Watch above: Saskatoon has become a foodie favorite with an ever expanding landscape of fine cuisine. Aaron Streck takes a look at some of the risk takers opening up niche places to nosh.
SASKATOON – With so many choices and so much competition, Saskatoon is becoming a foodie haven.
“More and more restaurants are popping up left and right, people in Saskatoon they like to eat and it’s not so much a steak and potatoes town any more,”said Stacked Gourmet Burger Bar owner Matthew Schryer.
“The horizons are getting more and more broad for sure, everyone has different tastes which is nice but that’s what keeps us on our toes for sure is the competition around.”
Burgers were a hit at Woodfire Grill, the name not so much. Matthew Schryer decided to take his business and build it solely on burgers. Stacked Gourmet Burger Bar on 2nd avenue has been open now for two months.
“We’ve kind of taken the burger and enhanced the concept of the burger, we treat the burger like it’s a high end piece of meat from top to bottom,” said Schryer.
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“I do everything from a regular ground burger to the finest wagon beef burger and no one’s doing that here,” said head chef Jacquelyn Hawkes. “I’m doing a prime rib burger, I’m working with all locally sourced ingredients and meats, I do everything from a lamb to a turkey.”
READ MORE: Top Chef Canada season one winner opens restaurant in Saskatoon
Nosh Eatery and Tap has proven if there’s a need and a market for a unique concept, customers will eat it up.
“Often a vegetarian choice at a restaurant or vegan choice is an afterthought unfortunately, something that’s just put together as a token sort of effort and it was just time, Saskatoon’s been ready for new dietary options for awhile,” said Tania Friesen, co-owner and general manager of the Nosh Eatery and Tap.
Competition is what drives Dale MacKay. The Top Chef Canada season one winner has received national recognition for Ayden Kitchen and Bar including being rated the tenth best restaurant in the country by vacay.ca.
“At the end of the day quality is always going to win and being unique and giving someone an experience rather than just dinner, we’re not trying to give you just dinner, we’re trying to give you an experience,” said MacKay.
With no shortage of places to eat and more on the way, 2015’s food scene shows no signs of simmering down.
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