let’s eat
The Chilliwack Progress Wednesday, May 27, 2015
www.theprogress.com
CHILLIWACK
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S P RI N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 PUBLISHER: CARLY FERGUSON EDITORIAL: GREG KNILL, JENNIFER FEINBERG, ERIC WELSH AND JESSICA PETERS PHOTOGRAPHY: JENNA HAUCK SALES: CHRIS FRANKLIN, BAIRY MARCHUK, LARRY KRAUSE, MAUREEN TEMPEL AND TARA HIEBERT CREATIVE: LISA CLARKE, SARAH DRIEDIGER, CHELSEA CALDWELL AND GERRAD ZANDETTI
royal café E
verything is freshly made at the Royal Cafe
Weekends are always a little extra special at the Royal Cafe. Proudly run by Devika and Graydon Gillette for the past five years, the downtown family restaurant offers a fresh approach to making home-style food. “We sell a lot of prime rib on Friday nights served with our homemade sauce,” says owner Devika Gillette. What really sets them apart is that everything is made from scratch, including their delicious gravies made from roast drippings. “We never make gravy by tearing open a package. We make our food fresh, we’re not just reheating.”
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On Saturday nights, the house dinner special is St. Louis style ribs with a house-made barbecue sauce.
cooking at the café inside the Royal Hotel, there’s always the Dynamite Catering option.
“We really want to urge people to come and try us for supper some time.”
One of the tantalizing dishes she whips up is Chicken Cordon Bleu from scratch and barbecue chicken with a zesty glaze.
They get a solid crowd for lunch but some Chilliwackians don’t seem to venture downtown after dark. But she wants them to know it will be worth it. They put a strong emphasis on good customer service, high quality ingredients and a wide variety of menu items. They make all their own sauces and desserts, like fresh fruit pies, in-house as well. If you can’t get enough of Devika’s
“Our roast beef is so tender, we get lots of compliments when we present one for a catering crowd.” The Yorkshire pudding served with the roast beef is a big hit, too. Back in the restaurant, Devika’s signature dish is the Fiji Rice Bowl, a homemade curry simmered in coconut milk and served with steamed rice and naan bread. They offer the choice of chicken, salmon or prawns.
“Our customers just love our rice bowl.” They don’t mess with the menu too often because their regular customers appreciate the consistency and high quality dishes. Catering for larger groups is where she gets to be creative, making striking elements like a bassinet shape carved out of a watermelon. “I enjoy catering events,” she says, even cutting platters of dainty fruits and veggies into appealing shapes. It’s fun to make food beautiful. “You have to love what you’re doing, and we do!” See more at www.ddcatering.ca, or visit them at 45886 Wellington Ave. or call 604-392-9355.
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