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Fries & Dolls Food Truck in Calgary

I finally got to try Fries & Dolls as they came to Deerfoot Meadows in Calgary. I’ve always wanted to try them and I finally had the opportunity to. It’s wonderful and worth the wait! The wait was around 20-25 minutes from line up to satisfying my belly.

Because of their creativity, they have names for each of the types of fries and sweet potato fries they carry on their truck. The names of the sizes ranged from B Cup to D Cup which I think is a brilliant idea! On top of that, the fries are named after the dolls.

We ordered Marianne and Ginger which was Sweet Potato Fries – with Cajan spice. It was sweet and spicy which was a great combination! We had it with their chipotle sauce which was really a nice sauce for dipping.

A great added bonus with Fries & Dolls, they are environmentally conscience as well, as they use biodegradable cups for their fries and forks. It’s great seeing the movement slowly kicking in gear!

I enjoyed the experience, and best of all, I enjoyed the fries! I would definitely be returning when they’re in my area when I have time! 🙂

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Muffin Man – Kensington, London

We stopped by The Muffin Man as a quick stop for breakfast one morning before heading over to Buckingham Palace and stand in line for the touristy attractions we were planning for the day. The Muffin Man was a great little stop, even though it wasn’t a fast stop. We made an order right from their bakery section and it took the waitress awhile to even put our goodies into a bag to give to us. Instead, she continued to serve the seated customers, and that made is “in her way”. She had to maneuver around us, making it difficult for everyone.

We figured if she just took our order and quickly gave us our goodies, we all would’ve continued on our merry way. Regardless, the baked good from the Muffin Man was extremely delicious.

I ordered the Lemon Cake which was a denser muffin (hence cake) in a muffin form. It was really lemony and refreshing. The cake was quite fresh.

We also had a Chocolate Danish made with dark chocolate filling wrapped in crusty and flaky pastry.

Lastly, we tried their Banana Coffee Muffin, and even though I didn’t try it at all, I hear it was quite delicious, and it had a soft coffee center. This muffin sure sounds delicious, and I’m sure given another opportunity, I’ll try a muffin – as the place is called the Muffin Man after all!

Muffin Man

12 Wrights Lane Map
(0871) 075 7360
Kensington, London

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The Almanack

After checking into our hotel that was across the street from The Almanack we had to go for a lunch, and found ourselves at the Almanack. The restaurant is large, spacious, bright and just a lovely place to have been. We enjoyed our lunch in a large yet comfortable space.

I tried the Fish Board and actually split it with my sister as I just ate a burger. The Fish Board comes with Smoked Mackerel Pâté, Prawn Cocktail, Marinated Anchovies, Mini Fishcake & Tartare Sauce, Cucumber Sticks & Rye Bread. It was the perfect plate to share, and it was really tasty. Each item on the fish board had its own unique taste and texture which was really fun to experience – as we don’t have this like this. None of the items was fishy at all – which really made me happy! The smoked Mackeral had a really nice smoked taste, and it was firm but flaked off into pieces really nicely. The prawn cocktail was pretty fun – not the best prawn cocktail I’ve ever had, but it was really fun to get my hands dirty and enjoy it! I like anything deep fried, so the fishcake was right up my alley! It was really light and fluffy and cooked perfectly as well. Nothing was bad at all! I don’t know my thoughts of anchovies, but I do like these ones from the Almanack! 🙂 So, it was a very satisfying meal, and one I will remember!

We ordered a bunch of other lunch entrees, which I didn’t try. But, everything was gobbled up in a heart-beat, so I’m assuming it was delicious! The table ordered Potato and Watercress Soup

We also ordered a dish of Caesar Salad to share at the table. It was a nice and fresh salad and it was well received by everyone.

Free-range Chicken & Crispy Bacon, and topped off with Anchovies & Croutons. The last dish that was ordered was Honey & Mustard Roast Free-range Gammon

We went back to The Almanack for breakfast the following morning, and they served a wonderful breakfast selection! From Salmon Eggs Benedict to the All American Breakfast. We had a lot of us, and we had a nice selection of breakfasts ordered.

First of all, everything was cooked perfectly, and that means they looked and tasted good too! I started with the Pancake Breakfast which naturally was pancakes and maple syrup. They did drench the pancake in the syrup and by the end, it was too sweet. The pancakes were light and fluffy and wasn’t cooked until it was a beautiful golden brown colour.

The Salmon Eggs Benedict was really delicious. There was some salmon instead of the traditional ham, and spinach on the eggs Benedict. This really was a nice touch with a nice taste to the dish.

Our table also had the All American Breakfast which was a large and filling breakfast – perfect for a busy day ahead – which in our case was! This breakfast consisted of beans, toasts, mushrooms, sausage, bacon and eggs. It’s truly a hearty meal.

The Almanack

Abbey End North Kenilworth
Warwickshire
(01926) 353637

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South St. Burger Co. – Calgary, Alberta

I’ve been to Cross Iron Mills a few times now, and I’ve always noticed a long line any time of day at South St. Burger Co so on this particular occasion during my visit, I craved and sat down for a burger.

We ordered a Hamburger Combo to share as it was kind of a snack. Our combo, we ordered it with a poutine instead of regular fries or onion rings. South St. Burger’s uses New York Fries for their sides, and says they are the best sides. I must say, I’ve never been a huge fan of New York fries for some reason, and this time didn’t make me change my mind either. The gravy was really salty, and it didn’t taste like any other brown gravy I’ve had… and even though the fries weren’t soggy and offered a nice crisp and soft on the inside – the poutine just didn’t satisfy me.

The hamburger I must say, I’m sure the beef patty was really delicious, but it was overwhelmed with all the toppings that they put on. They must’ve over-dressed it, as I tasted mostly the garlic mayo and mango chutney we added to our burger.

The toppings that the customer is able to choose from is extensive, with a huge array of everything! You’re able to pick your cheese, type of mustard, ketchup, mayo, relish and a sauce, plus the veggies you’d like on your burger. It is really nice you can personalize a burger, but as mentioned, I think they went a little over-board with loading on the toppings.

With it all said and done, it was a decent burger – not cheap, but it was good. It certainly didn’t seem like a beef burger though. So, in search of the perfect burger status – I’m still searching!

South St. Burger Co.

261055 CrossIron Blvd
(403) 274-3955

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Shogun Teppan-Yaki – Birmingham, England

Sushi from Shogun Teppan-Yaki has been a place where my sister has talked about for years as a place to take us! We finally went, and it was wonderful! Located in Birmingham in a huge mall called The Mailbox, it’s a wonderful Japanese restaurant with lots of options, from a sit down menu featuring noodles, sushi & sashimi, set meals, and much more, there is always something on the menu to satisfy any craving.

There is a sit down area with a rotating conveyer belt with sushi – and you just pick out what you want to eat, and is charged a flat rate. If you’re looking for entertainment, this is also the place to go as they offer teppanyaki for their customers.

We sat down and ate all the sushi we could with the flat fee. The sushi was really fresh and delicious – and we sat right by the window as the sushi first comes out of the kitchen. We tried a lot of dishes, from your standard sushi like salmon sushi, which was really fresh and tasty.

We had some tempura and this was crispy and not greasy. It was really nicely fried and the batter is excellent.

My favourite that I tried was the shrimp and mango sushi which is a sushi I haven’t tried since now. It’s sweet and savoury and I really enjoy this combo.

Shogun is an excellent place to visit if you’re in the area and craving for sushi – plus hungry! I would recommend Shogun whether you’re in for some entertainment, or just to fill up your belly. Even though I didn’t enjoy the teppanyaki myself, I did have a glimpse of a family enjoying it for lunch – and it sure looks like fun! 🙂

Shogun Teppan-Yaki

Shogun Sushi/Noodle Bar Ltd
27-29 Wharfside Street
The Mail Box
Birmingham
B1 1RD