Red Wagon Cafe

"It's raining, it's pouring. A black sky is falling. It's cold tonight."

And when it is raining, cold, and absolutely dreadful outside, what can be more satisfying than food? What can possibly be better than wholesome, comforting, diner food? Stepping into the Red Wagon feels like stepping into the Urban Outfitters version of a restaurant. It is definitely grungy with a very urban-hip kind of feel. It was quite busy when we went in around lunch time, so the place was buzzing with conversation. While we were waiting for our table, a group of four came in just as a larger table was leaving. The server was polite enough to ask us first if we would mind waiting for a smaller table - but it was okay if we didn't. Of course, we didn't mind waiting a bit longer since it would have been ridiculous for us to take such a big table, but the thought of asking us what we thought first was the first that I have experienced. Thumbs up.

Upon sitting down I knew what I was already going to order - since I looked at the menu before heading out. So right away, I claimed the DLT: Duck confit, tomato chutney, iceberg lettuce, in ciabatta, served with fries. B was in between the Crisp Pork Belly Sandwich and the Reuben - but we overheard the server talking about how her roommate talks about the Reuben in his sleep... so naturally we chose the Reuben which came with pickles and chips. We also ordered a pancake. I love pancakes, so we just had to.

You can see B sneaking food in the background. Hey! No touching the food before pictures!

When my DLT came, my eyes fell in love with what was put in front of me. When I took my first bite, I could have cried. It was so, so, so amazing. Your teeth just sinks into a softy, pillowy bun after piercing that slightly chewy ciabatta crust. The duck falls apart almost instantly and you get a delightful crisp from the skin mixed into every bite. Once you get to the lettuce and tomato chutney, you go to this place I like to call flavour heaven. You would think, that the duck, cooked in fat, would be too heavy. But no. The fresh, cool, crisp lettuce cuts through that fat instantly, as with that tangy, sweet chutney. It was beautiful.

B's Reuben was also delicious - albeit being really, really heavy. I can't imagine finishing both halves. The rye bread  was thin, and crisp. The perfect vehicle to hold in all that corned beef, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese. It was jammed packed with stuff. I couldn't really taste the sauerkraut, but you can feel that it is there. The thousand island sauce added a tang, but wasn't enough to bring in some kind of brightness. Luckily, it was served with small dill pickles to kind of refresh your palate after. I probably won't order the Reuben next time. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, just a bit heavy for me. The pancake was just scrumptious. Thick and perfectly fluffy.

Reuben Sandwich

At the end of our meal, we received two coke bottle gummies along with our bill. How sweet! Literally. Overall, I really enjoyed Red Wagon. It is on the more pricey-er side, but I think it is worth it. And I am proud to say, that I had the best food this time around! Ha! I can't wait to go back and try the Crisp Pork Belly Sandwich!