1822 Broad Street Regina, SK 306-586-BITE (2483) http://www.bittenonbroad.com/ _________________________________________________________
It's slightly gutsy to open a restaurant on a semi-abandoned block in downtown Regina that has seen its share of restaurants come and go over the years.
But entrepreneur Astrid Baecker did exactly that two years ago when renovations at 1822 Broad Street got underway. After sitting empty for a few years, the building was looking in pretty rough shape when things got started. Within a few months Baecker and her team added plenty of shine.
What's now known as Bitten used to be home to Gingerz. Before that it was a satellite location of India House for a matter of months. And wayyy before that it was New Orleans. And that's all the history I know of the place.
The room itself, long and narrow with a balcony looking over the main floor, is an awkward shape for a restaurant. That being said, Bitten has made things work by modernizing the colour scheme and placing high-top tables with bar stools on the main floor that can be easily moved around to accommodate groups of all sizes.
The second floor balcony is cozy and closer to the bar. If drinking is your main reason for visiting Bitten, sit upstairs.
The menu has grown over the last two years. It's now several pages long and covers a surprisingly wide range of cuisines. If you want Asian, Bitten does that. If you want Italian, Bitten does that. If you want Cajun, they do that too. While the variety is nice, the menu lacks focus overall. Some of the appetizers, like the stuffed mushroom caps, seem like a throwback to the '80s.
On the other hand, appetizers come in very generous portions. Some might even find them large enough to be a meal. They definitely make for good sharing in a group.
As for the rest of the food, it's generally good. Some entrees, like a Surf and Turf I had around Valentine's Day in 2009, lacked flavour. However, the pizzas and salads are filling, tasty, and priced just right.
I've been to Bitten five or six times in the last two years and the service has always been good, no matter the server. Service isn't always lighting fast, but it's attentive. And Bitten isn't really the type of place you go for a speedy meal.
I can't finish this review without talking about dessert. Bitten's motto, after all, is "Life is Short... Have Dessert First."
The menu features a whole page of desserts to choose from, all of them made in-house. Bitten does a good job of classics like the Creme Brulee and Creme Caramel. The Mascarpone Toffee Parcels were delish when I tried them a few months back. I haven't had Bitten's version of Sticky Toffee Pudding just yet, but that's next on my list.
My advice: check Bitten out if you haven't been, or if it's been awhile. It's worth supporting a local eatery that's breathing life into our downtown core.
If you're on a mission to clean up your diet, getting your kids on board with the idea can seem impossible. If they're used to snacking on cookies, party-mix, Smarties, or packaged granola bars it can be frustrating for both of you to adopt healthier eating habits. Thankfully, there are many scrumptious, nutritious recipes available that'll appeal to the pallet the same way junk food does. But instead of artery-clogging fats, refined sugars and flours, MSG, and simple carbohydrates, you'll be serving your child snacks that are loaded with nutrition and energy to help build a growing body. Here are 10 snacks our kids love (and have no idea they're good for them!):
1. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Flax Muffins
2. "Just Like Wheat Thins" Crackers with Cheese from Trim Healthy Mama
3. Snicker Snackers
4. Apples or Bananas with Peanut or Almond Butter
5.Raw vegetables with natural, homemade salad dressing.
Like many of you, we are a single-income, larger-than-average, (1.8 or more children), homeschooling family.
And both my husband and I come from a rich, Dutch heritage.
In other words, whether or not we need to be, we enjoy frugal living. I'm also a lover of nutritious, from-scratch, whole-food cooking. Overtime, we've found that you can have one and the other! Here's how we can enjoy a mainlywhole-food diet on a budget (we still eat take-out more often than I'd like to admit!).
Cheap foods that are good for you
1. Whole grains. Oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa are cheap! For ultimate nutritional value, choose any of these grains and soak them for a hearty breakfast that'll keep you energized all morning.
For a fabulously healthy, gluten-free, blueberry-muffin smelling breakfast, pour 1 cup of steel-cut oats, brown rice, OR quinoa in a crock-pot. Add 1 1/2 cups of almond milk, 1 1/2 cups water, 1-2 Tbsp of ground flax seed, 2-3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, 1 cup fresh blueberries, cinnamon, sea salt, and sweetener (honey, maple syrup, stevia, or brown sugar) to taste. Stir. Cook on low overnight. Alternately, try using diced apple and a handful of walnut in place of blueberries. 2. Beans and legumes. Beans are one of the cheapest proteins available and can be used to replace meat in a meal. Given a good, over-night soak in purified water, they are a highly digestible form of fiber, complex carbohydrates, iron, and folate - ideal if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
Our favorite way to enjoy beans are in chili, taco salad, and brownies (there's a Special Agent Brownie recipe in Trim Healthy Mama that's absolutely fabulous!).
3. Eggs. Eggs are one of the very few complete proteins available to us (they contain all 9 essential amino acids), contain only 70 calories, and are chock full of nutrition. Besides being excellent sources of protein and good cholesterol, they also contain iron, vitamins A, D, E, and B12, folate, selenium, and lutein.
Eggs can be cooked quickly in a variety of ways (hard or soft-boiled, fried, poached, scrambled) and provide great structure and texture when added to baked goods.
We enjoy them on their own and in omelettes, crepes, breakfasts bakes, and pizza crust.
Foods worth paying more for
No matter how tight our budget, there are certain foods I don't cheap out on as we feel the extra dollars are insignificant compared to the health benefits. We'd rather "pay the farmer than the pharmacy," as the saying goes.
1. Oil. It's a safe bet that anything you can get in a big plastic jug for $4 is not good for you. Vegetable oils and margarine derived from cheaply grown or genetically modified plants like sunflower, corn, soybean, canola, safflower have little nutrition to begin with and are chemically altered and deodorized in order to make them palatable. Our bodies were not meant to consume them.
Opt instead for healthy saturated fats that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. These include butter (preferably organic), coconut, olive, and red palm oil. 2. Fresh, local, organic produce. We can't afford to purchase all of our produce this way, but we try our best to grow or purchase the infamous "Dirty Dozen" organically as these fruits and vegetables contain the highest pesticide residue otherwise:
Peaches
Apples
Celery
Peppers
Nectarines
Strawberries
Pears
Cherries
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
Grapes
12 fruits and vegetables that contain the contain the least contamination we don't worry about paying the organic price-tag for:
onions
avocado
sweet corn
pineapples
mango
asparagus
bananas
cabbage
broccoli
papaya
kiwi
3. Dairy products and alternative beverages. Although we use several cultured forms of dairy, we don't drink animal milk products as they are difficult for the body digest. If it was legal to purchase raw cow's milk, we would certainly give it a try!
Instead, we use coconut or almond milk. They contain high levels of vitamins A & D and are lactose free. They cost slightly more than pasteurized, hormone enhanced cow's milk, but since we rarely use it for more than our morning smoothie, we don't notice a difference in our grocery bill.
As our budget allows, we try to purchase higher quality dairy products like kefir, greek yogurt, cream and cottage cheese. 4. Meat. Cheaper cuts of meat are usually that way because they come from animals that are pumped full of genetically modified grain products, growth hormones, and antibiotics - the sole purpose of which is to fatten an animal up as quickly as possible for slaughter. Food Inc. is a fascinating documentary that explains how the food industry is making us sicker, fatter, and poorer through this process.
Although more expensive, grass-fed, locally raised, organic beef and chicken is a far more nutritious alternative and of much less consequence to your health. 5. Sweeteners. Sugar is cheap, appeals to our pallet, and is easy to come by. Consequently, diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart failure, and a host of other health concerns are also the norm. We stay away from refined sugar as much as possible and use raw honey, pure maple syrup, and stevia instead.
While they should still be used in small quantities, these sweeteners contain healthy enzymes and minerals which are difficult to get from other foods. They also have a healthier Glycemic Index which means they don't mess with your blood sugar levels in the same way refined sugar does.
Where to get healthy food for less
1. Garden. Anyone can grow their own produce, even a little bit. Be it a pot on the balcony of your apartment or a 3 acre market garden, all you need is some seed, soil, water, and sun and you're in business.
We put in a large raise bed last year for free - my husband made a tarp in exchange for a truckload of triple-mix and I used the gift cards I got for my birthday to purchase our seeds and plants. 2. Farmer's Market. Farmer's markets are great places to find local, seasonal produce, cure meats, eggs, honey and maple syrup at a fraction of the price you find in the store. Plus, farmers generally care about individual relationships with their customers and often offer a faithful buyer further discounts and "throw in a little extra." 3. Local Farmer. In the fall, we often purchase 1/4-1/2 a cow from a Christian farmer who grows his beef organically. We get to choose how we'd like it butchered and our freezer is well stocked for several months. We estimate purchasing our meat this way saves us 30% of the store price.
If we had the space for it, we'd love to keep our own chickens. We go through plenty of eggs around here! Thankfully, they are cheap to come by! We buy them from Brad's co-worker whose family keeps organically raised laying hens as a sideline business.
In the summer, we pick our own berries, freeze most of them, and turn some into sauce or jam. A relative of ours keeps a bountiful raspberry patch where we can come and go as we please.
It didn't work out last year because of pregnancy complications, but this summer, my mom, sisters, and I plan on putting up other produce from local farms that we don't grow ourselves: peaches, pears, carrots, pickles, etc.
4. Bulk Stores. I buy most of our grain from The Bulk Barn. We often receive coupons for $3.00 off a purchase of $10.00 or more (which I can easily spend in one visit!). I blend whole kernels with my Wondermill and the stuff I purchase pre-ground (flax), I purchase in small quantities as it goes rancid quickly. I purchase my organice herbs, teas, sea salt, and spices from The Bulk Herb Store.
I also purchase soap and other dried goods here like coconut, almonds, walnuts, and cranberries. 5. Grocery Store. You can save money at the grocery store by using coupons, ad-matching, checking the clearance shelf, and purchasing store-brand non-perishables like brown rice and tomato paste.
The clearance shelf where everything is ripe and ready, is a wonderful place to get greatly discounted produce. If you have a juicer, freeze your juice into Popsicles for a healthy summer treat or into ice cubes for slushies. Peppers and onions can be cut up and bagged for pizza toppings, apples turned into sauce, and mushrooms sauteed in butter for a fine steak topping. 6. Online. I must admit to rarely purchasing groceries online. I prefer to see the product myself. The exception to this is the extra virgin coconut oil I get from Tropical Traditions. The quality is truly remarkable. We use it a lot, especially in desserts like Chunky Cream Pops, Skinny Chocolate, and Peppermint Patties. I'm thankful it regularly goes on sale for 40-50% off.
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support! Linking to: Mind Body Sole, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Frugally Sustainable, Natural Living Raising Arrows, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies, Homestead Barn Hop, The Better Mom,
Ontario strawberries are almost in season! When they are, we'll eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's nothing quite like them! Strawberry Spinach (or Field Green) Salad is our favorite way to incorporate the sweet, red berries into an evening meal.
Serves: 4-6 people Ready in: 15 minutes * For THMer's, this recipe falls into the Satisfying category. Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh spinach or organic field greens
2 cups, sliced strawberries
1/4 small, finely sliced red onion
2/3 cup slivered almonds or walnuts
1/4 cup goat cheese (chevre, or feta)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp plan-approved strawberry jam (Smuckers has a stevia-sweetened version)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper.
Directions: Mix first 5 ingredients together and set aside. Add the rest to a jar and seal tightly before shaking to make the dressing. Add dressing to taste and refrigerate the unused portion. Enjoy immediately!
I was really happy to hear that a new restaurant is coming to the downtown 'hood. Tangerine by chef Aimee Schulhauser of Evolution Catering will be a welcome addition to the strip of shops on 14th Avenue next to Lorne Street (2234 14th Avenue, to be exact). The restaurant will be open mainly during the daytime and into the early evening hours, with later hours a possibility once the restaurant has its feet under it (the same goes for a liquor licence). Schulhauser tells me that fresh garden vegetables from her grandma's garden will be front and centre this summer. She calls Tangerine's menu a "chef's playground" featuring a handful of semi-permanent sandwiches and salads, along with whatever else she creates on any given day. Tangerine's website will be up and running in June. In the meantime, check out Schulhauser's other website: http://www.ecff.ca/
These recipes are reprinted with permission from the authors.
Just Like Wheat Thins Crackers | Trim Healthy Mama, I had my doubts about this recipe. "Just Like Wheat Thins?!" Yeah, right. You need refined flour and sugar to achieve that kind of deliciousness, don't you? Apparently not. These crackers are amazing and taste like the real thing I can't seem to keep our house stocked though - they disappear quickly!
3/4 cup flax meal
3/4 cup almond flour
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. parmeasan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
Combine ingredients well and work into a dough ball with your hands. Place ball on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of dough ball and roll out into a slab the thickness of a cracker. Take off top piece and score into small squares. Bakes at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Fooled Ya Pizza |Trim Healthy Mama, I've always felt bad for Brad who used to eat cardboard-like gluten-free pizza crusts while we enjoyed the gluten packed version! I had heard rave reviews about this cauliflower crust from other mamas on the Trim Healthy Mama plan and decided to give it a try even though it sounded pretty gross. Boy, was I wrong! Our entire family enjoys it just as much as the real thing! You'd never know cauliflower was the magic ingredient!
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen cauliflower (I used fresh)
3/4 cup egg whites
2 cups skim mozzarella cheese
sea salt and other seasonings (I used Epicure's Pizza seasoning blend)
pizza sauce and other pizza toppings (I used pepperoni, green pepper, red onion, cheddar and mozzarella cheese)
Lightly steam cauliflower and squeeze out all the excess water otherwise your crust won't get crispy (I skipped this step and used raw cauliflower with great results!). Put cauliflower in food processor and pulse a few times until you end up with rice sized pieces.
Add egg whites and pulse again. Add cheese and other seasonings (sea salt, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder). Mix ingredients together well with a spatula. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease well. Spread crust mixture evenly across cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Cool. Add pizza sauce and toppings and broil until toppings are done (I baked it at 400 for 8-10 minutes).
Peanut Squares | Trim Healthy Mama, These squares are so yummy! A combination of sweet and salty, we enjoy them as a snack and a dessert. They're gerat to give along with a meal to a new mom too.
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tsp Truvia
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
10 tsp Truvia
2/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup whipping cream
Mix almond flour, peanuts, melted butter, and 2 teaspoons of Truvia together in a bowl. Press into 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
While crust is baking, beat cream cheese and second measurement of Truvia together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat some more.
In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream. Fold into cream cheese mixture and spread over cooled crust.
Place in refrigerator to chill until set.
Cheeseburger Pie | Trim Healthy Mama, This is probably our #1 favorite supper on the plan. It's all the goodness of a cheeseburger without the bun. You would never miss it! This is so satisfying and delicious. I make once a week in place of burgers on the barbie.
2 lbs of ground beef
3 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sea salt
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
pickles, tomatoes, red onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt
ground pepper
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in onion powder, sea salt, and 6 oz. of grated cheese. Place beef mixture in casserole dish. Layer on any of your favorite burger toppings. Our family loves a combination of red onion, tomatoes, and pickles. In another bowl, beat eggs, mayo, cream, sea salt, and black pepper together. Pour on top of casserole and sprinkle on the remaining 6 oz. of cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. We like it serve on a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce and drizzled with mustard and ketchup.
Chunky Cream Pops | Trim Healthy Mama, This frozen dessert reminds me of my favorite ice cream, President's Choice Chocolate Fudge Crackle... except it's waaaay healthier, made with good fats and no sugar. We love this treat. It's Brad's favorite of all the desserts I've made from Trim Healthy Mama so far.
1 batch of Skinny Chocolate
2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese
10 tsp. Truvia
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 heaped Tbsp. peanut butter
Make up a batch of Skinny Chocolate and put in the freezer to harden. Beat cream cheese, Truvia, and vanilla together. Cut up Skinny Chocolate into little bits and stir into cream cheese mixture along with peanut butter. Place wax paper on cookie sheet. Dump bite-sized spoonfuls of mixture onto paper. Insert a toothpick into center of cream pop and transfer to freezer. After an hour, pull pops off wax paper and transfer to a Ziploc bag for easy access. Here's a few more pictures of other Trim Healthy Mama recipes to satisfy the foodie in you:
Spicy Chicken Wings, pg. 323
Taco Salad, pg. 347
Special Agent Brownies, pg. 383
Trim Healthy Pancakes, pg. 223
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support.
This recipe is incredible. I mean, what other salad is there that is this easy to prepare, is loaded with this nutrients, is actually so hearty, we sometimes eat it as a meal by itself, tastes so good you might not even know it's 'rabbit food,' and even tastes better the second day?
You'll need:
5 cups of fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped, crispy bacon
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise or light salad dressing
To make the Dressing, stir sugar, vinegar, and mayo together until well blended.
Next: layer 'em up! It doesn't really matter which order you decide to do the layers in, since you'll be mixing it up before serving anyway. But if you like the looks of the one above than you can layer as follows:
broccoli
red onions
sunflower seeds
raisins
bacon
dressing
shredded cheese
Just before serving, mix throughly. After serving, enjoy! After enjoying... well... you'll probably be back in the kitchen making some more. Whoever came up with this recipe is nothing short of a genius. ;-)
One bite of this flavor-packed salad and you'll understand why Goodness Me cooking instructor Sandy Pomeroy named it Sensational Salad! A plate or two of this, and you're well on your way to 5-10 servings of vegetables per day. I've tweaked the recipe to suit our taste, but the original came from her.
Sensational Salad
4 cups organic salad mix (choose one with lots of different leaf varieties)
1 cup cauliflower florets, finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, quartered horizontally, then chopped
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, grated
1 cup kale, finely chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
Mix together in a large bowl. Serve with salad dressing (recipe below) to taste. Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup flax oil
1 tsp. Herbamare
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlice, finely chopped
Mix together and store in a sealed jar. Shake before using. Refrigerate unused portion. If you love whole food recipes, you'll love the Cottage Mama's eBooks written by Kristy Howard. The Cottage Mama Plans Her Menu is a favorite in our house with 29 healthy, tasty, budget-friendly recipes and a 2-week menu plan. You can download it here for just $3.00.
I quite literally jumped at the chance to review Simplified Dinners, for several reasons:
I'm at the same stage author Mystie Winckler was when she wrote these books - a homeschooling mama to three young children with little energy for menu planning or store hopping to score the best deals on pantry staples
I'm a home-style loving, cook-from-scratch-recipes kind of girl
My husband is on a gluten-free diet and I need some inspiration!
Time is tight; I need recipes that are satisfying, healthy, and quick to prepare
Simplified Dinners claimed to meet all of my needs and I was more than willing to give it a try! I printed out the eBook and quickly discovered it surpassed my expectations.
Included is an exhaustive list of pantry staples. I particularly appreciated this as someone who still considers herself a rookie gluten-free cook! I have a much better idea of what kind of things I should be storing in my pantry and what items to avoid. The recipes are well categorized and easy to follow. I've no problem finding what I'm looking for while appreciating the exceptional, condensed design that saves on paper and ink. You could easily follow these recipes using a tablet, laptop, or similar digital advice, but the traditionalist in me printed out both eBooks (the regular and gluten-free/dairy-free version) to store in a 3-ring binder. Considering the fact that the Simplified Dinner recipes emphasis whole foods, they are remarkably easy to prepare and extremely easy to alter! Base recipes for salad dressings, meats, potatoes, and pasta dishes come with several variations so you can adapt flavors to what's on hand or your own family's preferences. I highly recommend these eBooks to anyone who:
desires to save time and money in the kitchen
enjoys wholesome, tasty meals
has gluten or dairy tolerances
needs some new meal inspiration
Linking to: The Modest Mom, Raising Arrows, A Mama's Story
(NOTE: this is a new feature of the blog, featuring restaurants within driving distance of Regina -- we all need to get out of town once in awhile, right?)
The Round-up:
Food: 3 out of 5
Service: 3.5 out of 5
Decor: 4 out of 5
Total: 10.5 out of 15
1115 Grosvenor Avenue Saskatoon, SK 306-373-6555 ______________________________ If you’re anything like me then watching an episode of Restaurant Makeover on the Food Network before bed is something of a hobby. That show has it all: suspense, intrigue, transformations, and a grouchy Ukrainian foreman. A few times I’d thought to myself that it would be nice if Restaurant Makeover did an episode somewhere other than Toronto. I mean, Toronto is the centre of the universe. I’m not questioning that. But still, we’re one giant country with plenty of fine cities. About two months ago I heard that Restaurant Makeover was doing an episode outside of the T-Dot... in Saskatoon. Excellent choice! (True, Regina would have been an even better choice, but I’ll settle for our neighbor to the north this time.) Jerry’s Food Emporium, just off 8th Street, is the lucky makeover recipient. Designer Meredith Heron, one of Restaurant Makeover’s best, and a team of worker-bees went to town on Jerry’s in late January. So, last weekend on a trip to Saskatoon we decided to survey the results. Our conclusion: the place looks great and the food was fast, fresh and filling. And judging by the huge lineup when we arrived at about 1 p.m. on a Saturday, the rest of Saskatoon agrees with us. As we were standing in the long line, which moved quickly by the way, we overhead one of the employees say that the restaurant was already up to $6,000 in sales. Holy Mother! Apparently being on Restaurant Makeover is the best advertising that money can buy. Granted, my Saskatoon pals tell me that Jerry’s has always been busy since practically the day it opened. For food, I went with the Moroccan Chicken – served with mango salsa on a fresh-baked bun and a nice side salad (hand-cut fries were an option and after seeing them I wished I’d ordered them). Big Wilie and the lovely Ms. Kells Bells both went for the pulled pork sandwich on a plump ciabatta bun. Truth be told, the pulled pork was a bit different. Jerry’s version is sweeter than the usual barbecue/hickory flavour that one gets elsewhere. Some diners feel that Jerry’s open-concept dining room is too loud. It is definitely not a peaceful retreat but we personally felt that the noise made Jerry’s all the more hip-and-happening. It’s a diner after all, not a romantic bistro on the lake. As I said, the place was very busy but Jerry’s staff handled it well. Our food was served (the way we ordered it) in about 10 minutes time. As for Meredith’s work? The interior is bright and quirky – reds, greens, wood, fabric, and chairs of varying types give diners a lot to look at. The chairs at our table were ultra comfy. Overall, the makeover is stylish and classy without being too trendy. As a bonus, there’s a children’s play area separated by a glass wall from the rest of the dining room. Jerry’s menu full of stand-bys and comfort foods won’t likely win any awards for ingenuity; but it’s a quick, clean, affordable, and family friendly place to go in the middle of the city. Oh, and they have wicked gelato and ice cream, too. www.jerrys.ca
Food - 3.5 out of 5 Service - 4.0 out of 5 Decor - 3.0 out of 5 Total - 10.5 out of 15
1970 Hamilton Street Regina, SK 306-205-8345 fliprestaurant.ca ___________________________________________________________
Flip Eatery opened its doors in November 2011 on a slushy mid-fall day just before Remembrance Day. The timing isn't likely the most common for a restaurant opening, but from Day 1 folks flocked to Flip in droves.
Tucked into a new addition to the Avord Tower just behind Atlantis coffee shop on Hamilton Street, Flip is all windows, wood, clean lines, and simple modernism. It's one part Ikea, one part EQ3, and a pinch of boho chic as far as style goes. While it might not have the glam factor some people look for in a downtown restaurant, Flip has plenty of good going for it. The huge, unobstructed windows onto Hamilton Street are a big contrast from almost any other restaurant downtown, most notably Golf's, the Diplomat, Crave, and Memories (all within a couple of blocks of Flip). It's as though we're finally celebrating downtown Regina and not covering it up with drapes and heavy velvet in order to pretend we're somewhere else. Flip's menu is classic comfort food for the very large part - several sandwiches, a couple of burgers, a risotto, a bit of seafood, wings, salads, and, of course, soups make up the majority. And there's a deadly poutine that comes with the option to add in shortribs or pulled chicken as a bonus. (Try either or both, you won't regret it, and the portion sizes are heart-friendly, for poutine that is). Prices fall in the mid-range. You're looking at roughly $15 for lunch (with a drink) and $25 for supper (with an appetizer and a drink). It's not cheap, exactly, but Flip definitely won't break the bank. An informal survey of my friends regarding the restaurant resulted in everything from, "Love it!" to "It's good but not quite great." Some were less excited about the decor, and others feel the menu could use some pizzazz. From my perspective, Flip could add some variety to the lunch versus supper menus (right now they're the same). While I understand the benefits of having one menu for a chef and owner as far as minimizing food wastage and cutting down on prep time and ordering, the supper menu still feels a bit too "lunchey". I'm more likely to stay home if a sandwich is what I'm craving for supper. That being said, Flip deserves huge credit for turning a non-descript piece of land into a happening downtown hangout. As Regina grows, more people are seeing downtown as a place to live, not just to work. Places like Flip make our downtown core even more attractive, and that's always a good thing.
If I'm in a pinch for time, this is one of my favorite recipes to pull out. It's quick, easy, tasty, and half decently healthy. Everyone loves it - Charity calls it "Pizza Chicken", which should give you a good indicator of its flavor! Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce (homemade is best!)
6 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded
Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Pour sauce into a 9x13 pan and sprinkle with 4 Tbsp of Parmesan. Add chicken, turning to coat both sides of the breast. Add remaining cheeses and bake, covered, at for 30 min. Remove covering and broil for 2 minutes until Mozzarella is turns golden and bubbly. Serve on a bed of rice or pasta, or with a salad.
We learned how to make this salad in our weekly whole food cooking class at Goodness Me. I had my doubts at first. Seaweed?! The smell of the stuff alone could knock me off my feet. And quinoa? I had never cooked with the mother of all grains before.
However, I mustered up the courage to give it a sampling in class and was pleasantly surprised to discover how well it suited my taste buds! I made some at home and Brad declared it a winner too. We even took it along to our Young Couple's Bible Study (I didn't tell any one what was in it until after they had tried it) and it was complimented by everyone who gave it a try. It's one of those recipes, I guess, that proves eating healthy can taste good!
Crunchy Quinoa SaladSandy Pomeroy
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 cup dried arame (seaweed), crumbled and soaked
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup fineely chopped red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp dried parsley
Dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Herbamare
Directions: Soak the arame in 1/2 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain. Stir the salad ingredients together in a bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a glass jar. Shake well and pour over salad.
This salad keeps well for several days. Make a large batch and enjoy a healthy lunch every day this week. Or, serve with chicken for a protein-packed dinner!
Today, we're heading back to bustling Hamilton Street, site of many changes and new businesses in downtown Regina these days.
One such business, The Great Panini, opened a few months back. Although I work at my "real" (i.e. non-blogging) job in an office tower just a couple of blocks away, I hadn't visited the shop until last week when frigid temperatures made me skip my usual walk home during the lunch hour.
The Great Panini, located a couple of doors south of the TD Bank, is a clean and cozy cafeteria style eatery that opens in the early hours of the morning and stays open through lunch until the end of the work day.
It just so happens that I timed my visit for the unveiling of a new sandwich: The Fozz. And let me tell you, The Fozz was moving fast -- I got the last one. Shaved chicken breast and a mild cheddar combined with roasted sweet red peppers and hot banana peppers were layered on a nine-grain Ciabatta bun then toasted to perfection. I have to say it was pretty tasty.
The Great Panini offers sandwiches on their own, or as a meal. I opted for the meal and had my choice of soup, salad, or a pickle. A sucker for all things canned and vinegary, I went for the Van Holten's Kosher Pickle, which comes individually wrapped in a pouch. It was a giant pickle, but I always find Koshers lack the crunch and garlic of homemade dills. Blame it on my Ukrainian roots.
As for drinks, The Great one offers much more than fountain pop, including a number of unique teas and juices, and a good range of Boylan's sodas.
So far things were going smoothly, until my grand total was rung up on the till. I admit I wasn't paying attention to prices until this point, figuring that a sandwich combo would run at about $7 or $8. Boy, was I wrong. By the time taxes were included I was almost at 11 bucks.
A bit pricey for a takeout lunch, if you ask me. Especially when you consider the all-you-can-eat Thai buffet at Siam restaurant three doors down is less than $9. But as I said, the sandwich was appetizing, the service was fast and friendly, and the selection is top-notch. Whether it's worth it again in the future will depend on how close I am to payday, I guess.
Perhaps I ought to stop in during breakfast some day when specials are priced much lower, including the 16-ounce coffee for just 99 cents. Now that's a deal.
$10-12 for brunch or lunch, $15-25 for supper. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2124 Albert Street, Regina, SK 306-545-8811
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Dear Abbey:
It's about this time of year when the intended joy of Christmas starts to compete with the utter madness of Christmas.
The lineups at the grocery store are longer; the parking spots at the Cornwall Centre are fewer -- heck, the lineup just to get out of the parkade is enough to make you cringe. What's a guy to do? Signed, Crazy for Christmas
- - - - - - - - Dear CC:
There are plenty of ways to deal with Christmas Craze. Some of them involve muttering swears underneath your breath. Others involve a simple retreat to a welcoming watering hole.
I suggest the latter. Yours, Abbey
- - - - - - - -
Today me and Big Willie opted for an easy Sunday morning and headed over to The Abbey on Albert Street. It was a brutally cold morning to brave the outdoors but the lure of breakfast without having to cook it was enough to get us out there.
I'd been to The Abbey a couple of times since it opened in December '08. My first visit, less than a week after the doors opened, was good but a little rough around the edges. And that's to be fully expected so early in the game.
My second visit, about two months later, left me with a bad taste in my mouth -- literally. A friend and I went for a Sunday-night supper before heading out to a show at the Brandt Centre. I had high hopes that the kitchen would have ironed out the wrinkles by that point but I left feeling happy with the atmosphere yet disappointed with the food, especially a very greasy pizza that was overcooked.
Since that time, I learned that The Abbey hired a new head chef. I was a bit reluctant to go back until a few friends and coworkers reported positive experiences recently.
Today, my third visit proved to be the lucky charm. Big Willie and I were seated quickly on the second-floor balcony overlooking the dining room. We took a few minutes to study the brunch menu and then placed our order.
I decided to keep things simple and ordered The Usual -- two eggs any style (I went with Sunny Side Up), bacon or sausage, hash browns, toast, and a few pieces of fruit. I figure if a kitchen can't get the most basic breakfast items right then there's little hope they'll succeed with anything else.
Big Willie chose The Eden Eggs Benedict (served with tomato and spinach on a homemade biscuit). We also opted to share The Abbey Salad, which came recommended by a friend.
All things said, our only complaint with the food was that it took too long to hit the table (close to half an hour). On the one hand, this wasn't an outrageous amount of time. On the other hand, you start to wonder what's going on after about 15 minutes at breakfast time. Both our waitress and the floor manager gave sincere apologies for the delay, so at least they were aware of the problem.
Otherwise, the food was delicious. I'm not normally a fan of Eggs Benedict but The Eden won me over. I think it was the fresh, crumbly homemade biscuit that did it. Big Willie was pretty pleased with his choice, too.
My eggs were cooked perfectly, not always the case when you order Sunny Side Up. And the best part of The Usual? The crispy sausage, just like we used to eat at home when I was a kid. I'm happy to report that The Abbey serves real sausage -- not the greasy breakfast kind that some people seem to love.
The Abbey Salad, strangely the most expensive item we ordered, was also pretty delish. A Roast Shallot Dressing came drizzled over mixed greens, grilled chicken, bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and a few slices of pear. This salad was a meal in itself and is also on the restaurant's lunch menu. I think it's safe to say I'll be back for it someday.
To make a nice meal even nicer, The Abbey plays host to live jazz music on Sundays from 11-2. Today's warm groove, combined with the awesome Viennese Dark Roast coffee, pretty much made us forget it was 30 degrees below zero, at least for awhile.
All in all, The Abbey is finally coming into its own as a restaurant. Despite the odd glitch here and there, it seems that things are almost nearing perfection.
If they keep this up they might just start to lure me away from La Bodega a bit more often.
$9 for lunch buffet, $13-18 for dinner or Saturday lunch. Open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner.
1946 Hamilton Street, Regina, SK 306-352-8424
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When I first heard there was a Thai restaurant on Hamilton Street downtown, I have to admit I was a little skeptical.
I pictured a little hole-in-the-wall place that would see a lot of foot traffic during the day (but few actual customers) and almost no one at night (when Regina's downtown transforms into a semi-deserted ghost town).
Boy, was I wrong.
First of all, Hamilton Street is undergoing a huge makeover. Over the last couple of years, new shops and eateries are popping up and filling in the holes left by vacant storefronts. There are still a few gaps, but given time they'll fill in too.
Second of all, Regina's downtown office crowd loves the place. Pay a visit almost any weekday at lunch and you'll be lucky to get a table if you're not there right at noon.
If you're new to Thai food, Siam's lunch buffet is an excellent place to start. There's always a good selection of meat, vegetable, and noodle dishes (Pad Thai is a sure bet), along with a couple of appetizer and dessert items.
Best of all, you can be in and out of the place with a full belly in 30 minutes or less. And get this, the grand total for the lunch buffet comes to less than $10 per person, tax included. I know, shocking.
Hold on now, before you drop the laptop and run down to Hamilton Street I need to talk more about the food.
On a recent Saturday morning, a group of us paid a visit to Siam for a not-so-traditional brunch (there's no buffet on Saturdays, FYI). We got off to a rocky start when we showed up at 11 a.m. (opening time) and the doors were still locked for another 15 minutes.
This didn't sit well with me -- unlike my usual Saturday morning of sleep and relaxation, I'd already done two loads of laundry, shopped for groceries, and ran a couple of other errands. I was hung-ree.
Once we were seated, things went more smoothly. Our gracious waiter was patient with us as we waited for others to arrive and took our time figuring out what to eat.
We ordered a ton of food, by the way. Siam makes this relatively easy by including pictures in the menu and on nifty digital photo frames hung on the walls next to tables.
These are my top three picks, for the first-timer:
- Appetizer: Mieng Kham (Leaf Wraps): This dish is a pleasure to behold and to eat. Crispy fresh coconut, fresh ginger, red onion, Thai chili, lime, cashews, and plum sugar sauce, served on top of bok choy leaves that you roll up yourself, then pop in your mouth.
- Entrees: Larb Moo: This item technically falls under the Salad category on the menu, but its size and filling portion makes it more like a meal. Spicy ground pork is mixed with roasted rice, red onions, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It's got some heat but not so much as to scare the beginner away.
Pad Thai: You haven't truly lived until you've had this Thai classic. A bed of warm rice noodles is covered in fried tofu, bean sprouts, and shrimp, then layered with sauce. Practically everyone likes Pad Thai. If you're completely unsure of what to order, start here.
On the whole, Siam is one of downtown's best restaurants with a huge menu, good service, reasonable prices and decent opening hours.
We've been friends a long time, you and I. You might be a relative, a friend from Church, or my childhood Bestie. Either way, we've shared some great times together and it's an honor to call you my friend.
We're both married and have been blessed with children to raise. We bring each other meals when one of us is sick, share coffee now and then, and hope our kids will grow up being good friends too.
Each of us has had to make an important decision about our children's education. Will they go to public school? Private school? Or will we homeschool them?
We've made different choices. You've chosen to send your children to school and we've chosen to keep them home. Different factors have prompted us to choose different methods of education, but one thing guides us both: we want what's best for our children.
You don't have to explain your reasons to me, but if you want to talk about it, you know I'll gladly listen. I know you made your decision with conviction and out of a sincere desire to do what you believe is best for your child. I don't judge you for not homeschooling. That's not my call.
I just want you to know if you overhear me talking about homeschooling, see me share links on Facebook about homeschooling, or writing on my blog about homeschooling, it's not directed at you or about you.
Homeschooling is a part our life. A huge part. It consumes almost all of my waking hours. It's a lifestyle. Our hours are unreliable; sometimes we're done with the textbooks by 10:00am, sometimes we're still eating breakfast, but we're always learning. I talk about it a lot because it's as normal for us as breathing. Maybe not as natural (I often think I'm not cut out for it), but just as frequent.
So if you're trying to call and I don't pick up, it's not because I don't like you. We're probably in the middle of a Read-aloud, or I've got my hands covered in glue, or I'm trying to explain for the umpteenth time that if Old MacDonald has 1 rooster and 2 pigs, he has 3 animals altogether.
If I can't make it to our Girlfriends Luncheon, it's not because I don't want to be there. I guarantee I want to be munching on egg salad croissants and catching up with the ladies more than teaching math but we might have had a rough couple of days and need to get back on track. Or one of the kids might have swimming lessons. Or I'm having trouble finding a baby-sitter who's willing to watch them all.
I don't write about homeschooling on my blog because I don't want to talk to you about it face-to-face. I figure you'll probably ask me if you're interested and I don't want to annoy you if you're not.
I write about homeschooling to encourage other homeschooling moms and remind us of our vision, because boy, do we need it! We get spiteful comments thrown at us, hurtful letters written to us, and laws passed to restrict us. If our child can't read by the time he's eight and our house looks like a disaster, we begin to question our abilities forget the reasons we started down this journey.
When I say we homeschool because that's what we believe what God is calling our family to do, I'm not suggesting that non-homeschoolers are living in sin or that we're more spiritual than others because we've received a "special" calling. I say it to other homeschool moms because whether or not we feel like homeschooling, if we believe it's a scriptural principle, then not only is it worth doing, but God will also give us the grace to do it.
I also write to those who want to take away the one thing that guides both of our educational decisions: the freedom to choose what we believe is best for our children.
We're a minority group, albeit a growing one. People don't ask other people why they send their children to school; it's the normal thing to do. People ask people who homeschool why they homeschool because it's not the normal thing to do.
Things that aren't normal make people afraid and uncomfortable. No one likes to be uncomfortable or wrestle with things they'd rather ignore, so haters of homeschooling use unfounded accusations they hope will either silence those who promote it or affirm their own ideas about education.
From "real world" arguments, to academic achievement, to socialization and everything else in between, homeschooling holds its own when compared to other educational methods, yet we're getting attacked for doing simply doing what we believe is best for our children - just like everyone else.
I don't expect you to read my posts on homeschooling or "like" the links I share on Facebook. I'm not addressing them to you and tension is not my intention. I write about homeschooling because it's our passion; a home-based, parent-led, method of family discipleship that's worthy of defense and consideration; a freedom to be protected so we, like you, can do what we believe God is calling us to do.
With love,
Looking for more homeschool encouragement? Our new eBook, Homeschooling Day by Day is available for $4.99! It's 40 chapters of realism, practical advice, and plenty of grace from homeschooling Moms on every stage of the journey. You can read the Table of Contents here.
Homeschooling Day By Day: $4.99 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions) PDF Version:
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I wish this Japanese restaurant earned a higher score -- I really do. Not only is Hanabi close to a number of downtown offices and hotels, its bland storefront hides a warm and inviting dining room that puts you immediately at ease. The lanterns, curtains, sushi bar, and large number of semi-private booths could almost -- just for a second -- make you believe you were in Japan.
Hanabi's menu is full of Japanese favourites: Sushi, Tempura, Bento Boxes, Teriyaki and Edamame (whole soy beans) are all there. For the more adventurous, there's Soft Shell Crab, Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake), and Seaweed Salad. There are also a a few Korean dishes on the menu.
When visiting for lunch last week, my friend (let's call her Ms. Thang) and I ordered a number of our favourites. It was her birthday and we have sushi on her birthday almost every year.
We asked for Miso Soup to start, followed by Gyoza (pork dumplings), Salmon Rolls, the Cream Cheese Roll (a house specialty), and two Inari (tofu pockets).
Things started reasonably well. The Gyoza arrived in about 10 minutes. They were OK, but I am almost certain they were store-bought -- a bit of a disappointment.
After another 10 minutes or so, we got the Inari, which usually come at the end of a meal, like a dessert item. At least they tasted good.
Then came the Cream Cheese Roll. Crisp seaweed wrapped itself around salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado and a "Special Sauce" (our waitress told us it was warm apple sauce). This roll was a new one for both of us, and it was delicious.
Next up, and after another noticeable delay, we got one of the Salmon Rolls. The other was mysteriously absent. We split the eight tasty morsels of soft sushi rice and tender pink salmon. And then we waited.
Finally, the next Salmon Roll landed on the table. We devoured it quickly. Lunch hour was basically over at this point. It was at about that moment that Ms. Thang, who was getting testy, had a realization. "Umm, we never got our Miso," she said, usually the first item to arrive within minutes of ordering.
"No, we sure didn't," I said, and rolled my eyes. At that point we had no further time to waste.
I asked for the bill. It came two or three minutes later, so I put my money in the billfold and waited for the waitress to come get it. She didn't.
Ms. Thang and I gathered our things and headed to the till, by this point grumbling to each other about the service.
"How was everything?" asked the sweet and smiling hostess.
We diplomatically told her that the food was great, but holy jeepers, could it have come any slower? At lunch?
Perhaps the secret to success at Hanabi is to visit their website and pre-order items off the online menu. It couldn't hurt, anyway. Or, just go in at supper hour when you have a couple of hours to kill.
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