Winnipeg Restaurants

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by esquire

I find it somewhat amazing that Salisbury House hasn't gone under yet. McDonald's is more satisfying at maybe 2/3 the cost. Plus you don't have to deal with the drab, depressing locations.

Sometimes I can't believe that people eat there voluntarily.

McDonald's? Who the hell eats there? The only thing worth having there is their coffee which improved dramatically some years ago. You couldn't pay me to eat one of their "burgers". Compare any of them to a sals burger. At least with the sals burger you know you're eating meat not all filler. I taught my kid well. She would never eat at McDonald's. Gross.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

McDonald's? Who the hell eats there? The only thing worth having there is their coffee which improved dramatically some years ago. You couldn't pay me to eat one of their "burgers". Compare any of them to a sals burger. At least with the sals burger you know you're eating meat not all filler. I taught my kid well. She would never eat at McDonald's. Gross.

It tells you everything you need to know about Sal's that even a Big Mac Combo is superior to a Big Nip meal. Sal's is just terrible.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

^haha! Stick around and maybe you'll acquire the taste!

Seriously, I was reading the Free Press article about the sale and they said that Salisbury might be one of the few chains where all products -- including the beef -- are entirely locally sourced from within Manitoba. Didn't know that, but it makes sense.

the original "farm to table" movement, they've been doing it for decades! they should play it up more, the hipsters love that shit!

[rkspec]

i think the nip is a great tasting burger, the sauteed onions are on point, the dinner roll styled bun, and the real beef. My only grief is its way too pricey compared to 2 mcdoubles for under 4 bucks.

for that reason, i'm out

[CoryB]

Considering the number of owners Sal's has had over the years I wouldn't expect much to change outside of which locations they operate. It seems to whole Sal's Express thing is already dead on its own.

Considering the primary Sal's market seems to be baby boomers and older I can't imagine that a downtown location would have much success. Over the years they have had many downtown locations and there is likely a reason the only surviving one is the cafeteria in the Medical Arts.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by esquire

It tells you everything you need to know about Sal's that even a Big Mac Combo is superior to a Big Nip meal. Sal's is just terrible.

If you think that's food, have at it.

[Riverman]

My buddy used to cook at Sals for a living during law school. All fresh, local ingredients.

The formula:

Place ball of fresh beef on the grill, flatten with spatula.
Turn patty over, place one half of bun on the cooked side of the burger.
Place other half of bun where the patty was. This flavours the bun with suet.
Serve hot.

That's why they are so good.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Considering the primary Sal's market seems to be baby boomers and older I can't imagine that a downtown location would have much success. Over the years they have had many downtown locations and there is likely a reason the only surviving one is the cafeteria in the Medical Arts.

Is it still open? I thought the MAB location was gone.

10 years ago there were at least 3 locations downtown... Portage & Carlton, the old bus station and MAB. There were others in the more distant past, like at the bottom of the Dreman Place parkade and I'm pretty sure there was one somewhere in the Exchange District too.

I'm actually a little surprised they don't have more of a downtown presence.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

McDonald's? Who the hell eats there? The only thing worth having there is their coffee which improved dramatically some years ago. You couldn't pay me to eat one of their "burgers". Compare any of them to a sals burger. At least with the sals burger you know you're eating meat not all filler. I taught my kid well. She would never eat at McDonald's. Gross.

Many "mentally ill", who like their "cheap" coffee and thoe who cannot afford a Nip or something from Stella's.

BTW, the "Mexican Breakfast" at Stella's is the BEST.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by esquire

I find it somewhat amazing that Salisbury House hasn't gone under yet. McDonald's is more satisfying at maybe 2/3 the cost. Plus you don't have to deal with the drab, depressing locations.

Sometimes I can't believe that people eat there voluntarily.

Ever had a Sals meal at the Leila (West Kildonan) or the Pembina-Stafford (Fort Rouge) locations?

Certainly not drab. The Pembina location was completely rebuilt from scratch. It features BIG windows facing Stafford so you could at one time see Long & McQuade and the Manitoba Hydro building to the west or the Pembina Hwy. traffic to the south. It has a blue coloured bulb on the ceiling to make it more sophisticated (?).

And by "drab", even if the windows were smaller, which they ain't, it's so bright in there in the later part of the afternoon, if the military hasn't blocked out the sun with their stupid chemtrails, ...so bright that if you sit near the winda, you may have to close the chiq rolldown drape.



The old one WAS as you say, "drab" and hardly anyone went there, except for "take out".

The Medical Arts location needs "upgrading" to make it less "drab" and the St. Anne's Rd. location needs to be made like the Pembina Hwy. location and to make it "licensed" so I can have a glass of wine with my meal.

[esquire]

^ I have eaten at Sals three times in the last 10 years, each time on the suggestion of someone else. Transcona, MAB and Dominion Centre locations. Each time it felt like being in a drab 1980s hospital cafeteria eating food that was McDonald's on a bad day but at something like 1.5x to 2x the price.

Stella's is great, no argument there. But Sals? No thanks. Like I said, I can't believe anyone would eat there of their own volition!

[rkspec]

The one with the million dollar pooper was pretty cool inside. Its been many years but kinda like a 50's diner style kinda rings a bell to me.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ I have eaten at Sals three times in the last 10 years, each time on the suggestion of someone else. Transcona, MAB and Dominion Centre locations. Each time it felt like being in a drab 1980s hospital cafeteria eating food that was McDonald's on a bad day but at something like 1.5x to 2x the price.

Stella's is great, no argument there. But Sals? No thanks. Like I said, I can't believe anyone would eat there of their own volition!

So if I may ask, if you can't afford Sals, do you work for a living?

Perhaps its not that you "it's drab", but rather you're on assistance and cannot afford it.

Hey, I used to work for a living up till 2011. Then I got "downsized".

I can eat out maybe 2 or 3x each month at $15 / meal. After that, it cuts into my regular food budget.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rkspec

The one with the million dollar pooper was pretty cool inside. Its been many years but kinda like a 50's diner style kinda rings a bell to me.

Oh yeah, forgot about that one. OK, that puts me up to 4 times in 10 years. That one definitely had the nicest atmosphere of any Sal's location ever.

Originally Posted by LilZebra

So if I may ask, if you can't afford Sals, do you work for a living?

Perhaps its not that you "it's drab", but rather you're on assistance and cannot afford it.

Hey, I used to work for a living up till 2011. Then I got "downsized".

I can eat out maybe 2 or 3x each month at $15 / meal. After that, it cuts into my regular food budget.

For me it isn't so much a question of how much it costs as it is a question of value.

[Authentic_City]

I don't mind Sals once in a while. Some locations are for sure drab and cafeteria style, but some of the new locations are at least as nice as a Smitty's or Denny's.

However, I have never understood the appeal of Stella's. To me, it's just like Sals for hipsters. I have eaten there many times over the years (always on the suggestion of others) and I find the food to be just okay, and never memorable. The only plus side is being able to order alcohol.

[Roger Strong]

Originally Posted by esquire

Each time it felt like being in a drab 1980s hospital cafeteria eating food that was McDonald's on a bad day but at something like 1.5x to 2x the price.

That sums it up nicely.

My last Sals purchase was a Mushroom Swiss burger, ordered to go. When I got to my destination, I found that it consisted of:

- Bottom bun
- Toonie-sized burger. Or maybe a flattened meatball. No, really, it was tiny.
- A few mushrooms scattered in the container.

That's all. No cheese, no top bun, no condiments, nothing else.

That was a decade ago, but I've felt no need to return.

[Intrepid-Poster]

I heard that the Spice Affair restaurant on Donald is being taken over by Ivory.

[Curmudgeon]

Two people can go to Sal's on a Tuesday and each have two cheese nips, fries and slaw, and the total bill will barely break $20, and you get to eat off of real dishes and get table service. Way better than any fast food joint.

[LilZebra]

Re: The Allen Restaurant, inside The Met Theatre building on Donald St.

I am wondering what kind of prices they have.

They have lots of Itallian dishes and dishes with mushrooms in them.

http://www.themetwinnipeg.com/wp-con...cing-NB-V5.pdf

I was of the impression that the whole building was a "themed" restaurant and had very limited hours.

So I guess, if we can afford it, we should try this place out, before it closes because everyone thought like me.

[Wolf13]

Have any of you brought out-of-towners from cities, not farmer's fields like Brandon, to Sals and talked about it's Winnipeg cult status?

I did. Never lived that down. "This shit? That's what Wpg is proud of?"

Thankfully it was 3 am post alcohol binge so that redeemed it. That's it.

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

^Sacrilege! Salisbury House is a civic treasure and should be mandatory eating at least twice weekly for every Winnipegger! The nip should be named the official provincial sandwich and the blueberry pancakes declared a municipal heritage food. Anyone who doesn't like Salisbury House must be deranged and ought to be covered in gravy and run out town on a rail.

THIS IS WHY OUR CITY SUCKS

I konw you're just having fun but enough people out there actually hold onto Sals as part of their Wpg identity.

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

McDonald's? Who the hell eats there? The only thing worth having there is their coffee which improved dramatically some years ago. You couldn't pay me to eat one of their "burgers". Compare any of them to a sals burger. At least with the sals burger you know you're eating meat not all filler. I taught my kid well. She would never eat at McDonald's. Gross.

You can't call McDonald's gross and then even mantion the Sals name.

Sals is the ugly chick that gained notoriety from allegedly giving good blowjobs, except that she only gave mediocre blowjobs but all the guys were too embarassed to admit that they bedded the ugly girl for a tragically bad blowjob, that so they perpetuated the myth to save their dignity.

That's Sals.

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

I don't mind Sals once in a while. Some locations are for sure drab and cafeteria style, but some of the new locations are at least as nice as a Smitty's or Denny's.

However, I have never understood the appeal of Stella's. To me, it's just like Sals for hipsters. I have eaten there many times over the years (always on the suggestion of others) and I find the food to be just okay, and never memorable. The only plus side is being able to order alcohol.

Stella's isn't high flying fine dining, but if you can't taste a vast difference ion quality (Stella's burger is actually awesome)... then I dunno