*FORGET DISNEYLAND*

Koi This is the best place to go for a light hearty meal. I am a vegetarian (all my life) and was diagnosed with Celiac's disease after years of testing. Of coarse my first reaction was relief of pin-pointing my health problems but reading Gluten-free books I felt boxed in with limited option's for food choices and going out to eat. I must confess I relied on Pasta and Wheat products that weaning it out of my daily diet was taking the enjoyment of my eating experience away and going to be a challenge.

My mother & I decided on Koi because I get free parking across the way (I work down town). I was delightfully surprised to get a seat right away on a Friday night. We ordered the 'double dipper' (Corn Nachos with Feta cream & Black bean salsa). I've never been a fan of black beans but the way the Salsa is marinaded with exotic fruits & harvest veggies I was practically licking the bowl! Both our main dishes were perfectly cooked and decent per-portions. Believe it or not they have Vegetarian dishes and Gluten free options. "Finally I can eat out again and Not fear getting sick!!!"

I must also comment on the staff who have been easy going, helpful and understanding about my food choices(Unlike most places where they roll their eyes or give me a look to say "thanks lady, for making my job a little more difficult today!") Koi also offers late nights, live music, local comedy shows, unknown struggling artist paintings and promotes Vegetarian lifestyle... which means a lot to me.

Red Deer, Alberta.

Koi is a great place for some trendy food during the lunch hour. If you work down town Calgary, there's no reason not to pop over and try out Cafe Koi.

I had a great curry dish served with rice that was featured on their gluten free menu. The curry had great rich flavours and was served in a perfect amount for lunch time. I hope to get back to try out some more food as soon as possible.

The staff at Koi were all very nice and can make a very good mojito. The prices were very fair especially considering how close they are to the down town core.

Toronto, ON

I was pleasantly surprised by Cafe Koi. I went here because I wanted to go to a vegetarian friendly place that was near the Telus Convention Center.

They accommodated my sister and I despite the fact that they were about to host an event and my sister arrived late. They were really friendly, and the food that we got was SOOOO good! My sister got the Buddha burger, and I got the Lotus bowl.

When we were looking over the menu my sister asked me if I minded her getting a burger, and I said no. Then I noticed she ordered the Buddha burger, and I decided to refrain from pointing out that she order a vegan black bean burger! She LOVED it! I loved the Lotus bowl too! The sauce was worth the award it has won in the past!

They also take $2 off of vegetarian meals on Monday nights which was an added bonus. I also think it is great that the support the local community music scene and have a couple of open mic nights a week.

I definitely recommend checking this place out if you are in downtown Calgary! .

disclaimer - i liked koi so much, that i threw my wedding after party here.

why koi is amazing is the result of attention to particular details. i am picky in general, but it is in this pickiness that i find that there is indeed, a place that gets it. koi is the balance of culture, food and community that makes it a place that is of appeal to me. it isn't just the delicious food, it isn't just the artwork or the live musicians that play and display there. it's a combination of everything and i def love this joint. feel good vibes abound, deliciousness and audible delectables.

My fiance and I go to Cafe Koi a lot, and have always enjoyed our time there. The ingredients are fresh, and inspired, the service is trendy, and the space is relaxing.

I love that they put cranberries in their water.
Everytime we go we usually order the same thing: Ninja Food or the Szechwan Chili Fire Bowl. I love the salmon in the Ninja Food.

Always leave there feeling full, but happy.

I loved the koi cafe I had a wonderful experience, and the staff is so friendly! I was also happy to see that they have a lot of options for vegetarians, I would recommend this for people with a vegetarian diet the gyoza and buddha bowl were amazing, and I will definitely be returning for more delicious cafe koi dishes in the near future!

Best canadiano in town.. I wish they were open on Sundays cuz the food is so fresh and amazing!

Tofu Ginger is something amazing. My fiance thought it was chicken it was spiced that well; meat eaters and even the 'I hate all vegetables and eat only meat' jocks will become believers! Everything is fresh, organic, and delicious.

Be sure to come on a night with live performances, but make reservations and come with an understanding that the service may be slower on those nights.

It's funny I have walked past this place many times while at Cafe Med or Vicious Circle; never went in - I always assumed it was Sushi. Glad I did.

Something a little different to try for lunch! If you love miso, ginger, and all the veggies you can find, Koi will have something to please you. I love that there are great meat and fish dishes, but if you want to go veggie, you won't miss the meat. There is tons of flavour in each bite without being too spicy, and the sauces are light and balance well with the flavours of the food.

This is an incredible establisment. I reccommend it to anyone whi wants to enjoy a nice lunch, have a tasty dinner, enjoy a light evening full of music and be served by wecoming and helpful employees :) Also the food is amazing!

Original menu, healthy portions, exciting events and a wonderful staff. I'm rarely this pleased with a dining experience.

Cafe Koi is a very vegetarian-friendly restaurant located in downtown Calgary. It has a page on the menu dedicated to its vegan and vegetarian options, which is quite nice as in chain restaurants you have to pick through all the other options to find something veg-friendly. The menu has a few vegan options that are absolutely delicious, but I did have to check with the servers to make sure what I’m ordering is vegan. The black bean Buddha burger, for example, is vegan, but the flatbread it comes wrapped in is not as it contains milk. So just ask if you’re unsure. The servers know their stuff and are super friendly, unlike at chain restaurants where they tend to look at you with a blank stare when you say the word vegan. It’s nice when servers are informed and know what’s in the food they serve.

My favourite appetizer would have to be gyoza, their pan-seared vegetable dumplings. They are the best vegetable dumplings I’ve ever had in a restaurant. They’re the perfect amount of crispiness, and the cracked pepper topping is delicious.



My favourite main dish is the Lotus Bowl. I normally don’t like ordering vegetable bowls in restaurants, as I find the veggies are always limper than they could be, but this one is so good. Maple chili greens topped with seared five spiced tofu sticks. You can taste cinnamon which is oh so good on tofu. The sauce is sweet and the mushrooms, bean pods and various other vegetables have the perfect amount of firmness.



The place is cozy and intimate. I like that they showcase local artists, so there is usually interesting art hanging on the walls. I was there during Stampede week, and that night they decided to offer an alternative for people who really aren’t into it. They had a bunch of musicians playing that night. I didn’t stay because of other plans, but I like that they arranged something for people who have no desire to spend their night at Cowboys or on the Stampede grounds, like myself. Cafe Koi is a great place for a date or catching up with an old friend.

If you’re looking for a place in Calgary that serves healthy food that will satisfy both carnivores and vegetarians, then Café Koi is your best bet. The food at Café Koi is very Asian-inspired, though there are Mediterranean and Spanish touches as well. To kick off your Café Koi experience right, be sure to check out the pan seared If I Were Ginger Beef with fresh ginger, onions, red pepper and carrots glazed with carmelized honey. Another must-try appetizer is the Yam-abushi yam wedges which are served with garlic coconut curry and miso dip.

Café Koi is well known for their karma (read: vegetarian) bowls. What’s more, Café Koi encourages vegetarian diners by offering deals on vegetarian meals on Vegelicious Mondays. The Lotus Bowl remains their most popular vegetarian dish, and it’s easy to see why: maple chilli greens topped with seared five spiced tofu sticks. Another popular vegetarian dish is the Buddha Burger, with a handcrafted secret vegan black bean patty served with carmelized onions on flatbread with roasted beets, spinach and peashoots; this tasty meal is even a favourite among non-vegetarians.

For a meal with meat, either the Ninja Food bowl with Thai-roasted salmon and ginger-fried Asian greens or Crouching Tiger bowl with ginger fired prawns, sticky chilli maple greens and mushrooms will satiate your cravings.

Beyond the great food, Café Koi is an awesome place to hang out with friends, as the intimate atmosphere will make you feel right at home. Café Koi has two open mic nights during the week, the occasional comedy improv night and they showcase the best musical artists and DJs in Calgary on the weekends. The space also serves as an art gallery, with new art on the walls every month. Any night you visit, a trip to Café Koi is sure to be a cultural experience. Café Koi, 1011 1st Street SW, Calgary, 403-206-1564



:)

January 02, 2011 - If I was a trendier, more get-with-the-times type of girl, I would have discovered Café Koi (a.k.a. koi) ages ago. It’s been open for at least a couple years now, tucked away on 1st Street SW a couple doors down from Vicious Circle. In fact, I have walked past koi many times on my way to enjoy Vicious Circle’s infamous martini list, and admired the Zen-like, modern Asian fusion vibe that koi gives off. It is small, dimly-lit, with funky black-and-white photo murals and angular furniture. A flat-screen television sometimes plays old movies. And best of all, koi embraces culture. There is a regular calendar of events that includes DJ’s, open mic nights, comedy, and literature. In fact, the first time I went to koi, it was for a book launch, and I only ate the complimentary yam fries on the counter (which I think may have been intended for the author and her agent, but hey, they were getting cold!).

At any rate, last night my brother and I were out on the town and hungry, but strapped for time. I thought of koi as it was close, and the “alternative takeout” tagline on the board out front didn’t hurt, either. We were warmly greeted and promptly given menus and water with cranberries. What is it about fancied-up water that charms me so much? Throw cucumber slices, berries, or citrus wedges into a plain-old glass of tap water, and I’m putty in your hands. The two of us selected the Buddha Bowl and the Lotus Bowl – two selections off of the vegetarian portion of their menu (and there are plenty of options there; this should please the many healthconscious individuals, vegans or otherwise, who often despair at Calgary’s beef-loving culture). The Buddha Bowl is essentially a coconut-curry broth with a bevy of fresh veggie chunks thrown in and topped with five-spice seared tofu slices. The Lotus Bowl (an award-winning dish, thanks to FFWD magazine voters) is a mixture of maple chili greens with the same five-spice seared tofu. As take-out dishes, both came with sides of rice topped with black sesame seeds – neither of us elected to mix the rice in with our dishes, but it perhaps would have helped to absorb some of the liquidy broth that the veggies were swimming in.

Both bowls, even after being toted several blocks through -20 degree weather, remained hot and tasted fresh. The vegetables were cooked well, retaining just the right amount of crunch and not getting dominated by the broths they were in. I sometimes find when restaurants attempt stirfries that the sauces become the focal point of the dish. Thankfully, koi understands the balance between spices, sauces, veggies, and proteins (in this case, our tofu). Everything had its own flavour, yet melded together as a cohesive unit. My only regret is not putting some of that rice in to enjoy with the bowl – I think it would have helped, as the coconut curry broth of the Buddha bowl was just a little more liquid in nature than I’ve sometimes had, and the rice on its own does not pack much of a flavour punch.

Clocking in at under $30 for the two bowls, it was an inexpensive way to enjoy some fresh, healthy food; koi is far superior to any other take-out food I’ve had in terms of service, nutrition, and even price (nothing bothers me more than forking out a premium just to get some veggies that have seen better days). As we dug in with chopsticks and enjoyed an indie film screening at Cantos, I couldn’t ask for a better food or entertainment experience. I promise to return to koi to eat-in and savour the ambience along with the delicious food, especially if they’ve got some live music going!