HAL’S KITCHEN: Two Winnipeg patios make national list

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There are lots of great patios in the city but two have made OpenTable’s new list of Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants for Outdoor Dining. They are Nicolino’s at 2077 Pembina and Block & Blade at 50 Sage Creek. Both are awesome spots! OpenTable says it compiles the annual list by analyzing more than 1.1 million diner reviews, as well as other metrics, including the number of eateries where people selected outdoor dining as a special feature. Nicolino’s owner Nick Zifarelli says he’s proud of his patio but it’s also about what you eat and drink. That’s why he’s brought in some cool stuff for summer dining, like Mediterranean Sea Bass which he serves head-on. That, says Nick, is what outdoor eating is all about to him. Let’s hope the weather gets better so we can spend more time enjoying Winnipeg’s many patios.

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TOP ROAD TRIP SNACKS

It was Jerky Day on Wednesday. But believe it or not, beef jerky has failed to make a new list of the top road trip snacks. Here’s the list…

1. Chips 47% (Tie)
1. Chocolate 47% (Tie)
3. Cookies 44%
4. Nuts/Seeds 43%
5. Candy 42%
6. Fresh/Processed Fruit 40%
7. Granola Bars 38%

For me, the meat stick is easily in the top three. The survey which generated this list also found that snacks are the most important aspect of taking a trip (38%). 71% say embarking on a road trip is a hall pass to eat as many snacks as you want.

SEE-SAW GROCERY SHOPPING

A new study in The Journal of Retailing says people see-saw between healthy and unhealthy purchases when grocery shopping. Dutch researchers say shoppers consistently followed a healthy choice with an unhealthy one. However, the balancing act seemed to stop the longer the shopping trip went on which could be due to shopper fatigue.

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TOO SPICY RAMEN

Denmark’s food agency has recalled three spicy flavors of Samyang instant ramen for being too hot. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration claims the levels of capsaicin in the noodle’s flavour packets were so high they pose an acute poisoning risk. The ramen hasn’t been pulled in other countries.

MAC & CHEESE POPCORN

You’ll have to go online to get it but a new Mac & Cheese Flavoured Popcorn is now available. It’s the same colour as Kraft Mac & Cheese powder. You can only find it at Popcorn Factory’s website.

KETCHUP-FLAVOURED KITKATS?

Nestle is hinting it might cash in on the new social media trend of dipping KitKats into ketchup. The brand posted this on Instagram. “Even when it’s KitKat, it has to be Heinz. Do we dare?” The post included a photo of a wrapper for the new variety with a reddish-tinted KitKat bar.

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PUP PATTY LAUNCHES

A&W has released a special drive-thru treat for your dog. The Pup Patty is a premium grass-fed beef patty that sells for $2. A portion of the proceeds until June 23 will go to support service dog charities across Canada. The unseasoned patty has actually been a secret menu hack for quite some time at A&W but now it’s official.

BASEBALL’S BIGGEST WEINERS

The Texas Rangers have the biggest wieners in Major League Baseball. The Broomstick Hot Dog is 24 inches long. The Baltimore Orioles are second with their 12-inch Yard Dog. According to BetUS, the smallest wiener is the six-inch Gator Chili Dog sold by the Miami Marlins.

— Hal has written columns for years. He’s also the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB. You can email him at Hal@HalAnderson.ca.

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