Louisiana Purchase - Edmonton Alberta

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant numerous times and no matter what you order, it is always amazing?  For me that is Louisiana Purchase in Edmonton.
My first visit to this restaurant was before an Oilers game with a friend.  We happened upon a large banner advertising this place and having nowhere else to go, we thought we would give it a try.
Needless to say, we were not disappointed.
That first night, I ordered the blackened catfish.  I love fish and often order kinds that I have not tried before.  This was excellent fish.  Well cooked and seasoned.
Other dishes I have ordered include the Steamboat Jambalaya (pictured).

A spicy dish that will test the limits of your appetite.  Crab, Mussels, shrimp, sausage and whitefish all make this dish very fulfilling.  The hush puppies add a little flavour as well.

If you really want to try something different, their Shrimp,Crawfish and Salmon Boudin Sausages are well worth it.  They are made in-house, very delicate sausages (as all boudins should be) and served with a lemon-pernod lobster cream sauce.

I've tried Daily Specials and never been disappointed.   Often wishing that they were features on the menu.

The ambiance is great for a Cajun-Creole restaurant.  They have great music playing, friendly staff, a wall of hot sauce.

Its often busy around dinnertime and will take reservations.  The owner himself often is walking around checking up on the patrons, and all of the staff is very friendly.

Honestly, I can't say anything negative about this restaurant.  It is a go-to place for myself in Edmonton and I will drive well out of the way to eat here.

Up next, I explore a little in BC.  The Hilltop Cafe in Langley, BC

The Now Famous Poutine Burger - The Rumrunner, Coleman, Alberta

Up first, The Rumrunner in Coleman, Alberta.

A small restaurant/bar located right on Highway 3 as you enter the town from the west.

I'd heard rumours of a burger in this restaurant that would stop your heart.  The Poutine Burger.  As soon as I heard about it, I knew that I would need to try it.  It was just one of those things that despite the obvious health impact, I had to eat.
How to describe it?
Well, the best words are delicious and filling.

The Poutine Burger is now described on the menu as The Now Famous Poutine Burger.  And it is.  You start with a slice of garlic toast with a half-pound burger on top of it.
Top that with a lot of fries, cheese curds, and gravy.
A steak knife is place in the middle of the burger and onion rings are lined up the handle.

You need to have an appetite to attempt this burger.  Even going in hungry, it might be difficult to finish.
The only critique that I can or would offer would be a slight improvement on the gravy.  It needed a little work on it.  But really, my plate was clean afterwards.

I've often talked this burger up to friends and co-workers.  A nice quiet restaurant at lunchtime and with great food.

Next post - The Louisiana Purchase, Edmonton, Alberta

At long Last - Starting the Exploration of Canadian Cafes and their Cuisine

This has been a long time coming.  I started my current job almost three years ago.  With that career change, came a lot of travel for business reasons.  And a lot of eating in restaurants, diners, cafes, at food trucks, food stands, in bistros, and holes-in-the-wall.
I've found hidden gems, ate some truly terrible food (pierogies at a Chinese buffet) and marveled at some of the creativeness people can concoct when cooking.
This is meant to be a fun blog, highlighting some of the restaurants that I have enjoyed.  The only rule is that these are non-franchise locations, with only a couple of exceptions.  If possible, they are locally owned and run.  They are usually unique and don't exist anywhere else.  Pictures for the first few blogs will be stock images as I don't have a lot of food photos currently, something I plan to remedy as this moves forward.  
I'll give the good and the bad.  What I liked and what I didn't.  Rest assured, my opinion is king.  If I say a place is worth investigating, I promise that you should eat there if you are driving through town. Otherwise skip it.
I'm not trained nor eloquent, my palate isn't as refined as others, but I know what tastes good and what doesn't.  My father-in-law years ago told me that he was too old to waste time and meals on bad food and I feel that in the past couple of years, that this has begun to describe me.  I hate going to a new place and finding out that it was a waste of time, money and belly space, all of which are unfortunately finite.
I have eaten at most of these places at least twice and often more than that.  They are all places that you can enjoy a meal for not too much money, ie no $40 plates.  Most of these places are a lot less expensive than that.  Most will be in the $20 range.

And with that, here we go.