The best cooked dinner in N.L.? They serve it here, and have hearts of gold

Since the Food 'n Funseries focuses on food-based experiences, it didn't feel right putting out content about restaurants and road trips while everyone was trapped at home.

Now that things are opening up again, we wanted to shine a light on the great diners and destinations in our province. Hopefully this series will encourage you to get out, explore, and supportfamily-owned restaurants and businesses.

My suggestion? Start with the holy grail: the best cooked dinner.

Oh sure, lots of people will claim that nothing beats Nan's dinner and there is something to that, but even the most talented nan will have tough time competing against Eddy's Restaurant in South Brook.

Opensince 1997, Eddy's is an old-school roadside diner, and it deserves your support.

Since March, Eddy's has been closed to the general public, but they remained opened for truck drivers. Additionally, they donated meals out of pocket for a month to all those big rig drivers that kept our grocery stores stocked.

Word spread and organizations, business owners, and non-profits reached out to owner Wallace McKay. These groups donated food for April and May while the staff at Eddy's didthe cooking.

This is an incredible feat when you consider how thin the profit margins are for a small restaurant; donating their space, service, time, and food comes at a great sacrifice.

Eddy's opened back up to the public on June 8, so they're ready for your visit.

See for yourself: in pre-pandemic times, Andie Bulmanvisited Eddy's Restaurant to check out their epic cooked dinner, and try to finish a serving in one sitting.

The perfect cooked dinner in N.L.? Check out Eddy's in South Brook: Food 'n Fun, Ep. 2

4 years ago

Duration 3:53

If you're looking to get the best cooked dinner, contributor Andie Bulman suggests heading to Eddy's Restaurant in South Brook.And it's important to remember: a cooked dinner is NOT a Jigg's dinner. Check it out in the second episode of on-the-road dining series, Food 'n Fun. (Filmed by CBC's Mark Cumby before the COVID-19 pandemic)

You can't miss itit's right on the side of the highway. The dcor is classic: the outside of the building has white siding, red letters, vintage gas pumpsand a roadside marquee. The inside is all wooden church pews, comfy boothsand the friendliest service you've ever had.

The menu is comfort foodand the serving sizes are epic.

• More recent columns and features from contributor Andie Bulman

I usually pass through South Brook about six times a year and I've always stopped at Eddy's for their big fry-up breakfasts. I'm an expert breakfast eater, but I've never finished my plate and always leave groaning. Based on this (the most minimal of research) I assumed Eddy's was famous for their giant morning meals. However, a quick phone to call to owner Wallace McKay revealed that they are actually renowned for their cooked dinner.

This past fall, we drove from St. John's to meet the man behind the dinner: cook Elvis Thomas.

He couldn't share his top secret recipes with me, but here's what I learned about the best cooked dinner Newfoundland has to offer.

No. 1:Jiggs dinner is not the same as cooked dinner: I was corrected on this point several times. Cooked dinner comes with two proteins! Salt Beef and either chicken, turkey, or roast beef. Jiggs just has salt beef.

No. 2:Gravy is the star: Look, gravy is very important to me. I want it thick and I want a lot of it. Eddy's does not disappoint. The gravy is made from scratch and the cooked dinner gets a healthy ladleful. It's probably the best gravy I've ever had very rich and perfectly seasoned.

No. 3. Three puddings or bust: Maybe at home you just make a blueberry duff and call it a day, but not Elvis. Elvis loads the plates with puddings. The best one was a bread and date pudding. I begged him for the recipe, but no luck.

No. 4. Don't mess with the pease pudding: I got a chuckle when I told him that I sometimes add cumin to pease pudding. Elvis keeps it simple. Pease pudding gets black pepper and is cooked in the pot liquor.

No. 5. Don't expect to finish the plate: Look, some folks will demolish Eddy's cooked dinner in a single sitting. My hat is off to you, but for the rest of us, there is no shame in taking home leftovers. The best cooked dinner in Newfoundland is served on a plate the size of my arm, so take your time with it.

Food 'n Fun is aseries all about food, as Andie Bulman takes viewers to places in Newfoundland to talk about delicious things.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador