Zellers Family Restaurant

Kamloops, BC

Soon, we will be saying good bye to Zellers in Kamloops and saying hello to Target. I wanted to visit the Zellers Family Restaurant one last time before it was too late so I took the kids there for lunch. As always, we received plentiful portions and they tasted good. I will remember this nostalgic diner for the friendly service, 50’s diner atmosphere, tasty burgers and sandwiches, and their milkshakes. If only Zellers was rated based solely on its restaurant, this iconic chain may not have exited the shopping scene. You likely have until November 2012 when Zellers closes to pay your last respects to the Zellers Family Restaurant before it is considered part of history.

We don’t know whether Target Canada will include a restaurant as part of their store in Kamloops. Early reports indicate that there will be a Starbucks located in-store so Sahali Mall shoppers can choose to have their Starbucks on either ends of the mall as Safeway has an in-store Stabucks as well. I am hopeful that we will see Target’s Food Avenue Restaurant similar to what is in their US stores. Good bye Zellers and hello Target!!!

Jack Sams Restaurant

at Quaaout Lodge & Talking Rock Golf Course

Little Shuswap Lake, BC

This year in particular, the choices were plenty for Mother’s Day brunch in Kamloops and despite many of them being within City limits, we chose to take a leisurely 45 minute drive East to Little Shuswap Lake where Jack Sams Restaurant is located in the Quaaout Lodge & Talking Rock Golfing Course.

Jack Sams is known for their popular Sunday Brunches and First Nations inspired cuisine cooked with local ingredients. Since I have not been here before, I could not say whether this Mother’s Day Sunday Buffet was any more special than their usual Sunday brunch offerings but I can tell you that their price remained at their usual $18 per person and kids 5 years and under ate for free.  What seemed special was the flower pot at each table for Mom’s to take-away as a token gift for the occasion. 

The brunch consisted of mainly breakfast items such as Eggs Benedict, Bacon & Banger Sausages, Hash Browns, Pancakes, Omelet & Waffle Bar, Croissants, Muffins, Danishes, Fresh Fruit Platters, Coffee, Tea, Juices and a nice variety of desserts.  The brunch also featured phyllo pastries filled with salmon along with  a dill sauce topping and roast chicken.  We were very pleased with the selection, and the quality of the food.   We especially enjoyed the incredible interior and the spectacular views from the resort.  The kids enjoyed playing on the beach behind the resort and we came prepared with our own beach toys and all. 

I was hoping for Bannock and either Venison or Buffalo but I understand it could be a bit too unconventional for the occasion.  However, it gives us a very good reason to go back to try out their à la Carte menu that features Tatonka Carpaccio (sliced air dried buffalo served with onions, cornichons, and crostini), Wild Boar Bratwurst, Elk Ragout, and Grilled Venison Loin.  I also heard that they serve bannock instead of bread at dinner.  Sweet, call me hungry and bring on the food!!

This was a triple-win trip for all concerned, the kids loved playing in the water and on the beach, I got to try a very good restaurant and iLove2Shop got a very nice Mother’s Day outing that she so deserved. 

Nayaab Fine Indian Cuisine

Kamloops, BC

Nayaab Fine Indian Cuisine is located where the old Goldie’s used to be on the 500 block Seymour street in Downtown Kamloops.  Other than the location, this new restaurant has nothing in common with the former restaurant.  Like in the Food Network TV show, the Restaurant Makeover, the former owners of Spice Restaurant have converted this space into a very clean and modern surrounding that is visually appealing.  This place looks good but is the food any good? 

We dropped in for their daily Lunch buffet (Monday thru Saturday -
The price of the lunch buffet is $11.95 per person ) and was quickly welcomed by a people pleaser server with a quintessentially Indian name Brad, who showed an undying passion to make this the best restaurant in Kamloops.  Brad wanted to make sure everything was perfect for us.  Right off the bat, Brad wanted to make sure that we didn’t pay for street parking and instead strongly suggested that we drive to the back of the restaurant and use their private parking (if you do park there, be sure to look out for the light pole when you back out and don’t do what iLove2Shop failed to do, that is to avoid backing into the light pole).  Brad checked on us every 5-10 minutes and explained everything and anything about the food and we really appreciated his attention to detail.  One little detail the restaurant overlooked is to have a few high chairs for their younger customers but they had plenty of booster seats to go around.

Their buffet on this day consisted of Butter Chicken, Beef Vindaloo, Tandoori Chicken, Dhal Makhani, Pakora Bread, Papadum, Yellow Basmati Rice, freshly made Naan, Aloo Gobi, Salad and Pickles bar, a variety of different flavours of Chapman’s Ice Cream and my favourite Safron Rice Pudding.   All the food was laid out nicely and tasted freshly made.   I was looking for Gulab Jamun but I must have been satisfied as I forgot to order it from their menu.    Almost immediately taking our first bites, iLove2Shop and I commented to each other that we thought their food was very tasty and spiced just perfectly. iLive2Shop, self-professed Butter Chicken expert, was eager to taste the Nayaab version.   She liked this spicier version with a hint of tang and not as cream filled like most other versions found in Kamloops.  I loved their Beef Vindaloo Curry because of the aromatic flavours and spices of this dish.  The kids enjoyed the Pakora Bread, a deep fried snack where bread slices are coated with a thick batter made from chick pea flour and Indian herbs and spices.

I have said in the past that we like Spice on the Northshore and now, if we don’t feel like crossing the Overlander Bridge, we can find good Indian food on the south side of Kamloops by going to Nayaab Fine Indian Cuisines (I like Maurya’s too but have not blogged about their food, yet).

If Indian Food is not your thing, you can order Pizza from their co-brand Pizza Factory that is owned by the Nayaab owners.   Will leave that for a future posting.  But if you are looking for yummy Indian food in Kamloops, do yourself a favour, give Nayaab Fine Indian Cuisine a try.