Fadi's Fine Foods @ SAUNDERS FARM

I have to say I had an awesome weekend, and it didn't even involve chicken wings.

(Click HERE to go to the Wing Bucket to see more Photos,Videos and a Pamphlet for my trip to Saunders! )

LJ took me out for a belated B-Day adventure (it had rained the original weekend) to Saunder's Farm. Out in the country about half an hour South of Ottawa, Sander's Farm is full of mazes, pumpkins, stuff for kids to do etc etc etc. But at night in October, ghosts and ghouls come to life and the farm becomes haunted.

There were crazy built houses where kids could climb and explore. I would have loved it when I was younger.

They also have a Corn Cannon that you shoot corn out into a pond and try to hit a target. Very popular even late into the night.

There are 9 mazes to explore during the day, but they are closed at night. Above is one of the more novice labyrinths. While we were going for the haunted evening, night tickets still let you get in the early afternoon, so we tried our hand at two of the mazes. A lot of fun, I gotta say.

The place is decorated for Hallowe'en. While I was excited to go to the farm, I expected the decorations and such to be lame and cheap: Instead I found the place to be very crafted, spooky and really planned out, not just thrown together. Saunder's Farm takes their Hallowe'en seriously.

The game plan was to get there in the later afternoon, do some mazes, leave for supper to a neighbouring town (waiting for dark to come) and return for the night activities. There were several eating stands described on the website, but I expected expensive crap. This too proved to be slightly false assumptions as well. The food wasn't exactly cheap, and many places overlapped what they sold, but the mostly carnival fare was quite good. Here are some of the foods some of these stands sold:

Above in the photo was the Crossroads BBQ (note the skeleton decoration at the top) stand serving :

• Oktoberfest Sausage
• Corn-on-the-Cob

& The Snack Shack:

• Kettle Korn
• Candy/Caramel Apples
• Cotton Candy
• Popcorn

The Farmer's Table:

• Fresh-cut Fries


• Local Gourmet Burger


• Veggie Burger/Dog


• Pulled Pork Sandwich


• Chili in a Bread Bowl

Or Fadi's Food Tent:

• Pogo


• Roast Beef on a Bun


• Nachos


• Chicken Fingers


• Home-Battered Onion Rings


• Sweet Potato Poutine
  

After walking the mazes, we were tired, hungry and looking forward to some grub. As I mentioned, I had wanted to go to a neighbouring town and try a pub and some wings, but the carny food looked so good. Passing all the stands we saw Fadi's Fine Food trailer, and the burgers and fries just looked too good to pass up. LJ & I both got the Bacon Cheeseburger Combos (with fries & a pop) for $10, and I made my fries poutine ($1.50 more) because other people's poutine looked so damn good.

There were lots of picnic tables around the farm to eat at (but it was cold), and a large dining pavilion close by (crowded), but we had spotted a secluded little room back at the entrance of the farm. The "Log Barn" - a cozy cabin with wooden tables and a wood burning fireplace (where later that night ghost stories were told by a costumed actor) was perfect refuge from the increasingly cold night.

I loved the decorations (did I mention Hallowe'en is my favourite time of year?). I was expecting dollar store decs but they had some high quality stuff. I love the skull and crossbones over the fire place.

Above is a photo of my combo. For $11.50 it wasn't cheap, but it was good. Sometimes you have to splurge!

My bacon cheese burger. While there were toppings (ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish etc). I went with plain. The cheese, the bacon, the beef - it hit all my senses. The smell of cooked bacon; The sound of a sizzling patty (before being plated); The sight of the cheese oozing out; The texture of a super soft bun, crispy bacon, and melty cheese; The taste of good beef, processed cheese, and slightly smokey bacon. Heaven. Pure heaven. No the patty's are not homemade, nor is it high quality cheese or some 300 mile diet stuff. But this was a damn good burger. Damn good.

The poutine in all it's glory. Squeaky St. Albert's cheese curd, delicious gravy, and crispy fresh cut fries with the skin on. I got a warm feeling eating this in a cabin out of the cold, by the fire!


Later that night, between haunted barns, haunted fields and a haunted hay rides, my senses were appealed to again. LJ & I shared some fudge from the Fudge Shack. I broke down for a caramel apple $3, and it was the best caramel apple I have ever had. Near the end, a piping jumbo hot dog seemed to be a perfect snack. I pigged out, but I don't regret it at all.

Saunder's Farm is definitely a Saturday destination to check out on a fall weekend afternoon and evening. Lots of activities, great scares and actors, and best of all, some very decent food that was perfect for the event. There's still time to go if your in the Ottawa area, I totally recommend it for kids of all ages.

Saunder's Farm
7893 Bleeks Road, Munster, ON (yes, Munster Ontario!)

saundersfarm.com

Click HERE to go to the Wing Bucket to see more Photos,
Videos and a Pamphlet for my trip to Saunders!