Quarter Chicken Plate at Fired Up BBQ

Quarter chicken, potato salad, beans, and corn bread. #yegfood #bbq

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 14, 2017 at 11:43am PDT

I haven't been to Fired Up BBQ in a while, so when the opportunity came up this past week to go there for lunch, I grabbed it. I decided to try the chicken for the first time. My quarter chicken was tender and full of smoked flavour. I can't really say much else about it other than it was excellent. For my three sides I chose the bean medley, potato salad, and corn bread. I think corn bread goes really well with chicken. A hearty lunch overall.

Brisket Platter at Fired Up BBQ

Trying out some BBQ #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 21, 2016 at 3:49pm PDT

Everyone knows I loves me some barbecue. A friend of mine has raved about Fired Up BBQ several times. I finally had the chance to check it out, and loved the cozy place with Blues music playing overhead. The menu basically consists of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken, with a variety of side dishes. I had the brisket platter, which had about a quarter pound on it, probably more, and I chose corn bread, coleslaw, and potato salad as my three sides. All three were house made and very fresh. The meat was lean and juicy, with a sauce that was not overpowering. Prices are reasonable, if not slightly lower than other BBQ places in town. I was impressed.

Fried Chicken at Mercer Tavern

I was filming a rally this week that took place right around the corner from Mercer Tavern So, it just made sense to have lunch there. I had the Mercer Fried Chicken. The two hand-brined pieces were juicy and moist on the inside, and totally crispy on the outside. I opted for the siracha to the side, which was a smart move as I don't like overly spicy fried chicken. The chicken was served on top of a mountain of fresh greens, the occasional bitterness of which complemented the slight saltiness of the chicken. The potato salad was the ultimate in comfort - I just wish the menu had stated that it was finished with bacon bits, which I only discovered after tasting the smokiness in my mouth. The portion is excellent value for the money and I love the atmosphere of the place.

Roast Turkey Bagel

Smoked Turkey Bagel, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

New York Bagel Cafe (8430 Gateway Blvd.) is one of my favourite Old Strathcona cafes. However, whenever I am in the area it is so darn busy that I hardly ever get a chance to eat there. A weekday afternoon trip to the Ice On Whyte Festival brought the opportunity to get some lunch when it was not nearly as busy as on the weekend.

I have had breakfast dishes there numerous times, but never a bagel meal. I ordered the roast turkey, which came with organic veggies, cranberry sauce, potato salad, and cream cheese (which I held). The plating surprised me - everything was independent, meant to be assembled at the discretion of the diner. Personally, I love tasting each element individually and getting a feel for its flavour.

And lots of flavour there was. The bagel was a meal in itself. I chose a multigrain, and it was covered with nuts and seeds. The turkey was deli style, but it had a deep, smoky flavour and there was plenty of it. And the potato salad: it was so fresh and delicious. The only element on the plate that disappointed was the cranberry sauce. Too tart, and with some strange off smell, I did not use much of it. It needed more sugar and I think it may have been sitting for too long.

At around $17 per meal, the bagel platters at New York Bagel Cafe are not cheap, but it's such a great little place and the food is decadent (and the people who work there are really nice).