Located in the midst of all the crazy shopping on Queen Street West, this cafe is always packed with people regardless of the time during the day. The food usually takes a while, perhaps a standard 15-20 minute wait. However, the service received was always prompt and polite.

Unique and rustic decor

The restaurant is a little over-crowded, I must say. The booths are wonderful but individual tables are arranged too close together. It was not a problem over-hearing the couple at the next table discuss about their day during a weekday dinner, or the group of girlfriends talk about their latest purchases during a weekend brunch. Maybe a little too close for comfort. However, this did not stop me from returning for five meals!

One late snowy night, I went to get take out from Queen Mother Cafe. It was a long 20 minute wait before my order came but the server considerately provided a glass of water while I was waiting. WHY, did I still go in when it was insanely packed with people on a weekday night and wait so long for a take out?! Well, my brother came to visit from Waterloo and our conversation went like that:

Maple: You HAVE TO go to Queen Mother Cafe!

Brother: For?

Maple: The Ping Gai!

Brother: The Ping… what?

Maple: Ping Gai Ping Gai Ping Gai!!!

As he was too lazy to venture into the cold for that dish with a name typically unheard of, I bravely volunteered my services as I desperately wanted to share this lovely dish.

The legendary Ping Gai

The Ping Gai ($16.95) simply means Laotian Barbecued Roast Chicken. It was one scrumptious meal with juicy flavourful chicken! Served with a side salad, steamed jasmine rice as well as a spicy lime coriander dipping sauce. The chef is definitely not stingy with the portion of perfectly roasted chicken served.

I consider myself pretty adventurous when it comes to trying out new dishes at restaurants. However, I ordered this dish three times out of my five visits. Other dishes which I tried with my various dining partners were the Curry Vegetable Roti ($14.95), Grilled Flatiron Steak ($21), Spinach and Ricotta Canneloni ($14.95), Crispy Calamari ($9.50) and Spicy Pumpkin Dip ($8.95). The items seem a little pricey but serving portions are generous. There is also a separate Sunday brunch menu.

If you ask me what kind of restaurant this is, I will not be able to answer you.

Thai? It serves Pai Thai.

Laos? It serves Ping Gai.

Chinese? It serves Dim Sum.

Western? It serves steak and interesting salads.

Indian? It serves Curry Vegetable Roti.

Italian? It serves Spinach and Ricotta Canneloni.

Cafe? It serves good cappucino.

Bar? It serves a variety of drinks.

Awesome? Yes it is!

This will be the place to go if one is undecided on what type of food they’d like because Queen Mother Cafe seems to offer everything! I might not be brave enough to order something else other than my beloved Ping Gai though…

As winter approaches, I’m constantly craving for two things – a bowl of warm comforting soup and a plate of greasy flavorful  BBQ. Hidden in a small plaza at Laurelwood  is Hog Tails BarBQue, Waterloo’s first down home barbecue restaurant.

Tucked away from the major areas in Waterloo, this place is rather tricky to find, something intended by the owner. This family restaurant is modeled after the best barbecue joints in the States, where the good ones are always located at hard-to-reach spots. Entering the restaurant, I was greeted by walls covered with pictures of adventures and BBQ competitions which the owners participated in at US.

Wall of memories

Brightly coloured walls accented the jolly atmosphere. As a cosy family-owned restaurant, the store is rather small so many customers prefer ordering take-outs. I shared a dish with my lady dining partner – serving size was so huge that we could barely finish!

BBQ sampler platters - BBQ chicken, Southern Style pulled pork and Texas beef brisket

The BBQ sampler platter($16.99) includes three meats (choice of ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, bbq chicken or hot wings) and two sides (I chose sweet potato fries and molasses baked beans). My favourite was the BBQ chicken. Not usually a huge fan of chicken, I was so pleased with the tenderness of it and agree with what’s written on the menu:

We bet this chicken is the juiciest smoked chicken around!

Oh, did I mention that they have AWESOME sweet potato fries?

Hog Tails is an excellent restaurant with sincere service, generous portions and reasonable prices. Check out their website for some barbecuing tips and check out their store for some authentic Southern cuisine.

Happy holidays! Stay safe, warm and continue visiting loudlunch in the new year!

This restaurant truly is a bright spot for Kitchener lunch. There is widespread recognition of that amongst people at the ol’ office, especially those who like “good” food.

Big Smiles

The first thing that I want to note is Elvis Ellison’s, the owner and chefs, welcoming and cheerful demeanor. This restaurant is one of the few places where you can talk to the chef about what you’re eating, how things are, and feel that you’re doing something appreciated by dining there.

Big smiles abound, especially amongst the guys coming in for the famous lunch-time take-out special. The lunch menu seems like a great value in general, but the take-out specials are worth exploring if you’re just passing by and only have a $5 bill.

From the lunch menu, I had the jerk chicken with some rose-hip tea. The chicken was a great bang-for-buck, but I sincerely regretted not starting with the pumpkin soup. Jeff let me try some of his; yeah, order it, it’s fantastic.

Jerk Chicken, No Soup for Me :(

Get Busier

The only thing I would like to see happen is for Ellison’s to get .. busier.  More people need to eat here, as the food is delicious and the restaurateur vibe is real.

Part of the solution is for the community to show up to eat at place like this.  But this restaurant needs to meet people half way.  I have a question about the take-out special: Why bother?  Every time I’ve gone in there to get the take-out special, the restaurant is quiet.  Let me just eat there, at that price.  I promise I’ll buy more (a drink, an appetizer, dessert etc.) if I sit down.  Hopefully sometime soon, when I’m looking for the best Caribbean food this side of Toronto.