Dine where the lowest price is the law

Our Family Restaurant - Zellers Masonville Mall
Tis the season when shopping and mall-ing is paramount in a lot of people's lives.

I for one hate the mall. I hate it even more during the winter months and in particular during the month of December when you can't turn around without bumping into someone.

What I've never understood about mall shoppers are the type of people who gravitate towards the mall food court. Sure, there are plenty of food options, mostly unhealthy though. But what I find most disturbing about food courts in general is that to me it seems to be a place where germs meet, and you have to scramble to find a table that is in all likelihood dirty. No thanks. If you want to sit at ketchup and mustard stained tables that have had people coughing and sneezing on top of them go right ahead, I'll pass on the potential cold and flu side order with my meal, instead I'll make may way over Our Family Restaurant that you will find nestled in a corner of select Zellers Department stores, like the one at Masonville Mall.

If you can get past the stigma of eating at Zellers you will find that their restaurant has surprisingly tasty food. They serve homestyle comfort food that tastes wonderful. The added bonus of being able to sit down and have table service, as opposed to lining up like cattle at the trough at any of the food court options, should be enticing enough to give this place a try. You can also be rest assured that your table will actually have been cleaned prior to your seating, as opposed to wondering if the table has ever been cleaned.

The menu features burgers, sandwiches, and diner regular stand-bys like fish and chips and lasagna. You'll be surprised at the variety and options offered on this wide-ranging menu upon your first visit. If you're there in the early morning you may want to fuel-up on their excellent breakfast menu. They offer smaller meals for kids and seniors if you happen to be at the mall with either or both.

A couple of my favourites off the menu include the toasted western sandwich, the clubhouse and a very tasty and larger than expected burger that should put some fast food enterprises to shame. The food is competently prepared, the service is more than acceptable and the prices are just as good if not better then what you pay for in the food court, plus you can earn HBC points on that burger.

In comparison to anything that the food court has to offer, Zellers Our Family Restaurant will come off as a five-spoon place to eat, in reality it's a three spooner, with a menu that has something for everyone.

Next time you're out shopping and need a place to eat while at the mall try this place out, you certainly won't regret it, and you'll be wondering why you ever visited the food court in the first place. You can find Zellers Our Family Restaurant inside Zellers at Masonville Mall (Lower level), Westmount Mall (I've never been there) and Elgin Mall in St. Thomas, open during mall hours.

At the plate is a weekly column that features local restaurants, and in particular those that are close to Fanshawe. If you have any suggestions drop us an email.