Restaurant Reviews
Where will you dine tonight?
Small Barrels visits fine restaurants all over the globe. Whether they feature world-renowned chefs or local legends, stunning locations or cozy corners, local acclaim or Michelin stars—we spotlight the dining experiences worth finding. Our in-depth meal descriptions and photos are sure to excite your senses—and have you looking forward to your next culinary adventure.
Review of 1888 Chop House – Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
The 1888 Chop House is the principal fine dining option at the Banff Springs Hotel. Located in the space of the former Banffshire Club, this iteration of fine dining skews…
Vermillion Room – Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
The Vermillion Room Bar and Brasserie in the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is the latest restaurant iteration in this space overlooking the Bow Valley. At one time, it was the…
Grapes (Charcuterie Bar Cellar) at the Fairmont Banff Springs
We’ve been staying at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel for almost twenty years. This small, tucked-away room had always intrigued me. Formerly, in the hotel’s heyday, the space served…
Balkan Restaurant – Banff, Alberta
We’ve walked by Balkan Restaurant many times over the years while strolling up and down Banff Avenue. It’s always looked inviting, and the menu seemed delicious, but for one reason or…
Keens Steakhouse – New York, NY
I think this photo of the Prime Rib of Beef (King’s Cut) says just about everything you need to know about Keens Steakhouse. This place is seriously old school, with…
Per Se, New York City, NY
Our evening at Per Se, French Laundry’s Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-starred Manhattan restaurant, may be one of the finest dining experiences we’ve ever had. (A brief glance at the menu below…
Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer – New York, NY
If you’ve got a hankering for a tasty burger and have the time and inclination to line up outside (we were told an hour, but hung out in line for…
Sadelle’s, New York City
Recipient of numerous awards and accolades (and its menu offerings often associated with the word ‘best’), we just had to try out Sadelle’s for its famous bagels and smoked salmon.…
Friedman’s Breakfast and Lunch – New York City (Theatre District), NY
We went looking for a satisfying Saturday brunch option, and found it at Friedman’s in Times Square. Located in the Hotel Edison, it’s a bright, cheerful, friendly place with a…
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse – New York, NY
We arrived in New York City for a whirlwind vacation at around 1:30pm. After checking in at the Kimpton Muse, we hit the streets to soak in the city and…
Boulud Sud, New York City
Daniel Boulud’s Boulud Sud (NYC) is a restaurant located in New York City’s Upper West Side. It’s an easy five minute stroll from Lincoln Center where we were attending the…
The ‘Four Days of Christmas’ at the Post Hotel
Deck the Halls… We returned to one of our favourite Canadian holiday destinations this past December, The Post Hotel (Lake Louise, Alberta). Believe it or not, it was our first…