June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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One of the true gems in the North Peace area is the Shepherd’s Inn restaurant. Located 40 kilometres north of Fort St. John along the Alaska Highway at mile 72, it is a bit out of the way for people not venturing north of Fort St. John but it is well worth the drive.
The Shepherd’s Inn is clean and simple, a classic diner style restaurant with cross-stitch pieces and local art on the walls. There are also some books and a few souvenirs and postcards for sale.
Upon arrival we seated ourselves by the window and were attended to immediately. My mother ordered coffee and I ordered the Iced Russian Tea. The beverage was a new experience for me. It was sweet with some spices in it (possibly cloves). It reminded me of a cold cider. I will have to go back just to have another glass and ask instruction on how to make it. After looking over the reasonably extensive and varietal menu I selected the barbeque beef (open faced beef sandwich with their special homemade BBQ sauce) with homemade fries (with REAL gravy!) and creamy coleslaw. The bread was homemade, thick and delicious.
After doing my best to finish the huge meal in front of me I decided that I just had to have a taste of the legendary homemade pie that people always seem to talk about after going to the Shepherd’s Inn. My mother and I decided to share a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie and ice cream. The pie was warm and perfect with a packed brown sugar crumble as the top crust.
The entire experience was extremely enjoyable and I would certainly recommend this little Inn to anyone; whether to locals who haven’t been there, or visitors just passing through. It makes a perfect afternoon away from the kitchen especially at such a reasonable price. The bill for the two of us came to $32.00 (and that included drink refills and shared dessert!)
I will defiantly be back.
May 28, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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Being from a city such as Toronto, one would assume that I would be an experienced coffee drinker what with having a Starbucks on every corner. However, this girl prefers the taste of a Tim Hortons coffee with just a dash of milk as oppose to some over-priced frappa-mocha-low fat-latte (or whatever you want to call it).
When a friend of mine asked me to go with him to Cosmic Grounds, I must admit I was somewhat skeptical at first. What would I order? Would I be able to pronounce any of these intense sugar infested beverages? I must have stared at the board for at least ten minutes trying to decide what to get. The lady at the counter was extremely helpful and recommended that I try a caramel macchiato. hmmmm....I pondered for a moment and then agreed to try it.
The drink was absolutely incredible. It was an amazing combination of a hot beverage with the taste of a dessert. Although I found the pricing a bit steep, I definitely recommend this place as I felt it was worth every penny. With a multi-national money grubbing organization such as starbucks slowly taking over this industry, we must cherish the little coffee houses that provide an intimate feel and a terrific atmosphere.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the fact that you could sit outside and take in some rays while enjoying your tasty beverage. Since I had just experienced snow in May for the first time in my entire life, I was content that I could actually sit outside on a rare but beautiful sunny day!
So to all those travelling, living, or just passing through Fort St. John, be sure to make a pit stop at this quaint little shop located at 10430-100th street.
May 19, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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I'm usually a bagged lunch sort of girl, but I hadn't seen a friend in a good long time so we decided to hit up a local coffee shop for lunch.
After a somewhat brisk walk through our unseasonable weather (blowing snow and below zero in MAY!) we entered the spacious confines of Whole Wheat & Honey. I had been there many times in the evening for local music events but never had I eaten there.
The coffee is fairly average, as good as anywhere but nothing stellar, but today I fell in love with their Souvlaki Wrap and Spiced Chai Latte. Having just had my wisdom teeth out I've been banned from crispy breads and the like, fortunately the souvlaki wrap was contained in a soft warm pita. I also found the filling delicious, fresh vegetables, from olives to cucumbers, to a variety of greens layered over warm sliced chicken (not processed!).
The chai was hot and aromatic though perhaps a bit sweet. I forgave the slight excess of sugar for the presence of an actual porcelain mug! I cannot begin to express how much I prefer the aesthetic of a real mug to a paper cup.
The atmosphere is pleasant and light. We sat in comfy leather armchairs near the little gas stove and the collection of instruments donated to the venue for impromptu musical endeavours. Though perhaps warmer than it needed to be, the place offered a cozy reprieve from the snowy May afternoon outside.
March 23, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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My husband and I had a great dinner at Jackfish Dundees Pub out at Charlie Lake last Thursday. The food is always good, but they a special weekend menu that we ordered from.
For an appetizer we had crepes stuffed with cream cheese, capers, smoked salmon, and fresh celery. And for dinner we each had the roasted duck breast over orange slices with potatoes, mixed veggies, and portabello mushrooms. Yum!
Needless to say, there was no room for dessert that night.
It is definitely worth the short drive from town to enjoy their food and hospitality.