cream or much of anything creamy; chocolate is too bizarre for me to understand why people love it so much, and pastries are oftentimes much too sickly-sweet. So there goes the majority of desserts out there. But Carino was magical enough (ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit here) to rebut all my preconceived prejudice toward desserts. I plead guilty! And will forever cherish the wonderful moment spent with that tiramisu…

Tiramisu with Shaved Chocolate and Fresh Fruit.
Tiramisu with Shaved Chocolate and Fresh Fruit. The bottom is what tastes like coffee-flavoured moist cake, topped with a fluffy, somewhat-gelatin-like cream, finished with chocolate; which all goes well with sweetly-sour strawberries. This is perhaps the only cake I will admit to truly liking thus far in my life…
Daily Special: Yuzu Sorbet
Daily Special: Yuzu Sorbet. Really refreshing and not too sweet.
Chocolate Cake with Banana Brulee and Vanilla Ice Cream.
Chocolate Cake with Banana Brulee and Vanilla Ice Cream. I found the cake a little too sweet – perhaps to be counterbalanced with the ice cream that I refused to touch. The banana brulee is something new that I haven’t seen repeatedly in other restaurants before. Overall, I think the average Calgarian would really love this dish. For chocolate lovers, it’s a must-try!

Carino is a great restaurant to hang out with friends, celebrate a birthday, welcome a loved one back into town. Its price range is mostly $5 to $10 below what you would get for this kind of quality for food – the cherry on top to a wonderful meal! Tucked on a more desolate and less restaurant-dense street, it can often be overlooked, though never underestimate its small physique, for it is often found that the best things come in the smallest packages.

3 COMMENTS

    • You’re welcome! I was drooling at the pictures myself haha. All their prices are on their menus (www.carinobistro.ca/menu). Dinner entrees are around $20. I wouldn’t say it’s food-court cheap, but compared to what you would get for a decent dinner entree ($30-40), it’s pretty good.

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