My wife and I slipped away for a four day mini vacation to visit our son
at his training course near Montreal and the three of us went to Ottawa
to visit his cousins. We at in a place in Ottawa called the Murray
Street Diner that had been featured in an episode of You Gotta Eat Here.
The food was great, but it was pretty price. He and I had
Potacos...... "tacos" made from latkes and filled with pulled pork and
served with sour cream and a great salsa. They were really good, but at
$16.95 for one potaco it seemed a little steep.

We took two days for the return, taking a scenic tour from Ottawa back
to Riguad and drove along the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand
Islands. That is a part of the province I had always bypassed in our
hurry to get back and forth to Montreal. What a gem that was. We stayed
for the night in Gananoque, walked down to the waterfront and then along
the main street where we looked for a place to eat. We were intrigued
by a place called the Maple Leaf, whose name would lead you to believe
it was just a greasy spoon diner, but which was actually a Czech
restaurant. We both had one of the specials of the day,goulash. It came
with a choice of leek soup or borscht. My wife is not a fan of borscht
so she had the leek soup. She tried some of my borscht and was quite
impressed.

Breakfast the next day was nothing special, bacon and eggs with toast
and home fries, but you could not buy the sort of entertainment we had
from the owner who went from table to table talking current events and
his adventures in trying to get a passport. First of all he showed
everyone the passport picture he had had taken and asked everyone what
colour he should say his hair is. It looked brown in the picture but in
real life it is greying. He had been told that his citizenship card was
worn out and not acceptable so he had to get a new one. They then tore
up the card he had carried in his wallet for years. He applied for a new
one and what he got back was a nice certificate on an 8-1/2by 11 sheet
of paper.... that cannot be folded or laminated.

On 2013-10-01 6:15 PM, wrote:

>> Breakfast the next day was nothing special, bacon and eggs with toast
>> and home fries, but you could not buy the sort of entertainment we had
>>from the owner who went from table to table talking current events and
>> his adventures in trying to get a passport. First of all he showed
>> everyone the passport picture he had had taken and asked everyone what
>> colour he should say his hair is. It looked brown in the picture but in
>> real life it is greying. He had been told that his citizenship card was
>> worn out and not acceptable so he had to get a new one. They then tore
>> up the card he had carried in his wallet for years. He applied for a new
>> one and what he got back was a nice certificate on an 8-1/2by 11 sheet
>> of paper.... that cannot be folded or laminated.
>
> He can actually apply (and pay for) a credit card sized plastic one. I
> can't remember how much, bit steep is all I recall
>

I don't think I will get back there for a while, but that was just an
example of the banter going on. Can you imagine a restauranteur polling
his regulars and some tourists about the colour of his hair for his
passport application.
BTW... nice poached eggs, great bacon and good home fries. The
onions were a little overcooked but they appeared to have been made from
fresh cut fries chopped up for home fries. So I am assuming that their
fries were all fresh cut.

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:09:20 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>My wife and I slipped away for a four day mini vacation to visit our son
>at his training course near Montreal and the three of us went to Ottawa
>to visit his cousins. We at in a place in Ottawa called the Murray
>Street Diner that had been featured in an episode of You Gotta Eat Here.
> The food was great, but it was pretty price. He and I had
>Potacos...... "tacos" made from latkes and filled with pulled pork and
>served with sour cream and a great salsa. They were really good, but at
>$16.95 for one potaco it seemed a little steep.
>
>We took two days for the return, taking a scenic tour from Ottawa back
>to Riguad and drove along the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand
>Islands. That is a part of the province I had always bypassed in our
>hurry to get back and forth to Montreal. What a gem that was. We stayed
>for the night in Gananoque, walked down to the waterfront and then along
>the main street where we looked for a place to eat. We were intrigued
>by a place called the Maple Leaf, whose name would lead you to believe
>it was just a greasy spoon diner, but which was actually a Czech
>restaurant. We both had one of the specials of the day,goulash. It came
>with a choice of leek soup or borscht. My wife is not a fan of borscht
>so she had the leek soup. She tried some of my borscht and was quite
>impressed.
>

I love it up there. Last time I was there we had the kids with us and
we all have a terrific time in Gananoque. Truly a beautiful area.

Boron

On Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:31:23 -0400, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

>On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:09:20 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:
>
>>My wife and I slipped away for a four day mini vacation to visit our son
>>at his training course near Montreal and the three of us went to Ottawa
>>to visit his cousins. We at in a place in Ottawa called the Murray
>>Street Diner that had been featured in an episode of You Gotta Eat Here.
>> The food was great, but it was pretty price. He and I had
>>Potacos...... "tacos" made from latkes and filled with pulled pork and
>>served with sour cream and a great salsa. They were really good, but at
>>$16.95 for one potaco it seemed a little steep.
>>
>>We took two days for the return, taking a scenic tour from Ottawa back
>>to Riguad and drove along the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand
>>Islands. That is a part of the province I had always bypassed in our
>>hurry to get back and forth to Montreal. What a gem that was. We stayed
>>for the night in Gananoque, walked down to the waterfront and then along
>>the main street where we looked for a place to eat. We were intrigued
>>by a place called the Maple Leaf, whose name would lead you to believe
>>it was just a greasy spoon diner, but which was actually a Czech
>>restaurant. We both had one of the specials of the day,goulash. It came
>>with a choice of leek soup or borscht. My wife is not a fan of borscht
>>so she had the leek soup. She tried some of my borscht and was quite
>>impressed.
>>
>
>I love it up there. Last time I was there we had the kids with us and
>we all have a terrific time in Gananoque. Truly a beautiful area.
>
>Boron

Did you buy any Gananoque wooden nickles? I bought one while I was
there some 50 years ago.
http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces36151.html
They also sold "Yucky Face" black licorice there, haven't ever found
it again... each piece was imbossed with an obviously yucky face, all
different.

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:09:20 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> He and I had
> Potacos...... "tacos" made from latkes and filled with pulled pork and
> served with sour cream and a great salsa.

Sounds good! I'd like to try that, but I'll keep the latke flat.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila