Eating on the Road

There is no doubt our business has us traveling a lot. In the summertime, we drag around our RV so that we can travel in comfort, sleeping in our own beds, and eating our own food. In the off season, however, when we’re visiting clients, attending conferences and trade shows, we generally stay in hotel rooms. Best Western meets our needs for a decent place to stay, but what about food?

They say an army travels on its stomach, so too do a couple of spa products distributors!

We always start our day with a Timmies coffee (of course!), but by the time we get to the end of a long day on the road, the last thing we feel like eating is heavy fast food. We also can’t afford anything too fancy, or else we have to sell twice as much Moor Spa! In the years we’ve been intrepid road warriors, we’ve been fortunate to find a few favourites that we always visit when we’re in their neighbourhood.

This is who we like:

In Niagara Falls, there are lots of choices, but we find ourselves visiting the same places, because we like them so much.

For Thai food, we go to Spicy Thai in St. Catharines. Always warm and comfortable, the service is great, and the food is even better. Will is in love with the Coconut Soup, and we usually have Pad Thai too. For dessert, try the warm Purple Rice Pudding with a scoop of coconut ice cream!

We found out about Mai Vi at the In Your Backyard event at Niagara College from a visitor to our booth. There is also a reference to this Vietnamese restaurant in Anna Olson’s new book. After my very first taste of Crispy Duck, I was hooked. Yum. Service is conscientious and friendly, too.

When we need something special, and on the cutting edge of culinary exploration, we go to the Niagara College Culinary Institute Dining Room. It’s so cool to see what the next generation of chefs are experimenting with. Considering that this is haute cuisine, the prices are outstanding. The service from hospitality management students is top-notch, and they do a lovely job with suggested wine pairings.

In the Ottawa area, if our schedule allows, we try to get out to Kemptville to visit The Branch Restaurant. I just can’t say enough about this place. A restaurant with a social conscience, and amazing food too. In the few short years they’ve been open, they have become a fixture in the community. Whether it’s roasted chicken in a creamy maple sauce, or a grilled Angus steak, or the comforting house-made beef Branchburger, you’re sure to leave happy. Of course the service is amazing. If you can possibly get there on a Sunday, you MUST try the Rubber Boots Buffet. See the website for an understanding of what that is. And if you’re in the mood for a nice read, visit chef Bruce Enloe’s blog. He’s articulate and charming, and has some really nice views on local and sustainable food sources.

In Peterborough, we’re known to have a comfortable meal at The Olde Stone Brewing Company on George Street North. I always choose the suggested pint of microbrew on the server’s recommendation. And while in Peterborough, we stop at the award-winning Franz’s Butcher Shop for some house-made (no fillers!) sausage to take home.

Whenever we find ourselves in downtown Toronto (often after a long day on the trade show floor), we make a stop at Magic Oven for some hand-crafted spelt crust pizza with unique toppings and tender but crispy crust. Pizza is the perfect comfort food after a long day.

We go to these places because they provide good service, and they do what they do (prepare food) with passion and quality. Shouldn’t most of our buying decisions be based on the same criteria?

We never know where we’ll be going next. Where should we eat when we’re in YOUR town?