Noorish? ... For sure-ish!

I apologize for taking so long to do a blog. Especially given the fact that one of my new years resolutions was to be more productive in general and specifically to write more blogs. There's no excuses really BUT I did just recently move and we all know that's INVOLVED and sucks big time so there ya go.

I was in Edmonton mid January and it was my second week on the road in Alberta. I was not feeling the healthiest. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - it is so hard to eat well on the road. It's weird. Even when I go to the grocery store and get a salad with those salad dressings in little packages, I still feel yucky. Which brings me to this blog. I was in need for a healthy meal that energized me versus a typical road meal that leaves me feeling drained and gross so... I did some on line research for vegetarian restaurants and found an article in the Edmonton Sun written about a vegan/raw place called "Noorish". The reviewer liked it and the food sounded so good. So, I excitedly went there with the other comic I was working with (who also happens to be my boyfriend). Most other comics would not give a vegan place a chance but my bf is like me and was craving a "noorishing" meal.



We started out with an organic unpasteurized beer called "Alley Cat Charlie Flint". It was really good. I like buying things organic as much as I can because I like supporting a positive industry that is farming more consciously. If it means I HAVE to drink beer then, well, I'm willing to make that sacrifice. Burp.



My boyfriend ordered -
Sprouted chickpea burger with walnut pesto, herbed cashew cream, avocado slices, tomato, tahini, vegan cheese. Served on a Ezekiel with a choice of salad or soup.



I ordered -
a seeded flatbread crust, topped with sun dried tomato pesto, fresh basil, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, drizzled with a cashew chili cheese and served with a wilted kale salad.



We shared the two dishes. Guess who's idea it was to share? He's nice and easy going so he goes along with it but I know it would never be his idea to share. It's just not a guy thing to do. He's just trying to avoid - "you don't want to share with me? Why don't you love me?"

The chickpea burger was amazing. I had a feeling when I walked into the place and was reading the menu. It just seemed like a place that was detail oriented and fresh. Really fresh. And it was!

It's funny because as we're eating this amazing fresh sprouted food, across the street, we were looking at two fast food "restaurants" that were the exact opposite. I am not going to mention names because I don't want them to be mad at me. I actually wouldn't care if they were mad at me. I just don't want them to sue me like the beef industry sued Oprah and yes - I am putting myself and this blog in the same category as Oprah.

The "pizza" was delicious as well. I put it in quotes because it's not the kind of pizza most of us are used to eating. This one is a raw pizza. The crust is made of dehydrated stuff. I don't know a lot of details about dehydrating and I know you might think that sounds weird but it's not! It's crispy and flavourful and not bloating like traditional pizza dough. And on top of all that it's very nutritious so you feel so good after you eat it. And of course, no cheese on a raw, vegan pizza. But what you lack in cheese you make up for in a cashew cream! I know cheese is delicious but so are cashews! Whether you're into veganism or not you have to give them points for creativity. Using cashews to make "cream" and "cheese".

Speaking of cheese - we had a lemon "cheese cake" because the reviewer loved it and I was intrigued to try a vegan "cheese" cake. Come on, could it be as good... really? Again, they use creamed cashews vs the cream cheese and healthy sweetening options like honey. It was REALLY good. Imagine! Eating dessert and feeling HEALTHY. I'm just saying...

It was so so so so so good and we felt full but... honestly - nourished afterward. It's an interesting sensation to feel full but not lethargic. I highly recommend this restaurant

Vegetarian in Alberta? The beef province... Yes!

One of my faves in Ottawa, Ontario!

If you asked me to list my top 5 restaurants, I would put Green Door on that list for sure!
The Green Door Restaurant is a vegetarian restaurant that has NEVER failed to deliver. It is extremely consistent, fresh, satisfying, healthy, organic and local. Oh, and f-in delicious!!! And I'm not saying it's delicious for a vegetarian restaurant or for healthy food. It's just plain, no matter what category you put it in... delicious!

I remember when I started going to the Green Door I would hear people say - "yeah, it's good but expensive". And it's not, really. It's a self serve / buffet type place where you choose what you want, put it on your plate, inevitably overload yourself like a vegetarian pig (I do it everytime) and then are shocked when the cashier weighs it and it's $16.00. But, honestly, even if it is $16.00, so what? You'd go to any corporate chain restaurant and pay $12.00 for a meal and it's processed, manufactured, not organic, not local and it often makes you feel bloated and tired afterward. What's 4 dollars more for wholesome, fresh, healthy, food?



Believe me, I am not a total health nut. I love me some nachos or french fries or wings at a pub now and then but that is what that is. This is what this is. Exceptional in its own way.

My favourite thing to eat at the Green Door is the stir fry. It's tofu, broccoli, carrot, peppers, green onions in a ginger, garlic, tamari sauce. The tofu is cooked perfectly and I've always wondered how they cook it because each cubed piece is cooked evenly all over. I think it must be completely immersed in oil. That's part of the reason it is so good. Fat is tasty!

The marinated mushrooms are my second favourite. My niece Jordan and I agree on that! And she has good taste. Especially for a kid. Again, don't know how they do it but they have these cute, tiny mushrooms that are marinated perfectly to a firm but tender texture with a mild but flavourful marinate.

They have really good beets too. They aren't pickled, they are still firm too and have delicate seasoning and marinate so that the beet is still a beet. I sound like such a health/hippie nerd right now. Don't worry, I am aware of it.

The avocado salad - same thing but it has more of a bold flavour to it - using umeboshi vinegar, which is quite salty but good salty! Don't know how they do it but 99% of the time they have perfectly ripened avocados. I only say 99% because one time out of 50 visits, I got a hard avocado.

Here is a picture of my plate which includes the beets, avo's, mushrooms, stir fry -



A lot of their food is gluten free, vegan, wheat free, nut free, sugar free... Including their dessert.



The Green Door has their own cookbook. I have it and have made the stir fry and the potato kale casserole. LOVE both. GOOD cookbook.

If you're ever in Ottawa, you have to go. I think even the biggest carnivore would enjoy it. You'd probably have to drag them in but once they're in you can stick a spanikopita or a fork full of the lasagna in their mouth. That way, their mouth will be too full to talk.


Check out their website -
http://www.thegreendoor.ca/

nothing to write home about in Calgary...

So, I had originally wanted to only write food blogs about restaurants I loved but I've heard from a few people that I should write about the mediocre / bad ones too. Their theory is that readers might think I like everything and have no discerning taste. So here goes...
This restaurant is a mediocre one.

I had originally wanted to go to a restaurant called Gratitude Cafe. I had been to Gratitude Cafe once before and it was delicious. It is a vegan/raw restaurant and although the service was NOT good the food was exceptional. I wasn't able to go so I took a risk and went to a restaurant that I had no idea about - "Niko's Bistro". There are some really good reviews on line so to be fair it might have been an off day but I felt that Niko's Bistro was mediocre.



The server was great, the atmosphere was nice and intimate and the chef was very friendly. He asked us how we liked it and I said "good" even though I should've said "nothing to write home about" but I don't like complaining when the food is just... blah. If I find a hair, if it tastes off or if it is really bad I will say something.

I chose to try one of the daily specials - the meat lasagne. It came with a ceasar salad. I rarely eat lasagne and I love a good, homemade ceasar salad. The lasagne was just ok in my opinion. I like my own lasagne or my sister's lasagne way better. There was a weird texture to the meat. Maybe it was pancetta or something but it always disturbs me when I eat a meat dish and it has a weird texture. If I'm eating something vegetarian and I bite into something strange I just think it's dirt or a stem or something but when it meat I don't know what it could be. Ew.



The ceasar salad was not that good either. Sorry but it was really bland.

I had an Italian friend in high school and eating at her house for dinner was AWESOME. My friend's mom would make these amazing meals that I could not replicate if I tried because she, of course, cooks so authentically. That was what I hope for when I go into Italian restaurants but they often never even come close. Maybe it's because when you cook at home for family and friends there is so much love involved and when you cook in a restaurant it is mass produced for strangers.

To be fair, when we got there the server recommended we order the calamari. She said it was the best she's ever had. I wasn't in the mood for calamari. Calamari is the type of thing I have to be in the mood for. My boyfriend ordered the calamari and he loved it. It was fresh, prepared right because it was tender and not at all chewy, tossed in a spicy tomato sauce.



Our other friend ordered canneloni and mannicoti and she seemed to really like it.

Maybe I am just too picky given my teenage years of impeccable, authentic Italian food.

I won't rush back to Niko's Bistro but believe that it, on other occasions has knocked the socks off other patrons. So there you go. A blog about a mediocre EXPERIENCE. I guess I just don't like to hurt anyone's feelings or make an opinion on a whole restaurant based on just one visit. I know I've had at least one show where I didn't shine as a performer but have had thousands of others where I amazing. Wow. That sounded conceited. Just kidding. I'm always amazing.

Kensington Wine Bar in Calgary!

While visiting Calgary I was able to hang out and bond with a long time very good friend who lives in a really cool neighbourhood of Calgary - Kensington.
She recommended we go to a place called Kensington Wine Bar which is a one minute walk from her house. That's the good thing about living in a cool area - you don't have to go far to go to cool places.
I was starving and really looking forward to this.
Kensington Wine Bar is in a basement and is small and quaint with nice lighting and a delicious smell in the air. We wanted to sit in a cozy area that was clearly better but all the tables were taken (a very good sign for a Tuesday night).
We settled on a table less cute but told the server we would like to move when a table in the cuter area opened up. As it turned out, we didn't care when something came up. The company and food was so good we grew to like our sub par table!
They serve small plates so we ordered about five dishes. We started with -
smoked beef carpaccio, fingerling potatoes, manchego cheese, garlic aioli 



Notice there is a fork in the picture! When you're doing a food blog, you've got to get in there quick to take a photo but there was no way I could have been faster. We were hungry so deal with it everybody. The vibe was so good at dinner, I didn't feel right going... - "excuse me everybody - I need to take a picture". I felt like such a nerd. Anyway, this dish was very good. The menu doesn't mention a horseradish cream sauce but I swear it was on there and it was good! I've maybe only ever had carpacio once before. It kind of freaks me out that it's rare. Any kind of meat rare is a bit weird to me but it was very fresh and very good.

Sandra and Liam chose a lentil dip. This is what's cool about other people choosing stuff and sharing - you eat stuff that you wouldn't normally choose. It's like when you get a shirt from someone that you'd normally never pick but you like it and it gets you outside of your comfortable rut of clothing choices. BECAUSE THE LENTIL DIP WAS DELICIOUS. It really was. When I eat vegetarian stuff that is so flavourful and yummy I think - we really don't need to eat meat to have flavour! It was called a "spicy lentil dip" but honestly I didn't find it spicy at all. It was creamy and super tasty. Please order this if you go there!



I can't believe I haven't mentioned the wine this far into the blog. It is a winebar after all...



My bf hasn't been able to drink red wine for the past few years because he gets heartburn. On our first date we drank red wine and I feel like it was entrapment because that was the last time we ever shared a bottle of wine. I accepted him as my boyfriend on false pretenses. We asked the server for a recommendation of a wine that might not give him heartburn and our friends Sandra and Liam were gracious enough to go with us on this. So nice. And low and behold - he didn't get heartburn!!! The wine was so good. Apparently it has something to do with the soil. Chilean soil is dryer and makes the wine more acidic whereas California soil is more moist so it doesn't draw from the minerals as much. Whatever. He can drink red wine again. That's all I care about. Maybe it was all the wine but he was really happy. The wine was called "Cline Mourvedre". I found it in Quebec in a liquor store. Don't know if it's everywhere in Canada or the U.S. but if you get heartburn from red wine you should try this one!!



Red wine is so darn good. I am slowly turning into a wino. It pairs so well with decadent, flavourful food.

Sandra and Liam, right away ordered the cheese fondue. I thought... cheese fondue??? Oh My God. The cheese fondue!!! It was my favourite out of all the plates! I know it wouldn't be right and I would probably feel terrible but I could have eaten a lot of this... creamy cheese on fresh baguette - whoa! Amazing! You can tell by looking at this picture...



We were still hungry and still had wine left from our second bottle of wine. So, what else are ya going to do? Order more cheese of course. Red wine and cheese go together like crying and the Biggest Loser.
We got a cheese plate including blue cheese, a firm goat cheese and a softer french cheese. It was served with three different sauces with it - strawberry compote, spicy pineapple compote and honey. Liam suggested blue cheese with honey and I have to say it was yummy but my favourite was the french cheese with the spicy pineapple compote. You know what's better than cheese? Cheese with compote!

I am not sure if the Kensington Wine Bar uses local ingredients or ethical meat. I didn't see anything on their website about it but I can say that I highly recommend it for it's flavourful menu, it's knowledgeable staff and the company - but my friends aren't always there so I can't guarantee the last part.

Here is their website -
http://www.winebarkensington.com/

Pfanntastic breakfast in Calgary

Whoa...Someone does not know how to spell fantastic. Yeah, I do. That's the way the restaurant spells it! Cuz they're Dutch. A "Dutch dining treat" to be exact.

I'm in Calgary and like always, on a hunt for a restaurant that is one or all of these things - fresh, unique, tasty, local if possible, organic or close.

I wanted to go to "Diner Deluxe". I've been there before and LOVED it. A really good friend of mine -Allyson Smith, grew up in Calgary and brought me there a couple years ago. I'm telling you - locals are by far, the most reliable way to find out about good places to eat. We were going for breakfast with friends and they had never been to Diner Deluxe but had heard that it was a one to two hours wait on the weekends so we opted to go somewhere else. Two hours waiting list??? I knew it was a good restaurant! I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed that we couldn't go there but they recommended another place to go to that they described as a "pancake place". I was skeptical... I don't even really love pancakes. But I try to roll with things. And I'm glad we did.

When we get there. There is a line up. We sign up for the waiting list and wait for about 15 minutes for our table. It's a good sign when there's a waiting list. I was skeptical until I opened the menu and saw how original it was. The majority of the menu was split up into two categories - sweet and savory. This was not your average pancake place. in fact, here is a quote from their website -

"The owner of Pfanntastic Pannenkoek House, received her initial training at one of these recognized restaurants in the Netherlands, in order to bring it to you, our valued customers. Pfanntastic Pannenkoek House is the only restaurant of its kind in Canada trained in this particular method, which makes them unique."

I hadn't had a coffee yet and was dying for one. Got it. GOOD coffee! A very rare thing in restaurants and it came with a delicious little cookie! I should've taken a picture of it. So good. So cute.

There were many choices and the menu needs a bit of explanation which the waiter did in a very friendly way. The hostess by the way was the friendliest girl I have ever encountered.

I asked the waiter for a recommendation. I went with the one he said was the most popular. It was with bacon, onion, grated potatoes and cheese. I added tomato and an egg to it. The waiter had mentioned that you can request whatever you want even if it's not on the menu. What makes these pancakes so interesting is that all the ingredients are inside the pancake! Cool!

I tried to get my bf to share a savory and share a sweet with me but he was all savory no sweet so he got one with smoked sausage, cheese and bacon (the second most popular on the menu). My pancake was awesome. Served with a side of sour cream. I loved it and it was a huge portion. Took half home and ate the rest reheated in the oven later that night. So good again!

Our friend ordered a chocolate pancake. It looked good too! There's a photo down below.

This Pfanntastic Pannenkoek House would be something I would probably never go into based on what it looks like on the outside and for the inside for that matter. It looks like a place that Gordon Ramsay would go into and tear it all down and redesign. There was a vacuum cleaner in the corner with a few other random things just stored out in the open. Weird. But Gordon would not say a bad thing about the food. The food is fresh, extremely unique (in Canada) and definitely tasty!!!

I was really pleasantly surprised at how good and different this place was.
I would almost say it was PFANNTASTIC!!!
Can't wait to go back.

Vegetarian food in Moncton New Brunswick

Between my gig in Halifax, NS and St. John's NFLD, I spent a few days in Moncton, NB. Love Moncton. I love the people and the feel of it. There is a quaint-ness, a simplicity, an innocence that makes you feel ok about everything.

This one day in late November I was Christmas shopping and needed some lunch in the midst of it all. What better way to fuel up in a filling yet healthy way than at a vegetarian restaurant? A lot of people think vegetarian food is all rabbit food but I think they're just not informed. Vegetarian cuisine can be hearty and diverse!. Some of my most favourite restaurants are vegetarian. Which brings me to - "Calactus" in Moncton, NB.

I had heard of Calactus by a few people in Moncton but had never been able to make it until now. It has a really nice atmosphere inside. I ordered the veggie burger and it was great! I often choose to have gluten free when I can, especially at a vegetarian type of place because they often have good gluten free options. So, I got the veggie burger on a gluten free wrap which looked a little weird but tasted great. Veggie burgers can be very filling because they often have beans in them so a lighter, gluten free "bun" or wrap in this case is a nice choice.

My burger was served with tasty roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad. Both the potatoes and salad were really fresh and had that made from scratch taste that I appreciate so much.

I look forward to going back to Calactus and trying something different. Maybe next time I will try the veal. Get it? I'll be here all week.

Halifax!

Happy New Year! I really took relaxing to the next level during the holidays. There's relaxing then there's lazyness. So needless to say, I am a little behind in my blogs. My aunt Theresa recently told me I have to blog more. So, being the good niece I am, here I am. Do people dedicate blogs to people? I dedicate this blog to my aunt Theresa. I am sure she is blushing with flattery right now.

So, one of my new year's resolutions is to be more productive. Here we are - Jan.2nd. Can everyone hear my new leaf turning over?

First week of December I was working in Halifax at the Yuk Yuks which is in the Westin Hotel. I really like Halifax and I like working at that location. It's a good hotel, the staff is nice, there is a grocery store, liquor store and lots of shops and restaurants near by.
The best was the Halifax Farmers Market located directly behind the Westin. What a great farmers market!!! Loved it!!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's hard to eat good, healthy food on the road. The first night we were there I went to the grocery store and thought I could find something in their prepared foods to eat other than salad. I was wanting a warm meal. The selection was fried, battered and beige. It looked so beige I had to take a picture of it. It's below. I don't think there's anything in nature that is naturally beige. Anyway, I am not so hard core that I can't enjoy a good fried chicken but when everything is - that's gross.

On Saturday, my friend Geoff recommended we go to the farmers market. He took me to get a breakfast wrap. It was very good.
I liked my experience at the market so much that I went back a couple hours later and had a second breakfast. Both times I shared the breakfasts ok. So, stop judging.
The second trip I went to a different place to eat called "Selwood Green Farm". I think it was called that. I actually didn't see a name of a restaurant or anything just saw that the food was from there. We got a kale omelette. DELICIOUS! But what was so impressive was that it is all food supplied from the organic farm that they farmed themselves! Here is a link to check out an article on it -

http://oacc.info/NewspaperArticles/na_selwood_mhs.asp

They don't have a website. I feel they should so they can promote and inform but they're busy creating organic produce. So, I guess they have a good reason. I was so inspired by this farm that I checked out an organization that was linked to them called SOIL. They have an apprenticeship program where you can learn how to farm in exchange for room and board/ food. If I go missing look for me at Selwood Green Farms. I might become like Roseann Barr and turn into a nut farmer.

Below are some pictures in weird order and all is one spot because I am using my new ipad for the first time and the app I am using is weird. I will work out the kinks but for this one blog - this is a description of the photos -
one is obvious - the sign of the farmers market.
one is an arial view of the market.
one is of the kale omelette
another is of the fried beige selection at the prepared food counter of the grocery store.
The last is a picture of the breakfast burrito I had...

Love Halifax. Love Selwood Green Farms. Love Farmers Markets!

you can't beat Vera's meat

I am not being a perv. That's their motto! It's on their sign! "Vera's Burger Shack"'s motto!



I travel a lot and try to pack a lunch just because airports usually don't have good food and when they do it's 75 bucks for a crouton but I had a connection in Vancouver! Which means good selection of healthy fresh foods! I love Vancouver! Yay! Look it's Vera's Burgers!!!

I used to live in Vancouver a few years ago and LOVED Vera's Burgers. I sometimes feel grossed out eating meat that I am unsure about - ie - treated poorly? Unsure of the ingredients... So, that's one of the reasons I LOVE Vera's so much. They have an organic burger! That's a very rare thing to see in a burger place. Not only is it better for your health to eat organic meat but also better for the environment and the animal itself. It is a few dollars more but let's remember - this cow gave its life so you can enjoy a meal so it's a small price to pay. Ok, off my soap box for now...

I just googled Vera's right before I started writing this blog and stumbled upon an Ottawa location! Exciting! In Bells Corners for those of you who are in Ottawa - you should go and try it!

There are many different concoctions of hamburgers at Vera's meat-wise and toppings-wise. For instance they have a turkey burger or specialty burgers like the bbq burger - provolone, fried onions, bacon, bbq sauce. Mouth watering yet?

I've had the bbq burger before and it's delish! so good! But most of the time I just get an organic burger and choose my own toppings from the extensive selection - such as - guacamole, fried mushrooms or roasted garlic. I don't want to forget Vera's sauce which is a type of yummy garlic mayo they put on for no extra charge. Yes please! Load it up.

They have really good onion rings, french fries and poutine (in case you feel the burger with all that Vera's sauce and bacon is not enough caloric-ally)

Incidentally, the burgers are really filling and big so you can share! You probably won't want to. You'll probably rather eat more than you should and get a stomach ache.

This is a picture of their veggie burger I had. (and by the way - I always forget that I need to take a picture of my food for the blog because I am too excited to eat or am starving and dig right in so this pic is a bit weird because I tried to make it look like I hadn't taken two bites out it already by accident. I'm such a loser.)

This was the first time I've had the veggie burger at Vera's and it was really really good. I didn't miss the meat. So, I guess...... you can't beat Vera's fake meat too!

Pagliacci's! Hey! (Victoria, BC)

It took me about 10 times to say and remember the name right. Pagliacci's, pagliacci's, pagliacci's!



Once again, was recommended to go to this restaurant by a local. I was working at "Hecklers" in Victoria - excellent comedy club by the way! Russ Kennedy - a funny comic now living in Vancouver - was doing spots all weekend and is also a former resident of Victoria so he knows the city and knows where to eat. He said "if you want to go to one of the best restaurants in Victoria, we should go to Paggliacci's" Ok! Let's go! Any time anyone gives a ringing endorsement like that - I'm in! ... but then he continued "...be prepared for bread overload." Ok, I'm ready.

So, we went for a late lunch and there was a line up. That's a good sign. We got the best table in the house. Tucked in the corner with a view of the restaurant.



Our server was nice but a bit scattered. I am going to be gender ambiguous so that I will still protect this individual's identity. You know when you're served by a server who gives you WAY too much information about his/her life? I actually don't need to know anything really - unless it has to do with you liking the wine I'm asking about. Which brings me to the "TMI" moment. We ask him/her if a certain white wine is dry and he/she tells us he/she doesn't know because he/she quit drinking. Oh boy. Here we go... I am not being insensitive but come on! If you're a vacuum salesman tell me which vacuum sucks the best. - " I don't know, my wife does all the vacuuming while I bring home the bacon." Yeah, well, you're not going to bring much bacon home with a sales strategy like that cave man.

Anyway, so we heard about how the server went to rehab, how he/she was frazzled that day because it was so busy. Come on! I'm about to pick up the tab here for a reasonably expensive lunch with some friends I haven't seen in a long time and your detoxing is cramping my style and doing nothing for my palate.
Even though I was annoyed it did make for an interesting experience. It takes all kinds. I guess if everybody was perfect the world would be a boring place. But still, come on! Am I alone on this people???

Ok, so I order the -

"Last Chicken in Paris" -
Chicken in a Marsala wine and cream sauce, tossed with mixed fettuccine,
red and green peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts,
green onions, basil and parmesan cheese.
Brando used extra butter.

It came with a choice of soup, garden salad or Caesar salad. I chose garden because my friend Russ forced me to. And then absolutely insisted I have the parmesan dressing. Ok, ok!!

Then the bread came! Whoa! DELICIOUS!!! This is going to sound strange but the bread was the star of the show. It was very unique. I have never had bread like that. You think ... how could bread be that different? It was like a donut had sex with a baguette and then brought in some herbs and olive oil to join the party.




Then the salad came. The dressing was the second best star of the show - the best supporting actress (I know, corny). Then Russ said - "dip your bread in the dressing". Ok. Whatever.
He was right - whoa!! So good. I could've just ate salad with bread and been really decadently happy.




Oh, no, now I've gotta eat a creamy pasta. Yikes! But I'm tough and I got through it.
The pasta was ok. It was just ok because it was unneccessarily too oily and heavy. I don't understand why chefs make cream sauces with such heavy cream - 35%!!! I've made cream sauces with 10% cream and it turns out really good and you don't feel like you've eaten .. well.. almost 50% fat.
Here is a pic of the pasta -



All in all though, it was really really good. I would definately go back. Thanks for the recommendation Russ!

NOODLE BOX in Vancouver, B.C.

This was my third time at Noodle Box. When I go to Vancouver there are a few places that I try to go to. One of them is Noodle Box. It's fresh, made to order and includes really high quality produce and proteins.

I forced myself to get something different. I have in the past always gotten spicy peanut stirfry. It's so good. This time I got lettuce wraps which were really good but I have to admit I kinda wished I had gone for the spicy peanut.

The other peeps with me each got spicy peanut. Probably just to rub it in my face. Jerks. Here is a pic of the yummy spicy peanut stirfry -





The Noodle Box has the option of organic free range chicken! That's a great option considering it's kind of a fast food place. There's no table service. You order at the counter and wait about 5-10 minutes for your food. It's worth the wait let me tell you.

I got a diet coke and it came in a GLASS bottle. Old school, good for the environment GLASS bottles. Love that.



The Noodle Box doesn't add MSG to their food AND they offer organic, non GMO tofu and organic/free range chicken. They also select ocean-wise seafoods and avoid farmed salmon!

If you're in Vancouver stop at the Noodle Box for lunch but know that the portions are really really big and could be shared or if you choose to eat all of it then and there, you won't be hungry for dinner. And if you do eat all of it at lunch and you are still hungry at dinner ... I don't want to judge but you might be eating too much. Judgemental!

Here's there website -

http://thenoodlebox.net/kits/

Chipotle in Erie, PA

Last weekend I worked at a really nice club called "JR's" in Erie, PA. I told my sister I was going and she said "oh, you're going to Erie on Halloween weekend? ... Eerie? on Halloween??? Get it?" Yeah, I get it and I'm going to use it as my opening joke because the people of Erie probably haven't heard anything that clever and original before, right? Wrong. They've totally heard it and were mad that I brought it up. haha. Well, at least I thought I was really funny. The shows went great. I met some AMAZINGLY nice, cool people there. Sooooo nice!

On my way into town I passed by a "Chipotle" Mexican Grill and made a plan then to go there for lunch the next day and write a blog about it. It's an impressive company. I saw the owner of Chipotle on Oprah and was so impressed that he has a fast food chain that is ethical and fresh and healthy.

Here is the sign that is up right when you walk in.



That's what I'm talking about! Wow. It says a lot about where we're at in our society where that's something that is out of the ordinary. Food with integrity. Well, yeah, it should've always been that way. Yeah, but it hasn't.


If any of the other more popular fast food "restaurants" put up a sign describing how they choose their food people would run screaming.


You choose if you want a burrito or a taco or a salad or a bowl - which is like a burrito without the tortilla. Then you choose vegetarian, beef, chicken or pork. I got the beef. The person making my burrito said that the beef is the spiciest. It wasn't very spicy for me but the mass public is sensitive I guess. Wimps!

You get to choose what you want on it, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, rice...
Here's a picture of some of the options -



Here's her putting my burrito together -




I got a little guac with chips on the side.
The guac was good but the chips weren't my favourite. I don't mean to complain because it's a great place but I find that's a common thing that a lot of restaurants screw up. The corn chips. I don't get it.

The burritos are HUGE so I only ate half. Here is a picture -



It was a good, fresh, healthy lunch. I love Mexican food. Love salsa. Love Guac. Love the full flavour of that cuisine!!!

I've already said it twice but I am EXTREMELY IMPRESSED with the way that Chipotle conducts themselves. Way to show the other fast food companies how it can be done!!!

Here is their website
http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/menu/menu.aspx

They have some locations in Canada!

Le Hibou - Wakefield Quebec

Yes, this is my third blog from Wakefield Quebec. So? I like it there, ok?
Le Hibou, for those of you who are not cultured like me... means The Owl in french....
(right now I've got a very pretentious smirk on my face)

It's a really cool looking restaurant overlooking the river. So beautiful. I've been to Le Hibou a bunch of times and always love it! In the summer they have a big patio that is arguably the best patio in Wakefield. If there was a competition they'd probably win. That's all I'm saying.

The only "meat" they have on their menu is fish. Which is not meat but I don't know how to phrase it... I feel weird saying the only "protein" they have is fish. Anyway you get it. As a vegetarian lover I don't miss the lack of meat on the menu especially since the food is so good.
My favourite hands down are the nachos. They make their own double smoked salsa! They smoke their own salsa!!! That's so original! I've never heard of that before. The first time I went to Le Hibou I smelt this amazing bbq-y, smokey smell and asked the waiter what that was and they said "oh, that's the nachos". Not what I expected but of course, I ordered them and they were delicious. They serve them with a chipotle lime sour cream. Sadly I don't have a photo because I made myself order something different this time. Here's their website - there's a picture of them on there -

http://www.cafelehibou.com/menu.html


I have a new favourite after going to Le Hibou the other day. Spicy Apricot Shrimp! Well, my second favourite next to the nachos. The sauce on the shrimp is so good. Just the right amount of heat and full of flavour. I even said to the owner, that if they seved it as a dinner with rice and maybe spinach on the side I would order that as my main course. Now I'm revising their menu. Who do I think I am?
Anyway, I shared it with two others (who incidentally said they were too full to have any but still ate some) who loved it too. You know something is good when you're full but you still eat it. Either that or you're a glutton.

Here is a picture -



My companions (mysteriously ambiguous) ordered the fish and chips and a grilled cheese. The fish and chips was really good. Especially the chips. Ah, the french fries are awesome and they serve them with this spicy mayo. French fries are one of my favourite things to eat. It's become popular to serve fries with various mayos and I am on that mayo train. I almost can't eat fries without a dip. They took something already perfect and made it even more decadent. Thanks for the extra calories whoever was in charge of that decision.

The grilled cheese was not your run of the mill. It had thin slices of apple, spinach and onion in there and probably other stuff but I tried to look up the ingredients on their website but they don't have it listed. It's one of the best grilled cheeses I have ever had. Served with fries and that awesome dip!

Don't you love how I eat every body else's food when I go out? Can I try your food please? It's not that I am a pig. I am a blogger. I have to!

Here's a photo of the grilled cheese. This photo will make you want to take a bite out of your computer. or Iphone. Or whatever you're reading this on.