Canadian-American Chains

[Trip]

The great Canadian favorite is as always Tim Hortons, but am also attatched to Mexi Cali Rosas (are there any in the US?), and Pizza Hut... I have issues but lovvvve stuffed crust.

 

[Alix]

Trip, no MexiCali Rosas in the West, but I am with you on the Tim Hortons thing. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

 

[Silver]

I'm off the doughnuts or I'd be all over Tim Horton's like...well..you know the rest.

 

[Alix]

Silver, I gave up donuts for Lent one year. It was the toughest 6 weeks of my life. (I gave up coffee the next year, and THAT was worse.) I successfully avoid donuts nearly all the time, but I confess that whenever I end up at Timmy's I have to have a donut. Sigh. They are sooooooo good.

OK, related question but slightly off topic. I know there are Krispy Kremes in Canada now, but I thought I read that after the initial blitz the chain didn't do very well here, as we are die hard Tim fans (most of us). Does anyone have any info on that?

 

[phinz]

Krispy Kreme is having problems in many places. They over-extended themselves. It wouldn't surprise me if they're having problems north of the border too.

 

[grumblebee]

Silver, I gave up donuts for Lent one year. It was the toughest 6 weeks of my life. (I gave up coffee the next year, and THAT was worse.) I successfully avoid donuts nearly all the time, but I confess that whenever I end up at Timmy's I have to have a donut. Sigh. They are sooooooo good.

OK, related question but slightly off topic. I know there are Krispy Kremes in Canada now, but I thought I read that after the initial blitz the chain didn't do very well here, as we are die hard Tim fans (most of us). Does anyone have any info on that?

Canucks are too dedicated to Tim Hortons. (myself included!) Where else but "timmies" are people willing to stand in line for 20 minutes to get a coffee.

Krispy Kreme just didnt catch on. I think out West (like BC) they might have had a bit more success, but overall, its kind of flopped. Probably because their coffee tastes like sludge and the doughnuts are too sweet.

 

[phinz]

There's no such thing as a doughnut that is "too sweet."

 

[grumblebee]

There's no such thing as a doughnut that is "too sweet."

I can almost hear my pancreas yelling at me when I consume a Krispy Kreme doughnut. (it's gotta work overtime to release enough insulin to process one of those suckers)

I like my Timmies. XL coffee, black, and a bagel with cream cheese = the perfect lazy Sunday breakfast. No doughnuts for meeeeeeeee!

 

[Silver]

Krispy Kreme is still open out here, but I think there's only one (that I know of) and it's not really "in town", so you have to want a doughnut pretty badly to go all the way out there to get it.

I never hear people talk about it anymore, so it may have lost its initial charm.

I've also noticed there aren't nearly as many Tim's in Vancouver and immediate suburbs as there are where I grew up (in Kelowna) and other smaller Interior centres. I think this holds true for most of the rest of Canada as well - Vancouver just seems to have fewer Tim's than EVERYWHERE else. I guess it's because of all the Starbucks. We're famous for having Starbucks kiddie corner to each other or other similarly close proximity (eg. there's one in a Chapter's near me, as well as another one just outside the Chapter's).

Odd.

I want Red Lobster here, though!

 

[ironchef]

You guys probably don't have White Spot, but man, they have some good burgers.

I ate there a couple of times in downtown Vancouver. It was the one on the street parallel to Robson St. I think there was a Moxie's close by as well. The burgers were pretty good but I think the best thing was that you could get a local microbrew in the restaurant to go with the beer.

 

[Alix]

I got food poisoning from a Vancouver White Spot once. Ugh.

 

[Claire]

I'm getting a kick out of this thread. Biev, I just got back from visiting my folks in Florida. Dad's family is Quebecoise in origin. One thing I bring him from here in the midwest is cheese curds. I realized after a bit he was sort of tucking them away in the fridge to keep them to himself (his dad was a dairy man in Ham Nord). They're very common here, but almost unheard of in Florida.

 

[Trip]

I think you have to be under 16 to actually consider eating ketchup chips. GAK! However...don't knock poutine until you wrap your lips around some of that deepfried potato goodness smothered with cheese and gravy....GLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!*Alix drools a la Homer*

MMMMMM poutine..... and as for ketchup chips, can takem or leavem, but don't let dh hear ya knocken them lol

 

[Michelemarie]

Fun thread - I usually don't care for chains for anything other than a quick bite to eat. Of all the ones mentioned I prefer Outback (the pork chops are all I ever order - yum!), Macaroni Grill - although I see some people are saying they have gone bad fast - I have not been in over two years so now I am leary. I also like Pappadeux and Krispy Kreme and Cheesecake Factory.

I did not see anyone mention PF Changs or Sal Carvo. I would have to say those are my favorite chains.

 

[phinz]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Pappadeux....... Boiled shrimp and mudbug etouffee....

 

[Michelemarie]

phinz - save room for the banana pudding!

 

[phinz]

I may have to take a trip to Atlanta if you keep this up.

 

[Michelemarie]

We'll meet you there!

 

[Mark Webster]

Zuppa Tuscana

It's the Zuppa Tuscana! You're right, it's very tasty, and if you ever find that recipe be sure to post it.

Actually the Zuppa Tuscana is Olive Gardens Kale enhanced soup. The Pasta Fagioli soup is the one with meat in it. The kitchen staff at some Olive Gardens also have nick named it "Italian Chili".

Mark

 

[BrianMorin]

I'm getting a kick out of this thread. Biev, I just got back from visiting my folks in Florida. Dad's family is Quebecoise in origin. One thing I bring him from here in the midwest is cheese curds. I realized after a bit he was sort of tucking them away in the fridge to keep them to himself (his dad was a dairy man in Ham Nord). They're very common here, but almost unheard of in Florida.

Ham Nord is a very nice little community in the Eastern Townships. I don't know Ham Nord that well, except that Danielle Laberge has a company out in that area call 'Armoire aux herbs' that makes natural tinctures and that type of thing.

Small world.