Bandoleer's brings warmth of Mexico alive with great food and live music
By Jennifer Groundwater
For my 35th birthday, I wanted to do something a little different. Dinner and a movie seemed unoriginal, while just dinner seemed like too short an evening. Dancing and drinking 'til the wee hours lost its charm somewhere around the time I turned 30. I wanted a night of music and food.
There are several restaurants in Canmore that offer live music at least a few times a month, notably Tapas, the French Quarter Café and Bandoleer's. Tapas, a cozy downtown place that evokes the spirit of Spain and Portugal, features flamenco and classical guitarists, as well as the occasional flamenco dancer. The French Quarter Café, a local favourite for Cajun food, features jazz music every other weekend. Bandoleer's is a teeny bit off the beaten track: located just off the Trans-Canada Highway in the unlikely location of Dead Man's Flats, it features live music provided by well-known locally-based musician Charlie Butler.
We opted for Bandoleer's.
Since this restaurant opened in June 2004, it has developed excellent word-of-mouth for its food and the live music provided by well known locally based musician Charlie Butler. In fact, Bandoleer's belongs to Charlie and his wife, Marie. Together, they took an old restaurant in the unlikely location of Dead Man's Flats, renovated it, and turned it into one of the Bow Valley's hotspots for a great night out.
Charlie Butler takes a break in his busy restaurant, Bandoleer's, at the comfortable southwestern-style bar. Butler's trio entertains diners with song and guitar Fridays and Saturdays in the winter.
Charlie and Marie love Mexico and have spent many winters there; they even got married there. The couple have talked about opening a Mexican restaurant in Canmore for a long time. In February 2004, they began to renovate the building that would become Bandoleer's. It was a lot of work: they had to knock out walls and overhaul the kitchen and bathrooms completely.
Then there was the task of decorating the space. Both Charlie and Marie had a vision of a southwestern-style haven, but bringing a vision to life is always a challenge. When I ask them if they feel they succeeded, Charlie simply says, "It's even better than we imagined," and I have to agree. The restaurant has a warm and totally authentic charm. The walls are painted ochre - reminiscent of adobe - and there are stainless steel accents to reflect the intimate lighting. The simple decor evokes Mexico without being overwhelming or kitschy. At night, tea lights twinkle in star-shaped glass candelabras hung from the ceiling, and candles burn in wall sconces. There is a comfortable bar and a small stage area set up near the main door.
When Scott and I arrive on a chilly Saturday night, the restaurant is already half full. We are seated at a cozy table for two, close to a beautiful mosaic tile fireplace that gives off welcome heat. We mull over a promising menu. Scott has no trouble deciding on a Southwestern spring roll, while I opt for the Bandera ribs. The snow drifting down outside the windows seems slightly surreal in this atmosphere, as out of place as a polar bear in Puerto Vallarta.
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Mexican food made from scratch is a signature of Bandoleer's a new restaurant just a few minutes from Canmore in Deadman's Flats. Dig into a hearty dish like this - a southwestern spring roll.
Our food arrives quickly. It is delicious and plentiful. Marie, who is in charge of Bandoleer's menu and kitchen, places great emphasis on fresh food, as close to what you would find in Mexico as possible. All of her sauces are made completely from scratch. "In Mexico," she says, "The food is very fresh and rarely processed. We recreate that in the restaurant as much as we can. All the dishes are cooked to order, not half-prepared in advance." Well-travelled customers have told her that the food at Bandoleer's brings back happy memories of meals in Mexico and Central America.
Scott and I linger over our meals, but nobody's rushing us. We eventually share a Xango for dessert. This delightful concoction features bananas smothered in caramel cream, wrapped in a tortilla, and served hot with ice cream.
By the time the music starts, there isn't a single empty table. The Charlie Butler Trio opens with "Fly Me to the Moon," then goes into a jazzy rendition of "The Girl from Ipanema." They continue with a selection that includes everything from "Red Red Wine" to a reggae-infused version of "Happy Birthday" for an audience member. Charlie is a consummate entertainer, chatting up the crowd, moving around the room, and clearly having a great time.
Charlie's trio consists of himself, Jimmy Carver and George Phillips. The three musicians have known each other for "I don't even want to say how long," laughs Charlie. "They were the first guys I called when I was getting Bandoleer's started." The three of them serve up a tasty melange of tunes every Friday and Saturday night. In the summer, Charlie plans to feature live music at least three nights a week, including guest performers and other vocalists.
According to my dictionary, a bandoleer is a belt or strap worn diagonally across the chest, with loops or pockets for ammunition. When I ask Charlie why they chose this unusual name for their restaurant, he chuckles. "Mexicans love their guns - the whole place was born in revolution. Plus, it kind of fits in well in a place called Dead Man's Flats."
Personally, I think the name is evocative of a revolution in Dead Man's. This small, often-overlooked hamlet - never before known as a dining destination - is now the place to go for music, food and great times.
This is exactly the vision that Charlie and Marie had for Bandoleer's. "We wanted to create a fun place. Come out here for the evening, leave your problems at the door," says Charlie. "After all, if you're not having fun, what's the point?"
If You Go:
Bandoleer's is a 10-minute drive from Canmore, at 120 1st Avenue, Dead Man's Flats. Reservations are recommended on Friday and Saturday nights; call 403.609.3006. They are open weekdays through the winter for dinner (closed Mondays), and offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner on weekends. Starting in the summer of 2005, they will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
The menu is being expanded in mid-February to include more seafood and somewhat more unusual dishes within the Tex-Mex genre. They have also launched a rib and Mexican beer night on Thursdays.
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