Curry et cetera, Pouce Coupe.

The good and the bad. TOGO STYLE:

Take out menu is home done. How can I tell? Anyone familiar with Word can notice it. Props for trying to keep costs down.....perhaps print it on heavier stock rather your average printer paper? Really, I'm stretching here. Go to Staples.

Odd hours. Open Wed-Sun (NOT Monday or Tuesday.) Look, if your business is FOOD you should open at least the five main business days of the week and Saturday. Being closed on Sunday is not taboo and is generally accepted everywhere. Culturally speaking, is M/T an East Indian thing? I don't know. But your restaurant is in Canada.

Get a soda machine. Selling soda by the can is tacky anywhere and everyone knows how much they're being ripped off.

Weird menu item: perogies. Look, we know they're Cheemo and no, they don't belong in an Indian restaurant. The fact that you're selling 10 perogies for EIGHT DOLLARS to a community rich in Ukranian heritage, it's sort of an insult. If they were homemade we might give you points for trying, but still, they're not Indian.

Great value for your dollar. We opted for buffet TOGO. Translation: load your container so it looks pregnant and is spilling out the sides. Oh yes. And the food was AWESOME!!! The items we took home were Chicken Curry (nice cuts of diced chicken, flavour was so yummy,) Keema & Peas (spicy and different, but balanced out the non veggie dishes,) Basmati Rice (delish anywhere,) Seasonal Veggies and Bhatura Bread (on the oily side.) For $20.99 including tax, we had about four pounds of Indian goodness. On top of that, the owners were NICE! We also snagged a sample of Fish Pakoras, which is a slightly battered white, flaky fish on the spicy side. A sample of Gulab Jaman (think soaking-wet Timbit) and Rice Pudding (think real rose-flavoured rice pudding. It's different.)

GRADE: B+ This place has HUGE POTENTIAL. First of all because they're doing the food right. Let me say that again. The food is as close to authentic as I would like (if not bang on) and the portions are great for amount paid! Plus you can order large quantities with advance notice. Can we say catering?!!

All I can say is: GO! But not on Monday or Tuesday (when you're heading back to FSJ from a weekend in Edmonton or Grande Prairie.) See Curry, Etc owners? Timing is everything.

Curry et cetera
250.786.5211
Bright green building on that weird "L" street corner in Pouce Coupe. Can't miss it.

Northwoods Pizza

First impression. I didn't believe the homemade crust claim. It looked too perfect. Too pre-frozen. Too I'm-trying-to-be-like-Pizza-Hut's-Dip-Dish.

But. The slice DID have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pizza drip going on. You know the one: pick up a hot, steaming slice and the pie just teasingly drops to your arm, you take a bite and the cheese is so thick is stretches and slides everywhere. It's really beautiful.

But, the cheese is really too thick. In fact, surprisingly, the cheese layer is almost as thick as the crust. And so it sits heavy in the stomach. But the delicious flavour is there. Basil in the sauce, thinly sliced meat that doesn't make you hurl because it's so processed. The dough actually tastes good. Light and heavy married together.

The ingredients are layered like only one other place I've seen. Royal Pizza. Oddly enough I was craving this Edmonton location's goodness that very day. Picture the fresh dough, then some sauce, the "toppings" and then the cheese. Oh yes, the very ingredients you ordered are not visible until you take your first, delicious, hot bite.

Our total price tag for two medium pies was $31.45 with tax. They had a special deal happening. Normally, one large 14" pizza would run you in the ballpark of $25 plus tax.

On their flyer they claim a 10% off pick up orders over $20--guess you have to make sure that happens, cause it wasn't on our receipt. But the flyer also says $2 for delivery. Does that mean you have to tip on top of that as well? I'm divided on the issue.

GRADE: B+ Overall, I would definitely come here again. I like Mom n' Pop places that do it right. But I would still choose Olio's pizza for overall taste and non-heavy factor. P.S. Olio's also has a mighty fine Donair. The onions and tomatoes are way too thick, but the meat and tzatziki taste delicious. About $10 per donair. Thought I'd give Olio's that plug since they are making an effort to improve.

Northwoods Pizza
10627 Alaska Rd
(In the Northwoods Inn)
250.787.9444

Silver Creek Cookhouse vs. Humpty's Family Restaurant

Battle of the Breakfasts

Silvercreek looks like a trucker's breakfast joint. It's even next to a tire shop (Integra Tire) that services big rigs (which happens to be a plus if your car is being worked on--go grab a pancake and hot chocolate while you wait!) The parking lot is unpaved and the place smells slightly old when you walk in. The decor isn't anything special.

But. Where the time is spent is on breakfast! I'm mostly okay with a dive as long as the food makes up for where nearly everything else is lacking. Sometimes, dives can be the best places to score a great meal.

I've been to this place a number of times over a handful of years. The smiles are plentiful. Those Silver Creek ladies run a happy show. And breakfast is hot and delicious. I wish I could order breakfast all day. I mean, who says the eggs should stop at 2 pm? I heart breakfast restaurants. By 'Breakfast Restaurant' I mean those places that specialize in the most important meal of the day. Generally, across the board, these places do a pretty job with breakfast. My fave at this joint is any combo plate that includes their eggs, potatoes or pancakes. Yum.

Silver Creek Cookhouse is on the pricer side. A group of four eating a full breakfast will run around $60+.

Humpty's

Here's the setting: Saturday morning. Family breakfast outing. High guest traffic. I expect somewhat of a wait to be seated. Nevertheless, a restaurant should probably be on top of their game, right?

This place is laughable It's supposed to be a FAMILY RESTAURANT and yet nothing about speaks of family to me. Sparse, thrift store decor. Something like TEN tables. The one and only time I've been to this chain and location was here in FSJ. With teenagers waiting on tables and practically running around with their heads cut off to the disgusting, foul-mouthed old men who make me want to sanitize my hands when they look at me...well, this isn't a place I'd bring my family OR myself back to. Ever. The food is less-than-mediocre. (Remember my Happy Breakfast Mantra? Not here.) The service isn't even service. I left NO tip and waited way too long for everything because of Ms. Chicken Head forgot everything we told her. Yup. Didn't write anything down. And then she forgot more things during our dining experience. Get this, she didn't even come back for our money. We could have walked out without paying, that's how chaotic this place was being run.

I think I'm a magnet for horrible and yet, in retrospect, humorous dining experiences.

Here's the thing:

I would like to see smaller menus. Have a handful of items to choose from and present them well. Big menus give the customer a chance to get lost, take longer ordering and thus backing up the entire process. Big menus offer a lot more room for staff error--kitchen mistakes, wait staff not knowing answers to basic questions, ordering mishaps, juggling too many fresh ingredients and countering waste.

What I want to see is a two-sided menu and that is all. You know what? You'll also figure out very quickly what your customers love and what they hate. You can rotate a few features every week/month and try on the chef hat that way. SImplicity is the key. Ever been to a home where every wall is covered with something? It's like your eyes don't know where to look and one can't appreciate any beauty. Rather there is confusion and chaos. Same with giant menu. Less is more. Really.

Silver Creek GRADE: B. Develop a small, awesome lunch menu (or get rid of it altogether,) stay open later, and keep up those smiles.

Open 6am -2pm
10104 Alaska Rd
250.785.4888

Humpty's GRADE: Fail. I will never recommend this place and never return. Anywhere. I don't care how many improvements you say you'll make.

Located somewhere along the Alaska Hwy. That's all I'm gonna say.

Ship to Shore II

Five Visit Critique

1. Pile of deep fried goodness to share among friends...tab around $80 before gratuity. Meaty, delicious fish and fries. Table set with an array of condiments.

2. Recipient of complimentary giant sushi combo platter. Impressed in two ways. Wanted more. Wanted to support the establishment.

3. Dined in on sushi with young children. Craziness but great. Owner brought our BBQ eel and shrimp sushi just to try. Despite busyness, stopped by to satiate our sushi questions. All wait staff should know what menu items taste like, textures, allergens, etc. Otherwise, they're just ignorant wait staff--which reflects on the business.

4. Dined in again to try for Indian Candy. Still none after two weeks. Claims of Olympics stealing their orders.

5. Spouse tried for takeout recently. Still no Indian Candy. Look if something is so popular, get it in. Get a new supplier if you're getting the shaft OR take it off the menu for the time being. Stop disappointing the customer.



Improvements: Nobody wants to see the kitchen unless its actually part of the house layout.

Great Aspects: Friendly, helpful owner. Fun decor. Interesting weekly offers to bring people in continually. Fun waitress from New Zealand. Complete with accent.

GRADE: A-. Overall this place is good. Buy fresh seafood, order it fried, sit in a comfortable environment. Obviously I like it enough to frequent it AND I'd choose S2S above Mastaro's Sushi anyday. ANY. DAY.

Ship to Shore II (near Sobey's)
10403 100 Ave
250.785.3839