Life in the Lower Mainland (BC, Canada)

You may have gotten 2-for-1 buffet coupons in the mail from Gateway Casinos, good for either the Grand Villa in Burnaby or Starlight in New Westminster. The mailout I received had three coupons for three different periods between July and August. If you can eat a heaping plate (or skip breakfast and dinner), then the lunch buffet is for you. Two can dine for $13 ($13.65 after GST) -- that's less than $7 each. Buffet food is of course so-so, but here are some tips: Go easy on the portions, especially if one of the hot items are running out because they'll restock with freshly cooked ones soon. Desserts are usually lame and have sat around too long -- probably because people over-eat on mains. This said, if OK food for a great price appeals, then those two-for-one coupons are gold. And to be honest, fancier food at many places at a higher price isn't that much better. Considering you can eat three meals in one, $7 per person is a super deal (or if you need to sav

Went with a friend to redeem my Red Robin Royalty free birthday burger (comes with the usual bottomless fries!). As I was feeling like I had had too much meat recently, I went for the Garden Burger which, sad to say, is just OK, and that's if you immediately take out the pickles so you don't just taste pickles. Do NOT come to Red Robin for their veggie burger even if you do a patty swap. For approximately the same price (sometimes LESS) you can get a way more interesting and tasty burger (but with a meat patty). However, my friend got the Veggie Fajita, and OMG it was totally not what we were expecting -- in a good way. Generous almost for-two portion for $14.99, and although they start you off with about 4 wraps, it is clearly not enough and you can get free refills. Veggies are cheap (it looked like mostly onions) and clearly they don't skimp on it maybe because they can. NON-alcoholic drinks are big-portioned and cheap! My Coconut Pineapple Smoothie was just $4.

Pleasant summer weather means you can dine outdoors out back at Ouisi Bistro , although a bee had a strange fascination with the fried chicken I ordered--until I gobbled up all the meat. The interior is dimly lit so if you like light and a bit of sun and especially if it happens to be crowded inside the restaurant main, see if you can get a seat outside. Following an old raving recommendation for the fried chicken, that's what I ordered. Luckily we didn't get any appetizer because all our near-$20 plates had pretty heaping portions! Our small party did manage one dessert to share afterwards though. Southern Fried Chicken ($17) Three pieces of Rossdown Farms buttermilk mainated chicken. Double crusted and served with Yukon Gold-roasted garlic mash potatoes and jicama slaw (and cornbread) By "double crusted" they first fry the chicken, then batter it and bake it. I got two thighs and a wing. The thighs were juicy but the wing was dry. Maybe they did all three