Family is at the heart of Calgary's newest Asian-inspired restaurant
A brand-new Asian-inspired restaurant is set to open in Calgary this week, and at Dished, we simply couldn’t wait to check it out.
IBU has been brought to life by father and son duo, Jeff and Joel Matthews, the team behind Avenida’s Expat Asia. Before that, the pair had garnered decades of cooking experience between them, cooking all over the world.
While his culinary career began in Calgary, Jeff left to become the chef for King Hussein of Jordan before heading to Indonesia, Australia, Bali, Hong Kong and across Southeast Asia.
With initial reservations about working in a kitchen, Joel worked in horticulture and landscaping in Indonesia. However, after getting a job in a kitchen, he quickly fell in love.
After returning to Calgary, the pair launched Expat Asia at Avenida’s Fresh and Local Market, which has been around for six years. The spot turned out to be the ideal testing ground for the kind of dishes the pair wanted to bring to IBU.
Family Ties
The concept of family and sharing a meal with loved ones is the entire ethos of the restaurant, right down to the name, with “ibu” translating to “mother” in Indonesian.
“We called my mom ‘Ibu’ throughout our whole lives, and so this is kind of a homage to her,” Joel says.
Of course, working with family isn’t always plain sailing. While the pair do occasionally butt heads, it’s always quickly forgotten, Joel says.
“I get to see my son flourish and bloom and grow, and for a father, that’s very important. There’s a saying that nobody else ever wants to succeed as much as your father does, but it’s true. I just want to see him grow into the amazing man that he is,” Jeff says.
Inside IBU
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Last year, the pair began to look into securing a spot for a sit-down restaurant, finally settling on its location at 2915 14th St. SW, just across the street from Our Daily Brett.
“We took over this building and brought it back to the studs and built fresh, so we were starting from zero, and we’ve come out with a beautiful restaurant,” Joel says.
The large space has been transformed into a warm and welcoming restaurant, with atmospheric lighting, panelling and a large mural behind the bar.
Beside the kitchen, there is a long table, which will soon act as IBU’s chef’s table experience, where diners will be able to book and enjoy a tasting menu of upwards of seven dishes. The experience is set to launch in January.
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What’s on the Menu
Taking inspiration from across Asia, IBU offers a truly unique menu of small and large plates that perfectly meld Western dishes with flavours originating in countries including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and more.
While there are plenty of familiar dishes such as a burger, carbonara or spaghetti, IBU offers a twist using a combination of local ingredients and some imported from Asia.
“We do a black garlic carbonara. It’s garlicky, spicy and rich. Our spaghetti has lots of Thai basil and Thai chili in there. It’s just a different flavour than your regular Bolognese that you get at most restaurants,” Joel explains.
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For small plates, we tried IBU’s beets, served with feta, yellow curry veloutĂ©, pickled ginger and pistachio, and we were won over immediately. The creamy veloutĂ© contrasted perfectly with the kick of ginger and salty feta, offering a light and fresh bite that was still super satisfying.
Another crowd-pleaser is the Tiger cauliflower, featuring crispy florets served tossed in a slightly spicy aioli that even the most spice-averse would enjoy.
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For the larger plates, the grilled tenderloin is a must-order, smothered in bone marrow butter and served with fries, seasoned with chicken salt for a deliciously savoury kick.
We also tried out the spaghetti. While a touch spicier than a classic bolognese, it was incredibly flavourful.
Charlie Hart/Dished
IBU officially opens its doors on Nov. 4, and reservations are open to book on its website.
IBU
Address: 2915 14th St. SW, Calgary
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