Rubio’s surfing above the competition

We were shoe shopping in Mesa. Time flies when you shoe shop with kids. Because nothing matches the cross-specifications required by Ms. Waffle and Mini Waffle – and when it does, the shoe doesn’t fit. Suddenly, a Spiderman shoe seemed to fit the bill. Alas, I noticed that the left shoe’s blinking light wasn’t working (a clear specification). In order to convince Mini Waffle to agree to the non-blinking Mickey Mouse snickers, Ms. Waffle tried to bargain lunch at a restaurant of his choice. He picked St-Hubert. Unfortunetaly, the closest one is a 37 hour drive away. Back to another pair of blinking Spiderman, previously rejected by Ms. Waffle because they were too heavy. But admitting defeat on shoes meant she got to pick lunch, and selected Rubio’s Coastal Grill. Rubio’s Coastal Grill, formerly known as Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, is a fast food chain surfing on the growing “Fresh…

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Don’t mess with Texas… so why did you?

I hadn’t been to the Clocktower in quite some time. But since Philippe and I were meeting for lunch, it made sense to meet there, basicially at the halfway point between or geographical locations. The Clocktower is a brew pub chain that now has 6 locations across Ottawa. The original brew pub, on Bank street at Isabella, has a clock tower. It opened in 1996. So yes, they serve their own home brews. The Kölsch, the Raspberry Wheat, the Wishart’s ESB, the Bytown Brown, the Whalesbone Oyster Stout and the Clocktower Red. To that, you can add a selection of seasonal beers, such as the Beerista, the Knifewear Tongue Cutter West Coast IPA, the Clocktower Pumpkin Ale, the United A.P.A., the Pucker Up Sour Cherry!, the Ottawa Pale Ale, the Pint of the Living Dead, the 38th Battalion Ale, the CT Vienna Spring Ale, the Empty Netter Ale, the East…

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Melting at Capone’s

For whatever reason, I’ve been wanting to try Tony Capone’s Italian Grill for a while now. I’ve driven past it a million times over the years, always intrigued, but not to the point of being tempted. Until a few weeks ago, I stopped for lunch – only to find out that it was closed. Thankfully, it was open today. Capone’s is located in a mini-mall on Carling, off Edgeworth, along with a dry cleaners, a Hasty Market and a dental office. So from the outside, it certainly doesn’t have much curb appeal. You walk into the place, and you don’t feel like you’re in Ottawa. The reception area is small and decorated with newspaper articles, old pictures, cigarette ads and other paraphernalia from the Capone era. Inside, it was dark and the tables were dimly lit, though there was a nice glow from all the Christmas lights. A nice, quiet…

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It’s World Sandwich Day!

It’s November 3rd, which means it’s World Sandwich Day! On November 3rd 2015, Subway Canada celebrated National Sandwich Day for the first time with a buy one sub, get one sub deal. The Waffle reported about it. In 2016, Subway went a step further, with a buy one, get one, give one campaign, in partnership with Food Banks Canada. This was the first nation-wide meal donation campaign from Subway Canada. And on its second year of celebrating National Sandwich Day, the campaign was a success, generating a financial donation equivalent to 574,738 meals to Food Banks Canada. Will they beat that score in 2017? So today, if you purchase a sandwich with a drink, you will receive a free sandwich, and the equivalent of one meal (33 cents) will be donated to Food Banks Canada. Help raise money for food banks right in time for the Holidays. Visit your local Subway…

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How the mighty have fallen

I used to go to Local Heroes regularly after sporting events, wither hockey or softball. My usual location was on Bank St. It was a neat spot filled with paraphernalia and lots of TVs. Founded in 1981 by former Ottawa Rough Rider Mark Kosmos, Local Heroes Sports Bar & Grill became popular for selling chicken wings by the pound, one of the first spot to do so in Ottawa. It dubbed itself the “King of Wings and Ribs”. It expanded across the National Capital region, opening locations on Clyde Avenue, Bank Street, and Carling Avenue in Kanata. Another wave of locations were opened a few years later, at Bells Corners, on St. Laurent Boulevard, in Stittsville and at Scotia Bank Place. But competition is tough, and most of the Local Heroes have now fallen, the Bank street location going under in May 2013. Hometown has now settled in that location.…

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