Gwailo

New restaurant Gwailo quietly opened in Inglewood April 1, offering Hong Kong-adjacent cuisine under the direction of co-owners Jason Wankel and Chef Chris Wong. When Gorilla Whale closed, these two teamed up to open this new space, retaining most of the staff. Born in Hong Kong, Wong moved to Canada at an early age only to return to Hong Kong as an adult. He was affectionately called “Gwailo” during his time in Hong Kong, not because he was foreign, but because he grew up outside of the country and was known to approach things in a western way. The name suits the eatery, as it offers its interpretation of Hong Kong cuisine with a westernized twist. Wong’s career spans working in a French bistro, Italian eatery, a Chinese restaurant in Sheung Wan and a vegan start-up before returning to Calgary. These international influences can be seen on his menu, which offers an assortment of delicious bites perfect for sharing. We dove right into the dry-aged, crispy-skin half chicken made Hong Kong-style with ginger scallion salsa, house hot sauce, kung pao mayo, miso-buttered green beans, seasoned rice and a mixed green salad. A couple of shao kao sticks in beef and lamb, spicy mouth-watering cucumbers, house-made leche flan and an ice cream sundae rounded out our meal. This quaint eatery seats 75 and is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Gwailo | 1214 9th Ave. S.E. | 403.226.9883 | gwailo.ca

Editor’s note: This location is reported permanently closed, December 2022