Some sad news in the Calgary food scene this week as Pure Modern Asian Kitchen & Bar announced that Friday, December 16, 2023 would be its final day of operation.
Owned by chef Lam Pham, who also runs Pure Street Food out of the First Street Market, Pure opened in March 2016 and quickly became a favourite of local food media and food lovers alike. Its signature contemporary takes on salad rolls, pho and other Vietnamese dishes helped create plenty of buzz for the restaurant in its early days and it remained ever consistent.
Many folks—along with myself—fell deeply in love with chef Pham's Char Siu Pork Sesame Doughnut. The savoury handheld bite is arguably one of the most delicious things you can enjoy in all of Calgary. Luckily, you can still find it at Pure Street Food.
Pham says he will be taking some downtime and spending it with family and friends, but you can expect something new from the chef in the future. How soon, though, is anyone's guess.
If you're hoping to have one last bite at Pure Modern Asian Kitchen & Bar, the restaurant will be open for one final service from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.