FOODIE ROAD TRIP
Summer is winding down, which means it’s the perfect time to hit the road for a dose of awe-inspiring sunsets and prairie vistas. Good food to fuel the adventure is a must. You may even plan a trip around some of the best lesser-known restaurants the prov
LITTLE RED MARKET CAFE
17 Second Ave. E.
Mortlach
306-355-2201
Open Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner; Sunday for brunch
WHAT: You’ll find a taste of Louisiana here as the menu is based on the region’s Cajun and Creole food. Classic dishes like jambalaya, gumbo and blackened steak are the focus, while the seared Saskatchewan pickerel with red bean potato hash put a regional spin on the cuisine.
WHO: Owners Chad Forrest, Patrick Rafter and Jamie Forrest bought the café, which includes a liquor store, from its previous owners last summer.
THEIR FOOD SOURCE: Beef comes from a local rancher, while nearby Hutterite colonies supply chicken and vegetables in the summer. There’s also a garden this year in the huge backyard.
TRY: “The jambalaya is the starting point into Louisiana food, and I recommend it to people wanting to get into the cuisine,” says Chad Forrest. They use andouille sausage and chicken with roasted red peppers, corn, and a clove scented tomato broth over wild and brown rice. For dessert, try the classic Bananas Foster — a decadent combination of bananas cooked in spiced caramel sauce, then flambéed with rum.
WHY: The owners are working with the Mortlach community to make the village a popular destination for those wanting to escape the city for a day or two. Mortlach is conveniently located a half-kilometre off Highway 1.
“Come out to Mortlach for a small-town feel with big city food. You’ll love the atmosphere, the beautiful decor, and comfortable, upscale food that you definitely cannot get anywhere else in Saskatchewan,” says Forrest.
641 GRILL + MOTEL
2 Fraser Ave.
Craven
306-731-2223
Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner; brunch is also served Saturday and Sunday
WHAT: Delectable Saskatchewan comfort food, which is homemade using local, fresh ingredients. Scenic views of the valley are a highlight of dining in the farm-to-table restaurant.
WHO: Kali and Mathew Eddy, along with their three kids
Dax, Vann and Wit, bought the restaurant after it sat vacant for six months. The family lives on a ranch near Craven and loves small towns. They wanted to ensure the restaurant remained locally owned.
THEIR FOOD SOURCE: They source products locally as much as possible.
“The valley has so much to offer in terms of local produce and suppliers. We are probably most proud that we now serve our very own family farm-raised beef and pork. When you bite into the Eddy burger, it doesn’t get more local than that,” says Kali.
They also use Leaning Maple Meats in Strasbourg. 641’s liquor comes from Last Mountain Distillery, while the craft beer on tap is always Saskatchewan-made.
The huge property surrounding 641 houses a garden where the family grows herbs and vegetables. In the summer months, chefs head out to the front yard to pick veggies for the evening special. Other seasonal markets in the valley also supply produce.
TRY: The Eddy burger or fried chicken poutine (poutine piled high with real cheese curds, buttermilk fried chicken, fries and homemade gravy). The french fries are hand cut and made with potatoes from Craven’s Riverside Gardens.
WHY: Mouth-watering food aside, 641 has become a destination restaurant for both locals and visitors for good reason.
The Eddys treat guests like part of the family. 641’s antiquefilled decor reflects farm life; the barn-board walls even came from the family’s old corrals and barn.
HARVEST EATERY & FRESH MARKET
492 Centre St.
Shaunavon
306-297-3315
Open Tuesday to Saturday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. (opens Saturdays at 4)
The Fresh Market is open Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. WHAT: Harvest Eatery offers a seasonal Saskatchewan menu featuring gourmet comfort food where you can relax with Shaunavon locals and travellers alike. Harvest Eatery makes its own salad dressings, barbecue sauces, breads and brioche buns, all of which can be purchased in The Fresh market. The Fresh Market is a stylish grab ’n’ go market with a wide range of snacks, ready made meals, and ingredients that will transform you from home cook to gourmet chef.
WHO: Husband and wife duo Chef Garrett ‘Rusty’ Thienes and Kristy Thienes opened the Harvest Eatery in 2013. The Fresh Market opened in May. Rusty won Regina’s Gold Medal Plates in 2016.
THEIR FOOD SOURCE: They source ingredients as locally as possible, and have great relationships with local Hutterite colonies, Ranch House Meats and Prairie Pearl’s Homestead. During the off-season, ingredients come from outside the community.
TRY: The two signature dishes are the slow-roasted Black Angus brisket and the Harvest burger, which has won numerous accolades. The rest of the menu features a mix of fine dining classics with a modern prairie-influenced twist.
“The most exciting thing is that after 3.5 years of creating, experimenting and winning the trust of our guests, we regularly have people try something for the first time when dining with us. A guest will say, ‘I’ve never had duck before, but I know Harvest is the place to try it for the first time,’ ” says Kristy.
WHY: The Thienes have created a warm, welcoming atmosphere in which to enjoy a Saskatchewan culinary adventure. Watch your meal being prepared in the open “theatre kitchen” or relax on the patio. The team strives to create a personalized dining experience.
“Our goal with opening a restaurant was to create somewhere more than ‘just a place to eat,’ but rather a destination where every diner is a guest in our house. We are forever grateful for everyone who joins us, whether they walked two blocks from their house, or drove two hours from their city.”
DEPARTURES COFFEEHOUSE
3019 Central Ave.
Waldheim
306-716-6548
Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday (pickup only) 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHAT: The coffee shop offers staple espresso drinks, along with seasonal specials, fair-trade, certified organic loose-leaf teas and specialty teas from Korea. At the restaurant, you’ll find authentic Korean dishes, along with typical diner fare all made from scratch, including desserts, gluten-free and vegetarian options.
WHO: Sophia Kim and Gun-Sang Yoon, a couple from South Korea, opened Departures in 2014. They were looking for a small restaurant business opportunity and found a café for sale in Waldheim. The community’s charm and proximity to Saskatoon appealed to them.
THEIR FOOD SOURCE: The menu features a wide range of Canadian products. In the summer, gardener friends in town supply the vegetables. Authentic staple ingredients for the Korean food (red pepper powder, soybean paste and sesame seed oil) come from Sophia’s family farm in South Korea.
TRY: The Thai chicken salad, the Bok-keum udon bowl with shrimp and chicken and veggie wrap with homemade zesty mustard sauce. A homemade ice tea, lavender latte or espresso con panna pair well with one of Sophia’s Bundt cakes or peanut butter bran cookies.
WHY: Homemade, high-quality food. All the noodle soups are made with homemade stock, and attention is paid to even the smallest details. The travelthemed café hosts different artisans’ work throughout the year.
“We pride ourselves on being an interaction-based (rather than transaction-based) business. Sophia is gregarious and loves getting to know our customers,” says the couple’s daughter Liv.
THE ROOT COMMUNITY EMPORIUM
4901 50th Ave.
Lloydminster
306-825-5885
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner; brunch served on Saturdays
WHAT: Prairie comfort food at reasonable prices with quality ingredients in a casual fine dining restaurant. The space also doubles as a community art market and concert venue for live acts.
WHO: Hannah Bexson, a Lloydminster native and music teacher, bought The Root from its previous owners in March.
“It’s been a whirlwind of craziness and being pulled in 10 different directions, but there’s so many things I love about it.”
She’d like to see The Root become the place to go for anyone celebrating a special event, with food that’s better than anything else in the city. And she’d love to help the downtown core become a thriving place.
THEIR FOOD SOURCE: They source their ingredients locally when possible: vegetables from local greenhouses and meat raised near the community.
“Everything is fresh and supports the local community. It’s something different — food that you can’t find at a chain restaurant,” says Bexson.
TRY: The bestsellers include a local beef filet, fresh cod, homemade prawn pasta and gnocchi. For an appetizer, try the steak bites with sliced sirloin, homemade barbecue sauce served with potato crisps or the dill crab spread on herb bread. Brunch is served on Saturdays. Made-fromscratch hollandaise and homemade hash browns are highlights, as are the crepes.
WHY: “People feel at home at
The Root,” she says of the rustic, vintage space. It feels like someone’s living room, with comfy, mismatched chairs, local artwork on the walls and pottery in display cases. The Root’s art market functions as a gallery space for local artists. The pieces on display in the restaurant are all for sale. Plus, the food is unbeatable.
“People are blown away by the great meal they can’t get anywhere else.”