Lazy Loaf & Kettle Cafe & Bakery

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Kev took me to Lazy Loaf & Kettle one day when we were studying together at the Foothills hospital. Apparently, it is the to-go place for hospital staff to grab a quick bite. It is literally just down the hill, 2 blocks away from Parkdale Park.

This quiet, old-fashioned place offered down-to-earth bake goods and homemade bread. At one point, I thought I walked into my grandma’s house 😛

Though the cafe was primarily occupied by loyal customers, it was a bit confusing for first-time visitor like me to figure out where and how to place my order. Here’s what you need to know: 1) look behind the cashier, the menu and daily (soup and salad) special would be written on the board; 2) if you’re ordering sandwich, pick up a paper form (see below), select your fillings and condiments; 3) pay and wait for your food!

sandwich order form

Besides the all-time-available sandwiches, you can also find simple breakfast dishes like benny, or house-made lasagna here. Kev and I weren’t lucky enough to grab the last order of lasagna so we each got a sandwich instead.

One thing I needed to complain was that the wait time was way too long… It was during off-peak hours. We didn’t make a large order or order any complicated dish (unless you count making a sandwich a complex task). Nonetheless, we waited a good 20-minute for our meals. When we finally got our sandwiches, we were quite disappointed by the quality.

Kev ordered a whole Montreal smoked meat sandwich with a side of caesar salad.  The portion was generous, but the ingredients from the multigrain bread to the meat were pretty mediocre. The stale-tasting croutons made the experience even more unpleasant.

whole Montreal smoked meat sandwich with Caesar salad

I also ordered a Montreal smoked meat sandwich, just like Kev, but mine was half order with a side of tomato soup. Moreover, I selected a slightly different condiment and threw in a lot more other veggies. One thing I liked was the combination of cheese and cranberry sauce, adding the perfect sweet and tart. The soup was standard, filled with carrots, zucchini, onions, peas, celery and tomato.

I don’t remember the exact price of the sandwich, but I vaguely recalled it was slightly more expensive than Subway. Based on the fact that they make the bread from recipes handed down through generations and use only home-grown ingredients, I was expecting something more unique and tasty. Frustrated both by its food and customer service, I would not want to dine here again.