2915 Richmond Road SW.
Moonlight & Eli | Varbar | M&E Catering (moonlightandeli.com)
In January, the Board of the KGCA got to visit the new business Varbar, (an offshoot of Moonlight and Eli in Bridgeland), located in the same mall as WINS, Highlander Spirits etc. You can visit on regular hours from Thursday to Sunday, and do private arrangements from Monday to Wednesday. You can reach them at Mhairi the owner at moonlightandeli@gmail.com
The space itself might take the title for tiniest and coziest bar in Calgary. It should also be noted that there are very few Champagne and Fondue bars in Calgary at all.
They offer a plethora of Champagne, Sparkling wine, Cocktails, wines, snacks, fondue and of course dessert. As mentioned, it is a tiny space that can probably fit 14 people max, depending on the table configuration. Beautiful pillows, chairs, benches, and paraphernalia harken back to days of old and make you feel that you aren't even in Calgary, or the 21st century. The dark and quiet space is very intimate and perfect for hosting smaller parties.
Its worth mentioning that they do catering for small to large parties, and offer cuisine that expands outside of the menu you see on their website.
We decided to order some bottled Pinor Noir, and let Hannah do the rest of the food ordering for us. We really enjoyed the Classic fondue (Gruyere and Emmental). It was a very large portion which is meant for 2 but could feed 3-4. The cheese was smooth, salty and a bit funky, and even with a lactose situation, no one had any issues because the cheese is aged and of good quality.
On the side we had bread cubes, pickled veggies, steamed potatoes, and green apply. All of these are included in the dish for $60. All of the food was of top quality and a fair price for the quantity we received.
Other sides we received were grape tomatoes, mini cured sausages, brussel sprouts, asparagus, and charcuterie. There was enough food that the 8 of us didn't finished everything.
Killarney Glengarry has limited restaurant and bar options. There are very few sit down places on 17th ave, 26th Ave or Richmond road. This is a very welcome addition to the community as a higher end snack and dinner spot to go with family and friends.
Next time we go, I think we should try the champagne and dessert as no one had any space left by the end!
Stay tuned for more local spotlights in our newsletter and website.
Sincerely,
Thomas Mo
VP, KGCA Board of Directors