Dine & Dash: Ann Marie’s Café

There’s a certain level of comfort that goes along with nostalgic, themed diners. Something about sitting in red leather booths, with your feet sitting pleasantly on the black and white checked floor that makes you want to put on a poodle skirt and flirt with Danny Zuko. These kinds of diners are a little less plentiful than they were back then. The diner of the ‘50s is the coffee shop of today, which is why it’s that much more fun to step back in time and enjoy a burger and shake.There seems to be at least one diner in every town, and Abbotsford’s is centrally located on George Ferguson Way between Montrose and W Railway Street, just a stone’s throw from Champion Jack’s Emporium. Open more for the breakfast and lunch crowd, Ann Marie’s Café offers patrons a taste of nostalgia along with their menu selection. Though most of the breakfasts are only served until 11:30 a.m., some—like eggs benny and the classic—are served all day. Otherwise, there’s a fairly basic selection of soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and some favourites such as fish and chips, chicken strips, hot dogs and a meatloaf sandwich.

Since the idea of meatloaf leaves me both baffled and uncertain, I opted for a more friendly BLTC (bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheddar). The sandwich, unfortunately, left me wanting more. It wasn’t the ingredients—since a BLT is fairly sparse for ingredients anywhere—but rather the presentation of them all. The bread was fine, the bacon was fine, the cheddar was fine, but none of them grabbed my attention. The fries, though, saved the mediocre plate. The seasoning of pepper and lemon made these fries as memorable as the sandwich was forgettable.

The service was prompt, friendly and casual, and the nostalgic theme of the restaurant itself was aptly executed. This particular diner, though, seems to be more for those who may not want anything exciting in their meal, but want something a little more unusual for their dining experience. The building is incredibly clean, well-decorated and seems to be fairly recently renovated—minus the unheated bathrooms: watch out for cold toilet seats—and if I had wanted to enjoy a milkshake with some chili cheese fries à la films depicting the glory of the ‘50s, this is the restaurant I would come to. However, if I’m looking for some unexpected plates and palate-satisfying flavours, I might struggle to satisfy those cravings with the selections offered at Anne Marie’s.