I finally had the opportunity to visit Cardinale, a little Italian restaurant located just outside the Stampede grounds. Deemed as having a menu inspired by traditional Italian cooking methods, this eatery combines local produce with imported Italian ingredients. From their delicious cocktails to their exquisite pasta dishes, this is a place that I will return to again.
Entering the old brick building, you can feel the hundred years of history in the little touches. The exposed brick walls combined with the modern design make it a place that you do not want to leave. Plus, they make really good food and drinks. We began our dinner adventure by ordering a few cocktails. We had the organ grinder, kids on coffee, sage against the machine, and almost brown. Besides having unique names, the flavour profiles were extremely pleasing to the palate. One thing for sure is they know how to make a good cocktail! Being as we were in an Italian restaurant, we decided to go full force on the pasta front. I, of course, ordered the gnochhi, which was done in a beautiful creamy sauce, topped with peas, mushrooms, and arugula. We also had the linguine, an egg yolk carbonara with bone marrow and double smoked bacon, which was deliciously rich and tasty. Their spaghetti put a twist on a modern convention, as it was topped with olives, capers, anchovies, and chilies. The salty and subtle spice was perfectly balanced. Finally, the paccheri was a seafood delight. It was a dark, squid ink pasta filled with prawns and scallops, and added hazelnuts and jalapenos.
The pasta met our every needs. The cocktail far exceeded our expectations. Cardinale is a place I’d go for the experience: To eat, drink, and enjoy an Italian flair.
Out With Erin 