Cafe Koi lives up to its traditional Japanese name “love” from the passion of the owners, the preparation of the food and the customer base that frequent this alluring cafe. Love permeates from the brick and mortar bones of this space in the Beltline of Calgary as this intimate restaurant leaves nothing but a cozy feel where one and all feel comfortable and welcome.
The pan-asian inspired cuisine began years ago with a vision and a dream and has since evolved. Now known as a hip cafe, it underwent a transformation to a place where musicians and good food collide into a creative chrysalis with artistic flair from which emerge an inviting community-minded atmosphere with nutritious and delicious food.
Meet the Owners
Geoff Zimmel and Aziz Kapassi gave new light to Cafe Koi’s long history in the downtown core when it was previously known as Conversions Cafe. A geologist and accountant by day, it had been one of Geoff and Aziz’ favourite spots and these two entrepreneurs didn’t want to see it go by the wayside. They decided to take action by buying the property and turning it into Cafe Koi which included giving Kirk Monhay, food extraordinaire, reigns of the kitchen.
The Menu
The idea behind Cafe Koi is to give people a reason to be there whether that’s for their stellar lunch bowls for the corporate crowd or their killer jam nights highlighting local musicians of all levels. As for the cuisine, Cafe Koi stayed within their niche by creating a core concept menus on pan-asian dishes without any deep-frying and where the weekly vegetable count exceeds 1000 lbs!
Vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free goers alike can rejoice as Cafe Koi makes it easier than ever to make educated dietary choices without the hassle. We’ve all been there, not wanting to create a scene over a gluten or dairy allergy to the rest of our party or for our server, and here at Cafe Koi it couldn’t be more the opposite. The menu clearly states which options are available and when in doubt a simple clarification with your server will remove all question.
The Food
I was fortunate enough to visit Cafe Koi with my boyfriend Brad who has a certain affection for anything that involves eating with chopsticks or a miso soup spoon so I knew this was just the place. We began by sharing the Ginger Tofu as an appetizer. When asked if it had gluten, our wonderful server Jessica, was able to very easily cater to our request and replied that the kitchen could accommodate by creating a gluten-free version. A generous portion of seared julienned tofu made it’s way to our table accompanied by stir-fried onions, carrots and snow peas with a handful of sprouts and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. After we had finished every morsel in the bowl, there was a simultaneous statement of “I’m impressed” voiced across both ends of the table.
Next up was the Buddha Burger. This delicious bean patty was housed in a warm folded flat-bread with hummus, beet, tomato, spinach and sprouts. This was again a generous portion that left Brad, who had brought an appetite completely satisfied. Joined by yam wedges with a coconut curry dipping sauce that received rave reviews, this dish could satisfy a meat-eater any day.
My favorite of the night was recommended to me by owner Geoff, I thought following his advice would be wise and was I ever right! The Panda Bowl involved a plethora of veggies including shredded carrot, mini bok choy, red pepper, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms on a bed of jasmine rice. The almond sauce that gave the dish a certain creaminess was to die for, as it complemented the choice of vegetables perfectly to create a gluten-free, vegan dish that will make you feel good again about eating out.
Cafe Koi put a new spin on the stereotypical “heath food” by creating tasty, delicious menu items for nutrition nuts, steadfast carnivores or even the pickiest of eaters that will keep everyone coming back for more!
Did you love this restaurant review? Love knowing where all the healthy spots in town are to eat? We do too! Breanne Shellian is a Calgary-based holistic nutritionist and conscious living advocate who helps people rediscover the joy of living life deliciously. Writing delicious reviews for The Naked Label is just one of the many ways she does this. We love Breanne’s empowerment and want you to check her out! Click here.
Have you been to Cafe Koi before? Want to go? Tell us what’s on your mind! We’d love to know. Write to us in the comment section below!
