During your next cross-Canada road trip, forget the standard bagel and coffee at a coffee shop or the boring burger at a food chain. Instead, take a walk on the wild foodie side with some restaurants that are known for their unique menus or dining experiences. Here is a look at some of the most interesting restaurants and eateries across Canada.
The Grizzly House in Banff, Alberta
With a slogan like, “The stories you’ve heard are true…”, The Grizzly House makes no qualms about its uniqueness. Since 1967 it’s been a landmark destination for those visiting Banff National Park — and with good reason. Décor wise, you’ll find wood-panelled walls, wood carved bear, totem poles, bearskin rugs, a buffalo head, a mannequin riding a motorcycle and working telephones at each table. But where it gets really interesting is the menu. It’s a fondue place, but beyond the regular beef, lobster or scallops, you can challenge your taste buds with ostrich, rattlesnake, shark, alligator, frog legs or buffalo.
Oasis Surf in Montreal, Quebec
Surfing builds up an appetite. So why not combine the opportunity to ride the wave with great food? That’s what the creators behind Oasis Surf figured as well. The establishment’s wave technology (Surfstream) is exclusive to it and unique in Canada, letting you use real surfboards with fins to simulate ocean waves or a river experience. Around the seaside-like environment are 150 dining spaces so you can surf then eat or eat and watch. The menu is modernly beach-themed with staples such as poke bowls, Sriracha fish bites, Cali burger and shrimp tacos.
O.NOIR in Toronto, Ontario
The original O.NOIR is in Quebec but the Toronto location is extremely popular too. The idea behind this restaurant is that when you lose one sense, your other senses are heightened so eating becomes a very different experience as you rely more on aromas, taste and textures. At O.NOIR, you dine entirely in the dark to learn what it’s like to not have sight — just like the wait staff, which is entirely blind. You choose your meal, are led into a totally pitch-black room where the host explains what is on the table in front of you, and begin what is a very one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
Great Vikings Feast in St. Anthony, Newfoundland
Forget the overdone Medieval theatre and instead be transported to the Viking era when you visit this dinner theatre eatery. You’ll fully emerge in Viking life as you partake in a Viking court of law and get to decide on the offender’s fate and punishment. You’ll do so while eating time period foods such as dried capelin, cod tongues, moose stew and fisherman’s brews. The menu also offers fishcakes that were billed by the Globe and Mail as the best of in all of Canada.
Do you think it would be cool to eat at one of these places? Centennial College’s Food and Beverage Management program can give you the skills to place you behind-the-scenes running them. The hospitality management courses will teach you everything from creating innovative menus and facilitating special events to accounting and sales and marketing.
Written by: Izabela Szydlo
Resources:
https://www.centennialcollege.ca/programs-courses/full-time/food-beverage-management/
https://www.narcity.com/unique-restaurants-in-canada-with-eccentric-dining-experiences
https://oasissurf.com/en/
http://banffgrizzlyhouse.com/
http://www.lightkeepersvikingfeast.com/index.html