Regina Archives - Foodology

In Regina

Regina Rolling Robot Tours: Exploring Historic Sites of Wascana

June 28, 2018

Regina Rolling Robot Tours was highly recommended to us on our trip to Regina. It’s not like everyday we get to ride in style along Wascana Centre on Segways. I’ve been on similar tours around the world and it’s a great way to see the city. For those with mobility issues, it’s actually a really good option as all you need to do is gently lean forward to move straight ahead.

Historic Sites of Wascana Tour

They currently offer 2 tours that last 1.5 hours that are attractive to both locals and tourists – Nature Conservation Tour and Historic Sites of Wascana Tour. As first time visitors to Regina, Historic Sites of Wascana Tour suited us better to learn more about the history of Saskatchewan’s Provincial Government and it’s home in Regina.

This tour would take us to:

Saskatchewan Legislative Building
Pine Island
Albert Street Memorial Bridge
Speaker’s Corner
Wascana Bandstand
Lakeshore Park Kwakiutl Totem Pole
Holodomor Statue

As we were on a private tour with the 2 of from Foodology, Jamine made us feel very comfortable and would make any stops if we were wanting to see something in-particular.

Training

Before we began the tour, Jasmine – the Owner and Tour Guide gave us a crash course on how to operate the Segways. My friend was very nervous at first as it was a completely new experience. Within 10 – 15 minutes, she was able to get a hang of operating it but still wasn’t too comfortable going full speed. Jasmine was very encouraging and help her gain more confidence.

Let’s Go

On the other hand, I just observed the training as this wasn’t my first time on a Segway. I ended up trying the Ninebot, which is more compact than a Segway, but it felt great. Safety is a #1 priority, so using cellphones or cameras while on the devices are prohibited. There are plenty of stops on the tour to grab great photos in and around Wascana Centre.

It was actually really nice to keep the devices away. We just enjoy the natural beauty of Wascana Centre and learned more about Regina’s rich history. Did you know, this entire lake is man made? Neither did we!

We lucked out on the weather when we arrived. Our tour was originally on a day where there were thunderstorms and strong wind, so it was cancelled for safety reasons. Fortunately, we were able to be rebooked for the next day before we headed out of town. It was worth the wait.

Lots of great sights along the way especially by the legislature building and garden.

Wrap Up

As we finished our tour, we were given pouches of bird seeds if we wanted to feed the birds around the area. Overall, it was a really fun tour and I would highly recommend it. Great for beginners and expert level Segway riders.

Website: https://rrrtours.ca/

Looking for more recommendations?

A big thanks to Tourism Regina for helping us make the most out of our trip to Regina. Check out their website to help plan your trip to Regina. There are a plethora of activities to do.

In Brunch

Skye Cafe & Bistro: Brunch in Regina

June 14, 2018

Inside the Saskatchewan Science Centre, you will find Skye Cafe & Bistro serving up fresh, local and seasonal cuisine to their guests. Located right by Wascana Lake, they attract locals and even travellers like me to their approachable menu that is simple and full of flavour. Chef Louise Lu and Chef Milton Rebello created Skye Cafe & Bistro really wanted to treat guests like they were dining in their home.

Interior

The interior is beautiful with the warm light fixtures and the natural light coming in from the windows. It was pretty busy for a Saturday morning so you might want to make a reservation if you’re in a larger group to ensure a seat.

Tea

Steeped loose leaf tea is available in Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green Sencha, peppermint or Rooibos. A good warm drink in the morning.

Morning Glory Smoothie

This smoothie is made of banana, strawberry, coconut milk and honey. It’s only available on the weekend but it was good and delicious. It has a prominent taste of banana and strawberries so the coconut milk wasn’t strong.

Crab Cake Benedict

The dish has Yukon gold potato hash, poached eggs, citrus hollandaise, house greens, crab cakes and asparagus.

The Weekender

This perfect breakfast dish has 2 eggs cooked sunny side up, potatoes, toast, salad, and your choice of bacon or sausage. I of course went with bacon. It was a well rounded dish and the egg yolks were nice and bright.

Final Thoughts

Brunch at Skye Cafe and Bistro was great. The dishes were well rounded, fresh and delicious. If I’m ever in Regina again, I’ll definitely be back.

Website:
https://skyecafeandbistro.com/

Address:
2903 Powerhouse Dr, Regina, SK

In Dessert

Milky Way Ice Cream in Regina

June 10, 2018

Milky Way Ice Cream is a Regina staple for locals even when it is -20c outside. That means no melting ice cream. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. When I visited in early June, the weather was around 20c, so this place was buzzing with people getting cones. There is free parking out front and in the back.

Banana Split

I got a classic banana split because I haven’t had one as a kid. It has a whole banana cut into 2 slices, 3 scoops of vanilla soft serve, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, pineapple sauce and whipped cream. All they were missing was the cherry on top. It was pretty big, so it was really hard finishing it all.

Final Thoughts

If you want some nostalgia, you’ll definitely want to come here. They even have twist cones too.

Address:
910 Victoria Ave, Regina, SK

Website:
http://www.milkywayicecream.com/

In Canadian

The Willow on Wascana: 6 Course Tasting Menu in Regina

June 9, 2018

Our first dinner in Regina was at The Willow on Wascana to indulge on their 6 Course Tasting Menu to get a taste of their take on Saskatchewan regional cuisine. Their menu is seasonal, so it does change up. They have been open since 2004. They are Regina’s only restaurant overlooking the lake of Wascana. The patio was closed when we went due to the weather, so we sat inside and still enjoyed the view of the lake from our seats.

6 Course Tasting Menu

The tasting menu is $75 and you can add the wine flight for $35 extra or their premium wine flight for $55. We went with the tasting menu as it was a great way to get a feel for their menu. Plus, sometimes I get indecisive when choosing dishes, so I like to leave it up to the experts.

Amuse Bouche

We started off with the Moroccan chicken drumette with chili oil. I like the subtle amount of chili oil to give it a better depth of flavour. The spices they used were really good too.

Shrimp Taco

This has pickled selva shrimp and tomato salad with avocado lime cream, Coteau Hills feta and cilantro with crispy tortilla crumble. The shrimp was delicate and full of natural sweetness. The dish was like a deconstructed taco and I liked it.

Gnudi

These ricotta parmesan dumplings are tossed in sage brown butter with preserved lemon vinaigrette and micro greens sautéed greens. The parmesan is prevalent and was enjoyed with the brown butter sauce.

Rocaan Chicken

This has Ras el hanout spiced chicken breast on creamy sesame chick pea puree with charred eggplant salsa and mint gremolata. I enjoyed this as the chicken breast was very moist and the spices were tasty.

Petite Mole

This has mole spiced petite tenderloin on fried polenta with Pico de Gallo, sautéed greens and ancho garlic crema. The polenta was a good accompaniment to the tenderloin, but the tenderloin was more on the medium side rather than medium rare.

Cheesecake

This is not your average cheesecake. It has goat cheese lime cheesecake with house made sesame snap, apple miso caramel and candied walnuts. We enjoyed the goat cheese lime cheesecake but the sesame snap was a smidge thick and ended up sticking to our teeth a lot rather than having a good snap.

Drinks

I got the Paloma, which is a tequila based cocktail with grapefruit juice, lime and soda. My friend got a virgin drink and asked for something fruity.

Final Thoughts

This place is a gem in the Summer especially with the views from the Wascana Lake. Dining on the patio would be gorgeous. We were stuffed after all 6 courses, it was actually a good size and gave us a taste on dishes using seasonal Saskatchewan ingredients to create delicious flavours.

Address:
3000 Wascana Dr, Regina, SK

Website:
http://www.willowonwascana.ca/

In Airplane Meals

Air Canada (AC8570): Vancouver (YVR) to Regina (YQR)

June 8, 2018

To get from Vancouver to Regina, we chose to fly with Air Canada for their price and timing to make the most out of our days in Saskatchewan. Our flight was at 8:55am on a Friday and it was a full flight.

Boarding

We waited patiently as we boarded the plane at 8:25am. They checked out boarding passes and looked at our ID. As Canadian Citizens, we showed them our drivers license. If you are from another country, a passport is required. Boarding went smoothly and got to our seats.

The Flight

The 2 hour flight was on their Air Canada Express plane, which was a 2-2 configuration for seats. The overhead compartments are smaller than other flights I’ve been on, so getting my carry on to fit was a bit of a challenge and needed some pushing. Alternatively, you can store your carry on under the seat in front of you. Then you can put your personal bag up top.

The leg room had ample space, but then again, I am 5”3. So, I’m a bit on the shorter size.

Meals

We were offered a complementary beverage, so I went with my usual sparkling water with the full can as I get pretty thirsty. I always ask for the full can.

Entertainment

The entertainment system has some of the latest Cineplex movies, TV shows, games, song and flight information. There are wi-fi options available too.

If you need to charge devices, there is a USB port.

In-Flight

As for timing, the flight arrived and landed on time with minimal turbulence. Everything was as expected.

Final Thoughts

Even though people complain about flying with Air Canada, I’ve never had any issues with them and also the price is very good in comparison.

As we descended upon Regina, our Saskatchewan journey begins for the next 5 days.

In Regina

Exploring Graffiti in Cathedral Village

June 8, 2018

I love seeing tasteful graffiti up on public walls, it’s like an outdoor art gallery that captures the fun and joyfulness of a city. When visiting Regina, we wanted to take a look at Cathedral Village for their cute shops and vibrant graffiti that line the alleys of the neighbourhood.

Where is it?

On 13^th Avenue between Albert Street and Elphinstone Street are alleyways and buildings covered in a multitude of murals created by local artists. There is tons of free public parking in the area to stop and wander around. Most spots were 2 hours maximum.

How much time to spend here?

We spent about 45 minutes in the area walking up and down both sides of the street as well as going down alleyways.

What Can I See?

Once upon a time Cathedral Village wasn’t a vibrant art community. It was riddled with graffiti from gang rivalry. Of course this didn’t look very appealing on businesses, churches, and even homes. The locals took it upon themselves to curb their behaviour by commissioning artists to craft murals. The murals are lovely and you can see many different types of techniques and artistry.

We wandered up and down the street to find the murals hiding between buildings and in alleys. If you blink, you might just miss one. Keep your eyes open as there are quite a few.

From animals to abstract trees, there is something that will catch your attention.

If you’re looking for an Instagrammable mural, you’ll find it here to pose with.

One of my absolute favourites is this brick wall with individually painted bricks that reveal a big image of a laughing person. Very creative.

Final Thoughts

If you love public art, you’ll enjoy wandering around Cathedral Village in Regina especially with the beautiful Summer weather.

Website: http://www.cathedralvillage.org/