My favourite thing in the world is Sunday morning breakfast with my family. Whether we are cooking or going out to get something, it’s great to sit and catch up with everyone over a meal. This week, we decided to head out for breakfast and we found a restaurant called Barb and Ernie’s Old Country Inn.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, I saw inside it actually looked like an old cottage. It was very charming. The line to get in was out the door and, according to some frequent goers, that’s normal for weekends. But don’t let the lines scare you. They really hustle to get you in, so you don’t end up waiting long.
Once seated, they waste no time in getting beverages out to you. When I looked at the menu, I realized that it was a family-owned restaurant. Ernie had purchased the restaurant in 1975, much to Barb’s dismay. At that time, it was actually a pool hall but a year later they decided to turn it into a dining hall. After two more years, the original renovations were finished and the restaurant was up and running. Even after many years of hardships, renovating and growth in the family, they’re still around and strong as ever. The rest of their story can be found either online or on the front of their menu.
Deciding what to eat was a struggle, due to all the options they have. My table ended up ordering a little bit of everything so we could try it all. When the food came out, we realized our eyes might have been bigger than our stomachs. They gave us so much food that it was heaping over the side of the plates. The waffles, crepes, eggs,omelettes, potato pancakes and hash browns were to die for. They were all so full of flavour, it was hard to stop eating even when you were full!
The highlight of the feast had to be the pancakes. They were massive, bigger than the menu and twice as thick. We couldn’t even finish a quarter of the pancakes because they were so big. It was so good though. Fluffy, sweet and just delicious. The food earned a 10 out of 10 in my eyes.
The one thing I didn’t love about Barb and Ernie’s was how long it took to get the food out. After ordering, it took close to an hour before we got our food. This could be because of how many people were actually there, or maybe they just put a lot of love into the food. But during that time, the servers never allowed a coffee to empty and they were pleasant.
My overall experience was awesome. We had delicious food, good company, friendly staff and you get it all for a really good price. Others at the restaurant also had positive experiences. They all seemed to embrace the cute cottage feel with a friendly, family atmosphere and their delicious food. That’s all you need to have a good time.
If you’re interested in heading to Barb and Ernie’s they are located 9906 72 Ave. NW. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. I would highly recommend heading down to check them out next time you’re heading out for breakfast!
– Sarah Fox
