Cilantro was ahead of its time. Much of what defines the city's contemporary restaurant scene was inspired by this homey restaurant located on the 17th Avenue Southwest strip. Serving Californian Southwest cuisine, its cozy dining rooms and flourishing summer patio have made it a vibrant dining destination since the '80s.
On Cilantro's busy patio, patrons enjoy dishes prepared with ingredients raised on the Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts (CRMR) game ranch. Lauren Webb, CRMR director of marketing, notes that the restaurant's pioneering use of local ingredients has come to define dining culture. “When you consider the variety of restaurants in the area now and what was here when it opened in 1988, Cilantro was one of the first restaurants to break the steakhouse mold,” she says.
Since its inception, Cilantro has built a devoted regular clientele. Though its staff members pride themselves on creating new and inventive recipes, patrons demand that four entrees forever remain on the menu: black pepper linguine, New Zealand rack of lamb, mussels with black bean cream sauce as well as pear-and-Gorgonzola pizza.
“There was a period of time where we tried to change a couple of menu items, and the clientele said, ‘No, we want that back!’” Lauren says with a laugh.
WILD MUSHROOM SOUP
gorgonzola parmesan crisp
SMOKED SALMON
vanilla-citrus cream . pickled onions .pumpernickel crostini’s
BEEF TENDERLOIN SLICES
dried cherry chutney . dijon
PRAWNS
caramel ginger chili sauce
BUFFALO MOZZARELLA
vine ripened tomatoes . balsamic cream .fresh basil and sea salt
FLAT BREAD
artichoke sundried tomato spread
ORGANIC MIXED GREENS
roasted sweet peppers . corn salsa .balsamic vinaigrette
CAESAR
grana padano crouton
BLACKENED CHICKEN
organic greens . five-spice yogurt dressing
ARUGULA & SPINACH
pomegranate seeds . blue cheese . red onion . pancetta . poppy seed dressing
MUSSELS
CHORIZO CLAM BROTH
MUSSELS
BLACK BEAN CREAM SAUCE
CHEESE
ask your server for today's selection
Served with house pickled vegetables
DUCK CONFIT
fig jam . granny smith apple . brie
B.L.T.
smoked gouda . basil pesto . dijon
GAME MEATLOAF
elk & bison . cherry aioli . roasted onion provolone cheese
PEAR & GORGONZOLA
pinenuts . dill pesto . black pepper
VINE RIPENED TOMATO
friulano. fresh mozzarella. parmesan. basil
CHICKEN & PANCETTA
ancho chili pesto . caramelized onionb cilantro . parmesan . pickled fresnos lime sour cream
PULLED ELK
poblanos . caramelized onion . blueberryv ancho pesto . red pepper cheddar . asiago
CAPICOLLI HAM
tomatoes . roasted peppers basil pesto . provolone
BLACK PEPPER LINGUINI
chicken. tomatoes . spinach . sesame seeds. nutmeg cream
LASAGNA
chicken pepper sausage . smoked gouda . poblano peppers . feta. spinach. smokey tomato sauce
LINGUINI
spicy tomato sauce. beef and chorizo meatballs. wild mushrooms. caramelized shallots. parmesan
LEMON CONCHIGLIETTE
chorizo . scallops . lobster . snap peas poblano . basil-chevre parmesan cream
BABYBACK RIBS
rosehip chili glaze . jalapeno cornbread citrus tamarind slaw
NEW ZEALAND RACK OF LAMB
hunan . shallot mashed
CHILEAN SEA BASS
cornmeal tamale, grilled peppers citrus ancho chili sauce
ALBERTA BEEF TENDERLOIN
asiago potato pavé . wild berry thyme reduction
FREE RUN ROASTED CHICKEN
smoked bacon mash . chive basilcambozola cream
Served with crostini’s, housemade seasonal jam and
fruit.
Pierre Robert
Triple crème style cow’s milk cheese from France, meltingly rich consistency, buttery and mild
Mahon
This cow’s milk cheese from Spain is cheddar-like in texture and boasts a tangy sharpness
St. Agur
A cow’s milk blue cheese from France, sharp in taste with a salty bite and creamy finish
Chevre Noir
Pasteurized goat’s milk cheese from Quebec. Full and rich in flavour, smooth in texture
Cambozola
German cow’s milk cheese, a combination of softripened triple cream cheese and Gorgonzola. Mildly
spicy and slightly sweet-sour.
Vanilla bean crème brulée
Daily ice cream
Daily sorbet
Housemade pineapple walnut carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting and amaretto anglaise
Chocolate peanut butter pie with a graham cracker crust and Grand Marnier whipped cream
Chocolate brownie, caramel, fresh berries and white chocolate ice cream
Upside down cheesecake, berry compote and toffee crumble
Nine Dollars
Drinks
Red wine, White Wine, Sparkling wine and beers
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On Feb. 14, Cilantro serves up a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu from 5 until 9:30 p.m. The dinner costs $65 per person and features several options to choose from. Start things off with amuse bouche, followed by a choice of either wild mushroom soup or baby spinach salad. For the second course, choose between tortellini en brodo, pear and pecorino triangoli or Prince Edward Island mussels before moving on to a main course of beef tenderloin wellington, pan roasted chicken breast or swordfish al forno. The fourth-course dessert is a surprise, but it’ll be a perfectly sweet ending to the meal. Call 403-229-1177 to make reservations.
View this Smart ListGo ga-ga for Cilantro’s gorgonzola and pear flatbread, topped with pine nuts and dill pesto – sweet and savoury with a little bit of crunch. Fire roasted tomato, chicken and pancetta, pulled elk and wild boar sausage are a few more of their uniquely flavourful and satisfying flatbreads. Can’t decide which one sounds the best? Grab a few friends to share them all in their classy dining room. Play with flatbread and wine pairings from their lengthy wine list for the perfect Friday night with friends.
View this Smart ListWhen Cilantro first opened its doors in 1988, it featured Alberta’s first wood-burning pizza oven, imported from Italy. The fire in Cilantro’s pizza oven is still going strong, churning out unique pizzas topped with pulled elk and wild boar sausage. In addition to pizzas, the Fourth Street and 17th Avenue Southwest eatery serves hearty entrees that include coffee-and-chili-braised bison short ribs with Southwest-style grits and maple bacon baked beans.
View this Smart List