| New Year’s Eve was off the hook, but now that the dawn is breaking, the munchies are getting the better of you. Time to refuel and soak up last night’s demons.
It’s a good idea to call ahead before dragging your motley crew to your favourite eatery. Many restaurants are closed New Year’s Day because it’s difficult to get staff to show up the morning after the night before. Here’s a list of a few places around town featuring hangover specials:
Avenue Diner (105 Eighth Ave. S.W., phone 263-2673)
Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on January 1.
Hangover cures include Bloody Mary soup ($4.95), tomato-based with a shot of vodka; charred chorizo omelette ($8.95), with jalapeno jack cheese and pea shoots; and a burger with grilled bacon, eggs over easy and cheddar ($9.95). Drink specials are Happy Planet Extreme Greens vitamin smoothie ($2.95), with thistle and B1, and full pints of red eye ($4.95).
Nellies
All locations open 9 a.m. on January 1.
In addition to the regular menu, Nellies will be featuring its notorious eggs Benedict ($8.25), two poached eggs on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce, hash browns and fruit.
To start the year off on a positive karmic note, Nellie’s On Fourth (2308 Fourth Street S.W.) will be offering free coffee to each patron who brings in a non-perishable food item.
Diner Deluxe (804 Edmonton Tr. N.E., phone 276-5499)
Open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on January 1.
In addition to the regular menu, the feature is veal meatloaf ($8.95), served with red pepper jelly, two poached eggs, hash browns and toast. Other popular hangover brunch items are omelettes and eggs Benedict.
Galaxie Diner (1411 - 11th St. S.W., phone 228-0001)
Belmont Diner (2008 - 33rd Ave. S.W., phone 242-6782)
Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 1.
Their regular menus always cater to hangover cures – breakfast burrito ($7.75); huevos rancheros ($7.75); Cody Scramble ($7) with sautéed mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes scrambled with eggs and cheese; French toast ($8); custom-made omelettes ($8.25 at Belmont, $8 at Galaxie) with any number of fillings; and the breakfast sundae ($7.25 at Belmont, $7 at Galaxie), featuring fresh fruit, granola and yogurt with toast or hash browns on the side.
DETOXIFY
They say the best remedy for a hangover is the hair of the dog that bit you. Fair enough, but there comes a point when you have to detoxify and nourish your soul. Here are a few elixirs and where to find them (unfortunately, their purveyors are closed on New Year’s Day, but keep them in mind for your future post-binge requirements):
Cuppa Gogo (1441 - 17th Ave. S.W., phone 520-4646)
Closed January 1, but open the rest of the week.
Cuppa Gogo’s motto couldn’t be more perfect for the start of a new year: Replenish, Rejuvenate and Re-energize. Enjoy a tonic drink, smoothie, fruit or vegetable juice, bubble tea, tea or coffee while gazing out through huge bay windows at the bustling intersection of 17th Avenue and 14th Street. This café, which opened in July, features more than 100 kinds of exotic teas, such as rooibos tea from South Africa, sea-urchin-shaped mu dan green tea from China, apricot peach and jungpana from Darjeeling.
GoGo tonics are natural blends of fruit and herbs with no added sugars, artificial flavours or preservatives. For balance, try the Morning After ($4.50), a hangover reprieve that rehydrates the body and dispels toxins. It’s made with mixed berries, American ginseng, Asiatic cornelian cherry, sweet-tea vine, milk thistle, Schizandra berries and white willow. For vitality, order the Depth Recharger ($4.25), a deep replenishing tonic for exhaustion and intense living. Made with mixed berries, American ginseng, Asiatic cornelian cherry and sweet-tea vine.
And what could be more necessary than a Liver Cleanser ($4.50) of apple, beet, parsley and carrot juice, or an Immune Booster ($4.50) with celery, parsley, garlic and carrot juice?
Caffeine & Leaves Urban Coffee House & Eatery (507 - 10th St. S.W., phone 269-4044)
Closed January 1, open January 2 and on.
This cozy, two-floor house, which opened in the summer, features a lovely selection of coffees, teas and soul-warming drinks. Loose teas include three black teas from China – keemun three monkey, lichee congou and yang pu-erh – as well as maple and blueberry, and jasmine with flowers green tea.
Delicious latté-based drinks are the Turtle Mocha, consisting of chocolate, hazelnut and caramel syrup topped with whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce; Coca-Cabana Cap – a shot of banana syrup and whipped cream – and the Black Forest Latté – chocolate and raspberry syrup topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a maraschino cherry (all $4).
Happy New Year’s! |
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