Browns Socialhouse

Browns Socialhouse
140, 888 - 16 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB  T2R 1J9
(403) 455-8158
Reservations can be made on OpenTable
www.brownssocialhouse.com

A group of my friends and I decided to meet up at a new restaurant that just opened in Mount Royal Village called Browns Socialhouse.  Browns is a Canadian restaurant chain that can be found in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.  There are two locations here in Calgary, Mount Royal and Britannia, and they market themselves as "Brown is the new Black", with no limits to their design and food styles as they push the envelope.  
 
When you enter Browns it feels like a chain, and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. Chains have a way of giving the customer a complete package and a well-rounded experience. They're usually consistent with their atmosphere, food, décor and service, and you know what to expect each time you go there.  I think Joey, Cactus Club and Earls are three chains that do this especially well.

The décor inside Browns is nicely done with a modern industrial twist. There are stone and brick walls, shiny tiles, patent upholstered booths, retro lighting and light wood tables. The servers are polished, attentive and friendly. Over the speakers are fun retro songs playing such as Queen, "We are the Champions".

Our group met up on a Wednesday night and their main drink special was their Social red or white house wine (6 oz.) for $4.  House wines can be a bit hit & miss, especially if it's a blend, but at $4 I didn't think I had much to lose so I ordered their red. I thought it was really nice wine, and so did everyone else who ordered it at our table, with it tasting like a cabernet sauvignon.\

The  menu at Browns is quite large and has a good variety of items that you would find at any other restaurant chain such as salads, burgers, pizza, rice bowls, as well as mains such as fettuccine carbonara and fish & chips. The average price range for a main is $15-$19. What makes Browns stand out from its competition though, is that they take the classics and add their own flair, but not so much that it detracts from the food. This can be especially seen in their dressing and sauces, with a lot of Asian inspired flavours throughout the menu.

I decided to order one of their Healthy Social Bowls, the Potato Crusted Halibut ($18).  The dish comes with tartar sauce, almond rice and a Cowgirl salad, which is made up of walnuts, dates, house greens, black beans, feta, salsa and a apple-miso vinaigrette.  If you want to keep the dish low carb, then you can have braised red cabbage and goat cheese instead of the rice.

When the meal came, it was nicely presented and a good portion. The fish was perfectly done with just the right amount of crispness from the potato batter and not too greasy. I was expecting more to be done with the almond rice, such as it soaked in almond milk or some sort of sauce but instead it was just white rice with flakes of almonds in it.  They did provide a sweet soy sauce however, that you could pour over the rice to give it some additional flavour.  The tartar sauce smeared under the halibut was a nice compliment to the meal and when you took a small piece of fish, tarter and a scoop of rice together on the fork, it was delicious. I don't know about you, but I am often bored with side house salads that usually have the same thing in them; a handful of mixed greens with cranberries and perhaps a little feta.  They're usually bland and flavourless.  I was pleasantly surprised with the Cowgirl salad and how flavourful it was.  All the ingredients together were delicious and the dressing had a nice ginger flavour to it.

Everyone at our table ordered something different; the Chicken Quesadilla, Fettuccine Carbonara, Tahitian Tuna Social Bowl, Ultimate Chicken Club, General's Tao Chicken and the Dynamite Roll. When going down the table to see what everyone thought of their food, there was nothing but positive reviews and comments. Everyone felt satisfied and happy with their experience.

I think Browns Socialhouse will definitely take its place among successful food chains in Calgary, as it’s s place you can go when you're wanting a contemporary setting with a fun, relaxed vibe while enjoying food that's not only comforting but also familiar.