Ali Z's recommendation to save money and calories by preparing your own meal is well-heeded by most air travelers. Be sure to chow down on your gourmet goodies before you hit the unsmiling security people who confiscate your roasted red pepper tapas or cilantro chicken wrap for themselves.
Unless, of course, you just spent the last 3.5 hours traversing the Prairies without so much as a corn niblet or a sushi rice grain in sight. Weary beggars in this era of no-meal airlines cannot be choosy, especially on a 57 minute layover. After stumbling off the WestJet ramp, the beau and I fixated on the food court signs and mulled over an array of options spread out before us.
After dithering between Subway and A&W, the novelty of root beer and crunchy onion rings won us over. Prices for a simple meal of a Mozza burger, onion rings, and a drink tip the scales above average, but raging demons of appetite will consider dining on a cardboard fry box if properly seasoned by ketchup and a ripple-cut dill pickle. What I got wasn't pretty or impressive, just a pile of lettuce and cheese slapped between two pasty white buns paler than Billy Idol's derriere in February. But it did the trick, being heated (I suppose they learned to operate the grill in the week since Ali went) and suspiciously crunchy fry stubs to delight any toddler. I think maybe three of the eponymous French nubs actually qualified as fries by even a generous definition.
On the other hand, French fries -- together with avocados -- have become my secret weakness while I'm expecting, so French nubs might be better to my health all around. I couldn't tell you whether they were actually tasty, given they exuded more heat than flavour.
A&W loses a star for being stingy with serviettes and offering none at their counter (seriously?), overloading their drinks with ice in a subterfuge I come to strongly resent, and the cashier looking cross-eyed at my beau when he asked if his root beer flavoured ice might come with a refill. It's an honest question. She was serving up beverages worthy of walruses, and supposedly it is a criminal offense to inquire.
On the plus side, check out the neat Canadian airport memorabilia on your tabletop. Lots of hidden gems there about Canadian aeronautic pioneers help enliven a travel-tired mind. read more