Nestled within the Southland Crossing Shopping Center, Namo Bistro is a passionate and family-owned restaurant offering a thoughtfully curated menu of fresh, local ingredients. Having just recently opened their third location in September of this year, Namo has extended their operating hours with a brand-new dinner menu which is available now.
Namo began their journey in the heart of Calgary with two successful locations – one in the Beltline and another in Edmonton Trail – with a drive to bring globally-inspired cuisine to Calgarians through an inventive and delicious brunch menu.
While still offering up some classics like Eggs Benedict and Belgian Waffles, Namo’s brunch menu pulls inspiration from the culinary styles of Europe, Korea, and India – just to name a few. Dishes like the Karaage Fried Chicken brunch bowl and Masala Scrambled eggs fuse international flavours with local ingredients.
Calgary has shown their love for Namo’s culinary approach, which shows a balanced dedication towards fresh, local fare and an embrace of global cuisines. As a result, Namo opened their third location, expanding their reach to city’s southernmost communities. In October of this year, Namo Southside hosted a special “Dinner Menu Launch” to highlight the expansion of their hours and offerings into the evening, which is exclusive to this location.
In the event, Namo’s expansive Southside dining room was open for the evening, while select appetizers were brought out to some lucky first-time diners as main courses were made available to order.
Echoing the theme of Namo’s brunch menu, each dish was a celebration of both local and international cuisines. The first appetizer was a Lamb Flatbread, perfectly spiced and topped with Microgreens, followed by an Arancini and, last but not least, crispy Hoisin Duck Spring Rolls.
Despite that each dish had come from a vastly different cuisine than the last, the flavours all came across as authentic and – most importantly ¬– delicious. In the span of only an hour, three different global cuisines made their way to the table. After the round of appetizers was complete, the full selection of Namo’s dinner menu opened up to diners.
This would be the most difficult part of the evening – selecting only one dish out of an inexhaustible variety of options despite the menu fitting on only one page. One upside of this variety is for those who enjoy going out with friends and family; pretty much anyone will be able to find something to enjoy. With whole sections dedicated to plants or meat, just about any diet can be accommodated including vegan, pescetarian, and gluten-free.
For example. The turmeric Cauliflower is a plant-based, hearty meal featuring a whole head of cauliflower rested atop smooth and savoury hummus and served with zaatar naan. And, for the meat lovers in the group, Namo offers a Roasted Lamb Sirloin or an Angus Braised Short Rib with Broccolini and Potato Hash. Meanwhile, pescatarians can enjoy Maple Miso Salmon with Jasmin Rice.
The restaurant is certainly a hidden gem, tucked away among the many businesses of the Southland Cross Shopping Center. But once you’ve stopped in, either for breakfast or dinner, the welcoming ambience and eclectic menu will provide many reasons to come again.
The entire dinner menu at Namo is now available from Wednesday to Monday (4 pm to 9 pm) for anyone looking for some amazing food and good company in south Calgary.
