The Highwood

It hurts me to write this review. I don’t really know why our experience is so much different than everyone else’s on here, but wow… what a disappointing dining experience. Perhaps our friends have hyped it up too much for us. Perhaps our expectations were set way too high. We keep making excuses in different scenarios yet I cannot get over the fact how much I disliked tonight’s dinner.
Full review on blog:

I would give it 5 stars for just the value of the lunch alone! Went here with my bf for lunch and it was $ 36 for the both of us and our app ($ 6), 2 entrées ($ 12×2) and dessert ($ 6). I didn’t expect it to be so cheap compared to how it feels sitting there with all of the proper place settings and the uniformly clad students.
Personally, I didn’t mind that some of the student servers were nervous — THW is an educational simulation and really really valuable for the culinary students who were eager, polite and honest. I thought they were really cute, actually, and it made the experience more fun. (Our server was flambéeing beef at our table and couldn’t start the fire, but the way the experience is set up kind of works around any embarrassing mistake? The instructors are walking around as well and one of them helped immediately) In addition, it was interesting to hear how they pulled things off here.
We both enjoyed the food and had fun sharing things. The tables in THW are spaced apart quite nicely so it’s not too… much of a … shared dining experience.
I’m only taking a star off because my bf and I didn’t really like the fish we ordered at all — it was quite dry and bland. I thought the chocolate truffle we had fot dessert was good but unremarkable.
I would visit again in the years coming to witness the skill of each batch of students!

The Highwood is the WHL to the NHL of Calgary’s restaurant scene. Far greener on paper and thus lacking some of the finesse when compared to the pro-​star chefs Calgary is becoming globally recognized for, but the SAIT Culinary students that create The Highwood are bursting with talent and an undeniable passion passion to be the best. When you compare the experience to the cost, The Highwood is absolutely unreal.
They do a lunch buffet every Thursday but you’ve got to make your reservations early — they’re always completely booked and it’s no surprise why. For $ 24 you get access to an all-​you-​can-​eat buffet curated by some of the best up and comers out there.
There’s even one future chef standing next to each item ready to give you the full guided tour of their project. It’s like the most delicious science fair you’ve ever experienced. It’s even fun to get your inner foodie judge on and try pick a winner for the day.
Not only is this the only all-​you-​can-​eat buffet in Calgary I would ever even think of attending, it is by far the only one where you can get included table-​side Cherry’s Jubilee.
Highwood, you rocked my world today. I can’t wait to share you with the world!
Huge thanks to Paul G. for introducing me to The Highwood and their awesome Thursday buffets.
Paul knows what’s up in the YYC. Read his reviews here:

The Highwood is probably one of the best-​kept secrets of the dining scene in Calgary. The Culinary School at SAIT runs the Highwood Dining Room, a live classroom environment where students put their training and skills to work under the guidance and supervision of their instructors.
The Culinary School is rated as one of the best in Canada and the Highwood as one of the best restaurants in Calgary. It is first and foremost a classroom so hours are limited to weekdays. The Highwood is open for lunch from Monday to Fridays with 11:30 am and 12 pm seatings and dinner Monday to Thursdays with seatings at 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m. The Highwood is also only open from mid-​September to mid-​December and then from mid-​January to about the end of May, 1^st week of June. Reservations are taken in 2 month intervals. Reservations for November and December start around the 3^rd week of September.
They feature a buffet lunch on Thursdays and getting in on this takes perseverance. I have tried to get a reservation for several years and only succeeded by making sure I started phoning at 8 a.m. on the 1^st day of reservations. It is only in recent years that the Highwood has allowed for on-​line reservations but Thursday buffet reservations are still restricted to phone-​in first; on-​line reservations are allowed only after all phone in reservations are cleared.
The students are trained in all aspects from being a pastry chef to an executive chef and the food prepared reflects the high standards expected of them. The food is equivalent to what is served in some of the finest commercially run restaurants, the difference is the price; Thursday buffet runs at $ 25/​per person plus GST. Dinner is a 5-​course meal for $ 46 plus GST, gratuities not included. Service is always excellent; what else can you expect when your server is under the scrutiny of their instructor and being graded on how they perform? Lunch is also very reasonably priced, appetizers are $ 6 and entrees are mostly $ 12.
Parking is a little complicated, the Highwood offers a flat rate parking fee but only in certain lots at SAIT; check the parking information they provide on their website. The noise level in the dining room can be a little loud. The décor is a little dated and hasn’t changed in decades but considering the education cuts I expect that spending funds on furniture and décor is not a priority of a culinary program. The dining room has a pleasant bright atmosphere. Food is well worth the visit.

I went to both lunch buffet and dinner.
Food was ok at both. … so why the 2 stars?
Well, I just quite didn’t think it through and yes of course they are students and it’s a classroom environment, so I should have expected it…
The servers/​students that I encountered were sooooo nervous and it was just awkward the whole time with my interactions with them. Yes they tried their best. I just think that if you’re going to enter the service industry you should have some social skills and enjoy talking to people! haha. Too much to expect?! :P

Incredible place to eat. Delicious food and the staff does a great job with providing the customers with wonderful service.

I think that the highwood is an excellent institution. It is so cute with the students, they are eager and try their best. The food last night was acceptable. Our highlight was the dessert table. If you go on Thursday, they have a dessert buffet. The cheesecake was delicious and they were really accommodating for my gluten free request. I only wish the soup portion was larger.
I went once to the Thursday lunch buffet and that is a fantastic show. The terrines and desserts were incredible.

I will definitely go back and support them. the whole experience was awesome once again… the only thing that was a bummer was my tomato soup… piggy bank cried for a small bowl $ 6. Because it’s s specialty of the day. i still gave high rating because the main was really awesome (grilled steelhead fish for $ 12)…always leave room for dessert, i tried apple & cranberry crumble YUMMY! my mom had the chocolate tarte… rich and melts in your mouth ($ 6 each) presentation makes you dont wanna ruin it. Parking is lot 5 which is close to the establishment – $ 5 the first hour, and $ 1.50 for succeeding.

The SAIT Highwood is an interactive learning facility where the food and drinks are prepared by students and the servers are from the Hospitality faculty. I can’t say much about Highwood since the experience varies each semester with different batches of students. Nonetheless, I still think it’s a worthwhile visit to support the students, and it has one of the cheapest 5 course meals ($ 46) you can find in Calgary. They also have a «Thursday Lunch Buffet» with hot, cold and dessert items that I heard was a fantastic deal.
The 5 course dinner consists of an appetizer, daily soup, salad, main, and dessert. They have several choices for each course and daily features. I was pretty full by the end of the meal, but if you are a hearty eater this may not be the place for you since the portions are small and «fine dining-​esque». Drinks are about $ 5 each and are made by students from SAIT’s mixology course, which I took a few years ago.
The Highwood is only opened Monday to Thursday with reservations so the students can focus and practice on a limited number of people. Each table has their own beverage and food server to take your order.
The restaurant is a little outdated, but the atmosphere is not too fussy. Expect your meal to take at least one and a half to two hours because the main course tends to be delayed if the kitchen is backed up.
Overall, I suggest a visit to support the students and initiative. I can definitely vouch that this sort of practice is really helpful and meaningful. Don’t expect top notch restaurant quality service/​food, but if you happen to stumble upon a great bunch of people then all the better.