What I Thought of It

The Dessert House
101-111 2 Ave SE
Calgary AB  T2G 0B3
Phone: 403 263 7789

The Dessert House is easy to spot in Chinatown. If you go south on Centre Street, cross the bridge, and take the first left, then Dessert House is on your right. (It’s a new location; they used to be across the street.)

The ambiance suffered when Dessert House moved premises. The new location is just one large room with plain-looking tables and chairs and bare white walls. A couple of wall decorations would certainly make it a more pleasant hangout.

The staff were civil and showed us to our seats, then appeared to want us to order right away. This was unsettling, since the menu was extensive and I wanted time to mull over my options.

Most of the menu listed Asian sweet treats, such as bubble tea and shakes. A couple of pages were dedicated to savory snacks like wings. There was also a mini-menu showcasing Italian ice cream.

It was ironic that they were rushing us to order, because once we ordered it was a long wait for our treats. A fellow online reviewer said it best: this is a nice place to meet friends you haven’t seen in a while, because the waiting will give you plenty of time to catch up on each other’s lives.

My shake did taste pretty good.

Last thoughts: The Dessert House serves good desserts in a bland setting. As such, I would think twice before going back.

Food ++++
Service ++
Ambiance ++
Washrooms +++

Moo’s Country Ice Cream
200 Barclay Parade SW
Calgary AB

Eau Claire is a popular hangout for Calgarians when the weather is nice, and it’s the site of choice for many local events and festivals. Catering to these crowds is Moo’s Country Ice Cream, an ice cream stand between the kiddie pool and the public washrooms.

Moo’s is the place to get your ice cream fix at Eau Claire. Unfortunately they are sometimes closed early, perhaps when the weather’s not so nice.

Moo’s sells a wide range of products: pop, packaged Nestle ice cream, and snow cones in all kinds of flavors. I am partial to the soft-serve ice cream.

You can get the soft-serve in flavors like cappuccino, green apple, strawberry, and more. The fun part about your Moo’s ice cream cone is that the flavor is added in swirls to the soft-serve. This makes for a pretty and colorful treat in which the flavours mingle nicely.

Moo’s is just an ice cream cart, so it doesn’t come with seating, but there are benches all over the park. And of course, public washrooms are right next to the ice cream stand.

Moo’s only takes cash, or you can use the ATM in Eau Claire Market.

Last thoughts: Moo’s Country Ice Cream gets a lot of sweet-tooth traffic when the weather’s nice, so you can count on their wares to be fresh and tasty. Moo’s will continue to be one of my favourite places for a cold treat. Just look for the big windmill and you’ll find Moo’s.

Food ++++
Service ++++