Sublimely Informative Summer Bubbles Tasting at deVine Wines

I attended deVine Wine’s annual Summer Bubbles champagne tasting night. As I’m still relatively new to drinking wine and know very little about what goes into making it, or what the differences between the different varietals are, attending wine tastings is a great way to learn more about wine, as well as try a variety of wines without committing to buying a whole bottle.
At this wine tasting, the focus was on sparkling wine and champagne, with seven different sparkling wines and champagnes to taste, I knew it was going to be an interesting night of Moo drinking my body weight in alcohol.

Dining at Diner Deluxe

The Best Oatmeal

We had heard good things about Diner Deluxe from friends who had visited Calgary, and had also seen it on Food Network’s show, You Gotta Eat Here and saw some interesting things including their oatmeal. So we decided that we had to give it a whirl while we were in town.

The interior is that of a funky, retro diner, with your classic 50’s diner tables, chairs and banquettes. We decided to order The Best Oatmeal that we’d seen on You Gotta Eat Here, along with the crispy potato pancakes and the classic breakfast. 

The fried oatmeal had a hint of maple taste to it, was very dense, and served in a small cast iron skillet. On it’s own, it tasted plain and heavy, but tasted delicious when combined with the thick and nicely tart lemon curd, and swimming in the vanilla bean cream.

Lovely Lebanese Food at La Shish Taouk

Feeb Schwarma

La Shish Taouk is the only Lebanese restaurant I’ve dined at to date and I’ve been there many, many times since, particularly when I’m itching for inexpensive take out that will last several days. On this particular visit, we went with the humans’ family so we could try a few different items.

The Mayfield location is large and spacious, with ample seating. Unlike their downtown location where it is mainly take out, this location offers take out, as well as sit down restaurant service.

Supposedly Local and Seasonal in Saskatoon at Weczeria

Nice interior

I’d never been to Saskatchewan before, although the female human was born and raised there, so I jumped at the chance to accompany them on a quick visit to her hometown of Saskatoon.

Not sure where to go to eat since it’d been over a decade since the female human had lived there, we got a few suggestions from @andrealauder, a fellow Saskatchewanian. She told us of a restaurant called Weczeria Food & Wine, that is located on Broadway Ave, the closest equivalent to Edmonton’s Whyte Ave that Saskatoon has, this street is filled with quirky, independent stores, cafés and restaurants.

Swift Lunch at Viphalay Laos and Thai Restaurant

Pad Thai

Viphalay Laos and Thai Restaurant took over the spot that was the once long standing La Tapas Spanish Restaurant, and most recently defunct Karma Indian Cuisine. Located in what looks like a converted house on 99 Ave, right across from Starbucks Omega, the store at which I’m Mooscot at, this is the second location for this particular venture, with their first located right across from Little Italy.