For the Love of...: ...The Bison Restaurant & Terrace (Banff)

Overall - 8.5/10
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Food - 8/10
Service - 8/10
Ambiance - 9/10
213, 211 Bear Street, Banff Ave, Banff, AB.

We recently had the opportunity to take a little holiday away to Banff and Lake Louise after a very busy holiday season.  Fortunately we are only an hour away from Banff which means The Bison Restaurant is a place we'll be able to come back to more often.

After our hour drive, we were ready for some lunch and decided upon The Bison, which boasts regional cuisine and seasonal ingredients.  Unfortunately, we had arrived on one of the busiest days (New Year's Day Sunday Brunch) and decided to dine in the bar floor instead of waiting for a table upstairs for brunch.  We were not dissapointed.  


Darrin ordered a beer tasting "Taste of the Taps" and I the Icefield martini.  The beer tasting was 2 ounces each of 8 different beers, ranging from ciders to black ales.  However the decision was tinged with a little regret after seeing a fellow patron with a glorious litre of beer, being that Steins were on special for $9.  

The Icefield martini tasted as it was described- lychee vodka with a hint of acai berry.  It was not my favourite but I am more a wine person on most days anyway.

Having heard rave reviews of the pork belly mac & cheese, I decided to give it a try.  The pork belly was very tender and infused the dish with great flavour, it also helped to have bits of bacon and chive in the mix as well. The cheese was combined with a bit of sour cream for an extra tanginess.  The acidity of the cherry tomatoes cut through the creaminess and accompanied the roasted cauliflower perfectly.  

Darrin enjoyed a roast beef sandwich which had tender slices of ribeye, horseradish cream sauce with sautéed peppers and onions.  He opted for the soup of the day which was a delicious potato, leek and bacon soup.  

Enjoy!