Chorney-Booth: Locally inspired food is on the menu at Little Chief

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Indigenous culture is an integral part of life in Southern Alberta – 7 Nations have been generous in sharing dance, music, storytelling and other arts with their non-Indigenous neighbours. Locally-informed foods are also becoming a common cultural staple, as are fried bread, bison, and forage on more restaurant menus.

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Little Head Restaurant – part of the larger Gray Eagle Resort and Casino complex in the Tsuutina Nation – has long served dishes based on local ingredients and indigenous traditions, but recently gained momentum with the addition of chef Brandon Dashnai. Since 2015, the resort's various kitchens have served as the restaurant's chef last August. Dashnay himself is not indigenous, but he grew up in Quebec in a family of hunters who taught him the importance of respecting the potential of any food source. Both his wife and son are members of the Tsuutina Nation, and that family connection and deep respect for First Nations culture, along with expertise in small, creative restaurants, shines through in Little Chief's new menu.

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“I try to give people a 'wow' experience, with a little bit of history and storytelling to go along with it,” says Dashnai. “A big part of First Nations culture is storytelling.”

Dashnai tells these stories in small ways on Little Chief's à la carte menu, which offers breakfast and casual fare as affordable as a hotel restaurant, as well as a few more sophisticated dishes for added flair. The bannock game is strong – the toasted bread and oven-baked bannock are made from an elder's recipe and pair especially well with a bowl of warm Saskatoon berry soup ($10). In true multicultural style, other favorites include the staff's Ukrainian grandmother's pastry pie ($26), delicious elk meatballs ($19), juniper-braised short rib ($42) and a unique layered charcuterie board. with house-cured meat and fish ($28).

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For a meal that tells a completely immersive story, Dashnai also offers a specially bookable chef's tasting experience. Small groups of two or up to 20 can book a multi-course feast that sees the chef push his creativity with specialty items that feature complex flavors, techniques and artistic presentations. Dashnai walks the table through the history and intent of each dish in an entertaining and educational process that is incredibly delicious given Dashnai's culinary prowess.

Little Chief is located at the end of the Gray Eagle Resort and Casino at 3779 Gray Eagle Drive. The restaurant can be reached at 587-390-1400 or greyeagleresortandcasino.ca. Please note that the Chef's Tasting Experience must be reserved at least a few days in advance by calling or emailing the restaurant.

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Meanwhile, another chef-focused experience just opened at the meat and bread sandwich shop. The store has a long history of hosting late-night pop-ups, and the latest is Francine's, a new concept from chef Garrett Martin and bar manager Nate Wree, both known for their prominent roles at Concorde.

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Restaurant watchers especially wanted to know what Martin, Concorde's former culinary director, had in store, and the answer was a fun and lively French-inspired bar. Francine's menu is small but mighty, with cheese puffs with whipped brown butter ($4 each), light and buttery Parisian gnocchi ($29), roasted chicken Normandy ($24) served on toasted milk bread, and rich and sweet desserts. creamy French toast (“pain perdue”) with ice cream, honey caramel, and comté cheese (comté plays a prominent role in several of Francine's dishes). The Wry complements it all with an equally compact wine list and a collection of interesting cocktails, including the amazing house martini.

Martin said Francina's Meat and Bread will remain as a pop-up well for the long term, while the crew looks for a permanent brick-and-mortar location. For now, he can be found at 821 1st St., Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. Go to SW. For reservations and more information, visit francines.ca.

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Finally, if anyone has a name that inspires food, it's Calgary Flames player Andrew Mangiapane, whose Italian last name translates to “eating bread.” To support the youth program of Mangiapana and her fiance Claudia Manzi's Breadstick Association, she teamed up with the Italian Central Store to bake 250 new pagnots, all marked with the number 88. The bread goes on sale next Saturday, February 17th. At 9 a.m., the Italian Center store donates a meal to a local family in need for every loaf sold. Mark it on your calendar as it may sell out early. Italian Center Store 9919 Fairmount Dr. Located at SE

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram @elizabooth or sign up for her newsletter at hungrycalgary.substack.com.

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