Category Archives: Eating Out

Adventures in eating out

Great Places to Eat in Kamloops

December 27, 2021 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Greetings intrepid follower!

Having been working from home the last while, work and life have had us eating out a bit more than we normally do. One of the many things we love about life in Kamloops is the great selection of locally owned non-chain eateries to choose from. There are more places than one can regularly frequent, so given that fact this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive or all-inclusive list, just a list of some of our favorite haunts.

Blue Fish – Located on the North Shore, Blue Fish offers a good sushi experience that is close to home for us. Service has always been great, and the food is very good.

Bold Pizza – For a casual dinner of pizza or pasta, Bold offers a great experience. Friendly service, great fresh pizza and excellent pasta has landed it on our list.

Dorian’s – If you are looking for Greek in Kamloops, this is our go to. Our favorites are the Dry Greek Ribs, and the Calamari Dinner. We have always found the food and the service to be very good and have had many a great meal there with friends.

Hacienda Cielito Lindo – This is a recent addition to the food scene here in Kamloops. A family run Mexican restaurant on the North Shore, it offers a very traditional Mexican dining experience. The food is authentic Mexican, not the North American version of it that you usually encounter in Canada. The flavours are excellent, and all home made. No mountains of beans and rice to compensate for any shortcomings, just really solid good food. The molcajetes bowl is my favourite, and the taco’s and chimichanga are Kathy’s. Dismiss your ideas of what Mexican is and give Hacienda a try.

Jacob’s Noodle and Cutlet – Whether it is for Japanese or Korean food, we really enjoy Jacob’s. The Kamloops Cutlet special is a great choice, and the Downtown Roll is another favorite. The rolls in general are very good, and the sushi is pretty decent.

Lemongrass – A recent addition to our repertoire is Lemongrass. Featuring a great selection of Vietnamese food, we have found it to be excellent, consistent and the service very friendly.

Mason’s Kitchen – Located up at Sun Rivers, the former Hoodoo’s location is a favorite of ours for a nice summer evening meal. They also feature a very good Hunter Schnitzel, pasta’s, Prime Rib burger and have quite a good selection of specials and special events.

Mittz’s Kitchen – Mittz’s Kitchen downtown is a venue we quite enjoy. The food is very good, creative but still approachable. We enjoy it both for dinner, and as a place to meet friends for a brunch.

Moon Wok – For Chinese food there are many choices in Kamloops. Our personal (and long time favorite) is Moon Wok. The food is very good, the service is always great and the specials excellent. The value here is among the best, the amount of food for your dollar is pretty hard to beat. We are closest to the North Shore location, but the Sahali and Valleyview locations are equally good.

Royal Tokyo – This was a favorite for a long time, then we kind of went off if it for a while. However we have been back a couple of times lately and it is back on the list. They feature all you can eat, with smaller portions of each item. This allows us to enjoy many different items each visit without needing a wheelbarrow to get out the door.

Twisted Steak – A bit of a rebranding of Twisted Olive, it is a favourite of ours for a special occasion dinner out. They are doubling down a bit now on the steak side of things and have some awesome offerings that you won’t find elsewhere. This is one of our favorites to be sure.

Black Iron Grill – For this one we venture out to Tobiano. For an evening sunset dinner along the shores of Kamloops Lake, this is a favorite of ours. The scenery is spectacular, the food is excellent, and the service is always great. It is a short drive out of town, but in the summer it is absolutely worth the drive.

These are some of our favourite’s. There are a number of other restaurants not on this list that are worthy of mention, but we just find these restaurants to be our regulars. This list will be a bit of a living & breathing thing, I will update it from time to time as we try new places. I try to not get into doing negative reviews, in a smaller city a negative review can be very damaging to a small establishment. But if we find somewhere we think you should know about, I will be sure to add it here.

I hope this helps you find a new favourite or two for yourself!

Enjoy!!

Scott @ SCK

Daily Life, Eating Out

Food Trucks in Kamloops

June 17, 2016 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Hi all!

I know it has been a bit since I have been in the kitchen, life has been busy with work, spring landscape, house projects and working on a new home automation project for the house. I have a number of things on the go for the site, but need some time to finalize recipes before I can put them on the site.

Tonight I have my dander up a bit, and while I don’t really want to engage in political discussions in the kitchen, I guess the privilege of being the Chief Cook is you can break your own rules – even if it is just this one time.

Tonight is the 1^st Annual Food Truck Festival here in Kamloops. It is a fundraiser for the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association, and features a number of local and out of town food trucks assembled for some great eats. It is an awesome idea and cause, so Kathy and I headed down to check it out.

Wow… We headed down about 6:30 PM, and you couldn’t get near the event. It has had an AMAZING turnout, there were people everywhere and traffic was lined up trying to get a spot to park. I am thrilled that the weather has been cooperative, and that Kamloops residents have come out in droves to support the cause and check out the trucks. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we had to bow out and make an alternate plan. Hopefully a ‘next year’ will happen and we will try again with more time to hang out and enjoy.

Now, the purpose of this post isn’t to congratulate the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association on the success of the event, although that is something that I heartily do. This event has poked a real sore point with me regarding the City of Kamloops, and its complete and total mismanagement of the Food Truck scene in Kamloops. The throngs of attendees to the event tonight demonstrated the support that Kamloops residents have for the idea of food trucks. However, through either incompetence and/or political idiocy, the Council and staff of the City of Kamloops have decided (yet again) to demonstrate that they couldn’t organize a duck drive down a ditch.

The City has paid little more than lip service to the food truck operators here in Kamloops. It is a classic example of “we’re saying yes, but really mean no” governance. They recognize a desire on the part of the populous to embrace the trucks, but for political reasons they have pandered to the brick and mortar restaurants and created a regulatory environment where it is completely impractical to operate a food truck in Kamloops. I listened to a manager with the City of Kamloops discuss on CBC Daybreak how he couldn’t speak to what other cities have done, because they haven’t bothered to check. It was embarrassing to listen too, and all too indicative of why the Kamloops Food Truck scene is a massive failure.

It is a completely missed chance to bring foot traffic and customers to the downtown area during the summer. There are many evenings when we like to take a walk, and aren’t in the mood for a full sit down meal. We won’t come downtown on those nights, as there isn’t a quick and creative option available. There are some great restaurants, and on nights when we do want a sit down meal, we can be found at Dorian’s, Mitz’s or Tokyo Sushi among other (non-chain) restaurants. However, on nights when we don’t want that experience, there are no options – so we stay away from downtown and do something at home.

Food trucks have the potential to increase business for the brick and mortar restaurants during the summer months by increasing the number of trips to the downtown core that residents take. Realistically, the Food Truck season is maybe 5 months, and then only weather permitting. The rest of the time, the brick and mortars have the town to themselves. If you get folks downtown on the idea a food truck meal, there will be some people who will decide that roadside food maybe isn’t what they are after when they arrive, and they may then hit one of the restaurants. More resident traffic downtown in the evenings is something that the City should be promoting, and this is a great way to increase that traffic.

Tonight has shown that people want food trucks – they are interested to try the unique and creative fare that the trucks can offer. But instead of listening and embracing the wishes of the electorate, the City has (again) followed its patently flawed logic and said no without saying no to food trucks.

Whether it is food trucks, wine sales, unenforceable smoking bans in parks or an ill-conceived pesticide bylaw, this current council is establishing a track record of making the wrong decisions for unsound reasons. I don’t put forth that there is dishonesty or malfeasance on the part of council – just monumental lack of vision and common sense. Perhaps Kamloops residents will remember these decisions when the next civic election comes around. If we can’t get council to change their ways, then perhaps we can change the council.

In frustration

Scott @ SCK

Eating Out

Valentines Dinner at Hoodoo’s

February 14, 2016 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Valentines is a special day for Kathy and I, not just because it is Cupids Day but because it is the anniversary of the day we met in person. It is a long and wonderful story, but I make it a policy to only share it when I have you somewhere that you can’t run away – so your safe for now.

As much as I love to cook, there are certain days of the year when it is just nice to not have cook and for Kathy to not have to clean up. Valentines is one of those days for Kathy and I, just a day where we can have a relaxing day together, then go for a nice dinner and come home and watch ‘The Lake House’ on DVD.

For this year, I surprised Kathy with a dinner at Hoodoo’s here in Kamloops. They have a great Valentines special dinner menu, and a good selections of wine and other refreshments to go with. Now, we have been to Hoodoo’s many times, and the last time we went, fall of 2015, there were some changes going on in the management and kitchen, and we hit on a very busy night. The result was that it wasn’t as good as we have experienced in the past. It wasn’t bad, but just not up to its normal high level. But, taking everything into account, we decided to trust in our past experiences and give it another go.

The menu was very creative, and offered great choices of both appetizers and entrées. Add a nice dessert offering, and all the parts needed for a memorable meal were in place. We arrived at our appointed reservation time, and were led to a table by the window. Hoodoo’s offers a great view of the city and we really like the décor and ambience of the restaurant, so we find a very comforting place.

Drinks were ordered, and then our meal choices made. Kathy went with the calamari appetizer, and the duck entrée. I went with the chowder to start and the steak as my main. While we waited for the food, we enjoyed talking about the past 9 years together, and many of the great experiences we have had in our time as a partners in life. It is a wonderful day for us, and we were enjoying it to its most this wonderful evening.

Our appetizers arrived, and we both tucked into them. To our considerable pleasure, both of them were spot on. We were both very happy to find that our food was as we had remembered from past visits – if not better. After enjoying our appy’s, we eagerly awaited the arrival of the mains. After a bit more romantic reminiscing, they arrived with perfect timing. Again, the food was perfectly prepared. Kathy’s duck was very much to her liking, and my steak was perfectly cooked, and tender – just like butter. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am very particular about my steak – I actually don’t often order steak in restaurants as all too often it is just not what I am looking for. This – this was exactly as my heart desired.

The portions at first looked maybe a bit small on the plate, but at the end we both agreed that they were perfect portions for the meal. This probably says more about the oversized portions that we are accustomed to these days, as we were completely satisfied, but not uncomfortable stuffed which is kind of my trademark. Dessert followed, it was very nice and a great finish to the meal. A bit more quiet reminiscing, and it was time to make our way home to our K-9 kids and an evening of The Lake House.

I am very happy to report that Hoodoo’s is still one of our go-to places here in Kamloops. We would like to thank all the staff for a wonderful evening, and we look forward to coming back regularly.

We hope that everyone has had an equally wonderful Valentines weekend, and we wish everyone the best for all the love and happiness that anyone could ask for in the year ahead.

All the best

Scott @ SCK

Eating Out

Friday dinner at Sorriso Italian Deli

January 10, 2016 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Last Friday night, Kathy and I were at the end of a long and trying week so while doing some running around we decided to hit a fairly regular Friday haunt of ours for dinner. Upon arriving there, we were welcomed by a “Closed for Holidays” sign. Ok, time for a Plan B.

We didn’t want to venture too far, and neither of us were too excited by the prospect of fast food. So after thinking about it, we decided to go for a return visit to a place we had been to a few times before, Sorriso Deli & Restaurant.

Now, like every town, there are areas in our town that aren’t maybe as ‘popular’ as others. This area of our home town is considered by some to be one of those areas. That said there really isn’t anything wrong with it, it is just a bit off the beaten path.

When it comes to food, understand that for me ‘off the beaten path’ is a good thing. It is there that you tend to find restaurants that are eclectic, unique and more about the food than fancy presentation. Simple, homey and unique are things I truly treasure in my eating experiences. These are the kind of out of the way places I seek out when travelling, eat where the locals eat kind of thing.

Sorriso is one of these places. We have been a few times, basically it is a deli with a restaurant area at the front. If you are looking for good quality Italian cooking ingredients, it is great store. If you are looking for Italian Deli items, it’s got a good selection. If you would like someone to take the ingredients and serve them up in a home style meal – they have you covered there to.

The atmosphere is very casual. There is a very small bar, and it always seems to have a handful of colourful characters hanging out visiting and having a drink – think a 6 stool version of Cheers. There are a handful of tables, and the menu actually offers a pretty good selection given the size of the place.

I have had a tendency to order the Gnocchi Gorgonzola on my visits – Ok, I’ve only ever ordered the Gnocchi Gorgonzola – it is really good, it is unique and not something I have ever seen anywhere else. Perfectly cooked gnocchi, with a rich cream sauce with a perfect amount of blue cheese. Kathy normally orders the penne, and they have a very, very good red sauce for it.

Tonight, they were out of gorgonzola, so that was my second strike on the night. They had two specials, Penne with meatballs, and a Cannelloni. Now, I am very gun shy about ordering cannelloni in restaurants. Most of the time, I have been somewhere between somewhat and highly disappointed. It could be the flavor, or the texture, or the sauce, but there is a myriad of ways to go wrong with cannelloni, so usually just avoid it.

Tonight however, I decided that I would give it a try. What the hell, it had been a rough week, and two strikes into the night what was there to lose. Well…

Apparently nothing! I was treated to one of the best cannelloni dinners I have ever had. The portion was sensible, the pasta and filling were absolutely to my liking, and the red sauce was perfect. I was really impressed by it, and I am eager to order it again. Kathy’s penne was also very nice, and the Caesar Salad’s we started with were very good. The Vanilla Bean Gelato with Balsamic Glaze (read about it here) was over the top good as our desert. Both specials included bread with olive oil and balsamic dip, salad, entre and dessert. Both were under $20, so the value was definitely up there with the food.

If you are looking for a bit of a ‘Triple D’ type experience without Guy F, and you just want some simple but excellent Italian home cooking, give Sorriso a try. What it lacks in pomp and flash, it more than makes up for with great food!

Enjoy!

Eating Out

A new taste experience

January 8, 2016 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

After a bit of a long and trying week, tonight Kathy and I finished it off with a quick impromptu meal at a local Italian deli restaurant. After a good feed, we finished off our meal with little bowls of Vanilla Bean Gelato.

When it arrived at the table, it had a drizzle on it that we took to be chocolate. Now, chocolate isn’t Kathy’s favorite, but we forged ahead non the less.

Straight away we figured out the drizzle wasn’t chocolate. It was sweet, but also tart, and acidic, and sour… it was quite literally… amazing. Combined with the creamy richness of the gelato, it was really quite spectacular.

Kathy picked up on it first – balsamic vinegar?? The waiter came over and we confirmed it was a sweetened balsamic vinegar. As unbelievable a combination it sounds, it was one of the best and most incredible taste experiences I have had in recent history. it wasn’t at all weird, it was just plain great.

What was even better is they sell the sweetened balsamic glaze in their deli section.

Maybe the best flavor to come in a bottle

I look forward to trying this as an ingredient in a number of dishes, as well as serving it on top of my favorite vanilla ice cream.

I heartily suggest checking out Sorriso, and pick up some of this glaze while your there!

I will be adding a review of Sorriso over the weekend, once I have had a bit of time to write it.

Enjoy!

Daily Life, Eating Out

A great New Years evening

January 1, 2016 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

For a second year, we had opportunity to ring out 2015 and 2016 in with our friends Elaine and Rob. After completing our last day of work for the year, we met at Fiesta Mexicana for a nice Mexican meal. We have been to this eatery on a number of occasions, and the dinner was very good as usual.

A wonderful creation of pâte à choux, carmelized evap milk, whip cream, bananas and chocolate. It was very nice! — A wonderful creation of pâte à choux, caramelized evaporated milk, whip cream, bananas and chocolate. It was very nice!

We then headed back to Rob and Elaine’s for drinks, a very nice dessert and a selection of baked goods from her kitchen and ours. We played with their dogs, chatted and visited until we turned on the TV to watch the fireworks from the Seattle Space Needle. 10-9-8-7-6-5…

After 2015 moved into history, and 2016 was toasted into existence, we spent another couple of wonderful hours visiting and snacking. We so much prefer quiet intimate celebration with friends, than loud bustling alcohol fueled events, and the time spent with our friends on this night again proceed this preference right.

Thanks to Rob and Elaine for a wonderful time, and I hope that everyone our there had an equally wonderful New Years Eve, however you chose to spend it.

All the best for an awesome 2016!

SCK

Eating Out

A follow up note on the Burning Barrel

October 25, 2015 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Just a quick note to everyone who has read my Burning Barrel reviews. On October 14th, Cat and Joe severed ties with the Burning Barrel. We are sad to hear this has come to pass, and we will watch to see how the restaurant does with the loss of it’s ‘pit master’. I don’t know the events that lead to the split, but I know how emotionally invested that they were in the project so I can only assume that it was something major.

BBQ is a specialty unto itself, and it isn’t something that someone can just jump into and run with. It is highly personal in how you flavour your rubs and sauces, even down to your choice of woods. It will be interesting to see how the restaurant does without Cat and Joe. I can only assume that it will change, there really isn’t much chance of it doing otherwise. I just hope that it is able to make the transition to whatever it will become, and that Cat and Joe keep the Rig rolling, and find another outlet for their creativity and customer service.

SCC

Eating Out

The Burning Barrel 2.0

September 8, 2015 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

UPDATE:

On October 14th, Cat and Joe announced they have parted ways with the Burning Barrel. I don’t know what the reasons were, but we are sad to hear this as we know how excited that they were with the restaurant. We wish them the best, and time will tell how the BB does without thier passion for the Q and customer service.

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On the long weekend, Kathy and I made our second trip to The Burning Barrel Cookhouse. As I promised in my first review, we showed up ready to get our meat on… I should state here that I am a fan of Cat and Joe and what they are doing. I am not affiliated with them, or receiving any inducements or benefit for any review. This is just me excited about a really cool couple putting out one of my favorite foods.

After reviewing the menu, we decided to go for the sample platter. It is a selection of ribs, chicken, pulled pork, brisket and then three sides.

For $55, it is a pile of food. The menu says enough for 4, and maybe 4 normal people it might be. However, we (two) put the vast majority of it away, with just a small snack left over to take home. None the less, it was great value and a good way to try all of the meats on the menu.

The smoke and flavour runs all the way thru these ribs

Everything was very good. BBQ is one of those things that there are as many ways prepare as there are people preparing it. It differs from area to area, and pit master to pit master. Cat and Joe’s take on the ‘Q is solid, and the flavours great. With the exception of the brisket. What was it about the brisket you ask… well… it was probably the BEST brisket I have ever had opportunity to try. It was truly extraordinary.

I have had brisket done a great number of ways, and largely it is hit or miss. Sometimes it’s like pulled pork, sometimes it’s fatty, sometimes it’s like a dried out chunk of shoe leather. None of that is present here. Joe nails his brisket, the taste and texture are EXACTLY what I am looking for. It is firm, tender, juicy with just enough of the fat to add awesome flavour without being cloying. It definitely is my favorite of all of the items tried thus far.

The brisket is currently a weekend only item, and given the difficulty in making it well, I certainly understand why. However I will definitely be back for a full serving very soon.

Cat and Joe are doing a great job, handling the bumps in the road well, and I look forward to many more great meals at their table.

Check ’em out y’all!!

Scott

Daily Life, Eating Out

Romantic Roadside Picnic Dinner

August 23, 2015 Scott@SCK 1 Comment

Last night Kathy had a Miche order to deliver to some great folks in Vernon. She had to work, so it was to be an evening run. Dinner would be something along the way.

Now, the road between Kamloops and Vernon is a beautiful drive, but there really isn’t much as far as dinner choices along the way. There are a couple of small joints, not outside of consideration, but I decided I wanted to do something a bit different.

Along the route is pretty little body of water, a place called Monte Lake. There are a few roadside pull outs along the lake, and being it was a gorgeous day, it struck me that it would be a neat spot to stop for dinner. And with that thought, a plan began to take shape. In the morning I had made some cornbread muffins to test the recipe for the site, so they would become part of the meal. I just needed something suitable for a roadside dinner entre on a warm summer’s night.

After thinking about it a bit, I settled upon the Shrimp Cocktail Entre as it was a one plate meal, could be prep’d ahead, assembled easily roadside, and fit in the picnic backpack without issue. Then a couple of Ginger Spice cookies from a small vendor at the Farmers Market for desert, a bottle of chilled wine (a de-alcoholized Shiraz Rose – which was quite nice actually), and some browned butter spread for the muffins and we were good to go.

When Kathy got home from work, she could smell the garlic, onions and bacon, but when she came into the kitchen there was nothing to be seen. Before she could ask any questions, I got her in the car and on the road for Vernon. She had no idea that I had squirrelled away the picnic dinner and folding chairs in the trunk of the car.

As we were passing along Monte Lake, I pulled off into one of the pull outs. Kathy looked at me and asked why we were stopping, ‘was it for a roadside pee break?’ I responded that no, it was dinner time. She got a quizzical smile on her face, as she started to realize that I was up to something. She followed me to the back of the car, and when I reached in and handed her a folding chair, she beamed at me with a huge smile, and just said “Really?!?!”.

I proceeded to turn the hood of my car into a picnic kitchen. I unpacked the containers with the food, dressed the salad greens, plated them and topped with the bacon and prawns. I spread a bit of butter on some cornbread muffins and poured the wuss-wine. We sat our chairs at the top of the bank above the lake, basking in the sunlight glittering of the water, the car shielding us from the roadway behind. It was silly, romantic and one of the most special dinners we have had in recent memory. The smile on Kathy’s face made all the work and scheming worthwhile, the sun glowing off of her face as she enjoyed my little surprise was really cool.

After a really fun and relaxing dinner, it was time to pack up the picnic and get back on the road. We shared the cookie dessert as we drove, and just enjoyed the glow from our romantic roadside dinner.

I share this just to share how a bit of creativity and planning can result in a really special experience. If you don’t have a picnic basket/bag/kit, it really is worth getting one or making up one for yourself. It lets you take your dining experiences to new and unique locations, where special memories can be made.

Here are a few tips for things to add on to your picnic supplies list:

Heavy Duty paper towels, one or two dry for each person, and one or two wet in a zip lock
Disposable gloves to wear while putting your food together
A bag for garbage
A bag or two for dirty dishes
Salt and Pepper just in case you didn’t nail the seasoning during cooking

I really encourage you to try out your own romantic picnic for two sometime. It can be a fun and memorable experience. Think of a special place you both would like, then put on your sneeky hat and pull off a special surprise. I find the planning and scheming the surprise to be a lot of fun for me, and the reward of the look on Kathy’s face is really cool.

Happy Picnic’ing!!

Eating Out

Kamloops Ribfest 2015

August 21, 2015 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

For the last few years, the weekend after the August long weekend has been big doing’s here in Kamloops. We have a trifecta of events – Music in the Park, Hot Nights in the City, and Ribfest. It is a great weekend of music, classic cars and BBQ – and BBQ – and more BBQ.

Now, I am a devout Meatatarian. Green ‘stuff’ is my foods food. And at the pinnacle of the meat pyramid, is Prime Rib, but that is a subject for another day. Right under Prime Rib, is any suitable cut of meat that is cooked low and slow, and in the presence of copious amounts of hardwood smoke. Done properly, cheap tough cuts of meat come out tender, juicy and full of all sorts of flavour. This is the world of BBQ.

Oh, I should probably explains something first – that propane box on your deck is not a BBQ – it doesn’t do BBQ, and while it can grill up some great food, it is just that, a Grill. So, what is the difference? Glad you asked! A BBQ is a cooker box that cooks meat, preferably over indirect heat, at around 220 degrees, for hours – and hours – and hours. It is what they call “Low and Slow”. This breaks down the connective tissues and turns them into a juicy flavourful addition to the meat they are in. Combine that with the smoke from the hardwood of choice, and a rub for the meat, maybe a mop for while it is cooking, and you can start to see where BBQ is much more an art than a science.

BBQ really is an art. Every region of the south has its own take, and despite the competitiveness that comes from the sense of local pride, each has its own amazing flavour. Each Pitmaster has his or her own way of preparing the meat, seasoning it, and cooking it. At Ribfest, a half dozen of these meat artists come together with their huge smokers and all the supplies to compete in front of judges and us common folk to take home the trophies for best in a variety of categories.

For me Ribfest represents two things. First, it is a weekend to indulge in the amazing food put forth, and to use my taste buds to learn from what each of the teams is doing. Secondly, it is a chance to (over, way over)indulge in BBQ without having to do anything more complicated that pull out my wallet. No cleaning the smoker, no rubbing down ribs, no brining chicken – just go eat. And by saying over indulge, I mean to the point of ridiculousness (and infamy at work).

Ribfest starts on Friday at 11:00 am. Perfect, make it a Brisket sandwich from Prairie Smoke and Spice for lunch. Then let’s see – what should we have for dinner? Oh look, there are ribs over there! And chicken… and cornbread… and beans!

Saturday ends up being a carbon copy of Friday, just different competitors offerings. Sunday, we broke with the pattern and went for a single rib tasting meal, with half a rack from 5 of the 6 competitors. We had ribs, chicken, brisket, pulled pork, beans, slaw, cornbread, ice cream and mini donuts – at least those are the things I remember.

Now, I have to stop and this point and express my love for a very special lady, and her son Steven and his sweetheart Merq. They, without complaint, followed Sir Pork of Gluttony from booth to booth for 3 days, consuming a slightly less ridiculous amount of Q than I did. I normally do the cooking for us, and this is my weekend off, so they were great sports to allow me this indulgence.

I could spend pages and pages going over the offering each competitor put forth. Fortunately for you, the pages of my notebook are stuck together with BBQ sauce. And besides, if I have to explain what good BBQ is (if I could), you won’t understand. I just have to point you in the direction of your local Ribfest, and let you discover the amazing textures and flavours that you can create with brisket, ribs (beef and pork) chicken and pulled pork. Only then will you understand the attraction and addiction of real BBQ. And if after you experience it you don’t see the magic, that is fine cuz it means more for me! 😉

As mentioned, Ribfest in Kamloops combines with Hot Nights in the City. This is a car show that stretches for a dozen blocks or so in downtown, the streets are closed off and there is every type, size and shape of vehicle you can imagine. Oh yeah – and if you show up at night for Hot Nights in the City, you will be SOL – it happens in the daytime. I don’t know, I just report the news <shrug>.

And throughout the event we have Music in the Park. Sponsored by BC Lottery Corporation, this is summer long live concert series that takes place each and every night in the Riverside Park. The stage is concert worthy, and the variety of music over the season encompasses every kind of music you can imagine. For Ribfest this year, we had tribute bands on Friday night covering Pat Benatar and Heart, and then a Tom Petty tribute band on Saturday. Perfect for the Ribfest happening in the same park space.

If you’re new to Q, or just love good food and like trying new things, you have to hit your closest Ribfest. If you’re near Kamloops, you need to come here and experience not just Ribfest, but all of the other things that the weekend has to offer.

Hope to see you here next year!!

Eating Out

The Burning Barrel Cookhouse

August 21, 2015 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

UPDATE:

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In our hometown of Kamloops, like everywhere these days it seems, we are overrun by McRestaurants of every description. Chain restaurants abound everywhere, some of which are decent enough, but all seem to be generic and not really offering much originality or character. Many have a shtick of one sort of another to try and stand out, but the food is pretty much the same. Good locally owned restaurants struggle against the name brand recognition, and all too often we as consumers pass these local eateries by because we want to play it safe when spending our hard earned money on a meal out.

This really is a shame, because we tend to miss out on some amazing food. Food made with love and pride, by people who call our home town – home. It might be local fare, or food from another region that they are bringing to a new home, but it can be creative, unique and just different to what the chains offer.

A great case in point is The Burning Barrel. Cat and Joe started their adventures on the Kamloops food scene with their rockin’ black food truck serving amazing authentic southern BBQ food, the smoking done right on the truck. Many a lunch was planned by looking our office window and seeing The Pig Rig parked at 2nd and Seymour… There was always as a crowd, and the food was always excellent.

Based on the success of the Pig Rig, Cat and Joe decided to go to the next stage and open a year round brick and mortar restaurant. I had opportunity to chat with them a few times last year, as they were dreaming and planning their new baby. It was so neat to be able to see the enthusiasm and excitement as they shared bits and pieces of the plan they were nurturing.

After an unimaginable amount of work, they have brought forth their creation, The Burning Barrel Cookhouse. It opened a couple of weeks ago, and unfortunately I have been slow getting my gastric system back to normal after Meatapalooza (Ribfest) so we haven’t been able to stop to check them out until tonight.

Kathy and I stopped in for dinner on our way back from some errands. We parked and walked into the restaurant, and immediately we were enveloped by the wonderful smell of BBQ. The room is the perfect size, and every table has a great view of the Thompson River valley to the north, and tonight we even got a beautiful sunset reflecting on Mt. Paul.

Cat met us at the door, and seated us at a table right by the window. She told us we had just missed the dinner rush, so our timing was perfect. We pulled up at our table, and our drinks orders were taken. We took quite a while going over a really well put together menu, offering not just amazing BBQ, but dishes to accommodate kids and those for whom the pleasure of BBQ is lost (not going to try to convert you folks, cuz it means more Q for me!!)

Now, as previously mentioned, we are still working off of the effects of Ribfest. As a result, we chose to go with pasta based dishes, but mine still got in my BBQ fix. Kathy had Smoky Gnocchi, and I had a Pulled Pork Mac ‘n Cheese. To go along with the dishes, we went with a square of cornbread to give that a try.

Our orders were taken, and while we waited we had a nice visit with Cat. She works the front of house like a proud matriarch, making sure that everything is just right. Joe was in the kitchen making sure that things back there were just as perfect as she had things out front.

Our meals arrived in a very reasonable time, hot and looking very appetizing. We tucked in, and they didn’t disappoint.

The Gnocchi was really, really good, and the smoky tomato sauce was chunky and flavourful.

Pulled Pork Mac n' Cheese — Pulled Pork Mac n’ Cheese

The Pulled Pork in my dish was perfectly done, mixed with elbow mac done to perfection, homemade cheese sauce and a healthy dose of melted cheeses on top. It was homey, hearty and a great way to indulge a BBQ fix without going ‘all in’. And I promise Joe, next time we are by, your ribs are on my plate. The corn bread was a great touch, and remarkably close to my own recipe. Not too cakey, not to dry, just sweet enough… just the way we like it.

At the end, we were completely satisfied, and that is going some because we had some lofty expectations based on my experience with Cat and Joe and the Pig Rig. We have nothing but kudo’s for both Cat and Joe for coming out the gate with a great product and a super experience for our dining dollar. Awesome food and great local people combine to give Kamloops a specialty eatery deserving of your dining patronage.

Please check them out, enjoy an awesome meal and let Mr. Mike McEarls know that these local restaurateurs are here to give them a solid run for our money!

Smokin’ good eats!!

Eating Out

Lemon Meringue Pies

August 19, 2015 Scott@SCK Leave a comment

Today I went for a walk at lunch in downtown Kamloops, as I tend to try to do on busy days. Gives me a break from the phones and emails, and lets me just relax for a few minutes.

Wednesday is a Farmers Market Day in Kamloops, a great little event that is held on Victoria Street. Todays was actually a bit bigger, they had shut down a couple of blocks of the street to expand the market. The selection of fresh produce was spectacular (if your interested in that kinda thing), and there was a great variety of wares, meats, foods and baked goods available.

In my wandering, I stopped in at a booth for Bohemian Bakery. This is a small family bakery, specializing in wedding and special occasion cakes. They had an awesome selection of baked goods, buns, cookies, breads… and individual lemon meringue pies.

Now, I love lemon meringue pie – we both do. I have sampled many a pie, and worked on a lot of recipes over the years. So, given the chance to take home yet another version to my Chief Food Taster (CFT), I was up for it. Two pies to go please…

After dinner tonight, I got one of the pies out, and being quite big enough for two I figured we could share.

Fast forward 15 minutes, and that plan has gone down in flames. Both pies are gone, and I have a new favorite lemon meringue pie.

The meringue was perfect, really and truly flawless. The lemon curd was beyond description – huge citrus flavour, perfectly tart and sour without being bitter, with a consistence that was thick and smooth. This was the pie I dream of making.

If you find yourself in Kamloops, and have a chance to catch the Farmers Market either mid-week or on the weekend, you owe it to yourself to pick up a couple of these little gems!

http://www.bohemiabakery.com/

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