Pronunciation: 'Poo-ra Buh'yezza

Type of Business: Breakfast/brunch/lunch haven nestled inside a bright space full of interesting collection of artworks and handicrafts

First Impression: Charming

Impression After 27 Visits: Charming

Number of Tables: 4 and sufficient

Parking: Plenty on Western and sidestreets

Don't Miss: Breakfast wrap, breakfast croissant, vege omelet, paninis

Must-Have Drinks: Freshly squeezed OJ, freshly made coffee - per cup, mind you

Looking Forward To: Expanded smoothie menu

Occasional Eye Candy: Well-behaved canine faithfully sitting on the sidewalk while his/her owner is enjoying a breakfast wrap and freshly squeezed OJ inside

Extremely Jealous Of: Their gigantic OJ juicer

Conclusion: An oasis in the desert of the Western strip

So I went there for lunch today. Got there just after they opened at 11:30am and it was pretty quiet, so I sat by the sushi bar.

"Economy is bad," said the owner/chef. "And business too."

I ordered a lunch special: Giant bowl of miso ramen with ground pork and a fried rice. When my face finally re-emerged from the now-empty ramen bowl, this place was almost filled.

With all Japanese.

When you see mostly asians in an asian restaurant, you know it's done something right. Whether it's the no-nonsense menu, cozy space, homey decor, sweet scent of green tea, or murmur of Japanese you don't understand, there's just something magical about this place.

Tough times? I'd say, only true survivors shine.

In an otherwise touristy corner of downtown Banff, The Bison made us feel right at home.

We liked it so much, we dined there - and met the same waitress - twice. We have no shame.

Dinner starts with warm multi-grain bread with organic butter, served in a tree-bark bowl. It's so good I could fill up from this alone. Seriously.

Order their red wine onion soup and red curry mussels and you're all set. I dare you to dip the bread in the mussel curry. What follows - the moaning and possibly involuntary gastronomical orgasm - may invite excessive staring from diners nearby. But you'll be too busy enjoying the moment to care.

Should you still be hungry - you overweight bastards, er, foodies - go for their roasted leg of lamb, crisp roast chicken, or salmon. Whether it's the bed of mashed potato or toasted hazelnut, no ingredient is superfluous. Everything meshes in perfect harmony.

When you're all good and satiated, wipe the remaining drool off your mouth and go sit on the sofa in the lounge area. Sip their brown-sugar mojito.

Moan again. You'll be back.

Goat has never tasted this good.

Goat cheese, that is. Whether it's served as a dip with crunchy garlic bread, or in the form of cheesecake sprinkled with toasted hazelnut - also crunchy - it's gastronomical perfection from the beginning to the end.

We simply couldn't get enough of them cheese.

For non-goat cheese entrees:

+ Scallop. Four humongous pieces sit on the corners of a buttery mountain of mashed potato and crispy onion. The scallops are pan seared on both sides. Looks good, taste even better.

+ Duck confit. Guess this leg of ours really cooked in its own fat for a while. The flavor penetrated the skin like Keira Knightley penetrates every man's heart. I almost - ALMOST - picked up the bone to lick it, then I remembered it wasn't Chinatown.

+ Salmon as catch du jour. Glazed with horseradish honey and cooked all the way through, this rich protein source melted in my mouth, like Keira Knightley melts... oh never mind.

My experiences with upscale restaurants have been consistent: The smaller the menu, the better the food. Briejo is just as well the epitome of this statement.

This place exudes a sense of coolness and warmth simultaneously. I particularly enjoyed the junkyard-inspired lampshade above my table. Briejo is located in the heart of art district and there's no shortage of creativity here.

The wait staff was energetic and professional. Owners Bridget and Jo - hence "Briejo" - hovered the floor all night making sure everyone's happy. And happy was everyone.

Especially after consuming an abnormally large amount of goat cheese.