We drove to Stratford for our family’s first Stratford Festival and arrived just in time for brunch. Hubby was in charge of planning the outing, a rare and most delightful feat! And while only 1 out of the 4 activities he had planned (the rest being spontaneous) came to fruition, the day turned out to be quite nice, full of discovery and adventure.
Hubby had learned early on that the women in his household could not function when hungry. Because Stratford was over a hundred km from our house, by the time we managed to find parking on Erie St., we were ready to eat just about anything! Actually, if there had been a McDonald’s right where we had parked, I think I would have thrown away my sense of adventure for a Big Breakfast. Good thing York Street Kitchen was just right across the parking lot! And right beside our targeted snack destination, Boomers!
York Street Kitchen was a quaint joint with about 4 tables and a bar. While they have a popular sandwich take-out window, I really did not have the energy to take our food out to the park for a picnic. I was STARVING! So, I hungrily ordered H.M.S. Pinaforte--smoked Atlantic salmon with local goat cheese and veggies on a bagel. Hubby, on the other hand, went for one of their specials—the Breakfast Burrito. Though I was close to passing out from the lack of food, I managed to first set up the girls with their French toast, before I dug into my own dish. I had to compose myself so as not to wolf everything down.
The Pinaforte hit the spot. The buttery salmon with its bold saltiness was accentuated by the creamy goat cheese. The lettuce and tomatoes provided the crunchy tang while the bagel wrapped all the flavors up.
I took a bite from Hubby’s Breakfast Burrito, which was equally good and definitely heartier. Meanwhile, the girls drowned their French toast in Mennonite maple syrup and finished their meal in record time. Everything was quite good, except for the coffee, which needed more umph. In a breakfast/brunch joint, a good, strong coffee is an absolute must. How I wish I had gotten a freshly brewed iced tea instead. Maybe that would’ve been tastier. But all in all, service was fast, and the staff friendly. The waitress even brought out some story books for the girls to read while we waited for our meal.
After watching a play and strolling along the Main St., we popped over to Boomer’s to try out their famous fries. Boomer’s was featured in “You Gotta Eat Here” and true enough, various pictures and articles about the episode were plastered all over the walls.
We ordered some Chili Fries as well as their specialty, the Poutini Martini. The Chili Fries were just okay. Maybe this was because they were overshadowed by the ultra-yummy Poutini Martini, which featured crunchy onion rings on top of fries. DD#1 staked her claim on the olive garnish. (With her love for olives, I wouldn’t be surprised if martinis eventually turn out to be her favorite cocktail.)
Anyway, the fries were crispy and not oily. The cheese curds and gravy that were generously layered on top were both salty and creamy. It was delicious—a wonderful twist to the usual poutine! Boomer’s has many more delightful fries concoctions. I will definitely try the Goat Cheese Poutine next time! And for those who choose not to make fries their main meal, the menu offered many other treats such as gourmet burgers and hotdogs—a variety that will have you coming back.
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