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Frequently travelling for business across Canada (mostly West) and the U.S. (periodically), we are privileged with eating in various cities, experiencing the life of the city and through the magic of food, different cultures.

The reason for starting this site was because we can't tell you the number of times we would look on other sites to find reviews of restaurants by the general public, only to come away scratching our heads. Yes, that likely will make us sound like snobs, but hey...there really is no accounting for some people's taste.

Unlike most "reviewers", we never, ever tell the restaurant who we are, or what we are doing. This ensures that we receive no special treatment, and that the establishments aren't on their "best behavior" just because we're there. So you'll hear about the worst of the worst, the best of the best and everything from fast food to luxurious restuarants in our travels, as that is the range and diversity of our palates. Please join us on what has been one hell of a food ride thus far, as we finally unveil, without prejudice, what we really think of the food and let you decide where to eat your next meal.





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The Salisbury House: Winnipeg Manitoba

Ask any Winnipegger and they will likely say this place is akin to home coming home. This Winnipeg institution, owned in part by equally legendary Winnipeg musician Burton Cummings, is a hybrid of cafeteria and diner style ordering and has one of the best burgers this side of the border. Now we know that’s a really subjective statement as there are all different types of burgers. SJ and I recognize this and categorize burgers by the establishment and the way they are prepared and cooked. Obviously a burger that you order at McDonalds or Burger King is different than those at an establishment like Earls, which is different still than the Salisbury House. The burgers here are made fresh, and topped with all the fixings you want, from bacon to chilli to onions. These burgers definitely do not fall in the fast food category, even though they are served in this type of establishment.

Originally we went to the location at the Esplanade Riel bridge, only to discover that it was not open. We can only assume that they close it during certain times of the year due to a lack of foot traffic, as it is literally located on a bridge. So we found another location, as there are several, so it wasn’t too difficult.

This location was surprisingly slow for the time of day, however this lent to the great service the staff provided us. Grabbing a tray and walking by the display cases lined with pies, I decided to give their chocolate pudding pie a shot. I was feeling like something sweet. Serving ourselves to the fountain drinks while reviewing the menu situated atop the grill, we all decided to order a “nip”; after all, you can’t go here without getting a “nip” can you? Taylor, SJ’s daughter, ordered the chilli nip, while I had a ½ pound nip and SJ a ¾ pound nip (pig). As the friendly cashier took our orders and assisted with carrying our trays to the table, I couldn’t help but feel very comfortable here. Although this place was very much a diner, where you’d in most cases be left to fend for yourself, this staff member was more than willing to offer any assistance we needed, including assistance with ordering. When our meals were ready, the lady brought them to our booth. Taylor was surprised to see the chilli not only came in the burger, but was also poured on top. Although she wasn’t thrilled with having to eat her burger with cutlery she enjoyed the burger thoroughly. My “nip” was juicy, garnished only with fried onions and cheese. My first bite was heaven, you could tell the meat was fresh, and although it was a tad greasy, the extra calories were worth it. The combination reminded me of in-and-out, the ever popular California burger joint...something rare and delicious! Don’t ask us why they call them nips, however for me a nip sounds like something small, and these burgers were not small by any means. [Update - The nip, as quoted in Wikipedia was named in 1931, as the original owner disliked the word “hamburger” . He decided to name his burgers “nips” as he considered them a “nip” of a Salisbury steak.]

The only disappointing bit of this experience was the chocolate pudding pie, as it seemed old and devoid of taste. The pudding component was bland, and the chocolate cream that adorned the top of the pudding was akin to Styrofoam and would have come off with one forkful. Taking 2 bites of this pie, I decided that chocolate really wasn’t that important, and as I was stuffed already it was time to go.

Outside of the dessert, the experience was good. The staff were attentive and friendly, and the “nips” delicious...which we recommend sticking to. You can’t go wrong there.


Location visited: 2727 Portage Avenue

Ratings:

Ambiance: Diner
Presentation: Average
Price: $10/serving
Service: Above Average
Value: Above Average

Salisbury House on Urbanspoon

The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

8 comments:

  1. I CANOT FIND CALORIES AND NUTRITION IN SALSBURY HOUSE FAST FOOD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh heavens. If you are counting calories then don’t go for fast food!

      Delete
  2. It's annoying that I can't find the calorie and nutrition information in Salisbury House Restaurant.. I won't be eating there again besides the food is horrendous.. was sorely disappointed the last time I went..

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  3. The Salz is an institution here - a favorite for "Peggers and known for its flapper pie which the author should have chosen instead of the chocolate. Prices and food are both great - going there for lunch today is it is "Toofer Tuesday"!

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  4. Need a list that tells how much calories are in each product... I have stopped eating there as i cant even find it in My Fittness Pal

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  5. I love Salisbury house bit I was also looking for the cal/nutrition info when I stumbled on this blog...

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  6. The Sals menu actually states "We put the NIP in Win-NIP-eg since 1931" which indicates another possible origin of the odd name considering Sals originates in Winnipeg, MB.

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  7. I too came on here looking for nutritional info for Sals foods.
    People call the pie by various names: flapper pie, custard pie, wafer pie. It seems to be exclusive to Sals and each time I have a piece I try not to think about the carbs. Delicious!

    ReplyDelete

 
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