If you’ve heard of Inglewood, a quaint neighbourhood in Calgary’s southeast known for its eccentric shopping and dining scene, you’ve probably heard of The Nash Restaurant & Off Cut Bar.
Well established among the city’s modern diners and foodies, the Nash operates within one of Calgary’s most storied pieces of architecture: the National Hotel, which, since its founding in 1907, has also served as a neighbourhood saloon and boxing ring. Regardless of what or who has occupied the building, it’s been in-tact for decades, standing witness to Alberta’s prohibition era and an uncertain stint of neglect in the 1970s.
All walks of life have found their way through the National Hotel – renamed “The Nash” in the 1980s – from buzzing bar patrons to Canadian lightweight boxing champion, Bobby Carrington. It’s a long, frenzied history that can be sensed today when you step into the lobby, with an atmosphere that blends the building’s industrial beginnings with contemporary design.
The restaurant has been refreshed with tall ceilings, a symmetrical layout, and soft colours juxtaposed with rustic floorboards and tables. The main dining room in particular feels like stepping into the lobby of a luxury hotel, a welcoming space that gives you a clear view of the open kitchen and rotisserie.
The Off Cut Bar is Nash’s prohibition-era lounge, a moody, relaxed atmosphere that evokes the building’s earlier function as a local whisky bar and saloon. If you’re in the mood for a more casual experience, the Off Cut Bar is accessible through the main entrance and to the right.
The Nash Restaurant & Off Cut Bar Launches New Weekend Breakfast Menu
The Nash is a well-known locale for elevated, local Canadian fare, so the new breakfast menu is a long-awaited treat for Calgary brunch seekers. It’s been in development for a while, a foray taken on by Executive Chef Errin Massolin who has taken the last couple of months to perfect each dish.
The theme, apt for the season, combines “colourful spring flavours” and, as is to be expected from the Nash, local Albertan ingredients. Despite its modest size, the Nash’s breakfast menu includes a great variety of dishes from the classics like Eggs Benedict (you can add a generous portion of Atlantic Lobster, if you’re feeling extravagant) to Brioche French Toast.
If you’re interested in something less traditional, you can choose from unique offerings like the Fresh Dip “Croque Madam” with Shaved Prime Rib, Horseradish Cream, Mornay Sauce, and – to officially make it breakfast – a sunny-side up egg.
There’s a good chance that you’ll want to try one of everything. The dishes come in generous sizes, so we advise arriving in a large group if that’s your plan. We ordered the Avocado and Lobster Eggs Benedicts and, for good measure, a plate of Mini Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting, Candied Pecans, and Dulce de Leche.
The Cinnamon Buns were the first to arrive at our table: four rolls topped with a heaping of cream cheese and a drizzle of Dulce de Leche, crispy and caramelized on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. The pecans added a delicious texture and nuttiness, only made more decadent by the Dulce De Leche topping.
Then came the savoury course. Both Eggs Benedicts were rich and decadent, with fluffy croissants serving as beds for a soft-poached egg and velvety hollandaise sauce, which added a nice hint of acidity. Each plate also came with a generous serving of “Nash-browns” and a house-made dipping sauce. It was everything we’d come to love from a classic Eggs Benny, elevated with farm-to-table ingredients and a coherent culinary vision from Chef Errin.
The Nash Restaurant and Off-Cut Bar is now offering their breakfast and brunch menu every Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, located in the historic National Hotel at the heart of Inglewood.
