Fonda Fora: Inside Calgary's contemporary Mexican restaurant

Fonda Fora is a Mexican restaurant gem that feels off the beaten path even though it’s technically still downtown.

Located in the Westley Hotel, this spot for contemporary Mexican dishes and cocktails might be the best place for authentic eats and tasty margaritas in the city.

This spot has a spacious and sprawling dining room that always feels buzzing with energy, with an equally kinetic open kitchen and a vibey, sun-drenched patio that feels like an escape. Dished recently took the trip and tried many of the dishes on the menu that were clearly made with a love of the culture and an eagerness to explore new flavours.

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We tried many of the popular dishes out for ourselves in this room filled with outstretching plants, looming archway passes, and excited guests.

We started off with a couple of drinks and what was probably the best salsa tasting in YYC.

Dished Calgary

We shared a couple of Carajillos, a twist on the espresso martini that uses horchata. There are plenty of original margaritas here as well, and we went for the Fuzzy Peach (Espolon Tequila Reposado, Peach Schnapps, Lime, Peach Purée) and the Fusion(Nodo Tequilana Blanco, Chambord, Lime, Lime, Mango, Habanero, Tajín).

The salsa tasting, or Degustación de salsas, came with xnipec, cruda, roja, macha roja, and habanera. Hot tip? Use the habanera with the incredible xnipec.

We then shared several of the most popular plates on the menu, ranging from sweet and decadent to savoury and comforting.

To start, we had the tostada de atún, made with soy marinated ahi tuna, avocado puree, macha roja, chipotle aioli, radish, and sesame and the esquites con cangrejo, a truly unique and rich item made of a mixture of wild ingredients such as fresh corn, corn cream, wild crab meat, gorgonzola, and basil.

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Then, we moved on to two more shared plates. One was from the plants y masa category, and the other was from the frutos del mar. We had the beautifully plated ensalada de jícama, a salad made with shaved jícama, Hoja Santa dressing, goat cheese, blackberries, avocado, mixed seeds, and chili powder.

The other was a brightly coloured bowl of sashimi-grade salmon on top of emulsified aguachile amarillo, fresh cucumber, peanuts, burnt chilies oil, and pickled serrano, which was all served with tostadas.

Dished Calgary

Finally, we wanted to order a showstopper, a meat dish built for sharing, with big flavours and an even bigger portion. We ordered the classic carne asada. The meat used was a Heritage Angus NY strip, and it was served with fermented adobo butter, marinated radish, chiles toreados, red onion, lime, and avocado, with corn tortillas to build it as you go.

It wasn’t just an exciting steak but made for an exciting way to eat it.

Dished Calgary

People talk about the best places for margaritas in town, the best tacos, and the most fun rooms to enjoy them all in. At Fonda Fora, it seems like it has some of the best of all three in the city, and the packed and vibrant atmosphere made us believe we weren’t the only ones who thought so.

Next time we visit? We are definitely trying the confit Alberta pork belly served with miltomate salsa, charred pineapple, and chayote squash slaw.

Fonda Fora

Address: 630 4th Avenue SW, Calgary

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