Whitehorse Brunch Roundup
When planning a Mother’s Day outing in Whitehorse, once thing is certain: There are a “brunch” of options. We feature 3.
Restaurant
Bringing BBQ to the masses
Smoke and Sow, from food truck to Whitehorse restaurant. The menu includes beef brisket, pulled pork, racks of ribs and whole chickens.
Stock your freezers
Antoinette’s Restaurant decided they would work through the pandemic by providing their fellow Yukoners with frozen meals so they could stock their freezers and enjoy the dishes when they wanted.
Fifty years of meat, sausage and community
The Deli, as it is fondly nicknamed by so many, is a local icon to most Yukoners (not just those in Whitehorse), as well as to many travellers from around the world. (This tribute was written to help celebrate its 50th Anniversary on December 14, 2018.)
Ten years in Whitehorse and ready to celebrate!
Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antoinette GreenOliph came to Ontario at 13 years of age. She recalls that her family was the only black family in the neighbourhood and recollects the awkward questions and excluded feelings of growing up different. She fell in love with food at a young age. “I was …
Time for Thai!
The longer I have lived in Whitehorse, the more I have grown to understand that Yukoners crave Thai food and many will drive to Skagway just to taste the delicacies it offers.
In search of the perfect poutine
Poutine. This simple, but tasty dish, was officially put in the dictionary in 2014 and the CBC listed in the top 10 greatest Canadian inventions of all time.
Go Big, Jack
Big Bear Donair shares a parking lot with the old Salvation Army and wouldn’t be the first location many would look to for a new business venture.
Celebrating progress
March 8 is International Women’s Day. On this day we take the time to appreciate one another, mark the progress made, call for change, and celebrate the determination of community members to improve the lives of individuals who identify as women.
A royally good time
The Rendezvous event called Her Majesty’s Royal Feast is an elegant evening with a 5-course meal on Feb. 13 at the KDCC In its second year, Her Majesty’s Royal Feast was created to give the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Queen candidates a high class venue to deliver one of the most important components of the competition: …
Ride for Dad Rolls Into Town
Sixteen of the country’s top prostate researchers are meeting in Whitehorse this month and it’s partly because of Mike Thorpe. “Mike is very much responsible for this,” said Garry Janz, president of Ride for Dad – a non-profit organization that raises money and awareness about prostate cancer. Thorpe is co-chair of the Whitehorse branch. “Without …
Red Mammoth Comes to Dawson
It’s been a long time since mammoths have been in the Yukon valley, but a new one just appeared August 9, albeit in the form of a café. The Red Mammoth Bistro is Dawson City’s newest coffee and eating establishment, and they’ve hit the ground running. Owned by Emilie Aubin and Paul Wettstein, the bistro …
O – Delicious Oishi Sushi
Oishi Sushi is a small lunch counter located on the second floor above Shoppers Drug Mart on Main Street. It’s truly a hidden gem. Oishi means tasty or delicious in Japanese. The name is certainly an apt description of the food offered. Although it is tucked alongside the hallway leading from Zoomz to Hair Sensations, …
N – North Dragon Restaurant
We needed to find a place to go for lunch that started with the letter “N”. Well, we needed look no further than the North Dragon Restaurant. We were able to park right outside and go in to check out their display. The staff greeted us with smiles and friendly hellos. They pointed out the …
M – Making New Memories in a Spot with History
We went for dinner at Miner’s Daughter, which is in the historic Capital Hotel building and I imagine, if the walls could talk, we’d all be totally enthralled. As it was, we were impressed with the brick wall that still had the original signage painted in old fashioned lettering. Nice character. Juxtaposing the history in …
A Swiss Tradition in the North
Of course, you have noticed that many people from Switzerland visit the Yukon in summer. Did you ever ask yourself what they do in wintertime? Here is the answer: They enjoy a relatively mild winter in Switzerland and every now and then they eat a Swiss cheese fondue. Fondue has a long tradition in Switzerland …
Grazing around the world
Don’t you just hate it when you place your order for a dinner, after agonizing for 10 minutes, and then see something even better being carried past your table to someone else? The Cellar Steakhouse and Wine Bar, at the Edgewater Hotel, finally has as a solution: They are called Tapas. These mini-meals are miniature …
Erik Nielsen Gets a Long Overdue Facelift
Manlig says he’s excited about the project and looks forward to seeing it through to completion. He’s worked on similar projects before and brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic skillset to the table. The space on the main floor has been reduced slightly for the time being and there are a few construction …
February is Black History Month
by: Jillian Christmas Stepping off the plane in Whitehorse The last thing I expect to see is home Imagining I might roam this great black north not quite alone but close enough. Chris points out the window “That’s Antoinette’s, Caribbean food if you’re feeling in need of a pick-me-up She’s from Tobago.” And I’m not …
Better When It’s Bitter
Jennifer Tyldesley has spent her life behind the controls of aeroplanes: in the Air Force, flying search and rescue and most recently for Air North. I imagine her in a crisp white shirt with epaulettes gleaming, watching the Klondike Valley sweep away beneath an old Hawker Siddeley when she is struck by an epiphany: “One …
Comfort food can be healthy
“It is really nice here,” says Virginie Hamel as she looks at the high ceilings and natural woods of the Meadow Lakes Golf Club chalet. “And a lot of people from town, too,” says Hamel. “I was amazed at the amount of support I got from the community; Whitehorse is cool like that.” When the …
L – Make Yourself at Home
I picked up my companion to go for lunch at Legends Smokehouse & Grill, located in the Yukon Inn. We were pleased to find it quite busy. The place has a rustic ambience with wooden tables at the front and raised, framed alcoves by the windows. When we entered many patrons looked up from their …
Rooted in the Yukon
Toronto-based poet Claire Caldwell’s role as writer-in-residence at the Berton House in Dawson City ends this month. Caldwell is no stranger to the Yukon. She lived in Whitehorse from ages three to nine. These years had a deep impact on Caldwell. That’s where she found her fascination for nature and the outdoors, she says. “Certain …
K – Come See Why People Line Up
Klondike Rib & Salmon is only open in the summer. Both tourists and locals alike flocking to the restaurant. It’s a welcoming place, from the steps up onto the cozy front deck and its patio tables, through the entrance foyer to the dining room, which was originally opened as a tent frame bakery, called MacMillan’s …
The Queen Bee of Klondike Rib & Salmon
The young woman is dancing like nobody is watching, lip syncing animatedly to Abba’s “Dancing Queen.” It is 2 p.m. on a Monday and Klondike Rib & Salmon is packed. Is that a server or a customer? “It could be either,” says Dona Novecosky, craning her head for a better look, a mischievous smile on …
J – Java Connection – ” It Immediately Felt Right”
It was a nice, sunny day, the day we decided to go to the Java Connection. It immediately felt right, with its friendly and vibrant atmosphere and the sense of community. At the front, tables of two and of four lined up in two rows to allow for ample room to visit and to …
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The CutOff Restaurant & Pub: Real food for real Yukoners
The CutOff Restaurant & Pub has really nice customers. On a Sunday night, looking at the crowd that has come in for the ever-changing weekly dinner special, you see a lot of long-time Yukoners. Real Yukoners who dress comfortably and laugh out loud. This is what you get when you open a new restaurant 20 …
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H – Hue Oasis – “A Host of Colourful Flavours”
The Hue Oasis Restaurant in the Skky Hotel was a pleasant surprise. My companion and I, even though neither of us had been there before, had high hopes and we were not disappointed. We entered the restaurant through the foyer of the hotel and picked up local magazines as we went in. We were seated …
Pony Up For A Good Cause
Looking for a busting, bawling, rocking good time that’s also for a good cause? Then head out to the Gr8ful Spud on May 28th for a fundraiser for the Gyan Jyoti School Building Society. The Gyan Jyoti School Building Society is currently raising funds to build additional two new classrooms in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India. …
G – G&P Steakhouse – “Come As You Are for a Fine Evening Out”
It was time to go out for dinner and, since my regular companion was still on the high seas, I invited yet another friend. I was the first to arrive G&P Steakhouse on Main Street. As it was a Monday night, I hadn’t bothered to make reservations. I was lucky to get the last table. …
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Want to Try a New Restaurant?
In less than a year, Erin Loxam has found her way to the heart of the Yukon — through its stomach. While still a cheechako, she has visited more local restaurants than any sourdough, and has done us the good service of writing about her dining experiences on her blog All Yukon Eat. When she moved …
Fusion of fun and authenticity
A weary traveller can be forgiven for expecting typical food in a highway restaurant, even in a nice place like the Skky Hotel in Whitehorse. Instead, at the Hue Oasis Asian Fusion Restaurant and Bar, they find a passionate dedication to South Asian cuisine in an elegant and warm atmosphere. Heavy cherry-wood chairs sit upon …
E – Earls – “A Cozy Meal in a Busy Place”
It was a beautiful sunny day when we went for lunch at Earls Restaurant. We agreed to meet there at 1 o’clock, but I arrived a bit late. I waited in the lovely broad foyer, wondering if we were eating in the restaurant or the lounge. Either one looked welcoming. The waiter came to …
D – The Deli – “Euro-mazing”
The minute you walk into The Deli at Yukon Meat and Sausage you know you are in a special environment. The place simply smells like, well, like Europe. The shelves are stocked with delightful offerings from Germany, from Holland, from Denmark, from England. Many of the items are imported directly from overseas, but Yukon Meat …
48 Hour Film Festival
Last week, I took place in the YFS 48 Hour Film Challenge. Along with five friends, we created a music video to a Michael Feuerstack song called “Out of Season.” Our team was myself, Bailey Staffen, Graham Lang, Tara McCarthy, Andrew Stratis and Brett Elliot. Our combined film experience is roughly equivalent to our combined …
A – Antoinette’s Restaurant “A is for Awesome”
Where to go for dinner? I couldn’t decide but I knew there are many restaurants in Whitehorse from which to choose. But how to choose? Being the well-ordered, disciplined person that I am (read perfectionist), it made perfect sense to me to begin at, well, the beginning and make my way through our city’s eating …
It’s Been a Slice
If you’ve walked past Bocelli’s Pizzeria lately, you may have seen a small sign in the window advertising its farewell. The local makers of saucy, thincrust Italian-style deliciousness are closing their doors. On Friday, August 28, the pizza oven will fire for the last time. Bocelli’s has been at the corner of 4th Avenue and …
The Thai Box
Guess what I did today? I ate Thai Food. Coconut rice! Pad Thai! And I didn’t even have to go to Skagway. All I did was walk along the river to Rotary Peace Park, where a little red trailer was serving a small selection of the food I’ve missed since moving here. It’s called the …
The Newest Coffee and Beer Headquarters
Micah Quinn likes a challenge — whether it’s hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada (4265 kilometres) alone, or re-imagining a local Whitehorse coffee shop as a dynamic new hub for the community, he’s up for it. Late last year Quinn was finishing a contract at Yukon College. He had spent the last …
If it’s Tuesday, it must be … Thailand?
From the modern glass and metal outer door, to the wooden old-timey inner door, The Wheelhouse Restaurant’s guests are instantly transported back to the Whitehorse of the 1930s. If they take the tour, those guests aren’t sure if they are smiling at Art Webster’s enthusiasm, or at the sheer cleverness of the coat rack and …
Bailey’s
It may not be a bar where everybody knows your name, but they sure as heck have seen you shoveling your driveway. It’s a neighbourhood pub. Its busiest nights are between Monday and Friday as Porter Creek welcomes home its residents after a long day of work. And Bailey’s Pub and Grill may not be …
Le Chien Gourmet
While hot dogs are not traditionally considered ingredients for classy dining, Carl Pearce of Antoinette’s Restaurant in Whitehorse begs to differ. Here are four of his creations, which prove that dogs can be a delicacy.
Say Aloha to Dawson’s New Taco Cart
Dawson City’s blend of old-time charm and contemporary conveniences gives it a rare appeal, so it’s fitting that a taco cart will soon grace this beautiful little Klondike town. Dawsonites Georgia Hammond, Allie Haydock, and Blake Cameron can’t wait to get Aloha Tacosrolling. The trio behind Aloha has known each other for years, and have …
Exploring Good Service in Whitehorse
When I first travelled to Canada and the United States I was impressed with the service I got — from the smallest breakfast restaurant, to a fancy steakhouse. Among other things, I enjoyed being called “sweetie” and “honey,” by servers, and I found North Americans have higher standards than Germans. Back in Germany I told …
Fondue in the forest is a social event: Wolf’s Den Restaurant does it the European way
The fondue is one of the most social of meals. It requires the diner to wait between bites and, thus, has lots of opportunity to chat with others at the table. So it is no surprise that Wolf’s Den Restaurant is owned and operated by a Swiss couple, Harry and Yvonne Ochsner. You see, in …
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Proposing World Heritage Status for the Klondike
The headline on the front page of the July 24, 1997 edition of the Klondike Sun proclaimed, “Berton Proposes Dawson for World Heritage Site Status.” The Berton was Pierre Berton, of course, Dawson City’s most famous living son at the time and author of some 60 books. It wasn’t the first time anyone suggested the …
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Savouring Good Times of Food and Fellowship
Above Antoinette’s Food Cache is a sign that proclaims it to be an “International Slow Food Restaurant”. In a culture that often idolizes speed, such a proclamation seems a little out of place. But maybe there is more value in slowness than we often give it credit for. Antoinette Oliphant would certainly agree. She is …
Tasting Tagish
Pat McKenna takes a cook’s tour of famous, infamous and soon-to-be-famous Yukon chefs. Café, motel, RV park, store and more – Tagish Stores is serving up authentic German cuisine, real Italian coffee and a Saturday barbecue for which reservations are recommended. Kurt and Jutta Gantner are the owners, operators and chefs who credit their style …
Comfort food from down-home Jamaica
The air was cold outside and the snow was deep and soft. The sun wasn’t shining and the Internet had been down all morning. But none of that mattered when my Lovely Dinner Companion and I entered Pickapeppa, just across from the Yukon Government Building on 2nd Avenue. It was as warm and as moist …
From the Middle East, to the Maritimes, to the Yukon
My eyes were closed as my teeth rested in the juicy, flavourful shawarma. It was beautifully spiced and juicy meat, wrapped in a warm pita along with lettuce, hummus, tomatoes and a homemade Tarator sauce. I was instantly transported back in time, 30 years, to Oromocto, New Brunswick. It is where I tasted my first …
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Considering the Glass … of Wine
I was introduced to a neighbour who is planing to open a restaurant and it got me thinking about wine glasses. The restaurant is expecting to serve red and white wine, something bubbly, and some port-style wines. This covers pretty much the range that any basic wine drinker might expect to taste at home. It …
The Ideal Wine Collection?
As I mentioned in my last article, I have been invited to develop a wine list for a restaurant that a neighbour of mine plans to open in the next four to six weeks. I was interested, and flattered, that she wanted my input. It also occurred to me that if a reader wanted to …
Painting the Public Face of Dawson
Our mayor, Peter Jenkins, likes to say that moving the capital city to Whitehorse did Dawson a favour. We lost the politicians but got to keep the buildings. Leaving aside the fact that this comment comes from a man who has been in politics almost continuously since the early 1980s, it is true we have …
Fine Pairings for a Birthday Treat
I’m not looking to expand my writing into the restaurant review arena, but I couldn’t help but relate an excellent dining experience I had last week. A couple of close friends invited me out to dinner last Thursday night, to celebrate both my birthday and the successful completion of an exam one of my friends …
The best burger in town
When foodies get restless, they debate “the $100 hamburger”. It’s an intellectual exercise that asks the question, “What would you have to do to justify charging $100 for a hamburger?” So, it was with great interest that I watched my Lovely Dinner Companion order a Bison Burger at Skky Hotel’s Volare Restaurant. It was only …
