Carino Japanese Bistro + Wine

The first place we dined at after landing in Calgary. It was well needed, after a 1.5 hour long process with our rental car. Service was a bit slow here with 2 waiters and about 6 occupied tables. The food came out about 25 minutes later after ordering. Luckily they had WiFi service to keep us occupied.
I had ordered the beef tongue ramen, it was decently good and the broth was excellent but the tongue was slightly overcooked and a bit chewy. I forgot what my girlfriend had ordered but it was also a ramen dish.
The Japanese waffle was very filling and huge portion. There was a filet of fish in top. The flavor was interesting but definitely good. It is also something I would order only once. It taste very similar to Takoyaki octopus balls with the same ingredients and sauce.
Overall the 3 stars for good food but very slow service.

The quality of the food is high and the service is great. Unique eating experience, highly recommended. They offer corkage (can bring your own wine for a nominal fee).
They have parking in the rear!

Ramen for Lunch
I love coming here for ramen at lunch (ramen is only served during lunch not dinner). It’s a modern renovated house made restaurant, with free parking in the back. The front end staff are very friendly. They have traditional miso ramen (bbq pork, bean sprout, cabbage, corn bamboo shoots, boiled egg and seaweed $ 13.5) and some more creative bowls like the one I am trying today Shio-​Genovese (bbq pork, pancetta, cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts, mozzarella cheese and foam $ 12). Price range from $ 11-​$ 18. Today I am also enjoying some premium cold brewed Japanese yuki oolong tea $ 5 bottle (yuki means organic in Japanese; I just learned). They don’t take reservations, It’s first come first serve.
Don’t do takeout here. It’s a small restaurant, I get the feeling they don’t do takeout often. They charge an extra $ 1 per bowl for packing. The last time I got takeout the styrofoam container holding my soup ending up getting punctured and the soup leaked everywhere. When I called back it was a long conversation of relaying messages back to the kitchen to finally get them to agree to give me some more soup.

I had a strange hankering for either Japanese or Italian food for our anniversary dinner tonight, but neither cuisines were appealing to me by themselves, then along came Carino in my search.
Carino is one of those places that I always drive by but have never gone into. I remember long ago when there used to be an adult video store located in the same area (so I always assumed the strip was shady). Nevertheless, it has been many years since that time, and I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant.
As I had been looking all day, and it was crunch time (715pm to be exact) I was easily able to make a reservation on opentable for the restaurant. Street parking is available in the area (be weary of areas where permits are required).
The restaurant is so cute and small. It offered a perfect environment for our occasion.
Service was slow at best, but the server was very polite and was great with recommendations. As a one man team running the front of house, I applaud him! He was the bar tender as well, so I asked him to make me a sweet cocktail. He brought to me a strange concoction that had cherry blossoms, yuzu and sake. Quite tasty. I loved swirling the flowers around in the glass during my whole meal.
I am in love with their calamari fritter! The batter was light, and had a great spice blend to it. Each piece remained tender and crispy the whole time we were enjoying it. In love with the spicy aioli as well, it was good enough to want to lick the bowl clean. The portion size was great for the price we paid ($ 12).
We were worried that the entrée portions were going to be small, but the portion sizes were perfect and the dishes were beautifully plated.
I got the Mentaiko Cream Pasta ($ 23) with spicy pollock roe, baby scallops, calamari, prawns, shiso leaves, edamame and toasted seaweed. The seafood was tender and there was just the slightest kick of spicy to sauce. Not sure where the shiso leaves and edamame came into play, but it was delicious never the less.
The bf got the teriyaki wagyu beef burger ($ 18) with Kinpira, mixed mushroom & wasabi mayo with rice bun, fries, Cheese ($ 1.5) and Crispy Pork Belly ($ 6). The beef was cooked to medium rare, moist and fall apart tender. The rice bun was unique, and was a great change from a regular bun. Hard to eat with your hands; delicious to the end when mixed with the wasabi mayo. The pork belly wasn’t all that crispy, but it was a good complement to the burger; could have done without it though.
The fries were delicious on their own, unsure of what type of spices were on them though. They were crispy and hot when they arrived. Glad to know they were made fresh.
The washroom here is in front of the entrance, and very tiny and dark. Not good for anyone wanting to touch up their makeup. Make sure not to wear any makeup that will melt during your date.
Will be coming back here to try out their brunch menu. I kept hearing good things about it during the meal from other tables. Love their concept here and looking forward to my next visit. P. S. The server was very enthusiastic in telling tables about their second location as well! May go check them out there as well.

Carino has an interesting menu, the servers are pretty friendly, both my husband and I thought the food are just okay, with its taste and portion, Carino is definitely overpriced!

It is an odd place for a Japanese reataurant — in the heart of western brunch central. The ramen was not salty enough but good chewy noodle and soup base — a bit too fatty for my liking. The japanese green tea was excellent. I having been spoiled elsewhere in the world, probably won’t go there for ramen but would try their other dishes. They have breakfast menu which I think is worth try especially considering the crazy line ups on nearby brunch joints.

Went here with my Fiancé for Ramen (keep in mind they only serve Ramen for lunch). I had heard from some friends that it was amazing so my expectations were set really high. This is some of the BEST ramen I have ever had. I had the Tori-​Shiro –Paitan (BBQ Chicken, Bean sprouts, Bonito Flakes, mizuna, kikorage mushrooms, sesame seeds and boiled egg). The broth was absolutely amazing! I can’t recommend this dish enough. If you love ramen, you have to go here!
Service was really fast and polite. Our waitress was so polite and attentive. Top marks!
I can’t wait to try their dinner menu! Thank you Carino, will will definitely back!

Carino always seems to pop up in conversation now and then with a lot of interest but never a lot of knowledge from the people who seem to bring it up… «Have you tried Carino? No? Me neither…» Well, it was time for me to change all that! But after going once for brunch, I’m still a little confused by it. I very much enjoyed it but I’m still a little confused.
Gabi M. and I were the first ones into the restaurant for Sunday brunch starting at 10:00AM. Right in the middle of Edmonton trail, across the street from a packed Diner Deluxe and an OEB that seemed to have more people waiting to get in than in the restaurant itself, it was odd to find a brunch spot with no line. (She’d even tell you the same thing, right here:
)
They serve a special brunch menu that is Japanese infused with North American style brunch. I had the Loco Moco, which is a bowl of Terayaki rice with a Wagyu beef burger patty on top and then a sunny-​side egg on top of that. Gabi’s review is spot on — I did quite enjoy it! My egg was cooked well, the burger remained tender and juicy, the rice was good and sticky to hold a well proportioned amount of Teriyaki. The food is very well made and attractively displayed. SO why is it that all the other brunch places along Edmonton Trail were lined up, but not Carino? While their menu definitely incorporates a touch of North American brunch (mostly adding an egg to everything) to an asian menu, there’s something about it that just doesn’t quite seem quite fulfilling if you had your heart set on brunch. Teriyaki rice is delicious, make no mistake about it! But adding an egg on top doesn’t necessarily satisfy the brunch pangs the way I hoped it would.
I’m interested in going back to Carino and trying their evening service. A Japanese Italian mix is something I feel like I can get behind for any other meal of the day.
The space looks like it’s set up more for evening service than it is for brunch. Classy black chandeliers, (laminate) hard wood floors, and side booth seating give it a lounge/​wine bar feel.
The service is friendly, the space is nice and the food is good. I feel like Carino is a solid bet if you’re feeling adventurous for brunch and desire North American inspire Japanese dishes, and not the other way around.

Domo Arigato translates to «thank you very much,» which is exactly how I felt after my delicious Sunday brunch at Carino!
Dale E and I were surprised to be the first customers right at 10am when Carino opened it’s doors yesterday. This was a much different experience than waiting for a table at one of the many other crowded brunch options in YYC. The quiet was actually kind of nice, just unexpected!
We both had coffee to start. They were out of espresso drinks on the day we were there, but the regular «Big Mountain Coffee» was just fine. I ordered the Domo Arigato omelet, which is accompanied by a fresh organic green salad, and I was pleased! Dale had the Loco Moco and seemed happy with his order as well. These happen to be the first two items listed on the menu, so it probably makes sense to return and keep making our way down!
A table of three came in about half way through our meal… I happened to overhear that one of them ordered the Quinoa Waffles — Maccha Flavor with Fruit, and I made sure to look over when their food arrived. It looked like quite the masterpiece. Not sure if it tasted as good as it looked, but I’d be willing to bet it did!
If you’re looking for a unique dining experience with friendly service in an intimate setting, Carino should definitely be on your list!

Creative menu, but food served is not consistent. There have been good visits and bad visits, as well as so-​so visits in between.
If you’re in the vicinity and wanted some ramen, not the worst idea to stop by.

Love the Loco Moco & Ramen!
And I really like that I can make reservation online and do not need to line up!
The staffs there do not say much, but they are polite.

We went in for lunch yesterday based on the earlier reviews and found a solid menu of Ramen, with a few other items. The ramen is excellent, even if the portions appear slightly smaller than comparable places. Still, a filling bowl and very tasty.
The service was excellent, and pricing was in line with Calgary standards. They were friendly towards our infant son. We look forward to returning and sampling more of their ramen selection.

Terrific and unique cuisine in an intimate and stylish setting. Well worth checking out! Fusion options of Italian inspired dishes with a Japanese twist. Large portions for fine dining. Extensive wine list. Friendly service. Small and intimate setting.

This is probably my favorite restaurant in Calgary. Consistently great food, great service, and an intimate and uncomplicated décor.
I was back on Friday night for dinner. We had the kaiseki tasting menu for the first time. Incredible. All the flavors were subtle yet interesting. Some stand outs were the mentaiko gnocchi (pollack roe with cream) and the miso cappuccino.
Can’t wait to come back.

We tried this place because it was on Air Canada’s top ten new restaurants (across Canada). They take reservations, which is awesome. There isn’t a lot of seating here, but the seats that are there give you enough space to work with. It’s nicely decorated and the servers and staff were very nice. They had some pretty cool wine decanters and a reasonable selection of wine.
We ordered off of the special set menu. The portion sizes were perfect, served beautifully, and in a timely manner. I wasn’t very impressed with the Wagyu or Kobe beef which were part of our set menu. They were both not very tender and I’m not sure that I’ve ever noticed beef to taste fresh or not (usually I can notice with chicken) but it just didn’t taste very… new. I’m not sure how to word it. I was a little disappointed as well with one of the courses which was basically just steamed rice.
I’d like to try it for brunch based on other reviews, and maybe some of the more creative dishes, like Ange’s octopus ragu. Overall I really liked the setup, the details, but I will have to go back to experiment with more of the food.

Japanese and Italian food make the prettiest couple.
I’ve been to Carino twice both for dinner and brunch. And both times I’ve been impressed by their décor, service, ambience, and of course, the food.
Rather than ramble on about the many dishes that can be found at Carino I will describe two dishes, one from each of my visits. Dinner: I had an experimental octopus ragu on pasta. Simple and tasty yet it’s a dish I’ve never heard of and Google thinks I’m typing a bunch of crazy words. Brunch: Okonomiyaki Waffles. The waffles seemed textbook but adjusted just right to compliment the Royal Rumble of dried fish flakes, japanese mayo, and everything else that made Okonomiyaki pancakes a party.
I’m almost weary of the five stars I’m giving Carino. I feel like this is a special place reserved for my kind of people. The youtube junkies with channels dedicated to Genarro Contaldo, runnyrunny, and that adorable old Japanese lady cooking with her dog… I forgot what her channel is called.

Hidden gem for sure. Drove by looking for Sushi and my girlfriend told me that this place was good. Came in and sat down to look at getting my fish-​fix. Modern looking room which is perfect for an intimate meal escape with a date or partner. We actually did not get sushi, as the menu was Western Fusion, but the flavours were monstrously appetizing, the only real problem I had was the serving size. They are smaller as any gourmet meal should be, but to be honest, less is more in this case, and it worked out that my hungry man craving was more than satiated.
I’m definitely going to return to try more fun stuff on their menu.
The customer service was great to our table as well.
We went for the four course meal, which didn’t work out to be too expensive!

This place was a great find. We recently went here as a group of 8… we took up a good 2/​3rds of the seating here. The service was good and knowedgable. The food was amazing — from my perspective. I had the «meatloaf» which was served on a skewer overtop of saffron rice with a «inspiring» egg. I wasn’t sure what the gg would do for the dish but it really made it in my opinion. I ate every last bite. My partner on the other hand had the «Duck» three ways and was less than impressed. He said it was okay, but was still hungry afterwards and felt that there should have been something else with the meal… too much duck?
We both really enjoyed the «french kiss» appy too (beef tongue) which surprised me because I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. But again, we ate it all.
The place is cozy — Im thinking I’d have enjoyed the experience more as part of a duo or smaller group. Regardless of that though it is worth checking out!

So they try to be creative and really give a fusion flare.
Yes some dishes are definitely a miss, but some dishes are great.
Came here for brunch/​lunch on the weekend and was excited when I saw certain items on the menu.
Had the «okonomi» waffle which is a take on okonomiyaki but in waffle form. I don’t want to describe okonomiyaki so pls google it! hahah. It is a savory waffle so don’t order this expecting a sweet waffle. It definitely achieved what it set out to do.
If you’re looking for a sweet waffle, order the maccha quinoa waffle — Looked very yummy! I will order this next time. :)
The yakisoba with 2 poached eggs though was… bland.
Saw another person with confit chicken and waffles and it looked very good as well.
One thing I noticed, once you walk in there is a smell of «greasy kitchen» …they need a better ventilation system.
(So far, things I would order again: burger, yuzu sorbet, okonomi waffle…)

I think this is a very clever choice for a location. A block or two away from OEB, and across the street from Diner Deluxe can only mean one thing: all the frustrated overflow traffic from those two breakfast places just saunter over to Carino, which happens to be mostly empty!
And that is exactly what I did this morning. I had just picked up my family from the airport, and we were starving. Not wanting to wait for our food, we decided to give Carino a try.
Carino is where AKA Winebar used to be. As we walked in, it struck me how similar it looked to AKA. They had not done much in the way of making it look different, and had left most of the décor exactly the same. Upon surveying the menu, I recognized a few brunch menu items which were the same as AKA as well. Had they decided to carry over those items into the new menu because they were popular? That is what I can assume.
One thing that bothered me before I even ordered was the strong smell that hit me as soon as I walked into the restaurant. I have a strong sense of smell, so that may be why it was so unnerving for me, but it took a lot of effort for me to look past it. But it was snowing outside and we were already seated with menus in our hands, so I decided to trudge through it.
I ordered an Eggs Benedict with salmon gravlax, while the other parties at the table ordered the Arigato Omlette, and Fried Chicken and waffles (a menu item that was carried over from AKA Winebar). We were served coffee promptly, and it was good coffee too.
The food arrived, after a slightly long wait. The quantities didnt look plentiful, but the presentation was pretty. My Eggs Benedict was cooked PERFECTLY. The yolks were soft and runny, and the hollandaise sauce just the right amount.
The Arigato Omlette was interesting. a thin omlette over some rice, bean sprouts and japanese sauce. Very tasty and filling!
The chicken and waffles seemed to be the lesser loved of all the items.
The price was pretty average. About $ 69 plus tip for all four of us.
Verdict: Would I be back? Maybe. The menu was small, but the items were well-​prepared. If OEB and Diner Deluxe both had a lineups out the door, I’d happily come back to Carino.
Review #15 of Unilocal’s 30 Day Challenge 2012