poll: favourite casual restaurants?

Best wishes to Graham Leathers, whose new show opens on Friday. Gray recently bought a new digital recording set-up, by the way, and once the Fringe Festival is over he says he's going to work on his solo filk CD, aiming for a FilKONtario release date.

Today's photos were taken at Webers, on the way to the cottage. Webers is a fast food joint that has long been a traditional rest stop for many families on the way to and from the cottage; they serve up to 6,000 people on a Friday in the summer. My family used to stop at Webers when we went camping every summer in Algonquin Park (correction: Ruth says we never did this as a family! I must be losing braincells.)





The first employee ever hired by Webers, Michael McParland, still works 3-4 shifts ever week in the summer. He wears a headband and a button that says "KEY MAN". He was there when we visited, looking pretty cool.

The ordering process at Webers is remarkably efficient. While in line-up, someone comes to take your order, rings in into the cash register, then gets your payment. By the time you actually reach the serving counter a few minutes later, your order's usually ready.

The cookstaff are enthusiastic, friendly. Sometimes they sing, and not even with a "this is part of our job description" attitude, but like they're actually having fun.

Sometimes we take food in the car, but most often we choose to dine in the grassy picnic area, or (if it's raining) in one of the train cars converted into an informal dining area. I love the hamburgers, but I confess I can't be entirely objective about it; for me, they are associated so strongly with wonderful childhood memories and past/present excitement about going to the cottage.

So what about all of you?

Poll: What are your favourite casual restaurants?

What are or were your favourite casual eating places? Beloved greasy spoons? Why are they your favourite? How often do you go there? How about places you've really enjoyed outside of your hometown? Here are just a few of my favourites in places other than Toronto:

- fish & chips place in the UK that Lissa and Phil know about

- milkshake place in Winnipeg that Graham & Dave & Tom know about (honey-cinnamon was my favourite, I think, yum)

- Indian place in Buffalo that Rand and Tanya know about (chicken malai to die for)

I'm sure there are others I can't recall now, so I reserve the right to add to this list over the next few days. :-)