Week 13: Monki Breakfastclub & Bistro

Monki Breakfastclub & Bistro has two locations in Calgary.  The original is in the Beltline at 1301 10th Ave. SW right across the street from Community Natural Foods. We ate at that location last week and weren't overly impressed the Rösti Waffle, too crisp, and the coffee, lukewarm.  The restaurant had been recommended so we thought we'd give the second location in Inglewood a try.  It's located 1420 9th Ave. SE with 2 hr. free street parking!

The restaurant is new, bright, and the tables are set up so that there's plenty of room. The staff are welcoming and friendly. 

We are learning that there are similar offerings in most of the breakfast spots that we have tried.  However, each one seems to have one or two "specials" that are unique to their restaurant.  Monki has a waffle selection that (although neither of us ordered them) looks tasty and decadent!  Bill ordered the Monki Huevos Rancheros with spiced rice, ground beef and fresh mushrooms and tomatoes.  I ordered the Salmon Avocado Toast and it was simply prepared and delicious.  Our server, Kaine, was great and made sure our coffee cups were full!

Having now been to both locations, we agreed that the Inglewood Monki is more comfortable and the food seemed a little fresher!  The Beltline location is in an older building so has a bit of "I can't believe we fit a restaurant into this space" feeling to it.  

The Inglewood location is close to a couple of my favourite places to shop. One is the stationery shop Recess at 1323 9th Avenue SE.  Recess has a huge selection of great quality products from all over the world and the quality of the pens, stationery, notebooks, art supplies and general office supplies is enough to send a pen and stationery nerd into a trance!  The second spot nearby is Next Page at 1217a 9 Ave SE a beautiful and not set up like your usual bookstore.  I won't say more about that so as not to spoil the surprise!

THE BOOK

This week I read a second Ragnar Jónasson novel called Snow Blind.  It takes place in a small Icelandic town, Siglufjördur, close to the Arctic Circle.  Ari Thór, a new police graduate from Reykjavik moves to the small town to begin his career.  He gets thrown into the "deep end" when 2 residents of the town are murdered and the close knit community does not give up information easily!

Why read this novel?  "Nordic noir" has an interesting combination of slightly tormented protagonists and isolated settings. The combination pulls you in to the desperate need to untangle and solve a mystery as though it were the only way to salvation! Who couldn't use some of that?