Three Dunlop tires

Editor’s note: David offers a lighthearted alternative to the Michelin Guide.

There’s something heartening about watching grown people slobber ice cream all over their hands, faces and clothes. I think it’s the fact that eating ice cream has to be approached by accepting our inner child.

Yes, the big news is that the old/new Orchard Drive Dari-Bar has reopened, with a hard and soft ice cream service, just like it had before. But the bigger news is that the Bar now has table service, with friendly waitstaff wearing smiles and big red aprons emblazoned with the Chapman’s Ice Cream logo. That’s as opposed to the old line-up-at-thecounter- and-take-it-to-your-seat-yourself approach.

So it’s a restaurant that demands serious attention. And being the sort to do anything in pursuit of the story, I eagerly sampled the fare. Here is my restaurant review.

The menu attempts a fusion of American and Canadian cuisine, with an emphasis on traditional tried and true favourites, but without undue reliance on beets, turnips or any other locally grown produce. My meal of choice was the banquet burger—two meat patties together with cheese and bacon; with frites and a chocolate milkshake. My two companions elected to be more adventurous. One ordered a club sandwich with frites and coffee. The other ordered a plate of poutine avec un verre d’eau. We were subsequently joined at the table by a friend who ordered a hamburger (hold the bun), frites and a cup of tea.

I can report that all four of us experienced that kind of satisfaction that can only come from a truly memorable meal; when all one wants to do is savour each mouthful, perhaps squeeze on a little bit of extra ketchup, and then let the stomach off the hook for a while by allowing it a long nap. The banquet burger was generously proportioned and, as with the best of American-style hamburgers, round in shape; so that one could choose to digest it in either east coast fashion (from the side end through the middle to the other side) or west coast fashion (around the side in its entirety, with the middle saved to the end). By the time I had consumed my burger, I had lost track of the fashion of which I ate mine in, having been more occupied with using the paper napkin generously provided by my server to remove many of the major traces of my meal from my hands. The balance of such traces were easily removed by briskly rubbing my hands on the thigh portions of my trousers; although next time I might adopt the common practice of wearing shorts, thereby avoiding laundry issues and allowing for a shower to make myself whole.

As for my frites, I can state that, while not fresh cut, they were nonetheless delicious—piping hot and aggressively seasoned. I can also report that the chocolate milkshake was entirely satisfactory; although, regrettably, the malting service was not functional on the day of my visit. One hopes that a trained maltier can be hired in relatively short order without too much interference from the federal temporary foreign worker program.

My companions reported similar satisfaction with their entrées. The chicken in the club sandwich appeared freshly cooked and generous in portion. The poutine was bathed in hot gravy and looked resplendent with fresh cheese curds. The hamburger (hold the bun) was thoughtfully served with knife and fork so that no picking either coastal fashion was necessitated.

Notwithstanding the soporific effect of the main meal, our taste buds cried out for further stimulation —and they were not disappointed. My companions elected to share a banana split and were amply rewarded for their courage. I opted to consume, alone, the sundae au fondant chaud, avec arachides et crème fouettée. This dish, particularly when served with a metal spoon in a fluted glass bowl, has always been one of my favourites. I look forward to returning to sample its cousin, the sundae au fondant caramel, avec les mêmes toppings.

My only substantial complaint with the restaurant was the absence of the traditional Coffee News placemat: I hope, this omission can be remedied in the near future. If not, I suppose pages from back issues of the Times could be pressed into service.

The rating? How about a Dunlop three tires out of a possible four. That puts it right on par with each of Wellington’s other Dunlop rated restaurants.

Orchard Drive Dari-Bar
460 Main Wellington
613.399.2131
Parking Available Handicapped Accessible
Takeout or Eat In
Reservations: A few, but too few to mention
Dunlop rating: Three tires.