Late night eats

I have been extremely lax in posting lately. I'll blame summer and all it's nice weather, outdoor activities (ie. non-computer activities) and just a general non-committal attitude that goes along with vacations.

While off, I've been able to take some jaunts downtown and have found myself needing some grub at odd hours of the night (or morning, depending on how you look at it). In downtown St. John's there isn't a lot of choice for late night eats but there's enough to fill you up and send you home happy. Here are some of my picks for late night culinary adventure:

Folly on Bates Hill is a chill spot for excellent coffee and gourmet pizza. They're open noon-6am and offer great desserts, veggie options and potato wedges to die for.

Celtic Hearth (300 Water St.) is not far from George St. bars but offers a relaxed sit-down pub-style atmosphere that's open 24 hrs. Staff have been nothing but friendly to me even if I just ordered a huge glass of water and some fries. Their late night pub menu is limited but offers enough to satisfy most. Try the BLT or moose burger for a satisfying meal no matter the time.

Subway on the corner of Water St. and Bishops Cove (next to George) is also open 24hrs. It's not the most glamorous place to get grub at any point of the day and in the wee hours of a night out it can be downright sketchy. But the staff are usually pretty good about all the shenanigans they have to put up with from drunken customers. And it's an easy get for a little something to fill your belly before getting a cab home at the end of the night.

In the same light as the above, there's Sal's Pizza off George and several chip wagons on the street which offer quick and often satisfying bite late night. There's also several hot dog/sausage vendors which pop up on George St., and while I won't go as far as endorse them I know plenty of people who thoroughly enjoy a 3am stop for a dog.

If you happen to be in the East end of St. John's and need some food late night, Rustler's Bar and Grill is also open 24hrs Friday night to Sunday. Their menu is quite full and offers a lot of different options from really decent wings to hot turkey dinner.

And finally if you're already home and looking for a late night greasy grub fest, call up Ches's Fish and Chips. It's cliche and it's dirty but it's so good. And they will answer the phone and deliver right to your door until at the wee hours of the morning.

So that's my list of favorite places to grab grub in St. John's for those late-nights when you just need a snack.

Take-out weather

With this week's rainy weather it's a good time to order some take-out, hunker down and watch some tv or a movie. My top hibernating take-out choices:

India Gate (Duckworth) is the cure for rainy-day blues. Order a samosa, some nann, rice, and a main (chicken korma is delish). Take it home, open it up, eat half and declare you're too full to eat another bite. Put it in the fridge and enjoy the tastiest midnight snack (or breakfast) when the lure of the leftovers becomes too much to bare.

The Sprout (Duckworth) offers veggie and vegan choices that are palate-pleasing for everyone. Go down, order the pad thai to go, and just try to wait until you get home to enjoy its yumminess. You may find it's gone before you hit your front door. Plus they offer eco-friendly take-out containers so you'll feel better about the whole process!

If you're going to order in, pizza is the sure-fire choice for delivery food in town. Old Town Pizza (Portugal Cove Rd.) has chewy crust and a great sauce. Venice (Military Rd.) is quite accommodating and quick. If you're in the West end of town (or Mount Pearl) try Chilly Willy's (Park Ave.) for pizza or anything else you fancy in the greasy take-out genre (burgers, chicken fingers) as it's been a long-time staple.

Zapata's (Bates Hill) and Quintana's (Churchill Sq.) both do awesome, homemade Mexican food and take out. A bit pricey on both counts but well worth it if you want tasty food but don't want to spend hours simmering sauces or putting together enchiladas. Ask for extra chips and salsa for sure.

Finally, I couldn't have a list of blues-beating take-out food without the old standby: fish and chips. The favorite of most is Ches's and it's convenient since there are so many locations (Highland Dr., Freshwater Rd., Topsail Rd., Commonwealth Avenue). Their best deal is the cod bites special which will give you lots of fish and chips, plus a drink. Add dressing and gravy and you're more then set to completely veg out on the couch. Other excellent fish and chips shops are Leo's (Freshwater Rd.), B&B's Snack Bar (Blackmarsh Rd.), and Big R (Military Rd. and Blackmarsh Rd.).