Chicken and Waffles at Sugarbowl

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Post performance refreshments. #yeg #yegfood #yegfoodie #whyteave #yegeats #foodphotography

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@apaulagetics) on May 17, 2019 at 7:58pm PDT

Threesome at OEB Breakfast

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I had a Threesome in between photo/video shoots today: waffle, eggs, and chicken blueberry sausage. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #yegdt #yegfoodie

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 14, 2019 at 2:22pm PST

Chicken and Waffles with an Orange Creamsicle Mojito

Chicken and waffles with an orange creamsicle beer mojito #yegfood #yegeats #yegfoodie #yeg #nofilter #rebelfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on May 19, 2018 at 4:27pm PDT

Chicken and Waffles at The Buckingham

#Vegan chicken and waffles. Yes, such a thing exists, and not just in my dreams. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 29, 2017 at 4:08pm PDT

I was in a vegan frame of mind a couple of weekends ago, so headed for The Buckingham, as I was on Whyte Avenue enjoying live music. I like the place - it has a good vibe, and the fact that half the menu is vegan sets it apart from the other pubs in the area. I had the chicken and waffles. The "chicken" had a good texture and crispy coating, but I did not like the hot sauce poured all over the waffles. Hot sauce and waffles do not mix. I had to keep adding maple syrup to temper the heat and flavour, and it just got very messy and unappealing. In general, I don't like food that is heavily sauced, but this was really too much. When I return, I will definitely try something else.

Breakfast for Lunch: Chicken and Waffles at MEAT

Brunch time - chicken and waffles #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jun 18, 2016 at 12:24pm PDT

I was so impressed with my brunch at MEAT last weekend, that I went back this past Saturday to try the chicken and waffles. This was previously chicken with corn pancakes. The mean still came with two pieces of MEAT's fried chicken (a leg and a thigh), as well as butter and rosemary-infused maple syrup. The two Belgian waffles were hot off the grill and very sweet. The chicken could have been a bit hotter, and the coating this time was a little more on the soggy than crunchy side, but the flavour was all there. An almost-perfect pairing.

Breakfast for Lunch: Banana Chocolate Belgian Waffle at Artisan Resto-Cafe

I had a very late lunch this week at Artisan Resto-Cafe on Whyte Avenue. It was more like a mid-afternoon snack: a Belgian waffle topped with fresh banana and chocolate sauce. I also had some syrup because much of the waffle was dry as chocolate sauce does not permeate the waffle like berry sauces and such. The waffle was freshly made, and chocolate and banana are favourite toppings of mine, so if you enjoy them as well then you can't go wrong with this. I found it a bit on the light side so if you're very hungry, consider getting one of the many breakfast sides with it.

Breakfast for Lunch: Chicken and Waffles at Central Social Hall

After walking past it innumerable times, I finally made it into Central Social Hall - for brunch, no less. The chicken and waffles I had were the most decadent ever. The waffles were unmistakably made from scratch, light and fluffy to perfection. Rich red wine gravy was drizzled liberally, as were blobs of cranberry compote. The chicken was lightly coated and consisted of juicy breast meat. This was definitely a brunch to remember.

Breakfast for Lunch: Vegan Chicken and Waffles at Padmanadi

When having supper at Padmanadi last week, I noticed a sign mentioning a special of chicken and waffles, for brunch only. Since chicken and waffles is one of my favourite brunch items, that clinched it: I had to return to the restaurant on the weekend for brunch. I was not disappointed. Five huge "chicken tenders" were atop a dense, flavourful waffle cut into quarters, with a side of syrup. The salad with peanut butter dressing added another level of flavour. Also, I wanted a side of "bacon" but they were out, so I opted for "sausages." They were huge and only $3.

Breakfast for Lunch: Chicken and Waffles at Ricky's

The 170 Street location of Ricky's was a convenient place to have brunch on Saturday. I ordered the chicken and waffles, a more recent addition to the brunch menu. The waffle was freshly made and quite crispy. I ordered scrambled eggs in lieu of the two strips of bacon with which the dish usually comes. The three chicken fingers were the stars of the plate, as they had a really great breading and were not the standard fingers out of a box served at these kinds of places. Excellent comfort food.

Breakfast for Lunch: Waffles at The Sugarbowl

I had lunch at The Sugarbowl this week and was in the mood for something sweet, so I opted for the Belgian waffles. Three thick, sweet waffles filled the plate, topped with whipped cream and seasonal fruit, which in this case meant only melons and grapes, but they were fresh and plentiful. An absolute must for any sweet tooth.

Breakfast for Lunch: Chicken and Waffles at CRAFT

I was hungry and thirsty between events on Sunday, and as I was in the Churchill Square area, headed to CRAFT Beer Market for the first time. I had a couple of the hundred or so beers on tap (nothing here is bottled) including a Steigl Radler Zitrone which is a fruit beer exclusive to CRAFT, and a Liefmans on the rocks - my favourite fruit beer.

CRAFT serves brunch on weekends until 2 p.m. My chicken and waffles had two chunks of breaded, fried chicken, four wedges of waffles that had some pepper in them to make them more savoury than sweet, and a garnish of fruit on a kebab skewer. I adored the little individual glass jar of maple syrup and the side of CRAFT hot sauce had a citrus kick - and major after burn. Use sparingly if you are sensitive to spice. My chicken was slightly over done on the outside, but was redeemed by the moist, juicy meat inside.

Breakfast for Supper: Chicken and Waffles at IHOP

Chicken and Waffles, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I made it to IHOP for supper a couple of weeks ago after quite a number of months. The menu had changed and I tried a new item: chicken and waffles.

The meal was exactly as described: four chicken strips with a waffle, plus whipped butter and honey mustard dipping sauce. It was a good combination, but not as well integrated as other chicken and waffle dishes. It was like eating two separate meals that happened to be on the same plate. Still, it was fun and affordable.

Breakfast for Lunch: Chicken and Waffle at The Sugarbowl

Chicken and Waffle, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Enticed by a recent episode of "You Gotta Eat Here" on I headed to the Sugarbowl for its famous Chicken and Waffle brunch item.

I don't usually consider chicken to be a brunch item, but this take on a southern dish would be satisfying at any time of the day. I loved the chicken's breading in particular. My only wish is that is was more crispy. The maple butter, while delicious, was a bit too generously poured over the two juicy breasts. I would have preferred a more reserved drizzle, perhaps with some more to the side for dipping.

Speaking of the side, that is where the salad should have been (like it was presented on television). Putting it between the breasts and waffle made for a warm, wilted mess. A tasty mess, though, with the maple butter as dressing.

Presentation flaws aside, this was definitely a meal to remember - and I will be back for more.

How Sweet It Is - Eva Sweet Waffles

World Market, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I attended the World Market on Saturday, which was part of the East meets West festival in McCauley. As part of the festivities, a free Belgian waffle was offered to the first 100 attendees.

Free waffles were still available when I arrived, so I gladly took advantage especially when I saw they were being provided by Eva Sweet. I have been a fan of Eva Sweet and their waffle trucks for a while now, often enjoying one at City Market or other outdoor locations.

I usually get a plain vanilla waffle - today, I had it dressed up with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The whipped cream melted into the hot waffle almost immediately, mixing with the sauce to form a unique syrup. The waffle was hot and crispy, with a sweet buttery taste.

I was in sweet heaven, and did not even know I spent the next couple of hours going around with a dot of chocolate on my cheek. It looked like a mole, so no one said anything. Oh well - it was worth it!