If you want someone to write a thorough restaurant review, I’m your girl. I may not be adept at picking out obscure “notes” lingering in the wings, but I will arrive hungry, try anything and pay deep attention to the way food hits the palate, and how every ingredient is married. I will be discerning yet fair. Adventurous and appreciative. I will probably even dance a little in my seat as each course arrives. Because me and food? We’re good friends.

The food we enjoyed at The Post Hotel & Spa was so exceptional, so magnificent, that it warranted its own separate post.

One thing that really stood out (and we very much enjoyed) was the European service, whereby your server will not clear plates until everyone at the table is finished eating. I so prefer this to the more typical North American clear-as-they’re-done style, which makes me — who is a slow eater — feel rushed.

Servers in every restaurant were exceptional and without meaning to offend any of them, I just have to give a shout-out to Olivier who was our server the night we invited four friends to join us for dinner. We are not a quiet bunch, and there were BIG personalities all around the table. We’re a group who isn’t afraid of banter. And Olivier ran with it. He snapped back with quick-witted humour and somehow managed to entertain us well beyond when we should have stayed (considering we were the last ones in the dining room that night).

There are three distinct restaurants at The Post, each deserving of its own section and accolades:

THE POST HOTEL RESTAURANT

BREAKFAST

The Post Hotel’s main restaurant is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, we had the Swiss Rösti Skillet not once but twice, making sure it was our final meal before check-out so the flavour lingered all the way to the airport.

Rosti.

We also enjoyed the Croque Madame, Traditional Eggs Benedict, Brioche French Toast and Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes. The hollandaise sauce made in-house could solve world peace.

DINNER

We ate dinner here nearly every night, not only so we could try as much as possible on the menu to tell you all about it, but also because once we had our first dinner there, we simply couldn’t resist returning. The food is magic. Every bite inexplicably better than the last.

Favourites included:

• The daily terrine and pate — which one night was a venison and rabbit terrine wrapped in some kind of magnificent cured meat, set alongside a foie gras gateau (think a cake slice of foie gras mousse with a midsection of quince jelly) and a poached quail egg. I could have eaten the entire gateau, without questions; could easily be shared by two people
• Torchon of Québec “Rougie” foie gras — served with a dried fruit bread that will make all other fruit breads (including those made by your aunt using your great-great-grandmother’s cherished recipe) seem dull and too sweet by comparison, this is a delectable, spreadable foie gras that’s rich and fluffy, served with Hawaiian lava salt (yep, black salt!) and a glorious honey reduction blended with port (OMG!); could easily be shared by two people
• Bisque of Atlantic lobster — this is a thinner bisque, so if you prefer the heavier, creamy style, this might not be for you. However, it’s heavy on the lobster flavour so lobster purists will rejoice

Lobster bisque.

• Alberta heirloom tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella — one of the most gorgeous Caprese-style salads I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating, topped with Modena balsamic vinegar, aged 30 years; not only shareable between two people but can be split into two portions if requested (but if I had a do-over, I’d keep the whole serving for myself)

Heirloom tomato salad.

• Homemade potato gnocchi with red wine-braised Wagyu short rib — it doesn’t take much to conjure the memory of this dish, which was bursting with flavour and layer upon layer of texture. Even though it’s a app, it would be big enough as a small main dish, too

Wagyu gnocchi.

• Whole roasted Northwest Territories caribou striploin — I’ve had elk before and this was similar in terms of gaminess; I’m not sure whether it’s the cut of meat itself or the way it’s prepared in The Post’s kitchen, but this caribou was silky and could have been cut with the side of a spoon. Ask for it medium-rare (which is the chef’s recommendation) and it’ll be the perfect red but clean on the plate. I also really enjoyed the accompanying “schupfnoodles,” which are like a cross between a French fry and a string of spatzle

Caribou.

• Pan-seared “Rougie” duck breast — duck can be hit or miss in restaurants and as someone who really LOVES a good duck dish, it makes me really sad when I order a breast or leg and the skin isn’t done right or its overcooked. Fear not at The Post, because it is everything a duck lover dreams of
• Alberta range-fed bison tenderloin— this was our server’s suggestion and two or three people at our table ordered it. I tried a bite and couldn’t decide which I liked more, my caribou or the bison. It’s a thick-cut steak and also melts in the mouth (as evidenced by the collective sighs around the table)
• Emincé of beef tenderloin “Stroganoff”— when something’s been on a menu for 35 years, you try it. And try it, we did. It’s an edgier and more interesting stroganoff than the classic version (which is clearly why the menu has quotation marks around the word “stroganoff”), with a bit of bite and a mouthful of flavour; note that this is a large serving
• Châteaubriand of Alberta range-fed Angus beef — although the menu says this is a serving for two, it’s a lie. It’s a serving for three or four people easily! This thing is HUGE. I think Olivier said it was 32 ounces but it looked like 50 if I’m being honest. And sometimes large cuts of meat, while they can look extraordinary, end up being merely ordinary. After all, to find a steak that large that’s perfectly marbled and yet not gristly and on top of that cook it perfectly all the way through…well, that’s a tall order. Executive Chef Hans Sauter just doesn’t mess around, though, and he NAILS this dish too

Chateaubriand.

• Pan-seared miso-marinated fillet of BC black cod— whenever there’s black cod on a menu, I usually order it. Unlike regular cod and most fish, it’s not dry and flaky. When cooked properly, like it is at The Post Hotel’s restaurant, it’s moist and has more of a slick texture that makes every bite delightful. This one was washed in miso, which complemented the light taste of the black cod so beautifully

Black cod.

• I should add that every night there’s a six-course tasting menu; it changes daily and there’s an optional wine pairing! I usually love tasting menus but there were so many things on the regular menu that I was excited to try that I never went for it

There were six people at our table and everyone agreed that our shared experience at The Post — between food quality, quantity and presentation, service and ambiance — exceeded any expectations we had and was in the top three meals of our lives. ALL SIX PEOPLE.

DESSERT

• Dark chocolate blackberry mousse — served with fresh blackberries and a coconut blackberry sorbet, this dessert will ruin you for all other mousses…maybe for the rest of your life. #SorryNotSorry

Chocolate mousse.

• Warm Dark Callebaut Chocolate Cake — this was Olivier’s suggestion and he didn’t steer me wrong. It’s like a lava cake, but way, way better. Callebaut, incidentally, is a chocolatier from Alberta with whom The Post Hotel & Spa restaurant has partnered for many years (and trust me when I tell you that this guy makes killer chocolate). Served with homemade vanilla ice cream and a raspberry coulis, this was my favourite dessert of the bunch

Callebaut Chocolate Cake.

• Coupe Danemark — this is so simple yet so elegant. It’s homemade vanilla ice cream with what the menu insufficiently describes as “hot chocolate sauce.” No, friends. No. It’s not merely like a drizzle of sauce hanging over your ice cream scoop. It’s a gravy boat of gorgeous, silky Callebaut dark chocolate that’s hand-poured for you once this dessert is delivered to your table. If I didn’t know better, I would have guzzled the chocolate straight from the gravy boat into my wanton mouth

FONDUE STÜBLI

If you don’t do fondue after a big day on the slopes, does the day even count? I’m not so sure. The two go so well together.

What must be described as a restaurant within a restaurant, Fondue Stübli is a small, wood fire-warmed room adjacent to the main dining area. With its own servers and its own menu; but you can also order cold or hot appetizers from the other restaurant.

The décor is still reminiscent of the owner’s Swiss heritage and passion for skiing (he ran the Ski School at Lake Louise Ski Resort for many years), and you won’t need to wear a sweater in here because of the fireplace.

Again with the portion expectations at The Post. Holy wow. We ordered the traditional cheese fondue, which says is “for 2.” We are two larger-than-average humans with healthy appetites and there was NO CHANCE we were going to finish that fondue (even if we hadn’t started with an appetizer). It was enormous and could have fed six. It is not a pot of cheese — it’s a vat.

The fondue comes with a big basket of fresh, diced baguette — that comes from Laggan’s bakery in the little village across the bridge beside the hotel — just ready to be dipped in the cheese, which is mixed with kirsch and even has some Oka thrown in for some added Canadian flair. I actually ate much more than I should have because it was the tastiest fondue I’ve ever had.

We also felt like we had to try the chocolate fondue for dessert, also apparently “for 2.” (No, no — again, this is a dessert that could certainly feed four to six people.) The Chef has again used the Callebaut chocolate and it’s paired with a beautiful fruit platter filled with slices of mango, bananas, strawberries, Mandarin oranges, pineapples and an assortment of sweets to boot. This is a must.

THE OUTPOST

The Outpost is billed as a pub, but gastropub would be more appropriate. Truly the only downside is that as a guest of the hotel you have to walk outside to get there! I suppose that makes it much more like a separate entity for those not staying at The Post, though, because you don’t have to walk through the hotel to find it.

More great service here, matched by fabulous food. It’s elevated pub-style eats all done with the same level of excellence we experienced in the other two restaurants at The Post Hotel & Spa.

Two of us had the baked traditional French onion soup (probably the two most discerning diners at the table out of the group) and concurred that it was one of the best ever. I know I keep writing that but it’s true.

Honestly, everything we ate was “the best” or “one of the best” things we’ve had in our lives. There’s a reason that Condé Nast awarded The Post Hotel & Spa “Best Food in the Americas” on its Traveler’s Gold List.

The Outpost Burger was everything a burger should be (right down the the Alberta prime beef patty) and the fries that came with it were chip truck-worthy.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a proper mention of the Wild Land Caeser at The Outpost, all dressed up and ready to be Instagrammed. It has a slice of bison jerky on it, after all. And it doesn’t just look good — it’s one damn fine Caeser.

The Caeser.

Obviously, you need to start planning your visit to Lake Louise…even if it’s just for the food.

DISCLAIMER: The Post Hotel & Spa hosted our stay, but all opinions are my own.