Kenora, ON
2009-2010
As soon as the melts, Winnipeggers dream of the lake and lounging around in cottages or campgrounds. It is a major Winnipeg summer custom to leave the city for the weekend (or longer) and frequent popular resorts such as Grand Beach, Winnipeg Beach, Gimli and the Lake of the Woods. Kenora sits in the Lake of the Woods and offers stunning views of pristine waters among the rocky outcroppings of the Canadian Shield. One of our favourite activities includes hiking through the rugged terrain and enjoying a drink on a patio by the lake afterwards. Alas, Kenora has precious few patios on the downtown shoreline. For years, we wondered why this beautiful city would squander prime, lakeside land to parking lots and driveways. We recently discovered that Kenora residents don’t like sharing their city with tourists, and especially not with visitors from Winnipeg. From this titbit, we infer that Kenora wants their city to be as unattractive to visitors as possible.
Aside from temporary kiosks, the only permanent lakeside place to perch downtown for a bite or drink is at Haps. A sports/rustic bar on the inside, the outside features an airy patio, sitting within eyeshot of the lake—but you have to look past the parking lot. The menu includes the usual pub grub food. The fries taste soggy and greasy but heart-stoppingly flavourful. The salads come crisp and fresh with the usual dressings. Common among pubs, the steak comes a degree better done than order. You won’t find tenderloin or t-bone here, but the sirloin is acceptably non-leathery.
Almost every restaurant you visit in Kenora will feature pickerel (walleye for non-locals), and Haps is no exception. The crispy batter coddles the sweet and tender fish, and the ordinary but tasty tartar complements the fish well. The freshness of the fish commands you to order seafood when resorting at a lakeside community.
If you’re a dog owner like we are, Haps has the added bonus of letting you have your dogs with you on the patio, leashed just outside the steel railing. The friendly serving staff keeps the water dish cool and full.
*** /5
On the topic of friendly staff, you may sometimes question the friendliness of Kenora’s citizens. Winnipeg residents have an arrogance about being friendly, welcoming, multicultural and unconditionally accepting. The psychological process of self-serving bias shows how people see themselves in a more positive light than they do of others, and Winnipeggers’ attitudes provide a prime example of this phenomenon. Don’t believe me? Think of all the epithets that Winnipeggers assign to people of other regions of Canada:
• Calgarians are smug and are Torontonian wannabees.
• Torontonians are arrogant and think of themselves as the center of the world.
• Quebecers are rude and are France wannabees.
• Winnipeggers absolutely hate Saskatchewan and call their population numerous, insulting country-themed remarks.
• To keep this family appropriate, I won’t elaborate on what people say about Newfoundland.
The bottom line: we think the world of ourselves and we believe the rest of the world feels the same way about us. Nothing is farther from the truth. People of Kenora refer to us as “Tobans” and they hate us.
As we relax to our drinks on the patio, our server tends to the people at the next table and proudly describes what she thinks of Winnipeg,
“[Winnipeggers are] snotty, and they have no reason to be. They look down on us because we live in a small city and they live in the big city [but] it’s the worst city in the world.”
I don’t need to say anymore. As a warning, if you visit Kenora and suddenly find people honking at you, frowning at you, or undeservedly giving you the finger, it’s not because of what you did—it’s because of where you come from. Yes, it’s prejudice, and they practise it in Kenora as we do in Winnipeg. Be prepared.
Other than Haps, there’s nowhere else along the lakeshore to lounge, but the Waterside restaurant atop the Best Western offers a lovely panorama from high above the shore. The atmosphere is a little more formal than the typical pub and the menu is essentially continental. Although the selection is limited, the meals come pleasingly prepared and nice tasting. The prime rib comes exactly as ordered but the defined carnivore might find the portions a little conservative. The meat tastes tender and juicy, and leaves you wanting more. The walleye also comes juicy, and the light battering ensures that the taste of the delicate fish doesn’t get lost in the coating or the oil. Like its food, the restaurant provides an elegant view and couples it with superb service.
*** /5
HAPS IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS
The Waterside gives you a romantic alternative to the sometimes-bustling core, but if you want to be in the heart of downtown, The Plaza sits on one of Kenora’s main streets. As one of the few ethnic options in the area, Plaza offers traditional Greek dishes, including the signature souvlaki, as well as baklava and spanokopita. The spanokopita, essentially a spinach and feta pie, comes with a deliciously light and crusty shell, and the cheese augments this appetiser wonderfully.
Mains come with Greek salad and soup. The traditional Avgolemono soup is an egg and lemon broth soup and today’s special is a rice and mushroom staple. The earthiness of the mushroom complements nicely with the rice; however, Plaza cuts a couple of corners here, preventing this good soup from being a great soup. The pulverised rice would have another dimension if they add a sprinkling of whole, wild rice grains. As well, rather than canned, button mushrooms, fresh or dried wild mushrooms would dramatically raise this dish with complementing earthy flavour and crunchy, rich texture. Regardless, this is a fundamentally sound soup that makes you wish the little bowl isn’t so little.
The Greek salad only has one olive, which surprises me, but the crisp and fresh lettuce doesn’t disappoint. Sometimes the simplest is the best and Greek dressings may be as bare as they come, with only olive oil and lemon as requisite ingredients. Plaza boasts that they have the best salad in Kenora. I haven’t tried many in this area, so I can’t say for certain—but they do make a good salad.
As a Greek restaurant, Plaza has a few traditional Greek dishes, but not as many as you expect. Outside of the normal fare (cited earlier), Plaza offers a variety of options, intended to satisfy most diners. The sirloin steak comes grilled as orders, with a side of delicious golden fries. The whole wheat spaghetti comes with an uninspired tomato sauce that leaves the dish a little bland. Many people don’t like the strength of whole wheat, so I recommend a stronger, more robust sauce to pair with the pasta. Overall, Plaza is a nice, relaxing restaurant that takes a lot of care in preparing their food.
***½ /5
If you prefer something a little out of the way, Bar B Q Bob’s Log Cabin Tavern sits north of the main highway, nestled among the Shield’s rocky bed, isolated from the lake and the tourists. When they say “log cabin,” they mean it, as this rustic place looks like Paul Bunyan could have built it himself. Among the undersized and overcooked steaks, you can find the ubiquitous pickerel. The Cabin’s version comes in a puffy and bloated battering that conceals the true flavour of the fish. Whenever I see a dish with a substantial batter, I expect the restaurant wants to hide the nature of the main ingredient, or want to skimp on the main ingredient by wrapping it in covering. The dense and sizable batter soaks up a sea of the frying oil, thus generating a smell and taste of fast food grease that people love to hate, and love to eat. While oversized, the Cabin’s batter does not taste heavy or overburdened with fat. The fluffy coating has a nice taste in itself, but I prefer the taste of the fish less adulterated.
**½ /5
If you’re willing to travel a little way outside of Kenora, the Captain’s Table sits at a campsite off the shore of a pristine lake, 20 minutes east of Kenora on the TransCanada Highway. Nestled in a fishing village, the second floor patio-deck welcomes humans and dogs alike, as our guys lazily wandered among other peoples’ dogs. While enjoying a beverage in the sunshine, I wonder how long it takes for the fish coming out of the boats below, to make it to my plate. If you want fresh fish, you get the real deal here, as my meal busily flops its tail, squirming in my plate, lightly battered and tantalising. Folks, this is the best pickerel I tasted in my life. If you must avoid seafood, why are you here? Seriously, you shouldn’t go to a fishing village and not eat fish, but if you must, the steak comes well proportioned, satisfyingly tender and nicely prepared. If you can’t order fish, ok, but at least try a bite.
****½ /5
I don’t normally visit chain restaurants but people sometimes find comfort in familiarity on vacations. If you insist on the same-old over the adventure of a local gem, why not try Casey’s? With dozens of locations throughout Ontario and Quebec, Casey’s is a considerable franchise through most of Eastern Canada; visiting Casey’s gives you the security plurality while maintaining a sense of adventure (since Winnipeg has no location).
Kenora’s Casey’s Grill-Bar sits at the side of the main highway as you enter Kenora proper from the west. The restaurant reminds you of the ubiquitous type of grill pub food that you find at every shopping mall parking lot. The majority of the food appeals to the masses and a few selected items are designed to distinguish the menu (such as an Asian dish or an Indian dish). Sticking to the basics, the burgers come well-grilled, just cooked through and juicy inside. The generous half-pound burger satisfies most appetites but the full-pound Burger2 should leave no one hungry.
The back ribs stand out on the menu, which Casey’s proclaims as famous and irresistible. Indeed, the rib meat falls off the bones and the Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce adds a zing. This is a competent dish but if you’re used to ribs like you find in the American rib belt (think Kansas, Carolina and Texas), you should pass on this selection.
The Louisiana Jambalaya comes with andouille sauce, shrimp and chicken over noodles. The three ingredients comprise the main components of the Cajun staple (although I would substitute crawfish for shrimp); however, the preparation is what separates authentic Cajun from ersatz. True Cajun comes from the soul, and is lovingly prepared to represent the person and the region. You rarely find real Cajun food north of the Mason-Dixon Line—and you won’t find it here. The combination of stir-fried andouille, shrimp and chicken in a tomato sauce gives you a nice dish, but it doesn’t give you jambalaya.
Our visit brings us to Casey’s on a late afternoon, bursting with sunshine and warmth. Sitting on the patio, we can see the lake in the background, past the activity on the highway. Enjoying one of Casey’s acceptable beers, or sipping on the generous wines-by-the-glass list, I can think of worse ways to pass the afternoon. Since they let us have our dogs on the patio with us on this lazy afternoon, we have a pleasant experience here.
*** /5
There you have a whirlwind visit of some of our favourite eating establishments in the Kenora area. It’s a beautiful place to be and you’re sure to find something that suits your appetites. Alas, the lakeside locations are scarce but you will find no paucity of restaurants in the area.
Oh, and have the fish.
Check out the revisit at:
Kenora: Revisited
This is a free product that I'm happy to bring to you. If you enjoyed reading this, please consider clicking on the accompanying ads. This is the only payment I receive for offering this public service. Thank you as always for reading.
2009-2010
As soon as the melts, Winnipeggers dream of the lake and lounging around in cottages or campgrounds. It is a major Winnipeg summer custom to leave the city for the weekend (or longer) and frequent popular resorts such as Grand Beach, Winnipeg Beach, Gimli and the Lake of the Woods. Kenora sits in the Lake of the Woods and offers stunning views of pristine waters among the rocky outcroppings of the Canadian Shield. One of our favourite activities includes hiking through the rugged terrain and enjoying a drink on a patio by the lake afterwards. Alas, Kenora has precious few patios on the downtown shoreline. For years, we wondered why this beautiful city would squander prime, lakeside land to parking lots and driveways. We recently discovered that Kenora residents don’t like sharing their city with tourists, and especially not with visitors from Winnipeg. From this titbit, we infer that Kenora wants their city to be as unattractive to visitors as possible.
Aside from temporary kiosks, the only permanent lakeside place to perch downtown for a bite or drink is at Haps. A sports/rustic bar on the inside, the outside features an airy patio, sitting within eyeshot of the lake—but you have to look past the parking lot. The menu includes the usual pub grub food. The fries taste soggy and greasy but heart-stoppingly flavourful. The salads come crisp and fresh with the usual dressings. Common among pubs, the steak comes a degree better done than order. You won’t find tenderloin or t-bone here, but the sirloin is acceptably non-leathery.
Almost every restaurant you visit in Kenora will feature pickerel (walleye for non-locals), and Haps is no exception. The crispy batter coddles the sweet and tender fish, and the ordinary but tasty tartar complements the fish well. The freshness of the fish commands you to order seafood when resorting at a lakeside community.
If you’re a dog owner like we are, Haps has the added bonus of letting you have your dogs with you on the patio, leashed just outside the steel railing. The friendly serving staff keeps the water dish cool and full.
*** /5
On the topic of friendly staff, you may sometimes question the friendliness of Kenora’s citizens. Winnipeg residents have an arrogance about being friendly, welcoming, multicultural and unconditionally accepting. The psychological process of self-serving bias shows how people see themselves in a more positive light than they do of others, and Winnipeggers’ attitudes provide a prime example of this phenomenon. Don’t believe me? Think of all the epithets that Winnipeggers assign to people of other regions of Canada:
• Calgarians are smug and are Torontonian wannabees.
• Torontonians are arrogant and think of themselves as the center of the world.
• Quebecers are rude and are France wannabees.
• Winnipeggers absolutely hate Saskatchewan and call their population numerous, insulting country-themed remarks.
• To keep this family appropriate, I won’t elaborate on what people say about Newfoundland.
The bottom line: we think the world of ourselves and we believe the rest of the world feels the same way about us. Nothing is farther from the truth. People of Kenora refer to us as “Tobans” and they hate us.
As we relax to our drinks on the patio, our server tends to the people at the next table and proudly describes what she thinks of Winnipeg,
“[Winnipeggers are] snotty, and they have no reason to be. They look down on us because we live in a small city and they live in the big city [but] it’s the worst city in the world.”
I don’t need to say anymore. As a warning, if you visit Kenora and suddenly find people honking at you, frowning at you, or undeservedly giving you the finger, it’s not because of what you did—it’s because of where you come from. Yes, it’s prejudice, and they practise it in Kenora as we do in Winnipeg. Be prepared.
Other than Haps, there’s nowhere else along the lakeshore to lounge, but the Waterside restaurant atop the Best Western offers a lovely panorama from high above the shore. The atmosphere is a little more formal than the typical pub and the menu is essentially continental. Although the selection is limited, the meals come pleasingly prepared and nice tasting. The prime rib comes exactly as ordered but the defined carnivore might find the portions a little conservative. The meat tastes tender and juicy, and leaves you wanting more. The walleye also comes juicy, and the light battering ensures that the taste of the delicate fish doesn’t get lost in the coating or the oil. Like its food, the restaurant provides an elegant view and couples it with superb service.
*** /5
HAPS IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS
The Waterside gives you a romantic alternative to the sometimes-bustling core, but if you want to be in the heart of downtown, The Plaza sits on one of Kenora’s main streets. As one of the few ethnic options in the area, Plaza offers traditional Greek dishes, including the signature souvlaki, as well as baklava and spanokopita. The spanokopita, essentially a spinach and feta pie, comes with a deliciously light and crusty shell, and the cheese augments this appetiser wonderfully.
Mains come with Greek salad and soup. The traditional Avgolemono soup is an egg and lemon broth soup and today’s special is a rice and mushroom staple. The earthiness of the mushroom complements nicely with the rice; however, Plaza cuts a couple of corners here, preventing this good soup from being a great soup. The pulverised rice would have another dimension if they add a sprinkling of whole, wild rice grains. As well, rather than canned, button mushrooms, fresh or dried wild mushrooms would dramatically raise this dish with complementing earthy flavour and crunchy, rich texture. Regardless, this is a fundamentally sound soup that makes you wish the little bowl isn’t so little.
The Greek salad only has one olive, which surprises me, but the crisp and fresh lettuce doesn’t disappoint. Sometimes the simplest is the best and Greek dressings may be as bare as they come, with only olive oil and lemon as requisite ingredients. Plaza boasts that they have the best salad in Kenora. I haven’t tried many in this area, so I can’t say for certain—but they do make a good salad.
As a Greek restaurant, Plaza has a few traditional Greek dishes, but not as many as you expect. Outside of the normal fare (cited earlier), Plaza offers a variety of options, intended to satisfy most diners. The sirloin steak comes grilled as orders, with a side of delicious golden fries. The whole wheat spaghetti comes with an uninspired tomato sauce that leaves the dish a little bland. Many people don’t like the strength of whole wheat, so I recommend a stronger, more robust sauce to pair with the pasta. Overall, Plaza is a nice, relaxing restaurant that takes a lot of care in preparing their food.
***½ /5
If you prefer something a little out of the way, Bar B Q Bob’s Log Cabin Tavern sits north of the main highway, nestled among the Shield’s rocky bed, isolated from the lake and the tourists. When they say “log cabin,” they mean it, as this rustic place looks like Paul Bunyan could have built it himself. Among the undersized and overcooked steaks, you can find the ubiquitous pickerel. The Cabin’s version comes in a puffy and bloated battering that conceals the true flavour of the fish. Whenever I see a dish with a substantial batter, I expect the restaurant wants to hide the nature of the main ingredient, or want to skimp on the main ingredient by wrapping it in covering. The dense and sizable batter soaks up a sea of the frying oil, thus generating a smell and taste of fast food grease that people love to hate, and love to eat. While oversized, the Cabin’s batter does not taste heavy or overburdened with fat. The fluffy coating has a nice taste in itself, but I prefer the taste of the fish less adulterated.
**½ /5
If you’re willing to travel a little way outside of Kenora, the Captain’s Table sits at a campsite off the shore of a pristine lake, 20 minutes east of Kenora on the TransCanada Highway. Nestled in a fishing village, the second floor patio-deck welcomes humans and dogs alike, as our guys lazily wandered among other peoples’ dogs. While enjoying a beverage in the sunshine, I wonder how long it takes for the fish coming out of the boats below, to make it to my plate. If you want fresh fish, you get the real deal here, as my meal busily flops its tail, squirming in my plate, lightly battered and tantalising. Folks, this is the best pickerel I tasted in my life. If you must avoid seafood, why are you here? Seriously, you shouldn’t go to a fishing village and not eat fish, but if you must, the steak comes well proportioned, satisfyingly tender and nicely prepared. If you can’t order fish, ok, but at least try a bite.
****½ /5
I don’t normally visit chain restaurants but people sometimes find comfort in familiarity on vacations. If you insist on the same-old over the adventure of a local gem, why not try Casey’s? With dozens of locations throughout Ontario and Quebec, Casey’s is a considerable franchise through most of Eastern Canada; visiting Casey’s gives you the security plurality while maintaining a sense of adventure (since Winnipeg has no location).
Kenora’s Casey’s Grill-Bar sits at the side of the main highway as you enter Kenora proper from the west. The restaurant reminds you of the ubiquitous type of grill pub food that you find at every shopping mall parking lot. The majority of the food appeals to the masses and a few selected items are designed to distinguish the menu (such as an Asian dish or an Indian dish). Sticking to the basics, the burgers come well-grilled, just cooked through and juicy inside. The generous half-pound burger satisfies most appetites but the full-pound Burger2 should leave no one hungry.
The back ribs stand out on the menu, which Casey’s proclaims as famous and irresistible. Indeed, the rib meat falls off the bones and the Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce adds a zing. This is a competent dish but if you’re used to ribs like you find in the American rib belt (think Kansas, Carolina and Texas), you should pass on this selection.
The Louisiana Jambalaya comes with andouille sauce, shrimp and chicken over noodles. The three ingredients comprise the main components of the Cajun staple (although I would substitute crawfish for shrimp); however, the preparation is what separates authentic Cajun from ersatz. True Cajun comes from the soul, and is lovingly prepared to represent the person and the region. You rarely find real Cajun food north of the Mason-Dixon Line—and you won’t find it here. The combination of stir-fried andouille, shrimp and chicken in a tomato sauce gives you a nice dish, but it doesn’t give you jambalaya.
Our visit brings us to Casey’s on a late afternoon, bursting with sunshine and warmth. Sitting on the patio, we can see the lake in the background, past the activity on the highway. Enjoying one of Casey’s acceptable beers, or sipping on the generous wines-by-the-glass list, I can think of worse ways to pass the afternoon. Since they let us have our dogs on the patio with us on this lazy afternoon, we have a pleasant experience here.
*** /5
There you have a whirlwind visit of some of our favourite eating establishments in the Kenora area. It’s a beautiful place to be and you’re sure to find something that suits your appetites. Alas, the lakeside locations are scarce but you will find no paucity of restaurants in the area.
Oh, and have the fish.
Check out the revisit at:
Kenora: Revisited
This is a free product that I'm happy to bring to you. If you enjoyed reading this, please consider clicking on the accompanying ads. This is the only payment I receive for offering this public service. Thank you as always for reading.
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