Tag: diners

Sweet Potato Goodness: Dadeo

Between my last visit to the Whyte Avenue favourite Dadeo (10548A 82 Avenue) and brunch there on Sunday, it seems the folks behind the diner opened a second location out in Vancouver. Good for them.

Most often recognized for their sweet potato fries, the low-key, relaxed atmosphere, smooth blues soundtrack, and fun decor such as vivid red booths and tabletop jukeboxes are also worth mentioning.

Booth

We were met with a modest gathering outside of the restaurant before the doors opened at noon. We took our time with the Cajun and Creole-inspired menu, and though the Southern fried chicken and gumbo were tempting, we all ended up ordering a Po’Boy (their version of a sandwich, served on a French loaf with coleslaw and a choice of side). Priced between $10-11, it was an easy decision to pay an additional $1 to upgrade our sides to sweet potato fries.

Like the time the bearer of coffee at Nellie’s tortured us with the visual of a full coffee pot, it was a clear half hour of seeing other people’s dishes waltz by our table before our own plates were delivered. A small biscuit topped with jalapeno jelly could only satiate each of us for so long.

Biscuits and jalapeno jelly

Thankfully, the food was ultimately worth the wait. The pulled pork in my po’boy was tender and flavourful, the meat’s juices complimented with a sweet BBQ sauce. Mack’s breakfast po’boy looked and tasted like an egg scramble on bread, which didn’t turn out to be an unsatisfying way to start out the day. The crown jewel of our meal was indeed the sweet potato fries – whatever spicy, salty seasoning they use to finish the golden pieces really elevate them beyond what they are – battered and fried root vegetables.

Our po’boys

Pulled Pork Po’Boy

Breakfast Po’Boy

One of Whyte Avenue’s best deals can be found at Dadeo on Monday and Tuesday. Forget pasta frenzy at Chianti’s – head to the cool diner for po’boys on special for just $8 – and remember to upgrade your fries.

Dadeo
10548A 82 Avenue
780.433.0930
Monday to Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sundays noon-10pm, closed Wednesdays

Quick, Quick, Slow: Nellie’s

Over a week after my visit to Nellie’s, I’m finally getting around to posting about it.

Nellie’s, a diner with five locations in Calgary, has a near-cult following. Always on top of FFWD’s Best Breakfast/Brunch list, Mack got quite the excited reactions from some native Calgarians at BarCamp when he revealed he would be testing out their brunch on Sunday.

I didn’t have a preference as to which location to patronize, but after some consultation  with Google Maps, we determined that Nellie’s On 4th (2308 4 Street SW) made reasonable sense – off the well-trod 17th Avenue strip, its proximity to two other branches within walking distance gave us some flexibility in case the wait at 4th was unbearable.

Nellie’s On 4th

We approached the door and joined a lineup that extended outside the restaurant – it didn’t look good. Moments later, however, much to my surprise – we were seated at a table by the window. The space was larger than I expected it to be (or at least, crammed tables together so that dining neighbours were close). We were offered coffee shortly after settling in, and took some time to peruse two pages of extensive options. All brunch items were priced under $10 (with the exception of a monstrous-sounding plate of French Toast with all the fixings). The selection of omelettes and other breakfast favorites was better than most diners I have visited, but after careful consideration, I decided on the Farmer’s Omelette while Mack chose the Hash Brown Omelette.

Menu

After our swift service through the front door and at our table, we expected the rest of our meal to run as smoothly. Unfortunately, the food took quite a long time to reach us. While not an unforgivable sin, given the steady stream of customers, compared to Diner Deluxe, Avenue Diner, and most recently, Galaxie Diner, their order-to-table time was slow. To make matters worse, we didn’t even have the option of sipping coffee while we waited – Mack tried numerous times to make eye contact with the waitress holding court over coffee refills, but to no avail. It almost seemed like she was teasing us – toting the pot of coffee near our area…only to turn away at the last moment. Mack commented that one should never have to ask for coffee in a diner, a statement that I agree with wholeheartedly.

Always Twitter-ing

Our food eventually arrived, heaping and brimming over the edge of our plates. Mack’s omelette definitely looked like the more exciting of the two, speckled with bacon crisps. My dish was extremely filling, particularly with the generous portion of hash browns on the side.

Hash Brown Omelette

Farmer’s Omelette

While not disappointing, Nellie’s didn’t quite live up to their mythic reputation. I’d be willing to try out another location (the Cosmic Cafe looks fun), or simply return to one of my diner favorites in Calgary.

“What are our other options?” Denny’s

Edmonton has a dearth of late night dining spots, especially early on in the week (I am vainly hoping for a time when Edmonton can support late night hot dog stands a la Toronto). So after Die-Nasty, Mack and I resorted to the southside Denny’s (3604 Gateway Boulevard) for a bite to eat.

I don’t really have anything against Denny’s (unlike, say, Earls), but given the choice, I’d pick other family-friendly establishments like Boston Pizza or Swiss Chalet any day. Still, nothing beats reasonably priced all-day breakfast plates.

I can’t remember a time where I’ve ordered anything but breakfast at Denny’s, and I didn’t think to buck the trend this time, opting for the Meat Lover’s Scramble (two eggs scrambled with chopped bacon, diced ham and crumbled sausage, and topped with Cheddar cheese, served with two strips of bacon, two sausage links, hash browns and three fluffy buttermilk pancakes). Mack ordered the new Slamburger, unique for the inclusion of an egg cooked to order.

The food wasn’t anything special, but as to be expected, was reliably filling. And though I wouldn’t describe the fare as “high quality,” there’s something to be said for their consistency.

Slamburger and Seasoned Fries
Meat Lover’s Scramble

Off to Glutton-Land: Urban Diner

On Wednesday, after a rather tumultuous day at work, I joined Annie, Dickson and Mack for a round of comfort food at Urban Diner (12427 102 Avenue).

Probably my second favorite diner in the city (following, of course, Blue Plate), I quite enjoy the food and ambiance there. Typically more happenin’ on weekend mornings, the restaurant had a moderate number of customers when we were seated. Though I had initially craved their Diner Meatloaf, I was torn when I remembered they also had Fat Franks on the menu. Luckily, Mack agreed to split the latter dish with me, so off to glutton-land I went.
The food took longer than expected, which was likely a blessing in disguise, allowing me to build-up my appetite to accommodate a dish and a half. I was floored when our orders were delivered – the meatloaf was easily twice the size of Blue Plate’s offering (but with steamed, not grilled, vegetables – boo). Without tomato sauce to blanch the flavor, and the added pizzazz from the cranberry chutney and creamy mushroom gravy, I think I’ll have to admit that Urban Diner wins the meatloaf round of the “diner war.” The hot dog was also quite good; Mack wasn’t so impressed, but I found the char marks lent much flavor to the meat.
I can honestly tell you that although I thoroughly enjoyed my meals, I will never again order so much food: it turns out gluttony can be a form of self-punishment.
Restaurant interior
Diner Meatloaf
Hot Dog
Shepherds Pie
Fish ‘N Chips

Comfortable and Without Pretension: Route 99 Diner

Like Barb & Ernie’s, I passed by Route 99 Diner (8820-99 Street) innumerable times, always remarking how I wanted to eat there. I loved the juxtaposition between upscale and “down-home,” so for our real meal of the evening, I suggested that we head to the diner. From the outside, Route 99 looks every bit like a traditional roadside stopover – boxy, bright, lined with windows, and dotted with “all day breakfast” signage. Inside, complete with cozy booths, a jukebox, working traffic light and rescued licence plates and gas station memorabilia, the space definitively screamed “diner” (I particularly enjoyed the meta Nighthawks wall hanging).

The menu contained nothing unexpected, with a mix of requisite breakfast and dinner items, including omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, and pizzas. Mack decided upon the evening-appropriate Diner Burger, while for the sheer novelty of it, I asked for a plate of French Toast and Sausages (and thankfully, no Grand Marnier in sight). We also agreed to split an order of poutine.

Our food came relatively quickly (though as Mack noted, the dishes shouldn’t be that difficult to pull together). First of all, the serving of poutine was huge! Even between the two of us, we weren’t able to finish it (photo evidence below). As for our individual orders, Mack found no fault with his burger, but I wasn’t as impressed with the French Toast. Though complete with a nice dusting of powdered sugar, the bread was a bit tougher than ideal. The sausage was prepared in an interesting fashion, however – flayed, which would not only encourage a faster cooking time, but also allow for a more even crisp on the outside. It’s a technique I will try myself sometime.

With good service and not an ounce of pretension, Route 99 is a friendly, not-off-the-beaten-track option for the hungry.

Restaurant interior
Counter (with working traffic light above!)
Jukebox
Menu
Poutine!
Mack’s Diner Burger
Condiment Stand
My French Toast and Sausages
Leftover Poutine

“Solo Mish”: Blue Plate Diner

I watch movies alone at the theatre once in a while, and have been doing so for as long as I can remember (sad but true fact: there was a period where Bridget Jones was probably as much of a friend as anyone I knew in person). Inspired by an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie has lunch on her own at a sidewalk café, I wanted to get over the fear of eating alone at a restaurant.

So tonight, before attending a speaking event, I headed to the Blue Plate Diner for the ultimate in comfort food – meatloaf.

Walking in, I found it incredibly empowering just uttering the words “for one, please.” While I admit this could very well be one of my disillusioned soapbox moments, I could appreciate the feeling of freedom that comes with not having to dine with another, or select the always inspiring food court alternative. The hostess discriminatingly sat me against a wall (as opposed to a window), I’m sure to discourage the thought from pedestrians passing by that Blue Plate was the sterling choice for loners and workaholics. In that vein, I did haul out some writing to do, so in a sense masked my solo meal in a cloud of acceptable busyness. Perhaps that is my next step – to do as Carrie did and not hide behind books or stacks of paper.

As for the food, I’ve had the Herbed Meatloaf enough times to know what to expect – the best grilled vegetables in the city (maybe it’s the charcoal?), homemade mashed potatoes, and a hearty slice of ground beef heaven. I know I’ve complained in the past about the tomato sauce smothered on top, but I’ve come to like it as a sweet additive to the dish along the lines of last week’s Chicken Cannoli at Moxie’s.

So I can now cross off “eat at a restaurant alone” from my list of 43 Things. Hurrah!

Restaurant interior

The eternally cute “Drinking Jar”

Herbed Meatloaf with Grilled Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes

Charmingly Urban: Blue Plate Diner

I mention Blue Plate Diner (10145-104 Street) so often that you’d think I’d eat there more frequently, so I was more than happy to return on Friday night for dinner with Mack.

Just stepping into the restaurant makes me happy. Located in the warehouse district, the dining room retains some of the original brick, adorned with contemporary art, and accented with aged windows utilized as table dividers. I love the ambiance in the evenings, with swoony ’50s music, the natural buzz of conversation, and dim, candlelit tables.

The menu isn’t anything spectacular, but it’s like my favorite sweater – comfortable and good for all occasions. Something unique that they do offer is their Friday night dinner specials, with two featured dishes every week (and yes, it does remind me of dinner at the Gilmore residence). I ordered one of the two specials, a winter vegetable pie served with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. Mack chose the beef burger and regular fries.

I forgot my camera (the photos below are from their website), so you’ll have to bear with text, but the pie was huge! Baked in a large dish and topped off with a puff pastry crust, it was teeming with carrots, mushrooms, and fennel root (to me, tasted like a cross between celery and onions). It was a satisfying dish that wasn’t too heavy, and a great choice on a cold night. Mack’s said his from-scratch fries were good, and polished off his burger in no time!

Needless to say, I’ll be back!

Ambiance
Table for two