You Can’t Afford to Miss this $5 Après-Ski Menu
This is not your typical après-ski experience.
I’ll admit that I went up to try the après-ski menu up at The Juniper Bistro when I hadn’t been skiing at all. I’m not usually one to indulge in “pub-style” food when I haven’t been sweating it out at the hill all day. I didn’t have much to worry about at The Juniper, though. While the bistro may have “wings,” “bruschetta” and “dip” on the menu, the creative team in the kitchen puts their own spin on these items. The result is delicious.
I went in with an empty stomach and found myself salivating over a menu that was ample enough for a complete dinner. No doubt, these appetizer-sized items, such as Truffled Wild Mushroom Bruschetta, Brome Lake Duck Wing with Chili-Lime Glaze and Pulled Pork and Bison Sliders, would also be a nice treat after a long day of the hill. A warm fireplace surrounded by comfortable seating provides the perfect place to relax and recall the best runs of the day. At just $5 per item, a group of friends could sample one of each appetizer and pair them with a regionally sourced beer or bottle of wine from the Okanagan.
A few things set The Juniper apart from other establishments in the Bow Valley. First of all, this hotel and bistro can comfortably claim to have the best views in Banff. A wall of windows looking out on the surrounding peaks, such as Mt. Rundle, means there is no bad seat in the house. The “art+eco” design of the venue creates a comfortable environment and interpretive displays throughout the hotel bring attention to the First Nations people that first crossed through the Bow Valley. Lastly, The Juniper uses ingredients that are fresh, sustainable and supportive of regional growers and producers, “bridging two abundant food baskets from the prairie grasslands to the Fraser Valley Delta,” their website describes. Food this good tastes even better when you can ask exactly where it comes from.
So, if you’re up for a great early dinner in the Bow Valley or looking for a snack after a day in the great outdoors, the après-ski menu at The Juniper Bistro offers incredible taste, unsurpassed value and views to match.
You’ll be back again, for sure. I know I will.
Meghan J. Ward is an outdoor, travel and adventure writer based in Banff. You can check out her work at www.meghanjoyward.com and latest adventures at http://thecampsiteblog.com.
Photo courtesy of http://paulzizkaphotography.blogspot.com/