By -Lindsay Butler
#10 Avalanche Pizza by the slice – About $3 a slice.
Avalanche pizza is probably one of the first places I ate in Whistler and I still go there regularly. There are a couple locations around Whistlerand they are known in particular for their organic dough. When it comes to food, I really don’t give a crap if it’s organic or not, flavour is all that counts, and Avalanche can definitely pack flavour into their pizza. A whole pie is rather pricey, but stick to a couple in-store slices and you’re golden. I recommend the bacon and pineapple, a wicked twist on Hawaiian. Another tasty place to get pizza is Fat Tony’s; their beef and blue cheese is the bomb. They’re especially good if you’re drunk at 2 in the morning and have 5 bucks left in your pocket.
#9 21 Steps’ Sambal and Masala Seared Scallops – $13
I love love love scallops, and 21 Steps definitely has a twisty take on the tasty seafood. They’re just a tad spicy without being overpowering, but they are rather small, so don’t expect to fill up on just one order. I’ve learned that you have to be careful at 21 Steps because they’re mainly a tapas restaurant, so things tend to add up. Plus they have way too many tasty things on the menu such as the garlic chili prawns or the braised pork ribs, or the cold smoked salmon, or the BC bowl pasta…
#8 Beaver Tails’ Beaver Tails and Zogs Dogs – About $5 or $6 per tail/hotdog
I’m pretty sure Beaver Tails isn’t a local spot and I’m not really sure about Zogs either, but you can’t really find one without the other in Whistler. And they both serve up some of the tastiest munchies for a low low price. What I love about Zogs is that after they hand you the hotdog, you can literally dump a half-ton of onions on top of that shiznit and then go to town on the other condiments. The smell of Zogs caramelized onions is freaking amazing and the taste is even better. (And they sell poutine too). As for the beavertails, if you don’t like deep-fried dough, we can never be friends. They’ve got all sorts of crazy toppings like Reeses Pieces, Nutella and Skor bits, but I reckon the classic is where it’s at, or the lemon and sugar combo is extra tasty.
#7 Sachi Sushi’s Sachi Roll – $8.50
If you don’t like sushi, you probably shouldn’t go to Sachi. If you do like sushi, then you should DEFINITELY go to Sachi. Given it is one of the more expensive sushi places in Whistler, but honestly, there really isn’t such a thing as ‘cheap sushi’ in Whistler. Samurai is reasonable, but the sushi isn’t even comparable to Sachi’s (and they use too much rice in their rolls and their sushi made me sick once). The Sachi roll is one of the tastiest rolls I’ve ever eaten. It’s made with shrimp tempura, avocado, salmon, scallop and spicy mayo, wrapped in a yellow soy sheet (which I prefer to regular seaweed). The roll is pretty expensive at $8.50, but it’s packed with flavour and the pieces are big.
#6 Wild Wood Café’s Classic Breakfast – $8.99
THE BEST BREAKFAST IN WHISTLER. Hands down. It’s just a regular breakfast; eggs (go scrambled, you won’t regret it), bacon or sausage or whatever morning meat you require, hashbrowns (sautéed with onions, yummmmm) and toast (I recommend the cranberry sourdough or the French toast which is a couple bucks extra). I don’t know what it is they do to make their food so fabulous but it is just so freaking good. Also their bennys are good, especially the ham or the bacon ones.
#5 Southside Diner’s Beef Burgers – 11.29 + 1.29 per extra topping
Southside’s burgers are so tasty and juicy and big (that’s what she said). They cook their burgers to pure perfection and then you get to choose what to put on it. The basics are free, but I suggest you slap some guacamole and salsa on that b*tch and make it a mexi-burger. Awesome. Or haz a cheezburger and throw some dairy on it. Be careful what you wish for though, extra toppings are $1.29 EACH. Also you should definitely order half fries half salad, you pretty much get a full portion of each. Dial that sh*t in.
#4 Dusty’s Bar & Grill Brisket Sandwich – $15.95
Holy crap you’ve died and gone to barbeque heaven. I only ever order 2 things on Dusty’s menu, the veggie basket because it makes me feel healthy when I’m downing pitchers of beer after shredding all day, or the brisket sandwich. This thing is melt-in-your-mouth awesomeness, topped with crunchy onions and sided with tasty potato wedges. It’s good for one if you’re starving, but I find that sharing between two is a perfect portion. Also, never ever get the macaroni and cheese from Dusty’s Backside. It tastes like watery mush. Absolutely no mac or cheese in that stuff.
#3 Cows Ice Cream – About $5 a scoop
Cows is known to have the best ice cream in Whistler, because they have the best ice cream in Whistler. For me, it’s pretty much Whistler’s equivalent of Ben and Jerry’s. It’s got tons of crazy awesome flavours to choose from like Wowie Cowie and Fluff’n’udder, as well as lots of merchandise packed with epic cow puns to amuse yourself while you wait for your scoop. Personal favourite: Cow of Duty, Black Spots. And if the smell of cooking waffle cones isn’t enough to lure you in, I don’t know what is. Oh, and you can ride the cow.
#2 BBQ Bob’s Pulled Pork Sandwich (The A J Ajax) – $7.95
You will never have a better pulled pork sandwich than at BBQ Bob’s. I haven’t.
#1 Sachi Sushi’s Kani Blossoms – $9.50
Kani blossoms are the most amazing thing I’ve ever put in my mouth (that’s also what she said). They consist of raw tuna, wrapped around a tiny bit of rice, topped with an Alaskan king crab mixed with mayo, and then sprinkled with fish roe and tempura flakes. I honestly used to think that a lot of sushi tasted the same, but just writing about kani blossoms is making my mouth water. If you’re looking for something that stands out from the crowd and is practically orgasmic on the taste buds, head to Sachi for a couple of these babies. The only issue is, is that they’re served in twos, which means you literally get 2 bites for 9 dollars. (IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT.) Nagomi Sushi over at Blackcomb base also sells kani blossoms, and for a cheaper price, but in my opinion they aren’t as good. It’s something about Sachi’s proportions that just creates flavour gold.
