Crooked Phil’s Cafe, Carbonear, NL, Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador

Crooked Phil’s 125B Columbus Drive, Carbonear, NL, Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador

I took a quick trip to Carbonear this afternoon to pick up a package. I capitalized on the opportunity to visit one of the restaurants who is in a Burger Battle during the towns winter carnival. Some of the best food establishments in the community of Carbonear has presented their burgers for culinary judgment. I think this is amazing and I hope it is well attended. All restaurants need some help in the non-tourist season, so hats off to the organizers!!

There is only one day left to visit, enjoy and vote for your favorite burger. My only regret is that I was out of the region for most of this burger battle so I only got to taste one. If you are in the Carbonear area tomorrow, please visit some of these food joints. They are all amazing and I hope they keep the burgers on their menu so I can sample them all over the next few weeks.

I visited Crooked Phil’s cafe as it was next to my original destination. This is a revisit for me; the last time I had been to Crooked Phil’s it was still owned by the original owner, Phil! It has since changed hands and still doing fine. I have to say one thing: if you ever want to feel welcomed, appreciated and taken care of, Crooked Phil’s is the place to go. Smiling faces and attention to detail was evident. I visited 30 minutes before their afternoon closing; I was the only patron in the room but did not feel like I was intruding even though I am sure they were at their end of service for the day. At one point while waiting for my meal they asked me if it was ok to sweep the floor – how sweet is that.

The Food

As I stated before, I was there for a burger as part of the local burger challenge. Their offering was the Dis-n-Dat Burger – a crispy house-made, battered chicken burger dipped in a Dis-n-Dat sauce, topped with provolone cheese, and lettuce on a toasted Pretzel Bun (With potato hashbrowns).
The chicken burger was surprising! I am not usually a fan of a pretzel bun, but , it was soft with a slight char that offered added flavor to the combination of sweet and tangy “dis-n-dat bbq sauce“. The crunch of the breading and juicy chicken was simply marvelous. The sauce and mayo was messy goodness paired well with the toasted bun and crunchy chicken. I would have liked a little more provolone cheese to balance all the huge tangy and sweet flavours of the sauce, but it was not a deal breaker. I would travel the Veterans Highway for this burger any time.

The Review

High Points

• Place was clean
• Very Inviting
• Quick service
• Affordable
• If you like terms of endearment you have come to the right place, you will hear plenty and they are not an “act” – they are genuine in my honest opinion.

No low points

Burger, wedge fries, pop, tax and gratuity 28.02

4.7 our of 5 for lunch service

If you are in the Carbonear area take the time to visit and try these burgers. WTG Carbonear Special Events Committee!

Exile Restaurant & Lounge

115 George Street West, St. John’s Newfoundland

I always like visiting Exile Restaurant, located in the Jag Hotel. Smiling gentlemen greet you at the door and open it for you (obviously). The restaurant appeals to the senses, the music, the décor, and the lighting all heighten your experience. and that is before we were even seated! We reserved our seating through OpenTable; I love this app! We were seated at a table by the window. The table was designed like a vinyl record, and the coasters had fun rock-and-roll trivia to entertain us.

The Food

We all ordered drinks and soaked in the ambiance. The music was evident but not intrusive so we all could talk without raising our voices. I enjoyed the eclectic playlist while reviewing the menu.

There were plenty of interesting dishes on the menu and for this visit I went with the Ramen. I did not expect to see this on the menu, so I had to have it. The bowl was filled with noodles, tasty broth, boiled egg, veg and the most pleasant surprise for me was the tempura mushroom. The crusty mushrooms were very flavorful, a tad salty which was welcomed. The green onion and corn gave the bowl some additional texture.

High Points

• Décor
• Service was awesome
• Comfortable seating
• Non intrusive music
• Menu selection was eclectic

I did not have any low points.

Price
$$$ out of $$$$$

$ 109.00 inclusive of dinner for two including drinks

Points
4.5 out of 5.00

Down Home Delights , 64 Main Street, Eastport, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Its always nice to go on vacation in your home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. There is plenty to see and do including the culture, scenery, trails, festival and of course the food!! When we plan our vacations, good accommodations is a must, and so is good food. Ironically , the Down Home Delights Restaurant was not on list as I did not know about it. We were intending of visiting a fish and chip place in a neighbouring community. Unfortunately when we arrived they were between services and could not accommodate us. As a result we back tracked and discovered Down Home Delights.

We dropped in after lunch service which meant there was no problem to get a table. We were kindly greeted and seated. The tables were random but added to the country style rustic feel of the space.

We decided to start with some calamari, they had a light tempura style crust and were very tender and tasty. They were not chewy, there was a slight , and satisfying crispiness , the seafood sauce gave a heightened brightness and balance.

Next up, I ordered some wings, they were nice and crispy, the chicken was tender , not dry and the sauce was nice and tangy with a kick of heat.

The deep fried cod and home cut fries were delicious, the fish had a nice crunch to the batter. The cod was nice and firm, but moist. That one piece of fish was almost the length of the dinner plate! The home fries with skin on were also very tasty and cooked perfectly.

The Club House looked awesome, plenty of bacon and turkey as you can see in this picture. I did not sample this but all reports at the table said that it was delicious.

If you are travelling to the Eastport area, this restaurant is worth visiting, especially if you like comfort food. They also had a fully stocked bar so pre-dinner cocktails would be great but was not in the cards for us on this visit.

The Review

High Points

• Place was clean
• Inviting
• Quick service
• Affordable
• Comfort food goodness
• Air Conditioning (We were in the middle of a NL heatwave so this was very welcomed.)

No low points

Food Review

Over all the food was good, server was nice, rustic vibe and fair prices while on vacation. If you were looking for a nice place who can accommodate food allergy issues and can deliver on home made style menu offerings, I would recommend dropping in. Please note, I did notice a for sale sign on the building so it might be a good idea to check their Facebook page to ensure they are open if planning a trip in the area.

Low Points

4.2 out of 5 for mid afternoon lunch

Price point

A lunch for 4 was $ 86.00 (approx) good value!!

$$$ out of $$$$$

Five Guys Burgers and Fries 48 Kenmount Rd. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

I have a friend who absolutely loves a good burger. I could remember him telling me “the next time you travel to Florida, you have to check out Five Guys”. I too like a good burger, but we have not been planning on going south anytime soon regrettably, SO, when the announcement was made that Five Guys was coming to St. John’s I added the burger place on my list. .

Although the burger joint was on my list, it was about a year and a half before I got to visit. Every time I attempted to visit, there was too much of a crowd for me , so I remained patient and waited for MY time to visit. That specific time happened the last week of November , while getting some early Christmas shopping done.
The first thing I noticed when entering the restaurant was the smell. I inhaled in deeply, the aroma of the freshly cooked beef filled the air. I was off to a good start, but, while looking at the menu, including the toppings, I was a little unsure what I wanted as this was my first visit. My server, Caitlin, was very helpful. I decided on the Bacon and Cheese burger with “All The Way” toppings. Apparently I was going “All In”! Cheese, lettuce , onion, tomato, bacon, pickles , mayo, ketchup, and two patties!! OMG!

It was great to see the ingredients in full view including their potatoes sourced from Prince Edward Island!!

It was very nice to see Five Guys acknowledge and utilize positive promotion about the Burger Chain. The reviews speak for themselves and is great for self promotion.

Now back to my order. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the bag to see the order. The burger was huge and the amount of fries was outrageous. The was a full cup of house cut PEI fries! When I took out the burger, the bag was quarter full with more fries. By the way, the fries were delicious, twice fried pieces of goodness. The burger pictures below speak for themselves. I wanted to show you all the enormity of toppings, all very fresh. There was no skimping, plenty of lettuce, and thick tomatoes and pickles. (notice the “five” pickles? yum!) There were no translucent, symbolic vegetable offerings here. It was a small salad in this burger. The beef and bacon married the flavors of this hearty meal ‘ it was hard to get my mouth around it, but I did!!.

The Review

High Points

• Place was clean
• Smelled fantastic
• The kitchen ran like a well oiled machine, and everyone was upbeat and courteous
• Server (Caitlin) was very friendly and helpful
• Burger patties were cooked to perfection, nice and juicy
• Freshest toppings and plenty of them to choose from
• The transparency of all products used was appreciated
• Home fries, not frozen, were delish

Low Points

• I had no low points during this visit

Food Review

One of the best burgers I have eaten at a restaurant, especially in burger joints in Newfoundland. Fresh is best.

4.6 out of 5 for mid afternoon snack

Price point

$$$ out of $$$$$

Double Cheese Burger
Fries and Pop $ 24 and change

Well worth it for the size, taste, and ingredients of the burger and fries.

In Search of the Best Hot and Sour Soup in Newfoundland and Labrador and Beyond!!

Hot and Sour soup, one of My favorites of all time!! I am not sure if there is a right or wrong way to make it. There are so many variations , some are obviously simple in their execution and the final product is evident , a soup with maybe one or two bold flavors but not complex.  There are others that have deep  flavors , some of the ingredients not indigenous to our province but are welcomed such as bamboo shoots, tree fungus, eggs, tofu, pork, mini shrimp , sesame oil, chilli flakes etc.

I love a hot and sour soup that by the mere smell of it makes your taste buds tingle . This blog touches on some of my findings during my travels in Newfoundland and Labrador (and beyond).