2007-10-13

Why we love Elgin Street


Back in the heady leadup to the 'we-can-do-anything' days of Expo '67, Canadians heard a lot of talk about the cultural mosaic. No mundane melting pots for us. No sirree. Mutual respect among distinct, yet cooperative, ethnic groups was the societal agenda.

Sadly, that interesting multicultural ideal seemed to be mostly burnt up in a consumeristic hell of 80s yuppiedom. A year into the new millenium, its ashes were pretty well stomped into the mud in a spate of ethnic-profiling paranoia over terrorism.

Pretty well. But here on Elgin Street, if ya want poly-ethnic, we got it. In spades. Up the wazoo. We gotta publog this place the Dwarf spotted, when he was out airing his aspidistra the other day. Whether they serve draught ale or not.

(Oh. And for the uninitiated among our international readers, 'poutine' is a heart-stopping Québécois confection of fresh julienned potatoes, twice french-fried in peanut oil for extra crispiness, salted, covered in fresh cheddar cheese curds, then doused in lashings of hot canned gravy to create the kind of gooey gourmet goodness that only a philistine could reject. Extra salt and ketchup right there on the table beside ya, if ya want 'em....)

10 comments:

4th Dwarf said...

Coyote, very glad you blogged this because while I also took a photo of Mr. Pho Fusion's sign, I've not had a chance to upload it yet.

Also glad that you've explained to our international friends about the poutine ingredients because this is now our third post that mentions Canada's main contribution to dining in the 20th Century.

However, I must tell you that after our less than satisfying meals at the Free House (seriously, a $15 noodle dish should not leave a dwarf hungry) my wood elf friend and I stopped at Mr Pho's to see if we could get some Pad Thai to go.

Alas, while the sign is up, until next week they will only be serving the old Shawarma King menu.

Which leads me to my next point: Perhaps someone should find out just what is going on with the royal family of Shawarma.

coyote said...

Tsk. Mebbe regicide?

I, feeling a similar more-than-vague dissatisfaction with that cheap-ass noodly travesty of a meal, snuffled off north for a take-out burger. A coyote's gotta eat.

My opinion, if yer gonna vastly short-sheet your customers on portion sizes, it shouldn't be on an item as obviously pure-profit as basic pasta. Specially when yer soaking me 15 bux for it.

Two paws way down for the Freehouse. I bet Mr Pho will be bunches more generous with the noodles.

Anonymous said...

Dwarfie...I'm actually a wood nymph.

4th Dwarf said...

Woodsy! I know! I was trying to protect your anonymity!

bob said...

Where is this place? I obviously have strayed so far from elgin street i have no idea whats coming and going there anymore...

coyote said...

Ah, Bob. Good to hear from you. Ya gotta watch out for the domestic bliss of sub/ex/urbia -- it'll suck you in and hold you like the LaBrea Tarpits, only more so. This place, to the cognoscenti, is the old Rosie's Laundromat -- more-or-less facing Boushey's...

4th Dwarf said...

Oh, Coyote, young Bob wouldn't remember Rosie's. Not even if we said "Herman cartoons".

It's 331 Elgin or where the Shawarma King was.

bob said...

Ah yes, i remember the shawarma king! Not rosie's though... and herman? I remember herman books sitting atop toliets, thats about the only memory the conjure up.

bob said...

And coyote, i appreciate your advice. I'm currently deep into being sucked in, i should do more meditating and image stabilization probably. Thanks for looking out for me.

coyote said...

You're welcome. Good luck with stabilizing your image.