Inside Calgary's Hong Kong-style restaurant hidden inside a casino
When you think of Chinese food, chances are you’re not thinking about hitting up the casino. But one of Calgary’s most impressive spots for modern Chinese dining is actually tucked away in the back corner of the famed Cowboys Casino.
Opening in 2024, Second Son Kitchen + Cocktails is a love letter to Hong Kong and its incredible dining scene, but also one to family.
The spot was founded Ying Wai, known as Chef Jacob in the kitchen. Speaking to Dished, Chef Jacob said that some of his earliest memories included heading to the local markets in Hong Kong at the age of 12 to grab ingredients to cook for his family.
Since then, Chef Jacob has trained in multiple types of cuisine, including Japanese, French and Italian, but with dreams of opening a restaurant, he went right back to the start.
Second Son
According to Tim Jones, operating partner at Second Son, the ultimate goal behind the restaurant was to create a space with Hong Kong-inspired fusion food, great cocktails and beer.
Even the name Second Son holds special meaning for those involved in the restaurant.
“In Chinese culture, they have a designation for the sons, and Jacob is the second son, and we wanted to give a nod to him and celebrate him,” Jones explained.
“In doing that, we realized that two of the other partners are also Second Sons. Sous Chef Doug is the second son. And there’s another partner, Wayne, who is also a second son, so we just want to celebrate those second sons in the families.”
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When you walk into Second Son, it’s hard to believe you’re just steps away from the hustle and bustle of the busy casino. The restaurant has been styled to resemble 90s Hong Kong with no detail too small.
The room is a combination of the streets of Hong Kong and a speakeasy, complete with milk crate seats, neon signage, and cherry blossoms adorning the walls.
“With the music, we sourced a local DJ, who is of Chinese descent, who understands Hong Kong, and he helped curate a playlist from this design, and it just creates that another layer of speakeasy vibes in this room,” Jones continued.
The menu
Of course, at the heart of the restaurant is its food, with dishes that truly reflect everything Chef Jacob set out to achieve.
Signature dishes include the chow mein, loaded with BBQ pork and veggies, or its char sui, Chef Doug’s famous Chinese BBQ pork with rice and bok choy.
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The cocktail menu is just as impressive with house cocktails made using many traditional Chinese flavours such as Sichuan peppercorn, lychee, Chinese rice vodka and more.
So next time you visit Cowboys Casino, it may just be worth the detour.
Second Son Kitchen
Address: Cowboys Casino – 421 12th Ave. SE, Calgary
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