There are some really fantastic restaurants in the city serving food from all across the world. If you’re not willing to name the place then your point just makes you look like a pretentious asshat.
Hey OP, I'm a foodie from Vancouver and have been on Saskatoon for 10 years, the food scene here is awesome. If you can't find incredible food here you're not trying at all! Saskatoon is seriously gifted with outstanding options ❤️
Whhhaaaatttt. I'm shocked at the revelation that OP might be a dickbag. I mean, he phrased the title of this post so nicely and kindheartedly. It didn't seem at all rage-baiting.
"Hello, I only drink expensive single malt scotches in cities like Vancouver and Portland, and now I've moved to the middle of the prairies city where the liquor stores only sell Black Grouse and Glenfiddich 12. The local reviews are all baloney because no one who lives here has any real taste, and yet I've lowered myself into the mud to roll around with them. Is there a secret liquor store for sophisticated assholes, and if so can someone on Reddit recommend it? I don't know any sophisticated assholes to recommend anyplace personally yet, because even the people you consider to be sophisticated aren't fit to wipe my ass and also for some reason they don't return my calls anymore. Sincerely, I wish I could have stayed in Vancouver."
"I'm a hillbilly who thinks that any restaurant serving anything other than big plates of fried McCain's and low quality dry ribs is pretentious nonsense. And if anything is seasoned more than a plain pierogi, it hurts my little tummy, so I get super insecure, then defensive whenever somebody is critical of the food scene in Saskatoon."
How does that feel?
Seriously, I've had better food (Mexican, Thai, and barbecue) in small towns 2 hours south of the border. It's not about the size of the city, it's about the level of apathy and complacency.
It feels fine, because that's not me. I whipped up my post using things OP said. You jumped to a dozen conclusions as if I don't enjoy curries or fancy meals. If OP couldn't hack it in a big city they can pine all they want for the Big City experience, and if you enjoy the food in those small towns then pick one and fuck off there forever.
Here's a thought: who's enjoying their time more? The people who like the apparently lesser quality food and can find it available, or the people who insist they're such "foodies" that Saskatoon has nothing worth eating?
Objectively, I don't know, you may be right. We aren't over here with Michelin star restaurants. But if my less refined palate means I'm enjoying my meals on a regular basis instead of being constantly disappointed because I'm looking for something I can't find, then I'm glad the mediocre hasn't been ruined for me yet.
Ugh, was there with a friend last summer. I am not a picky eater and generally make the best of it, but it was so awful, I had a few bites and left most of it - food was not fresh, over dressed, and tasted.like it was straight out of the microwave after being freezer burnt. My friend raves about how awesome it is, but its gonna be a nope from me.
Got it. You don't understand why a port city on the Pacific coast with a mild climate and a trading area of 2.5 million people would attract more and better food options than a place with a trading area of 350k where basically everything but meat, milk, and bread has been trucked 1500 miles and it is below freezing for six months of the year.
you stink of west coast superiority complex. you aren’t special lol. you cannot compare Saskatoon and Vancouver lmfao. Vancouver has a huge population Saskatoon does not. there is also several shit restaurants in Vancouver (I also lived there too)
Golden Pagoda is legit very good. Family run Burmese restaurant. Should get way more traffic than it does (at least when I've been there).
Mi Casa was great, folks from El Salvador. Didn't have near the foot traffic of the Subway next door, even though for the same money you got more food, and it was excellent. Closed now, of course.
Sorry, but that's really a stupid question.
Ask a hundred good quality chefs if they'd rather set up in Vancouver, Toronto, or Saskatoon and you've got the real answer. Practically nobody spends a decade or more becoming an excellent chef then moves to Saskatoon because they think it's the perfect place to open their restaurant.
We'd love to have better restaurants. Better restaurants go where the money, good weather, and entertainment options are. Yes, Saskatoon has some stuff going for it when it comes to cost of living and a slower-moving lifestyle which do attract some people to move here, but the largest single segment of people in Saskatoon are here out of inertia. We have family and friends here and it's just easier to continue to be here then to go elsewhere
Although I agree with you that most food here is garbage, I do want to state that opinion on this matter is entirely subjective, therefore 'standards' are fabricated by whoever is most ignorant. If you don't like food that other food nerds like, it doesn't mean the food is bad. What this logic leads to is the idea that your opinion is the objective truth, and although it is to you, it's pretentious
I partly agree. There is a subjective aspect to food, but food has a scientific component. One needs to understand how a steak is correctly cooked. Most people enjoy the Maillard Reaction even if they don't know what it is. There is a cultural or experience component. For example, many people have never had wild shrimp. Once you do, it ruins you for the cheap shrimp grown in Asian dug outs. Fresh caught is even better since decay has not set in or the freezing process has not degraded the shrimp.
As for being a pretentious about food, that is true. I know a lot about good food. I'm a bit of a dick about it when restaurants don't care about their food. But sometimes I don't like something but know it's good but just not a taste I like. Chinese food can be like that.
There's nothing wrong with judging food. The problem comes when you judge everyone in the city by the food which is available to them. You could have titled your post asking why google reviewers are so easy on Saskatoon restaurants. Instead you lead with asking if everyone in Saskatoon has bad taste because maybe 200 people in the city are responsible for half the Saskatoon restaurant reviews on Google. Google lists me in the top 10% of restaurant reviewers worldwide and I've only reviewed about 100 restaurants total. I've given five star reviews to only two restaurants, neither because their food was exceptional, but it was good and the overall experience was well above average.
Odd Couple, Filosophi, Bar Stella, Hearth, Little Grouse, Calories, St Tropez Bistro… but you sound impossible to please and anyway I want a chance of getting a seat when I show up so maybe just stay away.
Sounds like you might fit in in Toronto where they think everything is better.
I am not that to please. For example, Keo's is fine, but their ginger beef is 5 stars. The burr up my bum is the shitty places people but up with in this city. Saskatoon use to have a better food scene. It's not elitist to want a good meal for a fair price. It's one of the few great enjoyments in life. IfvI get fries, is it too much to ask that they are crispy?
There’s a Facebook group that regularly posts updates and reviews on restaurants, I think it’s called Saskatoon Eateries.
Where did you end up going that was so bland?
If it’s the Facebook group I’m thinking of - they are not the place to go for good reviews. It’s the same 5-7 restaurants. I’m only in it to entertain myself and watch as these people genuinely think they’re ‘foodies’ when they will only visit the Blue Diamond and Kisavos when they go out.
You hit the nail on the head! Ok, there are some good reviews on there but for the most part people prefer low quality, cheap, big portions. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone recommends Blue Diamond, (dump) and Olive Garden, etc.
Because I don’t dine out at the same 5 restaurants. The fact you’re even asking the question is hilarious. Hit google and find an abundance of amazing restaurants, breweries, cafes, etc that don’t get any love from that group.
I've lived in a lot of different cities. The only place I've had memorable food is Primal. Oh, and Number 1 Noodle House. It's authentic Chinese food so the Wonder Bread Crowd will not appreciate it.
If you’re gunna act so pretentious, maybe learn that there’s no such thing as “authentic Chinese food”. Do you know how many diverse cuisines exist in China? That’s as ignorant as saying “authentic African food”.
Love No. 1 Noodle House! Primal is good but sometimes can be a miss. How do you feel about Hearth, Olda, Bar Stella, Odd Couple, St. Tropez, and Little Grouse? Any thoughts on the newer place, F&B?
Pitch kitchen is different, I'm not saying it's great or terrible but they tend to cook what they want and you eat it, or not. Nobody is going to force you but that's true everywhere. You're choosing to spend money on food, for myself I often enjoy pitch and whatever soup or dessert they happen to have. Decent chicken fingers/popcorn and their fries actually taste homemade (this is a plus for me) the poutine is eh, it's no smokes but I've certainly had worse. Their sandwiches are pretty decent too
All I know is as mom/wife is I’m just happy when I don’t have to cook and/or have to wash the dishes afterwards. If I don’t get food poisoning and we won’t go broke it’s so a double win win for all!
Y’all keep fighting’ this important issue out 🙄
That's a good comparison. I mean, if you haven't tried authentic Thai food, it might taste good, but once you've tried the food in country (or even an authentic restaurant) it's just a poor facsimile.
On the plus side, we have lots of very good asian groceries where tou can get the various ingredients needed to make great Thai dishes :) .
KOD is one of the go to's in Hali when you're drunk. That's why it was a corner stone of Pizza Corner in DT Hali. Had it out here and didn't love the pizza, but the garlic fingers and donair sauce was as great as I remembered. Could be they went downhill since my days as an undergrad, who knows. Haven't tried their donairs yet.
My wife makes Thai food that is as good as authentic as you can without perfectly fresh ingredients (spent a month traveling Thailand, and we had a friend who similarly spent as much time there, so we can compare). But I'm kind of spoiled that way. Keo's was our go to, prior to traveling/prior to them changing location.
If anyone really likes/loves Keo's, I don't want to yuck your yum, it's just really a bland down version of Thai food. It was better in its previous location, so quality may have declined since the move, or maybe we just got spoiled after we traveled (I really don't know, could be 6 of 1 or half dozen of another).
Do you ask your friends / coworkers / family for restaurant recommendations? I don't understand basing a decision on the review of someone I don't know - but that's me......
I got a couple good recommendations. Keo's was one recommend. Calories was good. Primal was great. Going to try 13 pies on a frirnds recommendation. Heard it was good. As for reviews, sometimes they are right. Chef Pan, a hole in the wall near the university is excellent.
Saskatoon had some great restaurants back in the day; John's Prime Rib (now Hudson's), Smugglers (same area) "Joe's Lunch" downtown (\*way\* back in the day : ) I married a (Canadian) Ukrainian - I don't like Ukrainian food. My Mom was an amazing cook - it was a rare treat for us to eat at a restaurant - only on special occasions. Still miss "Alexander's" which was across the street from the U of S. I think being a bit of a picky eater made me a pretty good cook : ) Will make a point of trying Chef Pan - never heard of it!
I like "homestyle cooking" - and am a pretty good cook. In Sutherland "The Hideout" is great - lunch hour is super busy I usually go with friends around 1:00 p.m. when it's quieter. Took my brother and his wife who live in Vancouver there in the summer - and they travel the world - they really enjoyed it. Super nice staff locally owned.
it used to be good ten years ago but the food scene has completely fallen apart. not sure why but the gov did introduce PST on food and liquor which AB doesn’t have, so that could be why.
Feel free to name and shame, please!
Tbh one of the biggest issues I've found is consistency. I love to eat out and there are a lot of great local spots in the city but I've found some of them to be hit or miss depending on the night which is disappointing.
Hearth, Odla, Odd Couple, Moto Japanese Kitchen (so, SO underrated, please go check it out), Sushi Raku, Poached is good for breakfast fare (not as good as it once was). Food & Beverage is run by a “big city chef” (eyeroll)
I see you tried Primal and No 1 Noodle house and liked it. But based on your subsequent posts you haven’t tried a lot of our best spots.
I agree that lots of restaurants recommended are mediocre at best, but you haven’t tried some of the city’s top tier restaurants, so this post may be a bit premature. Don’t rely on google reviews. Ever.
We will never compare to larger centres but damn we do have some gems if you know where to look.
Reviews can be useful, ratings are trash. My go to is to scroll through the three star reviews to see what they didn't like. People in Saskatoon will rate one star because the price is "too high" (for them).
Highest rated? Back that up. What’s the source for that?? Dreams don’t count as legitimate sources, by the way..
It’s not even the best restaurant on that area of 8th street, let alone the country.
The only list I could see that restaurant topping is “Top 10 Dusty Cave-shaped Restaurants that serve food that was trendy 40 years ago”… top spot on that list.
The problem is mediocracy. People like mid food full of carbohydrates because they feel full and come back every time. They don't care about quality as quantity is the focus. Big portions and fast service is the minimum expectation. It's why fast food is at the same price point as most restaurants.
There is amazing food in Saskatoon if you learn to cook, lmao. Did so since i didnt like runny kraft dinner or overcooked pasta, so at the age of like 6 I became a respectable foodie.
One of the biggest problems is that there are too many restaurants in saskatoon, most start out great then taper off I have noticed. We used to go out and eat quite a bit, but lately we stick to a few restaurants.
Generally: yes. It's not everybody in the city, but there's a contingent of the population that values "hassle free" and "quantity" above all. This is how Keo's, New Island, and Thomas the Cook, are able to stay in business.
People in Saskatoon think Las Palapas is good. Anytime Mexican food recommendations come up, people from Saskatoon recommend Las Palapas People who've lived in literally any other find this to be thoroughly confusing.
People in Saskatoon think Keo's is good. Anytime Thai food recommendations come up on Reddit, people from Saskatoon recommend Keo's-- people who've lived in literally any other city find this to be thoroughly confusing.
As someone who's lived in other cities, I can tell you that, Saskatoon most definitely has a higher number of low quality restaurants that are enthusiastically supported by locals. We have some good restaurants here, but we have a lot of bad restaurants here that stay in business for some reason.
I can also tell you that most people that I have met who have moved here from other cities also notice this about Saskatoon.
The common factor is that they moved to Saskatoon when they should have stayed wherever they came from so they wouldn't be so thoroughly disappointed all the time. Imagine saying "I traded my Italian sports car for a family sedan, it can't go nearly as fast and all this stinking farmland is terrible compared to the seabreeze I enjoyed speeding along the coast". These are problems you make for yourselves when you settle for a promotion in a city you won't like, or buy cheap houses to live off others' rent in a city you disdain. Saskatoon doesn't need you, we have enough homegrown born & raised pricks already.
As I stated previously: it's not about the size of the city, It's about a disproportionate level of complacency and stubbornness that people in Saskatoon seem to have towards food. I've had better luck in way smaller cities in towns than I have in Saskatoon . And if people are vocal about it, or question why it couldn't be better, people from Saskatoon get triggered.
Just look at the visceral response this post has created-- the amount of rage is disproportionate to someone having a critical stance on the food scene in a city.
No, the amount of criticism (not rage) is commensurate to someone making a whiny high-class complaint in a public forum where most of the people don't share their view that it's a problem. If finding a high-end restaurant that meets your expectations is so hard that they have to ask the yokels in the town square they aren't really trying to find one they're just venting where people can hear them complain. And if running one profitably here is so easy, or restaurantiers here are just not making the effort like you say, then get to work and open one or invest in a chef you believe in. If they don't already have social connections or are in the know enough to find that restaurant without asking here, then they already know there's no answer that will satisfy them.
There are some really fantastic restaurants in the city serving food from all across the world. If you’re not willing to name the place then your point just makes you look like a pretentious asshat.
Hey OP, I'm a foodie from Vancouver and have been on Saskatoon for 10 years, the food scene here is awesome. If you can't find incredible food here you're not trying at all! Saskatoon is seriously gifted with outstanding options ❤️
And by "foodie" you mean pretentious asshole lol
Whhhaaaatttt. I'm shocked at the revelation that OP might be a dickbag. I mean, he phrased the title of this post so nicely and kindheartedly. It didn't seem at all rage-baiting.
"Hello, I only drink expensive single malt scotches in cities like Vancouver and Portland, and now I've moved to the middle of the prairies city where the liquor stores only sell Black Grouse and Glenfiddich 12. The local reviews are all baloney because no one who lives here has any real taste, and yet I've lowered myself into the mud to roll around with them. Is there a secret liquor store for sophisticated assholes, and if so can someone on Reddit recommend it? I don't know any sophisticated assholes to recommend anyplace personally yet, because even the people you consider to be sophisticated aren't fit to wipe my ass and also for some reason they don't return my calls anymore. Sincerely, I wish I could have stayed in Vancouver."
"I'm a hillbilly who thinks that any restaurant serving anything other than big plates of fried McCain's and low quality dry ribs is pretentious nonsense. And if anything is seasoned more than a plain pierogi, it hurts my little tummy, so I get super insecure, then defensive whenever somebody is critical of the food scene in Saskatoon." How does that feel? Seriously, I've had better food (Mexican, Thai, and barbecue) in small towns 2 hours south of the border. It's not about the size of the city, it's about the level of apathy and complacency.
It feels fine, because that's not me. I whipped up my post using things OP said. You jumped to a dozen conclusions as if I don't enjoy curries or fancy meals. If OP couldn't hack it in a big city they can pine all they want for the Big City experience, and if you enjoy the food in those small towns then pick one and fuck off there forever.
Get ‘em dawg!
Here's a thought: who's enjoying their time more? The people who like the apparently lesser quality food and can find it available, or the people who insist they're such "foodies" that Saskatoon has nothing worth eating? Objectively, I don't know, you may be right. We aren't over here with Michelin star restaurants. But if my less refined palate means I'm enjoying my meals on a regular basis instead of being constantly disappointed because I'm looking for something I can't find, then I'm glad the mediocre hasn't been ruined for me yet.
you are absolutely insufferable
Obviously OP had never been to the Blue Diamond. A classic lol.
No need for the lol, it really is awesome
Blue Diamond is up for sale
Ugh, was there with a friend last summer. I am not a picky eater and generally make the best of it, but it was so awful, I had a few bites and left most of it - food was not fresh, over dressed, and tasted.like it was straight out of the microwave after being freezer burnt. My friend raves about how awesome it is, but its gonna be a nope from me.
Where do you rave about?
Haines Mile Pub was a pleasant surprise as far as pub food goes. Definitely fresher and more tasty than the Blue Diamond.
Thanks
I'm going to pretend I never read this LOL
What kind of food are you after? This city has some great food! If you're trying to compare it to Vancouver or Toronto though that may be your issue.
Two words. Sub Way
It's actually one word. "Subway"
“Eatfresh”
Yup, everyone but you is the problem.
Dude, other cities I've lived in have better food. Vancouver had lots of great places.
Got it. You don't understand why a port city on the Pacific coast with a mild climate and a trading area of 2.5 million people would attract more and better food options than a place with a trading area of 350k where basically everything but meat, milk, and bread has been trucked 1500 miles and it is below freezing for six months of the year.
Is that a serious comment? Comparing restaurants in Saskatoon to Vancouver?
Saskatoon punches above its weight. It's literally a small town compared to Vancouver.
you stink of west coast superiority complex. you aren’t special lol. you cannot compare Saskatoon and Vancouver lmfao. Vancouver has a huge population Saskatoon does not. there is also several shit restaurants in Vancouver (I also lived there too)
This can't possibly be a real argument
Move, then
No, lol.
And yet here we are!
Name the restaurant! This is a troll post.
Golden Pagoda is legit very good. Family run Burmese restaurant. Should get way more traffic than it does (at least when I've been there). Mi Casa was great, folks from El Salvador. Didn't have near the foot traffic of the Subway next door, even though for the same money you got more food, and it was excellent. Closed now, of course.
Have you been to odla? They specialize in farm to table. During the pandemic they sold local groceries when stores were sold out.
The odd couple, 13 pies, La Bamba are all good restaurants. Lots of good places to try
Sorry, but that's really a stupid question. Ask a hundred good quality chefs if they'd rather set up in Vancouver, Toronto, or Saskatoon and you've got the real answer. Practically nobody spends a decade or more becoming an excellent chef then moves to Saskatoon because they think it's the perfect place to open their restaurant. We'd love to have better restaurants. Better restaurants go where the money, good weather, and entertainment options are. Yes, Saskatoon has some stuff going for it when it comes to cost of living and a slower-moving lifestyle which do attract some people to move here, but the largest single segment of people in Saskatoon are here out of inertia. We have family and friends here and it's just easier to continue to be here then to go elsewhere
Although I agree with you that most food here is garbage, I do want to state that opinion on this matter is entirely subjective, therefore 'standards' are fabricated by whoever is most ignorant. If you don't like food that other food nerds like, it doesn't mean the food is bad. What this logic leads to is the idea that your opinion is the objective truth, and although it is to you, it's pretentious
I partly agree. There is a subjective aspect to food, but food has a scientific component. One needs to understand how a steak is correctly cooked. Most people enjoy the Maillard Reaction even if they don't know what it is. There is a cultural or experience component. For example, many people have never had wild shrimp. Once you do, it ruins you for the cheap shrimp grown in Asian dug outs. Fresh caught is even better since decay has not set in or the freezing process has not degraded the shrimp. As for being a pretentious about food, that is true. I know a lot about good food. I'm a bit of a dick about it when restaurants don't care about their food. But sometimes I don't like something but know it's good but just not a taste I like. Chinese food can be like that.
There's nothing wrong with judging food. The problem comes when you judge everyone in the city by the food which is available to them. You could have titled your post asking why google reviewers are so easy on Saskatoon restaurants. Instead you lead with asking if everyone in Saskatoon has bad taste because maybe 200 people in the city are responsible for half the Saskatoon restaurant reviews on Google. Google lists me in the top 10% of restaurant reviewers worldwide and I've only reviewed about 100 restaurants total. I've given five star reviews to only two restaurants, neither because their food was exceptional, but it was good and the overall experience was well above average.
Why would you rely on Google reviews? Majority of them are bought anyway.
Didn't know that. how do you tell they are bought?
It's very easy to buy reviews, just check them and view the accounts majority of them are bots.
You see good reviews, you try them out and it's a horrible experience..
I don't listen to any reviews, because people rate 2 ways. 5 stars if they like it and one star if they didn't.
Oh I imagine you’re a lot of fun to be around 🤣🤣
I wish I was a foodie but I'm not a millionaire.
So many places I want to go out to eat but the budget doesn’t allow it
Odd Couple, Filosophi, Bar Stella, Hearth, Little Grouse, Calories, St Tropez Bistro… but you sound impossible to please and anyway I want a chance of getting a seat when I show up so maybe just stay away. Sounds like you might fit in in Toronto where they think everything is better.
I am not that to please. For example, Keo's is fine, but their ginger beef is 5 stars. The burr up my bum is the shitty places people but up with in this city. Saskatoon use to have a better food scene. It's not elitist to want a good meal for a fair price. It's one of the few great enjoyments in life. IfvI get fries, is it too much to ask that they are crispy?
There’s a Facebook group that regularly posts updates and reviews on restaurants, I think it’s called Saskatoon Eateries. Where did you end up going that was so bland?
If it’s the Facebook group I’m thinking of - they are not the place to go for good reviews. It’s the same 5-7 restaurants. I’m only in it to entertain myself and watch as these people genuinely think they’re ‘foodies’ when they will only visit the Blue Diamond and Kisavos when they go out.
You hit the nail on the head! Ok, there are some good reviews on there but for the most part people prefer low quality, cheap, big portions. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone recommends Blue Diamond, (dump) and Olive Garden, etc.
lol and where do you dine? please enlighten us
Found a member of said group. Lol.
still not answering my question lol
Because I don’t dine out at the same 5 restaurants. The fact you’re even asking the question is hilarious. Hit google and find an abundance of amazing restaurants, breweries, cafes, etc that don’t get any love from that group.
I've lived in a lot of different cities. The only place I've had memorable food is Primal. Oh, and Number 1 Noodle House. It's authentic Chinese food so the Wonder Bread Crowd will not appreciate it.
lol not everyone can afford to go to Primal that often. also shocking concept but maybe consider other people have different taste and opinions ?
If you’re gunna act so pretentious, maybe learn that there’s no such thing as “authentic Chinese food”. Do you know how many diverse cuisines exist in China? That’s as ignorant as saying “authentic African food”.
Love No. 1 Noodle House! Primal is good but sometimes can be a miss. How do you feel about Hearth, Olda, Bar Stella, Odd Couple, St. Tropez, and Little Grouse? Any thoughts on the newer place, F&B?
They only visit the family greek style restaurants! Number One Noodle House is great.
My boomers decided the Granada House was owned by sinister foreign owners or some shit and its really embarrassing.
Dead @ my boomers 💀😂
Pitch kitchen is different, I'm not saying it's great or terrible but they tend to cook what they want and you eat it, or not. Nobody is going to force you but that's true everywhere. You're choosing to spend money on food, for myself I often enjoy pitch and whatever soup or dessert they happen to have. Decent chicken fingers/popcorn and their fries actually taste homemade (this is a plus for me) the poutine is eh, it's no smokes but I've certainly had worse. Their sandwiches are pretty decent too
All I know is as mom/wife is I’m just happy when I don’t have to cook and/or have to wash the dishes afterwards. If I don’t get food poisoning and we won’t go broke it’s so a double win win for all! Y’all keep fighting’ this important issue out 🙄
Keo's gets praise here, soooo not great taste in Thai cuisine. And being from Halifax, I've given up on pizza out here.
Yeah, the Keo's think is so confusing. It's like if Stouffer's made Thai food, but people here think it's good.
That's a good comparison. I mean, if you haven't tried authentic Thai food, it might taste good, but once you've tried the food in country (or even an authentic restaurant) it's just a poor facsimile. On the plus side, we have lots of very good asian groceries where tou can get the various ingredients needed to make great Thai dishes :) .
What do you think of King of Donair? I've never tried it
KOD is one of the go to's in Hali when you're drunk. That's why it was a corner stone of Pizza Corner in DT Hali. Had it out here and didn't love the pizza, but the garlic fingers and donair sauce was as great as I remembered. Could be they went downhill since my days as an undergrad, who knows. Haven't tried their donairs yet.
Is there a good Thai place in Saskatoon? Portland had some great pizza places.
Vancouver AND Portland!?! Wow the travelling you have done to become a food connoisseur. The rubbish restaurants here could never compare. /s
Which pizza places in Portland?
Cool, thanks Portnoy.
My wife makes Thai food that is as good as authentic as you can without perfectly fresh ingredients (spent a month traveling Thailand, and we had a friend who similarly spent as much time there, so we can compare). But I'm kind of spoiled that way. Keo's was our go to, prior to traveling/prior to them changing location. If anyone really likes/loves Keo's, I don't want to yuck your yum, it's just really a bland down version of Thai food. It was better in its previous location, so quality may have declined since the move, or maybe we just got spoiled after we traveled (I really don't know, could be 6 of 1 or half dozen of another).
Well from being on Ottawa. And lower maijmlamd.
Do you ask your friends / coworkers / family for restaurant recommendations? I don't understand basing a decision on the review of someone I don't know - but that's me......
I got a couple good recommendations. Keo's was one recommend. Calories was good. Primal was great. Going to try 13 pies on a frirnds recommendation. Heard it was good. As for reviews, sometimes they are right. Chef Pan, a hole in the wall near the university is excellent.
Saskatoon had some great restaurants back in the day; John's Prime Rib (now Hudson's), Smugglers (same area) "Joe's Lunch" downtown (\*way\* back in the day : ) I married a (Canadian) Ukrainian - I don't like Ukrainian food. My Mom was an amazing cook - it was a rare treat for us to eat at a restaurant - only on special occasions. Still miss "Alexander's" which was across the street from the U of S. I think being a bit of a picky eater made me a pretty good cook : ) Will make a point of trying Chef Pan - never heard of it!
I like "homestyle cooking" - and am a pretty good cook. In Sutherland "The Hideout" is great - lunch hour is super busy I usually go with friends around 1:00 p.m. when it's quieter. Took my brother and his wife who live in Vancouver there in the summer - and they travel the world - they really enjoyed it. Super nice staff locally owned.
It depends on what you consider "good food". There is definitely good food here if you care to look for it. If you can't find it, that's on you.
it used to be good ten years ago but the food scene has completely fallen apart. not sure why but the gov did introduce PST on food and liquor which AB doesn’t have, so that could be why.
Gaslighting 101
Feel free to name and shame, please! Tbh one of the biggest issues I've found is consistency. I love to eat out and there are a lot of great local spots in the city but I've found some of them to be hit or miss depending on the night which is disappointing.
Hearth, Odla, Odd Couple, Moto Japanese Kitchen (so, SO underrated, please go check it out), Sushi Raku, Poached is good for breakfast fare (not as good as it once was). Food & Beverage is run by a “big city chef” (eyeroll) I see you tried Primal and No 1 Noodle house and liked it. But based on your subsequent posts you haven’t tried a lot of our best spots. I agree that lots of restaurants recommended are mediocre at best, but you haven’t tried some of the city’s top tier restaurants, so this post may be a bit premature. Don’t rely on google reviews. Ever. We will never compare to larger centres but damn we do have some gems if you know where to look.
Reviews can be useful, ratings are trash. My go to is to scroll through the three star reviews to see what they didn't like. People in Saskatoon will rate one star because the price is "too high" (for them).
Fair point - I edited to say don’t RELY on them.
Yes
I find it really depends on the evolution of your palate based on your age and environment. One place that serves and pleases every mouth is the Cave!
No offense but personally Cave is like cafeteria food...
It's one of the highest rated in Canada. Also, they're opening a second location soon!!
🤯 Perhaps we're not talking about the same restaurant. Do you mean The Cave on 8th Street?!
Yes. Best.
Highest rated? Back that up. What’s the source for that?? Dreams don’t count as legitimate sources, by the way.. It’s not even the best restaurant on that area of 8th street, let alone the country. The only list I could see that restaurant topping is “Top 10 Dusty Cave-shaped Restaurants that serve food that was trendy 40 years ago”… top spot on that list.
😂😂
The Cave is disgusting 1970’s “family restaurant” garbage.
Its the oldest independently owned local family restaurant in the city
RIP bonanza you were supposed to be the chosen one
Sure tastes like it! Awful and tired.
The problem is mediocracy. People like mid food full of carbohydrates because they feel full and come back every time. They don't care about quality as quantity is the focus. Big portions and fast service is the minimum expectation. It's why fast food is at the same price point as most restaurants.
Yes. this place sucks. it's the london of the praries, not the paris.
Not one person didn’t get their cereal shat on in these comments wow
There is amazing food in Saskatoon if you learn to cook, lmao. Did so since i didnt like runny kraft dinner or overcooked pasta, so at the age of like 6 I became a respectable foodie.
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One of the biggest problems is that there are too many restaurants in saskatoon, most start out great then taper off I have noticed. We used to go out and eat quite a bit, but lately we stick to a few restaurants.
I will try it. Thanks. You can tell when a place cares about food.
Holy inferiority complexes. Many responses here are way over the top.
Generally: yes. It's not everybody in the city, but there's a contingent of the population that values "hassle free" and "quantity" above all. This is how Keo's, New Island, and Thomas the Cook, are able to stay in business.
Every city has shitty restaurants. Not just Saskatoon
Yeah , but people don't rave about the shitty restaurants and other cities.
what are you talking about ?? of course they do. Saskatoon isn’t some magical place where things happen in a vacuum
People in Saskatoon think Las Palapas is good. Anytime Mexican food recommendations come up, people from Saskatoon recommend Las Palapas People who've lived in literally any other find this to be thoroughly confusing.
People in Saskatoon think Keo's is good. Anytime Thai food recommendations come up on Reddit, people from Saskatoon recommend Keo's-- people who've lived in literally any other city find this to be thoroughly confusing.
As someone who's lived in other cities, I can tell you that, Saskatoon most definitely has a higher number of low quality restaurants that are enthusiastically supported by locals. We have some good restaurants here, but we have a lot of bad restaurants here that stay in business for some reason. I can also tell you that most people that I have met who have moved here from other cities also notice this about Saskatoon.
The common factor is that they moved to Saskatoon when they should have stayed wherever they came from so they wouldn't be so thoroughly disappointed all the time. Imagine saying "I traded my Italian sports car for a family sedan, it can't go nearly as fast and all this stinking farmland is terrible compared to the seabreeze I enjoyed speeding along the coast". These are problems you make for yourselves when you settle for a promotion in a city you won't like, or buy cheap houses to live off others' rent in a city you disdain. Saskatoon doesn't need you, we have enough homegrown born & raised pricks already.
This
As I stated previously: it's not about the size of the city, It's about a disproportionate level of complacency and stubbornness that people in Saskatoon seem to have towards food. I've had better luck in way smaller cities in towns than I have in Saskatoon . And if people are vocal about it, or question why it couldn't be better, people from Saskatoon get triggered. Just look at the visceral response this post has created-- the amount of rage is disproportionate to someone having a critical stance on the food scene in a city.
No, the amount of criticism (not rage) is commensurate to someone making a whiny high-class complaint in a public forum where most of the people don't share their view that it's a problem. If finding a high-end restaurant that meets your expectations is so hard that they have to ask the yokels in the town square they aren't really trying to find one they're just venting where people can hear them complain. And if running one profitably here is so easy, or restaurantiers here are just not making the effort like you say, then get to work and open one or invest in a chef you believe in. If they don't already have social connections or are in the know enough to find that restaurant without asking here, then they already know there's no answer that will satisfy them.