It’s the most wonderful time of the year….
I hope you sang that line…you know… like that Xmas song and the Staples jingle? No? Yes? Ok. Moving on…I’m not talking Xmas or back to school. I’m talking about my favourite time of the year…CNE time!!
The news broke about the new food items at the CNE a few days before opening. I was quite impressed with this year’s offerings and of course was very excited to try as many of them as my stomach could handle.
The day began early, just after the opening. Always best to get there early and avoid the food line ups. The first meal of the day was from Far East Taco. I selected the kalbi and bulgogi bao, both items I have eaten in previous years. I’ve always enjoyed them, but this year I definitely noticed a difference. The bao was much bigger, fluffier, but I found that it overwhelmed the filling. Still made a good breakfast however. 
Now it was time to start trying the new food offerings. First up was Bub’s Bad @SS Burgers and the beef patty cheeseburger. Yes, you heard me, a cheeseburger with a split beef patty as the bun. Quite a tasty burger. Seasoned well. A nice change to the typical cheeseburger.
Next up, Jake’s Lobster for some garlic snow crab fries. My FAVE of the day. The fries were perfectly crispy and never got soggy. The garlic aioli was delish, though there could have been a bit more of it. The feathery shredded crab generously covered the fries like snow. I’m craving this right now.
Always time for some drinks. Some vodka lemonade at the beach bar and then a nice glass of cab merlot at the wine bar near the shopping area.
After all the savoury, it was time for some sweet. Out to the midway to find some deep-fried cheesecake. Creamy vanilla cheesecake, dipped in batter and fried perfectly. Then back to the food building for some deep-fried red velvet Oreos. I expected them to have a redder hue, but no matter, they still tasted great. I am a sucker for Oreos.
Time for deep-fried gnocchi. Pillowy potato nuggets with a slight crisp dipped in some tangy marinara sauce. A good snack.
Chicken waffle on a stick was something new this year too. Isn’t everything better on a stick? Enjoyable. Some fruity sherbet as a palate cleanser.
Eating at the CNE may have ended, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t continue to eat at home. Had to get some Jamaican oxtail with rice and peas. I was disappointed last year (they sold out), so I was determined to get some this year (tears would have been shed if I didn’t). Craving satisfied.
Lastly, I needed some Filipino snacks. Banana Turon – plantain banana, rolled in brown sugar, wrapped in a spring roll wrapper and fried to a golden colour. When I see this anywhere (including my parents house), it always comes home with me and I can eat a ton of it. FAVE! And then there was ukoy – a shrimp fritter made with thinly sliced potatoes, some bean sprouts, dipped in batter then fried and eaten dipped in garlic vinegar. I rarely eat this outside of the CNE, so it is definitely a nice treat for me.
Yet another successful CNE eating event. Was able to eat all the new food items I wanted to try. Threw in some shopping and laughs on top. It was a fantastic time. =)
Sweet Spell Bakeshop 