Calgary’s Historic Silver Inn: Closed Oct 9, 2022

Silver Inn Closed – End of an Era

The Silver Inn restaurant in Calgary is now closed. Widely famous as the birthplace of the delicious Peking inspired dish Ginger Beef, invented by Chinese Chef George Wong in 1975, the Silver Inn restaurant closed tonight October 9th, 2022 serving up its last plate of Ginger Beef to local customer and author of this blog King Calgary. Said King, “The ginger beef is a Calgary legend, I have been coming here since I was a kid in 1975. There is no chance I was not going to be on the list of private reservations for the last week they are open. I am honored to be the final customer.”

While the Silver Inn restaurant in Calgary may be now closed, the family says that they are still working on plans for their future and that one day a version of the Silver Inn could resurface with a new look and location. The iconic original location appears set for redevelopment though and as the City of Calgary revitalizes it appears that the original building will be torn down soon. Time will tell what is built in its place or how soon a new version of The Silver Inn may appear.

George Wong’s Silver Inn Ginger Beef Recipe

For those who fancy themselves cooks, this is the original authentic recipe from the Silver Inn as shared by George.

Ingredients for the beef

• 1 pound flank steak , sliced thinly against the grain
• oil for deep frying

Ingredients for the batter:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 tablespoon white pepper
• 2-3 cups oil

Ingredients for the vegetables:

• 1 large carrot, finely julienned
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, finely julienned
• 1 green bell pepper, finely julienned
• 6 cloves garlic, finely julienned
• large root of ginger, finely julienned

Ingredients for sauce:

• 1/4 cu soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed chilies

Instructions for batter:

1. Combine all ingredients, toss beef in batter
2. Deep-fry strips of beef until crispy

Instructions for sauce:

1. Stir fry vegetables until crispy; add sauce
2. Bring to boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat
3. Add beef; stir to coat with sauce

Calgary Restaurants Closing

This is the second legendary Chinese restaurant in Calgary to close. Just last month the Golden Inn shuttered its doors after decades of being in business. Both of these restaurants hail from a day when Chinese cuisine was foreign and exotic, cooked by families who came directly from China as immigrants, and were introducing such unique foreign foods and flavors to the Western Canada marketplace. After fifty years, much has changed. Even though dining out has become much more commonplace than the 1970’s when these great restaurants were all launched in Calgary, the recent pandemic period and the health restrictions which were forced upon all by the Government and Health Authorities was devastating to the hospitality industry, including restaurants, pubs, Calgary bars, and event spaces. I am hopeful that consumers will remember how great these places were and we can revive those experiences to be as good or better than they were a few years ago. We need to.

Calgary Businesses Closed

Many other Calgary businesses closed during or after the pandemic restrictions devastated the economy and altered customers behavior patterns. So many other long standing Calgary pubs, clubs, bars, and restaurants also closed. I noticed that at least 3 of the venues which were famous for hosting live music in Calgary have shut down, making it much more of a challenge for anyone in the Calgary music scene to get exposure locally. Here are some of the other places that I have noticed have closed down. Ceilis downtown closed up in August, although it is reopening as something else soon. The Blind Beggar Smokehouse on Macleod Trail south couldn’t survive. Grumans Deli shut the doors. Live event space Koi also lost their lease and were closed. The Bad Pie Shop and Shakalaka are also on the list of places that have disappeared. There are definitely less unique places to dine and many fewer places to hear Calgary live music and events.

Support Calgary Restaurants

These food and drink venues join the long list of Calgary restaurants that are now closed down. They now join the ranks of Anju, 4th Street Rose, Cilantro, 4 Brothers, Ox & Angela, Bar Von Der Fels, Wurst, Morgan’s Pub, The Melrose Cafe and so many others that once were well known and wildly popular dining establishments. The restaurant industry is tough. If you enjoy going out, dining out, catching a live music show, then please make sure to support your local favorite venues so that one day they are not on this list.

~ King Calgary

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