Merry Christmas to everyone

The Lethbridge Lunch Nomads would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the coming year. This really is the "most wonderful time of the year" to be able to focus more time remembering the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and all that He means to each of us. We hope you all will find room for Him in your lives.

See you in 2012

Penny Coffee House 331 5 Street South

We recieved a suggestion to try this place this week, so we did! We were told to try the "Avocado BLT or the "Spicy Grilled Cheese" So, "J" and I  each ordered one and split them. I thought they were both "Delish" My favourite was the BLT, I loved it. It was so fresh and tasty. Wow! I ordered a side of pasta salad because again, it was one of the suggestions. To be honest, I didn't like it. (and I love pasta salad) The noodles were undercooked, I couldn't finish it. I seriously hope I just caught them on a bad day because the flavour was awesome. I could come back for lunch again, and soon. It was a nice little place and I feel like I got my money's worth. Thanks Penny's for the great lunch. I hope they cook the pasta just a little bit longer next time, then I can just imagine how awesome my lunch would have been. "M"


Well, "M" pretty well said it all. We went to the Penny today on suggestion from a  reader and I was very pleased. "M" and I split our sandwiches and they were both real good, but today I preferred the BLT. I had soup with mine, vegetarian chili, and it was very tasty. "P" came with us today and he didn't like the soup, I think it was too spicy for him, but I thought it was a great addition to a sandwich. We have discovered that the local coffee/sandwich shops here in Lethbridge are really popular and so if you want to go there for lunch you need to arrive early. We got here shortly after 12:00 and placed our order right away. Before long the line up was 10-12 people. That just goes to show how popular the Penny is and also how well Lethbridge supports our local restaurants. Be brave, break away from your regular routine and try out the many places to have lunch in Lethbridge. We did and we have discovered some fantastic restaurants, including the Penny Coffee House.   "J"

As usual I'm the last one to blog about our adventures today.  As mentioned, we went on the advice of one of our devout followers, and hit the Penny today.  Pretty cool place.  Even more than the menu, the thing that impressed me the most was first, the ambiance, and second the popularity of these corner shops.  Again, this place was packed!  Maybe I'm as much 'downtown ignorant', as "J" is a 'Chinese food snob'.  I know the Penny has been around for a long time but it has never even dawned on me to go there. I was thoroughly impressed not only by the food but the clientele that mosey into this place.  I mean there were celebs and models and famous people everywhere!  Well ok maybe not, but we did see some people we knew and respect, so if they eat here then we consider ourselves in good company.  You may be asking yourselves, 'Do I always talk so much'? I haven't even gotten to the meat of my blog yet.  Hey look! Squirrel!  So I too dove into the Avacado BLT.  I had mine with the pasta salad as well.  Even my picture looks the same as "M's".  Anywho,  I quite liked the salad.  I didn't mind that the pasta was a little firmer. It could have done with a little less parmesan though.  The roof of my mouth was a little tender afterwards from the toasted bread, but that was a small price to pay for the GFM that resulted.  I asked how someone gets a sandwich named after them, and I was told "just be nice to me and come here often".  So folks I'm making a prediction!  Someday the Penny will have a sandwich named "The Nomad BA".  It will be a spicey grilled cheese with avocado, bacon, and tom.  I can see it now.  It will be in lights and my sandwich will be on the Marquis.  I will be anonymously famous.  Okay it will be in chalk on the menu board, but I just want some fame and fortune.  Not shame and misfortune.  Thanks for tuning in.  Eat well!  "BA"

Streetside Eatery 317-8 Street S.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we missed our nomad lunch last week.  So I have been preparing for this week's adventure for 14 days now.  So today we drew Streetside.  I was happy and excited.  My wife and I have eaten here a few times for lunch and dinner and have really enjoyed it.  So,  I can't believe it.  I have been completely humbled!  I have to admit that today "BA" was unable to finish his lunch.  I know, I know, pick yourself up off the floor, it's true.  I didn't even snack this morning!  I ordered the pasta salad with chicken, and was blown away buy the serving size.  Holy mountain of pasta Batman! I mean seriously, I ate for 20 minutes and it was like I hadn't even touched it.  I had mine with the creamy dill dressing and it was amazing.  I have never not finished my nomad lunch before.  I have so much pride that I ate myself into a stupor.  My ears were ringing and my body could barely move.  Two people could share this and still have left-overs.  I did have to have the rest of mine packed up for a snack later.  Get this!  I wasn't hungry all afternoon.  I did indulge in some chips and salsa at about 3:30 though.  But as the Grinch (Jim Carrey) said, "Am I just eating cause I'm bored".  Tomorrow I will have a nice pasta salad snack.  So for those of you thinking that StreetSide Eatery is not somewhere you'd want to have lunch.......WAKE UP!  The service was good, it was fast, and we still were back to work in plenty of time. To top it all off, when I got up to pay the bill; our server said...."that was just the small serving".  Say what!  The small serving! Now I'm not only humbled but completely embarrassed.  I'm gonna have to do some training or something.  Well folks,  Go there, and do that!  You won't be disappointed.  "BA"

Streetside has been a Lethbridge institution for many years and today we experienced why. Good food, good value and good service.  What more can I say. I can't believe it took almost a year to draw Streetside out of our jar of restaurants, but I'm glad we went today. I had the chicken enchilada and as the old Alka Seltzer commercial used to say "I can't believe I ate the whole thing". When my meal was placed down in front of me I was amazed at the size of the enchilada so I had to get right to work on it. It was pretty darn good. Most enchiladas have the sauce on top but this one was covered in about 3 pounds of cheese. I love cheese but I almost died laughing when "M" was about half way thru his enchilada and said "I don't have enough laxative to eat the rest of this cheese". The flavor was good, not authentic mexican good, but north american mexican good. Unlike "C" aka "BA", I would like to still fit into my pants in a month and that being said I found todays lunch a little heavy. Yes I ate it all but I didn't need to eat for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I guess I could save money that way??? Next time I will look for something more lunch appropriate. My only complaint today had to do with the service. Everything was good, the server was friendly, the food came out quick but after the food was served no one ever checked to see if everything was OK. Right after getting our food we were asked if it looked OK, but that was the end of it. We ate, paid our bill and went back to work. Fortunately everything was good today as always. Thanks Streetside. I'll be back.     "J"

I thought todays lunch was good. I ordered the chicken enchilada also, it was defintely a huge portion.  I was blown away by the size of it. It was a very "Canadian style" enchilada, by that I mean it was tons and tons of cheese and an enchilada sauce kinda mixed in to everything. To me, an enchilada has lots more sauce on top of it and less cheese. (if any cheese at all) It had a good flavour and I ended up really full. I thought the salad was good too, except I think it needed a bit more salad dressing. I guess I could have always asked for more. I was more concerned about how I was going finish the enchilada. Overall it was a good lunch. I wish it was a little more "lunch size" and "lunch price" I didn't need even half of it to be totally happy with the choice today. The place was nice, service good. I'm sure I'll be back again.
"M"

Imperial China 1903 3 Ave south

Today we decided to go to Imperial China. We were all hungry by noon and it sounded like a good idea. There is a better selection here than at some other Chinese restaurants in town. I thought the food today was ok. It wasn't my absolute favorite place to eat, but it wasn't bad. Is there some amazing Chinese food out there? Ive found that most of the Chinese in Lethbridge is some-what similar. Imperial China has some fruit and things for dessert which is nice. The food was just so-so for me today but I didn't leave hungry.

"M"

Imperial China is one of the many chinese restaurants in town that I don't go to very often. I guess I'm going to sound like a real snob because it's not because of the food, it's just the condition of the restaurant in general. Now I must admit today everything seemed a little better. I don't know if they have done some renos or put down new carpet, but it appeared a little nicer than the last time I ate here. This obviously isn't as much of a concern to other people because by the time we got here the place was very busy. As far as the food goes, I thought it was pretty good. The buffet line has quite a few items on it, including fresh fruit and salad. I had no problem filling my plate even tho'  some of the items were empty and needed refilling. So for my 10 bucks I thought it was a good pick today.    "J"

So much food......so little time!

Well I have to say that today's visit to Imperial China was probably the best its ever been.  I agree that as lunch nomads we are still looking for that mind blowing experience with Chinese cuisine.    I know we will find it somewhere.  At least they had Chili paste!  As far as today goes, it was really quite good.  Better selection than most others, and everything was really fresh and hot.  It was like it wasn't even a buffet.  My appetite was very satisfied today.  Or as my Mom used to say.  My sufficiency was suffonsified.  I have no clue how to spell that.  I don't even really know what it means other than 'it was good'.  I still feel that most places are the same.  I think that we have really Westernized Chinese food.  Perhaps a trip to China is in my future.  The staff were very friendly and the service was above par.  I would have to say that it left me in a 'GFM'.  (See previous posts for meaning).  Be well and eat tons.  "BA" aka "C" (again - see past posts)

Chelsea Cafe 511-4th Avenue S.

Well will miracles never cease? 'BA' aka 'C' is the first to post this week.  Yahoo!  So we decided today to check out Chelsea Cafe in the downtown area.  The special was meatloaf and red skin potatoes in a gravy sauce.  It looked so good, I could hardly wait to sink my teeth into it.  However, we didn't get that.  They were sold out by 12:05.  What up Lethbridge?  You can't jake the nomads out of the lunch special.  I guess it was good though cause every single patron in there was having it.  The gentleman just ahead of me got the last piece. So then my stomach and brain had to make a hard right turn and decide on something else to try.  They had a really awesome menu, so I power perused it and ordered the Butter Chicken.  I was feeling rather peckish so I kindly told my server how hungry I was and she literally piled the food on.  I'm sure that it was the regular amount, but it made me feel like they cared. LOL.  The Butter Chicken was really good.  It wasn't too powerful, kinda mild actually but it was very tasty.  It made me the happiest person sitting in my chair.  It was a lot of food and of course I finished it, but I was definitely full.  Then low and behold 'J' asked if I wanted to finish his.  Being pretty much a human garburator I agreed.  We can't have any good food going to waste can we?  Well I guess it went to my waist.  I hope that all yous peoples out there in nomad land keep places like this around.  So go there!  Now! Drop what you're doing and go! I mean it! 'BA' aka 'C'

Today was an interesting experience. I'm not quite sure why I feel that way. The food was good and we got served relatively quickly and everyone there was very friendly, but for some reason I went away today feeling unsatisfied. Not hungry, because I was full on the rotisserie chicken and potatoes I ate for lunch. In fact it was probably the best chicken I have had in a long time, very moist and tender. The potatoes were a little on the cool side and I didn't love the herb seasoning on them, but they were fine. Maybe it was the lack of seating (they did explain why so few seats) maybe it was the cafeteria style service, maybe it was a lunch special that was gone by 12:05, I'm not sure what it was. It was clean, friendly and the food was good, and it was busy which is always a good sign. So why I felt unsatisfied is an unknown. Maybe it was just me today. I'll just have to come back and give it a second try.  "J"

Ya I thought today's choice was good. It was nice to try something different. We've really set out to find these little places that you might not think to go to. The food was good, I have no complaints. I ordered fried chicken which came with the potato wedges. To this day I'm still talking about how awesome "Los Del Cid" and "Taj" were. Chelsea Cafe was a nice little place, we got a good lunch for a good price. In three weeks from now I doubt I'll be saying " Hey "C", remember the food at Chelsea cafe?" However,  I hope this place does well and sticks around because I liked it. "M"

O-Sho Japanese Restaurant 311 4th Street South

Today's lunch choice was awesome. Thanks for the comment Jeff, it was awesome going to sushi places 3 weeks in a row. I loved it. I'm not even sure which one I would say is the "best" They all have their unique differences. I guess I would say still the highest quality sushi was lighthouse. O-Sho was fantastic today as well. I ordered the "assorted sushi" I thought it tasted good, looked good and was a good price. I don't even know what else to say other than the Japanese food in Lethbridge is all dang good. Isn't there a new "all you can eat" place opening?  If so they better get ready for the "Nomads".  You can't really go wrong no matter where you go for sushi around here.
"M"





Unfortunately I missed lunch last week but I was here to complete the sushi triad today. Osho has always been "the" place for sushi in Lethbridge, but I agree with "M" that it is getting a run for it's money by the other sushi restaurants.  Like most things personal preference plays a big part, just read some of my past posts about chinese food, and so it is difficult to rate the sushi in Lethbridge. All I know is Osho makes a spicy tuna roll with a solid piece of tuna and that is how I like it. That makes me very happy.   "J"

Alrighty then!  One of our faithful blog followers asked us to complete what he referred to as 'the sushi triad'.  I like to make people happy for the most part so we obliged him by going to O'Sho today.  However I really want to drop the word 'triad' and replace it with one of the greatest words on planet earth - 'Trifecta'.  So I ordered the Lunch special C with Chicken Katsu and Beef Teryaki.  Mmmmmmm.  I used to eat here at least twice a month, so I know the menu.  I also had the spicy tuna roll 6 piece (or 5 as the picture shows cause I couldn't wait!)  I was sooo hungry that my stomach was thinking that my throat was cut.  I really like the entrees from O'Sho.  They are consistent and filling.  However I have to say that sushi has become such a trendy food that there are some other places that are battling with O'sho for the best sushi in town.  I always leave O'Sho with a smile on my face.  The lunch specials here are well worth the money.  The portion size is good and the quality is top notch.  I love the Beef Butteryaki.  Oh man,.....now I want some.  I love food.  I love thinking about food.  I love eating food.  I love thinking about eating food.  I will definitely be in a GFM (Good Food Mood) the rest of the day.  Keep smilin', and oh.......I think you have some broccoli stuck in your teeth.  "BA" aka "C".

Lighthouse 708 3rd Avenue South

"J" is away this week and we love Sushi so today we decided to go to Lighthouse. Remember how I said I thought Dono Sushi was so awesome? Well it was, but Lighthouse was just so amazing. The Sushi here is so so good. We both had a Donburi and a "Spicy Tuna Roll" WOW, I seriously think its the best Sushi place in Lethbridge. This meal came to about $17 each but well worth it. I think if I want to spend a little less I'd go to "Dono", but Lighthouse is the better quality Sushi. I loved it.  I actually ate my Donburi without Sriracha. It had a really nice flavor and I left today quite full. It's a little more than I'm used to spending for lunch but again, worth it. Thanks Lighthouse for a great lunch we both left quite happy with our choice. "M"

See how amazing I am at using my chopsticks!  "M" had better be careful when he is taking pictures or he may inadvertantley reveal our identity.  This is MI-5 secret stuff.  Good thing the picture is reversed or you might think that I am actually left handed.  Well enough guilding the lily.  On to the meat of the post.  If you are looking for a nice, clean, modern, friendly, fast, amazing.......;is that enough adjectives for ya?(Cause I could still use more if you like), place to eat Japanese cuisine then look no further than the Lighthouse.  Conveniently located on 3rd ave downtown.  We actually walked there!  Now I can't tell you how long it took us or we might have to go into hiding.  Lets just say that we are within 1-10 blocks of the Lighthouse.   I have to name this place is the 'King of Sushi'.  Ai-carumba!  It was so good I wish I was eating it right now.  Spicy tuna roll dreams tonight. And ooohhhh yeeeaaah them are good dreams.  Heck with sugar plumbs, give me spicy tuna.  I think I could eat Japanese every day of my sad existence and remain more than happy.  Both "M" and I had the spicy tuna roll and a donburi.  Very fine tasting and highly recommended.  The service is amazingly fast here and we were in and out (Great Burgers by the by) before we knew it.  This place knows how to "Sushi".  See I've created another verb.  You may all now use it free of charge.  I love Sushi so much that I wish I knew how to Sushi.  Now I've used it in a sentence I shouldn't forget the newest word in my own vocabulary.  And with no further Ado.  I bid you farewell till next week.  What do ya think?  Time for O' Sho? "BA" previously known as "C".

Dono Sushi 1009 Mayor Magrath Drive

I've driven past Dono Sushi many times but never stopped to try it out. We were talking about sushi this morning so it was kinda weird that we drew Dono to eat at today. I was really surprised once we walked in the restaurant and saw how big it was and most tables were at a private booth. From the outside I always thought it would be really small inside. The menu was quite large, meaning it had a lot of items in it. I was impressed. I decided to try something I was familiar with so I could make a fair comparison with other sushi I have eaten in Lethbridge. I ordered a chicken bowl and a spicy tuna roll. They brought us all miso soup to start, which was great because I was really hungry and that held me until the food came. The chicken bowl was very good. It had a grilled chicken breast on top of rice, bean sprouts and a few veggies with a teryaki sauce. It was a little smaller than I am used to but the soup made up for it. The spicy tuna roll was a little disappointing. The flavor and everything was good but I am used to eating this roll with a solid piece of tuna inside the roll. This is so nice because the butter soft tuna and the other ingredients make such a wonderful combination of textures. It really is my favorite roll. Unfortunately here at Dono, like other sushi restaurants I have tried, the tuna was chopped and mixed with spices and other ingredients. Like I said the flavor was fine but I really missed that piece of tuna in the roll. That's just my preference. Don't get me wrong! I was impressed with this place, in fact I went home and told my wife about it and now she wants to go. So I will definitely be back.    "J"

I thought todays choice was awesome. The lunch specials were a really good deal. I had an assortment of Maki rolls. It was around $12. I was so full when I left, it seemed like I got so much food for the money, to compare I would say the amount of sushi would be at least $25 anywhere else. The only thing I didn't like was my Tuna roll had chopped up tuna and I didn't like the texture but the flavor was so dang good. I love sushi and I was very impressed with the restaurant. It took a little while to get the food but it was worth the wait in my opinion. Thanks Dono Sushi for a good lunch. It was great to finally try it out. Rumor has it we might be trying another Sushi place next week!!!
"M"

Well well well.  Interesting little find today.  I've heard of this place lots but never been here.  This is like a massive hole-in-the-wall kinda place.  When I first walked through the door I saw a few tables and thought that was it.  Well as Gomer Pile used to say.....Surprise, surprise, surprise! *insert southern drawl here*.  This place kept going and going.  We walked to the sushi bar, hung a hard right and double back through what seemed to be the lost catacombs of Dono.  We were finally escorted to our table and given our menus.  Usually we try to eat something off the lunch menu.  Hence the name 'LethbridgeLUNCHnomads'.  So I went ahead and ordered the lunch box 'c'.  Nice variety but I really need to stop ordering the lunch box specials.  There's not near enuf food in them for me.  'M' had this massive plate of sushi and I was almost ready to put a lunch time hit out on his food.  Or as Vissini pulled on Wesley in "The Princess Bride", "what in the world can that be", and then see if he noticed that I switched lunches with him.  Anyways the food was ok.  Worth the price, but the quantity was a little lacking for BA.  No that's not BA from the A Team, aka Mr. T.  It stands for Big Appetite!  I think I just gave myself a new nickname.  Cool!  It was a really busy day there and they seemed to be short staffed, so the order took a while and the service was a little scarce but I understood.  We did go over our lunch hour though.  Well I would go back and try something else, but not right away.  There are plenty of other places that I need to chow down on first.  It would be nice if there was a little more separation from the kitchen where we were seated.  I don't like seeing the drama unfold right before my eyes.  Take care now, bye bye then! "C" aka "BA"

Regent Restaurant 1255 3rd Avenue South

Today was a cold and rainy day, and so when the time came to decide on where to eat the decision was based on what would warm us up and bring us the comfort we needed. It was a no brainer!! Chinese food!! BUT was there another restaurant we had not been to yet? Of course there was, The Regent. One of my favorites places for chinese food. And so we went. As usual it was busy, but that's a good sign, the buffet line was already past the serving table. I hadn't even started loading my plate yet and I was already getting excited. The buffet here must have at least 12 items on it, and before I got half way my plate was full. Fortunately, I'm not averse to stacking my food (a talent I learned years ago in a buffet line) and so I started on the second layer. By the time I sat down I was surprised at how much food I had put on my plate. (you got to remember I'm just a little guy) Well, I knew I would have to get it all in before my stomach realized it was stuffed, and I think I succeeded because I was even tempted to go back for more. In the minute it took to think about it my stomach crashed and told me it was time to stop. I guess I'll live to eat another day. As you can tell I'm still excited about eating chinese. This is a pretty good buffet, good thing it's not close to work or I would be a big guy. "J

Well folks it's 'C'. Yes I agree that the Regent has a great selection and variety. However, I really wasn't overly excited bout the lunch. Nothing to write home about anyways. Was it good? Yes. Was it really good? No. It was average in flavor and I am still looking for the mind blowing taste bud enialating Chinese food experience. Maybe it's not in Lethbridge!?! I thought it was hilarious that 'M' had to smuggle in his own hot sauce. I almost died it was so funny. Filled my plate so high that stuff was falling off. Ate it all gone like a good lunch nomad and was satisfied. Chinese food always makes me smile and today was average but not fantastic. Definitely worth the price but please someone turn us onto the next level of chinese food. Where is it? 'C'


Well, I can't turn down Chinese Food. I love it. There is one thing I don't like about The Regent. They don't have very good "Hot Sauce" So this is a picture of me "smuggling" in my own. Yes its in the pocket of my hoodie. I was very discreet about it though. I didn't do it for show I did it out of necessity! he food was good. The selection was great. The Regent is usually full of people, which is a good sign. Of course today I left full and I have no complaints. I don't like to eat until I'm "stuffed" so I held off a tiny bit today. Although I did get a good size plate of food down, loaded with Sriracha of course. How can we not be happy on a Chinese Food day? Even if it was a lousy cold day. "M"

Cotton Blossom Lounge 320 Scenic Drive South -Lethbridge Lodge

I thought today's choice was good. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was happy. The food tasted really good. I really liked the sea food salad and the pasta salad. Such a nice change to have something a little lighter for lunch. $9.95 for the buffet Monday-Friday, which I thought was a good price because it includes dessert and everything. I didn't even know this place was here until today. Thanks for the great lunch. "M"

Todays lunch was pretty good. The food was good & fresh and the price was right. Unfortunately I felt like we had gone to eat at a restaurant with only one item on the menu. Buffet meals always appeal to me because of the selection (unlike "C" who goes for the volume) but unfortunately today was a different story. The buffet had soup, broccoli & cheese, which was so good I came back for more. Then there was a choice of three different salads, all very tasty. Then there was only one entre, a stir fry, which was also very good but it was the only choice. Big disappointment. The desserts were also great, something we normally don't get with our lunch. Overall I went away full and the food was very good, but a little more selection would have made it a great choice.   "J"

Nice change today. It was a real treat to have a non-fast-food lunch. What a nice selection of food today. I love asparagus and today it was most amazing. Soup to start was a broccoli and cheese but not over cheesy. Most B&C soups taste like velveeta, and I think velveeta is disgusting. The salads were very tasty, especially the seafood salad. I really enjoyed the stirfry. I thought it was great! So what if it was the only entre. As usual I ate till I felt like stopping and I definitely didn't leave there hungry. Did I mention the asparagus? Mmmmmm! 'C'

MNP Fundraiser

Well today was a day to give back to the community.  "C's" brother works at MNP (Meyers Norris Penny) and phoned to inform us of a fundraiser lunch for Rob Parsons, who is the son of another MNP employee.  He thought it would be a good idea for us to come and participate.  We agree!  What a worthy thing to do. Rob was injured in a motorcycle accident that left him a paraplegic.  Rob spent quite some time in the hospital and is now at home. However the home requires some renovating to make it more wheelchair friendly.

All of the food was donated.  Two local Hutterite colonies provided the beef, buns, corn, watermelon and salad.  Dwayne Gurr of London Road Market provided the condiments and pop.  Because of these generous donations, all proceeds will go directly to making the Parsons' home wheelchair accessible.

It's nice to see a business and a community rally around a great cause and help lift the burden of such a tragic accident.

Beef on a bun was served with a side of pasta salad and some of the sweetest Southern Alberta corn, along with watermelon and pop.  All in all it was a nice way to spend the lunch hour.  Even the wasps didn't seem to mind. 

We don't know of a final head count, but we are guessing that there were in excess of 200 people served.











It was a nice sunny afternoon and this event was a great success.

We really hope that Rob's recovery is quick and that his adjustments to his new life situation are made easier by the generosity and support of the local community.

So Rob, from the Lethbridge Lunch Nomads; we wish you a speedy recovery and hope that your coming days are filled with joy and love.

Sincerely,
"C", 'J" and "M"

Namu Korean & Western Grill 1303 Mayor Magrath Drive S. Lethbridge

Well, We waited for Namu to open and this was the week to try it. I ordered the "Spicy Pork Box" it came with a "bean sprout" salad, a regular lettuce salad, a couple of dumplings (similar to gyoza) The "spicy pork",  rice, some "radish beef" soup. Well, todays choice was ok. I will come back to try to the "Korean BBQ" I won't order a lunch special again, I actually wasn't crazy about it. I ate everything and it wasn't bad, let's just say that. I have to be honest and say "I wasn't blown away".  I think I just chose the wrong lunch special for me today. I've heard Korean BBQ is really good. The restaurant itself was nice. The staff was friendly--the price wasn't bad either for a lunch special. Its been about 9 hours since lunch and I still have the worst "garlic breath" I've ever had. I can actually taste it. Anyways, I guess todays choice wasn't too too bad, but I would like to change what I'd ordered. There's always next time. Thanks Namu!
"M"

We've been watching for the opening of this new restaurant and finally were able to get here for lunch. Others in Lethbridge must have been looking for a new place to eat also because within a few minutes of our arrival it got quite busy. That's always a good sign. I've heard a lot about Korean BBQ and was happy we chose to eat here. I ordered a lunch box special with chicken. It came with soup, salad, rice, a couple of dumplings like Gyoza and of course the meat. The soup was a surprise! Radish/beef soup. I've never heard of cooking with radishes before. It was different and it was good. I think I might have to develop a taste for this before I really love it. The rest of the meal was quite tasty. I really liked the dumplings. Like I said they were just like gyoza but crispy. MMM very good! The flavor of the chicken was good and as a whole all the flavors made a nice meal. It was a good change from other lunches we have had. My only complaint is that the box lunch did not fill me up. By 3 o'clock I was going around the office begging for food. I will definitely come back, but I will try something a little more substantial. Give it a try and let us know what you think. “J”

When I grew up in Lethbridge I remember when the Heidelberg Inn was built.  Recently Ramada has purchased this hotel and opened a new restaurant.  We saw the sign a couple of weeks before it was actually open, so we knew that we would be adding this one to our plastic bowl full of restaurants written on pieces of paper. We usually draw randomly.  However sometimes we stack the deck and just go wherever we feel like.  So on our radar today was Namu.  So we order our food and submit ourselves to some meaningless chit chat and all of a sudden 'BOOMBAM', out comes some soup.  When I first saw it I thought, hmmm, didn't know they served Miso soup in Korea.  Then we were told it was Radish/Beef Soup.  I LOVE RADISHES.  I used to eat radish sandwiches when I was a kid.  This soup was really good.  What a nice change.  I ordered the ribs.  I really liked the flavor but next time I will order the BBQ beef.  I like a little more meat than were on the ribs.   I was impressed with the amount of food that came with the lunch box special.  I wasn't hungry when we left.  It seemed like the lunch special didn't want to offend vegetarians or meat lovers.  There was plenty of both.  3 different types of salad, rice, dumplings, and the meat.  I really enjoyed our lunch here at Namu.  However I felt like I should have been at Sea World or something.  I'm sure the name of the restaurant means something in Korean.  It is a little too close to sounding like Shamu.  Where's the trainer dude?  Does the server splash us with water?  Can I throw Namu a fish?  Anyways, I hope people will make this place stay.  I find that when a restaurant is located in a Hotel that there is a lot of turn over.  So peoples, go eat at Namu! How do you say Bon appetit in Korean? "C"
PS.  "M" is a winer. :-D

Henry's Restaurant 531-13 Street N.

Back in July, Sarah27 recommended that we try out Henry's because their dry ribs "are so addicting" and so today we gave them a try. "M" is off on vacation but we got two other guys to join us. Well, Sarah27 was right, the ribs were pretty good darn good. The rest of the lunch special was hot and fresh, a little different from the buffet food we usually eat. I am learning from this project that Chinese food has a slightly different flavor at each restaurant. I guess it only makes sense, but I never really thought about it before. I have always loved Chinese food and have my favorite places to eat it, so when I go somewhere else and it tastes different I find it hard to like it. The food here was good, just not what my taste-buds prefer. It was fresh and plentiful, two definite requirements for Chinese food, and the chicken balls had light breading on them which made me happy. My biggest let down was the chow mien. To me it was quite tasteless, but fortunately they had chili paste which can make even the worst chow mien taste better. Henry's has been around for awhile so others must like the food here. For me it wasn't a bad lunch just not a great one. You'll have to try it out for yourself.  "J"

Hey everyone it's "C"!  I disagree with "J" regarding the chow mien, I agree about the dry ribs, and agree with the pineapple chicken. Perhaps in his maturing years "J" is not only losing memory, but taste buds too.  LOL.  I enjoy the different flavors you find from different restaurants.  -[Side note:]  I have eaten a lot of interesting food from a lot of countries.  I have eaten whole entire fishes, some dried and smoked, and others just boiled up in a soup.  (I liked the eyes).  I have even eaten the famous prairie oysters.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that my expectation for the flavor of foods is quite broad.  I am patient with my palate.  I had the dry 'garlic' ribs.  WOW!!! Thank You Sarah27 for your recommendation.  Everything was great.  When I was young my parents would take us to Henry's for special occasions.  It was always good then, and it was very good this time.  If there is anything I could suggest, it would be to redecorate.  Replace those 30 years old carpets and spruce the place up a little. "C"

Coops 3205 8th Ave. North.

Today we decided it was a place called "Coops" Where is that? Never heard of it. We hopped in the car and went up to the industrial side of town. We parked, and walked around the building, found the door, and here is a little restaurant. I ordered a "Beef Dip" with Onion Rings. It was dang good. We find it's amazing how these little places you've never heard of are quite good. I think the other "Nomads" were pleased with what they ordered also. I thought the price was good. I was so full when I finished and my lunch was under $10.00. Awesome. It's a little out of the way for me, so I don't know that I'll rush right back, but it was a good lunch. Give it a try sometime.
"M"

Today was a great little find. When we randomly made the choice to eat at Coops today we weren't quite sure we wanted to follow thru with it. In fact there was even some wining about "going where I want to" BUT we were all very surprised and pleased. It didn't look like much of a place from the outside, the inside was much better. It was nice and clean and we felt welcome. The menu had a real variety of food and so we each chose something different. I decided on a pizza and it was great! Great flavor, crunchy crust, I made a good choice. I know that this place is hidden in the industrial area of the city but it is worth the drive and the food was great."J"


Wow, interesting place!  It's amazing what you find when you're not looking for it.  I really fought going here, cuz I had no clue that such a gem existed in the armpit of the industrial park in Lethbridge.  After we found the place we ended up walking around the place looking for the door.  I guess I walked right on by and didn't notice it.  Inside was a typical greasy spoon decor but in much better shape than other small out of the way places that we've seen.  So anyways, I was very impressed with the menu.  What a great selection.  I decided to have the Steak Sandwich.  Well alrighty then! (Insert Jim Carrey voice here).  Honestly one of the best Steak Sandwiches I've consumed.  Normally you get a fatty slab of Grissely meat that requires further butchering and trimming, and you end up inevitably with a couple pieces of meat, but not here.  It was a tasty, cooked to perfection, sumptuous morsel of beef.  The toasted bread was served as a side and I really liked that cuz I really just wanted to eat the steak.  My lunch was served with a choice of soup or salad and I chose the soup.  Cream of Broccoli, mmmmm!  It also had steamed vegetables and onion rings.  Great Lunch!  Only open for the lunch crowd, but definitely worth the commute.  "C"

The Saigonese 1210 Mayor Magrath Drive S.

Life is so good I can't believe it. The weather is warm, the sun is shining and we found another Vietnamese restaurant. Have I ever said how much I love to eat vietnamese food? Some how The Saigonese restaurant slipped under our radar, but it didn't get far. We attacked with a flurry today, in fact we attacked so fast and hard that we finished all our food before the camera could even snap a picture. Check it out. I ordered "Bun" today not just because it's my favorite but also so I could make a comparison with the other restaurants. And so do you know what I discovered?? I love Vietnamese food no matter where you eat it, it's great everywhere. Each has something a little bit different but they are all good. Here at the Saigonese the charbroiled pork is not in slices but in littler pieces that taste like they have been marinated in something that also gives it an orange color. It was good but the best part was because the pieces were small they seemed to last to the very last bite. I liked that very much. Overall I was very pleased. Good food, fast and friendly service, and within our $10 budget. I'll definitely be back "J"

Well the last time I blogged about Vietnamese I said "We've tried all the Vietnamese in town" I forgot about The Saigonese. I liked it. It was different than the other places in town. I ordered "bun" which I'm used to. I was surprised how each place in Lethbridge differs from eachother. I thought this place wasn't bad. I'm not able to say its the best Vietnamese in town but it was good. I'm serious when I say "Vietnamese is my favorite food these days" I didn't think their charbroiled pork was as good as some others I've had. We ate it up in just a few minutes. I think the other "Nomads" like Vietnamese as much as I do. Thanks for the good lunch, I'm sure I'll be back
"M"

Hey it's 'C'. The Saigonese happens to my personal favorite for Vietnamese food. As per usual it hit the mark with glorious flavor, and every morsel was as a delectable peice of heaven. When I die I want 'bun' for my pearly gate meal. Hey Saigonese, you have nice bun. 'C'

Five Guys Burgers & Fries 3725 Mayor Magrath Drive South

Hey everybody, it's "C".  I can't believe that I am the first to post today.  So it was burger time today and 5 Guys was the destination.  Ordered the bacon burger and loaded it up with almost everything.  Grabbed some FREE peanuts with hopes of dumping all the shells on the floor.  We were fairly early for lunch and the floor was still really clean.  I would have felt guilty being the first to mess up the floor.  So back to the burger! YOWZA! Great as usual.  I love how they put your burger and fries in the bag and then dump more fries on top.  Had a root beer with lemon.  First time I've tried that.  It was surprisingly tasty.  Well I can't believe I at the whole thing,  ok actually I can, and it was gooood.  Not the cheapest burgers in town, but probably the most satisfying.  I wasn't hungry till supper time.  That's good for me.  Great food, good fun! "C"


I've been looking forward to trying out "Five Guys" ever since I heard they were coming to town. I had high expectations and overall they were met. I love my burgers so juicy they run down to my elbows when I eat them and this is what I got. I had it loaded so full I could hardly open my mouth wide enough to take a bite. (but don't worry, I did just fine) We placed our orders and had only a short wait. I was amazed that my brown paper bag was right full when I picked it up. The burger was juicy and had good flavor. My bun was a little soggy but maybe thats because I like to put so much on it. It made it a little hard to hold but that meant there was more to lick off my fingers. They definitely didn't cheap out on the fries, there was tons of them. They were a bit soggy which disappointed me, but once I bathed them in ketchup I was able to get them down. If you are looking for a good burger experience you've got to try out "Five Guys". Not the cheapest in town but pretty darn good burgers.  "J"

Well, as the team already mentioned, it was time to try "Five Guys" I ordered a bacon burger, I was surprised how huge the burgers are. It was so good. I'm always up for a good burger. I love the way you order and I thought the place itself was cool. I found my burger was a little messy, but I'm sure these burgers are supposed to be like that a bit. There was for sure enough fries to go around. Wash it all down with a "Coke Zero" and you have yourself a dang good lunch. I'm sure I'll be back. Thanks "Five Guys" for the awesome lunch.
"M"

Hong Kong Gardens 425 13th Street North

I guess I'm a "chinese food" snob and didn't even know it. I was really looking forward to eating at Hong Kong Gardens today because it's been such a long time since I've been here. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the flavors of the food. I can't really pinpoint what it was, all I know is it didn't taste like I like my chinese food to taste. It was OK, but not great. That being said, the restaurant was fairly busy and some of the guys really liked it, so like I said I must be a "chinese food" snob. What I did find positive was the volume of food they served. I started with a small wonton soup and it was twice the size I expected to see. The lunch special was $6.55 and after the soup I didn't come close to finishing it. So if you are looking for quantity, this is the place to eat.  "J"

Yup Chinese again. Well....on Thursdays I'm really Hungry. This was a lot of food for not much money. It was super cheap and a mountain of food. It didn't taste quite as good as some of the other places we've been. I ate quite a bit of it but I didn't love it. I ordered the lunch special with shrimp. There was one thing I loved.....The Sriracha. If you're looking for a cheap lunch and you want to get really full, this is the place. It was a bigger plate than I would have taken at a buffet. I think it'll be a while before I make it back. "M"


I have no clue where these two 'Chinese Food Snobs' just ate, but the Hong Kong Gardens that I just ate at was great!  What a couple of winers eh :-) I was given a gargantuous serving of food.  I was completely blown away by the amount of food on my plate.  Usually I only see this much food on my plate when I fill it myself at a buffet.  So anyways, I found the flavour a nice change from the cookie cutter flavours of all the other chinese food restaraunts in Lethbridge.  Yes the rice and chow mein did taste different than usual, but in a good way.  The 'won ton' soup was misspelled and should have been 'one ton' of soup.  It was massive! And that was a small bowl none the less.  The service was excellent and friendly.  I was the only one today to finish my lunch, so I think I deserve props for that.  A definate two thumbs up from me today.  Best value for lunch in a long time.However it looks like I'll be going back there by myself next time, but go back I will, and soon!  Quantity 10/10, quality 9.5/10, service 9.5/10, a full stomach the rest of the day 10/10.  Keep smilin', thanks for all the suggestions, and Happy Eating.  "C"

Michelle's Memorable Meals 230 12A Street North

Well today we decided it was finally time to try Michelle's Memorable Meals. We found the place, went inside, it was quite busy. There was only a couple places left to sit. So we looked at the Lunch specials and I browsed the menu. "J" THEY HAVE LIVER AND ONIONS!!!! Now, I know it's not fair to blog about a lunch where I ordered "liver and onions" because I think most people hate them. I ordered it anyways. WOW so good. I think the best I've had in Lethbridge. I was so impressed with this place. The food was reasonably priced and so good. I will be back to try something else on the menu. What a great place for a nice home-cooked lunch. Strange location, although that didn't seem to affect how busy it was. Great Lunch. I loved it. "M"

As soon as we walked in the door I knew we had found a hidden gem of a neighborhood restaurant. It was only a few minutes past 12 o'clock and already the place was nearly full.  The one & only server didn't have time to greet us so we went straight in and found a table. Within a few minutes she came to our table with menus, and to welcome us. The menu was full of items I would have liked to try, but keeping with tradition I ordered the lunch special. Roast beef, mashed potatoes and vegetables, including soup and dessert for $8.99. While waiting for the food I looked around and realised that this restaurant must have been built on a shoestring budget. Most noteable were the chairs we aere sitting on. It only took a few minutes before I could feel the lack of padding on the chair seat. (I have a very sensitive butt you know) The beef & barley soup came right away and I loved it. Nice and thick with lots of flavour. If this was home made soup they have got the recipe right. My only complaint about the main meal was the plainness of the corn served as the vegetable. I love corn and this was very plain. Just a touch of butter would have helped. I was surprised by the dish of tapioca pudding for dessert. Not everyone likes tapioca but I love it. Tapioca reminds me of home because my mother made it often. Overall I was very pleased with Michelle's. Good food, great price. I would definately recommend you try it out. "J"

Spring Rolls 321 13 Street North

Well....Vietnamese again. We have now tried all 3 places in Lethbridge aaaand.....We still LOVE Vietnamese. All 3 are very good. Today I ordered some Rice Noodles with Lemon Grass Beef.  I've learned that hot rice noodles with Beef, Chicken, Pork and such that have cold lettuce and veggies is called "BUN" I'd never tried anything with Lemon Grass. It was delicious. I purposely ordered a "salad roll" to compare it to the other places in town.  The salad roll was "so-so". My lemon grass beef rice noodle bowl...Great. It was just different enough from other Vietnamese I've had.  The peanut sauce for example was different also my lemon grass beef had crushed peanuts on top. I loaded it with Sriracha and it was so good. Thank you "Spring Rolls" for a great lunch. We were Happy with our choice. I thought the portion size was great, prices were comparable to the rest we've had. No complaints. It's hard to go wrong with Vietnamese.  "M"

I was so happy to find out there was another Vietnamese restaurant in Lethbridge. I wanted to make a fair comparison so I ordered something that was familiar, "Bun". Lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts topped with rice vermicelli, topped with charbroiled pork and eggrolls. Of course I added the fish sauce, sriracha and hoisin sauce. I was pleased because the food was good, the retaurant was nice and clean, and the food came relatively quickly. We knew we weren't the only ones that liked this place because by 12:15 the restaurant was full. A good sign of a good restaurant. I'm sure I'll be back.    "J"

Top Pizza & Spaghetti House 1101-4 Ave. S.

Pizza from Top Pizza has always been a lunch favorite of mine but I always do take out, so today we decided to eat in. Since I am well acquainted with their pizza I decided to try the lasagna today. In my humble opinion you can never go wrong with pasta and today was no exception. Other than the long wait... so what is with that anyway??? People are on a a lunch break that usually lasts an hour, so why can't restaurants serve lunch a little quicker??? This is becoming a real turn-off to me, having to wait 30 minutes for my meal to come. I have things to do and places to see. (ya right!)  Anyway back to the food. Other than the wait the lasagna was real good. I went away very pleased and very full, and all that for $9.99. I'll be back, but probably will do take out again.  "J"

It's been a while since I've been to Top Pizza. Today I ordered an "ALL MEAT" Pizza. We sat and visited for a bit, we got hungrier and hungrier. (I'm always starving on Thursdays) Anyways so we waited and waited. At least 30 min went by, here comes our food! Finally! I bit into my pizza and it was delicious. Top's Pizza is Superior Pizza. Was it worth the wait? Yes it was. Too bad we are used to a much quicker lunch. I know they make the pizza fresh but it really should have been quicker than that. Other than that, it was a great lunch. I thought the price was good, I did finish my pizza but I was so full. In fact, I was still full when I left work at 5. There really is no other Pizza place in town like Top's, its an authentic pizza place. You can't go wrong...well it could have used some Sriracha... "M"

Yo, what up peeps?  I may not be as nice as "J" and "M".  I was not really wanting to go here for lunch cause I don't like to sit and wait for forever to eat.  Well on par, it took forever to get our food!  I'm not impressed.  It wasn't even that busy!  It was okay for flavor, but the wait wasn't worth the food.  The pizza looked like it was literally thrown together.  Some pieces had tons of toppings and other barely had cheese.  It took almost 40 mins. to get our orders.  Maybe they hadn't killed the cow yet?!  I don't know.  Anyways, if ur in a hurry, give this place a bye or pre-order, or order take-out or something, but I would not recommend eating in,  unless of course you like getting frustrated or playing sudoku on your iPhone all lunch hour while waiting for your food.  Definitely NO wow factor here. "C"

Shanghai 610 3 Ave South

We both had a busy day today. We needed something quick and easy. Its been a while since we've tried some Chinese. We decided it would be a "time-saver" today. It was a pretty good lunch. They had a few lunch specials listed ABC or mix and match any two items for 5.95  or any 3 items for 6.95. I had fried rice, pineapple chicken, and dry ribs. I was really hungry today, I think as soon as we start thinking about chinese I get extra hungry. Todays choice was not too bad.  At least they had Sriracha!!! "M"

Well, you know how much I love chinese food. When I first moved to Lethbridge Shanghai was the place to eat, but it has been a lot of years since then. I was a little scared going up those stairs that this once great restaurant was going to be a dive. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was relatively clean and well kept after all these years. I would have liked to have seen a better selection for the lunch special because I was starving and also I am used to buffets when I go for chinese for lunch. However, for $6.95 I got full. Was it the best chinese food I had ever eaten? No! Was it really bad? No!  "J"

Miro Bistro 212-5 Street S.

Well, I'm not quite sure what to say about todays lunch. When I think about it all I have are negatives to say, but that doesn't seem fair because the food was real good. So let me get the negatives out of the way first. I have eaten at Miro for dinner and so I knew in advance that it would not be a $10 lunch, however I must admit I was still surprised that there was not a few selections at a lesser price. The menu was set up with soup, appetizers and entree's and so I could see right away this was not a regular lunch restaurant. The food offered was more dinner style for me, but I finally decided on a penne pasta and grilled chicken with tomato sauce and goat cheese. The place wasn't too busy so I wasn't expecting to wait long for the food to come. I was wrong, they must have thought we were on a lunch sabbatical.  Fortunately there was an arrest going on outside so we had something to take our minds off our empty stomachs. The food finally arrived at the table, and in typical gourmet fashion we definitely paid for quality, not quantity. Now the positive part, the food was really good!! If you have a little more time and money to spend on lunch this is a great place to come. Personally I think I will save this place for dinner and find another for eating lunch.  Sorry Miro.  "J"

The Food was good today, for sure not a familiar food. Nothing on the lunch menu was something that I could have ordered and knew exactly what it was going to be like. That's not always a bad thing. We set out to try new things. Today I ordered a lunch special which was penne pasta with lamb meatballs. Surprisingly good. I was a little disappointed in the portion size. No complaints about the flavor and the food itself, I guess its just not what the "Nomads" are used to. We are always somewhat surprised when we go into a restaurant and find out we can't really get a lunch for $10 or less. Miro's isn't that kind of place, which is fine, Lethbridge should have a few places like this here and there. I guess what I'm trying to say is its a little "fancy" for me, (for lunch) but I was happy with what I ordered. It was nice to try something slightly different than I'm used to. If I go for lunch and they ask at the door "do you have reservations?" That should tell me something. All in all, todays was a good change of pace to be honest. Thanks Miro's for good lunch. "M"

Parsa Restaurant - Taste of Afghanistan - 309 7th Street South

This new restaurant just opened on May 23 and I was looking forward to trying it out. I stopped by last week and was told to make sure I try the Afghan rice, so I did.  I ordered the Quabulie Palaw and was not disappointed, in fact I really liked it. It came with Afghan rice, containing slivered almonds, shredded carrots, and raisins. I am not a fan of cooked raisins but I wanted to try the dish, and I loved it. In fact the raisins were what made it so good. They added a little touch of sweetness to every bite. There was also a beef dish that tasted like it had a bit of curry in it, a plate of fresh vegetables and a couple pieces of a flat bread. I enjoyed every bite of this meal. Great flavors and use of spices. My flat bread was a little crunchy and the type style used on the menu made it a little hard to read, but otherwise I would recommend this restaurant to everyone.  The staff was very friendly and helpful to explain the dishes. The owner even came out to talk with us and thank us for coming. That was a nice touch. "M" was a little under the weather today and was disappointed that he missed this place, soooooo I'll gladly make the sacrifice and go with him another day. "J"

Hey everybody!  This was a nice little place to eat.  My stomach was in revolt already cause it was so empty, and when they brought out the meal at first, there was one little plate of food.  I almost started to cry, but then came another plate and another and yet another.  My frown was turned upside down and became a nice big grin from ear to ear.  The flavors were very distinct and pleasing to my palate.  What I thought would leave me painfully hungry was very satisfying and I was left not wanting.   We were given a bit of a cultural lesson on the differences of Afghan rice and seasonings.  What a great meal.  Every bite was pleasing and unique in a very good way.  The flat bread was hard and crunchy, but at the same time flavorful.  If you expect a naan bread, this stuff will be a shock.  However if you are expecting a crispy harder bread that could be used as a spoon for the meat and sauce, you'd be right on track. (maybe that's what it is used for ;-)).  In any case I look forward to "M" coming with us so we can go back there again.  Delish!! "C"

Los Del Cid 718 13 St N

What a quaint little restaurant. Seating for 12, background music and "requerdos" from Guatemala decorating the walls. Los Del Cid is family owned and ran, using family recipes. I was excited to try it out. The menu had a good variety of foods at a reasonable range of prices. "M" and I each found something for under $10 and we split it so we could experience both dishes. I was pleased at the interesting mix of flavors and use of ingredients I would have never thought of. I tried to find out what the spices were in one dish but was told it's a family secret. My only complaint is that the dishes we ordered both had deep fried tortillas. Deep fried is not what I usually look for. The flavor was great but cutting in to the food made it break apart and a little difficult to pick up with your fork. But don't feel bad for me, I was able to get it all in my mouth. If you are looking for something a little different you've got to try it out. "J"

This Place was awesome. I thought the food was so good. I ordered some enchiladas and split them with "J" they were not what I'm used to as far as enchiladas go. They were actually like an open-faced tostado. They were delicious. I thought the people who worked here were really nice, I hope they do well with this little restaurant. I was very impressed. Thank you Los Del Cid for a new experience. I can't wait to come back for supper. I told my wife that we should try it together sometime for a date night. "M"