Behind the cash register inside Barrio Fiesta Restaurant in Calgary sits tubs of halo-halo ingredients, all house-made, slowly cooling from the hot pots it was ladled from a few hours ago.
Crunchy chicharon, pastillas, and large yemas wrapped in colourful cellophane are displayed on a table, but what catches your attention in this Filipino restaurant are the large, multicoloured murals of Filipino scenery painted on the walls, the bathroom doors, even the tables and chairs.
Tiki umbrellas that mimic nipa huts adorn some tables, and a stage area is set aside for karaoke contests and concerts on weekends.
The halo-halo arrives served in a tall sundae cup, a napkin wedged underneath it—they know you’re going to make a mess after mixing all the ingredients together.
The bright purple of the ube halaya and the deep yellow of langka compete for attention, but they’re outdone by the red diced gulaman sitting on top of ice cream peppered with almost neon-green rice krispies.
This halo-halo is meant to be shared, as the layers of shaved ice, langka, ube, coconut, ice cream all overflow and overwhelm the senses.
Barrio Fiesta’s halo-halo is filling, the flavour not too sweet, and it hits the sweet spot, that delicate balance of shaved-ice-to-ingredient ratio.
Not to be outdone, the sizzling sisig is perfect paired with garlic rice and egg. The sisig had a tad more fat than usual, and could use a bit more heat—perhaps more pepper? chili? Not sure.
Order the sisig meal for best value, at $16.
Other items on their extensive menu include kalderetang kambing, dinuguan, dinakdakan, Bicol Express, kare-kare, sinigang, and adobo, among other meals.
Prices are a bit higher, but they more than make up for it with the generous servings. Halo-halo, for example, costs $14.
The dessert menu isn’t as varied, with ginataang bilo-bilo and turon with the halo-halo offering.
Overall, the restaurant has a fun, casual vibe, with Filipino murals and tiki umbrellas keeping the Filipino spirit alive in Calgary.
Barrio Fiesta Restaurant is located at 168 -170 6800 Memorial Drive N.E. in Calgary, Alberta.
Watch our restaurant video here.
