Jo – Another Tasty Tale

 

When it's springtime in Edmonton, a young man's fancy turns to ... sports! The NHL playoffs are front and centre ... even if the Oilers are no longer contenders for Lord Stanley's Cup, there's still a lot of good hockey to be watched ... the Trappers are at the start of another great season ... and Mike Weir has inspired everyone to get out there and master the fastest growing individual sport around.

This makes it a perfect time to grab your buds and head over to Jimmy Rays Sports Bar & Lounge, the best kept secret in town to keep track of your favorite teams and partake of some of the city's finest food and drink.

Jimmy "Ray" Choppen is the heart and soul of Jimmy Rays. Passionate, enthusiastic, and with energy to burn, it's his drive and never-ending creativity that keeps sports enthusiasts coming back round after round.

The menu is full of unique, soul satisfying taste delights. Home of the 'Big Boy', a 1/2 lb Alberta beef burger topped with melted Swiss cheese, back bacon, an all beef BBQ hot dog, AND a fried egg, it's breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one! They also have a great Steak Sandwich, which is also Friday's lunch special. But then, any weekday is a good day for lunch at Jimmy Rays. With a daily soup and sandwich and hot special, it's a great lunch for under $7.

Terri and I were irresistibly drawn to similar dishes. I could no more resist the chicken mushroom fettuccine topped with cheese and baked to a golden perfection than she could the chicken breast topped with a portabella mushroom nestled on a bed of 'incredibly awesome!' rice surrounded with fresh, sautéed vegetables. Both decadent. Both delicious. And complemented perfectly with the Mango Cheesecake we forced down later!

And for those nights when you're just hanging out watching the game or shooting pool, what could be better than a variety of finger lickin' good nibblies? Burgers, buffalo wings, ribs, spicy fries, quesadillas, cheese sticks, and of course, Jimmy Rays World Famous Nachos ... all the fixings of regular nachos laid out on individual chips! Add a Molson Canadian, Coors Light or Rickard's Red on tap, and you've got sports fan heaven!

But food isn't the only great thing at Jimmy Rays. With all the sports related memorabilia and activities Jimmy was telling us about, I was beginning to think they need a 'Sports Menu' as well! Get the best deal in town on Oiler games and Eskimo season tickets ... join the party at Jimmy Rays prior to, during and after every home game. Enjoy good food, good friends, and avoid all the traffic and parking hassles.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Here we are in the middle of the NHL playoffs, and besides the food and beverage specials, with every Molson Canadian, Canadian Light or 20 oz Canadian Draft, you'll receive a scratch ticket on instant win prizes, and you’re also entered in a draw for a framed, autographed Ryan Smyth jersey.

Jimmy Rays is a great community supporter. They're currently raising money for the Craig Simpson & Friends Charity Fund with a Silent Auction on three autographed jerseys. And they have many other similar events throughout the year, which support various local charities.

And what else is on the Sports Menu? How about an annual Golf Tourney? Totally for fun, and so informal you don't even turn in your scorecard! It's held mid-September and everyone goes home with a prize! Then the event we snowboarding bunnies were really sorry we missed ... Jimmy Rays annual Ski Trip to Marmot in March. Throw in an NFL draft, NTN, QB1, lottery tickets, a yearly dragster race, skydiving, the Grey Cup (you filled how many buses?!) and the menu is complete.

Jimmy Rays feels like 'Cheers meets a college dorm' ... casual, fun and family. For good food, good fun, and great entertainment, drop in soon. And tell Jimmy that Billy sent you!

Jimmy Rays Sports Bar & Lounge
15211 - 111 Avenue
4886-3390
www.jimmyrayssportsbar.com