Thursday 31 March 2011

Round Street Cafe 427-5 Street S.

Well, if the busyness of a restaurant is an indication of how good it is then this must be a very good place. We arrived just after 12 noon and already the place was packed with a line up to the door. The line moved relatively fast so we could place our order. Round St. Cafe serves mostly sandwiches and wraps with soup and salad as a side add-on. Prices are consistent with what I like to pay for lunch. I had a huge turkey sandwich, loaded with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese and a side salad all for $10.  Again, I don't normally want to eat a sandwich when I go to a restaurant but this was pretty darn good. I was plenty full when I was finished. I really wanted to try the soup of the day, it was squash/potato, but I was too afraid of the squash. I'm a meatatarian after all, it's a personal choice.  Maybe next time, if someone else orders it and lets me try.  Anyway, if you like sandwiches for lunch you better get over here real early.    "J"

Round Street Cafe- I liked it! I'm sure it's been there for a few years it's just never been a place I'd heard of or thought to try. I ordered a Grilled Sandwich with Ham, Turkey, Cheese, Pickles...I think that's it. It was a good sandwich. The place was busy. Really Busy. While we were in line, I wasn't sure we'd find a place to sit by the time we got our food. I have no complaints, Good food. Good Service. Nice Staff. I'm not really a sandwich person, but it was fine. It could have used some Sriracha. I noticed on the menu they have "breakfast scones" I would really like to know what those are like. They sound good. Anyways. We did make a good choice this week.  Good Job Round Street Cafe, Thanks for the good lunch. "M"

Thursday 24 March 2011

Bento Bowl - Lethbridge Centre Mall

I Feel Kinda Bad about today. I wasn't happy with Bento Bowl. 1st of all, they said they were 3 staff members short, it caused us to wait 25 min for our food. Guess what? That doesn't bother me. I'm extremely patient. I've never had a problem with a little bit of a wait. No biggie. So...we are sitting there waiting for our food... luckily, for me, I've ordered a salad roll that I can start on while I'm waiting. It was an outrageous price...$3...FOR A SALAD ROLL? ARE YOU NUTS???? I thought maybe it would be either really big, or really really good. It wasn't. To me, a salad roll should be a good size and wrapped tightly and look good. (better than something I could slap together at home) it wasn't any of these things. I ate it in about 30 seconds. There went my $3 salad roll. 20 min went by...OM GOSH here comes our food...I Think. (did we order off the kids menu by mistake?) Seriously, the smallest portion of food ever from a vietnamese restaurant. I've been to the other places in town, you get a huge bowl. This was very very small, and nothing to write home to mom about. Overall very bad choice today. Honestly, not because we had to wait, but just that I had the smallest $14 lunch of my life. One thing today was so so good. THE SRIRACHA!!!! I think the other Nomads will agree today wasn't great. Sorry Bento Bowl.
"M"

Bento Bowl on Urbanspoon
This place is in the "Bay" mall, if you don't recognise the address.

The Bento Bowl serves a variety of Asian foods and I had high hopes for a great meal. Unfortunately they were dashed long before I even got to taste the food. We arrived to a long line-up to place our order, and that was only the beginning. We waited over 25 minutes for the food to be served. Yes, it was an off day because they were short handed, but still by the time we got our meals we were already disappointed. The sight of the small portions only made it worse. Todays lunch special was a Vietnamese dish of BBQ chicken on rice noodles. In most Vietnamese restaurants this meal is served in quite a large bowl, but this was probably a third of what is normally served. Now, the food was tasty, but by the time I finally got to eat, it didn't matter any more. I would like to give it a second chance but I am afraid to go back to work hungry again. "J"

As our name implies we are NOMADS.  We hit Bento Bowl on a bad day.  They were understaffed and it took forever to get in and out of there.  A little frustrating but as our name implies, we were NO_MAD.  I had the special, which today was Grilled chicken.  I had mine on noodles with a spring roll.  I was so hungry I could have eaten the south end of a northbound skunk.  Now that's hungry! When our number was finally called some 30 mins later my stomach wanted to leap up my throat and throttle my brain! (A little Douglas Adams for your enjoyment). It looked like an appetizer. Hey where's the main course, I thought? Someone's playin a joke on me.  No, it was true.  I knew I would be leaving the Bento Bowl a little Bento out of shape. On the positive side; cause there is always a positive side, the staff (2) that were there were very friendly and efficient despite 3 of the staff being away. I do give them credit for that.  But I have to be honest and say that the value here is not good.  For the same price I can go elsewhere and have to be carried out on a stretcher cause I'm so full.  I know, you're probably thinking that I sound like a supersize me kind a guy, but I'm not.  I'm average build, brutally handsome, and ...apparently also a dreamer. My wife says she likes me looking "healthy"! That's kind speak for 'you could stand to lose a few pounds'! Anyways, back to Bento Bowl.  Today I have to give a 1.5 out of 5.  Feed me Seymour! "C"

Friday 18 March 2011

Palm Springs to Las Vegas


I'm not in Lethbridge this week so I'm happy to hear that "M & C" aren't starving to death. We've had a few interesting food experiences down here so I will tell you about some of them. We were told we had to eat at Shermans Deli in Palm Springs and so we tried it out. I think I know why so many Americans are obese. The portions they serve at many restaurants here are unbelievable. I had a corned beef sandwich that had to have had two inches of meat on it, my wifes Cobb salad filled a platter four inches deep and easily could have served two hungry people. We found the same at the Black Bear Diner at Lake Havasu City. We met up with my brother and his wife and I have never seen a meal stop him before. He had a "smaller portion" roast beef dinner and he couldn't finish it. There must have been three inches of beef on his plate beside a mountain of mashed potatos.

You can't come to the southwest states without eating mexican food, my favorite. We tried out La Michoacana in desert Hot Springs and it was fine. Not much to write home about and so I was looking forward to Las Vegas. Traditionally the place to eat Mexican in Vegas is Robertos, but when I was down here in November we discovered Zabas Mexican Grill. It's a little more commercial and fast foody than Robertos but I fell in love with their fish tacos.  I had to bring my wife to try it out. Of course you can't have Mexican without Cholula hot sauce. It's the best (with a Jack Black mexican accent) I will be back whenever I come to Vegas. BTW if you like fish tacos I have tried the ones they make at Moxies in Lethbridge and they are pretty darn good too.   "J"

Thursday 17 March 2011

Boston Pizza

I know I know. Boring right? Everyone has been to BP's,  but you know what? We are Busy!!! So don't freak out at me and expect exciting new adventures week after week.  It's still Lethbridge no matter how you look at it. Anyways. BP's was Good. I had the 1/2 Brute with a salad. Good lunch combo. Really. There's not much else to say. It could have used some SRIRACHA sauce. Service was good too.  You can imagine what the Boston Brute would taste like with Sriracha right?  Oh Ya! Well... I'm sorry about the last 2 weeks. It would be nice if someone would give us a suggestion or something in advance. Its not easy being the LLN and trying to decide on a place. Seriously! Well....Thats it for this week. "M"

This place was my idea today! Our concern was time. It's close by and I thought that it would be nice and fast. Well today it was. I chose from the lunch menu and was really feeling like having the nooner pizza, but decided to go with the half brute instead.  As you all know I like to eat a lot so the name sold me. I also had the soup which today was broccoli.  I must say that I was satisfied with our lunch experience today.  BPs maybe doesn't sound like somewhere you'd want to go, but we were in and out of there in about .5 hr. More than adequate! I can't wait for nice warm summer days so we can walk to our destinations and maybe eat outside.  BPs has an outdoor section so maybe we'll try it again when it's warmer outside. "C"

Friday 11 March 2011

New Dynasty

New Dynasty Restaurant     103-7 Street S.

What can I say. They twisted my arm and I went. Not that I don't like to eat here. In fact you'd have to use all you fingers and toes, no you'd have to use all the fingers and toes of everyone in your grade 8 class to count how many times I've eaten here. That may not even be enough. Hey! speaking of grade 8 what ever happened to...Oh sorry you probably don't remember her. Back to the restaurant, not the healthiest choice of meals but it sure tastes good. Is this the best Chinese buffet at lunchtime? Probably not but it's close to us and it's quick. The selection is limited but I like the flavours here and I always go away full. Sometimes way too full. "J"

True. We have eaten here a lot...The best part is the Sriracha sauce. I love that stuff. I eat Sriracha on Sriracha. This week wasn't too special, same old same old. Next week will be new and exciting. "M"

I guess the cat must have had "M's" tongue.  I've never heard him say so little!?! Ha Ha. This was our every Thursday blast from the past. Donnie and the Staff here all know us, and we have fun joking around with our servers. It had been a few months since we'd been here and as soon as we walked in it was ...."hey where have you guys been".  Its nice to know that we were missed.  Or maybe they just didn't have anyone to mock for a while? They probably saved money on the Chili Garlic sauce that we consume like water. Gotta love the chili garlic sauce! Whoever serves us knows that it better be on the table by the time we get there with our heaping plates of food. And it usually is! Well again, the New Dynasty is very close to our office, so it's fast and I always leave there too full.  The food here is always consistent and satisfying. Definitely a recommended place if you're on a time budget. "C"

Friday 4 March 2011

The SchnitzelHaus

The Schnitzelhaus  303-6 Street S.

Today we decided to try out some schnitzel Lethbridge style. We found quite a small location, seating for 6-7 at the most, that must be intended for mostly take-out. We were given a great explanation of the menu since we were new and off we went. I tried a combo plate with Hawaiian schnitzel, fries, coleslaw and a drink for $11.50. When I heard that the schnitzel was deep fried I was expecting the worst. A lunch that sits like a lump in your gut all afternoon. But, I was pleasantly surprised. The meal was actually quite light but yet filling. I tried a variety of sauces on my schnitzel but ended up eating it with none so I could enjoy the ham, pineapple and cheese filling. The only negative was again the cold. The restaurant is so small that every time the door opens it freezes you. My meal cooled off very quickly. Over all I was pleased and would probably return again.
p.s. we were told that the menu might soon include some El Salvadorian foods. Yum! I'll be back "J"


Schnitzelhaus

 The food here was good. I liked  what I ordered, what was it again? I can't even remember the name, it was the last thing on the menu. I ordered my schnitzel in a combo and not as a burger. It had bacon and onions in it. Delicious! Also, the fries and potato salad, Really Good. Hmmm, what else can I say? Small little place, a little chilly inside. The lady working there was nice, told us everything we needed to know about the menu, gave us lots of different sauces to try. Overall I liked this place. I don't really know what a Schnitzel is supposed to look or taste like, but if you've ever had a Argentinian "Melanesa" (not sure if that's the right spelling) That's what it tasted like. I would love to go back and try something else on the menu, maybe even the burgers. I thought it was a pretty good value for our money. This week was a good stop for us. I was happy with our choice. Looking forward to our next adventure. "M"

Hey everyone its "C". I grew up as a Canadian Air Force Brat. We were stationed in Europe for 5 years. Our time there was split between France and Germany.  Even thought I was young, I can remember this one particular Schnitzelhaus on a mountain road somewhere in either, Austria, Switzerland, or Bavaria. I remember donning my Laterhossen and travelling to this quaint out of the way restaurant where we would enjoy Schnitzel, pastries and ice cream, all while eating over a glass topped table that had live reptiles under the glass.  My lunch experience at the Schnitzelhaus in downtown Lethbridge was perhaps not as cultural, but was quite satisfying.  My wife "T" joined us today and she usually doesn't eat things that aren't familiar too her, but she too enjoyed it. Like "M" I too had the Schnitzel that had onions and bacon and cheese. I enjoyed mine with coleslaw and fries. It wasn't like the Schnitzel I remember as a boy. It was more like a Latin Milanese, however the flavor was good. The serving size was a little small for my appetite but luckily my wife didn't finish hers so I was able to garburate her leftovers.  Again this place is small, with one table and a raised bar thingy by the window.  On a cold day such as it was, the constant opening of the door was almost too much, even for a guy who wears shorts year round. It seems to be a popular place cause there was a constant stream of patrons coming and going.  The service was pleasant and I would definitely go back again. "C"