Working Nine To Nine

I worked remotely in Ottawa, but unlike Toronto, it wasn't practical to take a break and eating out at lunch. On Monday, I gave it a shot by returning to Dough Re Mi. Only 3 tables were occupied so having 4 employees (baker, owner, and 2 servers/baristas) didn't make economic sense. The pastries and desserts looked fresher today but I was here for the Manakeesh, a Levantine flatbread. There were several options and I was surprised that they were all under $10. Honestly, the price seemed a little low nowadays. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few months they increase by a couple of bucks.

I chose the za'atar and cheese classic ($5.25), and after a few minutes of reheating in the domed oven, it was brought to my table. The "middle-eastern pizza" was divided in half with each ingredient per side. The za'atar was tangy and it took a few bites before I started to enjoy the flavour. The cheese portion was an instant hit, slightly salty with a mild taste. The bread was good but not excellent because it was a bit on the dry side. Baking it to order might take longer but would it give more fragrance.

On Wednesday, I headed over to the Frys Guys for poutine. I visited them a few weeks ago to ask about their first ever camping trip which, unfortunately, took place during a torrential August long week-end. Business was a little slow so we had a long chat. One reason they became an owner of a chip wagon was the freedom to just chill during down times. They have worn many hats over the decades: nail tech, board assembler for Alcatel, hair stylist (courtesy of EI's retraining program during the dot-com crash), and now slinger of fries and hot dogs. It was often several different jobs for every day of the week. Though that was no longer necessary, they still switched over to doing nails at their friend's salon during the winter months. This was the secret of the "model minority" myth: a lifetime of pivots, making do, and a network of friends that allow an immigrant to "succeed".