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Small Barrels Magazine

Reviews of Fine Wines, Luxury Hotels and the Best Restaurants on Earth

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Fairview Bar and Restaurant Review

July 26, 2022 By karin

Brant Lake Steak Tartare
Brant Lake Steak Tartare

With its art-deco inspired decor and a view of one of North America’s most famous alpine lakes, the Fairview Bar and Restaurant is a stylish place to dine while at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The menu is heavily inspired by local and “Rocky Mountain wild” fare (and is thus changeable, as seasons and availability dictate). Let’s take a look…

Fairview Bar and Restaurant Starter Menu
Fairview Bar and Restaurant Starter Menu

For starters, we had the Brant Lake Steal Tartare pictured at the top. It was fresh, tasty and everything you’d hope for – dusted with delicate asiago ‘snow’ that melted on the tongue.

Gem Lettuce Salad with Wild Orange Oil and Pickled Vegetable
Gem Lettuce Salad with Wild Orange Oil and Pickled Vegetable

The Gem Lettuce Salad really was a gem – one of the meal’s highlights. In the photo it looks deceptively simple. The ingredients were as fresh, bright, tender and crisp as they look (already a good start). But what you can’t see is what made it magic; an absolutely scrumptious dressing of Wild Orange Oil with zingy pickled vegetables tying it all together. Really noteworthy in my books.

Fresh Baked Bread and Butter
Fresh Baked Bread and Butter

And oh yes – note this utterly lovely (and ridiculously large) loaf of bread was also brought to the table. (That is NOT a tiny plate, my friends.)

Fairview Bar and Restaurant Mains and Sides
Fairview Bar and Restaurant Mains and Sides

For main courses, the selection wasn’t extensive but it was nicely balanced with choices of fish, steak, and “wild” mains. (Think elk, venison, boar chop for that last category.) We were in a less-than-wild mood I suppose, but the local Alberta beef suited us just fine.

Black Label 6oz. Tenderloin with Chimichurri
Black Label 6oz. Tenderloin with Chimichurri

The frothy, delectably-green chimichurri and charred green onion were welcome tastes and textures that complemented the beef. The drizzle of veal jus added another layer of richness to the already buttery steak. Fine touches, and something different than what you get at a typical steakhouse.

Local Sautéed Mushrooms
Local Sautéed Mushrooms

Sides were made to share. We added wild sautéed mushrooms to our meals as well as an order of harissa seared asparagus. The mushrooms were earthy and good, and the hot chilli pepper flavour of the harissa once again worked so well with everything we ordered. Honestly, it’s the unusual but expertly-chosen sauces, dressings and enhancements that makes this meal stand out in our memories.

Continuum 2016 Decanted
Continuum 2016 Decanted

We enjoyed a bottle of the Continuum 2016 (Napa) – a Bordeaux blend that was at once rich-tasting with a deep, beautiful colour and deliciously floral scented. The showy decanter pictured above perfectly suited the wine and the art-deco decor of the dining room. All-around gorgeous wine and presentation.

Continuum 2016
Continuum 2016
Continuum 2016 Back Label
Continuum 2016 Back Label

This was a final meal for us after a long and wonderful stay in the mountains. We opted for port-for-dessert to finish off the meal and toast the trip.

Our wonderful server, noting our love of wine and port, generously treated us to a taste of the outstanding 1964 Messias port.

1964 Messias Port
1964 Messias Port
Port tasting
Port tasting

In addition to the tasty and memorable meal, the service was terrific and, as mentioned, very generous with the surprise gift of such a special port. Dietary concerns/allergies were also handled with the utmost attention to detail, which is always appreciated.

The Fairview Bar and Restaurant is a must for a romantic, tasty dinner while staying at the Chateau and we highly recommend it.

Visit www.fairmont.com for more information or to make reservations.

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: 1964 Messias Porto, Brant Lake Beef, Brant Lake Steak, Chateau Lake Louise, Continuum 2016, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairview Bar and Restaurant, Gem Lettuce Salad, Lake Louise dining

Afternoon Tea at Chateau Lake Louise

February 24, 2022 By karin Leave a Comment

Elegant Tower for Tea
Elegant Tower for Tea

Afternoon Tea is the embodiment of refinement. Enjoying this tradition while overlooking breathtaking Lake Louise is an experience to cherish.

View of Lake Louise from our table
View of Lake Louise from our table

If you are planning a stay at the renowned Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, do consider indulging in Afternoon Tea. The elegant meal is served between 12pm and 3pm in the Fairview Restaurant with stunning views of the hotel grounds, Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier.

According to the hotel website, reservations are ‘strongly recommended’. We think you should go a step further and make them a must. The restaurant is open not only for tea, but for mid-afternoon appetizers, beverages and lunch, meaning that tea tables are limited. Advance reservations also allowed us to have dietary restrictions noted and beautifully accommodated.

Afternoon Tea Menu
Afternoon Tea Menu

Our meal began with a curated tea menu featuring fine black, green, oolong, and herbal teas, all beautifully described. We chose the Imperial Breakfast Tea as well as the intriguing Madame Butterfly Green Tea. The latter was aptly characterized as tasting of “smooth and ethereal jasmine” and so lovely that I purchased a box afterward from the hotel shop.

Lovely Tea Service
Lovely Tea Service

The menu consisted of a traditional assortment of fresh scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and jams, and heavenly finger sandwiches, pastries and sweets. A few welcome, creative interpretations were woven in, such as a scrumptious jalapeño and cheddar scone, an avocado dip with prawn and rice cracker, and a rich and creamy salted caramel Pot de Creme.

Champagne and bubbly add-ons were also available, as well as a selection of items designed for children’s tastes.

Scone Sandwiches and Sweets
Scone Sandwiches and Sweets

Of course, presentation is part of the charm of Afternoon Tea. The tea itself was served in lovely blue and white china, and the finger food showcased on three-tiered stands. We each received our own special stand of treats, and as mentioned above, accommodations were beautifully made for dietary restrictions.

Little Gems
Little Gems
Berries with Cream
Berries with Cream

It’s hard to find fault with spending an afternoon overlooking an alpine lake while enjoying tea, elegant sandwiches and sweets.

Do be aware, though, that while the offerings appear dainty, it really is quite a bit of food. We recommend that you make your lunch and dinner plans with this in mind.

Reservations for Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise can be made online or by calling 403 522 1601.

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Afternoon Tea, Banff National Park, Chateau Lake Louise, Faimont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairview Restaurant, fine dining Banff, Lake Louise, Specialty teas

Walliser Stube (Lake Louise, Alberta)

September 8, 2005 By karin Leave a Comment

The tastiest tribute to the Swiss mountain guide tradition of the Rocky Mountains is the Walliser Stube restaurant at the Chateau Lake Louise. Offering a “traditional Swiss menu” centered on decadent cheese and oil fondues, and raclette, along with an array of tantalizing appetizers, salads and desserts, the Walliser Stube is ideal for dining après ski.

In fact, we recommend dining here après anything you do at Lake Louise since it is difficult to think of an inappropriate time to consume a large pot of melted cheese.

We have made the Walliser Stube a “must” on our visits to the Chateau Lake Louise. The food is certainly central to the experience, and the fine, knowledgeable servers certainly add to our enjoyment. Our perennial favorite is the traditional cheese fondue – a velvety blend of fine Emmenthal, Gruyere, and other rich cheeses served with cubed French baguette and steamed vegetables. (We have attempted to replicate or at least approximate the recipe on our own, but have never quite succeeded in sustaining the impossibly smooth texture of the Walliser Stube’s cheese fondue).



We have certainly learned that nothing pairs better with the smooth, hot, rich cheese than its complete opposite – a crisp, cold, fruity Riesling. We’ve enjoyed a number of good wines here, most recently a Canadian Riesling from Cave Spring Cellars (Niagara Peninsula). The wines are a literal “feature” of the décor stored as they are in a glass case that comprises the entire width and height of one of the dining room’s wall. The rolling, wooden loft ladders add to the charm.

In fact, there are rich wood details everywhere throughout the dining room, adding to the impression of dining in an elegant, mountain-top chalet. The walls themselves are paneled with dark wood, and the solid wooden chairs have been carved with obvious care. Inside the dining room, one’s eyes are drawn to the enormous, intricately carved cuckoo clock. (Wisely, despite the information from our server that the clock is fully operational, management had opted to let the little birdies sleep rather than heralding in the hours, allowing you to eat your cheese in peace.)

The Swiss fantasy is interrupted only by the fact that rather than the Alps, the restaurant’s large windows reveal the majestic Rockies and the dazzling glacier-edged Lake Louise. There is something supremely comforting and satisfying enjoying one’s hot, indulgent meal at the Walliser Stube while gazing at the chilly, ice-blue lake setting.

We recommend that you visit the Walliser Stube, and kindly request that if you manage to eat something other than the cheese fondue to let us know about it. We’re sure that you will enjoy it, and we are tempted each time to try something new. The descriptions alone of the seafood and meat oil fondues – Cleopatra Caesar Salad, and Traditional Swiss Raclette – never mind the sight of these decadent dishes being served and savored all around – are enough to make us second guess for just a moment the comforting choice of our favorite dish. But, alas, dreams of cheese throughout the year bring us back to the same, happy conclusion each time. Our only “departure” on this last visit was to try the Bunderteller – a gorgeous charcuterie board featuring smoked, dried meats, swiss cheeses, and sharply flavored gerkins and hot peppers.

Will we be adventurous next time? Probably not. Will we enjoy ourselves thoroughly? Absolutely.

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Banff National Park, Chateau Lake Louise, dining Lake Louise, fondue, Lake Louise, Swiss fondue

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