Ultimate Date Night at Pastiche Calgary: Worth It?
Finding somewhere to eat in Calgary isn’t hard; Pastiche Calgary Date Night fits well.
Finding somewhere that makes dinner feel like a date night can be challenging. Pastiche Calgary Date Night offers ideas.
We recently wandered over to Pastiche, a new restaurant in Bridgeland. From the moment we walked in, it felt like the kind of place where you settle in instead of rushing through dinner.
The space is intimate, the menu feels elevated, and it is somewhere we would happily dress up a little and make an evening out of.
But with our dinner for two coming to approximately $152 before tax and gratuity, the bigger question is:
Is Pastiche worth saving for your Calgary date night?
We list what we ordered.
You can expect to spend what we paid.
We share our impressions after experiencing it ourselves.
What Is Pastiche Calgary?
Pastiche is located in Calgary’s Bridgeland neighborhood, with a menu inspired by French cuisine and techniques.
You’ll find shareable dishes, larger mains, cocktails and wine. One of the first things that stood out to us wasn’t actually on the menu.
It was the room itself.
Pastiche feels cozy and intimate.
A beautiful dining space gives you the sense we’re actually going out tonight without feeling overly formal.
You could come here for an anniversary or celebration. A celebration, however, isn’t required.
Sometimes wanting a proper date night is reason enough. Sometimes people seek a proper date night, and that alone can be enough reason.
What We Ordered at Pastiche
We wanted to experience a little more of the menu instead of ordering only two mains. So we started with a couple of dishes to share.
Garlic & Herb Milk Bun
First came the garlic and herb milk bun. It set the mood for the evening.
It is a simple start to dinner. It is an easy addition to put on the table while you settle in and decide what else you are ordering.
Scallops
Next, we shared the scallops.
They were served with celeriac beurre blanc, celeriac strings, pickled celeriac, merguez sausage and basil oil.
They were served with celeriac beurre blanc, celeriac strings, pickled celeriac, merguez sausage and basil oil.
Starting with a couple of things to share is always something we enjoy on date night. It slows dinner down a little, and more importantly, it means neither of us is limited to trying one thing.
Which continued when the mains arrived.
Our Mains: Smoked Half Chicken vs. Bavette
We each went in a different direction for dinner.
Smoked Half Chicken
Sabina ordered the smoked half chicken, served with merguez sausage, cranberry beans, summer peas, vinaigrette vierge, and crème fraîche.
Bavette
Adi ordered the bavette, which came with shallot jus, potato, pickled mustard and crispy shallot.
In reality, there is no such thing as your meal when we go out together. We share the experience.
We always end up trying each other’s food. That’s half the fun of ordering different things.
It’s also one of the reasons we like menus where sharing and trying multiple dishes feels natural. You get to experience more of the restaurant in one visit.
Pastiche Has Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Too
We both chose non-alcoholic cocktails during our visit.
Sabina tried the Orchard Press, made with apple, cherry, verjus, fresh herbs and soda.
Adi ordered the Virgin Gimlet, made with Undone Not Gin, lime and basil.
We always appreciate when a restaurant puts some thought into its non-alcoholic options. It is better when pop or sparkling water are not the only alternatives.
Especially somewhere you are going for the whole date-night experience.
How Much Does Dinner for Two at Pastiche Cost?
This is probably one of the most useful things to know before deciding whether Pastiche fits the kind of night you’re planning.
Our meal came to approximately $152 before tax. Gratuity may be added later.
Here’s what we ordered:
- Garlic & herb milk bun — $6
- Scallops — $32
- Smoked half chicken — $42
- Bavette — $50
- Orchard Press — $10
- Virgin Gimlet — $12
Obviously, your total could look very different depending on what you order. How much you share and whether you add alcoholic drinks, wine or additional courses.
But based on our experience, we’d put Pastiche firmly into the elevated date-night category rather than somewhere we’d casually pop into for a cheap dinner.
And that is important because we think you will enjoy Pastiche more if you go in expecting that kind of experience.
Does Pastiche Actually Feel Like a Date-Night Restaurant?
Yes.
And honestly, this might be what we liked most about it.
There are plenty of Calgary restaurants where you can get great food.
But sometimes you’re not just looking for dinner.
You want to get dressed up a little. Sit somewhere beautiful. Order a couple of things you wouldn’t normally make at home. Try each other’s food. Have a drink. Talk. And actually make dinner the activity rather than something you squeeze in before whatever you’re doing next.
Pastiche feels like that kind of restaurant.
The smaller, intimate space helps. So does the elevated menu and the pace of the experience.
We could see it working particularly well for an anniversary, birthday, celebration or date night where you simply want somewhere that feels a little more special.
But you also don’t need to wait for an anniversary to justify going.
Would We Go Back to Pastiche?
We would.
Not because it’s somewhere we’d necessarily visit every week, but because it’s exactly the type of restaurant we’d want to remember the next time one of us asks:
“Where should we go for date night?”
Pastiche gives Bridgeland another option for those nights when you want dinner to feel like part of the experience.
And for us, that’s ultimately what date night is about.
It’s not always about finding the cheapest dinner or the biggest portion.
Sometimes you’re paying for the food.
Sometimes you’re paying for the atmosphere.
And sometimes you’re paying for an excuse to put the phones down, order a few things you’ve never tried and spend an evening experiencing somewhere new together.
Pastiche Calgary: What to Know Before You Go
Restaurant: Pastiche
Neighborhood: Bridgeland
Address: 24 4 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta
Best for: Date nights, anniversaries, celebrations and elevated dinners
What we spent: Approximately $152 for two before tax and gratuity
Our vibe: Intimate, elevated and made for a slower date night
Menus, dishes and prices can change, so check Pastiche’s current menu before visiting.
One More Calgary Date Night for the List
We spend a lot of time looking for things to do together, but sometimes a good date doesn’t need to be complicated.
You don’t need to leave Calgary.
You don’t need an elaborate activity.
And you definitely don’t need to wait for a special occasion.
Sometimes you just need somewhere new, good food and a reason to make an ordinary night feel a little less ordinary.
Wander over to Pastiche, because we believe we’re all made to wander and sometimes wandering is simply trying somewhere new together.
