Charles Koh
Calgary, AB, January 8, 2020: Situated in Calgary’s East Village, EIGHT opens January 17 as a discreet culinary enclave with matte textured black walls, dark ceilings, black marble counters and just eight seats. Cross the threshold into this unique, bijoux restaurant and cast away expectations about what it means to eat out and what defines Canadian cuisine.
Showcasing a fresh, modern expression of Canadian cuisine, Chef Darren MacLean sparks evening-long dialogue with guests – eight seats at a time – around Canadian food and what it means to call the nation home.
Beyond a meal, EIGHT fuels momentum as part of a movement to enrich cultural understanding and celebration of all things Canadian. The chef and guests come together in learning, laughter and a love of culinary adventure at EIGHT. Meticulous local ingredients match implicit creativity.
“At EIGHT, I serve a style of Canadian food that focuses not only on the local ingredients but also on the people who make up Canada’s cultural mosaic,” says MacLean.
Known for pushing boundaries while attaining consistent precision, Chef MacLean invites global chefs into the EIGHT kitchen to share this rare dining experience with mutual hearts for culture and conversation. Welcoming international mentors, peers and promising new talents to Alberta widens the global culinary dialogue.
“Dining at EIGHT is about shared conversation between the chef and guests around a modern Canadian table that frames the kitchen,” he says. “The mystery and theatre of immersive dining at EIGHT does more than deliver exquisitely delicious food, drink and fun. This restaurant advances the talk, taste and experience of Canada.”
To mark its opening, its winter series’ Canadian Reflections menu runs until mid-March when its next themed series is announced for reservations.
EIGHT’s secret entrance, limited seating and word-of-mouth cache, add intrigue. Once inside, EIGHT guests dine at an arm’s length from the action staged in a shiny stainless-steel kitchen where Garland Canada ranges and fittings combine with a dramatic black and marble preparation area.
Open January 17, 2020 in Calgary’s East Village. Seats at EIGHT are available by advance reservation only via its website eightCDN.ca and on Tock https://www.exploretock.com/eight/. The restaurant opens at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Guests with reservations will find the location by speaking with the hosts at NUPO located through the lobby of the Alt Hotel East Village at 635 Confluence Way SE.
