Dim Sum Lunch and an Afternoon in Kananaskis Country
Due to circumstances beyond our control, all the lakes within the National Park remained frozen during our visit. As a result, we were forced to abandon our original plans to visit Peyto Lake, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake, and instead seek out alternative experiences elsewhere.
On our second day in Calgary — affectionately known as “Stampede City” — we opted for a leisurely Cantonese dim sum lunch before embarking on a scenic drive into Kananaskis Country to experience its celebrated mountain landscapes and discover for ourselves why the region was selected as the setting for a G7 Summit.
With some skepticism, we followed our friends’ recommendation to dine at T.POT China Bistro, a sprawling and bustling Chinese restaurant packed with eager diners. What awaited us was both a revelation and a delightful surprise. As two Toronto-based Chinese food enthusiasts, we were genuinely impressed by the restaurant’s extensive menu, which showcased an array of thoughtfully executed, creative, and authentically flavoured dishes.
Among the standout offerings were:
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Tender braised chicken feet with peanuts in a rich fermented bean curd sauce, deeply savoury and wonderfully comforting.
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Chiu Chow–style braised beef offal enhanced with pig intestines — an inspired addition that elevated the dish with remarkable authenticity and depth of flavour.
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Hong Kong street-style steamed rice crepes with dried shrimp and scallions, served alongside a harmonious blend of hoisin, sesame, and sweet soy sauces. The generous addition of chopped cilantro brought a vibrant freshness that lifted the entire dish to another level.
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Pan-fried prawn and chive dumplings that delivered an irresistible combination of crispness, juiciness, and aromatic flavour.
Following a thoroughly enjoyable lunch shared among great friends and lively conversation, we set off toward the mountains. The next five hours unfolded like a postcard: fresh alpine air, warm sunshine, gentle breezes, and an endless panorama of jaw-dropping mountain vistas. Along the way came waves of nostalgia, old stories, laughter, and the kind of easy companionship that makes travel especially memorable.
It was, in every sense, a perfect afternoon spent in Alberta’s famed “Blue Sky Country.”
