Chop
I decided not to be a foodie last night as my husband and I enjoyed a quick dinner in the vicinity where we were shopping so I did not take any photos as the food arrived. We had just had our first massage and to be frank-I was so mellow that I didn’t give a poop about any of my usual responsibilities or pre-occrupations. But here it is the morning after, and I am trying to recollect the details of the evening to share them with you.
We had watched with interest as Chop was being built. The bones of a restaurant were apparent right from the start and so we eagerly awaited completion. OMGoodness it seemed like the longest construction job known to man. Here it is more than a year later and we never had a reason to give it a try. When we arrived at 5:30 the dining room was already full and even though the bar was a bit noisy for our conversation, we liked the decor even better than the dining room’s. Service is what I would call “Joey-style”-the front doors are flung open by a beautiful girl upon arrival, there are wine samplers served if you have to wait for a table and there are many people responsible for delivery your food and checking to ensure that you are happy with your choices. Upon departure, someone else is at their post to ask how your entire evening was and to wish you a happy evening.
Our favourite white wine was not served by the glass so we ordered a bottle. But we had been warned by our masseuse that any alcohol that evening may give us a headache as our bodies were trying to flush chemicals that had been released in the process. Aren’t our bodies wonderfully made? So after the consumption of lots of water, we enjoyed a small glass and asked for the rest to be corked to take home. This was pleasantly accommodated.
We shared a Chop salad and a Chop burger, mostly because I wanted to try the Chop fries. They were described on the menu as being served with shards of Gran Padano Parmesan, sea salt and three dips. Alas, the fries were tasty enough but with none of the promised cheese and the single dip was ketchup. The burger though was exactly as promised-meaty, juicy and a fascinating combination of tastes. The salad too was chock full of hearty ingredients-blue cheese, avocado, bacon, chopped egg, chicken chunks and then tossed in a light dressing.
Our server was obviously accustomed to serving out of town guests as the restaurant is connected to the Sandman Hotel and is minutes from the airport. She was a wonderful Winnipegger-patiently convincing us that even though the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the Bombers number one nemesis, we should put rivalries aside and cheer them on to victory. I was already convinced, the Rider fans are a wonderful example of what a fan should be-supporting their team through wins and defeats. Winnipeggers have a tendency to jump on and off the bandwagon (myself included).
Spending the day the way we did -it felt like we were kind of tourists in our own city. An affordable way to have some re-creation.
Kath’s quote: “If we aren’t supposed to eat animals, then why are they made out of meat?”-Jo Brand
Love is all you need.
I would have mentioned something to the server about the fries. I hate it when things don’t come out the way I’m expecting!
You-re right Erin but I am so used to dining anonymously that I rarely do.