Places to Eat in St. John's!

Newfoundland tends to be kind of peculiar in a lot of things, and our food is no exception. Our Midwestern American friends will be happy to know that in Newfoundland, deep-frying is the rule, not the exception, and that most of our traditional dishes are heavy on the butter, flour, and sugar, not unlike those of our Nordic cousins.

Having a very close cultural relationship with England, Ireland, and Scotland, arguably our most famous dish is "fish 'n' chips" (fried fish and french fries). Such famed St. John's eateries as Ches's and The Big R are typical destinations for this local favourite, as well as having a plethora of other foods for those disinclined to partake of the bounty of the oceans. Picky diners, like Adam, can enjoy other Newfoundland favourites, such as hot turkey sandwiches, fried chicken, fries-dressing-and-gravy, or the inimitable poutine (Katie's 'dirty feed' of choice).

Pizza is a perennial favourite of many Newfoundlanders, but it may not be immediately familiar to many of the Come-From-Aways. Not limp and half-cooked like New York pizza, not thick and doughy like Chicago pizza, not thin and crispy like Mabe's Pizza, pizza in St. John's tends to be thick, but not too doughy, loaded to the brim with toppings, cheese and sauce, and carrying about 500 calories in a slice. The best-known and oldest pizza shop (now a province-wide chain) is Peter's Pizza, the original store being on Patrick Street (just up the road from where Adam was baptized). However, relative newcomers such as Stoggers', Pizza Supreme, Pizza Pros (Adam's preference during high school), and George-Street-convenient Sal's Pizza are all fantastic options as well. Several pizzerias also offer the apparently-unique-to-Eastern-Canada donair, meat with a sweet sauce, tomatoes, and onions wrapped in a flatbread. Guaranteed to hurt your heart.

Newfoundland has its share of regional oddities, to be sure, but never let it be said that we lack in Canada-wide franchises. The most famous of these, which many of you have heard Adam lament for while in Taiwan or New York, is Tim Horton's. Forget Dunkin Donuts. Forget Starbucks. Forget (the atrociously-spelled) Krispy Kreme. Forget it all. Tim Horton's is the king of decently-priced coffee and donuts.

For those of us who prefer beer to coffee, another Canadian icon, Don Cherry, has established two branches of his self-titled pub/restaurant in St. John's and neighbouring Mount Pearl. Standard pub fare, burgers, wings, etc. Similar family-style restaurants include Jungle Jim's and Fog City.

Of course, no one could write a "where to eat in St. John's" article without mentioning what is affectionately known to Townies as "the dirty bird." We speak, of course, of fried chicken. Most Americans (and Canadians, for that matter) will immediately think of Kentucky Fried Chicken (or KFC, for those for whom economy of language is paramount - heaven knows we don't want to waste time on those three extra syllables). But you are about to learn of a new way. A better way. (That's ridiculous, sorry. It's still fried chicken, and it's awful for you.) We present, Mary Brown's. (We can only assume the preponderance of apostrophes in business-naming comes from the fact that our very city possesses a possessive.) The chicken is chicken. The taters are excellent. (Special bonus for the curious: Adam worked at the Mary Brown's in the Avalon Mall, and has delightful stories, if only you were to ask him.)

Those looking for more exotic fare than fried chicken, pizza, and chips will find the going rather rough in St. John's. The primary source of Indian food is India Gate. [We can't believe they have a website!] Thai food is represented by Taste of Thai. Sushi-lovers have more options, such as Sun Sushi and Basho. Of course, there's plenty of Chinese take-out available, courtesy of Loong Wah, Magic Wok, and Lucky's Restaurant, to name but a few, and you might even get a chance to try Chicken Balls! Nomnomnom!

Breakfast is the meal of preference for many Newfoundlanders, and you'll find out why during your stay. Toutons (pronounced 'tow-tins,' with an "ow" like "flower"), pancakes with butter and molasses (none of this girly, Katie-favoured maple syrup for us), frying ham ("Canadian bacon"? Seriously?), and fish and brewis (Sarah's favourite, gack) will provide an adequate education on Newfoundland's culinary heritage. While many argue that the best breakfast is a home-cooked one, delicious variations on these themes can be found at the Bagel Cafe, Classic Cafe, and the imported-from-Quebec Cora's (which focuses more on healthy breakfasts, loaded with fruit; not terribly Newfoundlandy, but delicious nonetheless).

Rounding out the list of edibles in the city are the higher-end restaurants, mostly to be found downtown, some of which specialize in gourmet takes on traditional Newfoundland fare, while others are pure French or Italian cuisine. We're not very familiar with most of these places, having not lived in St. John's for the better part of a decade, but names commonly tossed around as being "worth it" are Bianca's, Oliver's, Portobello's, Magnum & Stein's (again, the apostrophes!), Blue on Water, and Aqua.

A handy set of reviews can be found at the website of one of Newfoundland's foremost food critics (and former CBC weatherman), Karl Wells. Also, the ever-useful TripAdvisor has a great commenting system, too. (And India Gate shows up as the #1 restaurant in the city! Yay!)

Come hungry!

(Did I miss anything? Comments go in the comments box!)