Coras: Edmonton Alberta

My 35th birthday morning and all I can think of is creton (Kre-Ton) and some amazing fruit from Cora’s. Now those who know me, know I am not usually a breakfast person. I don’t like greasy bacon or runny eggs, so it’s a meal I usually skip or make at home by utilizing toast or cereal. However, it being my birthday, I felt like something out of the ordinary. I had visited Cora’s a few times when I lived in Gatineau and Ottawa, and SJ has frequented it in Winnipeg as well, and we both have missed it dearly. Only recently has Edmonton been blessed with this place, so whenever we are free and feel like breakfast, we make a point enduring the inevitable lineup to go there.

Having introduced several friends to Cora’s with no bad comments, I can honestly say the food is amazing. This establishment, which can best be described as a funky diner with extreme color, almost always has a line up to get in. So on a cold day, make sure to dress warm. On this occasion we waited for about 20 minutes to be seated. Once seated however, we immediately ordered orange juice and a fruit smoothie. At a little above $4, I figured it would be a good compromise to orange juice, which I don’t usually enjoy. The smoothie came presented well in a small serving plate surrounded with a slice of cantaloupe and a wedge of pineapple on the glass. The person preparing the smoothie made a bit of a mess as it was dripping down the side of the glass which prevented me from picking it up to consume. This wasn’t a big deal until my sleeve touched the glass leaving my shirt stained red. (Thank god for Tide to go!!) Flagging down our waitress to request glasses of water we ordered our meals. SJ and I decided upon the Cora’s special, which includes: Ham, bacon, sausage, potatoes, two eggs, a crepe and toast. SJ opted to add onions and cheese to his potatoes, whereas I did not. I recall from a previous visit thinking it didn't really compliment the meal, and for the additional cost wasn’t worth it. SJ later commented that I was correct, as the onions, which were fried and greasy, were piled on top of the potatoes, and somewhat wrecked that portion of the meal.

Now, SJ and I cannot come to Cora’s and not get Creton, so we each ordered a side of that to spread on our rye toast. IF you’ve never had Creton before, it’s a Franco Canadian delicacy. Somewhat like a ground pork spread, it’s hard to describe except to say, YUMMY! Always add mustard on top...makes it taste sort of like a mini ham sandwich. It's damn good regardless.

The one thing you must know when coming to Cora’s is that 1) you will almost always wait in line, 2) the waitresses are also the bussers. So the service is a little lacking as the restaurant is always packed and trying to get the next table in and out of the doorway. I was thirsty, so I polished off my water and SJ’s (he doesn’t usually drink water-so it’s never a big deal), however the waitress didn’t come back to fill up our water until after we ordered. As I mentioned the service is a little hit and miss, depending on how busy they are. This visit I felt as though we needed to flag her down to order extra rye toast and creton, and the second order of toast was mistakenly whole wheat, and not the rye we ordered. Overall experience this time was consistent with our past visits, the meal great, garnished with tasty fruit and not greasy, the service rushed and nonexistent. This meal and every meal we have had here is the single reason we continue to return (besides the creton, which SJ claims he too can make...lmao)

Location visited: 2920 Calgary Trail

Ratings:

Ambiance: Diner
Cuisine: Breakfast
Presentation: Great
Price: $15/serving
Service: Below Average
Value: Great



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