Curious diners can move from lamb tartare and Hokkaido scallop to bison, sablefish, and vegetable cappelletti without losing the thread of the meal. Familiar steakhouse cues stay present, but the accompaniments and regional proteins keep the order from becoming predictable.

Block rewards diners who want familiar anchors and a few left turns in the same meal. Bao, bison tartare with bone marrow, Hiyashi Chuka, Tokyo Fries and shio koji salmon make the menu feel more exploratory than a standard downtown bar order.

This is the Banff pick for diners curious about ostrich, rattlesnake when available, buffalo, venison, elk, alligator, and other game-meat fondue routes.

Brazen rewards diners who want familiar ingredients pushed a little sideways: smoked trout in doughnut form, bison carpaccio, duck wings, and a playful Ginger Beef plate all create useful discovery points.

Crawfish buckets, etouffee, seafood gumbo, hot sauces, and Cajun-Creole breakfast plates give curious diners a wider lane than the safest Banff dinner order. It is still approachable, but the best parts of the menu reward people who want something less expected.