If you’re like most Canadians, you started 2012 vowing to eat healthier, lose a few pounds and stay away from calorie-laden, artery-clogging foods. But there are so many great temptations coming out of kitchens lately. If you’re going to stray from your diet, here are the best, and tastiest, reasons to do it.
BACON BURGER
1 Chuck’s Burger Bar, Hamilton, Ont.
This isn’t just a burger topped with bacon. The patty is all bacon, ground up and formed into a circle of impossible delicious goodness, suitably called “the guilty pleasure burger.” If you are throwing caution to the wind, pair it with the lobster poutine. Chucksburgerbar.com
2 DECONSTRUCTED CHEESECAKE
Charcut Roast House, Calgary It’s so cute, it can’t be fattening, right? Here, cheesecake is served in a glass jar with layers of preserved local huckleberries, cheesecake and graham crackers. At least it has fruit. Charcut.com
Duck fat anything
3 Edible Canada, Vancouver In the Granville Market, Edible Canada does double duty as a fantastic gourmet boutique with everything from exotic salt to fancy relishes and a casual bistro. Try the fries or hash browns cooked in duck fat – that extra something that tickles the tastebuds. Ediblecanada.com
Chocolaholic buffet
4 Fleuri, Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver Is there anything more sinfully decadent than chocolate? Here at this chocolate-focused buffet there isn’t. Cakes, pastries, pies, even cocktails and liqueurs are all about the sweet stuff. Remind yourself that chocolate has antioxidants to shoo away the guilt. Vancouver.suttonplace.com
Smoked meat
5 Schwartz’s, Montreal You can order a lean smoked meat sandwich at this Montreal institution (open since 1928), but just watch the waiters sneer at you in disgust. Everyone knows you should ask for medium. It’s even more delicious with a black cherry soda, pickle and fries. Apparently, bird-like Céline Dion ate there, so how bad can it be? schwartzsdeli.com
Fish ‘n chips
6 Ches’s, St. John’s, N.L. So putting batter on something as healthy as fish and frying it may be a dietitian’s nightmare, but how are we to resist? Ches’s has been frying up fish, cod tongues, shrimp and scallops for more than 60 years. It’s an art form worth appreciating and eating. chessfishandchips.ca