Tubby dog is a Calgarian hot dog joint, full of expected dog kitsch, star trek cartoons and pin ball machines.
The restaurant offers sides such as onion rings (aka onion doughnuts), yam chips and great home cut french fries. You may also purchase pickled eggs, Twinkies or full sour dill pickles.
My reaction to this restaurant is bittersweet. I would like to think that hot dogs always spell success, but (dare I say?) these dogs are rich, messy and a challenge to devour. Not the best for a first date. Packed with fillings such as coleslaw, sauerkraut, onions, potato chips, cheese (cheese sauce), egg, relish, ham, peameal bacon...there is even a wasabi dog and one wrapped in bacon then deep fried. Suffice it to say, while my appetite wants to have it all, my stomach feels the pain. This food is the stuff of heart attacks.
N.B. The sides pictured above and below are half sizes. Beware these colossal portions and their low enticing prices!
Whew! Ouch!
I do not purport to be an authority on greasy spoons, but lately I've been feeling a lacking in this area of the Toronto food scene. Maybe its just easy to take that which you know best for granted, but my usual favorite spots seem to be declining in quality and increasing in price. Almost as if we're now paying rent for the privilege of staying at a Formica table for the hour.
Blackfoot diner, true to the greasy spoon tradition is also a truck stop diner. Servers dressed in pink outfits are real down to earth and friendly with coffee always in hand. Bearded truck drivers enjoy booths to themselves and breakfast specials like 'Cowboy Breakfast' and 'Mini Breakfast.' Let me be clear: no meal here resembles anything miniature.
Blackfoot even has a dessert case, with pies and cakes on display. This wins major points in my books, as I can meander (or run) over to look at the desserts while I wait for my meal to arrive.
These breakfasts are not hard to make and can be easily replicated at home (except maybe for the home made breakfast sausage), however this food always tastes best when it is prepared by someone else. Everything served was hot and fresh with smooth buttery undertones, ushering in a comfort food reverie.
This is the mini breakfast! Apparently perogies are common alongside steak or pork chops for breakfast in Calgary. I would not say no to fried perogies and sour cream.
I tried hard but the mini breakfast had the last word! Thank you Blackfoot diner!
