McDonalds on Notre Dame

McDonald's Restaurant has been a staple in Sudbury Ontario for many years. In spite of all the criticism over the healthiness of fast food, McDonalds has always attracted customers.

By their own admission, they do not sell food, but rather they sell a lifestyle.

The children have always loved to eat at McDonalds, and the parents appreciate the fast service, low pricing and friendly service.

It was a pleasant Wednesday evening on December 2, 2009 as we arrived at McDonald's Restaurant on Notre Dame Avenue in Sudbury.

There are other McDonalds restaurants in the city but we chose this one even though it does not have a play room for the kids anymore.

Everything was "McDonalds" today and we did not feel rushed at the counter as our hostess Morgan, took our orders.

She was obviously new, but very pleasant. She did not get flustered as we made our orders. Even while we changed our minds on a few things she kept up a happy disposition only pausing for a few moments to get help with a couple of items on the cash register.

A young woman with her nameplate stating that she was a trainer was on close standby to offer assistance should our hostess require it.

Our food arrived in good time and with the careful inspection by the people behind the counter we were assured that we got exactly what we had ordered.

We retired to our tables an proceeded to enjoy our much maligned but tasty fast food.

To be honest, we first perused the Nutrition Guide posted on the wall in front of the ordering counter and in fact, we discussed the calories and other attributes of a few of our menu choices beforehand.

The food was exactly as we had expected and the price was very reasonable for 1 senior, 3 adults, 1 youth and one child. Our bill came to $41.85 including taxes with no tip required or expected (another benefit to eating here).

All in all an enjoyable but short-term evening. If you are looking to linger, you can but it just doesn't feel right. We were never rushed, but for some reason it seemed that we were hurrying through our meals.

Everybody knows McDonald's.

Thanks to Sonic Northern who are kind enough to sponsor us.

Maria's Cozy Corner Restaurant, 499 Notre Dame Avenue, Sudbury, Ontario

It was a pleasant evening for Wednesday, November 18, 2009 here in Sudbury Ontario as we made our way to Maria's Cosy Corner Restaurant on Notre Dave.

Unseasonal warm weaather bringing temperatures close to 10º celcius made our journey very pleasant.

I had not been here in a while, so I did not recognize any of the staff although I used to be a regular customer over the years.

My memories were that it was an upscale version of "Gloria's" retaurant on Bouchard Street but it turned out to be quite the different.

The restaurant looked bright and clean as we entered the dining area. Our waitress was most pleasant - looking after us very well.

We arrived in two groups making the waitress work a little harder but she was up to the task.

The seating was plain and the tables draped with cheap-looking red plastic. There were some pictures on the wall and one end of the restaurant featured a cozy looking section with a mirrored wall.

The men's washroom was dirty featuring old graffiti. It reminded me more of a cheap bar washroom than one I would expect to find in a restaurant.

The food arrived promptly and meals were served as ordered.

My Cheeseburger was listed as a "legendary burger" and it lived up to its name, however the rest of the meal was less promising. In fact it may be better named as disheartening.

The french fries seemed to be previously frozen instead of fresh-cut.

We ordered the "Italian Poutine" to try but did not really like it that much due to the frozen french-fires. Our one mixed cocktail was difficult to swallow, but the meat was cooked to our preference.

The dishes tasted bland with no life to them. We found our bill to be higher than our expectations at $114.76 (before tip) including one beer and one cocktail for 1 senior, 3 adults, one child and one toddler.

Many thanks to Sonic Northern who are kind enough to sponsor us.

Laura Fratelli's 225 Falconbridge Rd, Sudbury, ON P3A5K4

It was a cold evening as we arrived at Laura Fratelli's Restaurant located in the Ambassador Hotel on Falconbridge Road.

The ongoing construction in the area slowed us down somewhat, but this is still a relatively small city and we were only held up a few moments.

Several people had commented on this restaurant and I was anxious to try the menu.

Immediately I was struck by the huge wall mural by Bob Hastings. It was magnificent and brought back many memories of Little Italy in Copper Cliff.

Our waitress was quick to greet us and looked after our needs very well. There were a few other people in the smallish restaurant as we made our way to our table around 5pm.

The layout is unique, being long and narrow against one curved wall.

Our waitress did not hurry us as we browsed the menu.

The food arrived in due time with no errors in the orders. There was even a "little person" menu which was appreciated.

While tasty, I did not find that my meal was exceptional. The price was a little high for two seniors, one child, one toddler and three adults being a total of $181.75 before tip.

There were two alcoholic drinks included.

Many thanks to the fine folks at Sonic Northern who are kind enough to sponsor us.

La Casa Mexicana (Elgin St)

A light rain greeted us on Wednesday October 21, 2009 as we made our way to La Casa Mexicana on Elgin Street in Sudbury, Ontario

In spite of the fact that the building looks so small on the outside, the inside was much more spacious than expected.

We arrived in two groups and the waitress took good care of us. We were the only diners at that hour (5:00 pm) but several more came soon enough.

The washroom (only one) was tiny but spotless.

Not being that familiar with "true" Mexican food it took us a while to decide what we wanted.

There were no options for the little guy (this restaurant really needs a "small person" menu soon) but we muddled through.

The food was quite tasty and the portions overly large.

The waitresses were attentive and friendly but very slow since they were so busy. Half of our party left before they came with our bill.

The decor was quite bright and reflected a Mexican atmosphere. The music too seemed to be of Mexican origin.

The cost was a little high at $120.93 before tip and taxes for 4 adults and two children including the cost of one beer.

Gratefully sponsored by Sonic Northern

Kings Buffet - Sudbury, Ontario

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What a wonderful evening at the Kings Buffet in Sudbury. This place just keeps on getting better and better.

It was a cool and rainy October evening when we arrived at Kings Buffet.

Several times prior, we had been here and we absolutely love the food.

The decor is not anything special being more modern than anything. The chairs are alright but not designed for long-term seating and there seem to be a lot of people shoved into the available space.

But the food - it just keeps on improving. Enough variety to satisfy most tastes. Everything from Roast Beef to Sushi with all the normal "chinese" food that you would find in any similar restaurant. So many things to sample. They even had some pizza. Unbelievable.

Our reservations were for 8 people at 5:00 pm on a Wednesday and we were wise to make them since the place rapidly filled up.

Our waitress, though friendly, seemed to be over-worked. She made it to our table enough times to satisfy our needs but was always in a hurry. We never felt rushed ourselves so it was of little consequence.

At the inner doors to the restaurant, there is an ominous sign posted which reads WE HAVE CAMERAS - IF YOU LEAVE WITHOUT PAYING YOUR PHOTO WILL BE POSTED ON THE WALL. Of course, when we left, we perused the wall but saw no photos there. Either Sudbury is full of honest people or the sign really works.

Our count was 3 Seniors, 3 Adults, 1 child and 1 toddler for a total of 8 persons. With 1 alcoholic drink our bill came to $146.03 (before tip).

A great place to eat at a reasonable price - recommended

Nicely sponsored by Sonic Northern - check out their new Recording Studio section on the website

I also found this very interesting blog written by a Canadian University Exchange Student in Japan (also my cousin once removed) Kristin in Japan

Kelsey's Sudbury

Kelsey's Sudbury 1425 Kingsway Road, (705) 524-3435

Kelsey's is a popular Restaurant and hang-out spot here in Sudbury, Ontario.

A lovely Autumn evening welcomed us as we made our way past the road construction to Kelsey's on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

It was our first restaurant get-together after the summer holidays and this time we were joined by my aunt and uncle.

Thankfully I had made reservations in advance as the restaurant filled quickly for a Tuesday night.

The interior was bright and airy, featuring a few smaller eating areas instead of the huge ceilings over one or two large rooms found at some of the competitors.

Completing the look were several large photos of celebrities (mostly dead) and various older movie posters.

The maître d' promptly showed us our table and told us that our waiter would be here shortly. She asked if more would be joining us. We told her we were expecting two more and she said she would look out for them.

The last two arrived quite soon after we were seated, as did our affable waiter who carefully looked after our needs.

As usual, we were somewhat undecided as to what to order but finally we made up our minds and placed our orders.

Drinks came first of course, and we were evenly split on water and iced-teas.

We had ample time to chat and catch-up on each-others lives before the meals arrived. The delay was not overly long but seemed to be timed just right for our needs.

Our waiter was polite, friendly and attentive, inquiring as to our needs on a periodic basis.

The food arrived with the steaks two of us ordered cooked exactly as we had specified.

The background music was set to an appropriate volume for us. I often have difficulty hearing when there is a lot of extraneous noise but I could carry on a conversation for most of the meal.

We ordered the smaller inexpensive mix-and-match desserts which were perfect for our needs.

We all seemed quite happy with our meals and the service.

The younger girls used the ladies room and reported it to be extremely clean.

I noticed the same thing about the men's room.

A total cost of $129.71 (no alcohol) seemed average for 5 adults and 1 child for this class of restaurant.

Cheerfully sponsored by Sonic Northern - check out their new Recording Studio section on the website

The Keg Steakhouse

(Blog Ranked High on Google)

A beautiful evening in Sudbury, Ontario saw us arrive at The Keg on Kingsway.

Four hungry diners at the restaurant, all anxious to try the food we had heard about from others.

We were warned to expect pricey meals that tasted great and the Keg did not disappoint.

The staff were all friendly and spoke well, looking after us with that little extra flair that made each one of us feel welcome.

Several servers took care of our meals and all looked young and well dressed. Each one seemed to be enthusiastic, particularly our waiter, Justin.

The meals were enormous and tasted wonderful.

Besides the high price, the other disappointment is the acoustics. Perhaps it is the ceiling, but peoples voices reflected making conversation difficult. It reminded me somewhat of my old high-school cafeteria for unpleasant phonic reverberations.

The final tally $137.30 before tip and taxes (no alcohol)

Gratefully sponsored by Sonic Northern - check out their new Recording Studio section on the website.

Joey's Only Seafood Restaurant (Algonquin Road)

(Blog Ranked High on Google)

It was a beautiful June evening at the end of a perfect day in Sudbury. A cloudless sky allowed the temperature to be in the low 20's.

We hopped in the car and, fighting heavy traffic, made our way to Joey's Only Seafood Restaurant in the Algonquin square at the south end of the city.

I sat in the back seat of a new (to my granddaughter's family) car. A rare treat for me since I am usually the driver.

The restaurant was not too busy at our time of arrival (5:30 pm) and we were led to a pleasant booth along one side of the building.

Our waitress was very friendly, in spite of our indecision on what to order, coming back to our table several times before we made up our minds.

The food arrived in due time and we enjoyed our meals. Everyone sampled a bit of each other's meal so we had a flavourful time.

Two of us also had dessert - namely a serving of coconut cream pie and a piece of freshly baked apple pie

The total price for our experience was $54.49 before tip and taxes (no alcohol).

A nice restaurant for a change of pace.

Pleasantly sponsored by Sonic Northern - check out their new Recording Studio section on the website.

Indian Summer Restaurant

It was a gorgeous May evening with temperatures approaching the mid twenty mark as we arrived at the Indian Summer Restaurant on Paris Street.

There were only a few patrons when we arrived resulting in us getting superior service.

Our waitress, who seemed to be of East Indian descent, advised us that most of the food on the menu was not "spicy" unless we specifically asked for a highly seasoned dish.

We spent some time perusing the menu and decided on a light appetizer featuring an assortment of "Indian" cuisine.

We then gave our orders and waited expectantly for the results. We were all pleasantly surprised since the meals all had some sort of extra spice to them but nothing overbearing.

We ate to our fill and then the ladies decided to order a dessert for each of them. Not knowing what it would be, but based wholly on the menu description, they told our waitress what they wanted.

Our total bill before tip (no alcohol) for three was $66.04

Blame me for neglecting the menu review cards at this meal. The only review available is mine.

Nicely sponsored by Sonic Northern

Herc's Greek Eatery

Blog Ranked High on Google

It was a gorgeous afternoon when we arrived at Herc's Greek Eatery on Notre Dame Avenue.

I had not been there before, but my other two companions were there several years ago.

Eatery is a good term for this restaurant. As you enter, you immediately see a counter at the end of the hallway. There you are greeted by a hostess who will take your order and explain the options to you. A signboard above the preparation area shows the menu and the prices.

I was not particularly familiar with Greek food and needed a little help with the selections. I decided on the combo (mixed souvlaki) and we all proceeded with our orders. Then, with a small number card, we picked out a place to sit.

It was not crowded, which was good, since the tables were placed quite close together. At 5'9" and 220 lb, I am not a small guy and I tend to spill out of any small chair that I am seated in so I was happy that the crowd was light.

It seemed a busy enough place with two waitresses to look after the guests as well as monitor the drive-though.

The meals were large enough and tasted quite good. If greek food has a particular flavour it would be garlic - like the seasoning on our salads.

The young lady who brought our food was kind enough to take our photo and was also very friendly.

She was at our table at least three times to ask if we needed anything else. We took her up on her offer and ordered two glasses of water.

Our youngest adventurer was not hungry, having eaten not long before we went out.

One of our members is overseas visiting her family so for the time being we will be a party of 3.

Herc's Greek Eatery, aptly named

Our bill was $38.09 before tip (no alcohol)

Happily sponsored by Sonic Northern

Respect Is Burning

After a short hiatus while I look for a new vehicle, we arrive at Respect Is Burning on a cool Wednesday evening.

This has become a very popular venue in Sudbury for an evening meal or other event. I had made a reservation in advance, and that is probably necessary if you want to be assured of sitting right away.

Many people arrived shortly after us and we were there at 5:15 pm.

The place has a high ceiling and there are many "artistic" paintings/sculptures on the wall.

The chairs are quite uncomfortable but it depends what table you get as each table seemed to have different chairs. They mostly seem to be of the "kitchen table" style chairs from earlier days.

One of the sculptures above our table protruded into our eating space and our youngest companion knocked her head on one corner by accident. It was a very hard sculpture looking to be made of steel.

The fake plants looked a little dusty and the background music (a Bob Marley CD) seemed overly loud. The lava lamp on one table was operative and it, like the music, seemed totally out of place for this type of restaurant.

Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful, dutifully reading off the evening specials before we ordered.

We decided on a couple of "starters" to get us going.

When I made the reservation, the woman on the phone told me that we could stay until 7:30, to which I agreed. I thought that we would be out of there within an hour but we ended up staying almost until that time.

The service, although good, was quite slow. If you bear in mind that this is a "Supper Club" which normally indicates a long, slow meal with plenty of time for conversation, then the tempo is very apropos.

With full stomachs, we declined dessert. Two of us ordered coffee which came in smallish mugs with "out of place" (in my mind) wood stir sticks.

The total price with one alcoholic beverage (before tip) was $100.37

Cheerfully sponsored by Sonic Northern

Harvey's Restaurant

It was snowing as we arrived at Harvey's Restaurant on Regent Street. The wind in our faces felt cold in spite of the relatively warm temperature of -2ºc.

We were happy even with the cold wind since we could feel the snow slowly leaving this part of the world. It is still three weeks to Spring, but already the weather is feeling warmer each day.

Harvey's is a staple here in Sudbury - much like the other fast food restaurants but with a little more class.

Our happy mood spilled over into our eating style as one tried onion "ear rings" and another played with a pickle.

There were few other people when we arrived but several were in the drive-through. Our order-taker was new at the job and having difficulty with our meal choices but she gamely got everything down - and correctly too. It must be difficult serving us as we sometimes change our minds during our order.

Shortly after we chose our meals, several more people arrived making the place quite lively with their chatter.

Our burgers, fries, poutine and all were quick to arrive on our trays as we sat at a smallish table to enjoy our repast.

All agreed that they enjoyed what they had ordered and had enough to eat - well almost - since the Dairy Queen is conveniently next door, we headed there right after our meals to enjoy a sweet dessert.

At a total of $31.32 including all taxes, it was a very reasonable deal.

Cheerfully sponsored by Sonic Northern

Guylaine's Cafe 2009 Long Lake Road

It was a warm evening when we arrived at Guylaine's Cafe. The temperature had soared during this day to a balmy +4 degrees. Nice after a week of bone-chilling -30's.

Guylaine's Cafe was a bit difficult to find and I was happy that I had called for directions prior to our visit. I had seen that the address was 2009 Long Lake road but all I could picture was the medical building beside Shoppers Drug Mart.

My call cleared up the dilemma. It was located at the back of the Medical building, just where I thought there was nothing but offices.

One of us knew the owner from previously and we were introduced to Guylaine and her husband upon our arrival.

We sat in smallish (for me) chairs surrounding our table.

There were a lot of figurines and other pieces of pottery on display in one corner. The place was spotless and we were pleasantly served by Guylaine herself.

There were many items on the menu with almost half of them being of the "all day breakfast" variety.

One of our members having been here before suggested a large bowl of poutine as an appetizer, and upon its arrival, we immediately dug in. It was the best poutine I had tasted in a long time.

Our meals came soon after we ordered. They were quite good but more of the "diner" style.

After eating, we decided on a dessert to take out. Of course we all ordered Guylaine's famous bread pudding which we had heard of before.

A decent meal with not too much atmosphere at a price of $78.91 before tip.

Cheerfully sponsored by Sonic Northern

Grumblers

There was a light snow falling the evening we went to Grumblers.

It has been many years since I was last here, but it looked inviting.

We entered the restaurant and noted two sides - one which was quite full of people who were mainly drinking and the other, which was empty except for a lone waitress.

We asked the waitress on the empty side "which restaurant is Grumblers?". She indicated that both places were part of Grumblers with the one she was at being also called "The Steakhouse" but that both were known as Grumblers.

Looking around, we decided that The Steakhouse would be our best bet since the other side was quite full.

Our waitress was very friendly and helpful as we decided on our orders that evening. She took our orders but she forgot was to ask how we liked our steak done. This was pointed out by our youngest member after our meals were brought to us. As I didn't order the steak, I never noticed, but the others certainly did - but too late to say anything as our meals were before us.

Our meals were excellent however and we enjoyed our dinner.

Quick service, average decor, good tasting meals at a price that seemed a bit high for what we received.

Total price before tip was $89.21 (no alcohol)

sponsored by Sonic Northern

Gonga's Grill

It was a bone-chilling -26 degrees c, on the night we arrived at Gonga's Grill on Brady Street.

We left our vehicle to shiver in the cold as we entered the spartan-looking "diner".

Our waitress quickly arrived after we seated ourselves at a utilitarian table with basic chairs. She handed us menus, asking if we wanted a beverage before our meal.

I was surprised at the extent of the menu. The number of choices on it caused us to take our time deciding on our orders.

Having made up our minds, we told the waitress what we wanted.

The time from ordering to arrival was quite quick and the food looked excellent.

Our taste-buds agreed and we enjoyed our meal.

With a friendly waitress and a bill totaling only $69.18 with dessert (before tip) we were very happy.

If you do not mind a sparse decor, then this place is highly recommended.





sponsored by Sonic Northern