Alberta’s old west heritage means that often, the province can (mistakenly) get written off as a meat-and-potatoes type of place. Which is a shame, considering Alberta’s lush agricultural diversity. There are the golden flatlands and endless wheat fields of the prairies and the snowy peaks and icy glacial lakes of the Rocky Mountains. From those landscapes come foraged mushrooms and heritage grains, world-class Alberta Wagyu, and award-winning whisky.

With those ingredients in hand, chefs are exploring what it means to cook Alberta cuisine. Canmore’s Tracy Little forges through the Boreal forest for treasures to plate on her tasting menu. Edmonton’s Chef Daniel Costa channels both his Italian heritage and his Alberta roots by rolling out fresh pasta and plating it with Albertan ingredients. Chef Scott Iserhoff shows diners that indigenous food is one of the country’s most exciting cuisines, while Darren McLean ages fish in his restaurant’s dry aging chamber and serves it in his six-seat omakase. All of the below restaurants are well worth booking a trip for.

Nupo

Nupo’s menu focuses on two things: fish and vegetables. This may seem like a simple concept, but with Calgary’s chef Darren MacLean in the kitchen, it’s anything but. In the center of the dining room is his custom-made dry aging cellar, where sustainably sourced Canadian and Japanese fish are patiently aged to amplify the flavors, textures, and aromas. When ready, they’re sliced into sashimi, nestled into bao, or served as nigiri at the omakase bar.

Vegetables are treated with equal care. A humble radish is braised, seared, and served with a deeply flavorful tantan sauce. Tomatoes are smoked and turned into a bisque, then served alongside crunchy tempura cheese curds — like a leveled-up tomato soup and grilled cheese. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s social media, too: MacLean runs a culinary cultural exchange that brings world-renowned chefs to Calgary to take over Nupo and Eight, his eight-seat tasting menu space.

Article on: Eater