Gimli: Shelley D's

Along the south side of Gimli on Highway 9 you will find a restaurant called Shelley D's. There isn't much to distinguish this place from the outside--it's in an ordinary looking white building next to an old, small lighthouse. On the inside, you will find a few tables and booths that will resemble any number of other small town cafes and restaurants. But the food you will get here is among the best, if not the best, that you will find in Gimli, Manitoba.

Shelley D's offers a breakfast menu plus lunch and dinner items that range from soup, burgers and fries to hot beef and pork sandwiches, shepherd's pie and Reuben sandwiches. You can also find things such as peroigi's here. The breakfasts are large, and although there is nothing here that I would consider unique and different (my hallmark), it's good American food (or Canadian food, since it's in Canada). You can also find rye or pumpernickle bread here for your breakfast, so you do get some good selections.

For lunch, I ordered the chicken cordon bleu burger (i.e., sandwich). I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a grilled chicken breast with mozzarella cheese and a thick slice of ham steak, and then had the normal burger toppings. It was so good, I devoured this sandwich quicker than anyone else ate.

Service here by the restaurant's owner is always friendly and you can tell he enjoys what he does. Because it is a family-owned place, the hours are somewhat slim, and they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.