by Louis Lorentz
Tucked into the brickwork on a small side street just off of downtown in the bustling student town of London, Ontario lays a distinctive diner, like a pop-up photo amidst a shelf of dictionaries, by the name of The Early Bird. The colourful eatery has been featured not only once, but twice by Food Network Canada’s You Gotta Eat Here, and like the scholars roaming the LDN streets, is never not busy, and cramming orders like the answers to a pop quiz. This hipster hotspot is a truly unique gem doubling nightly as a club by an equally fowl – but certainly never foul – name, The Night Owl.
Walking through the doors, you’re greeted by a crew as diverse as the decorations, a savoury and sweet smell from the kitchen, and more Ed Roth drawings than the hood of a 1970s monster truck. It’s noisy, air dense with conversation, laughter and music, which only adds to the liveliness, but my journey begins towards the back of the establishment – the Tiki Bar!
If patience isn’t your thing, it might best suit your fancy to grab a seat at the bar while you wait for your table and have a gander at the drink menu. Fellow FGFS blogger Acacia did, taking the suggestion of one of the staff and tried the Big Mac Daddy; bourbon, raspberry and cranberry ginger-ale – ra, ra, Rat Fink himself couldn’t stir up something stronger on the course, but if you (like Mr. Fink) are the driver for the night (or like me, and alcohol isn’t your cuppa), the non-alcoholic smoothies are also a real treat. I indulged myself a fruit n’ herb smoothie; strawberry, banana, rhubarb, mint, coconut milk and honey.
The menu rarely changes – once in a while a seasonal option may be added to the mix – but all of the choices are enough to make your mouth water. A seasoned customer is likely to tell you something along the lines of “Everything’s good, I try to get something different each time!” and they wouldn’t be lying.
Drinks in hand and eyes glued to the menu, Acacia and I decided on our choices for the night after much deliberation. Pirogi poutine for her, and a jalapeno popper sandwich for him (something I’d had my eye on for more than a few visits). As a massive sandwich fanatic, this wasn’t my first trip to this specific menu section, but it was certainly the most unique I’d tried. My taste buds welcomed the contrast between the sweet pepper jelly, the spicy jalapenos and fresh sprouts smushed between two crispy slices of bread.
On a prior dine-in I’d sampled the pirogi poutine myself, and the generous helping of cheese curds, boiled pirogies and homemade duck gravy (yes, duck, although vegan options are also encouraged) make it a filling and delicious twist on a Canadian favourite – highly recommended!
If it’s typical diner grub you’re on the go to grab, The Early Bird delivers a new twist to the classics. From the aforementioned poutine, to a platter of fish and chip sliders, or an all day breakfast section that’ll have you eating like Elvis for every meal, you can bet you’ll find yourself baited and coming back to the same worm The Early Bird caught that morning.
Fat Girl Food Squad 