Medicine Hat Media

Best Restaurant Picks of 2010

We have some guest posts this time around for our best restaurant picks of 2010. Did it really take us this long to post it? I was originally going to write about how the Medicine Hat College cafeteria has the best wraps I have ever had, but the cafeteria is not really a restaurant, so I omitted my pick this year and let the others share their insights.

Favourite Restaurant of 2010

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Local Public Eatery

by @DustyMelling

With locations in Vancouver and Edmonton I’m not sure how local they are, but they definitely use the local theme to their advantage with references such as “City Hall: The hardest working person? The window cleaner.” The waitresses have been very enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is dim yet sparkling. They also feature the chefs up front by the doors, the menus are on a folded map of downtown, and the place is all around well designed, even the table tops are neat.

“It’s common food done uncommonly well”, as said on the website and I must say – I do agree. Being vegetarian can be tricky eating out, and the menu is somewhat limited, but this is where the best veggie burger in the world* is made, FRESH every time, with tons of DELICIOUS toppings, on a poppy seed bun. The normal fries are cut in shoestring-style similar to McDonalds and served in a bucket (that’s right – a bucket), and the yam fries are sweet and subtly amazing. The guacamole is brought to the table and you can decide how much of what you want in it and they mash it right there just to show HOW DARN FRESH it is, this and the queso cheese dip in Duo of Dips are both terrific.

There’s really too much about it simply tell, I highly recommend going yourself for a unique and tasty experience.

Thai Orchid Room

by @MikeLaevens

Thai Orchid Room is a fantastic dining establishment. It possesses a classy Thai atmosphere with a family restaurant feel. Every experience is unique, whether you want a romantic dinner for 2 or share a dozen dishes among a group of friends. The food is authentic and served steaming hot. The spices are always fresh and the helpings are quite generous. Thai Orchid offers a great selection of beverages including several Thai beers, Thai milkshakes, and a large wine list. If you are looking for an authentic Asian experience and a great time with friends look no further than Thai Orchid Room.

Thuy Tien

by @JaceAnderson

Thuy Tien is #1! Or I’ll let you make that call, as personal tastes differ, but they are certainly in the conversation.

We are talking of course, about Thuy Tien, or is it pronounced ‘Thoo-eey ten’ or ‘teen’ maybe? Never mind how you pronounce it, just as long as you know how to find them; 600 block of 2nd street South East in Downtown Medicine Hat.

They are a favorite spot for local twitter lunch group #tweepsngeeks. Hosting a lunch at Thuy Tien always ensures a great turn out. The quality & taste of food is a big reason why.

Don’t just take the internets word for it, visit Thuy Tien. Be sure to order a number one. When in doubt a sixty-one is also my regular. It’s all good.

The Medicine Hat Buffet

by @MizMcKay

Ok, I admit this wasn’t going to be an easy evening out. My sister, who was up visiting from a small rural Southern Alberta town was here for the weekend. With her family of 7 our group consisted of 4 adults, 6 teenagers, 2 preteens, and a toddler. We decided to head over to “The Medicine Hat Buffet” where certainly, there would be enough food and no one, not even the pickiest of the kids, would still be hungry when we were done.

I can still see the faces watching us as our “energetic” group entered the front doors. We were greeted with a smile and asked, “table for how many…..?” there was silence as we started to count heads. It was slightly difficult with all the pushing & shoving of 7 hungry, growing boys. “13” we replied and we all followed the hostess to our tables. After quickly getting settled the kids went up and got started. I was immediately impressed to see a hand sanitize station at the entrance of the self-serve area; even happier to see MOST of the kids use it before taking a plate.

The food was plentiful and the staff were continuously topping up the trays, wiping spills, and smiling. It looked clean, the food looked great, the people working were friendly and helpful. From soups, a full salad bar, seafood, beef, chicken, pork, pastas, side dishes, as well as 8 flavours of Premium Brand ice cream, soft ice cream, cakes, pastries & fresh fruit. The selection was indeed wonderful.

Our drinks were refilled without wait, our emptied plates taken away without delay, extra napkins subtly left on the table and all by 2 smiling waitresses.

By the time we were done, everyone had full bellies and felt very content. The bill was reasonable and hopefully the waste was minimal. With a chuckle from the men, the
kids (all 9) were escorted out and my sister and I went up to pay. Here is my only real complaint – the debit machine has no tip function and neither my sister nor I saw the small sign that requested the tip amount be adjusted on the bill before paying. Luckily I had some cash. I left what I had and still feel bad it was not the tip I would have liked to have left. Those 2 waitresses had definitely earned a good one.

All in all it was a great choice to take a large group of hungry relatives on short notice and we will absolutely be returning.

Thank you Medicine Hat Buffet.

Jungle Cafe

by @VaughnRoyko

Well, I guess I have to mix it up a bit. Dublin’s is normally my default (but I want to do something new), Thai Orchid Room was picked, and now somebody even picked Local Public Eatery – one of my new favourites. What am I supposed to pick? Well, I guess another one of my other favourites – which I mentioned in my top 5 restaurants post in 2008, Jungle Cafe. Conveniently placed within the Medicine Hat Lodge, Jungle Cafe is consistently varied – that is, if you pick the lunch or dinner buffet, which is what I am suggesting.

There’s also tons of different foods, dishes, sides and treats to try out. It’s never been the same twice for as long as I have been going there; however, there’s always a slice of apple pie to finish off my meal (and around 20+ different deserts as well). There’s also your basics, like soups, vegetables, a full salad bar, buns, crackers, fruits, dips, and sauces – which more or less stay the same unless there’s some special entrées served. Speaking of which, there is always 5-10 different entrées or “courses” to choose from. There’s a varying number there because some of the entrées are served together.

The buffet works like a normal buffet, just with better food and presentation, but at a premium price. If you don’t want to go with the buffet, they also have a full menu to choose from. Again, it’s not the cheapest place, but the food is definitely worth it in my mind… especially because I always leave with a belly full enough for the whole day.

User Comments

2 Responses to “Best Restaurant Picks of 2010”

  1. March 28th, 2011 at 1:22 PM


    Vaughn says:

    I think we have a clear winner here. Well deserved, I might add.

  2. March 28th, 2011 at 1:37 PM


    Brian says:

    I love Local. I wish their Guinness was more affordable ($8 pints) but I love their large selection on tap.

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