Chief Chiniki Restaurant Burns Down Overnight

[puckluck2]

This is terrible news. I remember this restaurant like I just found out about it today. It was a great place to drive by and not even realize it was there.

[Ozy_Flame]

I guess if everyone stopped there instead of just driving past, the fire would have been put out before it completely burned down . . .

I don't think I know anyone in my 30 years on this planet who has actually stopped there. Now that abandoned gas station just outside the mountains, that's a treasure trove!

[Stay Golden]

Havn't been there for years. Parking lot was usually full of tourists vehicles whenever you drive by. Wonder if they rebuild, hopefully it doesn't just become a burnt up abandoned dump like that run down gas station not far away.

[First Lady]

Got a chuckle from this quote in Herald:

“Right now, it’s really up in the air,” said Crow.

Yes, yes it is. Up in the air.... as in up in smoke, up in the air.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Now that abandoned gas station just outside the mountains, that's a treasure trove!

That was where we usually stopped. I was sad to see that one close down and become a shell of its former glory*.

*Note: Glory in this case is not very glorious.

[Table 5]

So what I'm gathering from this thread is that as long as the sign still remains untouched, nothing will change for anyone.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Table 5

So what I'm gathering from this thread is that as long as the sign still remains untouched, nothing will change for anyone.

In my experience, on that particular reserve, there is no danger of old or unneeded structures being removed without a cause, so we should be good.

[Jordan!]

Can't say this is a loss.. place sucked!

[GP_Matt]

I am like everyone else who drove by and half jokingly talked about stopping but never did. I had a friend though who did once with his family on the way home from skiing. He walked out of the bathroom and absentmindedly turned off the lights. An old guy in one of the stalls started immediately screaming that the world was ending. He turned the light back on and ran out never to return.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

I am like everyone else who drove by and half jokingly talked about stopping but never did. I had a friend though who did once with his family on the way home from skiing. He walked out of the bathroom and absentmindedly turned off the lights. An old guy in one of the stalls started immediately screaming that the world was ending. He turned the light back on and ran out never to return.

This just made me laugh harder than I have in days.

[ricosuave]

Probably because Chachi was too eager to go out on a date with Joanie, and forgot to turn off the grill before tossing his apron on it...

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

An old guy in one of the stalls started immediately screaming that the world was ending. He turned the light back on and ran out never to return.

Ahhhhhhh public washrooms.....always an adventure.

[EverfresH15]

I am suprised it lasted this long. I only stopped there once so some girl from BC didnt ##### her pants in my car.

[DeluxeMoustache]

That makes more emergency dump references than diners.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

That's probably why it burned down at midnight on a weekday . . . . nobody stopped. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge . . . . )

I, for one, actually did stop there. The Restaurant parking lot was the end point for my 16 km leg running in the Banff/Calgary Relay in about 2004. Too tired to sample the menu though.

Cowperson

Hey, maybe we ran against each other. I bet I beat you.

[Prairiefire]

Last night was probably the first time the food was properly cooked.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Got a chuckle from this quote in Herald:



Yes, yes it is. Up in the air.... as in up in smoke, up in the air.

Well, you certainly explained that joke thoroughly.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Well, you certainly explained that joke thoroughly.

Well I knew you would be reading it.

[Shin Pad]

I actually worked on that building with the Architect that designed that place - way back when.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

In the restaurant’s heyday, tourists and locals alike could order Native cuisine specialties, including trout, rabbit stew, deer burgers and buffalo-meat Indian tacos served on frybread.
But in recent times, although the buffalo burger and bannock remained, the menu adapted to serve a younger generation wanting Chinese food, cheeseburgers and chicken fingers.

I guess you gotta cater to your local clientele, but there's something wrong about going to the Chief Chiniki and ordering Ginger Beef and Chow Mein.