With Fire and Flora's short life span in District at The Beltline leaving a prime location open for a new concept, it wasn't long before a notable local restaurateur came along to breathe new life into the space.
Calgary chef Duncan Ly (Foreign Concept, Takori, Greenfish Sushi) is getting ready to open the doors to his newest eatery, Bar Chouette. The modern French-style wine and cocktail bar will officially open on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, and promises plenty of innovative plates of food coupled with cool cocktails and, of course, a nice selection of wines by the glass or bottle.
Structurally, the layout of the space remains similar to its predecessor, but it seems like it's gotten a nice interior design refresh complete with new striking abstract artwork on the walls, forest green leather and warm wood stools and a pink neon sign that reads "C'est Chouette" (which translates to "That's cool").
The food menu includes interesting-sounding creations like fried crumpets with butter and elderflower-infused honey, smoked fish dip with house salt and vinegar chips, beef tartare with roasted beef fat and black sesame and charcoal flatbread, and a five-hour-slow-cooked carrot "hot dog" with carrot mustard and sourdough bread sauce.
Some of Bar Chouette's cocktails have been teased on Instagram and include the Violette Haze (creme de violette, elderflower liqueur, mint syrup, citrus and egg white) and the Citrus Spice (8-spice-infused rum, grapefruit and lime cordial, dried citrus garnish), as well as classic drinks like the Sazerac.
Bar Chouette is located at 227 11 Avenue S.W. and officially opens at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Going forward, it will be open Tuesdays to Sundays from 3 p.m. to late.
