Cabin 12

Cabin 12 occupies the corner of Pandora and Government, where downtown gets the seediest it really gets, kitty-corner from Bohemian Victoria and Lower Pandora. The Jamaican Jerk House used to reside here, and in it's last few months was bloody awful. Cabin 12 isn't. That's hardly an achievement.

What is the way the owners have fought and scrapped to keep the venue going, after a late night 'reveler' (read idiot) smashed a window days after opening and wiped out what little cash the restaurant had in it's coffers. Then just two weeks a go, a fund raiser, chilli cook out and appeal to the masses revived the pot of money enough to keep doors open over winter. Last I heard a new backer has come along to keep the place on a more solid fiscal footing, and even out the highs and lows.

Course, who cares, right? Just another mess of a restaurant who can't keep itself going? The staff have all tried to make the restaurant less of a top down dictatorship and more of a collective, based on the Summer Camp ideal of everyone pitching in and working together. People have worked hard, and it's nice to see a more social model of business coming through.

But enough history, can you eat there? We wandered in for a late lunch around 1.30pm and were greeted by the wait staff and grabbed the first table we saw empty. Decoration is a jumble of old furniture, a big old motorbike (actually might just be the owners) and a mix of kitshy and arty photos, posters and chalkboards. The menu is all-day breakfast (including Breakfast Beer at $4.25 a sleeve... no brand name written on it, so who knows what it actually is, I didn't try it to guess), including the ever present Eggs Benny, various mixes of eggs/pork products/bread and variety of more lunchy options. Including salads, sandwiches and green poutine.

I went for a cup of coffee and the N-R-Eh? a Chicken Club sandwich, with a side of hash browns. Green Poutine is a Vegan option, with a veggie gravy, soy cheese chunks, spring onions and mushrooms. My friend who knows that soy cheese is some sort of comedy item sold to trap the unwary. So she opted for real cheese.

Coffee was thick, black and roasted hard. This is the sort of coffee that drags you out of bed and gives you a cold shower before pummeling you with coarse towels to wake you up. Not so great when I've been awake for the last 4 hours when I want something a little more gentle. A delicate whisper in my ear to stay alert rather than a police siren. But, that's not their game here.

Food came out promptly, hot and ready. The NR-Eh was a triple stacked sandwich, with crisp lettuce, bacon, tomato and nice piece of chicken.The Hash Browns weren't. Hash Browns on my planet are grated potato, which is then fried. Country fries/homestyle fires/breakfast fries are cubed potato, which is then fried. I like both. I just really like Hash Browns, and should remember to check what the restaurant thinks are hash browns before ordering them. Still, the cubed tatties went down a treat with a little hot sauce.

The Green Poutine took my friend a while to get into. She just wasn't sure if it was really good, interesting or just odd. She settled on really good, and I have to agree. It's not a classic poutine flavour, and has no squeaky curds, but the gravy is lovely and the addition of mushrooms really added to it. Was a hit.

The staff were super efficient, chatty and helpful. The place plays live music later on, and has plenty of space to spread out, read papers and chat. It's possibly too spread out (the venue is good size) to make it feel intimate, but that means your not being over heard by the table next door. The clientele seem to be a mix, but tend towards the younger, working types.

I'll be back again, no doubt, and hope the model keeps working for them. They'll not set the world on fire, but they should keep a corner smoldering for a good while longer.

Final Bill :

Green Poutine with Real Cheese - $8.95,
NR- Eh Chicken Club with Hash Browns - $8.95,
Coffee - $2.25.
Total : $21.25 including Tax.

Location : 607 Pandora Avenue
Telephone : (250) 590-1500
Website : None