The late founder of the Church of Satan, Anton LaVey, believed that evil is actually good. He would often quote that evil is live spelled backwards. Most people believe that on one hand there is good, and then there’s evil, while others believe that good is derived from evil. I’d like to stick with that last part, at least for this review. Evil Dave’s funky atmosphere and themed dishes make this locally owned restaurant fun, lively, and exciting. With dishes like “Malevolent Meatloaf,” “Malicious Salmon,” and “Fiendish Falafel,” how could you really go wrong? The menu’s items are categorized, with Sinful Starters, Evil Entrees, and Deadly Desserts, and on top of that, they have a gluten free section!

Being a strong lover of sushi, the thing that stood out the most to me on the menu was the Cowboy Sushi, which was marinated beef tenderloin served dragon eye sushi style in cut rolls on a bed of sesame ginger cabbage, and topped with wasabi aoli. The presentation was outstanding; the dish resembled something that would be served at a classy sushi restaurant. The quality of beef was excellent, as was its marinade, and the chopped scallions was a nicely added touch. The thing is, I am not a fan of wasabi, and I thought that because it was used in a garlic mayonnaise, the taste would be faint, but it wasn’t. I ended up scrapping it off and eating them without it, which was a bit bland however I do believe that people who like wasabi will love this roll.

Then came what was one of the best appetizers we ordered on our whole trip, which also happens to be their signature appetizer: Luscious Lollipop Shrimp. The dish involves four big skewered shrimps in the form of a lollipop, coconut crusted and topped with mango mustard mayo, sweet chilli sauce, and red currant drizzle. It had the same chopped scallions and ginger cabbage as the Cowboy Sushi, and once again the dish had a perfect presentation. I now know why this is Evil Dave’s secret recipe, because it’s to die for.

I ordered their specialty called Malicious Salmon, which was a gorgeous filet of blackened Atlantic salmon topped with green onions, put on jasmine rice, and served with a stir-fry of vegetables. The sweet curry mayo, a simple dressing, made this filet simply irresistible. A first for me, this unique topping was a fresh and inspiring pairing, resulting in one mean piece of salmon. What I appreciated most was that it was cooked perfectly, as the filet was incredibly juicy and stayed that way throughout every bite. The jasmine rice mixed well with the salmon, and perfected each bite, and the side of vegetables was another perfect accompaniment. All in all it was a grand plate.

Next was the Nefarious Chicken, whose presentation won me over at first sight, and helped reveal the fact that we were in for a treat. Sour cream and chive mashed potatoes supported a Parmesan crusted piece of fried breaded chicken, that was garnished with tortilla chips. There was also a serving of seasonal vegetables which included asparagus and carrots. The chicken was seasoned, and tasted incredible, although it was a bit overcooked and small in size, but the taste was there. The generous amounts of mashed potatoes were definitely an outstanding abundance of carbohydrates to indulge in.

It soon came time for dessert, which we had to take part in no matter how full we were, because they called them deadly desserts, and we were sure they’d be just that. I got the Baby Brownie; a half-size double fudge brownie with homemade raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. The brownie seemed like it was refrigerated, because it was cold and not so soft, but the raspberry coulis was fantastic, as well as the ice cream. In a way I am glad that I didn’t devour this dish, because I still needed room for what was going to be the best dessert that I had on our trip.

The Wicked Cheesecake was hands down the best dessert we found on our trip, and up to par with the homemade cheesecake at Off The Strip in Las Vegas. Swirls of chocolate and caramel confronted a homemade toffee crunch cheesecake which was made with real Skor bars. The graham cracker crust was soft, sugary, and absolutely delicious. They even crumbled Skor bits on top of the whipped cream, which covered the slice. This was the most amazing cheesecake, and I am not even a big fan of Skor. For it to appeal to me as much as it did, it would have to be out of this world, and it was.

If I had just ordered the lollipops as an appetizer, the salmon as my main, and the cheesecake for dessert, this would be the perfect meal, and so in the end, this whole experience was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. I feel that Evil Dave’s is one of the best places to visit in Jasper. The locally owned restaurant could easily expand, and successfully spread its evil throughout other locations, but its more special as it remains confined to where I consider one of the most amazing places in the world.

Before making the drive out to Jasper & Banff this past summer, I attended what is annually billed as “The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth,” also known as the Calgary Stampede. This is Canada’s biggest festival and also happens to be the world’s largest rodeo. I went to the first day of the 10 day event, which included a really impressive parade that was also attended by the Prince and Duchess. The event started back in 1884, when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society aimed to bring farmers and ranchers from eastern Canada to the west. The society held its first fair which was only supposed to be a one-time event, but ended up growing annually and eventually attracting 100 000 people over a one week period. Today it attracts over 1 million visitors per year, becoming the highest grossing festival in Canada, having an economical impact of almost $200 million in 2009 alone. While I was definitely engaged in the rodeo and chuck wagon races, and the party spirit of the attendees, I was also really interested in the food that was sold at the fairground.

Keeping my readers in mind, I ended up trying as much food as I possibly could during that whole day, resulting in one of the tastiest, but unhealthiest days in our near two week vacation, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As we made our way into the festival, I noticed a small group of houses that were either selling cowboy hats, or food. I found a little hut that you could call a meat house, selling all kinds of beef including a wonderful selection of jerky.

What attracted me the most was their elk/bison hotdogs. I’ve had turkey dogs, chicken dogs, and of course all beef hotdogs, but I never had an elk dog before and I was very curious. Elk meat is actually a very lean alternative to mainstream meats, and like bison it is also low in fat and cholesterol, and high in protein. Given their price, I only started off with one initially. It had a slight gamey smell but not too strong, nor was the taste, it actually tasted similar to beef but a bit different. I could tell that it was good quality elk meat by the taste, and I assume that it was preservative free. I then ordered one of their beef dogs, which I thought I’d love by the looks of it, but the casing was so thick and rubbery, and there wasn’t that juicy, beefy taste that I’m so fond of. The elk dog was much better and I was happy with it.

We started to walk further into the festival, and then we saw this, which stopped us dead in our tracks:

Deep Fried OREO, in all it’s glory. You could easily gain 1-2 pounds in one sitting at this 50’s diner style type of stand. What we got were four Oreos deep fried and sandwiched between a thick and crispy batter, topped with icing sugar and chocolate sauce. The Oreos were warm, soft and almost gooey. I have to say that the tremendous combination was a real hit, not only to my arteries but also for this festivity. Deep fried Oreo was definitely as good as it sounds.

We stumbled into this shop that sold cowboy hats, and asked some of the locals if they could recommend anything. After asking what we enjoyed eating they pointed us to this Gyro stand and recommended the lamb. I must say, the lamb gyro was excellent and tasted as good as the ones I had in Greece. The heavenly seasoned succulent classic Greek sandwich made me wish this wasn’t a one day stand for us, as I would have loved to try one again soon.

We soon made a move to Hot Wisconsin Cheese for some deep fried mozzarella sticks that we found from a stand that specialized in them. Our sticks were accompanied with a fantastic Jalapeno ranch, which was not only an unbelievable pairing but a first for me. The sauce was obligatory for the sticks, as on their own they weren’t anything special, however, once combined with the sauce they were mouthwatering. We devoured every one of these sticks on their provided picnic tables.

Because we didn’t have lunch before the Oreos and elk dogs, we still had room for some more before we went to see the rodeo. We found a Bull’s-Eye cookshack, which definitely piqued our interest as we both have had Bull’s-Eye BBQ sauce in our refrigerators and even cooked with it many times.

It made me think that they would have great potential in the food they were serving. They recommended their chicken burger, along with a strip of bacon. The chicken burger was pathetic; a stale bun enclosed a big patty of soggy and bland chicken breast that was in need of some serious seasoning. The melted cheddar cheese couldn’t even lift its spirits. I also never knew bacon could be so bad until I had theirs; a very generous thick strip of bacon served on a skewer that was too fatty, salty and just uninspiring. After a couple of bites from both, the food went straight to the bin.

Then we saw a poutine stand and thought, well hey, this might be good right? Perhaps their poutine would satisfy anyone out west who has never had poutine before, but not us. The cheese was extra squeaky, and the gravy was borderline awful. The fries however, were the savior. A few bites each again, and it was tossed away. Apparently everyone was psyched on this stand because they use real cheese curds in their poutine, unlike most other vendors in Calgary.

I was about to give up on the food at the fair. The elk dogs were pretty good, and the deep fried Oreo was excellent but we still wasted almost twenty dollars on food that we threw out almost right away. I wasn’t in the mood to gamble with my money much more…that was until I saw a pulled pork parfait at Big T’s BBQ. I must say, this was the must-eat item in all of the stampede, and it was also the first time I ever saw a concoction of the sort; layered creamed and tasty mashed potatoes, generous amounts of pulled pork, and a sweet and peppery BBQ sauce. Parfait is the French word for “perfect” which was what this was in every way shape and form. 8 dollars, but hot damn. I later found out that they won “Best New Food 2010 at the Calgary Stampede” for their parfait.

I was extremely content after Big T’s that I was ready to end things on a high note and call it quits for eating, but as we took the chairlift around the park we had a mini doughnuts sighting that was beckoning us.

As we made a beeline for the doughnut stand, we noticed this intricate and expensive looking conveyor that was moving these succulent circles of fried dough into a big bowl, and from there they were put into bags or buckets depending on which you ordered, and topped with insane amounts of regular sugar or cinnamon, whichever you chose.

The super soft doughnuts blew me away, they contained that thick rich taste of fried dough that had the perfect amount of crispy layering on the surface, and what really made them so much better was the sugar, which I couldn’t get enough of. As I got closer to the bottom of the bag, I ended up rubbing the dough nuts on whatever sugar had dropped below. These little treats were cheap, savory, and best of all they were fresh and made right in front of us, parfait, just like what I had previously.

After this, we were good and full, and ready to watch the chuck wagon races, which were spectacular. All in all it was a memorable and fun filled day that we both will remember forever.

JarredReviews is my personal weblog. The opinions and experiences represent my own. If you read that I didn’t particularly enjoy something, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try it and see for yourself. Food reviewing is very subjective and you must take this into account and use your discretion when reading any review.

At first, it was simply called ‘Ribfest’. In 1995, The Burlington Lakeshore Rotary Club held a festival in Spencer Smith Park in order to raise money for charity during Labor Day weekend. The event met with much success, so much that it continued for the next 16 years and is now proudly billed as “Canada’s Largest Ribfest.” The event largely consists of traveling ribteams from all over Canada and the US, who compete against each other to win the festival’s award, promoting who produced this year’s best ribs. The festival attracts an enormous amount of people: In 2004 there were 150,000 participants eating 36 tonnes of ribs, and in 2009 it grew to 175,000 people, consuming over 150,000 lbs of meat during the duration of the weekend. The ribfest’s proceeds get split, then donated to hospitals, businesses, and organizations that range from helping students with scholarships and bursaries, to feeding the poor; although the ribfest accounts for a lot of slaughter, it’s going to a good cause.

I made my way down to the waterfront with open car windows, and the smell of BBQ swept me over. I started to forget the massive lumberjack breakfast that I had four hours earlier and suddenly became ravenous for meat. As I parked my car, a gentleman offered me his parking pass which was good until 10pm, what a nice guy and a beautiful start to the festivities. I made my way out of the parking lot and proceeded to follow a crowd of people walking to the entrance. I could see a bit of what was going on through the fence.

Upon entering, I noticed a bunch of tents including representatives of Westjet, Glad, Motts, and other companies, each of them offering either promotions or contests. There was also a chiropractor specialist, who was offering free examinations on my posture, along with a referral. Past these booths were a lot of vendors, who had everything from jewelry to healing oils. Then I noticed some food stands, which included Tiny Tom Donuts and funnel cake.

I wasn’t in the mood for snacks, nor were they the reason why I attended this festival, so I kept walking until I came to what would be my favorite part of the festival; the music. There was a big covered stage featuring musicians that were able to belt out the blues for a small amount of listeners, as mostly everyone was elsewhere, but the people that were seated were in for a treat as the bands that were playing were quite talented.

Then my increase in hunger suddenly reminded me of my quest, and I quickly made my way over to where the action was happening. There were massive amounts of people sitting and eating their ribs, while others were walking with food trying to find a place to eat, and others stood and ate everything from pulled pork to corn. There was also staff on the field, offering sauce samples from each of the competitors. The ribfest was definitely happening; there was so much smoke going around in all directions, you’d think it was a Cypress Hill concert.

The problem with being surrounded by so much food is choosing which place to order from. The reason for this is because each of the teams all have their trophy’s and accolades displayed in front of them, and they all earned #1 in a myriad of festivals, so they’re all promoting the fact that they have the best ribs at the festival.

Since 1/3 of a rack was 9 dollars, I had to be selective. Now I have to say I am a much bigger fan of pork ribs than beef, I like the texture better, and I find they can hold a wider flavor, but I felt that I should still give beef a chance, so I began with half a rack of Pistol Pete’s ribs who’s beef won them 1st place at the Canadian National BBQ Championship.

Pistol Pete’s Smokehouse comes from Lobo, Ontario, and incorporates a wild west theme. Their beef ribs were fairly decent because they had a great sauce covering them, however they were not fall-off-the-bone and were a little firm in texture. I felt that they had been overcooked and this is what kept them from being great, though their ribs were a decent introduction.

Then I made a move over to Crabby’s BBQ Shack, which intrigued me because of their billboard which said that they won over 350 awards: They apparently had Toronto’s best ribs, and an award winning sauce.

With claims like that, how could you go wrong? Well apparently you can, because unfortunately Crabby’s ribs didn’t seem to match up to their claims. The first bite was actually decent, but after that I began to see that the meat was rather stiff and lacking a juicy bite, and the sauce wasn’t anything that really appealed to me once I continued down the bone.

I also got some of their coleslaw and award winning beans. The coleslaw tasted generic, as if it came from a package instead of a restaurant or deli, but the beans were actually good, they had a smoky BBQ sauce flavor and were worth the extra two dollars. In the end, I wouldn’t call Crabby’s Crappy’s, but at the same time, I think that their ribs were probably cooked a lot better when they had a much smaller crowd to cook for.

After Crabby’s, I started to get a little worried about the ribs at this festival. When I looked around, I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of praise that all of these people were awarded for their efforts, yet it seemed like it was all a bunch of hype. I broke it down to two different explanations: one was that perhaps I just had bad luck and chose the wrong places to order from, or maybe because it was such a large festival and there had been such big lines and such massive amounts of production that maybe the quality which would normally be outstanding was now suffering due to having to grill for so many individuals. I did notice that a lot of the ribs would sit on the grill for quite a bit of time while I was waiting in line, so perhaps this was the explanation.

There was something deeply disappointing about being at Canada’s Largest Ribfest and not being able to get a good rack of ribs. I decided that it was time to sample the winners of last year’s festival, Hawgs Gone Wild. They had a big sign saying “we won here last year that’s right, and we’re back to do it again.” Their theme was pretty badass; everything was Harley Davidson style and they only had young women working for them.

At last, pork ribs that weren’t sitting on the grill for too long. Hawg’s ribs had a decent sauce, and most importantly their meat wasn’t dry. I felt that these ribs weren’t anything extraordinary, but they’re the type of ribs you’d order at a rotisserie restaurant with no complaints.

Then I heard that their cornbread was outstanding, so I ordered some, and they told me that they were giving me two extra squares for free. What I thought was a kind gesture was actually just a cheap ploy to give away their burnt bread that they failed to make properly instead of throwing it out, which I ended up doing for them personally, after just one bite.

Still not impressed with anything thus far, I decided that it was time to take a trip to the south, and visit Alabama’s best BBQ: Camp 31. Of course, it had dozens of #1 votes, and is currently rated Alabama’s best BBQ.

Camp 31 was my least favorite of the entire day; the ribs were so dry, it felt like they had been put under an Xlerator hand dryer for a minute or two. The thing that was so surprising to me was that on the grill, the ribs looked incredible, but those ribs just reinforced that even with food, looks can be deceiving. In the end, there was an excess amount of BBQ sauce that slathered some incredibly dry ribs that shouldn’t have been allowed to be served at a ribfest as they were inedible.

Then I thought maybe it would be a good idea to get away from ribs, since I kept spending money just to be dissatisfied, so I tried some corn, which was actually pretty incredible besides the bits of burnt pieces from the grill.

I didn’t want to leave the festival without having a rack of ribs that I was crazy about. I thought I would spend my money one last time, in the hopes that someone can produce a good rack of pork ribs at Canada’s Largest Ribfest. I looked around and saw Boss Hog’s, who are apparently from Burlington.

Now I love Vermont, it’s one of my favorite US states, and I go to Burlington frequently, so I wanted this to be my last stop. They had a sign that read “sauce like a boss” and so I went with it.

Without knowing, I saved the best for last. Not only were Boss’s ribs grilled properly, they tasted very good as they had a flavorful sauce that coated the ribs. The meat was soft and tender, making a successful bite each time. I felt like the popular phrase “you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince” applied to my rib venture. In the end, and almost fifty dollars later, it seemed like I got what I came to find.

My girlfriend isn’t a big fan of pork ribs, so after the beef rack she ordered a poutine which would probably satisfy people that never had a real one but it was safe to say that it wouldn’t satisfy a seasoned eater as the sauce tasted like it was made from powder and the fries as if they were cooked in stale oil. It looked really good which is why she ordered it, but unfortunately it didn’t last longer than a couple of bites.

To sum up the festival, I think it’s fair to say that if you’re coming to eat the most amazing ribs you’ll ever have from award winning BBQ’ers, then don’t get you’re hopes up. If you come to the festival to listen to music, have a good time with your friends or family, drinks some beers and eat some ribs, then why not, the admission is free. I do think that these rib teams must have great ribs, after all they won so many awards and accolades and are known as having the best out there, so if I was to visit each place individually, I am sure I’d be able to see why they won so many awards, making me a lot more impressed as well.

JarredReviews is my personal weblog. The opinions and experiences represent my own. If you read that I didn’t particularly enjoy something, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try it and see for yourself. Food reviewing is very subjective and you must take this into account and use your discretion when reading any review.

The Fairmont in Jasper offers a paradise like no other, one that is so laid back and relaxing, but yet majestic, with world class luxury and exceptional service in an unpretentious lodge type of accommodation. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has 8 food and beverage outlets that range from fine dining to lounge/bistro, and after a day of heavy sightseeing and experiencing the true essence of Jasper, one can easily build a hefty appetite when returning back to the hotel. After enjoying a wonderful swim amidst snow capped mountains and emerald lakes by the hotel pool, we were both craving burgers, and what could be better than a lounge with a patio outside that overlooks the pool and mountains? Absolutely nothing. We soon sat down and were given menus with some gorgeous looking items to choose from:

Being a big fan of bison, I ordered the Alberta Wild Game Burger: free range bison, wild boar bacon, tomato pepper relish, and jalapeño jack cheese. Say no more, I was immediately sold. There was only one thing that concerned me; it was 28 dollars. Given the fact that this was my dinner, 28 dollars for a main course isn’t terrible, especially at a Fairmount restaurant, but 28 dollars for a burger, well, that would have to be one special burger, and it definitely was. The quality of beef was exactly what you’d expect at this type of establishment; top-tier. The patty was juicy, rich, and not overwhelmingly gamey. The wild board bacon was a first for me, and when I sampled a piece separately, it felt like a blessing from modern agriculture. It held a deep, caramelized and smokey flavor, and gave the bison an additional flavor and texture that was both rich, juicy and crispy. The choice of bread can make or break a burger, and this one was a maker. It wasn’t too big in circumference or in width, and it had the perfect amount of covering to hold the burger together and compliment the ingredients. I really hate when you have an enormous patty with excess amounts of bread, it can ruin the whole burger but this bun was the perfect size, plus it had poppy seeds on top and I loved that. The tomato pepper relish was a great addition because it allowed a touch of sweetness to the burger, which made it even more appealing. Let us not forget about the jalapeño jack cheese, which was as great a cover as Hendrix’s All Along The Watchtower. The small ceasar salad accompaniment was nothing special. There were cloves of garlic and red pepper neatly packed into a small bowl along with croutons, lettuce and cheese but the dressing was weak and watery so this failed as a good cesar salad.

What left an even bigger impression on me was my girlfriend’s burger; On that same golden sesame bun was AAA Alberta Sirloin, packed with caramelized onions, a dash of sauteed mountain mushrooms and chipotle aioli, covered by a thin layer of Village Farm horseradish cheddar. As much as I enjoyed my burger, I enjoyed the sirloin better, as it had an even richer taste from the combination of ingredients. The chipotle aioli was a notch above the tomato pepper relish, and there is a world of difference once the carmelized onions add that deep, rich sweet flavor and almost buttery texture to the bite, and it was also 2 dollars cheaper!

We ordered a side of sweet potato fries, which were loaded with Parmesan, adding a unique touch, as did the sea salt and fresh herbs. I have to say these were some of the best crispy sweet potato fries I ever had the pleasure of eating, and they were the perfect side to the burger.

The meal was worth every penny spent, even though you could get almost get two steaks for the same price but I won’t base what I was eating on standard burger prices, because most meals don’t have Lac Beauvert and Whistler’s Mountain in front of you while you’re dining, which not only relaxed me immensely, it also created beautiful lasting memories.

When I travel through unfamiliar territory, it’s rare that I’ll eat at the same restaurant twice. The reason for this is of course because there are so many places that I want to try, and not enough time. So when I had breakfast for the second time at Melissa’s, it was definitely not a mistake.

Melissa’s was awarded as Banff’s favorite restaurant, and happens to be one of the oldest restaurants in the national park so with that, I made my way without hesitation. From the moment you step inside, you feel like you’ve been transported out of Banff National Park and thrown inside where you ate lunch at summer camp; it’s almost as if you’re eating in a larger version of your bunk. The rustic setting exhibits logged walls decorated with a couple of really worn looking quilts that are probably as old as the restaurant. The displays have no indication of an artist’s name or price, and everything looks ancient. Suspended from above are over a dozen flags from countries all over the world, which in a way represents the diverse demographic of Banff. There’s also large log beams throughout the whole place that help keep the roof from caving in. Before eating, I already took a liking to this restaurant.

We were greeted by a young man who looked like Jesse Eisenberg, I think his name might have even been Jesse. He ended up being my favorite waiter of every restaurant we went to because not only was he really nice, but he recommended the Swiss Apple Pancake, which he said I couldn’t leave Banff without trying. The two pancake stacks that stood out the most in North America to me were Snooze A.M. in Denver, and Watertown Diner in Watertown, Massachussetts, but honestly, this pancake was better than both. What made it that great? Every word that you’d use to describe the best pancakes you ever had would fit this Swiss pancake, plus it was loaded with cinnamon sugar, and for some reason, a lemon wedge on top which I wasn’t curious enough to squeeze as I assumed it was there for decoration. Sitting inside two nicely browned sides was such a soft and fluffy, almost creamy interior, and most importantly, fresh apples. When combined with the cinnamon sugar and some Canadian maple syrup one might think that it would be too rich but it actually wasn’t; it was perfect with or  without syrup. Jesse told us that no one ever finishes the pancake, but I did.

Not knowing how filling this one pancake could be, I also ordered a side of Melissa’a Fresh Hash Browns. They were browned nicely on the exterior, but unfortunately overcooked which resulted in hard, excessive chewiness so I didn’t finish eating them. They were only 2.75, so it wasn’t a big deal to me.

Their corned beef hash made me easily forget about the hash browns. What I liked most was that the corned beef was well done. On top of that it was loaded with flavor, and had a nice cheesy omelette sitting next to it along with some multigrain toast. My girlfriend loved what she ordered, and so did I.

She also liked my Swiss Apple Pancake so much she ordered it as her dish when we went to Melissa’s for our second time. This time, I ordered their specialty: Melissa’s combo omelette. Although it wasn’t as special as the Swiss Apple Pancake, the omelette was exceptionally good. There was a mix of ham, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheddar cheese, all of which I love in an omelette. I am pretty sure that they used three eggs, because the portion was huge. The combined ingredients were really flavorful, making this omelette one of the better ones I’ve had in a long time.

Melissa’s is definitely my favorite breakfast in Alberta. Upon leaving, they give you a 10% discount if you come back that day for dinner. We considered it, as they apparently have the best steak in Banff, but that’s risky for me because I’ve had some pretty good steaks and I didn’t want to risk not liking dinner there, so we tried a different place and left Banff with only the greatest memories of Melissa’s Missteak.

This past weekend marked the 4th Annual Poutine Festival in Drummondville, Quebec. Located in Woodyatt park, the two day festival featured not only poutine tasting from four different ‘poutiniers,’ but live music by Quebec artists as well as local vendor booths in a carnival style, all in a family atmosphere. On Friday the doors opened at 5pm and hosted 3 live bands, and on Saturday there were 4 musical acts, as well as an appearance from the well known Quebec children performer Shilvi. As fun as that all sounded, we weren’t there to see bands we never heard of, or to purchase stuffed animals, we were there with one singular agenda; scarf down some of that maudite poutine. Now I personally only had one poutine from Drummondville, from Roy Le Jucep, who claims to be the originator of the poutine, and I was so disappointed because not only did their curds squeak worse than car breaks that need to be changed, their sauce tasted like Alphaghetti’s. After doing some research, I found that Drummondville is known to have a more sweeter sauce, but that still shouldn’t ruin the experience of Quebec’s culinary pride as it’s also about the cheese and fries as much as it is about the gravy.

We weren’t thrilled about the twenty dollar entrance fee, which didn’t include any vouchers for poutines; this was going to be one pricey Saturday afternoon. Things didn’t get any cheaper when we saw the charges for parking, which was also not included in the admission. After driving around the outskirts of the venue for 2 minutes, we luckily stumbled upon this:

We purchased our 20 dollar bracelets, and had to walk through a security checkpoint; maybe people were bringing something other than their stomachs into the venue, two officers ensured that they wouldn’t.

We arrived just past 4pm, and there were already over a hundred people inside. Children were sitting around the stage with their parents being entertained by Shilvi.

After checking out our surroundings, we shortly made our way over to where the poutines were being sold. There were a lot of serious eaters around, like these guys who even have t-shirts of poutine printed on them. They run a site dedicated solely to poutines from around Quebec and feature hundreds of them on their site http://www.mapoutine.com.

We started in the order that they were presented to us, beginning with Chez Ben from Granby.

Chez Ben is pretty hard to drive by without noticing, as they have a massive neon sign of a man with fries and burgers in his hands. Next to him is another sign saying that they have the best poutine. I’ve never been to Chez Ben before but heard a lot about it, so I was really happy to try their poutine.

Not only did they offer the friendliest service as they had two really nice vendors in front who made us me feel very welcomed, but they also had a very solid poutine. The fries were delicious, even on their own, the gravy was excellent, although there could have been a bit more, and the curds were fresh and tasty. This was a pretty good poutine, and so whenever I visit granby next, I look forward to trying their Italian poutine.

Chez Ben: 8.0/10

The next poutine comes from a fromagerie in Drummondville called Lemaire.

I was anticipating that tomato inspired sweetness in their sauce, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise. What really caught me off guard was the taste of their fries which were dry along with a strong aftertaste. The cheese was no better, similar to Roy Le Jucep’s, but not as squeaky. They also had no choices, as they only offered one kind of poutine; pepperoni. The pepperoni was actually a decent topping, it works well when paired with fries and gravy, but not in this poutine.

Frommagerie Lemaire: 3.0/10

Just a little under 50 KM from Drummondville is Victoriaville, and to represent the city was Max Poutine, who has a special named after the nickname of Victoriaville called Victo (a poutine topped with ribs). They also had another one with popcorn in it, but they told me this one was their specialty.

Unfortunately, there was nothing special about this poutine. The wavy fries were quite good on their own, they were crispy and enjoyable, but it was the overly liquidy sauce that brought it down, along with the ribs which were very overwhelming. The taste of the ribs on their own wasn’t even that bad, it just didn’t work on this poutine; I would take a traditional over the Victo any day, and because I liked their fries, I would be willing to go back to Max for their traditional poutine. Though this one was a step above Lemaire’s, it still was not to my liking; it really made me forget that I was eating a poutine and I didn’t like that, especially at a poutine festival.

Max Poutine: 4.5/10

And lastly, there was Monsieur Poutine, from Sherbrooke, QC who gave us the option of having a traditional or Western poutine.

Given the fact that our last two poutines digressed from the traditional and weren’t working too well for us, we decided to stick with a regular, plain good ol’ poutine. The cheese curds were excellent, they had a sharp taste to them that really stood out, the fries were almost as crispy as Max’s, but once again, the sauce was a failure; it was sour and tasted stale.

Restaurant Monsieur Poutine: 3.5/10

After cleaning up the poutines, we made our way over to the voting booth, where we had to put our hand on “Le Grande Livre De La Poutine” and vote, similar to taking an oath in court. We voted Chez Ben for this year’s best poutine.

In conclusion, I wasn’t very impressed with the festival. Though I don’t regret going by any means as I did have a fun time, I wasn’t pleased with driving over an hour for the poutines that were served with the exception of Chez Ben’s. There could have been more vendors, and because there were only four to choose from, I think that they should have probably sold hot dogs or hamburgers as well, even though it was a poutine festival. We both parted feeling like we hadn’t really gotten our fix, and that is why on the way home, for good measure, I thought why not stop off somewhere in Montreal and enjoy the poutine that I’ve grown to love. My girlfriend and I have tried several times to go to Poutine Lafleur, which was always closed every time we tried to eat there and what was worse is they don’t have a phone line so I could never reach them. I heard about Poutine Lafleur from all over the internet, and mostly everyone says that it is the best poutine in Montreal. Surprised that I never tried it, I thought it would be fitting for a day like today. We decided that since it was still early, we may just have a shot. And there it was, in all its glory, sign shining in the sun, and open.

Poutine Lafleur definitely holds one of the best poutines that I have had in Montreal. Their dish reminded me how lucky we are to have such a great example of what Quebec culture prides itself on. I am aware that various areas of Quebec hold some great poutines, but at the same time I also feel that we are very fortunate to live in the heart of such a great and fulfilling dish that comes from a wonderful culture.

Poutine Lafleur: 9/10

Now is a very good time to hit the gym!

JarredReviews is my personal weblog. The opinions and experiences represent my own. If you read that I didn’t particularly enjoy something, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try it and see for yourself. Food reviewing is very subjective and you must take this into account and use your discretion when reading any review.

Finding the right kitchen knife can be a lengthy process, one that can be stressful especially when making that final selection and opening your wallet. There are many brands and types of kitchen knives out there and if you’re starting your search with little to no knowledge like I was, it can be quite an arduous journey. The first thing you need even before doing your research is patience, because the worst thing you can do is rush into your purchase and end up with something you aren’t happy with, and being that it will be your most important kitchen tool, you’ll want to have a well balanced knife that offers an excellent performance, along with a comfortable feel and finish. All of these qualities will help determine your selection.

Let’s talk quickly about what’s used in the blades that you’re looking through:

Carbon Steel:

Knives made with Carbon steel are often inexpensive, they’re known to hold a very sharp edge, and are often easier to sharpen compared to most stainless steel blades, however they do stain and rust easily if they’re not cleaned and dried right after use.

Stainless Steel:

Probably the most common steel available, it is often softer than carbon steel and more expensive, it needs frequent sharpening and unlike carbon steel it’s very resistant to rusting.

High carbon stainless:

Basically incorporating the best of both worlds using stainless alloys with carbons in a higher grade, which promotes no staining and superior edge retention.

Titanium:

Titanium is more flexible than steel, but not as hard or durable, and it will not keep an edge as long the ones listed above.

Ceramic:

A unique alternative to metal-based knives that a lot of people claim contains the sharpest edge, however you need to know that although they are extremely sharp, they are also very lightweight and fragile and can chip easily while self-sharpening or when used against harder objects. Most of the time you should have your ceramic knife sharpened professionally.

Now that you know some of the basics, let me explain to you a little bit about how knife steel is made. There are usually two methods; hot forged, or stamped. The hot-forged process involves steel that is heated to a high temperature until softened, dropped into various molds, and then beaten usually by hammer to shape the steel. After this, the steel is then put through a trimming process to rid any excess. Only after a heating and cooling process to ensure durability, the knife is sharpened and polished. In forged blades, the metal in the knife runs from the tip of the knifepoint to the far end of the handle, which will be visible and will aid you in knowing if the knife is forged.

A stamped blade is different in the sense that it is usually machine cut from large, flattened sheets of steel, shaped and heat-treated for strength and temper, then grounded, sharpened, and polished. Many people believed that stamped knives are not as strong or durable as fully forged knives but that is no longer necessarily true. In many cases the quality of steel that is used in stamped knives is superior, as many high end stamped knives are thin like a razor, and more precise.

Now I’m going to explain to you the types of knives that are available. We’ll start with the Chef’s Knife, which is also known as a French Knife, or Cook’s Knife. This is a general utility knife for every day basic needs such as slicing meat, chopping vegetables, mincing, you name it. If you are a cooking enthusiast or an aspiring chef, you should invest in one of these, it is a versatile tool that you will use more than a paring or boning knife, or any knife and you will swear by it.

A pairing knife is also a commonly used kitchen utensil which helps with peeling, coring, de-veining shrimp, and other intricate tasks. It is similar to a chef’s knife in the sense that it is also all-purpose, but it’s a lot smaller.

Carving knives and boning knives are also important to have in a kitchen. A Carving knife is used on meats and poultry for smaller and thinner precise cuts. It is frequently used with roasts, ham, and turkey. There’s also the boning knife, which is thin enough to get into small spaces and simply remove bones from cuts of meat.

A cleaver is a heavy, thick rectangular knife that is used for splitting meat and bone and great in horror movies. Any restaurant that prepares their own meat has one of these in their kitchen.

There’s also bread knives, slicing knives, and fillet knives, but I don’t really think I need to get into explaining those to you as the names are self explanatory.

Now finally, let’s discuss some brands and manufacturing:

Japanese:

When you think about Japanese knives, think about the ancient techniques of samurai sword making; Japan is known to make some of the sharpest blades in the world and you best believe this applies to their kitchen knives as well. They even use the Damascus style from their swords on many knives. Some of the top brands: Mac, Kasumi, Shun, Global, Misono, Hattori.

German:

Germany, along with Japan is considered the best in manufacturing top quality cutlery. Top brands: Wusthof Dreizackwerk, J.A. Henckles, Messermeister. *Do note that if you go to Macy’s and see J.A. Henckles International for around 40 dollars, you’re buying a knife that is made in China so don’t expect the same quality as a European manufactured Henckles knife.

North America:

Due to the affordable prices of these knives, many people find them suitable for their kitchen. You’ll notice brands like Cutco, Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, and Dexter-Russell are in many people’s homes because they like the price, and while many of these knives have to be sharpened quite frequently they still get the job done.

Swiss:

I don’t know many Swiss brands besides Victoriaknox, but they don’t really matter because this is the most reputable one; their experience with knives goes all the way back to 1897 and they have also been a longtime supplier of knives to the Swiss Armed Forces. A Victoriaknox chef’s knife was the first knife that I ever owned, it showed me how important it is to use a good sharp knife in any kitchen; there was such a big difference from the previous knives that my family had purchased years ago.

French:

Sabatier is pretty much the only brand you should be looking for if you’re interested in purchasing a knife from France.

So there you have it, a comprehensive explanation of kitchen knives that should aid you in finding the right one for your needs. Everyone has different opinions when it comes to cooking, while one person might swear by Japanese blades and tell you they are the sharpest, another person will contradict that statement and say that his or her Wusthof  Grand Prix II knife is the best knife on the planet. At the end of the day, you need to find what suits your needs, and what you want and expect to get out of your kitchen knife. Like I said before, the process of finding the right knife can be tedious and stressful, but once you get there, you’ll be glad you did.

I drive on Jean-Talon quite frequently, and many times I would pass by India’s Oven and wonder if it’s any good. They proudly display their restaurant reviews in their front window, and the place seems like it has a casual atmosphere that’s nice enough to enjoy some best-loved dishes and experience new and unique regional tastes.

I sat down at the front of the restaurant with a good friend of mine, and we were greeted by the owner who became our server. After receiving the menu I asked if there was anything that he could recommend, to which he replied “everything is very good here.” His vague response didn’t really help with making a choice, so once again I asked if he could recommend something, and he replied “my friend, everything is good here, don’t worry.” Then I say “so there’s nothing that would stand out more than anything else?” and once again, he confidently says “my friend, from the bottom of my heart, everything is very good, I promise.” He smiled gleefully. I looked at my friend and chuckled. I appreciated his humor, although I wasn’t sure if he was being funny or serious, maybe everything was very good, it was time to find out.

I started off with their traditional Indian style lentil soup, also known as Dal. The soup came out rather quick, and it was actually pretty good; it had just the right amount of spice which was heartwarming on a cold and rainy night. The soup was a bit salty but not overwhelming. There was a lemon wedge at the side of the plate and I squeezed a few drops into the soup which I really enjoyed as well.

I ordered a Chana Samosa which was big enough for two people. Wonderfully spiced and loaded with chick peas, green peas, red onions and sour cream, the samosa was good for it’s price but I’ve had better, so I felt that this starter was decent but there was nothing about it that blew me away.

The Fish Tikka was impressive. The delicately marinated fish was cooked to perfection in their clay oven, which promoted strong flavors from each cube because of the various amount of spices, resulting in a dish that was incredibly juicy, briny and flavorful. It was served with a pesto dipping sauce, as well as a rather plain and dry salad.

Then came the main dishes: Chicken Korma, Saag Paneer, and Lamb Vindaloo. I enjoyed all three of them, but my favorite was the Chicken Korma. There was a generous amount of boneless chicken cooked in a creamy sweet sauce made with yogurt. The sauce was excellent and we ended up scraping the bowl clean. The Saag Paneer had an amazingly rich taste of spinach, combined with a good portion of melted cheese which added salty flavors and an even creamier texture that made the dish quite enjoyable but still not as good as the Korma. The lamb was my least favorite of the three. There was an abundance of enjoyable spices in the curry so the sauce was fine, but it was the consistency of the lamb that threw me off; I found to be a little rough and chewy. Had it been more tender, the dish would have been excellent.

We also ordered a good portion of basmati rice that was cooked with green peas and carrots called Pulao. The flavorful rice could have been oiled a bit less, but other than that it was great eating the rice with the sauces of the main dishes.

My friend wanted to try the Ras Malai which is a staple in East Indian cuisine, served after meals. Normally balls of cheese soaked in clotted cream sounds nice but this dessert had a very sour taste to it. This was the first one I ever tried, so perhaps I am just not a fan of Rasmali, or maybe I just didn’t like theirs. My first bite was my last.

In the end, the gentleman almost stood correct, everything was pretty good, the Chicken Korma and Fish Tikka being excellent, but everything else including the na’an were average except for the bill, which was unusually high for what we had ordered. India’s Oven could be a safe bet if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t run back, because for almost the same price I got just as much food at Karma. Speaking of Karma, when is it re-opening?

In close proximity to my girlfriend’s country house there’s a great bakery that is both a local favorite and a place where my girlfriend has been picking up satisfying and delicious treats for years. It’s an incredibly small bakery, but what they lack in space they make up for in quality.

Whenever I go up north, without a doubt, I head to Boulangerie De Nord and buy a date square. I am a huge fan of the Matrimonial Cake. I’ve had hundreds of them in my life from all over and I feel it’s safe to say that they have the best I ever had in my life. If you aren’t very experienced with them, you might be reading this thinking that these squares are pretty much all the same, but they’re really not. Their deliciousness depends on how you prepare your oat mixture, the quality of dates and other ingredients that you use, as well as how you bake them. For example, there’s a cafe inside the building where I work, and their squares hold them back from being great because their oats are too hard. When you chew them you’re biting down on bits that are slightly hard that get stuck in your teeth, and on top of that, the puree of dates is sometimes too sweet. The very first time I ate a date square from Boulangerie De Nord I noticed a world of difference. Not only are they inexpensive, they’re twice the size of many that I had, and the taste is addictive. The dates that they use are so fresh and sweet but not too sweet. The layers of oatmeal are very fluffy and buttery; when combined with the dates each bite is so incredible that it will make you forget all about the calorie content.

On one hand, I am almost ashamed to admit that I never had a strawberry rhubarb pie before, and on the other I cannot believe what I had missed out on. If you don’t know what rhubarb is, then you should. The roots of rhubarb have been used as a laxative for 5,000 years. These days the stock is used mainly for pies, dried fruit, and different types of jam because of its tart flavor. No one really uses their leaves as they are toxic. I felt that this was their best pie; the succulent sweet puree of strawberries held up against the tart taste of the rhubarb joined by a soft and palatable crust and tender dough makes this pie award worthy, especially once it’s heated in the oven at a low temperature and served with vanilla ice cream. I haven’t had any other strawberry rhubarb pies to compare this one to, but I can tell you that this one is out of this world. The next time I visit I am buying a couple of these and putting them in the freezer.

They also have apple and sugar pies which I will have to get to one day. Some other things to know about Boulangerie De Nord is that they carry great blends of tea and coffee and they have freshly baked pizza on foccacia. This bakery has become a tradition for us every time we head to the country, and I don’t see that ever changing.

Even though Le Rio only opened its doors 5 years ago, it seems like the place has been around for decades. Located on the main street in Saint-Sauveur, this old tavern-like restaurant hosts some of the tastiest pub food in the Laurentians. Le Rio has gained quite a following over the last few years due to their pork ribs; they’re what everyone boasts about. Lucky for me, I spent the day in Saint-Anne-Du-Lac at a wonderful country house this past Saturday, and by twelve o’clock I was craving ribs and knew just where to go.

We were one of the first people to show up for lunch. We had the choice of sitting outside on their terrasse but chose to sit indoors because it was quite hot outside. The interior had a homely style which was bright, decorative, and held a cool temperature; it was an ideal place to enjoy a nice lunch in the country.

I ordered the ribs, which included a house salad that was delivered before the meal arrived. The house dressing tasted great, it was a home made ranch generously spread over a spring mix. There should have been some tomatoes and cucumbers added in there, which would have made the salad a bit more attractive in appearance, and on top of that the extra ingredients would have absorbed some of the excess dressing, resulting in an even better tasting salad, but regardless, it was an enjoyable starter.

The chicken wings were full of flavor. The plate came with 8 crispy, juicy, Santa Fe style wings that weren’t drenched in sauce, just the way I like them. They were served with the same home made dressing that came with my salad, along with fresh vegetables, which was an excellent pairing.

Then it was time to see what all the hype was about: just how good were these ribs, and did they deserve the #1 rating on tripadvisor? I will have to say YES. First of all, they are not smoked, but do not let that phase you. Cooked in both an oven and on the grill, the ribs are as tender and flavorful as you can expect. The sauce (which they bottle and sell) was also a mouthwatering definite hit. The ribs exceeded my expectations, as did the fries, which were as tasty as your favorite casse-croûte. This plate was a real winner; excellent portion, fabulous taste, and left me wondering what their BBQ chicken and other dishes taste like.

The service was a little disappointing. When I got the ribs, our waitress forgot to give me the plate to but the bones in, along with the wet wipes which I had to ask for. I also wanted some ketchup for the fries, which I had to ask for as well, and she never brought it. I had to get up and find her to ask for the ketchup. We were the only ones in the restaurant at first, and then there were only about 8 other people that showed up so there wasn’t a huge rush; perhaps they should have had more staff on hand. When the bill came, she forgot about us again, and I had to walk up to the counter and ask her if I could pay. It wasn’t the end of the world but I just wished she would have paid more attention to our table. Either way, the food was really good and I would make Le Rio a regular place to visit every time I am in the Laurentians.